www.continencelearning.com is the Continence Foundation of Australia’s online learning portal where you will find courses, webinars and educational resources about bladder and bowel health.
Specialised Continence Care for Nurses
Specialised Continence Care learning modules are of an intermediate level and have been designed specifically for registered nurses.
Nurses will be able to select the learning modules that meet their specific work needs.
Modules available:
- The Ageing Bladder and Bowel
- Anal Sphincter Injuries
- Catheter Care
- Comorbidities and incontinence in the older person
- Dementia and Incontinence
- Faecal Incontinence
- Functional Gut Disorders
- Incontinence Associated Dermatitis
- Maintaining Continence in Older Age
- Male Incontinence
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Pharmacology and Polypharmacy
- Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Problem-solving Incontinence Issues (Red flags)
- Prostate and Incontinence
- Stroke and Incontinence
- Undertaking a Continence Assessment
- Urinary and Faecal Stoma Care
- Urinary Tract Infections
Each module will take about 30 minutes to complete.
Continence Resources for Aged Care
The Continence Resources for Aged Care are a range of free resources designed to help providers care and support older Australians by aligning with their individual needs, goals and preferences. These resources are based on both best practice and evidence and are mapped to the Aged Care Quality Standards.
The Continence Resources for Aged Care include:
- User Guide
- Continence Screening Form
- Three-day Bladder Chart
- Seven-day Bowel Chart
- Monthly Bowel Chart
- Bristol Stool Chart
- Continence Assessment Form and Care Plan
- Continence Care Summary
Pelvic Floor Muscle Assessment Skills Training
This course is specifically targeted towards any post graduate health professional working in specialty clinics where pelvic floor muscle function, assessment and education for a client/patient is undertaken.
Complete with video demonstrations and knowledge checks, learners will finish the course knowing how to assess the pelvic floor muscles of a client/patient, including:
- Pelvic floor muscle education
- External assessment of the pelvic floor muscles
- Internal assessment of the pelvic floor muscles
Cost: $40 + GST
Essentials of Continence
For personal care or disability support workers, enrolled nurses or registered nurses moving into the continence sector.
Developed by the Continence Foundation of Australia, this course provides you with essential information on the theory of continence and a Certificate of Achievement from Australia's national peak body promoting bladder and bowel health on your successful completion.
The course is divided into ten essential modules:
- Let’s start talking about incontinence
- Understanding the urinary system
- The micturition process
- About the lower gastrointestinal system
- The defaecation process
- The pelvic floor
- Types of urinary incontinence
- Functional incontinence
- Medications
- Bowel problems and faecal incontinence
Cost: AU$60 (ex GST)
Member bonus
There is a 50% discount for members of the Continence Foundation of Australia.
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Aspects of Continence Care
Course for personal care or disability support workers, enrolled nurses or registered nurses moving into the continence sector.
As the companion course to ‘Essentials of Continence’, Aspects equips participants with the next step – to apply everything they’ve learnt about continence.
Participants complete ten modules:
- Skin care
- Assistive products and technologies
- Person-centered care
- Toileting habits which promote continence
- Multidisciplinary care and team based approach
- Communication
- Good lifestyle habits to promote continence
- Funding assistance
- Bladder and bowel diaries
- Where to get help
Cost: AUD $60 ex GST Special Introductory Offer
Member bonus
There is a 50% discount for members of the Continence Foundation of Australia.
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Pelvic Floor Fitness
Developed by Continence Foundation of Australia, the national peak body for bladder and bowel control, this course is for all fitness professionals (including group fitness instructors, personal fitness instructors and Pilates instructors), who are interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of the pelvic floor muscles, their importance, and how to modify exercises for the pelvic floor safety of clients.
The self-paced course takes about 4-hours to complete, and covers important information for fitness professionals including:
- The pelvic floor and its function
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Getting pelvic floor exercises correct
- Changing exercise programs to support clients at risk
- Exercise modifications
- Motivating and assisting clients
Upon successful completion, learners can promote their knowledge with a Certificate of Completion from the Continence Foundation of Australia. 4 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points are also available.
Cost: AUD$50 Special Introductory Offer (ex GST)
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eContinence Paediatrics Course
For health professionals working in the area of paediatric continence, or health professionals wanting to increase their knowledge of paediatric continence care.
Developed by the International Children’s Continence Society (ICCS) and supported by the Continence Foundation of Australia, this course fills an education gap in the Australian and International market. On successful completion of the course, you will receive a Certificate of Achievement.
This course includes seven modules with topics and assessment activities:
Module 1: Introduction to Urinary Continence/Incontinence
Module 2: Assessment and Diagnosis of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
Module 3: Assessment and Management of Bowel Dysfunction
Module 4: Management of Lower Urinary Tract Symptom
Module 5: Nocturnal Enuresis
Module 6: Management of children with special needs
Module 7: Transitional Care
Cost: AU$300.00 (ex GST)
Member bonus
There is a 50% discount for members of the Continence Foundation of Australia and members of the International Children’s Continence Society.
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VSN and First Aiders Network
For interested Victorian School Nurses and First Aiders Network click below for a 50% discount Apply here.
