Staff nurses' ability to assess community patients: a study.
This article describes a project to evaluate the effectiveness of staff nurses undertaking patients' first assessment, within the community setting. District nurses selected appropriate groups of patients to delegate to the staff nurses and remained accountable for care throughout the project. Patient documentation, patient satisfaction, and GP, district nurse and staff nurse satisfaction were all audited at the end of the study period. The authors found that while the district nurses remained essential to the management of care, some work could be delegated appropriately to selected staff nurses. The standard of care was not adversely affected by the alteration in working practice.
Sisson
J
J
Furner
J
J
Ransome
C
C
D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis; D009740:Nursing Staff; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care