Ready…Get Set, Off! Your Diaper
Care Continuum
Care Process & Redesign
Yishun Health One Improvement Festival
National Healthcare Group
8 April 2025
W.O.D aims to reduce diaper dependency among elderly individuals, supporting independence and dignity that aligns with. 40 patients in ward D98 were weaned off diapers successfully from July 2023 to February 2024.
Year Submitted: 2025
Published Date: 08 April 2025
Tags: Quality Improvement, Cost Saving, Time Saving, Workflow Redesign, Productivity, Care Process ＆ Redesign, Care Continuum, Patient Education, Preventive Care
About this Content
Aims
W.O.D aims to reduce diaper dependency among elderly individuals, supporting independence and dignity that aligns with Onward 2026 Strategic priority to -Manage and Prevent Frailty.
Background
It is common for elderly patients who are hospitalised to be routinely nursed on diapers until discharge despite improvement in functional status during hospital stay.
Methods
With second round of PDSA cycle, we spread W.O.D to subacute ward D98.
Results
16.2% reduction of patients using diapers from 61% (baseline) to 44.8% (post intervention) in February 2024. Significant cost savings for patients and time saving for nurses when patients wean-off-diapers.
Conclusion
40 patients in ward D98 were weaned off diapers successfully from July 2023 to February 2024. Nurses play an important role in preventing frailty among elderly patients by promoting continence care and reducing diaper-related complications during hospitalization.
Lessons Learnt
Problems identified at Root-Cause-Analysis: 1. Lack of a standard process in weaning patients off diapers 2. Staff knowledge deficit in Urinary incontinence (UI) management.
Additional Information
Team aims to spread initiative in another discipline at Subacute Ward D98 to reduce percentage of patients using diapers by 10% within 8 months from June 2023 to February 2024.
Keywords
Diapers, Wean-Off-Diapers, Continence Care, Frailty, Nursing
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | National Healthcare Group |
Organization(s) Involved | Yishun Community Hospital |
Platform(s) | Yishun Health One Improvement Festival |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Nursing |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Geriatric Medicine, Urology |
Project Lead(s) | Tan Yee Wen |
Project Member(s) | Lim Yin Yin |
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KTPH & YCH Innovation & Improvement (I&I) Office - i-i@ktph.com.sg