XN000022-1978-05-14 — Page 5

SUNDAY, MAY 14, 1978

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COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE

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ABOUT 5,200 PATIE' TS HAVE TECEIVED HEALTH CARE AT HOME CY

OF SEG OUT ING THE PAST 12 OTHS UNDER A GOVERMENT SOME E TO ASSIST SIX ORGA: ISATIONS PUNCH THE LASIE SERVICE.

C. CITY EVE TIL U..ITY

IT AS THE FIRST YEA THAT GOVERNMENT SUBVENTIONS „ERE LIVE. TC

. TC THE ORGANISATIONS CONCERVED. THE SUBVENTICS WOULD

LE FOR THE 'EXT T.C YEARS SO THAT AN ASSESSHET COULD DE : THE SCVERE, T OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SERVICE.

Y

THE GOVERNMENT DECISION TO SUBVENT THE SIX ORGANISATIONS FOR A TRIAL PERIOD OF THREE YEARS FOLLOWED A RECOMMENDATION EY THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN THE MEDICAL WHITE PAPER TO GIVE FURTHER CONSIDERATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY NURSING.

AT PRESENT, SIX ORGANISATIONS ARE EMPLOYING 33 FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME NURSES TO DO COMMUNITY NURSING. BETWEEN THEM, THEY HAVE. ADE MORE THAN 40,000 VISITS, OR AN AVERAGE OF 7.7 HOME VISITS TO EACH PATIENT, DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF SUBVENTION.

THE SIX ORGANISATIONS ARE UNITED CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL, CARITAS EDICAL CENTRE, OUR LADY OF MARYKNOLL HOSPITAL, YANG SOCIAL SERVICE CENTRE, NETHERSOLE HOSPITAL AND RENNIE'S MILL CHRISTIAN MEDICAL CENTRE.

BASICALLY, COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE ENABLES EXTENSIC.. CF -LTH CARE TO PATIENTS AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN DISCHARGE FRC. -CPITALS. IT IS NOT A PRIVATE NURSING SERVICE, AND THE THE

ET AT EACH HOME VISIT WILL BE LIMITED TO THAT REQUIRED FCF GIVING VECESSARY MURSING CARE AND INSTRUCTIONS.

THE PAN OBJECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY URSING SERVICE 15

T: EVABLE CONTINUITY OF CARE AND ENSURE THAT TREATMENT FOR A PATIENT

AIRTAMED FOLLOWING HIS DISCHARGE FROM HOSPITAL AFTER THE ACUTE STAGE OF ILLIESS HAS PASSED.

IT ENCOURAGES PERSONS WITH THE HELP OF THEIR FAMILIES TO PARTICIPATE I'. THEIR CAN TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION AS ELL AS T. PREVENT RELAPSE EY SUPPORTIVE CARE AND HEALTH TEACHING.

DURING THE COURSE OF THEIR DUTIES, COMMUNITY NURSES ALGI EDUCATE FAMILIES TO CONTRIBUTE TO CARING FOR THEIR OWN HEALT AND WELL-BEING.

A WIDE-RANGE OF SKILLED NURSING CARE IS GIVEN BY THE COMMUNITY 'URSE PROVIDED THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT AND NURSING FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE AND CAN BE UTILISED AT THE PATIENTS' HOME.

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THE TYPE OF NURSING CARE WOULD INCLUDE OBSERVATION OF FLOOD PRESSURE AND PULSE, ENEMAS, INJECTIONS, IFFIGATIONS, SUFGIC L DRESSINGS, REMOVAL OF STITCHES, REHABILITATION EXERCISES, CATHETERISATION AND VARIOUS DIAGNOSTIC TESTS.

/THE PATIENT