Authors (including presenting author) :
YC KAM(1), WS YICK(1), YT Chan(1), SY CHOI (1), TW LI(1), YT LI(1), KH NAM(1), SL Yuen(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Introduction :
Long-term urethral catheterization poses significant complications, including catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), urethral trauma, and catheter blockage. These complications negatively affect patients' quality of life and contribute to increased financial burdens on the healthcare system. A survey conducted in May and June 2024 within the Department of Surgery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) identified several challenges: long time spent on patient discharge with urethral catheter, inadequate training on basic urology specialty care, and accessibility of related resources. In response, an enhancement program was organized to improve the surgical nursing staff’s knowledge and skills in patient education about urethral catheter care upon discharge.
Objectives :
To enhance the knowledge and skills of surgical nursing staff at QEH in providing patient education in urethral catheter care, focusing on patients being discharged with urethral catheters.
Methodology :
In October 2024, a two-day enhancement program was organized in QEH, featuring identical lecture sessions led by Nurse Consultant (Urology) Ms. Kam, along with workshops for hands-on practice. All surgical nursing staff were interested were recruited. To evaluate the program's effectiveness, pre- and post-tests were used to measure their knowledge level, while return demonstrations and a competency checklist were used to assess their practical skills. An educational video was also created to demonstrate essential catheter care procedures, including general catheter care tips, urine bag emptying, catheter fixation, and meatal care for patient education.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 59 nursing staff participated in the program. Results indicated a significant improvement in knowledge level, with the average post-test score showing an increase of 28.92% compared to the pre-test score. Statistical analysis using a paired sample t-test revealed a t-value of 12.92 and a p-value of 0.001 (p ≤ 0.005), indicating its statistical significance. All participants achieved a 100% passing score in return demonstrations.
The educational video streamlined the patient education process, reducing the time required from 30 minutes to 10 minutes, thereby saving approximately 20 minutes per session and allowing staff to focus on other nursing procedures. Evaluations revealed that all participants agreed the program enhanced their competency, confidence, and troubleshooting skills related to catheter care. Participants also expressed increased confidence in delivering patient education and performing catheter-related procedures.
In conclusion, this program could effectively enhance the knowledge level and competency in urethral catheter care. A structured and high-quality training program could improve clinical outcomes, nursing staff proficiency and resources allocations.
