Registered Nurses (RNs) are required to maintain their skills in all aspects of their daily clinical practice. Today’s RNs are working across acute care, emergency care, general practice, aged and disability care, community care and more, and need to be adaptable to the needs of their diverse patient groups.
A key in-demand skill now is the ability to catheterise individuals, change catheters and maintain aseptic technique throughout.
About Catheterisation
Indwelling and suprapubic catheterisation, is a clinical requirement when a patient presents with urinary retention, has upcoming surgery and requires a urine sample, or has a neurological injury or condition that impacts their ability to sense the need to urinate.
An RN, well trained in the techniques of catheterisation, will provide the individual with the confidence to know that this intimate procedure is handled sensitively and appropriately, with skill and care.
For those living with long-term catheters the opportunity to have an RN change a catheter in-situ removes the need for a visit to the emergency department for a catheter change.
There are multiple risks associated with catheterisation, so it is important that RNs are skilled in aseptic technique when preparing for catheterisation. Also important is consenting and prepping the individual for the procedure, the selection of an appropriately sized catheter and tubing length, and the correct insertion of the catheter and inflation of the balloon.
Many catheterisations are undertaken when a patient presents with urinary retention. This is a situation whereby indwelling catheterisation is the most appropriate clinical response to drain the urine from the bladder and reduce the risk of kidney damage when an overfull bladder pushes urine back up the ureters into the kidneys.
In this instance a cause for the urinary retention is investigated and treated i.e., enlarged prostate, or prolapse and, following a successful trial of void, the catheter can be removed.
Case Studies
Some individuals require full time catheterisation as they are no longer able to manage their incontinence due to worsening symptoms, as demonstrated by a recent patient named Peter.
Peter was using containment products for his incontinence but was finding this management increasingly difficult as his neurological condition had begun to affect his dexterity.
Feeling less confident to go out in case he needed to change his continence pad, he found he was isolating himself more. Peter’s community care nurse worked with Peter and his carer to consider the best option to manage his physical deterioration and continence needs.
It was agreed that the use of an indwelling catheter would be appropriate in these circumstances and has since given Peter the freedom and confidence to enjoy many of the activities he had previously undertaken.
For another patient, Maria, the use of an indwelling catheter made it difficult to maintain a sexual relationship with her partner. On advice, she has opted for a suprapubic catheter. This option ensured Maria’s personal choices and quality of life were maintained as she lives with the impacts of Multiple Sclerosis.
Apply: Catheterisation Skills Workshop Facilitator
The Continence Foundation of Australia is a not-for-profit organisation and the national peak body for incontinence prevention, management, education, awareness, information and advocacy.
The Foundation is delighted to announce that it will soon be launching a catheterisation skills course for RNs across Australia. The course will be delivered in two parts, firstly an online theoretical component, followed by a face-to-face catheterisation skills workshop.
The online learning component will feature five interactive and engaging learning modules that learners will be able to complete at their own pace and in a location suitable for them. This part of the course will be assessed to ensure a unified level of knowledge before learner’s progress into the face-to-face skills training.
For the second part of the course, we are now seeking RNs who would be interested in becoming a ‘Catheterisation Skills Workshop Facilitator’. In this casual contract role, you will be responsible for providing students (no more than six learners per class) with face-to-face skills training in male and female indwelling catheters and suprapubic catheters.
Successful candidates will be provided with a free, short facilitation learning module to help develop their facilitation skills and the Foundation will supply all workshop materials including mannequins, catheter kits and teaching notes.
If you have an interest in teaching others, are skilled with catheterisation and want to assist with this new catherisation course, please forward your CV to the Continence Foundation of Australia’s Education Manager, Bronwyn Robinson, at b.robinson@continence.org.au.
Selected RNs will be paid for their time and all teaching materials will be provided by the Foundation. Come and join our growing pool of Catheterisation Skills Workshop facilitators.
A full position description can be found here.