What is it about?
Community nurses were asked for their opinion through focus groups on introducing a local Weight Management Pathway to help reduce levels of overweight and obesity as locally there is no pathway or tool in place. Nurses in the focus groups acknowledged the lack of a current pathway, the potential benefits of a local pathway as well as the need for training in the use of the pathway. They also identified potential barriers to its implementation such as the sensitivity of the subject, a lack of staff knowledge, patient’s willingness to change and communication systems.
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Why is it important?
Locally we do not use anyway pathways or tools to support patients to lose weight or maintain a healthier balanced lifestyle. This is despite a rise in overweight and obesity levels, the increase in co-morbidities caused by overweight and obesity and the cost to individuals and society. This research demonstrates staffs awareness of the need for a pathway and their willingness to use one.
Perspectives
This is topic that I am extremely passionate about both from a professional and personal perspective. As community nurses we locally have no tool to support us to discuss healthy weight management with patients. It therefore often does not get discussed with the patient due to the sensitive nature of the topic and we waste the opportunity to provide brief interventions. My main goal was to highlight the need for a tool locally and to possibly start the process of having one developed. I think this work has highlighted the need for a tool but I am still working to try and get something developed with the local health service. For professionals I hope this article might provide some encouragement to address these issues with your patients as I believe that nurses are well placed to provide compassionate support to our patients.
Sophie Hinks
University College Isle of Man
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Exploring community nurses' views on the implementation of a local Weight Management Pathway, British Journal of Community Nursing, December 2022, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/bjcn.2022.27.12.612.
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