Resources

General practice nurses (GPNs) are well placed to ensure that patients with respiratory conditions receive high quality, safe, effective, evidence-based care. The National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD) (Royal College of Physicians [RCP], 2014) found that two out of three asthma deaths could have been prevented with better routine care. The key components of good asthma care, including the importance of correct inhaler technique, were highlighted by this landmark report. Poor inhaler technique is known to adversely impact upon control of respiratory disease and its symptoms. In 2013, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published Asthma Quality Standards. However, NRAD found that despite the existence of such solid recommendations and guidance there were potentially avoidable factors related to the implementation of national guidelines in 46% of the deaths that were reviewed. Most recently, the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Quality Standard was added as an update to COPD guidance (NICE, 2016). Both documents include quality standards around inhaler technique.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an ongoing decline of renal function which may progress quite rapidly or develop slowly over many years. Due to the nature of the disease, it is linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and a host of symptoms, comorbidities, high mortality and reduced quality of life. The majority of CKD patients will be identified in primary care. Once diagnosed, patients are likely to become increasingly frequent attenders within general practice. It is therefore useful to have an overview of the disease process and the multifaceted care needs of this specific patient group. General practice nurses (GPNs) are vital members of the multidisciplinary team who are well􀀀placed to identify, monitor and provide ongoing support for patients with CKD.

Despite the widespread reported health benefits associated with increased physical activity (PA) and exercise, in reality, a large percentage of adults and children in the UK today are inactive and levels of obesity and life-threatening conditions associated with sedentary and unhealthy lifestyles are increasing (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], 2015). Chronic diseases are on the increase, including diabetes, hypertension, bone and joint diseases, cancer and depression, and are affecting both the young and old. Regular PA can guard against these life-changing conditions (Public Health England [PHE], 2014). General practice nurses (GPNs) are ideally placed to advise patients about the benefits of PA. This article provides an overview of recommendations and any safety aspects, current fitness terminology, as well as the importance of exploring patient perspectives in terms of perceived barriers to PA.

INTEGRATING CARE FOR LONG-TERM CONDITIONS IS IMPORTANT

Improving management of people living with long-term conditions (LTCs) has been a key priority for the NHS since the 1990s. At the time, little evidence existed to understand the best practice on managing LTCs and the involvement of primary care. Today, we are in a stronger position where efficacy, safety and other positive outcomes are being demonstrated by implementing a variety of quality improvement approaches and service redesign, all underlined by the rhetoric of integrated care.

In each issue of the journal we speak to general practice nurses and hear what they have to say about their role in primary care. This time we hear from Paula McLaren, nurse practitioner, Watling Medical Centre; research lead and health and wellbeing lead, Colindale and Burnt Oak Clinical Network.

Welcome to GPN’s learning zone. By reading the article in each issue, you can learn all about the key principles of subjects that are vital to your role as a general practice nurse. Once youhave read the article, evaluate your knowledge on this topic by answering the 10 questions in the e-learning unit; all answers can be found in the article. If you answer the questions correctly, you can download your certificate which can be used in your continuing professional development (CPD) portfolio as evidence of your continued learning and contribute to your revalidation portfolio.

This article highlights the role of general practice nurses (GPNs) in the care of a variety of wounds that are becoming 
increasingly commonplace in primary care. GPNs have a unique opportunity to develop their skills in this field,  articularly as there is a plethora of wound care products available to them on prescription. However, it is also the GPN’s professional duty to ensure that they have the understanding and knowledge necessary to use these products in a way that benefits patients clinically as well as providing cost-effective care. 

Welcome to this second issue of GPN for 2016. We are delighted to share the latest news in the world of Education for Health with you and hope to see you learning with us soon. 

We have some great opportunities for you to get involved with us – take advantage of our bursary offer, have a look at our new courses or find out more about the different ways you can study with us. 

As always, we hope that you enjoy this issue of GPN and our news update.

In each issue of the Journal of General Practice Nursing we investigate a topic currently affecting our readers. Here, Binkie Mais asks...

Is it time to accept that there is a crisis in the GPN workforce?

Over the past 12 months, this journal has repeatedly raised the topic of the general practice nurse (GPN) workforce crisis 
(Lane, 2015; Moger, 2015; Storey, 2015). Now, with the publication of the findings from the Queen’s Nursing Institute’s GPN survey (QNI, 2016), concerns around dwindling numbers, lack of capacity to meet increasing demand, poor uptake of newly qualified nurses into primary care, etc have been reinforced by a barrage of evidence from those of you working on the ground (over 3,400 GPNs participated in the survey, i.e. 15% of the entire workforce).

Working in the community, at your practice, clinic or with people in their homes, you will see first-hand increasing numbers of people living with multiple long-term conditions. More often than not, you will be the first point of contact for these people when they are unsure how to manage their condition or have health concerns. The onus is on us as caring professionals to learn all we can about how best to deal with these difficult and complex situations. And of course, if we can work to prevent complications arising, reduce risk and encourage patients to manage their health to the best of their ability, then that’s what we should be doing.