Course type: Online
Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy
Pelvic Health Physiotherapy: female urinary
dysfunction – an entry level course
Part A: 1 September 2022 - online
Part B: 3-4 September 2022
at The Berkshire Independent Hospital, Reading, RG1 6UZ
£370 POGP member/affiliate/associate
£445 non-member
This extended programme comprises a pre-course learning package, three day POGP certified workshop and optional post-workshop written assignment. It provides participants with the opportunity to practice both vaginal examination and treatment skills.
The programme has been developed for Registered Physiotherapists who have not completed an accredited continence course but wish to develop their knowledge and skills in the assessment and management of women with urinary dysfunction. It may be of value to those already working in the speciality who wish to update their knowledge and practical skills. It is not suitable for physiotherapy students but may be useful for a newly-qualified physiotherapist preparing for a rotation in Pelvic Health.
The workshop content includes: professional issues; relevant anatomy and physiology; the subjective and objective assessment of a woman with urinary dysfunction; theory of various treatment options and further investigations. Practical sessions include vaginal examination and the application of both biofeedback and electrical stimulation.
The practical sessions include peer physical examination and are compliant with the requirements of CSP information paper PD092 (see further information below). Female participants may choose to act as a model during the practical sessions. Valid consent procedures are used throughout. A participant choosing to act as a model may opt out of having practical techniques performed on them at any stage.
The optional post-workshop written assignment aims to demonstrate how the participant has integrated their learning into practice. Participants who submit an assignment will receive tutor feedback on their clinical decision-making and reflection, which is aimed at supporting the participant in developing his/her practice further.
Programme objectives
1. To introduce essential and current evidence-based information on the physiotherapy assessment and management of female urinary dysfunction for physiotherapists working with women with urinary dysfunction.
2. To provide tutor led practical experience of both vaginal examination and the application of techniques used in the treatment of female urinary dysfunction.
Learning outcomes
On completion of the programme the participants should be:
- Able to adequately assess a woman with urinary dysfunction.
- Able to formulate an effective management plan.
- Able to apply appropriate treatment modalities.
- Aware of, and conform to, professional standards in relation to the assessment and management of women with urinary incontinence/pelvic floor dysfunction.
Programme requirements
In order to complete the extended programme participants must successfully complete all components, which are:
- A number of directed study tasks prior to the 3 day workshop, which are provided to participants at the time their place is confirmed)
- Attendance at the three day POGP workshop ‘Pelvic Health Physiotherapy: female urinary dysfunction – an entry level course’ including successful completion of the ‘Skills checklist for the pelvic floor and vaginal assessment practical session’.
- Submission of an appropriate reflective, evidence-based piece of work (no more than 3000 words in length) to demonstrate the integration of your learning into practice.
Pre-workshop learning
Participants on the ‘Pelvic Health Physiotherapy: female urinary dysfunction – an entry level course’ are advised to complete the directed study tasks prior to attending the workshop. This will ensure that the best use can be made of the tutor time on the course and effect worthwhile learning. This pre-workshop learning should assist in a greater understanding of the pelvic floor, prevalence and causes of urinary incontinence and consent issues.
The pre-workshop learning takes the form of specific tasks, which will be e-mailed to you when your place on the workshop is confirmed.
POGP Workshop programme (3 day attended workshop – subject to variation)
Day 1 – 1 September 2022: online
08-45 Registration
09-00 Welcome and introduction
09-20 Professional issues: infection control, consent, chaperones and confidentiality
10-30 Break
10-50 Pelvic anatomy and physiology
12-00 Lunch
13-00 Urinary & pelvic floor muscle dysfunction – what goes wrong & why?
14-15 Subjective assessment
15-15 Break
15-30 Objective assessment
16-45 Close
Day 2 – 3 September 2022: face to face
09-00 Observation of vaginal examination
Followed by: practical session - vaginal examination with overlapping session: analysis of bladder diaries
Break will be taken at a suitable time within this session
13-00 Lunch
14-00 Facilitated reflective practice
14-30 Pelvic floor muscle exercises for urinary dysfunction
15-30 Theory of biofeedback for urinary dysfunction
16-45 Close
Day 3 – 4 September 2022: face to face
09-00 Theory of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for urinary dysfunction
10-00 Practical session: Use of NMES and EMG biofeedback in the treatment of urinary dysfunction
Break will be taken at a suitable time within this session
13-00 Lunch
14-00 Facilitated reflective practice
14-30 Vaginal devices and medication for urinary dysfunction
15-15 Further referral, investigations & invasive management
15-45 Information re: written submission
16-15 Close
Information for the practical session on vaginal assessment.
The practical sessions include peer physical examination (PPE) and are compliant with the requirements of CSP information paper PD092.
All participants have the right to opt in or out of the practical sessions. Female participants may choose to act as a model during the practical sessions, however they have the right to decline to be examined by any specific course participants due to embarrassment or other factors. If a participant does not want to examine a course participant they usually have the option of completing the examination on one of the tutors. Another alternative is for course participants to arrange to have their own ‘live’ model present but they must meet any extra costs incurred.
