Practice Nurse articles from July 2008

Practice Nurse archives from July 2008

Improving health and preventing illness.(Editorial)
July 25, 2008... Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society.' (1) The obesity timebomb, our binge drinking culture, and the potential for an avian influenza...

NSF for neurological conditions relaunched.(Policy)(national service framework)
July 25, 2008... Practice nurses have a new opportunity to help patients with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy following a relaunch of the national service framework for long-term neurological conditions, conference delegates were told....

Virtual learning sexual health course launched.(Sexual health)(Royal College of Nursing Practice Nurses Association )(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... An innovative web-based sexual health education programme for practice nurses was launched by the RCN PNA at the conference. Designed to complement the national strategy for sexual health and HIV, the course covers topics ranging from...

GMS contract has let down practice nurses.(Policy)(general medical services )(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... Practice nurses have been let down by the new GMS contract, Monica Fletcher, chief executive of the education charity Education for Health, told the conference. The contract was meant to break the link between GP numbers and practice...

Practices will not be forced to close.(Policy)(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... The British Medical Association has run a 'scurrilous' campaign to frighten patients by telling them their practices may close, claimed primary care Czar David Colin-Thome. Speaking about the row over Government plans to establish...

Social marketing framework.(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... A new framework for action on social marketing and public health has been published by the DH. Ambitions for Health sets out how evidence of what motivates people can be used to help them lead healthier lives through targeted action. It...

Men unaware of risk of erectile dysfunction.(Survey)(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... Only 10% of men in their early to mid 40s know they may experience erection problems in the next decade, even though evidence suggests that the problem affects 40% of men over the age of 40 years. Most men surveyed were unaware that erectile...

Cosmetic laser treatment risk.(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... The Government's plans to deregulate cosmetic laser treatments from 1 October will undermine the quality of care being delivered to patients and put nurses in a vulnerable position. The RCN is joining Which? and 30 patient groups, medical...

Call for mass vaccination to control drug-resistant hep B.(Child health)(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... Children should be vaccinated against hepatitis to prevent the spread of medicine-resistant strains of the disease, according to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). Strains of hepatitis B are becoming...

New toolkit for practice nurses in Scotland.(Education)(National Health Service )(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... A general practice nurse toolkit of clinical resources and information to support clinical practice has been launched by NHS Education for Scotland. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The toolkit includes information to support patient care,...

Doctors call for tougher action on smoking.(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... The British Medical Association is calling on the UK Governments to introduce a range of tough new measures to reduce young people's exposure to positive images of smoking. A new report Forever Cool: the influence of smoking on young people...

Call for focus on teenage health.(Report)(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... Chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson has called for a new focus on teenage health in his 2007 Annual Report. He urges health services to take better account of the specific health needs of teenagers, who may be taking part in high-risk...

4.4m [pounds sterling] funding for end of life care.(Marie Curie Cancer Care Hospice )(Brief article)
July 25, 2008... The DH has announced funding of 4.5m [pounds sterling] for a new Marie Curie Cancer Care Hospice in Solihull, West Midlands. This follows a 10m [pounds sterling] capital investment from the DH last year for development and refurbishment work...

New primary care strategy: general practice has been an outstanding success, but it could be better and practice nurses must now embrace new challenges to improve services for their patients.(news analysis)
July 25, 2008... General practice is good but could be better--this was a key message of the new primary care strategy, (1) David Colin-Thome told the RCN Practice Nurse Association annual conference in Cardiff. Dr Colin-Thome, the national director for...

Insulin injection and blood glucose monitoring: this article will consider two practical aspects of diabetes care--insulin injections and the self-monitoring of blood glucose levels.(practice nurse trainer)
July 25, 2008... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Insulin is given by subcutaneous injection to all those with type 1 diabetes, for whom it is necessary for survival, and to some people with type 2 diabetes, to manage hyperglycaemia. No matter which type of diabetes...

ENT in primary care: part 6: deafness and tinnitus: in infants hearing loss usually comes on rapidly, but in elderly people it usually has a more insidious onset.(ENT in primary care)(ear, nose, and throat )(Disease/Disorder overview)
July 25, 2008... Hearing loss affects )about 1 in 7 people in the UK, or nearly 9 million people in total) Deafness is mainly a problem of advancing years. Impaired hearing is a significant cause of social withdrawal, leading to feelings of isolation, a...

Prescribing for headache: this article will focus on the treatment of tension-type headache and migraine.(prescribing nurse)(Cover story)
July 25, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Between 20% and 30% of the population experience headaches that impair their quality of life. (1) Migraine is the main cause of high-impact headache and affects 7.6% of men and 18.3% of women. In the UK, it is...

