IPPL Clinical Practice and Policy January Round-up: Dynamic Health Updates + Renal Dialysis + Urinary Catheters + Radial Compression Devices + Alzheimer's Awareness Month + Let’s Talk Day

IPPL Clinical Practice and Policy round-up posts keep you informed about implementation and use of Dynamic Health at Nova Scotia Health, highlight any new priority projects and events, as well as updates to our Workplace Notes and Custom Workplace Skills. We’ll also highlight new publications we’re supporting and maintaining including policies, clinical practice support guides, clinical resources on the intranet and clinical learning modules.

Dynamic Health Updates

We receive feedback submissions on an ongoing basis through the Suggest an Edit form and through partnerships with departments and teams. This month, the following customizations have been added:

New Workplace Note

• Assessing Surgical Risk Factors in Older Adults
• Assisting With Testing of Potential Organ Donors After Brain Death
• Caring for EZ-IO Intraosseous Infusion Systems
• Changing a Suprapubic Catheter
• Obtaining a Blood Sample From a Central Venous Catheter in Infants to Adolescents

Revised Workplace Note

• Assessing Urinary Output
• Caring for Adults Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: Respiratory Therapy
• Caring for Patients With a Nasogastric Tube Occlusion
• Collecting a Urine Specimen From an Indwelling Urinary Catheter in Adults
• Collecting a Urine Specimen From an Intermittent Urinary Catheter
• Inserting a Coudé Catheter in Adults With a Penile Urethra
• Inserting a Coudé Catheter in Adults With a Vulvar Urethra
• Inserting an Indwelling Urinary Catheter in Adults With a Vulvar Urethra
• Inserting Indwelling Urinary Catheters in Adults With a Penile Urethra
• Managing an Indwelling Pleural Catheter
• Monitoring for Sepsis Transfusion Reaction
• Obtaining a Blood Sample for Culture From a Central Venous Catheter in Adults
• Performing Suprapubic Catheter Care
• Performing Urinary Catheter Care Following Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)
• Providing Tracheostomy Care in Pediatric Patients: Respiratory Therapy
• Removing a Suprapubic Catheter

Reviewed: No Workplace Note

• Caring for Indwelling Urinary Catheters in Infants to Adolescents
• Collecting Urine From an Indwelling Urinary Catheter in Pediatric Patients
• Inserting a Foley Catheter in Infants, Children, and Adolescents With a Vulvar Urethra
• Inserting a Foley Catheter in Infants, Children, and Adolescents With a Penile Urethra
• Inserting an Intermittent (Straight) Catheter in Pediatric Patients With a Vulvar Urethra
• Inserting an Intermittent (Straight) Catheter in Pediatric Patients With a Penile Urethra
• Removing an Indwelling Catheter From Children and Adolescents

Custom Skills

• Dialysis: Accessing and Flushing the Non-Tunnelled Central Venous Catheter (CVC) or Quick Connect
• Dialysis: Accessing and Flushing Tunnelled Central Venous Catheter (CVC) or Quick Connect
• Dialysis: Changing a Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Catheter Dressing
• Dialysis: Dressing Change Procedure for Non-Tunnelled Central Venous Catheter (CVC)
• Dialysis: Dressing Change Procedure for the Tunnelled Central Venous Catheter (CVC)
• Dialysis: Locking the Non-Tunnelled Central Venous Catheter (CVC) Post-Dialysis
• Dialysis: Locking the Tunnelled Central Venous Catheter (CVC) Post-Dialysis
• Dialysis: Performing Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) / Twin Bag Exchange in Adults
• Dialysis: Performing the Shower Technique for Peritoneal Dialysis Dressing Change
• Dialysis: Providing Peritoneal Dialysis Using a Cycler Machine (CCPD, APD)

Clinical Practice Supports

Renal Dialysis, Urinary Catheters and Radial Compression Devices

Clinical Practice Supports for Health Care Providers are subject guides created with clinical leaders, educators and frontline staff for use at the point-of-care and when acquiring or refreshing clinical competencies. Clinical Practice Support subject guides are maintained by Interprofessional Practice and Learning (IPPL) - Clinical Practice and Policy. The goal is to adopt evidence-based clinical resources that can be implemented without re-inventing the wheel. Where novel contexts or gaps exist, we support the creation and maintenance of resources that support nursing and allied health professionals with working to scope and with providing evidence-based, quality patient care.

We are pleased to launch three new Clinical Practice Supports for Nursing:

• Renal Dialysis
  • Custom Dynamic Health skills from the Renal Care Program, including policies, appendices (with images) and patient education pamphlets.
• Urinary Catheters
  • Adopted Dynamic Health skills with workplace notes, care directives, patient education pamphlets, NSWOC guidelines and decision aids, and key practice points.
  • Note: The Urinary Catheters page on the Clinical Practice Supports for Nursing guide replaces several outdated policy documents. Read more in this recent memo.
• Radial Compression Devices
  • Custom Dynamic Health skill for reapplying a Teruma TR band, and background guidance to support competency in this skill. Includes key info like relevant order sets, anatomy, patient education and alternative device (Zoom Hemostop) support.

Health Promotion in January and Dynamic Health Topics

January 2025 marks the promotion of:

• Alzheimer's Awareness Month
• Let's Talk Day - January 25th

In recognition of these health promotion events, we encourage you to engage with the curated list of Dynamic Health content below.

If you spot any Skills below that you feel need a Workplace Note, consider being a reviewer! Fill out our Suggestions for Skills form with your notes and we will get in touch!

Alzheimer's Awareness Month

• Disease & Condition Overviews
  • Alzheimer Disease
  • Dementia, Adult
• Signs & Symptoms
  • Cognitive Impairment
  • Confusion
  • Disorientation
• Skills
  • Providing Support to Caregivers of Patients with Dementia
  • Recognizing Signs of Pain and Discomfort in Patients with Dementia in Long-Term Care
  • Administering the Mini-Mental State Exam
• Patient Handouts
  • Alzheimer Disease
  • Alzheimer Disease: Tips for Caregivers
  • Dementia: Know the Warning Signs

Let's Talk Day

• Disease & Condition Overviews
  • Major Depressive Disorder, Adult
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Adult
  • Substance Use Disorder, Adult
• Signs & Symptoms
  • Anxiety, Adult
  • Depression, Adult
• Skills
  • Assessing Mental Health Status in Adults
  • Collecting a Mental Health History in Adults
  • Providing Support to Patients and Families in Grief
  • Communicating With and Counseling Clients Who Are Anxious: Social Work
  • Mental Health and Addictions: Self Care Education in the Emergency Department
• Patient Handouts
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Depression and Chronic Illness

IPPL Clinical Practice and Policy

Gloria Connolly, RN, BScN, NCA, WOCC(c), GNC(c)
Clinical Nurse Educator
Interprofessional Practice and Learning

Leah MacDonald, RN, BSc, BScN
Professional Practice Leader
Interprofessional Practice and Learning, ERIN Network

Katie McLean
Librarian Educator
Interprofessional Practice and Learning, ERIN Network Hub, Library Services

Margaret Poitras
Policy Lead
Policy Office

Valorie Shaddick, BNRN, CCNP, CVAA (c)
Clinical Nurse Educator
Interprofessional Practice and Learning

Ann Slaunwhite
Library Technician
Interprofessional Practice and Learning, Library Services