Vaginal cones: a conservative method of treating genuine stress incontinence

Summary. A set of weighted vaginal cones designed to exercise the pelvic floor muscles was used by a group of 39 premenopausal patients with genuine stress incontinence who were awaiting corrective surgery. The effectiveness of the exercises in reducing urinary loss was assessed with a standard urine pad test before and after 1 month of training. Of the 30 women who completed 1 month of the exercises 70% felt they were improved or cured and 90% found it an acceptable method of treatment. Of the 30 women only 11 (37%) opted for surgery after training. There was a highly significant correlation (P<0·001, r_s= -0·21) between decreased urine loss and increase in retained cone weight.     

Collaboration between nurse educators in Australia and New Zealand extends educational opportunities for nurses

This paper presents a case study style report of a collaborative endeavour between nursing faculty in two institutions, one in New Zealand and the other in Australia. Expertise developed and tested in New Zealand, in teaching through the distance education mode and in the subject area of nursing theory, was able to be applied to assist with establishing a new nursing education programme in Australia. What might have been treated simply as a consultancy situation had greater mutual benefit for all those concerned because of being approached within a collaborative framework. The purpose, process, pitfalls and rewards of the association are described with the hope that others may be stimulated to seek opportunities nationally, and internationally, for pooling resources in the interests of improving the quality and availability of advanced education in nursing.