Implementation of nasal high flow therapy in Thursday Island and Cape York
Implementation of nasal high flow therapy in Thursday Island and Cape York Conference Paper
15th National Rural Health Conference: Better together!
- Author(s): Cairns, Nicholas, West, Sally
- Secondary Author(s): Coleman, Leanne
- Published: 2019
Abstract: Background: Respiratory diseases represent the main reason for paediatric inter-hospital transfers in urban and remote areas. Nasal high flow (NHF) therapy is a simple method of oxygen delivery that provides additional respiratory support to patients with acute respiratory failure. It is proven to be effective and has been safely used outside intensive care settings in tertiary and regional hospitals. Although there is a desire to use NHF therapy in remote hospitals in Australia, the safety and value of using NHF where retrieval to intensive care services requires air retrieval and potential time delays, is unknown. Aim: The aim of this study is to explore the safety and efficacy of implementing NHF therapy for infants with bronchiolitis in remote Torres and Cape hospitals. Proposed methods: This study will use a sequential mixed methods design. Using a modified Delphi technique, an expert panel will establish agreed clinical guidelines on NHF therapy implementation. Once the NHF therapy guidelines have been established training will be provided to staff. A comparison cohort study will audit the clinical outcomes of all infants presenting with bronchiolitis to Weipa, Cooktown and Thursday Island hospitals for a 12 month period and compared with outcomes for all presentations in the 12 months prior to NHF therapy implementation. Issues/dilemmas: The expert panel and subsequent audit evaluating clinical outcomes post-implementation is a reasonably established research process. The challenge in developing the guidelines will be in ensuring fair and equal input from all panel members. Suggestions on how to negotiate potentially opposing ideas and agendas and to sort opinion without evidence from more knowledgeable input will be sought. This project involves staff training on NHF and the developed guidelines for use. Advice is sort from conference delegates on the most pragmatic way to evaluate knowledge translation in a highly mobile, casual workforce where the research is conducted over an area physically difficult to access.
- Urls: http://www.ruralhealth.org.au/15nrhc/sites/default/files/B10-3_Cairns%2C%20West.pdf Available from, www.ruralhealth.org.au/15nrhc/program/concurrent-speakers/ Download site
- Publisher Location: Hobart