A talented team from the Center for Advanced Medicine outpatient clinic was awarded a Renal Staff Microgrant for their proposal, “Improving Patient Education in the Renal Clinic.” Team members include: Michelle Bloom, RN, Connie Mayo, RN, Bridget Blaes, RN, Lois Seibel RN, Cheryl Land RN, Vicky Stringer, MSW and Dave Windus, MD.
Education is a central feature in the preparation of patients for ESRD care and modality choice. Currently, patients are asked to attend one of the monthly ESRD classes. This is offered once per month, starts at 8:15 in the morning and takes three hours. Unfortunately, in the past year there is a substantial no show rate and therefore decisions regarding modality choice are delayed. This can lead to a delay in access placement and referral for transplant.
The team hypothesizes that additional education resources will allow more efficient patient-centered education during the clinic visit. In order to educate patients during clinic visits, all nurse coordinators will have an iPAD that can be used in clinic. These will be loaded with several easy access pictures as well as short videos showing patients different dialysis modalities, dialysis accesses and patient testimonials. Several of these pictures and videos are already developed by the Division of Nephrology, and another microgrant team is developing additional content. The team also proposes to create a “prescription” for the ESRD class placed on tri-copy paper enabling better tracking of the number of patients that have been given this prescription. The premise here is that if the attending signs a prescription for the patient this will emphasize the importance of the class.
These exciting new approaches will enhance patient educationin our CKD and transplant clinics.
Center for Advanced Medicine