This article presents an account of the rationale for and the introduction of a change in practice. The successful removal of foreign bodies from children’s ears requires appropriate skills and experience. While traditionally a role for junior doctors, removal of foreign bodies from children’s ears at the ear, nose and throat outpatient clinic at Birmingham Children’s Hospital was associated with a low success rate. Therefore, it was proposed that an experienced advanced nurse practitioner would carry out this task in an attempt to improve patient outcomes. A database of outcomes was maintained and compared with those from a doctor-led clinic at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. The results highlight the benefits of nurse-led removal of foreign bodies from children’s ears.
Nursing Standard. 27, 51, 43-46. doi: 10.7748/ns2013.08.27.51.43.e7630
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to double blind peer review
Received: 22 February 2013
Accepted: 12 June 2013
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