Healthcare professional's management of the risk for postoperative urinary retention in hip surgery patients – a qualitative interview study

Background

Postoperative urine retention can lead to permanent bladder dysfunction. This occurs even though healthcare personnel can access evidence-based guidelines on avoiding urine bladder injuries related to care.

Aim

This study aimed to describe healthcare professionals’ experiences with, and strategies to avoid post-operative urinary retention among hip surgery patients.

Method

A descriptive qualitative study using telephone interviews, were conducted in April to June 2021, with 22 healthcare professionals (13 nurses, 7 nursing assistants and 2 occupational therapists) in 17 orthopaedic wards in Sweden. Qualitative content analysis of interview data was performed.

Results

Five categories were identified: “Knowledge about guidelines regarding bladder monitoring”, “Understanding of patients' prehospital bladder function influences healthcare professionals’ reasoning and actions”, “Strategies are applied to make it easier for the patients to empty their bladder”, “Indwelling catheter is used routinely” and “Short length of stay creates stress”.

Conclusion

To optimise safe patient bladder monitoring after hip surgery, health care professionals need to be more aware of the availability of guidelines about bladder monitoring to adopt consistent monitoring practices, and to have enough time to care for patients.