Np Protocols

karenG · Sep 20, 2003

np - as in nurse practitioner??? go wash your mouth girl!! us NP's dont use protocols!!

have a look at the sign guidelines- they suggest symptomatic care only. standing medical committee suggest that no antibiotics be given. I havent given abs for a sore throat for 3yrs and no-one has died!! they all get better in 7-10 days. If the patient gets really stroppy then I do a throat swab- not had any come back positive yet!

oh sign is sign.ac.uk absolutely the best evidence based guidelines available!! check out the otitis media guidelines

Karen

numpty · Sep 21, 2003

Hey Karen,

Thanks for the info. Protocols are still used in the hosital i work in and a part of the cours i am doing....?! Hopefully in the next few years we will move the to guidelines.....lol thanks again.

karenG · Sep 21, 2003

what course are you doing?? was taught as part of my NP degree that protocols are cook-book medicine and make it difficult to use clinical judgement. patients not to have just one thing wrong with them and with polypharmacy- life gets hard!! so I use guidlines- you dont have to stick to them the way you do a protocol. was told that a protocol is legal..and you must follow it, which given that the first NP is yet to be sued is an interesting concept. hmm

ok off soapbox. feel free to pm me!

Karen

numpty · Sep 21, 2003

Middlesex uni... adv dip. The assignment is to devise or update a protocol. i agree with what you say about protocol vs guidelines. i am of the understanding Prac nursing generally uses guidelines and hopefully hospitals will continue with the move towards guidelines.

karenG · Sep 21, 2003

:chuckle :chuckle

come and work in general practice!! the only guidelines i use are the BTS asthma guidelines, the diabeties NSF and CHD NSF. the rest is a wing and prayer!!

I like the sign site because its evidence based medicine and I try to work with the best evidence available.

so guidelines/protocols? what are they????????:roll

Karen