Implementation of a nurse-delivered intravitreal injection service.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to introduce nurse-delivered intravitreal injections to increase medical retina treatment capacity.


METHODS
Indemnity, clinical governance, training, planning, and implementation issues were addressed. The outcome measures were patient safety, patient experience, and clinic capacity.


RESULTS
No serious vision-threatening complications were recorded in a consecutive series of 4000 nurse-delivered intravitreal injections. A Mann-Whitney test showed a significant increase in intravitreal injections (P=0.003) in the medical retina service after introduction of nurse-delivered intravitreal injections. The majority of patients accepted and were satisfied with a nurse-delivered intravitreal injection.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurse-delivered intravitreal injections appear safe, acceptable to patients, and are an effective means to increase intravitreal injection capacity in medical retina clinics.
Medical Retina Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
J
J
DaCosta
Medical Retina Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
R
R
Hamilton
Medical Retina Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
J
J
Nago
Medical Retina Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
A
A
Mapani
Medical Retina Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
E
E
Kennedy
Medical Retina Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
T
T
Luckett
Medical Retina Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
C
C
Pavesio
Medical Retina Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
D
D
Flanagan
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D004506:Education, Nursing; D006284:Health Plan Implementation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A