NHS Fife Community Nursing Service is the main provider of domiciliary nursing care for adults who have complex and palliative care needs in the community setting. Nursing care is provided in collaboration primary care, social care and third sector partners including GP’s, Palliative Care services, Marie Curie Services and Home Care.
Community nurses work within teams in which patients are case managed by a District Charge Nurse who provides specialist assessment and team leadership to support patients in the management of their care at home.
District Charge Nurses have additional knowledge and skills in the management of patients with a palliative diagnosis, coordinating packages of care and actively participating in multi-agency care planning to meet the Preferred Priorities of Care and all End of Life pathways.
District Charge Nurses and Community Staff nurses have specialist skills in a wide range of wound care including, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of leg ulcers, pressure ulcers prevention and treatment of surgical wounds at home.
District Charge Nurses provide assessment for housebound patients on their caseload and liaise with health and social care to ensure prompt assessment of at risk patients that may require further support to prevent hospital admission or who may require long term nursing or residential care.
The District nursing service offers opportunistic health promotion at each patient contact to patients and carers in respect of healthy eating, exercise, smoking, alcohol, mental well-being and falls prevention, etc. Nurses can then signpost to other appropriate support services.
The Community Nursing Service offers evidenced based care and support for patients with bladder and bowel dysfunction including urinary catheter care.
The Community Nursing Service supports patients at home who have specific nutritional care needs such as Gastrostomy, Nasogastic and Jejunostomy feeding tubes.
