Depends leaking.

LisaNicolePN · Jun 25, 2013

Try toileting Q3 overnight and during the day so that the patient still has a sense of self control over their bladder and they may be able to start a routine and train their bodies to void at certain times on specific cues. I would also suggest a condom cath and Q2 hour check to make sure the brief is dry at the same time as you reposition the patient.

loriangel14, RN · Jun 25, 2013

Wekk yes, the others have a point. You should be checking the brief when you do your Q2 check anyways.

MedChica · Jun 25, 2013

I am a home health aide and I have recently started caring for a patient over night and I am wondering if anyone has every dealt with depends leaking. The other night there was urine everywhere and I had put a fresh dry one on the patient before bed.
I was just wondering if anyone else had a problem like this and if they had solved it.

If the brief is 'dry' but there's urine all over the bed? Maybe you put it on wrong. It happens.

For me, it always happened when the pt was male and heavy to move. If the pts a male, make sure that you're putting their 'business' down before you secure that brief. A lot of unnecessarily soiled beds and legs happen because of that alone.

If everything's soiled, you may have to do rounds sooner.

allnurses Guide · Jun 25, 2013

You need to change them q2h.

Not only because they will leak, but it will protect skin integrity.

I worked in a place that did not allow any type of brief overnight.

The residents slept on cloth chux and we changed the chux, wiped down the skin, applied moisture barrier and repositioned q2h.

We never had decubes.

elikat02, ADN, LPN · Jun 25, 2013

I take care of a gentleman who has the same issue. When I make his bed, I use two disposable chucks on his sheet, then when it's time for bed, I put him in a Depends brief along with another brief (yes, two briefs per the family request) along with a bladder pad. In the am I change and clean him, and put one Depends on him along with a bladder control pad. When I clean him up, the family has an ointment like aquaphor as a wetness barrier and it works really well - his skin integrity is amazing for a heavy wetter.

NurseDirtyBird · Jun 25, 2013

If you use barrier cream, especially a zinc oxide cream, check how much you're using and if you give it a chance to "dry" a little. Too much will leave a moisture barrier on the brief, which will reduce the absorbency.

I figured this out with my kid, actually. He'd get a little diaper rash, so I'd slather on a whole bunch of cream. Lo and behold, he'd soak his pajamas way before morning. Just using a little works fine for the skin and he doesn't get wet clothes.

Career2_BSN, BSN · Jun 25, 2013

I worked in a place that did not allow any type of brief overnight.
The residents slept on cloth chux and we changed the chux, wiped down the skin, applied moisture barrier and repositioned q2h.

This method is what we're learning in my CNA class now as "best practice" but the instructor does caution us that it all depends of facility policy.

Glycerine82, LPN · Jun 27, 2013

As everyone else has said, you really do have to check frequently. Patient should be turned and checked every two hours. Another suggestion I tell everyone, is if the patient is mobile and not bed bound, take him to the toilet. Incontinent patients will pee on the toilet if you put them on it an they have to go. The body just knows what to do. I do this will all my incontinent patients who are able, and it helps a lot with incont. episodes. I've even had "incontinent" patients be continent all shift for me.

blwilliams10 · Jun 27, 2013

Basically the things to check are they fully on, are they the right size, and if they are a male the member needs to be pointed down and centered. Also if they are changed q2h they are less likely to run out of room and spill over.