Nurse-led clinics can manage faecal incontinence effectively: results from a tertiary referral centre

• Published in: Colorectal disease 2015-08, Vol.17 (8), p.710-715
• Main Authors: Duelund-Jakobsen, J., Haas, S., Buntzen, S., Lundby, L., Bøje, G., Laurberg, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Algorithms; conservative therapy; Dietary Fiber - administration & dosage; Enema; Faecal incontinence; Fecal Incontinence - therapy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Intention to Treat Analysis; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Satisfaction; Practice Patterns, Nurses; Referral and Consultation; Severity of Illness Index; Tertiary Care Centers; treatment; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1462-8910; 1463-1318
• DOI: 10.1111/codi.12983

Aim In May 2010, a specialist nurse‐initiated assessment and treatment algorithm for faecal incontinence (FI) was introduced at the department of Anal Physiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of and patient satisfaction with the program. Method A medical file audit was preformed on patients evaluated and treated for FI and discharged after September 2010. Patients were invited to participate in a structured telephone interview. This study aimed to enrol 100 patients. Patients were asked if they were satisfied with their current level of continence status (yes/no), and a numerical satisfaction score and Wexner score were recorded. These results were compared to baseline and at time of discharge. Results One‐hundred patients completed the telephone interview; 73 of these patients were satisfied after a median of 420 (range: 114–586) days following discharge from the program. A median of one outpatient consultation followed by one telephone follow‐up was required before the patients were discharged. The Wexner score was significantly reduced by 3.9 (±4.4) (P