Urology Network
Co-Chairs: Andrew Brooks and Janette Williams
The network has identified workforce, education and equipment issues that it wishes to address.
The Urology Nurses have formed two education sub-committees, Urologic Nursing and Continence Nursing to reflect the diversity and scope of their work. Amongst the achievements of the nursing sub-committees has been the founding of scholarships for nurses in NSW funded by GMCT to receive specialist training in Urologic and Continence nursing. See Nursing Scholarships for details. The groups are also currently working on 'tool kits' containing resources for patient education, training and implementing urological nursing procedures.
Ambulatory Model of Care for Flexible Cystoscopy
The NSW Health Surgical Services Taskforce has endorsed the Network's proposal to introduce an ambulatory model of care using flexible cystoscopy under local anaesthetic for diagnostic cystoscopy. The use of flexible cystoscopes is the most cost effective form of surveillance for a range of clinical indications, the most common being patients with a diagnosis of superficial bladder cancer. The proposal highlights benefits relating to efficiency, cost effectiveness and quality and safety. Reduction in waiting times, an earlier diagnosis for the patient, reduced length of stay, better options for teaching, addressing patient preferences, waiting list management and training and education opportunities are additional benefits. Approval for implementation of this model of care has been given by NSW Health, and the network is now working to see it's implementation across the state.
Management of Stone Disease
CISD vs IDC Research
In 2008 the network is hoping to commence research examining the current methods of catheterisation in patients with Acute Urinary Retention (AUR) awaiting a Transurethral Resection of Prostate (TURP). It is hoped the findings will enable the newtork to identify Gold Standard research into this question. As of the end of June 2008, the project has received provisional ethics approval, and approval from several of the sites.