Practice Nurse articles from September 2001

Practice Nurse archives from September 2001

More screening needed to pick up eye disease.(News)(diabetic eye complications)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... DIABETES specialists are calling on practice nurses and GPs to ensure diabetic patients get annual eye screening. Over two per cent of people in the UK have diabetes and many will develop some form of eye complication such as diabetic...

Welsh breast cancer services rated highly by service users.(Breast Test Wales)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... A survey by Breast Test Wales has shown that most clients are happy with services. One thousand, one hundred women were surveyed between April and June this year. Of those 96 per cent said they found the screening locations were accessible...

Supermarket tours may help patients to slim.(News)
September 28, 2001... PRACTICE nurses are being offered a new way to help their patients lose weight--supermarket guided tours. Pharmaceutical company Roche and supermarket Sainsbury's have teamed up to provide nutrition awareness tours for primary care staff....

Self management plans put patients in charge of health.(News)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... PATIENTS in England are being put in charge of their own care through uses-led self-management training programmes. The Department of Health report, The Expert Patient--A new approach to chronic disease management for the 21st century,...

New standards for prescribing courses.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The UKCC has agreed new standards for prescribing following the Department of Health's announcement on the extension of nurse prescribing earlier this year (Practice Nurse, 25 May). A revised set of competencies has been agreed that nurses...

Free internet for RCN members.(Royal College of Nursing offers internet access to journals)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The RCN is offering members free internet access to a range of electronic nursing journals and the British nursing Index database that indexes over 220 core nursing journals. The service, set up in partnership with the Health Communication...

Checking your balls.(Know Your Balls--Check 'Em Out)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Practice nurses can now use a video to help educate male patients about testicular cancer. The video, 'Know Your Balls--Check 'Em Out' produced by the charity The Orchid Appeal, is presented by celebrities and sportsmen like Jonathan Ross,...

Lack of time limits care for patients with heart disease.(News)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... PRACTICE nurses have a key role to play in helping reduce deaths from heart disease in Scotland, says a task force. The news comes from a consultative report penned by the Scottish Executive's CHD/Stroke Task Force--set up to investigate...

Pelvic floor exercises help reduce urinary incontinence.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... A STUDY in the British Medical Journal has shown that pelvic floor exercises are effective in reducing urinary incontinence in some women. Researchers put 747 women with persistent urinary incontinence three months after giving birth in...

Debate on practice nurse pay on hold due to US attacks.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... THE Community and District Nursing Association (CDNA) is now stepping up its campaign to achieve pay parity for practice nurses, despite setbacks. Delegates at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) did not debate a motion 'Equity for Practice...

Specialist nurse team to tackle asthma rise.(News)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... A TEAM of four specialist asthma nurses has been recruited by a pharmaceutical company to provide an extra education and training resource for practice nurses. The announcement by Norton Healthcare, came as the National Asthma Campaign...

All aboard the bodycheck bus.(News)(mobile health centre)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... A BUS has been kitted out as a mobile health centre to provide advice to people living in some of Scotland's worst health spots. The Bodycheck Bus will be parked outside bingo halls, social clubs, bookmakers and supermarkets in an attempt...

Raising awareness of stroke.
September 28, 2001... Stroke is the biggest single cause of severe disability in the UK and the third most common cause of death. It consumes nearly 5 per cent of total NHS expenditure, making it a key financial as well as a clinical consideration. The...

Recruitment: working together to support new practice nurses * a practice nurse apprenticeship scheme.(Professional Issues)
September 28, 2001... Primary care organisations have been charged with developing services that meet national targets and local health needs, and practice nurses are central to their success. But how will we recruit enough nurses? Tina Bishop and Jackie Jones are...

Prescribe NiQuitin CQ[R] for successful quitting.
September 28, 2001... Following the release of the Government White Paper, reducing the number of smokers has moved high up the health agenda. Put a patch on prescription Now that Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) prescriptions are reimbursable, it is...

Framework for practice nurse.(Professional Issues)
September 28, 2001... 1. SKILLS/COMPETENCIES Can the apprentice demonstrate knowledge, skills and expertise? Immunisations * On part of Register * Knowledge of UKCC Guideline--Scope of Practice * Knowledge of Immunisation through Study Days,...

