The role of the specialist nurse in multiple sclerosis: a rapid and systematic review
De Broe S, Christopher F, Waugh N
Record ID 32001000967
English
Authors' objectives:
The aim of this report is to assess the effectiveness and relative cost-effectiveness of multiple sclerosis (MS) specialist nurses in improving care and outcomes for patients with MS.
Authors' results and conclusions:
Only one study was identified that tried to evaluate the benefit of MS specialist nurses. The study concluded that MS patients and their carers found the MS specialist nurse to be helpful, particularly in improving their knowledge of MS, ability to cope, mood and confidence about the future. GPs also reported finding the nurse to be helpful with their MS patients, and 40% of the GPs stated they would purchase the services of an MS specialist nurse if their practices became fundholding. However, there were considerable methodological weaknesses inherent in the study design, and it was unclear whether the results of the study could be extrapolated to other settings or to other MS patient groups.
Authors' recommendations:
The present evidence does not make it possible to comment with any certainty on the value of specialist nurses in MS. The best evidence available to the authors is specialist opinion from neurologists and nurses, and comments from patients with MS; this opinion supports the provision of MS specialist nurses.
Authors' methods:
Systematic review
Details
Project Status:
Completed
URL for project:
http://www.hta.ac.uk/1166
Year Published:
2001
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Not Assigned
Country:
England, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
- Nurse Clinicians
- Multiple Sclerosis
Contact
Organisation Name:
NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme
Contact Address:
NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK
Contact Name:
journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Contact Email:
journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Copyright:
2009 Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.