Course Description:
This practical course will teach physiotherapists how to prescribe and fit pessaries for pelvic organ prolapse. There is a shortage of pessary prescription in Ontario and this is a delegated act in Ontario for physiotherapists. A sample pessary delegation letter, a full understanding of the risks and benefits of pessary fitting and a strong theoretical component will allow you to be comfortable using pessaries when you go back to your clinic. When working with the patients doctor, physiotherapists are ideally suited to fit and prescribe pessaries to increase your patient’s function during rehabilitation.
This course will benefit physiotherapists who have already worked with patients with POP and will give them another tool to help their patients with their symptoms in conjunction with the other treatments approaches already used in their practice.
Course Objectives:
To be able to use pessaries appropriately and safely.
Through completion of this course, participants will:
- Understand the physiopathology of POP
- Define the different types of POP
- Understand the symptoms of POP
- Evaluate a patient with POP
- Overview (only) of the different treatment approaches for POP
- Identify indications and contraindications for pessaries
- Be able to determine the type and size of a pessary for a patient
- Know how to insert and retrieve a pessary and use a speculum
- Know the follow-up procedures
- Know the sterilization procedures for temporary pessaries in Quebec
- Know how to teach a patient how to use a pessary
- Describe the legislation in Quebec about the use of pessaries by physiotherapists
*****Participants for this course are from different professions, provinces and countries. It will be each registrant’s responsibility to look into prevention and infection control for their practice. You are encouraged to verify the legislation in your province or country to ensure that fitting pessaries is within your scope of practise as well as the specific regulations about infection control (cleaning and sterilizing in clinic or outside).
Audience:
This course is open to physiotherapists and registered nurses. Labs include internal palpation.
Hours:
Saturday: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Sunday: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Prerequisite: Level 1 AND 1 year of experience treating patients (or equivalent to be approved)
Please note: Internal palpation is required on this course