[An overview of French nurses' habits: Long-term urinary catheterization]

The lengthening of life expectancy associated with multiple comorbidities leads physicians and nurses to manage more and more patients with long-term urinary catheterization (LTUC). No recommendation is written about the management of LTUC patients. To assess the need to publish recommendations and tools to help nurses in a better management of LTUC, we conducted a survey of theoretical and practical knowledge of French nurses.

Epidemiological prospective study, type of practical studies in a declarative fashion, anonymous, made via computerized poll released on the website www.infirmiers.com.

A total of 1254 registered nurses fulfilled the questionnaire. We observed a massive heterogeneity in different aspects of LTUC: local care and products used in them, urine bag change rhythm, lubrication of the catheter, respect of closed system, the rhythm of catheter change and in the management of blocked catheters. In total, 76% of nurses desire a theoretical and practical help for LTUC.

We found a great diversity of knowledge and practices in terms of LTUC. In total, 40.67% of nurses realized at least a technical error during catheterization. To standardize the management of LTUC, we propose to draft recommendations under the aegis of the French Association of Urology. This will allow a better education of students, and providing online available support.