We owe a great deal to the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, and as nurses we should always strive to further her work and that of other eminent practitioners. However, over the last few decades, approaches to nursing have moved away from the nurse doing 100% of the patient’s care, to patients being involved in their own treatment, and gaining increased independence and quality of life. By forging ahead in the development of modern techniques to improve patient care and working strategies of the nursing profession, we see improvements in terms of workload, staffing and budgets. This article looks back at the public’s perception of nurses, and how nursing roles have changed over time. It also considers wound care, a key component of the district nurse’s role, looking at how much progress has been made in the manufacture and use of compression therapy: from using multilayer bandaging to accurate, measurable and instantly adjustable compression wrap systems. By harnessing new therapies and techniques, healthcare professionals can both positively impact the lives of patients and improve their own working days.
This study explored district nursing teams’ perceptions of the current chronic conditions management model in a specific locality in Wales. Chronic diseases are now the leading cause of illness and disability across the UK, placing an increasing demand on public services as healthcare staff try to meet the needs of those with long-term conditions. The author used action research to conduct the study, encouraging the nurse participants to critically review their practice. The findings indicated that a major overhaul of the current model of care was not required; the foundations were there and just some small steps and a shared vision led to sustainable changes for an efficient and effective chronic conditions service.
The QNI has recently published two major pieces of work aimed at consolidating the academic and practice profile of district nurses. The district nursing profession has developed rapidly in recent years to keep pace with the growing complexity and acuity of care delivered in the home, and there was a growing fear that the supporting documentation had not kept pace.
Mark Lovatt details how change in practice methods can be achieved and how improved communication can benefit patient care.
Maxine Davy discusses the reality of district nurse assessment
Maxine Davy, RGN, NDN cert, BSc (Hons) is a District Nurse Team Leader, Lincolnshire PCT
Article accepted for publication: June 2007
