Innovation at Work! Development of a Female Urinal by Carilion Staff

Innovation at Work! Development of a Female Urinal by Carilion Staff

Amy Lucas, MSN, RN, CCNS, CCRN-K, Carilion Clinical Nurse Specialist

The ongoing work to ensure that there are adequate products to manage urine output in patients highlighted a need for a product for immobile, continent women. While men can often use a urinal, bed bound women traditionally use a bedpan, but this is difficult when they are unable, or it is unsafe to turn. Also, it requires another person to help with placement which doesn’t allow for the same level of independence as what men experience. Currently at Carilion there is a female urinal, however the shape of the product is most conducive to women who can sit on the edge of the bed or in a chair and tends to spill for those who can’t sit upright. Staff will use a device intended for incontinent women instead of using a bedpan even at times when the plan of care includes mobilization. Unfortunately, this leads to more dependence and could lead to longer lengths of stay and poorer outcomes related to decreased mobility. This also contributes to higher costs as the incontinence product costs over fourteen dollars each day to use compared to a bedpan, bedside commode, or toilet, which are reusable and in the case of the bedpan, much less expensive.

After a fruitless search for an available product to meet this need, the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) partnered with the Carilion Innovation team to develop a functional female urinal. The Innovations Team evaluated the cost and marketability and secured a partnership with biomedical engineering students at Virginia Tech. This partnered the resources and knowledge of the students with the expertise of the CNS. This work included testing multiple versions of the product in a simulated environment to develop a product that diverted the urine away from the patient while in a flat position. At the end of the semester, they were able to successfully demonstrate a device that met this need and an application for patent was submitted.

The next steps will be to test and refine the product in a laboratory setting followed by evaluation in a real-world setting. As the CNS and students work on final improvements the Innovations Team will be investigating possible production and marketing options in the hopes of offering a functional product for women who are continent but have difficulty with mobility that will allow for proper management of urine in a way that encourages independence for the patient and is cost effective for the organization caring for the patient.