Management of Fecal Incontinence for the Advanced Practice Nurse

This second edition describes the management of fecal incontinence from an advanced practice nursing perspective using the latest and best available evidence. The book is written by a group of interdisciplinary, international experts on fecal incontinence. Authors’ objectives are to disseminate information about evidenced-based nursing care for the incontinent patient to assist nurses to provide high quality care, reduce incontinence, and improve patients’ quality of life.

The book is structured in chapters whose content has been updated since the first edition. It addresses assessment and management of fecal incontinence in various patient groups, paralleling the delivery of care. Case studies are provided. Normal defecation and mechanisms to promote continence are explained to improve understanding of alterations resulting in fecal incontinence. The epidemiology of fecal incontinence is summarized to illustrate the scope of the problem. There is a chapter about the assessment and management of skin problems commonly associated with fecal incontinence with recommendations for assessing them on darky pigmented skin. New chapters about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on continence care, selection and use of absorbent products, and a horizon scan of technologies for managing fecal incontinence have been added. All chapters highlight key information in a box or table.

The intended readers are international advanced practice nurses who care for patients with incontinence and continence nurse specialists practicing at a general level. General nurses or nursing students interested in continence care might also be interested in the book. Readers from other healthcare disciplines can learn more about the role of the advanced practice nurse in continence care.