Despite the challenges caused by the pandemic – around the world, Wellspect, our partners and our distributors have managed to maintain the delivery of our products, and our duty of care to our users. Nurses have been critical to this effort.
We spoke with Sallyanne Haigh, a nurse with our Wellspect UK support team.
Helene and Monica – specialist nurses with Wellspect
When the pandemic began, specialist nurses and health care professionals were redeployed to the front lines in hospitals and clinics, and lockdowns have changed how Wellspect delivers its support to our users.
Working in a team of seven, swelling to ten when demand is high including specialist nurses, Sallyanne coordinates nurse visits and provides support to our users.
"We've been busier as people are not able to attend sessions with their specialists at hospitals and clinics, so we are much more active in the community".
New users are referred to Wellspect by the local health authority, and Sallyanne's team will schedule a visit within 24 hrs. Sallyanne is particularly well suited to the role, having been a nurse for twenty years, but also a user herself, having sustained an SCI – Spinal Cord Injury a few years ago.
Women and men may experience a range of diagnoses, ranging from a neurogenic diagnosis, pelvic floor issues to Benign prostatic hyperplasia, which have created the need for our products and services, and once they have received a delivery of intermittent catheters, or a transanal irrigation device, Sallyanne will assess their ability to receive training and handle the product and then schedule a visit by a member of her team.
In my career as a nurse, patient interaction has always been one of the perks of the job. I'll make sure they're by a sink, and that all the kit is at hand, ensure they're supported and familiar with the routine, and then schedule follow up visits or calls to check their progress.
But some users, understandably during a pandemic, may not wish for the second visit in person, despite all members of the team always wearing full PPE – Personal Protective Equipment, and maintaining the recommended distance. How do the team support these users effectively?
We've all had to rely on digital tools during this pandemic, so we'll use Whatsapp or facetime to connect to our users – it's even cut down on the amount of transport and driving our team undertake to visit our users
Bev Collins, specialist nurse, with Michael Kerr, user of LoFric Intermittent Catheters since sustaining a spinal cord injury
Throughout the world, Wellspect employs health care professionals to liaise and assist our users in using our products. We want to thank them for their unswerving commitment to our users in how they serve our communities.
During this pandemic, we remain fully committed to making a real difference to our users, our customers and to society.
Services vary globally from one market to the other. Please contact your local organization to find out more about how Wellspect can support you
Online presentations and discussion,with professionals from the field of urology care
This program is devised to be of particular interest to anyone who cares for or teaches intermittent catheterization (IC) to women. Our speakers discuss possible solutions and new angles that embrace the common challenges women may face when starting or living with intermittent catheterization (IC).
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