Promoting Good Bladder and Bowel Health in older adults in the community
Session overview:
In this course, participants will learn that while continence problems affect people of all ages, older people and those with disabilities have a greater risk. Participants will learn about the types and causes of both bladder and bowel (faecal) incontinence and basic management strategies to address incontinence.
Target audience:
Health care professionals, personal care and support workers, adult day centre workers who work directly with clients.
Course content:
An overview of bladder and bowel function and common bladder and bowel health issues is presented.
Participants will learn about the role of continence advisors and the importance of a continence assessment when continence issues have been identified. The role of personal care workers in promoting good bladder and bowel health and providing practical support to people with continence issues will be discussed.
Learning outcomes:
At this session, participants will be able to
- Describe types and causes of bladder and bowel problems, including incontinence
- Identify clients at risk of developing incontinence
- Identify strategies to promote good bladder and bowel health
- List management options for people with continence issues
- List local continence services
Style of delivery:
Power point presentation.
Duration:
1.5 – 2 hours.
Bowel problems and their management
Session overview:
Bowel problems, including constipation and faecal incontinence are common in older people, particularly those in residential care. This session covers causes anatomy and physiology of the bowel, types and causes of bowel health issues and their management and treatment. Participants will learn strategies for promoting good bowel health in their clients and residents.
Target audience:
Aged and community care staff, health care professionals, Coordinators, personal care and support staff, including day centre workers who work directly with clients.
Course content:
- Normal bowel function
- Risk factors, type and causes of bowel issues
- Strategies for improving bowel health and managing constipation and faecal incontinence
- Red flags – identifying when medical assessment is required
Learning outcomes:
At this session, participants will be able to
- Identify causes of bowel problems
- Identify risk factors associated with bowel problems
- List strategies to help address bowel health issues
- Identify Red Flags when medical intervention is required
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration:
1 hour.
Bladder problems and their management
Session overview:
Bladder problems, including incontinence are common in older people, particularly those in residential care. This session covers causes anatomy and physiology of the bladder and urinary tract, types and causes of bladder health issues, and their management and treatment. Participants will learn strategies for promoting good bladder health in their clients and residents.
Target audience:
Aged and community care staff - health care professionals, Coordinators, personal care and support staff, including day centre workers who work directly with clients.
Course content:
- Normal bladder function
- Risk factors, type and causes of bladder issues, including incontinence
- Strategies for improving bladder health and preventing and managing common problems such as Urinary Tract Infections and incontinence
- Red flags – identifying when medical assessment is required
Learning outcomes:
At this session, participants will be able to
- Identify causes of bladder problems
- Identify risk factors associated with bladder problems
- List strategies to help address bladder health issues
- Identify Red Flags when medical intervention is required
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration:
1 hour.
Continence Assessment – Guidelines and documentation
Session overview:
This session will help participants to understand the importance of a continence assessment in forming the basis of a continence care plan. Reference is made to the assessment and documentation requirements under the Aged Care Standards and the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI). The use and interpretation of bladder and bowel charts and components in a continence care plan is included, along with other documentation considerations.
Underpinning the importance of a continence assessment is improving continence care for the client or resident.
Target audience:
Health Care professionals (particularly nurses), personal care and support staff working in residential and community care services.
Course content:
- Overview of normal bladder and bowel function
- Overview of incontinence – including types and causes
- Assessing and documenting bladder and bowel function
- Recording and interpreting bladder and bowel chart data
- Toileting programs – types of programs and when to use them
- Types, selection and use of incontinence aids and appliances
- Developing an individualised continence care plan
Learning outcomes:
At the end of this session participants will be able to
- Describe best practice in continence care
- Interpret bladder and bowel chart data
- Develop toileting programs
- Select appropriate incontinence aids and appliances
- Develop evidence-based continence care plans for clients/residents
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration: 1.5 – 2 hours.
Skin care and Incontinence Associated Dermatitis
Session overview:
Older people, and those with various health and disability conditions are at increased risk of skin problems. Age-related changes to the pH and moisture levels in the skin, combined with the impact of urinary and /or faecal incontinence can result in an increased risk of skin damage and pain.
Participants will learn strategies for promoting good skin care in their clients and residents.
Target audience:
Aged and community care staff, health care professionals, Coordinators, personal care and support staff, including day centre workers who work directly with clients.
