Around 12 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with hypertension (i.e. blood pressure [BP] greater than or
equal to 140/90mmHg) and over five million people have undiagnosed hypertension, which, if left untreated, can lead to premature ill health and death (Blood Pressure Association, 2008).
The risks associated with increasing BP are continuous — with each 2mmHg rise in systolic BP there is a 7% increased risk of mortality from ischaemic heart disease and a 10% increased risk of mortality from stroke (Lewington et al, 2002). However, although BP-lowering strategies have been shown to significantly reduce the risk, population-based studies consistently demonstrate that patients are unaware of the causes and effects of hypertension, and around two-thirds of those diagnosed remain untreated or inadequately controlled (Falaschetti et al, 2009; Antikainen, 2010). This article re-examines the evidence and guidelines to see how we can improve practice within this important area of cardiovascular disease prevention.
Primary care is facing a workforce crisis with reduced numbers of general practitioners (GPs), general practice nurses (GPNs) and community nurses, combined with a shift of healthcare provision from secondary to primary 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.
What is a typical day for you?
For the last six months l have been the only general practice nurse (GPN), whereas previously there were two of us. Despite interviews, it has been difficult to recruit anyone and we are now trying to get an advanced practitioner. I find that it now takes just as long for patients to see me, as it does the doctors.
In each issue of the Journal of General Practice Nursing we investigate a hot topic currently affecting our readers. Here, Pete Lane, clinical lead, Advanced Training Practice (ATP) Scheme, looks at the falling numbers of first generation general practice nurses and makes...Three wishes to secure the future of the GPN workforce
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 you have read the article, visit the Learning Zone to 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.
Interstitial lung disease is the collective name given to over 200 different types of parenchymal lung disorders (Demedts et al, 2001). They are different from the more common respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma in that they affect the alveoli, small airways, interstitium and surrounding capillary circulation. Interstitial lung disease causes scarring, which makes it difficult for oxygen to diffuse into the circulating blood, resulting in breathlessness.
Welcome to the fourth issue of J GPN. As we head towards the end of the year, we are delighted to share the latest news in the world of Education for Health.
From the release of our new ‘Simply’ pocket books, to exciting additions to our range of long term condition modules, there’s something for everyone with the New Year approaching, or even a Christmas present or two for a loved one!
As always, we hope that you enjoy this issue of J GPN and our news update.
Diabetes education is key to avoid diabetes-related complications.
Katherine Calder gives her views on how general practice nurses can help patients to better manage their diabetes.
How many people with diabetes do you see in your practice every week? With 3.9 million people now living with diabetes in the UK (Health and Social Care Information Centre [HSCIC], 2014), and this number rising all the time, it’s likely that more and more of your patients have diabetes.
New framework opens the way for GPN education and career pathways.
For many years, access to education and career development for general practice nurses (GPNs) has been variable and ad hoc depending on where individuals worked in the country and the general practice settings in which they worked. In my own experience as a GPN, even though I had access to clinical education, to be able to act out leadership with new-found knowledge and skills and to make changes for patients in my care, meant leaving general practice and looking to primary care in the mainstream NHS to fulfil these career aspirations.
Patients with lower limb ulceration are common in clinical practice, as between 0.6% and 3.6% of adults will develop a leg ulcer in their lifetime (Graham et al, 2003; Posnett and Franks, 2007). This equates to between 70,000 and 190,000 people in the United Kingdom having an active leg ulcer in any one day (Posnett and Franks, 2007).
The most common cause of lower limb ulceration is attributed to venous hypertension, and venous ulceration is reported to affect up to 1% of all adults (Christian, 2013). The management of venous ulceration is costly in terms of treatment costs, nursing time and patient suffering (Atkin, 2015).
This piece was sponsored by an educational grant from Activa Healthcare.
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