How to Become a Urology Nurse

Interested in a specialty that sees many different types of patients? If you have attention to detail and a desire to educate, you might consider being a urology nurse. These clinicians work in outpatient centers, surgical units, and urology practices to care for patients with urological problems, which may include:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• Bladder cancer
• Erectile dysfunction
• Hematuria
• Incontinence
• Interstitial cystitis
• Kidney stones
• Prostatitis
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Patients who require specialty attention for these issues often need education and ongoing management from a team of physicians, advanced practice providers, and urology nurses. You may also see patients who don’t have urological problems, but are undergoing procedures that involve the bladder, such as vasectomies and gender-affirming surgeries. This role requires compassion, a great bedside manner, and a specialty skill set.

What Does a Urology Nurse Do?

Urology nurse responsibilities revolve around managing patients with chronic and acute urinary issues. Here are some of the skills and tasks you might perform in a day in the life of a urology nurse:

• Focused urological assessments on urine color and volume, voiding patterns, any pain the patient is experiencing, sexual health history, and continence
• Diagnostic procedures such as urodynamic studies, cystoscopies, and imaging studies
• Patient education about urological conditions, treatment options, and postoperative care
• Catheter insertion and care, including sterile placement, management, education, and troubleshooting for patients with urinary catheters (i.e., Foleys and suprapubic catheters)
• Medication administration, including antibiotics, pain management meds, and others related to urological conditions
• Assisting in procedures, such as lithotripsy or transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)
• Documentation, and maintaining accurate and detailed medical records of patient assessments, interventions, and outcomes
• Follow-up care to assess patient progress, address concerns, and make any necessary adjustments to the care plan

Essential Skills for Urology Nurses

Wondering if you could be a good fit for this role? Urology nursing requires these skills:

Compassion and empathy: Bladder problems are a sensitive subject for many patients, and nurses that work in this area need to be aware of the psychosocial effects of incontinence and other issues. You’ll need to be sensitive to a patient’s emotional state while seeing or smelling unpleasant things. You may also be a part of the care team administering gender-affirming surgery. As in every nursing role, sensitive patient communication is essential.

Collaboration: Nurses in this specialty work with a variety of other professionals, including urologists, surgeons, radiologists, and others, to develop comprehensive care plans for patients. You may also need to educate family members and other people in the care team, to ensure patients receive the right care at home.

Specialty knowledge: To educate patients and give the best care, you’ll gain specific knowledge of the diagnoses, tests, medications, and interventions that urology patients need. You’ll learn about advanced catheterization techniques, medical and surgical treatment modalities, and more.

Urology Nurse Salary

The average urology RN salary is around $75,000 per year. Depending on your work setting, location, education, and experience, you could make more or less. If you’re interested in a higher salary, a urology nurse practitioner earns an average $116,750 per year. Pursuing advanced practice is just one way to make more money as a nurse.

How to Enter Urology Nursing: 4 Steps

If you’re not yet a nurse, entering the urology nursing field could take as little as two to three years. If you’re already a nurse, you likely won’t need any additional education to enter this specialty.

Step 1: Nursing School

You’ll start by going to nursing school to complete either an associate or bachelor’s degree program. In school, you’ll take classes on anatomy and physiology, pharmacotherapy, assessment, and more. You’ll also participate in clinical hours at different facilities, and you might have the chance to perform beginner urology skills, such as Foley catheter insertion.

Step 2: Become a Registered Nurse

Once you’ve graduated from nursing school, you’ll take the national certification exam for registered nurses — the NCLEX-RN. This exam assesses the didactic knowledge that it takes to practice nursing at the entry level. To avoid needing to re-test, you’ll want to adequately prepare and study.

Step 3: Enter Urology Nursing

Depending on the openings in nearby facilities, you may be able to enter urology nursing as a new graduate nurse. Consider working on an inpatient unit first, where you’ll learn essential critical thinking and assessment skills. You might also work in an outpatient urology clinic, or advance to surgical urology.

Step 4: Optional Continuing Education and Certifications

While not required, earning a urology nurse certification can boost your confidence and even earn you a pay raise. The Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates offers the Certified Urologic Registered Nurse (CURN) credential, the leading certification in the specialty. You might also consider a certification in continence care.

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