Pessaries - Where do they fit into a BPSS Model of Care?

Overview

Join experienced pelvic health physiotherapists Jenny Telfer-Crum and Cara McDougall as they share their insights from performing hundreds of pessary fittings since 2017.

This course provides evidence-informed guidance on pessary use within a biopsychosocial-spiritual (BPSS) model of care for managing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Designed for pelvic health clinicians, this course will help you:

• Understand when and how to introduce pessaries as part of a collaborative care plan

• Build confidence in client education and referrals

• Expand your pelvic health toolkit with practical, clinically relevant knowledge

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Define what vaginal pessaries are and explore the most commonly used types in Canada and the USA

2. Summarize current definitions and research on SUI and POP, including the clinical relevance of pessary use

3. Identify appropriate pessary candidates, including risks, contraindications, and considerations within a BPSS framework

4. Describe vaginal products commonly used alongside pessaries (e.g. vaginal estrogen)

5. Outline the clinical pathway to obtaining a pessary in Canada and what clients can expect during a fitting

6. Review how clients use pessaries in daily life, including follow-up protocols

7. Gain an introduction to setting up a pessary fitting service in your pelvic health practice

Audience

This course is ideal for:

• Pelvic floor and women’s health therapists (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, athletic therapists). Note: You do not need to perform internal exams to benefit from this course.

• Healthcare providers and fitness professionals seeking to understand where pessaries fit into management options for POP or SUI

• Clinicians looking to build confidence in referring clients for pessary fittings or providing client education

• Anyone curious about pessaries and how they can support individuals with POP or SUI

CEU Accreditation

Embodia is an Approved CEU Provider for PTs and PTAs in 34 U.S. states plus the U.S. Virgin Islands, with 6 more state approvals pending.

This course is eligible for CEU credits for participants in approved states. See which states are approved in the FAQ section below.

To earn CEUs, you’ll need to:

1. Watch the course (on-demand or within your free access period)

2. Complete the evaluation and exam provided in the course

3. Download your CEU certificate directly from Embodia

Access Details

• Free for everyone for 1 week from the date you register

• Free forever for Embodia Members

📺 On-Demand Access

• Watch at your own pace, anytime

• Revisit and refresh your knowledge whenever you like (unlimited for members)

Why Take This Course?

Pessaries can be a safe, effective, and empowering option for clients with POP or SUI. This course will give you the knowledge and confidence to:

• Introduce pessaries in a collaborative care plan

• Support clients in understanding their options

• Integrate evidence-informed pessary education into your practice

✅ Expand your pelvic health toolkit and support your clients with confidence.
Start learning today — free for 1 week, free forever for members.