ENT Nurse Specialist

Karen has developed a number of Nurse Led Clinics in the Outpatient Department where many patients are now reviewed.

Speaking Valve Clinics

Working in conjunction with the Speech and Language Therapy Department we have established a weekly clinic for laryngectomy patients who require advice or maintenance of speaking valves. Most commonly we deal with Provox 2 and Blom-Singer valves.

Development of ENT Nurse Specialist Role

The role has been a developmental one since Karen took up post. In addition to establishing Nurse led and Multi-disciplinary clinics Karen is actively involved with staff development

Karen also finds herself increasingly in demand more widely within the hospital and in the community as a resource for staff unfamiliar with ENT conditions, treatments and procedures. To a limited extent Karen also has the flexibility to visit patients in the community. Again this is something we would like to develop further in the future. Most of these demands relate to help and advise with tracheostomy care.

We are currently developing business cases and seeking funding for;

1. Tracheostomy Care Specialist Nurse
2. Head and Neck Cancer Nurse Specialist