Incontinence and patient care New

A tab-closure brief is changed in bed and refastened. Pull-on protective underwear suits residents who toilet with help. Bladder control pads, liners and guards handle light leakage inside regular underwear. Underpads protect the bed or chair under any of them.

Each size label carries its waist or hip range in inches, and the sizes map to the HCPCS bands: small, medium, large, extra large and above extra large. Measure the resident, not the old box, because sizes differ between makers.

Moderate, heavy, maximum and overnight are each maker's own tiers. No regulatory scale exists. The National Association for Continence names the measurable properties: rewet, acquisition rate, retention capacity, elasticity and air permeability. Each listing states the tier and, where the maker publishes it, the measured result with its method.

Breathable cloth-like covers and side panels let moisture vapor out and suit skin health programs. Polyethylene backing costs less and contains fluid the same way. Each listing states the outer cover and side panel construction.

Underpads run from 17 x 24 in to 36 x 36 in, with fluff or polymer cores. Air-permeable backsheets are made for low-air-loss mattresses, so the surface keeps working through the pad. Repositioning pads state a weight rating.

Briefs bill under T4521 to T4524 and T4543 by size, protective underwear under T4525 to T4528 and T4544, pads and liners under T4535, and disposable underpads under T4541, T4542 and A4554. Each listing shows the code reference.

Changing briefs and helping with toileting are high-contact activities. Under Enhanced Barrier Precautions, staff wear a gown and gloves for residents who meet CDC's criteria, so this group is stocked alongside gloves and gowns.