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Abstract
In an academic, acute care, community hospital in Canada, the PureWick™ (female external urinary catheter) was introduced, as a person with a vulva did not have access to an external urine catheter, which was opposed the hospital's core patient value – the expectation of equity. The initiative aligned with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute and Health Quality Ontario’s pressure injury “Never Event” initiative along with The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and Canadian Patient Safety Institute’s catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) initiatives. A nursing internal evaluation tool was developed, and the nursing team agreed that the product was user-friendly and unanimously recommended it. Lessons Learned: 80mmhg was adequate to maintain suction without collection chamber collapse due to elongated suction tubing. Initially, personnel utilised adhesive tape to hold the PureWick™ to the patient; however, as staff gained confidence in the PureWick™, this practice diminished. The placement of PureWick™ next to incontinence prevention and management items was standardized throughout the hospital. Contrary to early belief, patient turning was not initiated because of incontinence; rather, incontinence management was initiated because of patient turning. There was no rise in the occurrence of pressure injuries.