Aim: To present the ‘Nurse Injector’ role & responsibilities in Sunderland Eye Infirmary (SEI) and United Kingdom (NHS) overall.
Methods: The presentation goes through the challenges faced by a busy Medical Retina service at a tertiary referral centre in Northeast of England, especially the work force issues and the factors which lead to the development of ‘Nurse Injector’ role.
The process involved in training ‘Nurse Injectors’, their curriculum and finally their certification to work independently is discussed. Continued governance process of their performance is the most important aspect and this needs to be in place even before a ‘Nurse Injector’ is appointed to the role. Understanding the remuneration, local regulations and indemnity is really needed to develop an effective local training programme.
Once trained, not losing the Injectors and staff retention can be a challenge. If not well structured, the role can become very monotonous and can lead to job dis-satisfaction and fatigue. Having a pool of Injectors, especially part time can be a good strategy. Once established, how best to utilise this work force and expand their role would the next task.
Conclusion: The effective contribution made by the ‘Nurse Injectors’ at SEI and in overall NHS are discussed along with patient satisfaction rates.
