Bmc Fam Pract
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Among the strategies used to reform primary care, the participation of nurses in primary care practices appears to offer a promising avenue to better meet the needs of vulnerable patients. The present study explores the perceptions and expectations of patients with multimorbidity regarding nurses' presence in primary care practices. ⋯ Patients with multimorbidity are open to the involvement of nurses in primary care practices. However, they expect this participation to be established using clear definitions of professional roles and fields of practice.
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Increasing physical activity is a cornerstone in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and in general practice it is a challenge to achieve long-term adherence to this life style change. The aim of this study was to investigate in a non-randomised design whether the introduction of motivational interviewing combined with fitness tests in the type 2 diabetes care programme was followed by a change in cardio-respiratory fitness expressed by VO2max, muscle strength of upper and lower extremities, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and HDL-cholesterol. ⋯ In this 18-month study, participants who had repeated fitness consultations, including physical testing and motivational interviewing to improve physical activity, improved VO2max, muscle strength, and lipid profile. Our results indicate that physical testing combined with motivational interviewing is feasible in a primary health care setting. Here, a fitness consultation tailored to the individual patient, his/her comorbidities and conditions in the local area can be incorporated into the diabetes programme to improve patients' muscle strength and cardio-respiratory fitness.