AUA 2017: The “Penana”: A Novel, Cost Effective, and Highly Efficacious Model for Teaching Male Urethral Anatomy and Safe Foley Catheter Technique

Boston, MA (UroToday.com) Iatrogenic urethral catheter related injuries are common and have been shown to correlate with inadequate medical training. Urethral catheterization (UC) is a common procedure and often the first attempted by medical trainees. Simulation training enhances medical procedure teaching by decreasing trainee anxiety, improving patient safety and efficiently tailoring the experience for the learning. Dr. Truesdale, a resident at UCSF, and colleagues aim to create an efficacious simulation model to teach medical students male UC.

They developed a 50-minute educational curriculum utilizing modified Payton technique and a simulation model, “Penana,” for the male urethra, focusing on UC indications, male urethral anatomy, structure of standard and Coude catheters, and safe technique for UC. Penana is a banana with its ends removed and a longitudinal core created. Pre and post intervention survey assessments measuring learner knowledge and self-reported confidence at performing male UC, were used to determine efficacy; paired t-tests were used to compare change in scores. A total of 126 learners complete the workshop, including MS1, MS2, and Intern groups.

This study found that compared to pre-workshop, post-workshop, all three groups’ self-reported confidence significantly increased for male urethral anatomy, standard UC placement, and coude UC placement. Additionally, post assessment knowledge scores increased, and qualitative feedback was very positive.

Based on their results, the authors conclude that the “Penana” is a highly efficacious simulation model for teaching medical students and residents safe UC technique, low cost and universally available, and easily reproducible for any education setting, including resource-limited.

Presented by: Matthew D. Truesdale, MD

Authors: Matthew D. Truesdale, MD; Maya R. Overland, MD, PhD; Christy Boscardin, PhD; Kirsten L. Greene, MD

Affiliation: Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco

Written By: Susan Li, Department of Urology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, for UroToday.com.

at the 2017 AUA Annual Meeting - May 12 - 16, 2017 – Boston, Massachusetts, USA

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