Abstract
Purpose :
Intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor is traditionally administered by physicians and represents a considerable workload on ophthalmology departments. To optimize the available resources, we developed a training program for nurses with the aim to inject equally as efficient and safe as physicians. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT) we showed nurses to be non-inferior to physicians.
In this qualitative study we aimed to evaluate if the nurses were confident and in control having participated in the training program, and if the nurses were satisfied with the training program and the new task.
Methods :
During 2014-2018, twelve registered nurses were trained in a tertiary clinic covering about 300.000 inhabitants in Central Norway. Work experience ranged from two to thirty-one years. All nurses were interviewed with a semi structured interview guide, either individually (n=7) or in a focus group (n=5). We analyzed the interviews using Granheim and Lundemans qualitative content analysis.
Results :
Twelve sub-themes clustered in four main themes 1) responsibility and safety, 2) motivation and respect, 3) collaboration and 4) organization. The nurses felt confident and in control when administering injections but experienced moments of insecurity. The new task gave the nurses a sense of achievement, mastering a task that is not part of their usual training. Improvement of patient’s lives were mentioned as a positive effect. A greater level of responsibility gave the nurses pride in their profession. They were satisfied with the training program but had suggestions that could improve the efficiency of the training.
Conclusions :
Our study showed that the nurses trained were satisfied with the training and learning a new task led to higher self-esteem and gained respect. They had several suggestions on how the training could be improved, which should be considered before recommending it to other departments.
This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.