New project
“Survey on Attitudes of the European Renal Nurses Towards Older People”

A new Project to develop in collaboration between EDTNA/ERCA & European Renal Care National Associations. An European Network of Renal Care Associations (ENRCA) Project will be launched during EDTNA/ERCA International Conference in Dublin, September 2010.

Project
“Violence and Aggression: Prevention and Management Strategies in European Renal Units”

Definition
Strategies to prevent and manage violence and aggression in the health care setting have become a primary health and safety issue and a training programme has been established. Key components of the programme include staff education and training, risk assessment and management practices, the use of patient contracts and policy development (Forster 2005). Other general interventions include the use of restraints and pharmacological management (Farrell & Cubit, 2005). Intervention strategies include stress management and debriefing for staff who are victims and the creation of a work environment that is conducive to prevent violent behaviour (Warshaw & Messite, 1996).

Aim of the project
The aim of the project is to describe prevention and management strategies of violence and aggression in Renal Units in the different European countries and to verify associations between the different ward settings and the strategies adopted. Results will be used for development of recommendations and educational tools for violence and aggression prevention and management in dialysis, nephrological and transplantation units.

National Associations involved in the project

Activities and products

• The first results of the project were presented during EDTNA/ERCA Conference in Hamburg, last September 2009. We received 436 completed questionnaires (participation rate: 22%) from 12 European countries. The study was realized with the collaboration of National Associations. A parallel study was performed also in Brazil. Results show that written policies and procedures regarding violence and aggression are present only in 18% of units. Educational strategies are available in less than the 20% of units. Incidents are prevented mainly by security staff (48%) or pharmacological treatment (66%). Incident reporting is mandatory for any violent and aggressive behaviour in 66% of units. University and private hospitals implement more strategies than other hospitals. There are some differences between European countries. This study demonstrated that it will be useful to disseminate information for nurses, other health care workers and patients for the prevention and management of violence and aggression. The ppt presentation can be found in the Members-only section of this website (Hamburg Conference).
• Results related to Brazil were presented at the International Congress in Campos de Jordão in September 2009. The presentation included all the European results compared with the Brazilian ones and some strategies for Prevention and Management of V&A were also discussed in a workshop.
• An article with the title ”Survey on Violence and Aggression prevention and management strategies in European renal units” will be published, in 2010, in the Journal of Renal Care.
• An article with the title “Estratégias de Prevenção e Gestão da Violência e Agressão em Unidades de Diálise” will be published, in 2010, at the Acta Médica and in the Journal of SOBEN.
• The educational booklets “EDTNA/ERCA Recommendations for prevention and management of violence and aggression in renal units” for helping health care workers to manage this issue will be presented during EDTNA/ERCA International Conference in Dublin, September 2010.

Project
“Developing a Comptency Framework for Renal Nurses”

Definition
Competencies can be defined as either task-based (i.e. descriptive of a task or skill) or behavioural (i.e. identify certain characteristics). Within daily health care professional clinical work, competencies tend to be a combination of both behaviour and skills.

Aims of the project
To develop a European Competency Framework for nephrology nurses and expand this framework for other healthcare professionals, such as renal technicians, social workers and dieticians.

National Associations involved in the project

Activities and products

• 11 National Associations working together that have undertaken and completed surveys of 10% of renal units in their country identifying the skills and tasks of renal nurses. The results were presented during the Vienna Conference (2005) and can be found in the Members-only section of this website (Research Projects).
• The final result was a competency framework, where it was possible to identify all of the competencies (i.e. skills) required to perform a job effectively (Whiddett et al., 1999). This tool is a practical and easy to use when assessing staff within the clinical area and there are many benefits (training and development of staff, recruitment and retention of staff, performance review, manage poor performance, motivate staff and reward good performance, reinforce organisational values and culture, audit, all care provided by staff is evidence-based, ensure a quality service is provided to patients.

Assessors Guidelines (English)
Competency Book (English)