Parkinson's nurses
Specialist Parkinson's nurses are experienced registered general
nurses with specialist experience, knowledge and skills in Parkinson's.
They play a vital role in the care of people with
Parkinson's.
They can also offer information and advice to families of people
with Parkinson's and other professionals
involved in a person's care.
What do Parkinson's nurses do?
Parkinson's nurses are a local source of expert
knowledge and can:
- provide valuable help in supporting people coming to terms with
their Parkinson's diagnosis
- offer guidance on managing medication
- make appropriate referrals on to other professionals such as
speech and language therapists and physiotherapists
Helping people to manage their medication is a large part of the
role.
This helps people get the best results from their medicines and
reduce the impact of any side effects.
Parkinson's nurses also train other health and social
care professionals who are involved with Parkinson's.
For example, Parkinson's nurses might help to make sure that people with Parkinson's get their
medication on time when they are in hospital.
Often people find out about Parkinson's UK from their
Parkinson's nurse.
Image above: Lorraine Savory, Parkinson's nurse
Parkinson's nurses talk about their role
Image right: Karen Lister, Parkinson's nurse
How are Parkinson's nurses different from other nurses?
Parkinson's nurses can provide expert care because they
only work with people with Parkinson's. They have a wealth of
knowledge about the condition that they are able to keep
updated.
Most other professionals will not have this focus on
Parkinson's.
Where do Parkinson's nurses work?
Parkinson's nurses work in hospitals, residential care homes and
in the community. Many Parkinson's nurses will see people in all of
these areas. Some are limited to working in the hospital.
My nurse understands me and gives me the tools to live an active life without resorting to other NHS services.
Pamela, who has Parkinson's
In hospitals, Parkinson's nurses will run nurse-led clinics and
also make sure that other hospital staff understand
Parkinson's.
They might work as part of a multidisciplinary team with other
professionals such as physiotherapists and psychologists.
If you have Parkinson's and you're admitted to hospital, the
nurse can contact the ward staff to make sure they understand your
condition and the importance of you getting your medication on
time.
In the community, nurses also run nurse-led clinics. These will
be in a variety of places including rehabilitation clinics, GPs'
surgeries and local community hospitals.
Parkinson's nurse may also see people in their own homes,
if the person is unable to attend clinics.
Nurses can also run telephone clinics or have dedicated times
when people can call. This allows a quick response without the need
for a clinic appointment.
Find out if there's a Parkinson's nurse in your area
To find out if there is a Parkinson's nurse in your area,
contact your GP, specialist or your local
Parkinson's UK team.
In this section
Help up campaign for a Parkinson's nurse for everyone
We believe that everyone with Parkinson's should have access to
this specialist role. And we're actively campaigning to make sure
this becomes a reality.
Take part in our Fair Care for
Parkinson's campaign and have your say about Parkinson's
nurses.
Help us fund Parkinson's nurses
Our vital Parkinson's nurse service also relies on donations.
Please help us secure it for the future by donating today.
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