Hypoglycaemia: in their fervour to prevent the long term complications of diabetes, many health professionals overlook the problem that patients dread the most.(Diabetes)
September 28, 2001... KEY POINTS * The emphasis on blood glucose control means that fear of hypoglycaemia is often overlooked * Patients need clear education on avoiding, detecting and treating episodes of low blood sugar * Although there is no...

Combination therapy: the treatment of hypertension is a daily challenge in primary care and with new guidelines it is more important to understand the rationale behind combination therapy.(Hypertension)
September 28, 2001... KEY POINTS * blood pressure targets are a challenge to achieve * meeting these targets often requires combination therapy with two, three or even four drugs * lifestyle changes make a worthwhile contribution in reducing blood...

Influenza: in the lead up to the flu season, Eleanor Wilson reminds practice nurses about the severity and nature of influenza and highlights the importance of preventing infection through vaccination.(Immunisation)
September 28, 2001... KEY POINTS * Influenza can cause more severe complications such as pneumonia, particularly in children, the elderly and other vulnerable groups * Vaccination is especially recommended to the elderly and to those with chronic...

Burns: in the first of two articles on the treatment and management of burn injuries in primary care, Menna Lloyd Jones discusses the aetiology and assessment of burn injuries and when to refer patients based on the guidelines developed by the National Burn Care Review.(Woundcare)
September 28, 2001... KEY POINTS * The British Burn Association has developed guidelines to ensure burn injured patients get referred to the most appropriate healthcare services * Accurate assessment of burn injured patients is required in order to...

Nipple care: sore, cracked nipples occurring while breast-feeding have traditionally been treated with paraffin gauze dressings. Maureen Benbow decided to find out whether this common practice was based on any sound clinical evidence and what other treatment may be worth considering.(Woundcare)
September 28, 2001... KEY POINTS * Nipple soreness and trauma are linked with breast-feeding and are a common cause of premature weaning * Features may include eschar, erythema, deep fissures, blisters, areas of inflammation, white patches, yellow...

Adverse drug effects--a nursing concern.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
September 28, 2001... Adverse drug effects--a nursing concern Jennifer Kelly. ISBN 1 86156 191 1. Price: 22.50 [pounds sterling] With the advent of nurse prescribing and its extension in the foreseeable future, the publication of this book is well timed. ...

Just for nurses--website review.(www.justfornurses.co.uk)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Just for nurses--website review John Nash. www.justfornurses.co.uk While reviewing this site the current registration stood at only 5,689 members. It was an easy site to register onto with the promise of two free cinema tickets (many of...

Making sense of spirituality in nursing practice.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
September 28, 2001... Making sense of spirituality in nursing practice Wilfred McSherry. ISBN 0 443 063567. Price: 12.95 [pounds sterling] This book is a good introduction to the spiritual dimension of nursing. Each chapter contains several activities...

The writer's manual.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
September 28, 2001... The writer's manual Rosemary Cook. ISBN 1 85775 349 6. Price: 13.95 [pounds sterling] This book provides important advice and guidance on how to write for publication, and uses a workbook approach to help writing an article. The...

"Malaria? I'm only going for a week!".
September 28, 2001... Between 40%--80% of people travelling to areas where malaria is endemic do not realise they need to take a malaria prophylaxis (1). The response "but I'm only going for a week" is a typical example of a traveller demonstrating that they do...

Menstrual disorders.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Warner P, Critchley HOD, Lumsden MA, Campbell-Brown M, Douglas A. Referral for menstrual problems: cross sectional survey of symptoms, reasons for referral, and management. Br Med J 2001; 323; 24-8. Menstrual problems tend to be labelled...

Asthma and thunderstorms.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Marks GB, Colquhoun JR, Girgis ST et al. Thunderstorm outflows preceding epidemics of asthma during spring and summer. Thorax 2001; 56: 468-71. People with asthma often say their symptoms are affected by changes in the weather, including...

Diabetes care.(role of community nurses in care of type 2 diabetics)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Peters J, Hutchinson A, MacKinnon M, McIntosh A, Cooke J, Jones R. What role do nurses play in type 2 diabetes care in the community: a Delphi study. J Adv Nursing 2001; 34[2]: 179-88. Although nurses agree on many of the issues...

