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In my current role as Safe Moving and Handling Coordinator there is a bit of “creep” of responsibilities around bariatrics and I was wondering if this is occurring in your DHB? In particular management, equipment selection and procurement, and pressure injury prevention. I am wondering if there is opportunity for the developmennt of a Bariatric Nurse Specialist role. This could encompass bariatric surgery stream patients, and acute and arranged medical and surgical bariatric patients, and involve prehabilation, case management and a community focus. This recognizing that DHB’s are experiencing increasing admissions of bariatric patients as we know that 1 in 3 adults are obese and this disproportionately increases in specific ethnicities (NZ Health Survey, 2018-2019).
From your point of view does you DHB experience increasing numbers of bariatric admissions? Also, as a Moving and Handling expert are you finding you are becoming involved with patient management as above? How does your DHB manage this? and finally is there a specific bariatric nurse specialist role already?
Look forward to hearing from you
Joanne
Hi Joanne,
A couple of years ago at WDHB, myself and a nurse educator wrote policies and proceedures for the bariatric patient journey.
We hold a bariatric study day, designed for the multidisciplinary team once a year. This was based off a bariatric study day that we attended in Melbourne.
We worked with the allied health team to purchase equipment since we are a provincial hospital and renting is not a viable option.
I encourage staff to contact me if they are stumped with regards to moving and handling but we have found that over time all staff have become aware of available equipment, how to use it appropriately and the ratio of staff needed to care for the bariatric patient.Hi All,
Further to Jo’s initial post above, we are finding that the care of bariatric patient’s and ensuring appropriate equipment provision,etc. is taking up a large amount of moving and handling time and also time from others in our MDT group, which is over and above our current roles. Is this the case in any other DHB?
We are looking at putting together a business case for funding for a bariatric care coordinator who would be able to be notified of any plus size patient admission, and be able to review them to ensure that they have the appropriate equipment available, training for that equipment is adequate, prepare for discharge planning, etc, etc.
Does anyone know of a role similar to this anywhere else in New Zealand? As it would really help our business case to know what else is happening in this space currently.
Thanks in advance,
Crystal
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