Nursing services at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH), Dublin, are improving access to integrated eye care for patients, protecting people’s eyesight, and reducing waiting times for ophthalmology services by managing stable chronic patients in a controlled environment.
The HSE has highlighted key figures from the RVEEH nursing services – who managed 13,762 ophthalmology patient visits independently and 908 patient visits as part of a shared care clinic in 2023, an increase of 217 per cent since 2019.
Key 2023 data show:
- 9,965 of all injections to patients for the management of their eye condition were administered by nurses.
- Only 12 per cent of patients attending the nurse glaucoma clinics required follow-up with a consultant.
- Patients have indicated almost 100 per cent satisfaction with the nurse-led service.
The eye conditions managed include some of the main causes of blindness in Ireland, such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts, with nurses also supporting ocular emergency, cornea, and oncology patients. The service optimises access to care, reduction of waiting times, and support for continuity of care, as patients often see the same staff member at each visit.
Clinical Nurse Specialist in Glaucoma Ophthalmology Linda Fabbian has been supported by the advanced nurse practitioner and lead consultants on a pilot basis to expand her role to meet the needs of the community population.
She said: “My role involves monitoring and treating patients with glaucoma and assessing patients after cataract surgery. The community care pathway ensures the right patient gets the right care at the right time, improving access to care for patients. This removes the need for some patients to be seen on the hospital site.”
RVEEH Director of Nursing Cathriona Ennis added: “The nurse-led service in RVEEH improves access to care and timely diagnosis for patients. Nurses are supported in a culture that empowers them to practise at the top of their licence and is instrumental in reducing the risk of disease progression or preventable blindness.
“The multidisciplinary approach optimises medical capacity, enhances the patient experience, and designs a service that is built on robust governance, competency-based training, evidence-based outcomes, best practice, and patient and staff feedback.”
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