Authors
- Suharsha Kanathigoda1,
- Suharsha Kanathigoda2
- Calvary Health Care ACT1,
- Australian National University2
2018
Excerpt
a. Problem being addressed/Project Goal:
When the first Renal Supportive Care Clinic (RSC) in Canberra, , started 18 months ago, the Renal –POS validated tool was used to screen & follow up patients.
b. Methods The Renal-POS was administered by the nurses in the Renal Department at the Canberra Hospital, when a patient came for dialysis or for an outpatient clinic appointment.
If the patients marked 2 or above for any one of the 17 symptoms, they were automatically referred to their Nephrologist to be referred to the weekly Renal Supportive Care Clinic at Canberra Hospital conducted by a Palliative Care Consultant.
Each time the patient attended the Clinic subsequently, they completed the tool.
c. Main findings/lessons learned:
36 patients were referred & seen at the Renal Supportive Care Clinic over a period of 12 months . There were 102 clinic visits in total. 30 patients seen at the clinic, had an improvement in all symptoms, they were referred for during this period. 2 patients had any mild worsening of their symptoms that they were referred for.
d. Recommendations Using the Renal- POS validated tool helped
b. Methods The Renal-POS was administered by the nurses in the Renal Department at the Canberra Hospital, when a patient came for dialysis or for an outpatient clinic appointment.
If the patients marked 2 or above for any one of the 17 symptoms, they were automatically referred to their Nephrologist to be referred to the weekly Renal Supportive Care Clinic at Canberra Hospital conducted by a Palliative Care Consultant.
Each time the patient attended the Clinic subsequently, they completed the tool.
c. Main findings/lessons learned:
36 patients were referred & seen at the Renal Supportive Care Clinic over a period of 12 months . There were 102 clinic visits in total. 30 patients seen at the clinic, had an improvement in all symptoms, they were referred for during this period. 2 patients had any mild worsening of their symptoms that they were referred for.
d. Recommendations Using the Renal- POS validated tool helped
- To properly screen & follow up patients.
- Monitor & improve the physical & psychosocial symptoms of patients referred.
- Staff to screen & identify symptoms of renal patients which may not have been picked up otherwise.
- To identify any sudden escalations of symptoms in patients who have been followed up in the clinic & promptly manage them.
- Palliative Care & Non Palliative Care clinicians to deliver better outcomes for patients & their families.