Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a major health concern in long-term care (LTC) facilities, contributing significantly to sepsis diagnoses and ranking as a leading cause of infections. To combat incontinence, many LTC facilities implement timed and prompted toileting programs. However, the effectiveness of these programs in specifically reducing UTI rates has remained an area needing further investigation. A recent study addressed this gap, exploring the impact of formal toileting programs on UTI incidence within LTC settings.
This research, grounded in Donabedian’s quality improvement model, sought to determine if a correlation exists between the presence of timed and prompted voiding programs and UTI rates in Georgia LTC facilities. The study surveyed directors of nursing across various CMS-regulated facilities in Georgia. A significant 69% of respondents confirmed the existence of policies and procedures for timed and prompted voiding within their facilities, while 31% reported the absence of such programs.
Analyzing the data using an independent t-test, the study revealed a compelling finding: LTC facilities with established timed and prompted voiding programs demonstrated a significantly lower rate of UTIs compared to facilities without these programs (p=.002). The effect size, measured by Cohen’s d (3.20072), Hedges’s correction (3.20072), and Glass’s delta (3.64887), was notably large, underscoring the substantial impact of these toileting programs.
These findings strongly suggest that implementing evidence-based incontinence management programs, specifically timed and prompted toileting programs, in long-term care facilities can be a highly effective strategy for reducing UTI rates among older adults. This reduction in UTIs not only improves the health and well-being of residents but also contributes to positive social change by mitigating a significant health issue within vulnerable populations in long-term care settings. The study provides robust evidence supporting the adoption and consistent implementation of Long Term Care Toileting Programs as a crucial component of infection control and quality care in LTC facilities.
