Developing a nurse-led, day-case, abdominal paracentesis service
Abdominal ascites can be a debilitating condition resulting in physical and psychological distress for patients. The authors identified that patients who required large volume abdominal paracentesis were experiencing a suboptimal service, such as delays in accessing the service, which led to some patients becoming grossly ascitic. Once admitted, they experienced fragmented care. This article examines the development of a nurse-led, day-case, abdominal paracentesis service, to improve the patient experience and quality of life by reducing length of stay. Pilot studies assessed the feasibility of day-case drainage and whether nurse specialists could undertake the procedure safely. In the first year of the service’s operation, bed occupancy was reduced by 1,300 and a financial saving of £250,000 was made.
