Dear List,
the new "guidance" from our lords and masters "Keeping the NHS local" goes
big time on IT support of remote units where ENP's will be assessing acute
patients that present themselves to the MIU's or walk in centres.
My own view is that a Medical degree is required with the broad anatomy,
physiology and pathology background to understand what you are looking for.
My experience of ENP's is that they are excellent at assessing injury (many
better than junior doctors)but the majority get into deep water with
medical problems that are not barn door. They are good at saying this
patient is ill, but not why. For this I think you need the disease
orientated pattern recognition created by the medical degree. For god sake,
there must be something we are useful for!
Has anyone any experience of using IT links to support clinical assessment
remotely. I can understand and have experimented with X-ray and ECG
transmission and can believe in superficial wound assessment by video or
photography, but wonder about further than this.
When I assess a patient I use the body language of the patient, touch, feel
hearing, and smell as well
Anyone any views?
AP Volans
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