Since 2000, when I won the nurse of the year Awards both nationally and locally in the surgical category, I have focussed very hard on improving the access for patients to an alternative system allowing them to be treated through the total care pathway quicker, with the least possible involvement of varying clinicians, to achieve the same results using a truly nurse-led route.In my own speciality, the treatment of Carpal Tunnel syndrome, this has all but been achieved.
The former patient pathway was nearly complete but still relied heavily on intervention from a department not attached to Orthopaedics.
In order to gain confirmation of the diagnosis the patient in some instances required Nerve Conduction studies (NCS) to be carried out by the department of Neurophysiology, so after speaking to many clinicians from within the UK, Europe and Australia it became quite apparent the problem was not just local but was also being encountered worldwide.
Using this country as an example, many hospitals have waiting lists for NCS of twenty weeks, and some significantly longer. This is in part due to lack of trained Neuro-physiologists and this situation is clearly not acceptable, for patients or clinicians.
Three years ago the Carpal Tunnel Service at Leicester was approached by the Finnish Government via the Department of Health seeking help with a new piece of Neuro physiology equipment that it was hoped would speed up access to NCS and would reduce waiting times and cost less to perform.
The equipment was easy to use and could be operated by a nurse or any healthcare worker trained in its use. More information can be obtained by contacting:
malcolm.clarke@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
Phone UK 07894 833310
Source: CUTTING EDGE
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