Treatment of minor health problems by primary care nurses: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: To assess the results of a nursing-led program to treatment of minor health issues from Catalan health institute primary care teams during 2019 and 2020. BACKGROUND: In 2009, the Catalan health institute implemented a nursing program to deal with minor health problems. This nursing-led program includes an algorithm for each of the minor health problems and arose as a strategy to reorganise the flow of demand for care in primary care. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design. METHODS: Multicentric cross-sectional study. 392 primary care teams from the Catalan health institute participated in the study. STROBE guideline was followed in reporting this study. Patients attending any of the participating centres requesting a same-day consultation for minor health issues were registered. RESULTS: A total of 21,215,278 consultations were recorded: 18,284,105 for adult and 2,931,173 for paediatric patients. Minor health issue resolved by the nurse was achieved in 50.9% of adult patients and 55.4% of paediatric patients. The highest rates of resolution in adults (>85%) were as follows: burns, emergency contraception and injuries. The highest resolution rates (>84%) were as follows: burns, breastfeeding difficulties and infant colic. 87.7% of prescriptions issued by nurses were accepted by the family physician. CONCLUSIONS: The nursing-led program to treat minor health issues has been shown to present acceptable resolution for nurses in a large primary care setting. Nurses have been carrying out prescription activities with very favourable results. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study demonstrates that care provided to patients by nurses for minor health issues requiring preferential resolution is effective. Our results are useful in that they confirm both the effectiveness of the nursing-led program for minor health issues and the pharmacological prescriptions produced during patient appointments. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Patient's data were obtained through a program records system after the minor health issues appointments.

Lenguajes enfermeros estandarizados y planes de cuidados. Percepción de su empleo y utilidad en atención primaria / Standardized nursing languages and care plans. Perception of use and utility in primary healthcare

OBJETIVO: Identificar la opinión de las enfermeras de atención primaria sobre el uso y la utilidad de los planes de cuidados y los lenguajes estandarizados tradicionales en la práctica asistencial. DISEÑO: Estudio descriptivo, transversal, multicéntrico. EMPLAZAMIENTO: Equipos y dispositivos de atención primaria en Cataluña. PARTICIPANTES: Se estimó una muestra necesaria de 1.668 enfermeras y se aplicó una técnica de muestreo consecutivo. INTERVENCIONES: Cuestionario de acceso on-line con preguntas sobre la percepción de facilidad, utilidad y uso de los planes de cuidados y los lenguajes estandarizados tradicionales. Mediciones: Estadísticos descriptivos con proporciones, medidas de tendencia central y de dispersión. La significación estadística se estableció si p ≤ 0,05. RESULTADOS: Se analizaron 1.813 cuestionarios. Las participantes opinaron que los planes de cuidados tienen un valor añadido medio, aunque su uso es con frecuencia incorrecto. Refirieron un nivel de conocimientos adecuado sobre los lenguajes estandarizados, y en su mayoría (81%) opinaron que son difíciles de emplear en la práctica y que son poco útiles para representar la prestación de cuidados y sus resultados (78%). Independientemente de su nivel académico y de los años de experiencia, valoraron como insuficiente la claridad (p = 0,058), facilidad de uso (p = 0,240) y utilidad de los lenguajes estandarizados (p = 0,039). CONCLUSIONES: Las enfermeras urgen a introducir cambios en el uso de los planes de cuidados, incluyendo el cambio de lenguaje, para mejorar los datos y la información que revierta positivamente la prestación de cuidados para la mejora de los resultados de salud de las personas beneficiarias de los servicios de atención primaria

OBJECTIVE: To identify opinions of Primary Healthcare nurses on the use and usefulness of standardised nursing care plans and traditional nursing language systems in the practice settings. DESIGN: Multicentre, observational, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Primary Healthcare centres in Catalonia. PARTICIPANTS: Sample size was estimated at 1,668 registered nurses. Consecutive sampling was applied. INTERVENTIONS: On-line survey containing questions on ease, usefulness, and use of nursing care plans and standardised nursing language systems. Measurements: Descriptive statistics, including percentages, central tendency, and dispersion measures. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ .05. RESULTS: The final analysis included 1,813 questionnaires. Participants stated that care plans have a medium added value, however their use is frequently incorrect. They stated to have a fair level of knowledge on traditional standardised nursing languages, and most were of the opinion that these languages are difficult to use in practice (81%) and not useful to represent nursing care provision and its outcomes (78%). Regardless of their education level and years of experience, the participants assessed as insufficient the clarity (P = .058), ease of use (P = .240), and usefulness (P = .039) of these language systems in practice. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses say that urgent changes are required in the use of care plans. This includes changing the language systems, and improving data and information that positively impacts on the provision of nursing care, as well as to enhance the health outcomes of the individuals receiving Primary Healthcare services

[Standardized nursing languages and care plans. Perception of use and utility in primary healthcare]. / Lenguajes enfermeros estandarizados y planes de cuidados. Percepción de su empleo y utilidad en atención primaria.

OBJECTIVE: To identify opinions of Primary Healthcare nurses on the use and usefulness of standardised nursing care plans and traditional nursing language systems in the practice settings. DESIGN: Multicentre, observational, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Primary Healthcare centres in Catalonia. PARTICIPANTS: Sample size was estimated at 1,668 registered nurses. Consecutive sampling was applied. INTERVENTIONS: On-line survey containing questions on ease, usefulness, and use of nursing care plans and standardised nursing language systems. MEASUREMENTS: Descriptive statistics, including percentages, central tendency, and dispersion measures. Statistical significance was set at P≤.05. RESULTS: The final analysis included 1,813 questionnaires. Participants stated that care plans have a medium added value, however their use is frequently incorrect. They stated to have a fair level of knowledge on traditional standardised nursing languages, and most were of the opinion that these languages are difficult to use in practice (81%) and not useful to represent nursing care provision and its outcomes (78%). Regardless of their education level and years of experience, the participants assessed as insufficient the clarity (P=.058), ease of use (P=.240), and usefulness (P=.039) of these language systems in practice. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses say that urgent changes are required in the use of care plans. This includes changing the language systems, and improving data and information that positively impacts on the provision of nursing care, as well as to enhance the health outcomes of the individuals receiving Primary Healthcare services.