Our Renal Vascular Specialist Nurses team provide the pathway for vascular access creation and surveillance.
We asked Daysi Burton, Clinical Lead for Renal Vascular Specialist Nurses, some questions about the team and her role.
Can you give us a brief overview of the role of the team?
We provide the pathway for vascular access creation and surveillance. We mediate between the Renal team and Vascular surgeons team/sonography team participating in the Vascular MDT every Wednesday. We also support the in centre haemodialysis units with education, training and support to access complex patients access.
What does a typical day look like?
Part of the day is planned activity and some of it is unpredictable; urgent referrals are common on a weekly basis, for example if a vascular access fails, it needs an urgent intervention which will change the course of the day or two.
What are the working hours?
Our working hours are Monday to Friday 07.30-18.00. We may start earlier or finish later as long as 10 hours per day are completed. We cover different areas; Renal Unit at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH); HH at Telford, Clinic 2 RSH, Clinic Pink PRH, remote consultations to Ludlow Dialysis Unit. If any of our patients fell into hospitalisation then we will visit them in the wards.
What experience do you need to work in this role / team?
You need to have previous experience in haemodialysis and it's desirable to have a Principles of Physical Assessment Course.
Why did you decide to do this role?
I am passionate about Renal care and having seen my patients making difficult decisions about their future and care during my 17 years as Haemodialysis Sister, I felt it was time to change directions on what I do but staying within Renal Services. Their vascular access is their life line, without access it won’t be provision for renal replacement therapy.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Seeing a patient smiling after their fistula/graft has been accessed for the first time. It is sort of the end of our journey, but the beginning of theirs as Renal Replacement therapy starts.
Anything else you would like to share about the role / team?
There are innovative ways to work and our team is willing to develop professionally. We also deliver educational sessions to other teams away from Renal services. Soon we will purchase a new device that helps maturity of vascular access, we use other devices such as portable ultrasound devices to do surveillance in our population.
It is an exciting role for anyone choosing to develop their knowledge in vascular care, prepare for innovation and change, and networking with other teams such as Radiologists and Sonographers, having our patients as the centre of care.
