PESSARIES FOUNDATIONS
Comprehensive Assessment, Fitting, and Management of Vaginal Pessaries
Develop the skills, systems, and confidence to successfully introduce pessary services into your clinical practice.
Pelvic organ prolapse affects up to 50% of women who have given birth, with many experiencing symptoms that impact exercise, work, intimacy, and quality of life.
Pessaries are a safe, effective, and evidence-based first-line treatment option for many women with pelvic organ prolapse. Yet many clinicians lack the training, confidence, and systems required to provide this valuable service.
The PESSARIES FOUNDATIONS Course is designed to bridge that gap.
This highly practical course provides everything you need to confidently assess, fit, manage, and monitor pessary patients in your clinic. Beyond clinical skills, you'll receive comprehensive templates, recall systems, business tools, and ongoing support to help you successfully implement pessary services immediately after completing the course.
Why Choose This Course?
Unlike many pessary courses that focus solely on fitting techniques, this programme teaches the complete pessary management pathway.
You'll learn how to:
- Assess pelvic organ prolapse accurately.
- Select the most appropriate pessary based on vaginal biomechanics.
- Safely fit and manage pessaries.
- Use speculum examinations to assess vaginal tissue suitability.
- Monitor outcomes and identify complications.
- Implement sustainable systems and recall processes within your clinic.
- Develop competency through post-course mentoring and support.
By the end of the course, you'll have both the clinical skills and operational systems required to confidently establish a pessary service.
What You'll Learn
Pelvic Organ Prolapse Assessment
- Prolapse prevalence, risk factors, and symptom presentation.
- Comprehensive subjective and objective assessment.
- Lying and standing prolapse examinations.
- Advanced prolapse palpation skills.
- Biomechanical assessment of vaginal dimensions and support structures.
- Selection of the right pessary for the individual patient.
Objective Prolapse Measurement
Learn internationally recognised methods for assessing and documenting prolapse severity, including:
- POP-Q Staging
- SPOP-Q Assessment
- Baden-Walker Grading
- Use of POPStix and speculum-assisted measurements
Speculum Assessment Skills
- Assessment of vaginal mucosal integrity.
- Cervical visualisation.
- Identification of tissue suitability for pessary use.
- Clinical precautions and contraindications.
Please note: This course focuses on assessment for pessary suitability and does not teach diagnosis of gynaecological pathologies.
Pessary Fitting and Management
Please note: This course focuses on assessment for pessary suitability and does not teach diagnosis of gynaecological pathologies.
- Ring Pessary
- Cube Pessary
- Gellhorn Pessary
You'll learn:
- Pessary selection criteria
- Fitting techniques
- Removal and replacement procedures
- Troubleshooting common issues
- Follow-up protocols
- Patient self-management strategies
- Recognising complications and when to refer
Conservative Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Learn how pessaries fit within a broader patient-centred management plan, including:
- Pelvic floor muscle training
- Exercise and activity modification
- Bowel and bladder management
- Weight management considerations
- Lifestyle interventions
- Understanding surgical pathways and options
Whole-Person Pelvic Health
- Symptom monitoring tools
- Quality of life measures
- Clinical outcome tracking
- Ongoing patient review and recall systems
Practice Management and Business Systems
One of the most valuable aspects of this course is the practical framework you'll receive to help implement pessary services within your clinic.
You'll be provided with professionally developed resources including:
- Medical Screening Forms
- Patient Consent Forms
- Patient Education Handouts
- Pessary Information Booklets
- Self-Management Documentation
- Clinical Reporting Templates
- Recall and Follow-Up Systems
- Infection Control Protocols
- Equipment and Consumables Suppliers Guide
- Inventory Tracking Templates
- Clinical Governance Resources
You'll also receive access to "The Beast", Simon's comprehensive inventory and recall tracking system designed specifically for pessary management services.
Ongoing Support and Certification
Learning doesn't stop when the course ends.
To support your transition into clinical practice, you will receive:
- Access to a private online support forum for 12 months.
- Monthly live Q&A sessions with Dr Melissa Davidson for 12 months.
- Ongoing troubleshooting support.
- Networking opportunities with fellow clinicians.
- Clinical discussion and mentoring.
Competency Pathway
To ensure safe and effective clinical practice, participants complete a structured competency programme following the course.
Requirements include:
- Access to a private online support forum for 12 months.
- Monthly live Q&A sessions with Dr Melissa Davidson for 12 months.
- Ongoing troubleshooting support.
- Networking opportunities with fellow clinicians.
- Clinical discussion and mentoring.
Course Outcomes
Every component is designed to help you think critically and confidently at every stage of patient assessment, treatment planning, and ongoing management.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Confidently conduct comprehensive pelvic health assessments.
- Perform vaginal and rectal examinations safely and professionally.
- Understand what normal and abnormal findings may present as.
- Identify common pelvic floor dysfunctions across all genders.
- Develop appropriate treatment plans and referral pathways.
- Begin practising as a pelvic health clinician with confidence.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is suitable for experienced registered health professionals who assess and manage women with pelvic organ prolapse, including:
- Nurse Practitioners
- Registered Nurses
- Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Physiotherapists
- General Practitioners
- Gynaecologists
- Osteopaths
- Women's Health Clinicians
- Other registered health professionals
Participants typically attend from a wide range of clinical backgrounds, creating a valuable multidisciplinary learning environment.
Learn From an Expert
Dr Melissa Davidson is New Zealand's only Specialist Physiotherapist in Pelvic Health and has more than 35 years of clinical experience.
Known for her engaging teaching style and evidence-based approach, Melissa makes complex pelvic health concepts easy to understand and immediately applicable in practice.
Read more in About Us
What Participants Say
"This course not only gives you everything you need to safely and competently fit and manage pessaries, but also thorough, evidence-based and up-to-date knowledge on pelvic organ prolapse." - Sara, Physiotherapist
"This comprehensive training course enabled me to feel competent and confident to assess, fit, and manage vaginal pessaries. The multidisciplinary learning experience was excellent." - Kate, Clinical Nurse Specialist
"As a GP with an interest in women's health, I found the skills learned essential. Highly informative and practical." - Christina, General Practitioner
"This course gave me the knowledge, skills, and administrative systems to be able to fit and manage pessaries in my patients. Melissa created a welcoming and non-intimidating environment." - Simone, Osteopath
"Melissa and Simon present a very comprehensive learning package, complete with post-course competencies and ongoing support. Highly recommend. It is worth every cent and every minute of your time." - Sharon, Nurse Practitioner