According to the Ministry, the redistribution of functions will not only help patients get to the doctor faster, but will also allow balancing the workloads of doctors, and the nursing profession will become more attractive.
During the three-month project, a list of functions that nurses might take over from family doctors was drawn up:
- assessment of dementia and Alzheimer’s patient scales to identify the disease and care for these patients;
- diabetes care (monitoring of elevated blood glucose levels and detection of abnormal glucose tolerance test);
- patient counseling;
- independent evaluation and implementation of preventive programs;
- performing pulse oximetry;
- health promotion;
- visiting and counseling families, providing early intervention services, counseling on breastfeeding and feeding babies;
- prescription of technical assistance measures;
- renewal of the prescription of medicinal products;
- care of cerebrovascular diseases;
- hypertension care;
- hospitalization offer/discharge;
- cardiovascular care;
- continuous inspection/maintenance;
- issuing shipments;
- appointment of tests to diagnose health disorders, evaluation of their results (general urine test and albumin/creatinine ratio in urine, general blood test, indicators of inflammation (C-reactive protein (CRB), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ENG), blood group and Rh factor tests);
- assessment and care of wounds (perforations and trophic ulcers), prescription of bandages and plasters;
- sick leave.
According to Mariaus Čiurlionis, adviser to the Nursing and Long-Term Care Department of the Personal Health Department of the Ministry of Health, the ministry will consider the results of the project when forming a modern, patient-oriented health policy based on trust in health care professionals. According to him, the redistribution of functions must be accompanied by training that will help specialists master the new functions better.
The Ministry announces that an important step focused on empowering nurses and increasing the prestige of this profession will be taken soon. From January 1 nurses will be able to provide independent consultations to patients: they will be able to assess the patient’s state of health, order certain diagnostic tests and evaluate their results according to competence, order tests as part of preventive programs, draw up an individual nursing plan, prescribe nursing procedures and discuss their results, carry out treatment of patients with chronic diseases monitoring, perform preventive examinations, immunoprophylaxis, advise on the use of medications prescribed by the doctor (whether they are taking, how to use, or can purchase) and provide other health care services, and if necessary, refer the patient to a family doctor. Read more regarding it HERE.
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2024-07-06 14:44:17
