title: Attitudes among junior doctors towards improving the transurethral catheterisation process.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the subjective opinions of junior doctors on their adequacy of training and confidence levels for performing transurethral catheterisation (TUC) and to investigate their subjective interest in a 'safety mechanism' that would eliminate the potential for urethral trauma during TUC.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous online survey was emailed to all interns that had a documented email address on the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland registry (2012-2013). The survey consisted of eight questions pertaining to TUC of male patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey was delivered to 252 email addresses and the response rate was 52% (130/252). The vast majority (99%; n = 128) of interns felt confident inserting a transurethral catheter independently and 73% (n = 95) subjectively received appropriate training for catheterising male patients. The incidence of trauma after mistakenly inflating the catheter's anchoring balloon in the urethra was 3% (n = 4). The majority (90%; n = 116) of respondents were interested in a safety mechanism for preventing urethral trauma and 71% (n = 92) felt that a safety mechanism for urethral trauma prevention should be compulsory for all transurethral catheterisation among male patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite pre-emptive training programmes, it appears that iatrogenic urethral trauma secondary to TUC remains a persistent morbidity in healthcare settings. Designing a safer transurethral catheter may be necessary to eliminate the risk of unnecessary urethral trauma in patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland, nialldavis2001@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: R O C
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014521:Urethra; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000379:methods*
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