To optimise the inpatient admission for patients undergoing colonoscopy procedures, reducing risk of inadequate bowel preparation which can compromise procedural safety, necessitate repeat procedures, lead to further hospital admissions and the potential to miss a diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

Bowel preparation pre-colonoscopy requires the consumption of large volumes of fluid and laxatives, fasting, dietary restrictions and frequent diarrhoea for sometimes several days leading up to the procedure.

Inadequate bowel preparation can also have a detrimental impact upon many aspects of the patient healthcare journey and is recognised in the literature as one of the highest predictors of a suboptimal patient experience.

In the year 2022, approximately 13% of all RBWH colonoscopy procedures were performed on inpatients, with this volume expected to increase over the coming years.

This initiative aims to engage a specialist nurse to oversee and support staff and inpatients through the bowel preparation process, dovetailing with a current quality improvement project.

By embedding a specialist nurse to oversee and support the patient and clinical team throughout this journey, the aim is that this will reduce the variation in the prescription and administration of bowel preparation, improve patient flow and overall, significantly improve the patient’s experience and bowel preparation outcomes.