Bringing immunology nurses together to improve treatment of patients with immunodeficiency is one of INGID’s core purposes. In a significant new development, INGID has now released the European Nursing Guidelines for Immunoglobulin Administration, which can be accessed through the INGID website. The guidelines are a clear, step-by-step guide for administering immunoglobulin treatment in a full range of patient groups, modalities and locations.
In 2008, discussions at the INGID conference identified the need for clearer guidelines for immunoglobulin administration. With new products coming onto the market (for example immunoglobulin preparations with hyaluronidase for enabling larger subcutaneous infusions) and the use of immunoglobulin therapy to treat a variety of immunodeficiencies as well as autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, it was increasingly difficult for nurses and other clinicians to ensure they were using best practice. Existing guidelines were fragmented and not always in agreement with each other. A group of experienced immunology nurses came together in 2014 and 2015, representing five countries across Europe (the UK, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands and Norway) and compiled the INGID guidelines from the available evidence and their extensive combined experience.
The resulting guidelines provide user-friendly instructions for the administration of immunoglobulin treatment across the whole spectrum of patient types, treatment indications and treatment formats. Through the easy-to-access web interface, nurses can download a separate stand-alone document for each patient.
Have an adult patient who will be subcutaneously self-administering their immunoglobulin at home? There’s a specific guideline covering everything from patient evaluation, training requirements, likely adverse events and how to manage them, what equipment is required and how the infusions should be documented and periodically evaluated.
Will you be administering immunoglobulin treatment intravenously to a child in hospital? The guideline for this scenario details everything from obtaining consent through to the need for constant monitoring during IV administration to children.
The guidelines aim to improve the quality of care provided to patients receiving immunoglobulin treatment. Focussed on patient safety, removing stress from the procedure, maximising patient benefits while minimising risk and building improved partnerships between patients and clinicians, the guidelines provide a simple framework for immunoglobulin administration in diverse patient groups and clinical settings.