UTI prevention.(urinary tract infections )(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Kontiokari T, Sundqvist K, Nuutinen M, Pokka T, Koskela M, Uhari M. Randomised trial of cranberry-lingonberry juice and Lactobacillus GG drink for prevention of urinary tract infections in women. Br Med J 2001; 322: 1571-3. Regular...

Learning to support practice: coronary heart disease.(PN plus)
September 28, 2001... PN plus 3a: CORONARY HEART DISEASE: EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PRIMARY PREVENTION STRATEGIES Introduction The incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in the UK remains high in spite of a 30 per cent reduction in mortality between 1984...

Basics in Belfast: 19th National Practice Nurse Conference: 26-28 March, Belfast.
September 28, 2001... Introduction by Mandy Allen, Chair... It is indeed a privilege for the National Practice Nurse Northern Ireland Forum to host the 2002 conference in Belfast. We have chosen the Stranmillis University College because of its central...

Type 2 diabetes--reducing the risks hyperglycaemia--why bother? A three-part practical guide to improving the management of hyperglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.
September 28, 2001... As the national diabetes debate gains momentum those of us working in primary care are being encouraged to adopt a total risk management approach in our struggle to prevent and reduce the impact of complications in the growing number of...

Protecting patients against pneumococcal infection.(Practice Nurse Survey)
September 28, 2001... The most common and best-known form of pneumococcal disease is pneumonia but it can also cause meningitis, bronchitis, otitis media and septicaemia. Pneumococcal pneumonia affects 1 in 1,000 adults each year and causes up to 9,000 known...

Make a stand for cost of living allowances.(News)(nurses urged to fight for Cost of Living Supplements)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... PRACTICE nurses are being urged to fight for Cost of Living Supplements, which should have been paid in their April salaries (Practice Nurse, 23 March 2001). The bonuses, worth between 400 [pounds sterling] and 1000 [pounds sterling] a...

Computers help heart patients.(News)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... NURSES in Sweden are helping older people with heart problems to manage their health better using computers. Nurses from Linkoping University Hospital presented results from the development of a CD-ROM for elderly patients with heart failure...

Herbal remedies popular as ever, survey shows.(News)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Demand for advice on herbal remedies from practice nurses is increasing, a survey shows. Over 95 per cent of 120 practice nurses surveyed by the Herbal Information Centre said patients regularly asked for advice on herbal medicines for...

Cash boost to recruit more practice nurses for Scotland.(News)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... MORE practice nurses and other frontline healthcare professionals are to be recruited as part of a 30 [pounds sterling] million package of investment in Scotland's primary care services. The Scottish Executives plans for developing the...

Taskforce set to improve smoking cessation service.(News)(Smoking Cessation Action in Primary Care)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... AN anti-smoking group has devised a quick strategy for practice nurses to use to help patients stop smoking. The Smoking Cessation Action in Primary Care (SCAPE) taskforce, a group of primary healthcare professionals, has been formed to...

Practice staff could lose out on occupational health.(News)
September 14, 2001... NURSES fear that plans to provide occupational health services for primary care staff could be shelved as the Government money has not been ringfenced. At a meeting of the Improving Access to Occupational Health Support project board...

Yellow fever vaccine back on course after British production begins again.(News)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... PATIENT problems in getting vaccinated against yellow fever should end this week as the UK manufacturer begins production again. Supplies of the vaccine Arilvax have been limited since last spring when its manufacturer. Evans Vaccines,...

Meet Beverly Malone: practice nurses are as integral to a practice as any other player and they need to take very good care of themselves, says the Royal College of Nursing's new general secretary.(Interview)(Interview)(Cover Story)
September 14, 2001... She has been hailed as America's top nurse, she is charismatic, inspiring and a consummate professional. And she is about to wade into the quagmire we know as the British healthcare system. This is Beverly Malone, who has taken over from...

Our profession needs to be more attractive.(role of practice nurses)(Editorial)
September 14, 2001... At July's Practice Nurse Conference in Felsted there was much discussion over how practice nurses can really work to the aims of the national service frameworks. Many nurses said how difficult this can be to achieve within their existing...

Negligence: like all other health-care workers practice nurses can learn from the Bristol Royal Infirmary inquiry. In the first of a series on legal issues Helen Caulfield looks at what constitutes clinical negligence.(Legal Issues)
September 14, 2001... KEY POINTS * More patients are likely to consider suing for clinical negligence than in the past * A nurse must be shown to have broken her duty of care to be found negligent * If there is no injury to the patient there can be...

