Which of the following behaviors indicates that the client on a bladder training program has met the expected outcomes? Select all that apply.
A. Voids each time there is an urge.
B. Practices slow, deep breathing until the urge decreases.
C. Uses adult diapers, for “just in case”.
D. Drinks citrus juices and carbonated beverages.
E. Performs pelvic muscle exercises.
Correct Answer: B, E
It is important for the client to inhibit the urge to void sensation when a premature urge is experienced. Bladder training, a program of urinating on schedule, enables the client to gradually increase the amount of urine the client can comfortably hold. Bladder training is a mainstay of treatment for urinary frequency and overactive bladder in both women and men, alone or in conjunction with medications or other techniques.
Option A: Choose an interval. Based on the typical interval between urinations, select a starting interval for training that is 15 minutes longer. If the typical interval is one hour, make a starting interval one hour and 15 minutes.
Option B: When the client starts training, he should empty his bladder first thing in the morning and not again until the interval he set. If the time arrives before he can feel the urge, he should go anyway. If the urge hits first, he should remind himself that his bladder isn’t really full, and use whatever techniques he can to delay going.
Option C: Some clients may need diapers; this is not the best indicator of a successful program.
Option D: Citrus juices may irritate the bladder. Carbonated beverages increase diuresis and the risk of incontinence.
Option E: Try the pelvic floor exercises sometimes called Kegels, or simply try to wait another five minutes before walking slowly to the bathroom. Once comfortable with a set interval, increase it by 15 minutes. Over several weeks or months, the client may find that they are able to wait much longer and that they have experienced far fewer feelings of urgency or episodes of urge incontinence.