4 INTRODUCTION Background In order to promote the safety of children, parents, and healthcare users and to ensure quality, all care, wherever possible, should be based on research and scientific studies. In areas of practice where there is an absence of scientific research, care should be based on best practices formulated from recognised expert knowledge and skills. The development of guidelines based on scientific research and the expertise of healthcare professionals informs practitioners and helps them to provide high-quality, safe, and consistent care. Intermittent catheterisation or self-catheterisation is the gold standard for treating neurogenic bladder dysfunction (ICCS). Whilst there is literature evidence for some aspects of intermittent catheterisation, there is limited research-based evidence on the techniques of teaching catheterisation, compliance, and follow-up care. For these guidelines, where scientific evidence was absent/insufficient, the expertise of paediatric healthcare practitioners and review groups across Europe was utilised. These guidelines, therefore, use research, evidence, and best practice approaches to promote a uniform and consistent approach to performing and teaching intermitted catheterisation, which practitioners across Europe can use to inform and improve care for children and their families. Overview of contents The guideline clarifies terminology and discusses indications for catheterisation and potential complications. It outlines the types/materials of catheters and aids available for catheterisation and self-catheterisation and explains the procedure for male and female catheterisation. Specific information relating to approaches to teaching the procedure for various ages is provided, and issues of independence and compliance are also discussed. Potential complications, problems, and barriers to successful catheterisation are identified, and advice on how to overcome these difficulties is also considered. The impact of catheterisation on quality of life and issues of sexuality and self-image are also highlighted. Members of the working group These guidelines, produced by the European Society of Paediatric Urology Nurses, are adapted from the Dutch guidelines for intermittent catheterisation for children 2014 and the EAUN guideline 2024, "Urethral intermittent catheterisation in adults—Including urethral intermittent dilatation," European Association of Urology Nurses (EAUN) (uroweb.org). These guidelines have been peer-reviewed by members of ESPUN and by other practitioners involved in intermittent catheterisation in various countries to represent a consensus of paediatric practice across Europe and increase their relevance for European practitioners. The in-depth literature review was conducted by a multidisciplinary team within the Netherlands and included literature from worldwide. We would like to acknowledge the excellent and extensive work that the Netherlands team has done in compiling the guidelines, the update on which these are based, and the members of the other countries who have also contributed to their formation. The range of practitioners consulted in the original version from 2016 included: Nurse practitioners Continence nurses Paediatric urologists Child physiotherapists Urotherapists Psychological support staff Parent and child representatives
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