Biomedical subjects

K Saffin

Publications and source records attributed to K Saffin.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1994

The effectiveness of vision screening by school nurses in secondary school.

Vision screening of 13 and 15 year old children by school nurses in Oxfordshire has declined in recent years due to the pressure of other commitments. A study was carried out to evaluate the likely consequences of failing to provide vision screening for secondary schoolchildren, in order to make a decision about the future of the service. Parents were also asked to complete a questionnaire about their children's past eye histories. Eight schools that had had no vision screening for at least three years participated in the study. Overall, 3.8% of children between 13 and 15 years old had a visual acuity of worse than 6/12 in one or both eyes, that is they failed vision screening; there was no evidence that this percentage increased significantly across this age range. Less than 1% of children were prescribed and wore spectacles as a consequence of failing vision screening and no new cases of eye pathology were detected. Questionnaire responses suggested that about 50% of children who did not wear spectacles had had an eye examination in the previous two years. The results indicate that vision screening is not the best way to meet the eye/vision needs of secondary schoolchildren. Strategies for targeting the school nursing resource more appropriately are being considered.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

School nurses immunising without a doctor present.

Oxfordshire's school health nurses routinely carry out rubella and tetanus and polio booster immunisations without a doctor present. Kate Saffin describes the preparation for and introduction of the practice and the results of an evaluation study. School nurses surveyed reported only one problem: increased workload because the doctor is no longer there to provide 'an extra pair of hands'.

England↗

PubMed1991

How well are parent held records kept and completed?

During 1986 and 1987 parents in part of the Oxfordshire district health authority were given their child's health and development records while in the other part of the health district the records remained with the clinic. Between August 1988 and February 1989 an audit was made of a sample of parents attending child health clinics in the two areas: the study examined 284 parents who had parent held records and 168 who did not; how many records were available and if not, why not; how well and by whom records were completed and parents' views on who they felt should keep the record. Interviews revealed that parents with a parent held record liked the scheme and were confident about remembering to take the record to the clinic. Those without experience were less confident and more concerned about losing the record. At the time of the audit 7% of parent held records had been lost or forgotten, but 5% of clinic held records were not available for inspection. Overall, parent held records were more likely to have comments contributed by parents and to be more thoroughly completed by professionals. The results suggest that parent held records are not only workable but desirable.

Child↗

PubMed1990

Do general practitioners and health visitors like 'parent held' child health records?

The study examines the reactions of general practitioners and health visitors to parents holding the main record of their own child's health and development. From 1986 the parents in part of the Oxfordshire district were given their child's records while in the other part of the health district the records remained with the clinic. The responses to questionnaires sent out to all general practitioners and health visitors in the two areas were analysed and compared. The results show that over 90% of the general practitioners and health visitors with experience of parent held records are in favour of them, wish to continue to use them, find them to be available in the clinic and are able to use them at other times. By comparison only 59% of those general practitioners who had no experience of parent held records are in favour of such a scheme. In general this latter group show greater concern in almost all areas investigated. Thus general practitioners' and health visitors' experience of the record suggests that it is not only workable but actually desirable.

Adult↗

PubMed1990