Fear of the known? District nurses' practice of compression bandaging.
District nurses are the acknowledged experts when it comes to the care of leg ulcers in the community setting. An audit in one trust nevertheless highlighted a degree of diagnostic caution among district nurses that led to some patients not receiving the compression therapy that national guidelines recommend. This article reports on a small-scale qualitative study that sought to explore this issue in more depth. The results highlight that there is some conflict between district nurses' practice as expert practitioners and strict adherence to guidelines, which the nurses resolve in various ways. The implications for practice are explored.
Field
Hilary
H
Lincolnshire South West Teaching PCT. hilary.field@lincssouthwest-pct.nhs.uk
D000328:Adult; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D001458:Bandages; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009731:Nursing Audit; D006113:United Kingdom; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*