Associate Professor Shilpa Jesudason
“It is heart breaking to have such fear associated with lifesaving treatment” Associate Professor Jesudason.
“Needle fear has a massive impact on the success of dialysis treatment, emotionally and economically. There is a significant increased cost to renal services due to failed needling or dialysis complications.
“Needle distress is simply accepted as the price for staying alive with dialysis. It is not routinely addressed in care and is under researched. There are no evidence-based interventions or strategies to help manage this problem,” said Associate Professor Jesudason.
“INJECT will develop, trial and evaluate an intervention to measure and help patients manage needle fear and help nurses support patients. The project represents a major advance in addressing needle distress, empowering patients and providing support for self-management,” she said.
Associate Professor Jesudason says there is an exciting opportunity to utilise Virtual Reality (VR) technology in this study – something that has never been tested as a dialysis intervention. Simulations will be developed in collaboration with the University of Adelaide School of Nursing.
“We want to help people with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) live their best life possible. INJECT has the potential to improve both psychological and clinical outcomes and positively impact the patient experience of transitioning to dialysis and beyond,” said Associate Professor Jesudason