Abstract
Purpose :
Controversy exists whether nurse practitioners are substituting ophthalmologists in the delivery of intravitreal injections in an ever evolving retina care landscape. We performed a patient satisfaction survey and semi structured interviews to study patient satisfaction with nurse led intravitreal injection service.
Methods :
Both qualitative and quantitative was applied. At least 500 new (first time) and follow up patients with various spectrum of conditions diabetic macular oedema, retina vein occlusion and age related macular degeneration attending the injection service were recruited to complete a structured, self-administered questionnaire. The survey examined patient satisfaction and experience of nurse practitioners, competence and knowledge, service efficiency, comparison of doctor/nurse injection delivery, practitioner attitude and explanation and demographic distribution. Semi structured interviews were contacted with a minimum of 40 patients who did not participate in the cross sectional survey study. Semi Structured interviews explored patient perception, experience and understanding of nurse delivered injections how best this is delivered in the injection service. All interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analysed with the inductive thematic approach.
Results :
Mean patient satisfaction score (n =500)
Scale Mean score maximum : 5
General Patient satisfaction with nurse injections: 4.5
Practitioner Explanation to the patient injection process: 4.8
Quality of time spent with the Nurse practitioner during procedure: 4.65
Nurse Practitioner Competence: 4.8
Technical Quality: 4.55
Provision of information and communication: 4.8
Interpersonal manner by the Practitioner: 4.8
Nurse practitioner /Doctor preference : 4.4
Conclusions :
In the United Kingdom, nurse practitioners play a significantly increasing role in the management of retina care and delivery of intravitreal injections. Patients reported positive experience with nurse practitioner delivered injections. This survey aimed to assess patient satisfaction with nurse practitioners and confirmed; quality of time they spent with practitioners, rapport building with the same practitioner every visit, competence and technical skills of the injections were highly rated with participants.Trained nurse practitioners can contribute towards patient holistic care, better clinical outcomes, and potential quality improvement service.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.