[The nurse as endoscopist].

INTRODUCTION

A new diagnostic strategy for evaluation of patients with symptoms suggestive of colorectal cancer involves an increased use of flexible sigmoidoscopy. The number of endoscopists is declining, and therefore we found it interesting to describe a endoscopy training programme for the first two Danish nurses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two nurses were enrolled in a five-module practical training programme including a multiple-choice test and simulator training. After their completion of at least 100 sigmoidoscopies, a questionnaire on patient satisfaction was administered together with recording of technical details of the sigmoidoscopies during a three-month period.

RESULTS

During the three-month period, the nurses performed 69 sigmoidocopies. Of these, 88% reached a triangular lumen, the median examination time was 25 minutes, intubation of the sigmoid was successful in all cases and video review of the sigmoidoscopies revealed that no significant pathology had been misdiagnosed. Patient satisfaction among those examined by nurses showed that fewer patients experienced pain during the endoscopy than those examined by doctors.

DISCUSSION

The training programme was completed as planned, and the nurses obtained endoscopic skills comparable to that of doctors concerning patient satisfaction. Sigmodoscopy can be performed at an acceptably high standard by nurses. Training nurses to perform endoscopy requires a significant number of teaching hours and close supervision.