RCN Travel Health Nursing: career and competence development was first published in 2007, with subsequent editions coming out in 2012, 2018 and now 2023. Over the years this publication has helped to shape the practice of travel health, particularly for nurses not only in primary care but also in the private sector.
Prior to the third edition, a survey was undertaken to evaluate its usefulness - this makes interesting reading and can be viewed here. To say the development has been an unpaid 'labour of love' over the years is certainly true and a very challenging one at that on occasions, but we know it's made a difference, which has always been our priority.
For example:
- It has helps to achieve a reasonable length of time for a consultation - still not enough, but better than the original 5 or 10 minutes nurses were allowed in the early 2000s.
- It has steered fundamental training in travel health to the point that there is awareness a nurse new to travel health needs an initial minimum two days training, followed by mentorship in the clinical setting before seeing travellers in consultations independently. (As opposed to a possible half day travel event as was the case at that time, then the nurse was left to see travellers unsupervised - which made delivery of care very scary and a steep learning curve at the time). Of course this training recommendation should be the same for anyone undertaking travel health - the standard of care should be the same, regardless of whether the person is a doctor, pharmacist or a nurse.
- It contains bold statements to point out standards of care that are necessary for best practice - thus empowering the nurse to use this information when they may experience challenges in their workplace, potentially causing them to act outside these standards of best practice.
- It has inspired groups of nurses in countries around the world to develop their own sets of guidance specific to their local circumstances.
In May 2023, we presented the fourth edition of this publication as a poster at the International Society of Travel Medicine conference in Basel. To obtain a copy of this click here or on the image below.
But for a more detailed summary of what is new in this 2023 edition, I have written a summary document to help you get to grips with the changes - see here.
However in addition to reading this, you will really benefit from reviewing the whole of RCN Travel Health Nursing: career and competence development document. To access it directly click here or on the image below.
We hope you enjoy using it!