Course content:
- Structure and functions of skin
- Risk factors, type and causes of skin issues, including Incontinence Associated Dermatitis
- Strategies for improving skin health and preventing and managing common problems such as Incontinence Associated Dermatitis
- Red flags – identifying when medical assessment is required
Learning outcomes:
At this session, participants will be able to
- Identify causes and risk factor for skin damage
- Identify risk factors associated with skin problems
- List strategies to help address bladder skin issues – including skin care products and use and selection of incontinence aids and appliances
- Identify when medical intervention is required
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration:
1 hour.
Water and Wellbeing
Session overview:
This session addresses water (hydration) and wellbeing, the risks associated with not drinking sufficient fluid and how to assist clients, to prevent problems associated with poor fluid intake. Support materials for participants to use with client groups can be provided with this training.
Target audience:
Health care professionals, care and support staff, also day centre workers who work directly with clients.
Course content:
- Evidence based practice for adequate hydration
- Risks associated with poor fluid intake
- Signs of dehydration
- Fluid intake guidelines
- Strategies to help improve fluid intake in clients (not appropriate for clients on a medically indicated restricted fluid intake regime).
Learning outcomes:
At this session, participants will be able to
- List the benefits of good hydration.
- Identify risks associated with dehydration.
- List strategies to maintaining a good fluid intake.
- Describe fluid intake guidelines
Style of delivery:
Power point presentation.
Duration:
1.5 hours.
Prevention and Management of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
Session overview:
In this course, participants will gain a better understanding of urinary tract infections. This will enable them to advise their clients to manage and prevent further infections. UTI's can result in kidney damage and in older people can cause delirium and may lead to an increased falls risk.
Target audience:
Health care professionals, Coordinators, care and support staff. Also, day centre workers who work directly with clients.
Course content:
- Understanding the urinary tract
- Contributing factors and risks associated with urinary tract infections
- Prevention and management of urinary tract infections
Learning outcomes:
At this session, participants will be able to
- Identify causes of urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Identify risk factors associated with UTI's
- List management and prevention options
- List strategies to maintaining a good fluid intake.
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration:
1 hour.
Assessment, Selection and Prescription of Incontinence Aids and Appliances
Session overview:
This session will help participants to understand the importance of a continence assessment in determining the appropriateness of prescribing incontinence aids and appliances (incontinence products).
An overview is provided of bladder and bowel function and types and causes of incontinence to inform the decisions made in recommending and selecting incontinence products.
A range of incontinence products, including pads, pants, all in ones, urinals, uridomes, odour control and skin care are demonstrated and the indications for their use is provided. Client related factors such as mobility, dexterity, cognition and client preference are considered.
Target audience:
Health Care professionals (particularly nurses), personal care and support staff working in residential and community care services.
Course content:
- Overview of normal bladder and bowel function
- Overview of incontinence – including types and causes
- Types and uses of incontinence products
- Assessing and selecting incontinence products
- Use and disposal of incontinence products (hygiene and infection control)
- Client factors in the selection and use of incontinence products, including client evaluation of products
- Inclusion of incontinence product use in individualised continence care plans
- Contraindications and precautions in the use of incontinence products
Learning outcomes:
At the end of this session participants will be able to
- List assessment questions to determine incontinence product requirements of clients
- Describe the types and uses of incontinence products
- Select appropriate incontinence products for clients
- Evaluate effectiveness and client satisfaction of incontinence products
- Describe hygiene and infection control practices when applying, removing, and disposing incontinence products
- Describe precautions and contraindications in the use of incontinence products
- Document incontinence product use as part of a continence care plan.
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration: 1.5 – 2 hours.
Update on Incontinence Aids, and Appliances, Subsidies, Eligibility
Session overview:
This session will enable participants to understand the continence subsidies available for their clients with incontinence problems. This session also covers an overview of continence products that may be suitable for their clients and so provide a better quality of life.
Target audience:
Health care professionals, Coordinators, personal care and support staff. Also, day centre workers who work directly with clients.
Course content:
- Continence subsidies and financial support available in Western Australia
- Types of incontinence aids and appliances and how to apply them
- Selection and indications for use of incontinence products
Learning outcomes:
At this session, participants will be able to
- Identify the continence subsidies available for people with incontinence
- List the different type of products
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration:
1 hour.
Dementia and Continence Care
Session overview:
This session will help participants to understand ways in which continence care can be improved for the person with dementia.
Target audience:
Health care professionals, Coordinators, personal care and support staff. Also, day centre workers who work directly with clients.
