Malcom Randall VA Medical Center Launches New Treatment Option
The Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center has initiated delivery of Continuous Venovenous Hemofiltration (CVVH), or hemodialysis, throughout its Intensive Care Units, the first of which was administered in June.
Through a concerted effort of various staff, the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center is now equipped with the National Surgery Office and Cardiothoracic Surgical Advisory Boards recommended medical infrastructure.
Led by senior ICU Nursing staff, surgical medical staff, and the pulmonary/critical care team, the VA Medical Center is now equipped to provide a more effective treatment in the delivery of continuous renal replacement therapy and therapeutic plasma exchange in ICU settings.
“CVVH is a program that we have been working on getting here to positively impact our critically ill patients,” said Tiffany Ogrodzinski-Beasley, the MICU Nurse Manager. “The ability to provide this treatment has been extremely beneficial for our Veterans suffering from renal failure.”
CVVH is a modern dialysis method that is more gentle than other dialysis methods to clean and filter blood in critically ill patients suffering from renal failure. CVVH’s ability to filter toxins from the blood at a gentle pace is the biggest benefit from these new machines. VA patients suffering from sepsis shock or renal failure now have a better option depending upon their receptiveness to other dialysis methods and that is the greatest step forward in treating Veterans at Malcom Randall.
The ability to provide a continuity of care at Malcom Randall and avoid transfer of critically ill patients to a community hospital is also beneficial to patients and their families. Families are accustomed to a level of care, compassion and professionalism that the VA provides in addition to other benefits like chaplain services and the Fisher House in the event the family lives outside of the Gainesville area.
“This is a massive facility, Malcom Randall, and to be able to offer the same level of care right here, in house, with all of the resources we provide is a phenomenal asset,” said Kyle Maltby, Assistant Nurse Manager.
Acquiring this new equipment was a challenging, total team effort to provide this effective treatment and holistic care to our Veterans. Physician and nursing teams from the Medical and Surgical ICU’s, Pharmacy, Nephrology, Clinical Informatics, Surgical Attendings, and Logistics all played crucial roles in resourcing the new equipment.
With the new equipment, the Critical Care Nurse Educator and Leaders provided monumental support in the education and training to the staff required to utilize and provide the care our Veterans expect and deserve. Hundreds of hours planning, educating, training and implementing the new treatment has resulted in a massive improvement in the care Malcom Randall offers.
“North Florida/South Georgia VA Health System can offer all of the critical care treatments to our Veterans, right here at Malcom Randall,” Ogrodzinski-Beasley concluded.
For more information on the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, please visit https://www.va.gov/north-florida-health-care/locations/malcom-randall-department-of-veterans-affairs-medical-center/.