Transition into adult services can be sudden and fragmented for young people with complex health needs. Yet, if the transition is a planned, coordinated process, the benefits can be life-long. Literature suggests that the quality of transition is variable and recommends community nurses take an active role within the process. To increase knowledge and awareness, a transition workshop was developed using the Queen’s Nursing Institute’s ‘Transition of Care’ tool, and delivered to the community specialist practitioner students at the University of Central Lancashire. The aim of the workshop was to raise awareness among the professional community groups in order to identify the challenges faced by young people, thus bringing together practitioners to promote collaborative working and leadership within this sphere of practice. Feedback following the workshop provided evidence of improved interprofessional working and a shift in perception, with historic ideologies being challenged. This article explores how implementing techniques to increase community nurses’ knowledge and awareness of transition improves the transition experience for the young person.
In each issue we investigate a hot topic currently affecting you and your community practice. Here, we look at...
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) occurs when there is a narrowing or occlusion of the peripheral arteries, resulting in reduced blood flow to the leg (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2015). This can lead to limb ischaemia and thrombosis. Patients with PAD have a reduced quality of life and are at risk of lower limb amputation and even death. This article addresses the need for early diagnosis of PAD to reduce the burden of the condition to patients and the NHS, and to try and reduce the number of lower limb amputations that occur in the UK every day. Promoting healthy arteries will raise awareness of the risk factors associated with PAD and encourage the population in the risk categories to be proactive in receiving ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) assessment. Healthcare professionals with improved knowledge of PAD will be better able to identify patients in the early stages of the disease and to advise them about lifestyle changes to improve their prognosis.
Skin tears are a common type of tissue injury, which often go unrecognised and misdiagnosed. Furthermore, classification and documentation of skin is often poor, resulting in chronic wounds with associated adverse patient outcomes. The International Skin Tear Advisory Panel (ISTAP) recently updated the International Best Practice Guidelines and definition of a skin tear based on emerging evidence and expert discussion and consensus. This article presents a discussion of the epidemiology, risk factors and causes of skin tears. In addition, the most recent best practice recommendations for the prevention, assessment, and management of skin tears is summarised.
Patient experiences with wound care treatment are being recognised as central to prudent care. Leg Clubs provide community-based treatment, education and ongoing health promotion and care for people with leg-related problems. This article considers the growing evidence of patients’ experiences of being treated in a Leg Club setting. Six participants from a Leg Club setting were interviewed via a semi-structured interview, and interviews were transcribed verbatim and investigated for themes using interpretative phenomenological analysis in accordance to Smith et al (2009). An overarching theme, the holistic approach to treatment, was identified, with two subthemes: Leg Club education and a sense of autonomy and trust in Leg Club staff. This study revealed the importance of a holistic approach to treatment within a Leg Club setting, and adds to, and complements, the body of evidence.
