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I spent this morning learning how to do Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation - this involved all of us who are part of the uro-gynae team on the island gleefully, or timidly depending on personality, sticking needles into each other's ankles and then sending an electric current through it!
This was to increase the treatments available to ladies who have over-active bladder problems ('ladies' simply because of the team who have learnt - we do a ladies' waterworks clinic). Part of our ethic is that, wherever possible, we should not ask patients to try something we haven't tried ourselves - so we were all there with our socks off and our trousers rolled up, or our tights off if we were wearing skirts, learning on each other - everyone from the clinic nursing assistant to the consultant - he was the first volunteer.
It was actually a really good morning - and the other staff in the vicinity said our laughter could be heard out on the corridor - they all wondered what we were doing that was such fun! And I can honestly tell patients that, having had it done to me, it tingles a little but really would be quite a nice way to spend half an hour a week for 12 weeks.
There is a really good video on YouTube - here for anyone who is interested.
This was to increase the treatments available to ladies who have over-active bladder problems ('ladies' simply because of the team who have learnt - we do a ladies' waterworks clinic). Part of our ethic is that, wherever possible, we should not ask patients to try something we haven't tried ourselves - so we were all there with our socks off and our trousers rolled up, or our tights off if we were wearing skirts, learning on each other - everyone from the clinic nursing assistant to the consultant - he was the first volunteer.
It was actually a really good morning - and the other staff in the vicinity said our laughter could be heard out on the corridor - they all wondered what we were doing that was such fun! And I can honestly tell patients that, having had it done to me, it tingles a little but really would be quite a nice way to spend half an hour a week for 12 weeks.
There is a really good video on YouTube - here for anyone who is interested.
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Date: 19/03/2012 08:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 19/03/2012 08:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 19/03/2012 09:13 pm (UTC)It looks like it works much like the TENS machine I have for my feet, only with needle insertion.
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Date: 19/03/2012 09:54 pm (UTC)There were many jokes about ticklish feet and then the occasional foot 'jumping' as we inserted the needles and so on, so that it was much more fun than anyone might have expected - and certainly team-building!
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Date: 19/03/2012 09:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 19/03/2012 10:01 pm (UTC)One of the secretaries came down to take pictures - and one of the doctors insisted on not being in them - so lots of jokes about him being a secret spy etc. as well.
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Date: 19/03/2012 09:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 19/03/2012 10:08 pm (UTC)Currently we are only going to be using it on patients that have had no result from, or bad side effects to, both oral and transdermal medication (transdermal being 'patches' - in this case oxybutinin patches - Kentera). The meds are safe with pacemakers if you tolerate them well. Otherwise the next step might have to be botox injections into the bladder wall...
But, hopefully, they might clear PTNS for people with pacemakers eventually.
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Date: 19/03/2012 10:14 pm (UTC)It sounds like you had a fun training session.
:D
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Date: 19/03/2012 10:25 pm (UTC)It was a much more fun morning than anyone had expected, really!
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Date: 19/03/2012 11:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 20/03/2012 08:33 am (UTC)I think this would be quite a pleasant form of therapy - we came to the conclusion that a recliner chair was the easiest place for both nurse/doctor and patient - and then you just sit back for 30 minutes with your book/kindle/ etc!
And we are thinking of using the picture of the consultant lying back getting the needle inserted to prove that it really isn't scary!
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Date: 20/03/2012 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 20/03/2012 08:36 am (UTC)I am one of the few nurses I know who can discuss self-catheterisation from personal experience!
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Date: 20/03/2012 12:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 20/03/2012 08:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 20/03/2012 01:22 am (UTC)- Erulisse (one L)
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Date: 20/03/2012 08:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 20/03/2012 02:09 am (UTC)~G
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Date: 20/03/2012 08:45 am (UTC)It is quite similar to TENS - but we are able to target one nerve in isolation by using the needles - which were much less scary than we thought. There is quite a bit of research now to prove how well it works - and so we can tell patients with conviction that there is an 80% chance of improvement in their condition, and it is really not painful at all.
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Date: 20/03/2012 01:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 20/03/2012 07:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 20/03/2012 08:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 20/03/2012 09:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 21/03/2012 04:05 pm (UTC)I just spent the time avoiding them!
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Date: 21/03/2012 12:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 21/03/2012 08:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 21/03/2012 01:45 am (UTC)You all are great for trying on yourselves!
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Date: 21/03/2012 08:40 am (UTC)12 weeks of treatment is usually followed by 'top-ups' as required - some clinics are doing these once every 3 months, others do them 'on request' which seems to be about every 3-6 months.
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Date: 26/03/2012 12:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 26/03/2012 03:00 pm (UTC)