Constipation in children: constipation is common in childhood. Parents and carers may ask the practice nurse about it when they bring their children to the surgery for other reasons such as vaccinations, dressing changes or for the treatment of a minor ailment.(child health)(Disease/Disorder overview)
July 25, 2008... Parents and carers worry if their children do not pass a stool every day, and the more agitated they become, the more this affects the child. However, it is often because of a lack of fibre in their diets (most children are reluctant to eat...

Assessing cardiovascular risk.(cardiovascular disease)(Disease/Disorder overview)
July 25, 2008... Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in the UK, but it is largely preventable. In 1999 the NHS made a commitment to reduce deaths from coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke in those aged under 75 years by at least...

Recognising signs of child abuse and neglect: this article will underline the need to be alert for signs of abuse, and describe some of the signs and symptoms to look out for and what to do if you are concerned that a child may be at risk.(child health)
July 25, 2008... The practice nurse or nurse practitioner is likely to come into contact with children who have been harmed, abused or neglected. The tragic case of Victoria Climbie's life, abuse and death is recounted in the published report of the...

TB alert: working to eradicate TB.(charity profile)(tuberculosis )
July 25, 2008... Cases of tuberculosis in the UK have risen by more than one-third since figures were at their lowest in 1987 and, while for the past 20 years London has experienced most of the national increase in TB, in 2007 the capital's share reduced to...

Laughter--the best medicine? The effective promotion of humour in the treatment room depends on an awareness of the importance of humour in our personal lives.(communication skills)
July 25, 2008... Laughter is an audible expression of happiness or enjoyment that is evident in people of all ages, even young infants, long before speech. But what exactly is humour and why is laughter part of the human condition? Although the subject has...

Lone working: government aims to extend opening hours in surgeries have come in for widespread criticism. Now there's a new concern--your personal safety.(professional)
July 25, 2008... The frontline professions in primary care have been presenting a united front in their criticism of enforced opening hours. GPs at their annual conference last month called it 'mere electioneering' and unanimously ruled it would not be in...

The devil in disguise: next time you go shopping, beware of the 'devil in disguise' operating from your handbag. Robin Stride reports on the dangers of store cards.(personal finance)
July 25, 2008... Oops! The credit card has taken a bit of a hit this month. Oh well, you've always got a store card. Unfortunately plastic has a nasty habit of breeding as shoppers get tempted, often on the spur of the moment, to sign up for apparently good...

Money for nothing.(personal finance)
July 25, 2008... If you have got store cards and have not paid them off, then you are not as rich as you could be. But you may be even richer than you thought. Could you be among the thousands of people who have money tucked away in an unused account...

Welcome to my world.(reflections of a practice nurse)
July 25, 2008... Bile Road surgery has been playing host to Penny, a trainee nurse practitioner, for a couple of months now. She comes to us one day a week from the bright lights, big city of York, to see how things are done in a semi-rural, coastal practice....

Keeping pace with change.(Editorial)
July 11, 2008... General practice today is a place of constant rapid change. Practice nurses need to engage with, and be receptive to, demands made by their employers. They also have to be open-minded and highly flexible in their care delivery if practices...

Quality and staying healthy: new focus for primary care.(Policy)
July 11, 2008... Practice nurses will be given greater opportunities and incentives to advise people on staying healthy, says health minister and surgeon Lord Darzi's new vision for the NHS. The blueprint for the next 10 years of the NHS, unveiled by the...

Prostate cancer campaign.(news)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Seven out of 10 men with prostate cancer do not receive chemotherapy, according to senior cancer specialists. A new campaign, fronted by World Cup legend Sir Geoff Hurst and backed by leading doctors and MPs,...

NHS draft Constitution published.(Policy)(National Health Service)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... A draft Constitution, which enshrines the principles and values of the NHS for the future, has been published by the Department of Health. The first of its kind in the world, the Constitution reaffirms the right to free NHS services,...

STI levels up in older people.(Sexual Health)(sexually transmitted infections)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Practice nurses should ensure that older age groups are not missing key 'safer sex' messages, because the incidence of STIs has more than doubled in those aged over 45, say researchers This increasing rate in older age groups indicates...

HPV vaccination may be 'a missed opportunity'.(Vaccination)(human papillomavirus)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Public health experts have criticised the DH's decision to use Cervarix for the national HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination programme, which starts in September. The decision is a 'missed opportunity' says the Royal Society of Health...

Malaria on the increase.(Travel health)
July 11, 2008... A huge rise in the number of UK residents travelling to areas in which malaria is endemic, combined with a failure to use prevention measures, has significantly increased cases of imported malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum in the UK...

Smoke-free Law is a success.(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... More people are trying to quit smoking, the air in pubs and bars is cleaner, and rates of compliance with smoke-free laws remain high, finds a survey looking at the first year of a smoke-free England. The report says that smoke-free...

