Question

A nurse is working with a female patient who has developed stress urinary incontinence. Pelvic floor muscle exercises have been prescribed by the primary care provider. How can the nurse best promote successful treatment?

A) Clearly explain the potential benefits of pelvic floor muscle exercises.
B) Ensure the patient knows that surgery will be required if the exercises are unsuccessful.
C) Arrange for biofeedback when the patient is learning to perform the exercises.
D) Contact the patient weekly to ensure that she is performing the exercises consistently.

Answer 1

The nurse can best promote successful treatment for stress urinary incontinence by clearly explaining the benefits of pelvic floor exercises, arranging for biofeedback, and contacting the patient regularly to ensure consistent practice.

Step-by-step explanation:

To best promote successful treatment for a female patient with stress urinary incontinence, a nurse can do the following:

• Clearly explain the potential benefits of pelvic floor muscle exercises, ensuring that the patient understands how these exercises might help strengthen the pelvic muscles and improve continence.
• Arrange for biofeedback when the patient is learning to perform the exercises, as it can help the patient understand how to effectively contract and relax pelvic floor muscles.
• Contact the patient regularly to offer support and ensure that she is performing the exercises consistently, which is crucial to the success of the treatment.

Communicating the benefits, aiding with biofeedback techniques, and providing consistent support are key to helping the patient adhere to the exercise regimen and potentially achieving improvement in stress urinary incontinence symptoms.