A264
DEVELOPMENT OF A SPECIALIST NURSE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: THE NIICE (NURSES INITIATIVE IN IBD CARE AND EDUCATION) IN CANADA PROGRAM
J Nadin1, F Bernard2, U Chauhan3, B Currie4, M Dy5, W Fehr6, K Frost7, M Stone8, Y Verklan9, S Lolley10, K McHugh11
1University of Calgary IBD Clinic, Calgary, AB; 2HSFA/CHUQ, Quebec City, QC; 3McMaster University Medical Centre, Hamilton, ON; 4QEII Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, NS; 5PGA and GI Research Institute, Vancouver, BC; 6Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK; 7The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON; 8McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC; 9CSGNA, Edmonton, AB; 10Glia Scientific Communication; 11Abbott, Montreal, QC,
Aims: Although the management of IBD has greatly evolved in the past decade, particularly with the introduction of biologic therapies, nurses have had few opportunities to formally learn about the evolution of care and even less of a chance to discuss how these changes affect their provision of care.
Methods: In 2007, a national mixed-method needs assessment conducted with 46 gastroenterologists, 40 gastroenterology nurses, and nine patients with Crohn's disease queried participants on Crohn's disease management. Nurses working with patients with Crohn's disease reported a lack of clarity around their roles and responsibilities across the continuum of care, and communication gaps within the health care team that undermined their ability to effectively provide care for patients with Crohn's disease(1).
Results: In 2010, a group of seven gastroenterology nurses with subspecialties in IBD and a member of the Canadian Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (CSGNA) developed a seven-module, interactive, educational program for small-group learning sessions, named the NIICE (Nurses Initiative in IBD Care and Education) in Canada program.
Each module aims to increase nurses' knowledge of a particular aspect of IBD and its management, refine their clinical skills in this area and offer insight into the social aspects of caring for patients with IBD. There is always a heavy focus on practical advice. There are also open-ended discussion questions, which encourage participants to share their clinical experience and, hopefully, learn practical solutions from the other nurses present. In this way, the modules are sufficiently flexible to allow for discussion of specific regional issues, such as access to care, reimbursement, or special population needs. Between September 2010 (the time of the program launch) and December 2010, the program was run 41 times in Canada, with 445 nurses participating.
Conclusions: A follow-up needs assessment will determine whether Canadian gastroenterology nurses feel that their roles and responsibilities have been more clearly defined and whether their comfort level with IBD care has increased. Future plans include the creation of additional modules.
1. Dupuis M, Marshall JK, Hayes SM, et al. Can J Gastroenterol. 2009;23(12):805-10