eHEALTH AWARD Sponsored by Univadis
Teresa Chinn’s Twitter network is a vital mouthpiece
The power of social media
network. In fact, the Department of Health has used the platform to launch consultations and get feedback from nurses. Teresa was nominated by Kate McCandlish, district nurse lead at Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, who was clear on how @WeNurses can improve patient care: ’New nurses interact with experienced nurses, mental health nurses, midwives and therapists, so experiences are shared. We discuss topics such as
Bernadette Porter has revolutionised MS patient care
Linked in and up to speed NeuroResponse is a nurse-led service for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and long-term neurological conditions. Devised by nurse consultant Bernadette Porter after a survey of patients’ needs, the three-component service is run from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, part of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where Bernadette is based. NeuroDirect is a phone service linking patients with a specialist nurse who uses an evidence-based care pathway for assessment and triage. NeuroView is a video-conference clinic linking patients with local
rehabilitation teams, while NeuroMail links consultant neurologists to GPs to support them making clinical decisions. MS is unpredictable and it can be difficult to access
TERESA HAS SHOWN HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE A GIFT FOR NURSES Teresa said: ‘@WeNurses responds to ideas from the Twitter community – that’s the beauty of it. Nurses have a passion and can share that online to bring about change and improvement in patient care.’ One of the judges said the project was ‘a real innovation, very inspiring’, adding: ‘Teresa has shown how social media can be a real gift for nurses who want to improve patient care.’
enrolled currently. An evaluation showed 42 per cent of patients contacting NeuroDirect felt confident to manage their condition, and 76 per cent reported improved quality of life. ‘An example of how existing technology can be made to work in completely new ways – this service will run and run,’ the judges predicted.
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN WORK IN NEW WAYS specialist nurse clinicians, said Bernadette. ‘Care can be fragmented with patients not knowing where to turn. Technology seemed an efficient use of the expertise we have.’ NeuroDirect has 2,300 patients and professionals
MARK HAKANSSON
CHRIS BALCOMBE
A weekly Twitter chat aimed principally at nurses takes place every Thursday at 8pm using #WeNurses. Co-ordinator Teresa Chinn first decided to use Twitter to discuss professional issues when she felt isolated as an agency nurse. Since then, she has become an expert in the technology, delivering seminars and providing social media consultancy. More than 14,000 health professionals are currently following @WeNurses and it now functions as a support
diabetes and renal care, leadership and clinical guidelines, and Teresa always provides reading material in advance.’ She added: ‘The benefits for patients are endless.’
NURSING mayNo7 other :: vol uses 28 no 36 :: permission. 2014 63 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 21, 2015. For personal use only. without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
Teresa Chinn’s Twitter network is a vital mouthpiece
The power of social media
network. In fact, the Department of Health has used the platform to launch consultations and get feedback from nurses. Teresa was nominated by Kate McCandlish, district nurse lead at Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, who was clear on how @WeNurses can improve patient care: ’New nurses interact with experienced nurses, mental health nurses, midwives and therapists, so experiences are shared. We discuss topics such as
Bernadette Porter has revolutionised MS patient care
Linked in and up to speed NeuroResponse is a nurse-led service for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and long-term neurological conditions. Devised by nurse consultant Bernadette Porter after a survey of patients’ needs, the three-component service is run from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, part of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where Bernadette is based. NeuroDirect is a phone service linking patients with a specialist nurse who uses an evidence-based care pathway for assessment and triage. NeuroView is a video-conference clinic linking patients with local
rehabilitation teams, while NeuroMail links consultant neurologists to GPs to support them making clinical decisions. MS is unpredictable and it can be difficult to access
TERESA HAS SHOWN HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE A GIFT FOR NURSES Teresa said: ‘@WeNurses responds to ideas from the Twitter community – that’s the beauty of it. Nurses have a passion and can share that online to bring about change and improvement in patient care.’ One of the judges said the project was ‘a real innovation, very inspiring’, adding: ‘Teresa has shown how social media can be a real gift for nurses who want to improve patient care.’
enrolled currently. An evaluation showed 42 per cent of patients contacting NeuroDirect felt confident to manage their condition, and 76 per cent reported improved quality of life. ‘An example of how existing technology can be made to work in completely new ways – this service will run and run,’ the judges predicted.
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN WORK IN NEW WAYS specialist nurse clinicians, said Bernadette. ‘Care can be fragmented with patients not knowing where to turn. Technology seemed an efficient use of the expertise we have.’ NeuroDirect has 2,300 patients and professionals
MARK HAKANSSON
CHRIS BALCOMBE
A weekly Twitter chat aimed principally at nurses takes place every Thursday at 8pm using #WeNurses. Co-ordinator Teresa Chinn first decided to use Twitter to discuss professional issues when she felt isolated as an agency nurse. Since then, she has become an expert in the technology, delivering seminars and providing social media consultancy. More than 14,000 health professionals are currently following @WeNurses and it now functions as a support
diabetes and renal care, leadership and clinical guidelines, and Teresa always provides reading material in advance.’ She added: ‘The benefits for patients are endless.’
NURSING mayNo7 other :: vol uses 28 no 36 :: permission. 2014 63 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 21, 2015. For personal use only. without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
