Patients receiving haemodialysis for established renal failure
have a reduced life expectancy and increased levels of
morbidity. There is an increased risk of infection due to
both the patient’s underlying medical condition and the
therapy employed to deliver the necessary dialytic therapy.
The purpose of this project was to improve outcomes in
this vulnerable group. The team actively engaged with and
involved: patients; nursing and technical staff; ward
nursing staff and teams; junior doctors; the microbiology
department; surgical and radiological teams, and the
consultant nephrologists and research team. This was
achieved through a combination of informal discussion,
regular clinical management meetings and special project
meetings.
Their biggest challenge was to demonstrate that infection
was not inevitable, and to prove that improved care was
not only inexpensive, but saved money and benefited
patients. By implementing a series of simple, low cost, well
researched interventions and changes in policy, massive
improvements in patient safety and care have been
achieved. They have improved outcomes for patients by
reducing infection, reducing patient stays and ultimately
improving lives.
The secondary consequences have been to reduce the load
on the patient bed usage and to add an aura of calm and
control so vital to give dialysis patients confidence in their
care. The new ways of working frees nurses and doctors
to deliver in-depth care to patients. Many other units from
over the UK have visited and are impressed by the serene
character of the service.
For more information on this project, please contact:
Richard.Fluck@nhs.net
