Anne Smith

Community matrons – an exploratory study of patients’ views and experiences

AIMnThe aim of the study was to explore patients views and experiences of the community matron role in one primary care provider organization.nnnBACKGROUNDnCommunity matrons manage the needs of people living with long-term conditions in the community and aim to improve patient self-management and education, and enhance co-ordination between in primary and social care.nnnMETHODSnA purposive sample of 14 service users (ten women, four men; aged 45-89u2003years) with a range of chronic conditions took part in interviews in 2007. A grounded theory approach was the framework for data collection and analysis.nnnFINDINGSnThe role of the community matron appeared to have a positive impact on patient care mainly in three areas: access, patient advocacy and psychosocial support. Patients thought that they had easier access to healthcare services and that the community matron acted as an advocate by helping them to understand medical jargon and supporting them at hospital appointments, thereby providing a link to secondary care. Some patient perceptions differed from those about other primary care staff.nnnCONCLUSIONnThere is evidence that community matrons may have a beneficial effect on patients perceptions of their care, psycho-social support, access to services and advocacy. The impact of this role on the patient experience needs to be taken into account when evaluating this nursing role and services, as benefits may not be captured by relying solely on quantitative evaluations of hospital readmission rates.

Community matrons: primary care professionals’ views and experiences

AIMnThis article is a report of a study exploring how the role of the community matron is progressing and any barriers or facilitators to performing the role.nnnBACKGROUNDnLong-term conditions are distressing for patients and costly for healthcare services. Government policy in western countries has increasingly focussed on more integrated and pro-active management of patients with multiple long-term conditions to maintain the ability of the aging population to function independently. The role of community matrons has been introduced in England in an attempt to address these issues.nnnMETHODnA purposive sample of 31 health and social care professionals participated in five focus group discussions. Reported experiences of the community matron role by community matrons, district nurses, social workers and general practitioners were analysed according to the principles of grounded theory. Data were collected in 2007.nnnFINDINGSnThe community matron role was seen as effective in meeting the medical and social needs of patients. This was achieved through patient education, developing patients self-management of their health conditions and monitoring their social needs. Potential barriers to success of the role were associated with lack of role definition prior to its introduction.nnnCONCLUSIONnIt is unclear whether the role is financially viable in its current form. Further research is required to examine differing models for implementing the role and judging its effectiveness in bridging the primary-secondary care interface.

Developing advanced skills in practice teaching

No wonder you activities are, reading will be always needed. It is not only to fulfil the duties that you need to finish in deadline time. Reading will encourage your mind and thoughts. Of course, reading will greatly develop your experiences about everything. Reading developing advanced skills in practice teaching is also a way as one of the collective books that gives many advantages. The advantages are not only for you, but for the other peoples with those meaningful benefits.

Teamwork is the answer

If GPs and nurses concentrated on becoming an effective team, which would benefit patients and staff, there would be no problem. Most of the trouble is the power struggle between the professions. Each person can bring different skills to the workplace. These should be recognised and the workload delegated appropriately.