Course content:
- Effects of dementia on bladder and bowel function
- Strategies to improve bladder and bowel control for the person with dementia
- Appropriate continence aids and appliances for the person with dementia
Learning outcomes:
At the end of this session participants will be able to
- Demonstrate knowledge of continence issues
- List ways in which dementia affects the bladder and bowel
- List ways to ensure an adequate fluid intake for the person with dementia
- List strategies to prevent and identify urinary tract infections
- Describe environmental considerations that assist in promoting continence for the person with dementia
- Identify continence management strategies suitable for the person with dementia
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration:
1 - 1.5 hours.
Medicines and Continence
Session overview:
People aged over 65 are commonly taking 5 or more medicines daily (including supplements and over the counter medicines). This increases the chances that one or more of these medicines will have a negative effect upon bladder and/or bowel function, including incontinence.
Target audience:
Coordinators, care and support staff, including day centre workers who work directly with clients.
Course content:
- Common medicines and their effect upon the bladder and bowels
- Overview of normal bladder and bowel function
- Warning signs that a client is at risk of developing problems of bladder and bowel control
- Strategies for clients to lessen or overcome bladder and/or bowel control problems related to medicines
- Red flags - medicine issues that need to be reported to the doctor.
Learning outcomes:
- At this session, participants will be able to Identify common medicines that may affect bladder and bowel control
- List risk factors associated with common medicines
- List red flag bladder and bowel symptoms requiring urgent referral for medical attention
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration:
1 hour
Continence and falls prevention
Session overview:
Falls affect one in three people over the age of 65 years every year. This session covers causes of falls and incontinence. Participants will learn strategies for reducing falls that are related to bladder and bowel health issues.
Target audience:
Health care professionals, Coordinators, personal care and support staff, including day centre workers who work directly with clients.
Course content:
- Facts about incontinence and falls
- Risk factors for falls related to bladder and bowel health conditions
- Strategies for reducing falls and improving continence
Learning outcomes:
At this session, participants will be able to
- Identify causes of falls
- Identify risk factors associated with falls
- List strategies that improve bladder and bowel health and reduce the risk of falls
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration:
1 hour.
Promoting good continence care in community or residential care settings
Session overview
This session can be adapted for either the community care sector or residential care to address issues of concern and the training needs of staff members.
Course content
This program is tailored to the needs of the group. It may include:
- Documentation using bladder and bowel charts – why this is important and how do we use the information
- Promoting good hydration
- Improving bowel care
- Toileting programs – tips and strategies
- The effects of medical and health issues on incontinence
- Strategies to improve the environment to facilitate toileting
- Selecting incontinence products
Learning outcomes
At the end of this session participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of continence issues
- List ways in which health and medical conditions can affect continence
- Identify continence management strategies
- List information gained from bladder and bowel charts and how this is used to form a continence care plan
- List ways to improve hydration in clients/residents
- List considerations in the selection of incontinence products
Style of delivery:
Informal or power point presentation.
Duration:
1.5 -2 hours
Catheter Competency Training* suitable for Registered and Enrolled Nurses only
Session overview
Some people require the use of an indwelling urinary catheter to promote optimal bladder health.
Removal and insertion of urinary catheters is a skilled procedure. Participants will learn the theory and practice of insertion of supra-pubic and indwelling urinary catheters.
Our state of the art life-like simulated pelvic model allows participants to complete their initial practical assessment for male, female and Supra-pubic catheter insertion safely and accurately.
Target audience
This training is for registered nurses and enrolled nurses only.
Course content
A comprehensive pre-reading package is sent to participants prior to the training session.
The course content includes:
- anatomy and physiology of the urogenital tract in males and females
- trouble shooting common catheter issues such as blocking and bypassing
- indications for catheterisation
- nursing and personal care following the insertion of a catheter
Learning outcomes
After the training session participants will be able to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and competent nursing practice when performing male, female, and Supra-Pubic catheterisations.
Duration of training session:
4.5 hours
Assessment criteria:
- achievement of at least 90% in the theory assessment
- participants will be deemed competent after successful insertion of an indwelling and suprapubic catheter on two occasions (to be observed by a catheter competent nurse). NB: This will occur at a later date and is to be negotiated with the trainer.
Catheter Competency Training booking form
Strategies for Successfully Toilet training children
Children are generally achieving toilet training at a later age than previous generations. Parents may be unsure of when or how to start toilet training and need support in this important time in a child’s life. This presentation will discuss these issues as well as providing practical strategies for success.
Training – Bladder problems and their management
Our trainers are very flexible, so if you have a topic in mind that is not listed above please contact us to discuss your needs.
