Ward 4BR, the Acute Renal Inpatient Unit,Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane is struggling to meet Renal Inpatient bed capacity demands as Renal Patient Numbers continue to rise at an alarming rate. Data has been collected since 2002 which demonstrates the dramatic increase in all renal inpatient activities.

The Renal Rover Nurse was introduced in 2006 on the morning and afternoon shift to cope with the increased numbers of renal patients flooding the hospital. A business case was submitted and recurrent funding for these positions was approved.

Ward 4BR has access to the latest technology and equipment. Our 16 bed unit is 100% occupied at all times. We also run up to 18-33 renal patient outlies per day. Our Renal Patients are triaged into the inpatient unit on "the most sickest of the sick” basis and the most stable being outlied to an empty bed within the hospital.

Our patients vary from the most critical post ICU patients which may have a Christmas tree of lines requiring one is to one intensive "Special" Registered Nursing Care to post CCU, Renal-Surgical, Pre & Post procedural, Pre & Post Operative, ARF, CRF, ESRF and Palliative Care Patients. All of whom recieve Holistic Patient Care due to the high acuity we are now constantly experiencing.

With our aging Renal patient population growing and the increasing numbers of people moving interstate to Brisbane and Queensland Coastal Regions to retire... Renal Inpatient beds are becoming a scarce commodity in South East Queensland, Australia.