Evaluating possible improvements in indwelling urinary catheter insertion from nurses' point of view: A pilot comparative study of simulated insertion between the novel T-Control® and a Foley-type catheter

Abstract

The aims of this study are to simulate the insertion of the new T-Control® urinary catheter with experienced healthcare professionals in bladder catheterisation and evaluate the usability and functionality of the new catheter compared to conventional Foley-type catheter open and closed systems. A small-scale quantitative study was conducted with 11 professionals who had a minimum of 3 years of professional experience, and 1 year of experience in bladder catheterisation. To test the advantages of the new T-Control® urinary catheter, a Living Lab, which is an instrument designed to test innovative solutions in real-life environments with users, was performed. The catheters used in the simulation were: a conventional Foley-type catheter in an open system, a conventional Foley-type catheter in a closed system, and the new T-Control® catheter. The participants evaluated the insertions through a satisfaction questionnaire and by a nurse expert utilizing a usability questionnaire after the complete visualization of the Living Lab was recorded. T-Control® reduced by 27.3% the contamination of the urine collection bag and the contamination of the urine collection bag connector. Accidental spillages when connecting the urine collection bag were also reduced by 54.5% using the T-Control® catheter, reducing the workload and reducing occupational accidents before connecting the urine bag. The trainer considered satisfactory 9/12 T-Control® insertions performed, improving the number of satisfactory insertions observed with the Foley-type catheter open and closed systems (with 3/12 and 7/12 results respectively). T-Control® was the best-rated product by the participants, requiring less time, and physical and mental effort. Fifty percent of the nurses would exclusively recommend T-Control® in their units, while the other half would recommend it in combination with others. The insertion of T-Control® makes the bladder catheterisation procedure easier and safer. The preparation of the sterile field requires less material since it does not include the urine collection bag while the fluid-controlling system favours the reduction of contamination and accidental spillages. Based on the nurses’ evaluation, T-Control® with its integrated urine-controlling system could bring additional benefits to the healthcare staff for catheterisation.