Safety & Quality Account 2020-21 | 2021-22 Future Priorities

Transforming WSLHD: Innovation & Redesign for Safety and Quality WSLHD Safety & Quality Account

FISHING HOOKS, HAMMERS AND FALLS: THE COST OF EYE-PENETRATING INJURIES IN AUSTRALIA REVEALED Eye-penetrating injuries have devastating and lifelong implications on vision, quality of life and is one of the leading causes of single eye vision loss worldwide. The costs to Australia are immense and estimated to be between $48.1 to $60.5 million each year. To gain a further understanding of the extent and financial impact of eye-penetrating injuries, Associate Professor Chameen Samarawickrama, Ophthalmology Cornea Specialist at Westmead Hospital has conducted in a ten-year audit of Westmead Hospital of patients who presented with eye injuries. The audit results provided insight and critical information regarding people who are most likely to be at risk of these eye injuries and the number of eye surgery required for patients. • Young males at work were at highest risk, as 89.1% did not wear appropriate eye protection • 155 adult patients had eye-penetrating injuries which required surgery, of which 50% had one surgery, 25% had two surgeries, and 25% had three or more • Falls in the elderly, particularly at home were also highly represented with up to 66.7% of these cases left blind. One of the main risk factors for falls is untreated poor vision.

IMPROVING THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF EMERGENCY NURSING CARE WSLHD infection prevention and control expert Professor Ramon Shaban and Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Consultant, Margaret Murphy, are the two dedicated staff driving a nurse training system which assists nursing staff to prevent deterioration and improve patient care. This training program has been awarded a $3.6 million grant which will support a new framework known as History Identify Red Flags Assessment Interventions Diagnostics (HIRAID). The HIRAID framework promotes critical analysis by requiring nurses get crucial background information early, which allows treatment and further investigation to begin sooner, with the results to be assessed across 31 NSW, Victoria and Queensland hospitals over five years. Westmead Hospital Clinical Nurse Consultant Dr Margaret Murphy said she is hoping the randomised, controlled study will see a 20 per cent reduction in patient deterioration in the program which was developed in collaboration by WSLHD, Illawarra-Shoalhaven Local Health District and the University of Sydney. She hopes for an improvement in how many patients rate their emergency care as ‘very good’.

PHOTO: WSLHD Infection

Prevention and Control Expert Professor Ramon Shaban and Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Consultant, Margaret Murphy.

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