Effects of epilepsy education on the academic achievement and quality of life of children with epilepsy

Background: Epilepsy can have a huge impact on children's quality of life and participation and attainment at school, particularly if the condition is poorly managed. Aims: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of education about disease and drug management given to children, their family and teachers on the academic success and quality of life of the child. Design: The study was a single group, pre-test, post-test, semi-experimental research study. Methods: The study was carried out in the paediatric neurology outpatient clinic of the Tepecik Education and Research Hospital in Turkey. The study sample comprised 65 people (25 patients, 25 parents and 15 teachers) who completed the pre-test and post-test assessments. The Sociodemographic Characteristics Questionnaire, the Quality of Life Scale in Children with Epilepsy and an academic achievement form were completed before the epilepsy education was given. Parents and children had training at the hospital. The teachers had telephone training. Some 3 months after the training, the scores for the Quality of Life Scale in Children with Epilepsy and the academic achievement form were reassessed. Findings: The comparison of the pre- and post-training Quality of Life scale scores of the children (p=0.000) and academic achievement scores of the children (p=0.017; n=15) demonstrated a significant increase. There was a significant difference between the quality of life scores of the participating children who received special education and those of the children who did not receive special education (p=0.007 and p=0.004, respectively). Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that providing training on epilepsy, not only for children but also for their families and teachers, would be beneficial.

Getting It Right First Time: the reports

Originally launched in 2015, the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme has become a leading authority for quality improvement in the NHS. In September 2021, the programme published an impressive series of reviews in no fewer than 18 subject areas, neurology being one of these. While earlier GIRFT reports tended to focus on acute care, the new reports have a much wider scope and scan a whole pathway approach for unwarranted variations in practice and what needs to happen to improve patient outcomes. In Part 1, Sue Thomas explores what GIRFT says about the organisation of neurological services and recommendations for service delivery, while Part 2 will explore parallel services, commissioning and future directions.

RESOURCE REVIEW

Debby Veigas continues our resource review column, which will provide a synopsis and brief analysis of a recently published resource that may be of interest to neuroscience nurses; a full reference is provided for those who wish to read the text

Follow-up care in children and young people diagnosed with concussion: a commentary

Background: Follow-up visits after a concussion are important in the children and young people for ensuring good health outcomes. Aims: This commentary will briefly detail the factors associated with children and young people obtaining follow-up care, review the evidence supporting the benefits of follow-up care after concussion and discuss opportunities for improving follow-up care in the paediatric population. Findings: Data suggest that whether or not children and young people receive follow-up care varies. Children and young people are under-represented in investigations into follow-up care after concussion. Conclusions: More research is needed on how follow-up care after concussion affects health outcomes in children and young people. The form that follow-up care should take, particularly in light of the pandemic, also requires further research.

RESEARCH ROUNDUP

Karen Harrison Dening provides a synopsis and brief review of a selection of recently published research articles that are of interest to neuroscience nurses, highlighting key points to keep you up to date; a full reference is provided for those who wish to read the research in more detail

Innovation and invention: the role of virtual occupational therapy in the management of motor neurone disease

Background: Motor neurone disease (MND) is a progressive neurological condition with no known cure. Supportive management and symptom control by a multidisciplinary team forms the mainstay of treatment. Caring for patients with MND throughout the COVID-19 required service providers to think of ways to adapt the service in order to meet the acute and constantly changing needs of their service users within pandemic guidelines. Aims: This paper explores innovative changes within the occupational therapy service provision during the pandemic and how it supports the multidisciplinary team (MDT) working. It also evaluates the merits and disadvantages of using virtual technology in specific areas of occupational therapy intervention. Methods: A set of prioritisation criteria was developed to understand the rationale for virtual versus face-to-face input. A reflective process has been used to identify and evaluate innovative service provision in occupational therapy in the management of motor neurone disease. Findings: Virtual consultations were an effective way of providing certain aspects of occupational therapy input. Virtual consultations were found to be less effective during moving and handling assessments, complex environmental adaptations assessment and when managing complex cognitive presentations. During the pandemic there was a rise in referrals for cognitive behavioural management, a specialist area of expertise for occupational therapy in this clinical area. A holistic approach was paramount in meeting the evolving needs of patients across functional domains. Occupational therapy complemented the caring and supportive role of nurses and other members of the MDT in the management of MND. Conclusions: Occupational therapy input can support an MDT by providing valuable assessment of functional decline, specialist equipment, supporting cognitive-behavioural performance, restoring life roles and minimising the challenges imposed by the environment. Using virtual technology discernibly can be an invaluable approach to occupational therapy practice within an MDT setting for managing a progressive neurological condition, such as MND, during a pandemic.

Clinical risk and legal risk: their impact on consent

John Finch discusses clinical and legal risk and the consequences they have for consent in legal matters concerning clinical practice

The ethics of ethics committees

An ethics committee serves a number of purposes, ranging from informed and considered deliberation and decision on difficult questions of clinical practice to acting as a vehicle for the pooling of multidisciplinary approaches to a proposed treatment. However, these functions are worthless unless underpinned by sound and up-to-date knowledge of applicable law. What, then, is the proper function of an ethics committee? John Finch explains.

The new NHS landscape

The NHS is undergoing significant organisational change, moving to a structure in which neurological patients will be managed within integrated care partnerships. Those working in neurology will need to play a major part in new service design at place level. Sue Thomas highlights these new frameworks and attempts to demystify how they will operate.