Almost all GPs nowadays have help from one or more practice nurses. This is shown by a new study by the knowledge institute Nivel. A study by Plus Magazine shows that the practice nurse is highly valued by patients.
The practice nurse (POH) has been active in general practice since 1999, according to the Nivel investigation. It started with the POH somatics, which helped the GP with, for example, checks for diabetes, COPD or cardiovascular disease. Today, most general practices work with POH somatics (81 percent). Most GP practices employ several practice nurses. Almost as many practices have a mental health practice nurse for the treatment of psychological complaints such as anxiety or depression. The relatively new POH elderly and the POH youth care are on the rise with 44 percent and 33 percent of the practices, respectively.
More POH elderly
Many general practitioners want to work even more with a POH for the elderly and a POH for mental health care in the coming years. The general practitioner is getting busier and busier, because there are more patients due to the aging population come with several ailments and complaints at the same time. In addition, the general practitioner is taking over more and more tasks from the hospital.
reader survey
Plus Magazine recently also conducted a survey into the practice nurse, but not among general practitioners, such as Nivel, but among the readers. This showed that the practice nurse is highly valued. More than 80 percent of the nearly 900 readers – who recently had an appointment – rate the practice nurse as ‘good’ to ‘very good’. Most mentioned advantages: the practice nurse has more time than the GP and explains things well.
In July’s Plus Magazine there is an article with the further results of this research into the practice nurse.
