後半規管型良性発作性頭位めまい症に対するセルフエクササイズの試み : 看護師との診療連携の検討

抄録

　Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common form of peripheral vertigo. It can be caused by debris in the semicircular canal of the ear. In regard to the location of the debris in the affected semicircular canal, sequential movement of the patient's head in the canalith repositioning procedure can cause the debris to move from the semicircular canal to the utricle. There is evidence that the canalith repositioning procedure is a safe, effective treatment for BPPV, but busy doctors are not always capable of performing of this procedure for all applicable cases. Therefore, we examined whether performance of the canalith repositioning procedure by well-trained nurses under the supervision of a doctor might be effective. We chose the Epley manoeuver as the canalith repositioning procedure. The results revealed that the period until resolution of dizziness was significantly shortened and the cure rate improved significantly. Therefore, we concluded that the outcomes of nurses' assistance in the Epley manoeuver are favorable. Transferring some of the duties of doctors to nurses would reduce the burden on doctors and allow them to focus on diagnosis and treatment that only doctors can handle. Consequently, task shifting of doctor's work to nurses under the supervision of a doctor can be considered in many aspects of health care.