2024 Funded Micro Grant
Enhancing Dignity for Gynecology-Oncology Patients
Team: Amy Brown
Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology
The gynecologic oncology team cares for patients with cancers of the ovary, uterus, cervix, vulva, and vagina. Due to these cancers, patients often experience incontinence, drainage, and discharge. When this occurs, diapers are used to protect the skin and prevent soiling. Using diapers can be a humiliating experience for patients who are already experiencing assaults on their body image throughout cancer treatment.
Currently, several nurses on the unit have personally taken on the cost of purchasing pull-ups, an alternative to diapers that are favored for their similarity to underwear. Patients who utilize these pull-ups report experiencing less embarrassment and increased dignity from this simple change in patient supply. With funding from the IHM microgrant, the unit will make pull-ups more accessible to patients who need them.