Welcome to the latest issue of Nurse Update, provided by the National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS). Nurse Update is a digest of evidence-based information to help you improve your knowledge of medicines use and prescribing practices.

NPS actively engages with nurses to encourage a greater understanding of medicines by providing information and activities on various therapeutic programs.

In this issue

1. Supporting health professionals to help smokers quit
2. Health professionals needed for Moving on program
3. New appointments to NPS Board
4. Feed your competency
5. National Medicines Symposium (NMS) 2010
6. NPS publications

1) Supporting health professionals to help smokers quit

Our latest therapeutic program: Smoking cessation and managing stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, encourages health professionals to identify smokers who are ready to quit and to provide effective support and therapeutic advice.

Health professionals are encouraged to:

• determine intention to quit and level of nicotine dependence to tailor smoking cessation strategies
• offer non-drug therapies and pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation; smoking cessation is the most effective intervention to slow progression to COPD
• use spirometry to confirm COPD diagnosis and assess severity
• start therapy with an inhaled short-acting bronchodilator and regularly review inhaler technique
• refer early for pulmonary rehabilitation to improve symptoms and quality of life.

As part of the therapeutic program, nurses can participate in:

• Case study 63: Managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• facilitated small group case study discussions with your peers

Publications focusing on COPD include:

• NPS News 68: Helping smokers quit
• Prescribing Practice Review 50: Smoking cessation and managing stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Find out more about therapeutic information and clinical activities to improve your practice.

 

2) Health professionals needed for Moving On program

A new self-management program for people with chronic diseases called Moving On has been developed by Arthritis NSW and NPS.

This 7 week program aims to encourage participants to think about how they are managing their condition and provides knowledge and skills to create positive change. It is group-based with a focus on individuals within each group. There are 11 different modules covering topics such as: physical activity, coping with a chronic condition, managing medicines and working with a healthcare team.

The program is currently at pilot stage and evaluation should be completed by late 2010.

If you would like to refer a patient to the program, they must:

• be aged between 45 and 75 years
• be able to participate in light physical exercise
• have a reasonable understanding of their condition
• be able to speak, write, and understand English fluently
• not suffer from any degree of cognitive impairment, uncontrolled mental illness, or substance abuse. Participants suffering from co-morbid anxiety or depression are not excluded from the study.

For more information please contact Eloise Buggy at Arthritis NSW on 1800 332 131.

 

3) New appointments to NPS Board

Several changes have been made to the National Prescribing Service Board, most notably, the appointment of two new directors and the reappointment of an existing director.

Dr Chris Mitchell has replaced Dr Ross Maxwell as a General Practice Class Director, after Dr Maxwell’s retirement from the Board late 2009.

Dr Mitchell has been a rural GP in northern NSW for 20 years and is currently President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). He brings to the NPS Board more than 10 years experience as a director serving on not-for-profit boards and he holds a Fellowship at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

NPS Chair, Dr Janette Randall welcomed Dr Mitchell’s appointment, recognising his recent high profile and extensive networks in the primary care sector; ‘In calling for nominations for this position, the Board sought candidates with particular experience working in rural settings as we recognise the medicines use issues in rural areas need ongoing consideration.’

With his commitment to and understanding of rural general practice and general practice training, Chris will bring invaluable insight and experience to the NPS Board’, she said.

The Board also welcomed Dr Jim Langridge, who brings a wealth of business management expertise which will complement the Board’s strengths.

Jim’s career over the past 30 years has been in higher education administration, specialising for over 20 years in international education, entrepreneurship in higher education and business management.

Until early 2009 he held the joint appointments of vice principal (international) at the University of Wollongong and CEO/managing director of the ITC group of Companies (UOW’s commercial arm).

‘Jim brings to the NPS Board experience gained from directorships of organisations in the private education sector, entrepreneurial start-up companies and those involved in regional and economic development. As NPS looks at new ways to expand quality use of medicines and achieve our organisational objectives, Jim’s expertise will be highly valued’, Dr Randall said.

Kate Moore has been reappointed for a second 3 year term as the Consumer Class Director. Kate has a broad understanding of community quality use of medicines issues and is chair of the ACT Health Council and a member of several other committees.

Dr Randall believes Kate’s expertise in consumer medicines issues will assist the Board to realise its key strategic objectives of improved medicines literacy and broader community engagement with quality use of medicines.

 

4) Feed your competency

Case study

Complete a case study to help refine your clinical decision-making skills. You can download the latest case study or visit the NPS health professionals home page for more information.

Practice nurses

Remember, you can participate in educational visits and facilitated small group case discussions. Just contact the NPS facilitator at your local division of general practice.

Nurse practitioners

Charles Darwin University and NPS have collaborated to produce a series of online case-based modules for nurse practitioners.

The Quality Use of Medicines for Nurse Practitioners website has been designed for the ongoing professional development of nurse practitioners. For access to case studies and resources register via the website.

Residential aged care nurses

Visit the medication management website for useful resources and tools.

 

5) National Medicines Symposium (NMS) 2010

In the constantly evolving world of medicines, NPS is once again hosting the National Medicines Symposium.

This year’s theme is Medicines in people’s lives, which enables us to address quality use of medicines in the wider context of changes within the health sector, including reforms and new prescribers.

NMS 2010 will be held at the Melbourne Conference and Exhibition Centre from
26 - 28 May 2010.

Register at the NMS website.

 

6) NPS publications

NPS News

NPS News is a bi-monthly publication, keeping you informed of quality use of medicines issues in relation to different therapeutic areas.

Download the latest NPS News from the NPS website.

Prescribing Practice Review

Prescribing Practice Review (PPR) provides key messages for quality prescribing on selected therapeutic topics and evidence-based prescribing information.

Download the latest Prescribing Practice Review from the NPS website.

NPS RADAR

NPS RADAR offers evidence-based information about new medicines, new Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listings and research.

Visit the NPS RADAR home page to download the latest issue.

Australian Prescriber

Australian Prescriber is a bi-monthly, independent publication that provides readily accessible information about drugs and therapeutics.

Visit the Australian Prescriber website to download the April 2010 issue.

Medicines Talk

Medicines Talk is written by consumers for consumers. We invite you to print copies for use in doctors’ rooms, hospital waiting rooms and visitors’ areas.

Download the latest Medicines Talk from the NPS website.

Medicine Update

Medicine Update lets you know about new medicines and new PBS listings. Each issue provides an independent assessment of current information and research about a different medicine.

Visit the NPS Consumer home page to download the latest Medicine Update.

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National Prescribing Service Ltd (NPS) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation for quality use of medicines. We provide accurate, balanced, evidence-based information and services to help people choose if, when and how to use medicines to improve their health and wellbeing. We are member-based and work in partnership with consumers, health professionals, government and the pharmaceutical industry.

NPS is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.