The practice nurse--a new look.

A nurse has been employed by three general practitioners in a semi-rural practice of 9,000 patients since April 1968. Of her 1,360 home visits, 838 were primary visits, of which only 87 required follow-up by the doctor and 484 were requested directly to the nurse. More advanced procedures carried out by the nurse included electrocardiography, pregnancy diagnosis, blood sampling, and cytology. This study suggests that the work of a practice nurse improves the medical service already provided and reduces the work-load of the doctors, particularly by primary screening by the nurse both at home and in the surgery.