Nurse led venesection: a quality improvement project.

Area of Science:

• Internal Medicine
• Hematology

Background:

• Venesection is a common treatment for hemochromatosis and polycythemia.
• Physician-led venesection services can face challenges with efficiency and junior doctor training.
• Nurse-led services offer a potential solution to improve patient flow and staff utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and impact of transitioning venesection services from physician-led to nurse-led care.
• To assess the effect of nurse-led venesection on service efficiency, patient discharge times, and unit capacity.

Main Methods:

• A nurse training program involving practical tutorials and formal teaching was implemented.
• Nurses with existing venous access skills but no formal venesection training were educated.
• The venesection service was transitioned to be managed and performed by trained nursing staff.

Main Results:

• The nurse-led venesection service was established at no additional cost to the hospital.
• Patient discharge times were significantly reduced following the service transition.
• The capacity of the medical day treatment unit to perform venesections increased by 100%.

Conclusions:

• A nurse-led venesection service is a cost-effective and efficient model for managing conditions like hemochromatosis and polycythemia.
• Empowering nurses to lead venesection services can optimize resource utilization and enhance patient throughput.
• This model demonstrates a successful strategy for improving healthcare delivery without compromising patient outcomes.