Extravasation, the accidental leakage of liquid from a vein into surrounding tissues when intravenous (IV) medicines are administered, can cause severe patient harm at considerable cost to the NHS.
Nurses at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust have developed a care bundle that integrates a red, amber and green extravasation risk rating system for all IV medicines.
The initiative offers a standardised approach to observing IV access sites and tracking infusions to enhance safe care delivery and has led to reduced incidence and harm from extravasations.
Sticking with the issue of patient safety, the rise of corridor care as a desperate response by acute trusts to the considerable winter pressures this season has sparked concerns among many.
Our columnists Helené Donnelly and David Collett explore the underlying reasons for corridor care nursing and why its normalisation must be resisted for the good of patients and the profession.
With that in mind, we have also spoken to nurses working in various settings across the health and social care system about the impact of what some have dubbed the worst winter on record.
Also in this issue, you can read about the Nottingham nurses looking to revolutionise rehabilitation nursing and the views and ambitions of the first trust director of nursing to have trained in India.
In addition, we have two brilliant new clinical practice series written by advanced practitioners and nurse lecturers, on hypertension and knees, plus much more. Look out for further parts next month.