Study of information given by nurses for catheter care to patients and their carers.

Patients who are to use a long-term indwelling urethral catheter, and their informal carers, require knowledge and information for its successful management. Education of both patients and carers regarding catheter care has been recommended but not always carried out in practice. This study has investigated the information given by 106 hospital and district nurses to patients who are to use an indwelling urethral catheter in the community, and their carers. It was concluded that the information given for catheter care was not comprehensive nor consistent and differed according to the nurse's location of work. The implications this has for nursing practice are a need for further education of nurses regarding catheter care and improved teaching of patients who are to use a long-term indwelling urethral catheter, and their carers.