New drug treatments and licence extensions for existing osteoporosis treatments have emerged, although debate continues about drug treatment length and safety, particularly potential adverse effects. Alarming media reports regarding treatments and adverse effects appear regularly, heightening public anxiety. If doctor consultations are brief and there is little opportunity to explore treatment benefits and risks, and discuss uncertainty, it seems unsurprising that many patients consider abandoning their treatments altogether.
Rachel Ashcroft-Hands BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies, RGN is an Osteoporosis Nurse for the National Osteoporosis Society, Bath.
r.ashcroft-hands@nos.org.uk
Article accepted for publication: December 2012
Chronic oedema is a soft tissue swelling present for at least three months, most commonly caused by venous and lymphatic impairment. It has a huge impact on quality of life and over time may cause social deprivation. The mainstay of treatment is compression therapy and treatment of the underlying cause. Comfort and acceptability of the compression system is essential. Clinicians need to work with patients to ensure that they are included in treatment decisions and empowered to take charge of their condition.
Venous leg ulceration can be a chronic problem that has a negative effect on patients’ quality of life and is very expensive in terms of healthcare resources. The scale of the problem is continually increasing due to the ageing population, however, the standard of care across the UK varies despite a clear relationship between accurate assessment of the patient and the delivery of effective compression therapy. One of the major obstacles to the delivery of effective treatment is the reluctance of some patients to concord with prescribed compression therapy and there are a variety of reasons for this, including a lack of patient understanding of the importance of compression, or clinicians’ lack of knowledge or experience leading to poor patient education. The authors suggest, however, that maintaining patient concordance with compression therapy can result in effective healing. Central to this is the development of an effective therapeutic relationship between the clinicians and the patient and their family/carers and this article provides an overview of how one team of nurses were able to achieve this.
Bridget Taylor discusses the concept of compliance and non-compliance in the context of nurse-patient partnerships.
Bridget Taylor BA (Hons), RGN, DN Cert, Cert Ed, Senior Lecturer, Oxford Brookes University.
Article accepted for publication February 2001.
Ellie Lindsay discusses the need for community nurses to address the research-practice gap and incorporate evidence based findings into their daily work.
Ellie Lindsay BSc (Hons), RN, DN, CPT, Dip HE is a Independent Specialist Practitioner and Associate Lecturer CRICP, Thames Valley University, London; Ellie also is a Visiting Fellow, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Article accepted for publication: June 2005
Leg Club® the wording and logo are protected by Registered Trade Mark in the UK and Australia. If you require further information about the Lindsay Leg Club model, please visit the website at www.legclub.org or email Ellie Lindsay at ellie@legclub.org.
Olabisi Oshinbolu reflects on a prescribing intervention undertaken as a student district nurse at London South Bank University.
Olabisi Oshinbolu is a District Nurse at Newham Primary Care Trust.
Article accepted for publication: December 2006