Melanoma of the eye: this uncommon condition is difficult to spot as patients will not present with symptoms until the tumours are quite large. Andrea Roberts provides an overview of the conditions and ways to treat it.(Eye Care)
September 14, 2001... KEY POINTS * There are approximately 600 new cases of ocular melanoma of the eye each year in the UK (1) * Many patients present with symptoms such as blurred vision, flashes of light, floaters, spots or visual field defects *...

Malaria update: new guidelines on malaria prevention give direct advice to nurses on what to say to travellers. Jane Chiodini gives an update on the disease and the guidelines.(Travel Health)
September 14, 2001... KEY POINTS * More people are visiting exotic countries, yet many, especially those visiting friends and family, are unaware of the risks of malaria infection * The new guidelines give advice on how to consult with prospective...

Facts at your fingertips.(HRT: an easy reference guide for practice nurses)
September 14, 2001... Women can now expect to live over a third of their lives in a state of oestrogen deficiency. In most women, flushes and sweats reduce or disappear after 2-5 years. Other symptoms may persist or worsen. There are few absolute contraindications...

Contraception: the pill is entering its 40th year as the UK's primary contraceptive. Rhonda Siddall talks to Shelley Mehigan, chair of the Royal College of Nursing's Sexual Health Forum, about bisexual bikinis and what methods we can expect in the future.(Women's Health)
September 14, 2001... KEY POINTS * Women need information to identify a contraceptive that fits their lifestyle * Combined oestrogen and progestogen injectables have been developed; Lunelle, a monthly combined injectable, was introduced in the US in 2000...

Help patients quit; about one in four adults in the UK still smokes cigarettes. Emily Sowter from the Consumers' Association looks at how to help people quit.(Smoking Cessation)
September 14, 2001... KEY POINTS * Two-thirds of smokers say they want to kick the habit. Few succeed first time or by will power alone. * There is a wide range of products available to help people quit. * When trying to quit, professional support can...

Chronic disease management: we already know that many practice nurses are involved in the care of people with chronic disease, but how does this vary from practice to practice? Rosalind Eve, John Waller and Kate Gerrish have examined research carried out in Sheffield which looks at this.(Professional Issues)
September 14, 2001... KEY POINTS * Practice nurses have a variable level of autonomy in chronic disease management * Developments such as NHS Direct and walk-in centres are likely to extend their role * This may require delegation of other roles to...

Asthma in the elderly.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Asthma in the elderly Dow I, Fowler L, Phelps L et al. Prevalence of untreated asthma in a population sample of 6000 older adults in Bristol, UK. Thorax 2001; 56: 472-6. Opportunistic testing of selected patients aged 65 and over may...

Gas cooking and lung function.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Gas cooking and lung function Corbo GM, Forastiere F, Agabiti N et al. Effect of gas cooking on lung function in adolescents: modifying role of sex and immunoglobulin E. Thorax 2001; 56: 536-40. Exposure to gas cooking has a harmful...

Zinc in pregnancy.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Zinc in pregnancy Osendarp SJM, Van Raaij JMA, Darmstadt GL et al. Zinc supplementation during pregnancy and effects on growth and morbidity in low birthweight infants: a randomised placebo controlled trial. Lancet 2001; 357: 1080-85....

Mental decline in old age.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Mental decline in old age Van Exel E, Gussekloo J, De Craen AJM et al. Cognitive function in the oldest old: women perform better than men. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2001; 71: 29-32. The idea that people who miss out on formal...

Height matters advice for kids.(What's in: latest products * leaflets * books and useful resources)(Child Growth Foundation website)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Thousands of growth hormone deficient children can now access a website that will give them an opportunity to learn about their condition and communicate with other patients and carets. There are now more than 3,500 growth hormone deficient...

Cot death.(What's in: latest products * leaflets * books and useful resources)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... A leaflet advising parents how to reduce the risk of cot death has been produced by the Scottish Cot Death Trust and the Scottish Executive. The free leaflet explains in which position parents should place their baby in a cot, what...

Cancer online.(What's in: latest products * leaflets * books and useful resources)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Website Cancerlineuk is designed to give primary and secondary health professionals guidance in identifying and managing the three common cancers--prostate, breast and colorectal. The site offers information on patient symptoms and history,...

