A consultation about catheter care for older people in Victorian residential aged care homes

5-8% of people living in a residential aged care home have an indwelling urinary catheter to manage a bladder or medical condition.

Funded by the Victorian Department of Health, in 2023 NARI researchers consulted with aged care stakeholders in Victorian residential aged care homes to identify the challenges they encountered when caring for residents with indwelling urinary catheters.

The consultation findings suggest many nurses working in residential aged care lack confidence to perform urinary catheterisation, change suprapubic catheters, and assess, manage and minimise the complications associated with having a long-term catheter. Respondents identified the need to improve communication processes about catheter care, increase education opportunities for staff, strengthen nurse and managerial leadership, and improve access to guidelines and resources to inform care.

Based on this consultation, NARI recommends improved training and education for residential aged care staff about indwelling urinary catheter care, not only on the technical aspects of caring for residents with catheters, but also to equip them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to psychologically support residents with a catheter to live well.

Final report: A consultation to inform a targeted response to catheter-associated care and complications in Victorian residential aged care homes

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