Research into the role of fertility nurses for the development of guidelines for clinical practice.
The Fertility Nurses Group (FNG) celebrates its 10th anniversary this year after a decade of many exciting developments. The pioneers of the FNG believed that professional advice and support were needed for nurses developing their roles within a dynamic and rapidly advancing field with new clinical and scientific techniques which also brought challenging moral dilemmas. A specialist membership group was therefore established with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). One of the first tasks was to investigate the educational requirements of infertility nurses and assess the professional and ethical issues raised by nurses caring for infertile patients. The results of this were published in the first 'professional survey'. A decade later the FNG undertook further research into the scope of clinical practice and the working conditions of its membership. Members of the group directly involved with the provision of fertility treatment, from ovulation induction to in-vitro fertilization, were surveyed. A questionnaire was circulated which aimed to: (i) assess the roles, skill and working patterns of nurses working in infertility units; (ii) identify the training needs of nurses and the management and educational provision required to support this. Further research will also be undertaken to explore issues related to the extended role of fertility nurses and its relevance to the UK Central Council guidelines on clinical nurse specialists and advance nurse practitioners. The results of the forthcoming research studies will provide data to assist with: (i) the development of guidelines for clinical practice; and (ii) continued development of appropriate educational programmes for fertility nurses.
Barber
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Oxford IVF Unit, Level 4 Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, UK.
D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy*; D009726:Nurses; D012099:Reproductive Techniques; D013038:Specialization