Reports 2002

Robert B COWAN, Charge Nurse/Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Monksland Hospital Airdrie

This report is a descriptive account of some of the experiences that were gained by the scholar following a study tour that was undertaken tin two States of North America:  Chicago, Illinois and Houston, Texas.   The study focussed on the educational preparation and clinical practice of Emergency Nurse Practitioners and Acute Care Nurse Practitioners.
Three decades of development of the nurse practitioner role have resulted in a national core education at Masters level with requirement for state certification to practice.   Information collated is used to compare and contrast United States’ practice against the revolving door development of the ENP role in the United Kingdom.

Alison METCALFE, Research Fellow, University of Birmingham

James Edward ROBINSON, Lecturer in Child Health Nursing, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh

To gain some understanding of how these views originate and how they can be effectively addressed a study was undertaken in Bangladesh.   Organisations working with children with special need were visited.

Jane ORMEROD, Senior Nurse, Professional Development Unit, Westburn Centre, Aberdeen

This report details a study tour to two centres in Sweden and three in the UK, where a variety of approaches have been taken to the development and support of new practitioners.   The aim of the tour was to compare and contrast the approach taken in Aberdeen, Scotland, to that seen in other centres and to gain information about evaluation of those programmes.

Helen HANCOCK, Department of Education, University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

Catherine O’CONNELL, Practice Development Nurse at Bostock House, Belfast

Susan Margaret ROBERTS, Manager, Acute Medical Assessment Unit, Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor

One week was spent in Finland and three in New Zealand looking at the process of admission from primary to secondary care, the management of patients in hospital and aftercare services that exist.   Particular attention was paid to the innovative systems that had been developed to prevent admission and the interface between the General Practitioner and the hospital.

Zoë WELLS, Cardiac Research Sister, Barts and The London Hospital NHS Trust

The aim of the study was to understand the health beliefs and concepts of health and illness from a Bangladeshi patient’s perspective to help formulate targeted primary and secondary prevention advice.

Dr Mansour Olawale JUMAA, Principal Lecturer, Middlesex University

Since 1988, 80% of primary care physicians in Finland have been consistently using evidence based medicine (EBM) guidelines for quality practice.   In 2002, the number was almost 100%.   This study set out to find out the success of the ‘Finnish way’, and how it could be modified for nurses in the UK and elsewhere.   Methods included documents analysis;  stakeholder interviews and discussions, workshops, presentations, opportunistic sampling with members of the public, GPs, nurses and ‘interested’ others.

Deirdre McGRATH, Lecturer in Nursing, Waterford Institute of Technology

Catherine WILSON, Nurse Specialist Palliative Care (Research), Mount Vernon Hospital

Peta Jane EASTLAND, Lecturer Practitioner, Northumbria NHS Trust

Lorna DAY, Nurse Co-ordinator of Research, Human Genetics Queen Anne Hospital, Southampton

Judith SCOTT and Mary STRACHAN, ITU Research/Follow-up Nurses Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

This report details a study tour of two centres in Madrid and four centres in the UK where a variety of Follow Up/Outreach services have been established.   The aim of the tour was to compare and contract Follow Up Services in Madrid and the UK and how they have since developed with the view to lead innovation within our own practice in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Siew Hwa LEE. Staff Nurse Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne

The author uses this theoretical basis to describe and analyse the current system of information transfer on the ward, highlighting the limitations of current practice.   She then suggests some measure needed to improve the system, including investment and training requirements in order that the application of Information Technology may be better used to enhance patient care on this ward.

Helen SKERRITT, Clinical Governance Development Lead (Professional) Blackpool Primary Care Trust

Christopher MINTO, Senior Lecturer/Academic Nurse Consultant University of Northumbria at Newcastle

Personal commentary is utilised from the many people in the States of Victoria and New South Wales, Australia, who took the time to spend with the author during the visit.   Documentary evidence was also gathered during the visit and is examined in depth in this report.

Caroline HAINES, Nurse Consultant Paediatric Intensive Care, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

This professional study had added to the review of the literature, it has clarified thoughts, reduced some of the confusion and confirmed the value of the need for some type of support system and assessment tool for staff caring for more highly dependent children in hospital, to enhance the level of care already received.

Josephine (Jo) FEE, Health Visitor Longsight Health Centre, Manchester