Page 8 - Clinical Connections - Autumn 2022

 

 

 

 

 

Page 8 - Clinical Connections - Autumn 2022
P. 8

 RESEARCH    STUDY    VETERINARY SERVICES       .AC.UK
             Veterinary Nursing
            VETERINARY NURSES IMPLEMENTING

            CLINICAL AUDITS AT THE QMHA


            Perdi Welsh, Course Director for post-registration Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing

                  linical  governance  and  associated   in neurology patients.     forward  to  taking  an  active  role  in  quality
                  activities,  such  as  clinical  audit  to   The  ’s  Clinical  Governance  Officer,   improvement  and  performing  more  audits
            C ensure  quality  enhancement,  is   Mariah Hashimov, said the auditing process   at work."
            now  enshrined  within  the  RCVS  Codes   encourages enhanced awareness of familiar
            of  Professional  Conduct  for  veterinary   activities: “We can often overlook things that
            surgeons and veterinary nurses.     form part of our every day – feeding patients,
              Clinical governance is an umbrella term   communicating  results  to  clients,  recovery
            encompassing  various  activities,  including   times for routine procedures – but how often
            evidence-based practice, CPD and clinical   do we pause to consider what we’re doing,
            audit, all of which ultimately help veterinary   why we’re doing it, what we want to achieve,
            professionals make the most informed and   and how current practice compares to our
            appropriate  decisions  to  ensure  quality   goals?  Part  of  my  role  at  the    is  to
            improvement for the care of our patients and   support RVN’s reflecting and reviewing our
            services to clients.                day-to-day practice and empower them be
              Clinical  audit  is  very  much  part  of  the   a driving force in making impactful changes,
            clinical governance landscape and can play   no matter how big or small.”
            a hugely important part of the process for   Niamh Clancy, RVN and Module Leader
            reviewing  and  improving  the  standard  of   for  the Anaesthesia  & Analgesia  pathway,
            patient care and clinical practice.  told Clinical Connections: "It’s great to see
              The first cohort of RVNs undertaking the   RVNs  being  the  driving  force  for  change
            's  new  RCVS  accredited  Certificates   and  evidence-based  veterinary  medicine   Lyn  O’Byrne,  RVN  and  Module  Leader
            in Advanced Veterinary Nursing have been   in  practice,  especially  in  a  hospital  as   for the Emergency & Critical Care pathway,
            making a positive contribution and impact in   large  as  the  QMHA.  These  RVNs  have   said: “We’re really impressed by the quality
            the QMHA. As part of their studies for their   all  chosen  completely  different  aspects  of   and range of subjects our RVNs chose to
            CertAVN programme, students are required   ECC  and  anaesthesia  and  their  findings   audit  and  we’re  looking  forward  to  their
            to design and carry out a clinical audit on   will help improve patient care and decrease   work being published as part of a drive to
            a  topic  related  to  the  pathway  they  are   the  hospital’s  carbon  footprint!  I’m  looking   share  knowledge  and  disseminate  to  the
            studying.                           forward to seeing what these RVNs do in the   wider veterinary community. This is a great
              Seven  RVNs  from  the  QMHA  recently   future with their new-found skills.”  example of the way that RVNs can have a
            completed  the  CertAVN,  undertaking   In  relation  to  her  experience  of  carrying   meaningful  and  positive  impact  on  patient
            either the Emergency & Critical Care or the   out the clinical audit during her studies on   welfare and outcome.”
            Anaesthesia  &  Analgesia  pathway.  Their   the  CertAVN  in  ECC,  QMHA  RVN  Sam   If a governance culture and processes are
            clinical  audit  topics  ranged  from  auditing   McGaw  said:  “Undertaking  a  clinical  audit   not in place at your work, maybe it's time to
            blood  transfusion  protocols  to  low  flow   enabled me to make a positive impact on the   start those discussions to ensure that clinical
            anaesthesia  to  reduce  carbon  footprint,   nursing care of ECC patients and improve   governance takes priority, and to gather the
            nutrition  in  ECC  patients,  hypothermia   the workplace culture around nutrition. This   right people to implement positive change.
            prevention of patients undergoing MRI and   was a new experience me for me and was   Although  clinical  governance  requires  a
            catheter-associated  urinary  tract  infections   supported  by  the  CertAVN  tutors.  I  look   whole  team  approach,  RVNs  are  ideally
                                                                                    placed  to  take  leadership  in  governance
                                                                                    processes,  and  particularly  to  lead  on
                                                                                    clinical auditing.
                                                                                    To  find  out  more  about  the  's
                                                                                    Certificates  in  Advanced  Veterinary
                                                                                    Nursing visit: www.rvc.ac.uk/CertAVN

                                                                                    Applications close on 5th February 2023.







                                                                                            For small animal referrals, please call:
                                                                                           01707 666399
                                                                                            Email:
                                                                                           qmhreception@rvc.ac.uk

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