Catheterisation: the scope of professional practice
Cathy Winn Nursing Research and Development Practitioner, St James's and Seacroft Hospitals Trust, Leeds
June Thompson Continence Service Manager, Leeds Community and Mental Health Services Trust, Leeds
This article discusses catheterisation, in particular male catheterisation, and the associated scope of professional practice for nurses
Aim and intended learning outcomes
The aim of this article is to examine how nurses can broaden their scope of practice in the area of catheterisation, taking into consideration the principles stated by the UKCC in the Scope of Professional Practice (1992). After reading this article you should be able to:
Discuss the ways in which broadening the scope of practice in relation to urinary catheterisation can affect patient care
Describe the skills required to perform male catheterisation based on relevant research
Describe the skills required to perform suprapubic catheterisation based on relevant research
Demonstrate an understanding of the training needs, accountability issues and legal implications associated with developing the scope of practice with regard to urinary catheterisation.
