The bag was initiated by Heather Green, a District Nurse and Clinical Nurse Specialist in Infection Prevention and Control at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT), following a review of the cleanliness of nursing bags and car boots to prevent the transmission of infection.
Heather explains: “My research into the ‘well organised working environment’ and the bag and car boot that community nurses work from, indicated that bags may serve as a potential source of contamination.
“With the support of colleagues in procurement, medical device maintenance and quality improvement, we initiated a pilot project examining kit bag systems. The ethos of the project was to enhance the appearance and values of a professional nursing service, making nurses feel valued, to standardise what nurses need when performing home visits, and crucially, to maintain both patient and nurse safety.”
In addition, the project also delivered on the Trust’s sustainability agenda by reducing potential waste of £240,000 due to the removal of the temptation to overstock items leading to out of date products. Health and safety issues were also addressed, such as the weight of bags carried by nurses, to reduce muscular-skeletal referrals to occupational health services.
Paula Wood, Professional Lead Nurse for Community Nursing, Long Term Conditions and Specialist Nursing at MPFT supported the project.
Paula said: “The community nursing bags provide our nurses with a consistent and correct kit and approach that allows them to do their job to the highest professional standard, in any community setting. The bags were very well received by our community nurses as a positive addition to their essential working tools. Thank you to our area managers, general manager and nurses for engaging with the project so enthusiastically.”