In the case of a participant declining to complete at least one vaginal examination on a ‘live’ model it will not be possible to complete the skills checklist and the participant will not be able to complete the programme (see ‘programme requirements’ information on page 2).
Valid consent procedures are used throughout. A participant choosing to act as a model may opt out of having practical techniques performed on them at any stage.
The following consent form is used on the course. Please print a blank copy and bring it with you to the workshop. Please do not complete it until asked to do so by the workshop tutors.
Optional post-workshop written submission
This is part of the extended programme and allows the participant to demonstrate that s/he has achieved the learning outcomes and applied their learning into clinical practice. It is a formative assignment, which means that it does not have a pass/fail marking criteria; instead the tutors will provide feedback on the participant’s clinical decision-making and reflection, which they hope will support the participant in developing his/her practice further.
Participant support
There will be e-mail support with tutors following the workshop (on request), as well as group support (with permission of the course participants)
Criteria for written submission
The written submission is a reflective clinical reasoning exercise, on which the participant will receive feedback as to whether s/he has:
- completed an adequate assessment of a woman with urinary incontinence
- formulated an effective management plan.
- applied appropriate treatment modalities and
- conformed to professional standards in relation to the assessment and management of women with urinary incontinence/pelvic floor dysfunction.
The participant needs to demonstrate this by answering a series of guided questions relating to a woman with urinary dysfunction who has attended for assessment following the workshop. The participant is asked to validate each response with the rationale that supports his/her clinical reasoning and each response needs to be supported by relevant references.
For those who choose to submit a written assignment, the submission must be made within 3 months of the workshop. As mentioned above, it is a formative assignment, which means that it does not have a pass/fail marking criteria. Further instructions/guidance, including advice on how to request an extension to the submission deadline, will be provided during and after the workshop.
© POGP 2020
Delegate Terms and Conditions
CANCELLATION POLICY
Cancellation by a participant
Where a place on a course has been confirmed a 90% refund will be given for cancellation up to 4 weeks before the workshop, a 50% refund will be given for cancellation up to 2 weeks before the course. No refund will be given for a cancellation within 2 weeks of the course. If eligible for a refund this must be claimed within three months of the course taking place.
This includes failure to attend a course due to illness. In the event of becoming unwell or physically incapacitated prior to attendance on a course the participant should contact the POGP course administrator if they are hoping to still attend. POGP reserves the right to make the final decision whether a participant can attend the course. Failure of the participant to disclose any changes to their health could result in a participant being turned away on arrival at the course venue or during the course itself. The policy will also be valid for a cancellation of a place for an overseas participant. In addition, any extra costs incurred for bank charges and administration will be subtracted from the final refund.
Participants who fail to attend the course on the date booked without giving notice or who give notice after the course has started are not eligible for a refund or a transfer to another course regardless of the reason for non-attendance
Cancellation by POGP
In the very unlikely, unforeseeable event that POGP cancel a course we will offer you the choice of a full refund of the course fee or a free transfer to the same POGP course that is hosted at a different location/date within the same calendar year.
We will try to give you at least 2 weeks’ notice but sometimes (for example when a course is cancelled due to bad weather) this is not possible. We reserve the right to cancel a course where we believe the weather conditions are so bad that it would be unreasonable to expect participants and/or tutors to travel to the venue. If we make the decision that it is reasonable to run the course and it goes ahead as planned, failure to attend the course may result in the loss of the course fee. It is the participant’s responsibility to research alternative methods of transportation before a course to assure you can attend. We reserve the right to alter any specified course tutor (to cover for sickness or late unavailability) to enable an advertised course to run.
We recommend that you book fully refundable travel and accommodation for your course. POGP accepts no liability for non-refundable costs in the event that a course is cancelled. You might like to consider travel insurance to cover any significant non-refundable costs incurred.
Cancellation due to COVID-19
Refunds due to COVID-19 can only be given in the following circumstances:
If POGP cancels the course prior to commencement POGP participants will be offered the opportunity to transfer to a future POGP course. If an alternative date is not acceptable the course fee will be refunded with no administration fee charged. However, POGP is not responsible for any travel or other expenses which may have been incurred.
The same rules will apply to participants who are unable to attend the POGP course due to travel restrictions imposed by the UK government or, for overseas participants travel restrictions imposed by their national government. Documentary evidence may be required for overseas participants.
If a participant is unable to attend due to COVID-19 related issues a full refund of the course fee will be given or transfer of the fee to an alternative POGP course. This includes if you are self-quarantining, living with someone who is self-islolating or have symptoms of COVID-19.
If this is the case please email courses@pogp.co.uk to notify POGP.
In the event of a participant having to quarantine following a visit abroad in accordance with UK government guidelines, then the COVID-19 cancellation section of this document is not applicable.
POGP reserves the right to alter the cancellation policy to reflect the changing directives from the UK government.