on 27/10/04 9:19 am, MASLEN-JONES David, Clinical Nurse Mgr at
[log in to unmask] wrote:

> Hi Folks,
>
> As I am sure you are all aware  we are all now registered on the third part of
> the NMC register as Public health nurses.
>
> Interestingly if you look at the NHS plan and the Wanless report 2004 you will
> see that the government is taking OH down this public health pathway and
> future training proposals from the NMC are likely to reflect that!. Its about
> time we in OH woke up to what is happening!
>
> I am not saying this is right, only that as regards prescribing we are being
> railroaded into an extended public health role which almost certainly will
> result in us all being required to prescribe in the future and yes, nurse
> prescribing is something which increases our knowledge base and skills
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: joan Twigger [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 27 October 2004 08:46
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: prescribing
>
>
> I too have had a similar experience and agree with you and Greta  It has
> taken over three years to bring everyone round to the idea that OH by
> definition is not a treatment service. The fight has been long and hard but
> worth it . Some die hard's still feel that I have taken away something that
> was theirs as a right.
>
>
>
> Joan Twigger
> Occupational Health Advisor
> 3M Healthcare Limited
> Tel:  01509 613720
> Fax:  01509 613065
> e-mail [log in to unmask]
>
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>
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>
> For jobs in Occupational Health, go to
> http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/OHJobs/


Hello everyone

There are two points I am raising. First the transfer onto the third part of
the register is still to be completed.  (I spoke to someone at the NMC about
it today. My experience seems to be that there is confusion at the NMC as to
how this is to be initiated. The information given seems to depend on who
you speak to!!)

Secondly, you are quite correct OH is expected to take a public health view.
I can't see that this in itself should be an issue. I undertook a mapping
exercise on behalf of the NMC and it was clear that OH courses which have
been running for some time met the outcomes of public health. I don't see
how nurse prescribing comes into this. District nurses who have undertaken
the nurse prescribing course can prescribe but will not automatically be
registered on the third part of the register as the NMC consider they do not
have a public health role.

 Public health is about promoting, improving and maintaining the health of
the community which has always been the aim of OH nursing. The groups of
practitioners who are currently considered to have a public health role and
will migrate to the third part of the register are:

Health visitors
School Nurses
OH Nurses.

In August 2004 the NMC  published the document "Standards of Proficiency for
Specialist Community Public Health Nurses" which I would strongly recommend
as essential reading for all OHNs with an interest in how OH Nursing is
going to develop in the future. I suspect that many of you may not agree
with everything in the document and some may have very strong  feelings
about these standards. (I did not write them but I have to comply with
them.) If you do have strong feelings then I would suggest you make your
concerns known to the NMC and those who have an influence on OHN education.

OH course leaders are required to ensure these standards are complied with
in order to gain validation. How compliance is achieved depends on how the
course team implement these standards and how much support they get from
practitioners. In due course all OHN educational providers will be reviewing
their  courses in order to comply with this document. As an OHN I will do my
best to ensure that the programme for which I am responsible  meets both
these standards and the needs of OHNs and does not become diluted. We have
already invited experienced and senior practitioners to join our curriculum
panel.

The NMC and our universities will require us to include  core learning
outcomes for HV's, School nurses and OHNs within the curriculum.  I would
see topics such as evidence based practice and leadership plus the process
of policy development could be taught across specialties. Issues such OHN
specialist practice eg risk assessment; compliance with legislation related
to employment and health and safety; health assessment and health
surveillance, attendance management  etc etc would be taught as specialist
content.

The link on the NMC web site is:

 www.nmc-uk.org/nmc/main/search/doSearch?searchValue=Community+Public+Health
+&go.x=13&go.y=9

In essence the standards relate to needs assessment, quality and risk
management, policy development, leadership and health surveillance. There is
nothing in the standards about nurse prescribing being a compulsory part of
the education of the OHN.

Happy reading,

Anne Harriss
Reader in Educational Development  and Course Director BSc OH Nursing
London South Bank University

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please remove this footer before replying.

For list archives and documents, go to
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/occ-health.html for list archives

For jobs in Occupational Health, go to
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/OHJobs/