Please login to view this media
- Talk
- 22/09/2022
- UK
“No Longer Wet" – A Quality Improvement Project Standardising Peri-Operative Urinary Catheterisation in Neck of Femur Fracture Patients
Description
The presentation, led by Sharan Sambhwani from Kettering General Hospital, focuses on a project aimed at standardizing catheter insertions for patients with NOFF (Neck of Femur) fractures. Highlighting the increasing annual reports from the National Hip Fracture Database, Sharan discusses a vulnerable patient population often characterized by frailty and cognitive impairment. She emphasizes the need for a standardized protocol for catheter insertion to ensure safety, as variations in practice currently exist.
The project involved collecting prospective data over four months involving 107 patients, focusing on aspects such as the timing and documentation of catheter insertion, and associated post-catheter outcomes like skin quality and length of hospital stay. A collaborative approach with multiple healthcare teams ultimately led to the creation of a structured protocol aimed at improving catheter management and patient care.
Results showed significant improvements not only in patient comfort by reducing dependency on catheters during surgery but also in skin health, evidenced by a decrease in fragile skin conditions. The protocol reduced catheter use by 85%, leading to quicker procedures and healthier skin outcomes with no increase in urinary tract infections. Sharan concludes by acknowledging the importance of teamwork in implementing these changes, while expressing a desire to expand the study to a larger sample size for further validation.