Benefits of the epilepsy specialist nurses (ESN) role, standardized practices and education around the world

Epilepsy, often considered as a stigmatizing disease, affects 65 million people worldwide and is frequently associated with comorbidities that increase both direct and indirect costs. The degree of impact on quality of life and the cost of care differs depending on the social and health care organizations in place, political, medico-economic and/or socio-cultural contexts. Across the globe, healthcare is provided by nurses in primary care, urgent or emergency care, and within specialized domains of practice. In Epilepsy the global care could be enhanced by developing standardized nursing education in close collaboration with other caregivers. The impact of epilepsy nursing care has been documented in some developed countries, but the diversity of nursing practices and professional education of nurses raise difficulties in generalizing these findings. Specialized education in epilepsy will improve access, treatment and ultimately the quality of life of patients.