Leading respiratory nurses trained on diagnostic device developments

The nurses, from different care trusts, gathered at the Education for Health National Respiratory Training Centre (NRTC) in Warwick. There they learnt about i-STAT - a diagnostic device that can facilitate lab-accurate, near patient testing at a primary care level and improve the treatment offered to those suffering with conditions like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).  

During the day attendees were trained in taking arterialised blood samples from the ear lobe, a proven way of getting an effective sample for blood gas tests. After taking blood from one another, the nurses were able to use handheld i-STAT analysers to assess results. i-STAT uses advanced biosensor technology and as little as two drops of blood plus a test cartridge, to deliver test results in a matter of minutes for blood gases, electrolytes, chemistries, coagulation, haematology and cardiac markers.

Sara Askew, Business Development Manager at Education for Health, the UK’s leading education charity for healthcare professionals working with patients with long term conditions, said: “Implementing the shift in blood gas testing into the community is rhetoric if nurses are not trained to perform capillary blood testing. Education for Health recently ran a one day practical workshop for our trainers to teach them this specific clinical skill. We believe that training in near-patient testing is a critical success factor in getting oxygen therapy into the community, where respiratory patients need it most, and welcomed the opportunity to support Axis-Shield in this way. “

Sandy Walmsley, one of the participating nurses, said: “The training day, led by Sam Prigmore, Nurse Consultant from St George’s, focussed on the practicalities of collecting a capillary sample and also gave us the chance to demonstrate our technique on a willing volunteer. The session proved that obtaining a capillary blood sample for blood gas analysis is indeed an art, which needs much practice and a high level of competency. There was a real learning outcome from the day which demonstrated the importance of training and the versatility of the i-STAT.”

Sue Younghusband, marketing director at Axis-Shield UK, said: “This valuable training day was organised because some of our customers had bought i-STATs, but were struggling to make best use of them. After a number of discussions, we realised we needed a network of respiratory specialist nurses, capable of training others to take arterialised blood samples as and when required. We approached Education for Health and this excellent training session was the result.”

Continuing she said: “Diagnostic devices now have a very important role to play in looking after people who are suffering with long term conditions. While many COPD sufferers are kept under close surveillance by the healthcare practitioners around them, many, unfortunately, still remain at high risk of emergency admission to hospital – which can be costly to Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) from both a financial and a patient care perspective. However, our work with some of the country’s leading respiratory nurses proves there are effective near-patient testing solutions available, which have a range of significant cost and care benefits when deployed correctly in the community. We hope this training session proved useful to all concerned.”

For more information about i-STAT, go to: www.axis-shielduk.com

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About Axis-Shield UK

Axis-Shield UK is part of the Axis-Shield Group which develops, manufactures and distributes high quality, in-vitro diagnostic testing technologies that help improve healthcare and patient management. The company has a range of proprietary technologies and runs an active programme of development for new products that can be utilised across clinical laboratories, in hospitals or by Primary Care Trusts (PCT). The organisation manufactures key devices including Afinion^™ and Thrombotrack^™ and works with medical company Abbott to distribute i-STAT^® - a unique handheld analyser.

At the point-of-care (in hospitals or in the community), Axis-Shield’s novel, branded products can be used for the early, rapid and differential diagnosis and treatment of patients while they are present – ultimately speeding treatment times and helping to improve lives.