Implementing a nurse-led community intravenous antibiotic service
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Implementing a nurse-led community intravenous antibiotic service

Karen Regan Community advanced nurse practitioner and clinical lead in @Home community services, Community Health Office, Cwm Taf University Health Board, Pontypridd
Jacqueline Morgan Community advanced nurse practitioner and clinical lead for the home intravenous service and community ward, Cwm Taf University Health board

Karen Regan and Jacqueline Morgan outline how the introduction of a service to provide care traditionally offered in hospital has given patients the choice to receive treatment at home and extended the role of district nurses

At its inception in 2011 the @home community intravenous (IV) service used available staff resources to deliver IV antibiotics to patients in the community. The service model included two advanced nurse practitioners as clinical leads alongside the core district nursing services. Policies, guidelines and care bundles underpinned safe practice, and roles were developed and expanded to meet new challenges.

Limitations were identified and significant lessons learned. Service developments benefited patients by allowing them to receive treatment at home. Audit and review has improved service delivery and prevented complications that can hinder patients’ progress.

Collaborative working across care boundaries has allowed resources to be used more efficiently. Relationships with secondary care colleagues have been established, and growing confidence in the service is evident by the increasing number of referrals. Over three years, 4,375 bed days in secondary care were made available for more acutely ill patients.

Primary Health Care. 25, 7, 18-24. doi: 10.7748/phc.25.7.18.e972

Correspondence

karen.regan@wales.nhs.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to double-blind peer review and checked using antiplagiarism software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Author guidelines

journals.rcni.com/r/phc-author-guidelines

Received: 29 April 2014

Accepted: 06 June 2014

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