title: First two years of a follow-up breast clinic led by a nurse practitioner.
abstract: After special training a nurse practitioner ran an independent clinic for follow-up patients with breast disease. All patients referred to a single surgical firm with breast cancer and most patients with benign disease who required follow-up were included. In the first 2 years of the service 382 clinic visits were recorded (median 5/clinic, range 1-12). The nurse practitioner reviewed 236 (62%) patients alone but involved the consultant surgeon in the remainder. No significant lesion was missed in these patients. The nurse-led clinic is popular with patients and, subject to careful supervision, offers an attractive option for follow-up of patients with breast disease.
authors.affiliation: Gloucastershire Royal Hospital, England.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Earnshaw
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Stephenson
mesh_terms: D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence