Endocrine Abstracts

Adult endocrine specialist nursing (ESN) is a highly specialised role and in recent years nurses have expanded their roles according to local need (Kieffer.V, et al. 2015). As an Endocrine team we review our practice, striving to provide the highest standard of research based, patient centred care. This involves ensuring the best use of resources and service provision in an ever more demanding environment. A new initiative lead by the ESN with consultant supervision was put in place to offer, where clinically feasible on selected inpatients the option of early discharge with next day review of pending results and/or medication adjustment. Our patients were selected from acute medical wards undera Diabetes and Endocrine speciality. During 2019 the consultants identified 45 different patients who would be eligible for early discharge. They were given an appointment to return to the early discharge clinicswhich were set according to demand, Monday to Friday by the lead ESN. Of these patients 27 had an endocrine condition/s and 18 were diabetes related. Patients generally required between 1 to 3 appointments. In total 68 clinic visits were needed, which equates to freeing up a minimum of 74 bed days. Of those who attended 100% were very satisfied with the care received and the reduced length of their hospital stay.

Conclusion: Following this trial we are putting forward a business case to increase the ESN capacity, with consultant supervision, to offer the early discharge clinic to other wards. This would ensure patients are seen by the right specialist, in a timely manner, in the most appropriate environment (endocrine investigation unit). Patients will receive the best possible care while ensuring better utilisation of bed capacity and junior doctor’s time which can subsequently be redirected towards ever changing demands in the hospital/s.