Prostate cancer ranks second among male cancers in the United States in terms of death rate. Robot-assisted surgery (RAS) is now offered as the standard surgical procedure performed for radical prostatectomy. Urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction were common complications after RAS prostatectomy. Patients felt ill-prepared after surgery, resulting in negative impacts on their quality of life. Pelvic floor muscle exercise is prioritized for patients with mild-to-moderate incontinence. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using resistance band pelvic floor muscle exercise for patients after RAS prostatectomy. A preexperimental single-group study was conducted for this study. A total of 43 patients completed the program. Urinary incontinence scale, Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were assessed at 0.5 months, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months after urinary catheter removal. The results revealed that urinary incontinence, life impact, and depression and anxiety improved significantly as time went on. This study suggests that using simple and easy-to-learn resistance band pelvic floor muscle exercise program at home can benefit patients financially and reduce travel time.

Because health care personnel were the primary source of self-care information for hospitalized patients after colorectal cancer surgery, nurses should use these findings to provide supportive treatment and educate patients and their family members about the cause and severity of diarrhea. Such education should include treatment-induced adverse effects as the basis for treating diarrhea.