Practice nurses provide effective minor illness care

The role of primary care nurses in the NHS is changing. On p 1038 Shum et al evaluate a minor illness service led by specially trained practice nurses (as opposed to nurse practitioners). The acceptability and safety of the service was evaluated in a multicentre, randomised controlled trial of five general practices in London and Kent. Patients' satisfaction with their visits, the process of care, and clinical outcomes were measured. Shum et al found that in 1815 visits by patients they were more satisfied with their consultations with nurses than with doctors, and that the number of prescriptions written, the number of patients who returned to the surgery, and clinical outcomes as reported by patients were similar. On average nurses spent two minutes longer with each patient than doctors.

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Relevant Article

Nurse management of patients with minor illnesses in general practice: multicentre, randomised controlled trial

Chau Shum, Ann Humphreys, David Wheeler, Mary-Ann Cochrane, See Skoda, and Sarah Clement
BMJ 2000 320: 1038-1043. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]