Hypertension drug.(Bulletin board: what's new)(Zolvera)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... A new drug has been granted a licence for hypertensive patients. Verapamil hydrochloride (Zolvera) is a prescription only medicine for use in the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension, and the treatment and prophylaxis of chronic stable...

Glucose monitor.(Bulletin board: what's new)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Bayer has updated its Esprit glucose monitor. The Esprit 2 is an easier to open and load device and has a smoother operating action. It is pre-loaded with 10 tests so there is no need to fiddle with individual strips. Bayer are offering...

Depression taped.(Bulletin board: what's new)(self-help programme for depression)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... PEOPLE suffering from depression could benefit from a new self-help programme that they can listen to in their own home. Coping with Depression is a double audio cassette that has been shown to offer practical advice in the form of cognitive...

True life: the world according to a practice nurse.(effects of genetic research)
September 14, 2001... Recently I met a man called Colin who has profound physical disabilities. Because of this Colin relies on other people for most of his personal and nursing care. A lot of this is done by his elderly parents. Watching Colin with his...

Welcome.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... The heart is the symbol of love, life and wellbeing--it's our greatest friend yet we often take it for granted. Heart disease, in all its forms, is the modern plague and it's an uncomfortable fact that people with diabetes are at a greater...

What is cardio vascular disease?(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... The term cardiovascular disease (CVD) covers coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and all other diseases of the heart and circulation, including birth defects and rheumatic heart diseases. However, CHD and stroke are the two most common forms...

Know the risk: there are many factors that can increase your risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Some of these we have no control over, but many of them we do.
September 14, 2001... The things we can't change... * The older we get, the greater our risk of disease, and age is the strongest predictor of heart disease. * Being a man is also a disadvantage--in the heart attack stakes. In men below the age of 65,...

Diabetes and your heart.
September 14, 2001... People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) than those without the condition. The results of Diabetes UK's Cohort Study, published in 1999, found that among the 23,752 people who took part,...

Activity and smoking: regular physical activity and not smoking both play a central part in helping people with diabetes to manage their condition and avoid cardiovascular disease.
September 14, 2001... Increasing physical activity is one of the simplest and most effective ways of lowering blood pressure and blood glucose levels, and reduces the risk of diabetic complications. It also strengthens the heart and reduces cholesterol levels,...

Hearty food and drink: you are what you eat--or what you don't. Diet plays a huge part in looking after your heart. Here, State-Registered Dietitian Julie Dean offers some top tips and we look in detail at what to put on your plate and pour in your glass.
September 14, 2001... Soya The soya bean is often used in soups, stews, and in Asian and Far-Eastern cooking. Research is presently being carried out into the role of soya beans, as well as soya products such as Tofu, soya sauce, miso and soya milk, in...

The white stuff.(Dear Sarah)(salt and high blood pressure)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... My doctor tells me that my blood pressure is slightly high. I do tend to use quite a bit of salt in my diet, but are these salt substitutes that claim to be low in sodium worth a try? C Martin, London A high salt (sodium) intake is...

Anti-what-idants?(Dear Sarah)(antioxidants)
September 14, 2001... In an article I read recently, I came across the term 'antioxidants' and the fact that fruit and vegetables are good sources. What are antioxidants and why are they good for us? M Fry, Hants Antioxidants are the nutrients found in...

The demon drink.(Dear Sarah)(alcohol use by diabetics)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Because I'm overweight and have Type 2 diabetes, I have been advised to reduce my intake of alcohol. Do you have any advice on how I can do this? L Cordwell, London There is no need to give up alcohol entirely just because you have...

Atherosclerosis alert.(Dear Sarah)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Recently, I have read in a health book about a condition known as atherosclerosis. It was linked to a number of complications within the body--why is it a danger to people with diabetes? S Gallager, Manchester Atherosclerosis (a form...

Antony Worrall Thompson's spinach, leek and Benecol cheese filo pastry parcels.
September 14, 2001... Serves 4 Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 45 minutes 1 packet filo pastry 25g (1oz) unsalted butter 2-3 leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped salt and ground black pepper 1...

Top five tips for looking after your heart.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Stop smoking [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Keep your blood cholesterol low [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Enjoy regular physical activity [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Watch your blood pressure (avoid stress) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...