Long-term conditions 5: meeting the needs of highly complex patients

This article is the last in the series focusing on long-term conditions. It explores the educational needs and preparation of district nurses in order to meet the drive to efficiently and effectively care for people with long-term conditions in the home setting. It encompasses the findings of a small scale exploratory study conducted with district nurses from one PCT. The findings reveal a well informed and flexible workforce who value their core skills, some of whom are already adopting case management principles in their daily activities. However, the district nurses also expressed feelings of immense insecurity and change associated with their role. Educational deficits relating to long-term conditions and district nurses were discovered, indicating that educational and clinical leadership is paramount in order to meet the needs of this group of patients.