Authors (including presenting author) :
LEE SC(1), TANG V(1), CHAN SM(1), CHAU SH(1), PANG LW(1), LUI N(1), HUI F(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Community Nursing Service, Kowloon Hospital
Introduction :
With high population density and aging community, home care blood taking service is in significantly upsurge demands for elderly and immobility patients that they are difficulty to attend the hospitals and clinics. Community nurses all along provide blood taking service to those community patients. Most community nurses would complete a one-day blood taking training course for blood taking skill. However, the one-day course is insufficient for a community nurses (CNs). In addition, apart from the skill and technique, the blood taking referrers are from different hospitals, clinics and private sectors. The challenges are there is no common grand in the practice including different specimen bottles, laboratory forms, specimen collecting location, date and time, specimen label requirement and preparation before blood taking. Inappropriate blood specimen collection would increase the rate of failure blood test; inappropriate blood specimen handling would increase the risk of waste specimen and delay treatment. In this connection, Community Nursing Service of Kowloon Hospital launched a program on “Safe Blood Specimen Saving and Handling” for community nurses.
Objectives :
1. Enhancing blood taking techniques, knowledge and efficiency
2. Increase the competency of CNs who are lack of blood taking experiences
Methodology :
1. Formed a workgroup to design and carried out the program, members were recruited from blood taking trainers, seniors community nurses to junior community nurses.
2. Prepared equipment and designated space to facilitate training and encourage self-practice of blood taking procedures.
3. Conducted a lecture to enhance blood taking knowledge
4. Conducted workshops for blood taking procedure, elements of simulation were included to facilitate CNs sharing the experience in challenging cases
5. Audit was conducted to assure the quality of saving blood specimen.
Result & Outcome :
The program was completed in eight months. 60 CNs participated in the program. One designated room has been set up for blood taking practice, one lecture and 9 identical workshops were carried out. 14.3% of CNs have never enrolled in any blood taking course before. 95.2% CNs agreed that the program facilitate them to handle challenging blood taking situations in the community. 95.3% CNs scored the program over 8/10. Blood taking audit was completed at the final stage of the program, 100% of CNs passed the audit which assured the quality and safety of blood taking in the community.
The program increased the competency of CNs to handle different blood taking situations and requirements from various referrers and filled the gap that inadequate blood taking training for community nurses. Quality blood taking services has provided to the community in reverse.
