Is it Feasible to Use Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis Assessment Tools in Routine Clinical Practice in the Long-term Care Setting?

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of using incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) tools in routine clinical practice by asking nursing home staff (RNs and non-RN caregivers) and tissue viability specialty (TVS) nurses to evaluate 3 instruments and a 4-point severity scoring system for describing and grading IAD examples captured in photographs of skin underneath absorptive pads in nursing home patients.

Design: Feasibility study.

Subjects And Setting: Twelve female nursing home residents whose incontinence was managed with pads and who had previously been identified as experiencing IAD were recruited, along with 16 nursing home staff (6 RNs and 10 non-RNs) and 10 TVS nurses.