Forum for Injection Technique workshops are being rolled out nationwide to further educate diabetes healthcare professionals
An article, entitled ‘Safety Point’, in March’s issue of WIN introduced the Forum for Injection Technique’s (FIT) recommendations on best practice injection technique. Since then, four FIT Ireland courses have taken place.
The INMO collaborated with Becton Dickinson and Company (BD) and FIT Ireland to organise the courses to help support the education and training of Irish nurses and midwives in the area of diabetes healthcare. The aim is to provide additional education to diabetes healthcare professionals and develop educational tools which will, in turn, help people with diabetes to manage their injectable therapies in the best possible way.
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| Pictured at the FIT session, Dublin (l-r): Elizabeth Adams, INMO director of professional development; Claire O’Sullivan BD; Helen Burke, FIT; Kate Wilmore, BD; Dr Debra Adams, FIT; Sonya Browne, FIT; and Peter Ferguson, BD |
FIT Ireland is supported by global medical technology company BD, which is committed to improving best practice in healthcare and improved health outcomes throughout the world. BD has a particular interest in the areas of disease management in diabetes, women’s health and cancer treatment and infection control.
FIT Ireland examines evidence based practice in the area of injection technique, promotes research in this area, develops initiatives to address areas of concern and facilitates novel and innovative educational approaches.
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| Pictured at the FIT session, Cork (l-r): Patricia Coady, CNS, CUH; Yvonne Moloney, CMS, MWRH Limerick; with Mary Power and Patsy Doyle of the INMO |
The educational cours es were also supported by Bayer Ireland (all sessions) and Eli Lilly and Company (April session), internationally recognised healthcare companies, which support educational opportunities for nurses and midwives.
On April 26, at INMO HQ in Dublin, FIT ran its first Forum for Injection Technique in Ireland. This all-day event was open to all INMO members free of charge. It was also available to non-members.
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| Elizabeth Adams, INMO director of professional development; Richard Devereaux Phillips, BD director of public policy and advocacy; Michael Smith, BD quality leader; and Liam Doran, INMO general secretary |
The day began with an outline of the history of FIT. This was followed by a very informative presentation by guest speaker Dr. Debra Adams, programme specialist on healthcare associated infection on the EU Sharps Directive and FIT programme board member.
The course was divided into three workshops: ‘Hyper/hypoglycaemia’, ‘All About Insulin’ and ‘Blood Glucose Monitoring Technique’. These workshops were run by Helen Burke, an advanced nurse practitioner in Galway University Hospital, and Sonya Browne, a clinical nurse specialist and registered nurse prescriber in Beaumont Hospital diabetes centre. There was an impressive attendance on the day of 65 nurses and practitioners.
This course was one element of a planned initiative, which consisted of a blended education programme, including: education and training workshops; web-based e-learning programmes on topics such as lipohypertrophy and needle length; educational apps; an injection technique ibook; printed education and support materials for nurses and patient support materials for adults and children.
Since the first forum in April, a further three have been run successfully – two in May, in Cork and Dublin and a third in Cork in June. Facilitators for these workshops, who are all members of the FIT board included: Sonya Browne and Helen Burke; Patricia Coady, a diabetes nurse at Cork University Hospital; Yvonne Moloney, clinical midwife specialist in diabetes, Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick and Helen Twamley, CNM2, Beaumont Hospital and chair of the FIT board. Guest speakers included Dr Debra Adams, head of infection prevention and control, NHS Midlands and East; and Su Down, nurse consultant in diabetes.
Following the course, participants were asked to complete evaluation forms. A selection of comments representing the general tone of feedback received follow:
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Focus - FIT for work |