title: Specialist community nurses: a critical analysis of their role in the management of long-term conditions.
abstract: The aim of this narrative review is to identify strategies in use by specialist community and public health nurses in the prevention, care and management of individuals with long-term conditions, specifically chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and musculoskeletal disorders. These conditions have been selected as they are highly prevalent; a burden on health services globally and a major public health issue. From a UK policy perspective, specialist community nurses have been placed at the forefront of taking a lead role in the coordination and delivery of more responsive services for individuals with long-term conditions; whether this has been an effective use of skills and resource is questionable. We systematically searched relevant databases between 1999-2009 to identify interventions used by specialist community nurses and critically appraised the studies. This review reports on impact and value of interventions used by specialist community nurses in the prevention and management of COPD and musculoskeletal conditions, and makes recommendations for improving services.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work, University of Manchester, Jean McFarlane Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. gretl.mchugh@manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Gretl A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: McHugh
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horne
authors.forename: Karen I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Chalmers
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Luker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003152:Community Health Nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000451:nursing*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011637:Public Health Nursing; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000235:genetics* / Q000451:nursing*; D013997:Time Factors