Community practitioner : the journal of the Community Practitioners' & Health Visitors' Association
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School nurses have been identified as having a major role in delivering the NHS plan through their work with the school community. To achieve this, multi-skilled teams are perceived as the way forward. ⋯ The findings show that a team approach in school nursing is possible. However its success would depend on developing mechanisms such as equitable workloads, team leadership and development training, and effective communication.
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Well into the third decade of the HIV pandemic, there is still no cure on the horizon and recent results of preventive vaccine studies have been disappointing. HIV diagnoses continue to escalate and a significant proportion of individuals with HIV remain undiagnosed. ⋯ Recent prevention initiatives include community studies of vaginal and rectal microbicides, and the provision of antiretrovirals for post-exposure prophylaxis following sexual exposure (PEPSE). Other developments are discussed to provide practitioners with an update on the contemporary issues related to HIV/AIDS.
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Review
Maintaining healthy skin in infancy using prevention of irritant napkin dermatitis as a model.
Irritant napkin dermatitis is a form of contact dermatitis that occurs in the nappy area as a consequence of the disruption of skin barrier integrity by prolonged contact with faeces and urine. It is a condition that still occurs regularly in young children, and is best managed by prevention. In this update, we will consider the reasons that irritant napkin dermatitis develops, and the simple methods that parents can adopt to avert it. These methods are equally appropriate for general skin care in babies, with the aim of preventing atopic dermatitis, another exceedingly common skin problem in this age group.