Understanding safety-netting in remote consulting. (2nd January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Silverston, Paul
• Is Part Of: Practice nursing. Volume 32:Number 1(2021)
• Page Start: 32
• Page End: 36
• Publication Date: 2021-01-02
• Subjects: Remote consultation -- Clinical decision making -- Diagnostic errors -- Primary health care; Nursing -- Practice -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 610.730941
• DOI: 10.12968/pnur.2021.32.1.32
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0964-9271

Abstract

Abstract : The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way health care is delivered. Paul Silverston explains the importance of providing appropriate safety-netting advice in remote consultations In primary care, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a rapid switch from face-to-face to remote consulting, which presented few opportunities for nurses who were unfamiliar with remote consulting to undergo any training in this skill. The clinical assessment and clinical decision-making skills required in remote consulting are different from those in face-to-face consulting and there is also a higher risk of diagnostic and decision-making errors in remote consulting than in face-to-face consulting. Safety-netting is an essential part of safe practice in primary care to reduce the risk of serious harm to patients from these errors. This article discusses the principles and practices of safety-netting in remote consulting.