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Meningitis - Vital Resource for Nurses
04 February 2005
Meningitis Research Foundation has just produced a new resource for Nurses who work in the community, which we hope will save lives.
Vital signs, Vital issues, endorsed by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), aims to help Community Nurses by addressing three areas:
- Early recognition of meningitis and septicaemia;
- Meningitis vaccines and the diseases they prevent;
- Reassurance to parents about vaccine safety.
The booklet gives nurses the essential information to reassure parents about misplaced anxiety and suspicion relating to vaccine safety. It also helps in the recognition meningitis and septicaemia - the blood poisoning form - and with talking to parents about prevention.
Copies of the booklet have been sent to every GP surgery in the UK for the community nurses/practitioners. This is a free resource and further copies are available through contacting Meningitis Research Foundation. Alternatively it can be downloaded from this website.
Fiona Smith, Adviser in Children's and Young People's Nursing of the RCN said: "Vital signs, Vital issues provides an up-to-date evidence based information resource on meningitis vaccines and vaccine safety which will be an important tool for Community Nurses in restoring and maintaining public confidence in vaccines. It is an excellent comprehensive booklet, which the College is delighted to endorse."
Denise Vaughan, Meningitis Research Foundation's Chief Executive commented: "Each year in the UK there are some 2,500 cases of meningitis and septicaemia, 350 deaths and many more living with the after effects of these diseases which can be as severe as deafness, brain damage and amputations. By providing this information to nurses who work in the community we hope that lives will be saved."