A Program of Nurse Management for Unscheduled Consultations of Children With Acute Minor Illnesses in Primary Care

Abstract

Introduction: Attention to patients with acute minor illnesses represents a major burden for primary care. Although programs of nurse care for children with acute minor illnesses in primary care started a long time ago, there is limited information about the results of these programs in current practice. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of a program of nurse management for unscheduled consultations of children with acute minor illnesses. Methods: Observational study of children seeking unscheduled consultations for 16 acute minor illnesses in 284 primary care practices during a 2-year period. The program of nurse management used predefined management algorithms. Findings: Among 467,160 consultations performed, case resolution was achieved in 65.4%. The remaining 34.6% of cases were not solved by the primary healthcare nurse due to the existence of signs of alarm and were referred to a pediatrician. Return to consultation during a 7-day period for the same reason as the original consultation was only 2.6%. Conclusions: A program that uses management algorithms is effective for nurse care management of children with acute minor illnesses in primary care. Clinical Relevance: Application of programs of nurse management for unscheduled consultations for children with acute minor illnesses is feasible and effective.

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

“…As with adult patients, the differences in resolution rates for acute health issues in paediatric patients could be related to the degree of familiarity with the exploratory techniques that require a consultation and/or strict management in accordance with the program algorithm. A large body of evidence from clinical trials and observational studies suggests that nursing professionals are able to offer quality care to patients with acute minor health issues, achieving a high degree of satisfaction and similar health outcomes to those of physicians (Brugués Brugués et al, 2016;Fabrellas et al, 2013Fabrellas et al, , 2015Horrocks et al, 2002). A clinical trial carried out by various primary care teams in Catalonia showed that nurses obtained resolution levels in patients with acute low-complexity health issues which were similar to those achieved by physicians, reaching resolution in 86.3% of cases (Iglesias et al, 2013).…”

Análisis de concepto: gestión enfermera de la demanda

“…El papel autónomo de la enfermera en la atención a personas con enfermedad aguda está afianzada y aceptada por profesionales y pacientes 8 . La GED es aún emergente, pero ya existen resultados que han demostrado ser factibles, eficaces y con un bajo índice de reconsulta9, 10. En otros países este rol está consensuado, aprobado y estudiado11, 12.…”

Impacto de la formación y aspectos legales en la aplicación de la gestión enfermera de la demanda por parte de las enfermeras de atención primaria de Cataluña

“…La GED ha sido evaluada en términos de satisfacción 7 y resolución 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 . No se han encontrado trabajos que hayan estudiado la percepción de las enfermeras al aplicar la GED.…”