COURSES FROM OTHER PROVIDERS
Continence Care for Pharmacists
The Continence Foundation of Australia has partnered with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia to provide an online CPD course for pharmacists on managing continence in pharmacy. Continence Care for Pharmacists will provide pharmacists with a comprehensive discussion on how to best engage with, support and manage customers with continence problems.
This activity has been accredited for two hours of Group 1 CPD (or 2 CPD credits) suitable for inclusion in an individual pharmacist’s CPD plan, which can be converted to two hours of Group 2 CPD (or 4 CPD credits) upon successful completion of relevant assessment activities.
This course is only available to pharmacists who are members of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia through their GuildEd education portal.
Continence Care for Pharmacy Assistants
The Continence Foundation, in association with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, has developed an online course, titled Continence Care for Pharmacy Assistants, providing pharmacy assistants with the knowledge and skills to advise customers on incontinence issues. The course uses customer case scenarios to discuss the various community-based management and treatment services and pharmacy products available for incontinence.
This course may be used as evidence when seeking Recognition of Prior Learning for the accredited unit SIRCHCSS305 Advise on continence management.
This course is only available to pharmacy assistants who are members of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia through their GuildEd education portal.
Urinary Continence Management in Women: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Free 1.5 hour webinar for health professionals recorded 30 October 2015. CPD points available for viewing webinar recording and completing evaluation.
Presented by Jean Hailes and the Continence Foundation of Australia, this webinar for health professionals features a multidisciplinary panel using case studies to explore a range of important issues in the management of urinary incontinence in women including:
- assessment principles
- investigations
- conservative management options
- referral pathways
- medical and surgical management options
- clinical tools and resources.
This webinar is activity number 33541. It is accredited with 3 category 2 CPD points.
To view the webinar, visit the Jean Hailes website.
Continence Course for Health Professionals
Leaning made easy with this self-paced video course featuring;
- 42 videos, average length 2 minutes 50 seconds, total video time 2 hours, plus 8 questions.
- Download patient information sheet templates to tailor to your practice.
- Become confident in your history, examination, and understanding of conditions and treatment options in the field of Female Urology.
- Designed for General Practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, aged care and allied health workers.
Curriculum includes
Introduction: Adult Female Urinary Incontinence
Does your patient experience urinary incontinence?
Examination & Evaluation
Conservative Therapy
Overactive Bladder Therapy
Stress Incontinence Therapy
Bladder Emptying Problems
Other
- Incontinence in the Elderly
- Prolapse Surgery
- Urethral Diverticulum
- Patients for early specialist referral
- Question Chapter 7
Please go to https://samanthapillay.thinkific.com/courses/continence-course
State-based learning
Continence management and health training short course | CABB Australia
CABB Australia Pty Ltd provides training programs designed to enhance employee’s understanding of the effects and management of bowel and bladder incontinence and to promote continence.
Click here for more information on continence management and health training short courses.
Professional Certificate in Conservative Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse | University of South Australia
This flexible one-year professional certificate provides advanced training for physiotherapists who have basic skills in the management of pelvic organ prolapse.
Delivered and supported online, you will also attend one weekend workshop per semester in Adelaide for practical training and assessment. Topics you will study include:
- Anatomy of pelvic floor muscles and suspensory mechanisms
- Advanced pelvic floor prolapse assessment
- Biofeedback, electrical stimulation and transperineal ultrasound
- Prescription and fitting of support pessaries
- Clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice
- To be eligible, physiotherapists, nurses and medical practitioners must be registered in Australia with their respective health practitioner board.
For further information and to apply, visit the University of South Australia website.
Continence Nurse Consultants Course | Hollywood Private Hospital
This hospital-based course runs full time over four weeks and includes 32 hours of clinical placement. Endorsed by the Australian College of Nursing it supports the practical preparation of nurses who manage incontinence or who are planning to move into this area as a specialist nurse. Supported by current urology, microbiology, gynaecology, sexual health, and continence health specialists it deepens and broadens attitudes, skills and knowledge of this significant health issue. Underpinned by standards of practice for registered and enrolled nurses it also reflects the national competencies for continence nurse advisors.
For more information about this course, contact Anne Green, Training & Development Manager 08 9346 6620 [email protected]
Click here for more information about the Continence Nurse Consultants Course.
Postgraduate programs in clinical physiotherapy (continence and women's health major) | Curtin University of Technology
Through its graduate certificate, postgraduate diploma and master's level courses, the continence and women's health stream of postgraduate study in clinical physiotherapy provides an opportunity for physiotherapists to become expert clinicians in women's health physiotherapy, and its related areas of practice. The program will develop clinical skills in the assessment and management of conditions that are unique to women, more common in women, more serious in women or require special interventions in women. In particular, participants will develop expertise in the management of pelvic floor dysfunction and its many presentations - bladder and bowel dysfunction, disorders of pelvic organ and pelvic girdle support, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic pain.
Click here for more information.
Short courses in continence and women's health | Curtin University of Technology
The School of physiotherapy offers 14 short courses in the area of continence and women's health, in conjunction with the postgraduate program in clinical physiotherapy.
Click here for more information.
Please send an email to [email protected] if you would like to add a course to this list.