Safer, faster, more efficient: How MediSet® kits can help increase patient safety and support in the fight against HAIs
"Standard procedures, for instance the application of a urinary catheter to a patient, come with a number of distinct challenges," confirms Nicolas Krieg. Before taking up his current position as a district nurse in the city of Duttlenheim in eastern France, the 32-year-old worked in an intensive care unit (ICU) for several years. "There are intricate multi-stage protocols that must be strictly followed in order to avoid causing asepsis breaches."
Correctly administering standard procedures – including all the required precautionary measures such as complying with hand and equipment hygiene requirements – is an even bigger challenge in intensive care conditions as the specific situations encountered in an ICU can cause additional stress. "Apart from the fact that there are large workloads per patient, the care in an ICU mostly is very technical and often vital," says Nicolas. "Life-threatening emergencies or even patient deaths are regular occurrences."
Daily work in an ICU can also take a heavy personal toll on the medical personnel and often leads to physical, intellectual or emotional fatigue, Nicolas adds. "Staff shortages, especially regarding nurses, are yet another regular stress factor."
In his current job as a private nurse, Nicolas treats patients in their own homes. Although it is quite different from working in an ICU, it can also be very stressful. Working on the move means having to adapt to a wide variety of environments over the course of any given day, none of which comply with the asepsis requirements of a hospital or care facility.
For example: In addition to his own hands, clothes and equipment, Nicolas regularly disinfects his patients' immediate surroundings to ensure they don't pose infection risks during standard care procedures.
MediSet® kits allow nurses like Nicolas to maintain maximum patient safety despite the various stress factors of their daily routines. The pre-packed sets are sterile and contain the instruments and equipment necessary for a number of different care procedures placed in the right order for the procedure. Among others, Nicolas has used the sets for urinary catheterisation, peripheral venous catheterisation and suture removal.
Regardless of whether patients need tending in a hospital or in their own homes, the average working day of a nurse is busy. For example, as a district nurse, Nicolas' 11.5-hour shifts begin at 6 in the morning. Every day, he sees up to 65 patients. His schedule is usually very tight, and every minute counts.
However, working with pre-packed sets allows Nicolas to manage his schedule more efficiently and also makes his daily work less stressful. As each set has been composed for a standardised care protocol, the corresponding process is streamlined and becomes less complex. As a result, Nicolas saves valuable time on each procedure, which he can use for other important aspects of patient care.
MediSets® make the working lives of experienced nurses like Nicolas Krieg easier on a daily basis. They are a simple yet effective means to prevent asepsis breach while saving time during standard care procedures. As a result, they are a valuable infection prevention tool. After all, it is estimated that up to half of all HAIs could be prevented through simple hygiene measures.
