Incontinence-associated dermatitis in patients with spinal cord injury

Evidence-based patient care for those with urinary and faecal incontinence involves routine tasks that are integral to essential patient care. However, over the past few decades, researchers have demonstrated how ritualistic practice in this area has become. There is also a growing range of skin care products that can be used to prevent incontinence-associated dermatitis and for nurses, deciding which ones to use can be problematic Incontinent patients have a 22% higher risk of developing pressure ulcers – when immobile this risk increases to 30% – and the often indiscriminate use of various lotions, without a significant evidence base, is a growing cause of concern. Maintaining healthy skin for those patients who have a spinal cord injury and also experience urinary and faecal incontinence is a challenge faced by nurses in primary and secondary care. Research undertaken in secondary care demonstrates that standardization to an evidence-based skin care regime, to be used after incontinent episodes, improves patient care in this specialist area.