A literature review by Xiaojing Fan and colleagues of patients’ post-surgical problems identified long- and short-term effects and, importantly, the need for nurses to offer more education and information to help men cope

This integrated thematic literature review explored men’s experiences of urinary incontinence after prostatectomy and was based on 12 primary studies. Five main themes about men’s experiences post-prostatectomy were identified, namely, emotional experience related to urinary incontinence, experiences of indwelling catheter care post-operatively, effects of urinary incontinence on social life, experience of managing urinary incontinence, and experience of education about urinary incontinence on discharge. The review showed that urinary incontinence had short- and long-term effects on men’s lives after prostatectomy. Men appeared to need better access to accurate and comprehensive information and better education about managing urinary incontinence. Hospital nurses and community nurses can improve men’s experience of urinary incontinence post-prostatectomy.