Clinical skills: practical guide for managing adults with epilepsy

This article concentrates on the practical management of those with seizures by general nurses. It focuses on the role of the hospital nurse in secondary care and the practice nurse in primary care. Both need to be conversant and practically competent to deal with the first-aid management of a seizure. They also need to know when medical assistance is required and how to act in an emergency. Epilepsy is a chronic long-term condition in adults and the main function of the nurse is advisory and educational. It is to act as a facilitator, and to assist adults to self-manage their epilepsy. Where the nurse is unable to provide this advice, appropriate referrals or contacts should be given.