TY - JOUR T1 - Nurse-led community care JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.OA1510 VL - 58 IS - suppl 65 SP - OA1510 AU - Aisling Madden AU - Breda Cushen AU - Claire Lewis Y1 - 2021/09/05 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/OA1510.abstract N2 - A proof of concept of a new model of care known as a Community Virtual Ward (CVW) was implemented into an urban, level 4 hospital with the support of telemedicine. A full episode of care was completed for each patient admitted onto the CVW by an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) and supported by community nurses. The objective was to deliver specialist respiratory care beyond hospital boarders and into the community setting with remote monitoring. Patients with exacerbations of Asthma or COPD and/or at risk of deterioration were referred to the CVW. A virtual consultation was conducted by the ANP. Patients were advised to download an app which recorded quality of life scores, spirometry and oxygen saturations. A Bluetooth handheld spirometer and pulse oximetery were provided. All patients were added to an online Electronic Patient Record (EPR) accessible to the community and hospital clinicians. A plan of care was devised by the ANP in conjunction with the patient and implemented with the support of the CIT. A clinical diagnostic evaluation was completed for patient as required. Preliminary results reveal that patients had a median of 5.5 exacerbations in the prior 12 months. 80% had required ED presentation or admission for treatment of at least one of these events. 25% of patients were prescribed home oxygen and/or non-invasive ventilation. Patients were acutely exacerbating patients (n=8), post-discharge support (n=3), disease optimisation in highly symptomatic patients (n=11) and supervised steroid wean (n=1). Ten used Ipratropium Bromide nebules four times a day in addition to a long-acting muscarinic antagonists with 60% reporting side-effects of these. 55% reported symptoms of anxiety/depression. Telemedicine supported this service.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, OA1510.This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only). ER -