First male-only health screening programme.(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms, which should save the lives of at least 170 men aged over 65 each year, is to be introduced in Scotland in 2011. The programme will be Scotland's first male-only screening programme and...

Good breast cancer prognosis.(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Women who are diagnosed with early stage breast cancer that is detected through screening, and who then go on to receive treatment, have the same life expectancy as the UK female population as a whole, according to figures compiled by the...

Scottish Government announces extended hours budget available.(Policy)
July 11, 2008... The Scottish Government has announced out of the blue that GPs in Scotland are to be given up to 2.65m [pounds sterling] to pay their practice nurses to work extended hours. The move has worried practice nurses, many of whom were alerted...

Nurse cautioned.(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Ann Marie Carrington, a primary care nurse from Rochdale, Lancashire, has been given an 18-month caution order by the Nursing and Midwifery Council after admitting that she wrote derogatory comments about a patient in her records. While...

Chronic pain.(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... The Welsh Assembly Government has announced new services for people in Wales who suffer from chronically painful conditions such as arthritis and serious back pain. The services will provide: earlier assessment, diagnosis and management; more...

Child diabetes.(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... The number of children in England who need emergency hospital treatment for life-threatening complications arising from diabetes is rising steadily. In 2007, 3,317 children were admitted to A&E departments with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA),...

WiPP hands on the baton.(Professional)(Working in Partnership Programme )(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... The Working in Partnership Programme (WiPP), set up in 2004 to develop capacity-building resources for general practice, has now completed its 11m [pounds sterling] programme and has moved its resources to new homes. WiPP has delivered...

The future of health education.(news analysis)(Conference notes)
July 11, 2008... Will health education be fit for purpose in the future? This was the question posed at a conference organised to mark the closure of the health education charity DPP: Developing Patient Partnerships. DPP was launched in 1997, rapidly...

Identifying tick-borne encephalitis: camping, hiking and cycling holidays are increasingly popular choices, but what are the health implications of a more adventurous approach to travel?(travel health)(Clinical report)
July 11, 2008... Tropical diseases may not be a problem in Europe, but travellers should be aware that ticks, which carry a number of diseases, are common. Throughout the world, ticks carry diseases such as Lyme disease, tick typhus, Rocky Mountain spotted...

Diabetes management in primary care.(new practice nurse)
July 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The popular concept of a person with diabetes--that of a young person injecting themselves with insulin several times a day and enduring frequent hospital admissions with blood glucose that is too high or too...

Type 2 diabetes: new guidance from NICE.(diabetes management)
July 11, 2008... More than 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which can cause serious microvascular and macrovascular complications. The condition more than doubles the overall risk of cardiovascular disease and reduces life expectancy by an...

Malignant melanoma: practice nurses can help reduce mortality from malignant melanoma through patient education and by being alert for suspicious lesions to enable early detection.(dermatology)
July 11, 2008... Malignant melanoma is a tumour that develops from epidermal melanocytes in the skin. It often presents as a newly pigmented lesion or changes in an existing mole on the skin. A melanoma is probably curable if identified and treated early....

Brief interventions for heavy drinkers: brief interventions are a successful tool for reducing excessive alcohol consumption and nurses are in an excellent position to carry them out.(mental health)
July 11, 2008... The latest statistics show that 31% of men report drinking more than 21 units of alcohol each week on average and one-fifth (20%) of women said that they drink more than 14 units of alcohol in an average week. (1) Excessive drinking is...

Gastrooesophageal reflux disease: a practical guide.(prescribing nurse)(Clinical report)
July 11, 2008... Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a common presentation in general practice. It develops when the reflux of stomach contents cause troublesome symptoms and/or complications. (1) Patients with GORD describe a sensation of retrosternal...

The birth of the NHS: on 5 July 2008 the NHS celebrated its Diamond Jubilee. We take a brief look back over some of the ups and downs of Britain's finest public institution.(professional)(National Health Service)
July 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1897, she must have reflected that nothing would ever match the incredible pace of change experienced in Britain during her six-decade reign. She could not...

Stroke and transient ischaemic attack.(advanced practice--module 08.8)
July 11, 2008... There have been major improvements in the care of people with coronary heart disease (CHD), (1) but stroke remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality, much of which is preventable. For people who have had a stroke and those who...

The science of compliance: I can't have it, I want it more: the final article in a six-part series looks at how the principle of scarcity can be used by nurses to increase the effectiveness of their messages and advice.(communication skills)
July 11, 2008... There is clear evidence to support the claim that people typically overvalue things that are rare, dwindling in availability or difficult to acquire. Behavioural researchers Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky (2) were the first to test and...