Elsevier’s FIRST Consult helps nurses work better.
Philadelphia, 28 June 2004 – Elsevier is pleased to congratulate nurses on a job well done, as they gather this week at the American Nurses Association’s 2004 Biennial Convention, 26-29 June in Minneapolis, MN. Elsevier, publisher of 60 nursing journals, is dedicated to improving primary care for patients through the enhancement of texts and tools used by their caregivers. FIRST Consult is one of Elsevier’s products that has improved the way in which nurses and nurse practitioners (NPs) work.
There are 20,000 NP students in the United States and over 100,000 NPs. Eighty-five to 90 per cent of NPs have a master’s degree, earned at one of 600 NP master’s programs throughout the United States. All NPs are all qualified to deliver primary and medical care and many of them are responsible for things that previously only physicians handled. Their duties may include everything from making diagnoses, ordering and interpreting medical tests and writing prescriptions, to completing medical assessments and making referrals.
FIRST Consult is an evidence-based, information tool, designed for use at point of care. The technology is available via the Internet, and this allows users to access and apply information reliably and quickly. NPs no longer have to leave their patients to access data at the nursing station. They can now type in any clinical question and receive evidence-based answers, allowing them to make a more complete and informed decision.
The FIRST Consult website is updated weekly with clinical information. Templated pages that list screening techniques facilitate physical examinations given by NPs. There is even a Patient Education section, which helps to develop patient dialogue. FIRST Consult also features a Differential Diagnosis File, a Medical Conditions database, and a Reference Center, for non-disease specific topics such a bioterrorism, pregnancy and contraception. The combination of these resources allows NPs to enhance their skills and provide the best care for their patients.
"This is one of the best resources for me to use in the clinic at the point of care. It is excellent for an outpatient setting," said Thomasine Gurbinski, Associate Professor/NP, University of Maryland School of Nursing, in Baltimore.