Management of patients with atopic eczema in the primary care setting

Nurses in primary care are ideally placed to successfully manage patients with common skin conditions such as eczema. The ability to manage the condition involves combining knowledge of the disease process, aggravating triggers, allergens and the role of the topical therapies that in combination are used to control the condition. Nurses must be able to offer the patient practical information about the application of therapies and changes to lifestyle and environment to enable the patient/carer to anticipate and control potential exacerbations of the disorder. This article cannot discuss all age groups and types of eczema in definitive detail, but introduces the principles of care for this group of patients.