Nurses lack knowledge on Parkinson's Disease

Nurses need more training and education in how to care for people with Parkinson's Disease, according to a small survey.

The poll of 35 nurses, conducted by the charity the Parkinson's Disease Society, revealed a significant lack of knowledge on the mental health issues associated with Parkinson's among nurses in England.

Less than one third of the nurses surveyed had undergone any training related to Parkinson's within the last two years, and the majority said they wanted more information about dementia and depression.

The poll also revealed that confidence levels among nurses were lower than any other professional group, with around half of the nurses having no confidence in their ability to identify the mental health or non-motor symptoms associated with the condition.

As a result of its findings, the Parkinson's Disease Society has launched a series of education events to tackle the issue.

It is holding a one-day conference next month for health professionals involved in the care of people with the disease, and five specific training programmes are to be piloted across the UK from February 2009.

For more information can be found at www.parkinsons.org.uk