About this session
Urinary symptoms such as pain, retention, frequency and nocturia are common in palliative care and can be profoundly distressing for patients and those supporting them. For clinicians, these symptoms often present complex challenges - particularly when investigations are inconclusive, symptoms overlap, or care needs change as a person approaches the terminal phase.
We are pleased to be providing this PCNA member-exclusive webinar to the PCNA community in conjunction with BEAT Bladder Cancer Australia. The session brings together expert clinical perspectives for a practical, case-informed conversation about assessing and managing urinary symptoms across the palliative care trajectory.
Rather than focusing on ideal scenarios, the discussion centres on real-world practice, where decisions are nuanced and clear answers are not always available. Through guided conversation, the panel will explore common areas of uncertainty, share clinical reasoning, and reflect on approaches that support comfort, dignity and quality of life.
Session 2: Tricky to Manage Urinary Symptoms in Palliative Care with BEAT Bladder Cancer Australia
Date: Wednesday 18 February, 2026 | Time: 4:30-5:30pm AEDT | Type: PCNA Member Exclusive Session
Who this session is for
This session is designed for palliative care nurses and advanced practice clinicians seeking to deepen their understanding of urinary symptom management, build confidence in complex clinical decision-making, and learn from multidisciplinary expertise in a supportive and reflective forum.
Access to this session is included as part of PCNA membership. If you’re not currently a member, you can learn more about joining PCNA here - membership also provides access to our on-demand webinar archive, including a copy of this session, and other exclusive professional development opportunities.
Panel and facilitation
The session will be facilitated by Holly Pitt, PCNA Committee Member and Nurse Unit Manager of the palliative care unit at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
She will be joined by a multidisciplinary panel:
Dr Kalli Spencer - Urological Surgeon and Health Advisory Team Lead, BEAT Bladder Cancer Australia
Lucy McLeod - Oncology Nurse, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse
Josh Cohen - Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, Northern NSW LHD.
Together, the panel will draw on clinical experience across nursing, advanced practice, and urology to explore common challenges and points of uncertainty.
What will be covered
Through guided discussion and shared clinical perspectives, the session will explore:
The basics of urological assessment in palliative care, including medication considerations such as opioids and urinary retention
Managing pain on urination, including situations where MSU results are negative
The role of analgesia and other targeted treatments in urinary symptom management
Approaches to urinary frequency and nocturia, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies
Catheterisation decisions - when it may help, and when it may worsen symptoms
End-of-life considerations, including changes in symptom presentation and medication routes in the terminal phase