Nurses should adopt 'holistic approach' to eczema

Nurses should adopt a holistic approach to the care of children with atopic eczema, suggests latest NICE guidance published today.

According to NICE, one in five schoolchildren is affected by atopic eczema and it accounts for at least 15-20% of paediatric dermatological consultations.

The guidance recommends that the severity of the eczema and the child’s quality of life – including everyday activities, sleep and psychosocial well being – be considered at every consultation.

It also suggests nurses should use a ‘stepped approach’ for managing eczema in children, identify potential trigger factors and educate children and their parents about atopic eczema and its treatments.

Guideline development group member Sandra Lawton, a nurse consultant dermatologist at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, said: ‘The guideline sets an invaluable precedent on the role that healthcare professionals should play in improving patient care.’

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