bmj.com:

BMJ print issue

This week

This week's BMJ print issue looks at how to manage drug resistant tuberculosis, asks if asprin prevents cognitive decline and explains why continuity of care matters. To find out more read Fiona Godlee's Editor's Choice and the print issue table of contents. All articles have already appeared on bmj.com as part of our continuous publication policy.

Head to Head

Should primary care be nurse led?

Yes, says Bonnie Sebald. Nurses are well able to undertake the bulk of work in general practice, including management of long term conditions, preventive health care and first contact care for minor illness, referring on to GPs in a new role as consultants in primary care. No, argues Rhona Knight, who believes the concept is driven by cost cutting agendas rather than adequate evidence.

Comment

Medical law and protection of children

Responding to recent high profile cases, such as that of Sir Roy Meadow and David Southall (pictured), David Foreman and Juliet Williams call for better guidance so doctors are not deterred from raising concerns about child abuse, and to restore confidence in child protection processes.

Education

Endgames goes live

Endgames, our new weekly educational clinical quiz, is now live. Compiled from peer reviewed contributions from readers, it will cover clinical medicine and statistics. There�s also a prize quiz, pulled from the BMJ�s sister product OnExamination. Find out more at the links below.
This week's Endgames articles:

Research

Paracetamol plus ibuprofen for the treatment of fever in children

This randomised controlled trial investigates whether paracetamol (acetaminophen) plus ibuprofen are superior to either drug alone for increasing time without fever and the relief of fever associated discomfort in febrile children managed at home. An accompanying editorial says no persuasive evidence exists for recommending a combination or an alternating regimen of paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Other recent research:

Comment

Jabbering about jabs

As an American, Douglas Kamerow took pride in the US healthcare system's ability to fully vaccinate virtually all children by the time they started school. So why are vaccination rates now falling there, he wonders.
Other Comment articles published on September 3:

Education

Preventing new foot ulcers in people with diabetes

Little evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is available to inform clinical guidelines on preventing diabetic foot ulcers. What should doctors do in light of such uncertainty, asks this Practice article. Picture credit: (SPL/Scott Camazine).
Other Practice articles published on 3 September:

Teaching in an ambulatory care setting

Careers

More than just self promotion

In the latest of Laura Brammar's articles on getting the dream job, she turns her attention to the delicate skill of networking. It's a skill that many doctors may consciously steer clear of, but one that is more subtle and potentially beneficial than you may think. You can also find tips on CV writing, interview techniques and presentation skills in this series.
Other articles in the series:

Student BMJ

September 2008 issue

Would you be able to judge when a patient was deteriorating? Find out more about early warning scores in the latest Student BMJ. It also features at least one article for the first year medical student on his or her first day, one for the final year medical student, and one for junior doctors. There is also an editorial about sepsis, a condition that is often overlooked, and an overview on tuberculosis in children, "the great masquerader."