A Nurse-Led Outpatient Clinic for Patients with Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis: Staffing, Structure, and Patient Satisfaction

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Marie Louise S. Hamberg
  • Lene Dupont
  • Marthe F. Jønsson
  • Hanne Bennick
  • Ane S. Teisner
  • Mette L. Andersen
  • Konradsen, Hanne
  • Anne Danielsen

Patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis constitute a growing and vulnerable patient group with a particular need for easy outpatient access and close follow-up. By establishing a nurse-led clinic, we aimed to counter this need in a patient-centered manner within a multidisciplinary rehabilitating framework. This article presents the organization, staffing, and structure of this initiative as well as the patient population demographics and characteristics. Furthermore, patient satisfaction within the clinic was explored. Two complementary substudies are presented: a descriptive, registry-based journal audit, presenting data from the clinic's first years, 2017-2019, and a cross-sectional, descriptive survey, exploring patient satisfaction 2 years later. Different visit types with predefined content constitute an operable structure suitable for meeting patients' current needs. An increase in both the number of patients and visits from the first to second years indicates an existing need for nurse-led support. Data not only support the well-known characteristics of patients with cirrhosis but also add to a broader perspective with more nuances for this patient population. The survey shows an overall high score on satisfaction but also points out areas for improvement. The nurse-led clinic provides both structure and knowledge to facilitate patient-centered treatment and care for those suffering from liver cirrhosis.

Original languageEnglish
JournalGastroenterology Nursing
Volume46
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)107-117
Number of pages11
ISSN1042-895X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2023

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