Pelvic organ prolapse is a significant quality of life issue for many women. Prolapse can be managed effectively with a mechanical device called a pessary therefore many women choose this as a conservative treatment option. Despite the extent to which pessaries are used in the UK, there are no clear guidelines regarding the training required for pessary practitioners. This article reviews literature related to pessary practitioner training.
Methods: 13 publications were reviewed.
Results: eight themes were identified, namely 'prevalence of pessary training', 'type of pessary training', confidence in pessary care provision', 'impact on pessary care', 'skills and knowledge required to be a pessary practitioner', 'barriers', 'speciality of pessary care providers', and 'ongoing support'.
Conclusion: at present practitioners report a lack of pessary training, which impacts on care. Effective training includes didactic learning of agreed knowledge requirements, practice of clinical skills and ongoing support.
Keywords: Competency; Pessary; Practitioner; Training.