The Development & Role of the International Skin

care Nursing Group

Steven ErsserSteven ErsserChair ISNG Advisory BoardChair ISNG Advisory Board

Global challenge of meeting Global challenge of meeting skin care needsskin care needs

• Skin health is important, but neglected worldwideSkin health is important, but neglected worldwide• The burden of dermatological disease is high both The burden of dermatological disease is high both

in terms of chronic disease and infections & in terms of chronic disease and infections & infestations infestations

• There is a need to focus on skin barrier There is a need to focus on skin barrier vulnerability by, for example, preventing chronic vulnerability by, for example, preventing chronic woundswounds

• Skin disease can be a public health issue eg skin Skin disease can be a public health issue eg skin cancer, lymphatic filariasiscancer, lymphatic filariasis

• Skin diseases are complex in nature with major Skin diseases are complex in nature with major psychological, quality of life & socio-economic as psychological, quality of life & socio-economic as well as physical impacts well as physical impacts

Promoting Skin health Promoting Skin health through Nursing: through Nursing:

• Care of the skin- is fundamental to Care of the skin- is fundamental to nursingnursing

• Many countries have inadequate numbers Many countries have inadequate numbers of dermatologists of dermatologists

• Nurses are ideally placed to make a Nurses are ideally placed to make a significant impact in this fieldsignificant impact in this field

• Nursing service is complementary to that Nursing service is complementary to that provided by dermatologists and is key to provided by dermatologists and is key to promoting access to skin care promoting access to skin care /dermatology services/dermatology services

Nursing roles worldwide Nursing roles worldwide

• Resource rich countries: likely to be Resource rich countries: likely to be about expanding specialist roles at about expanding specialist roles at all levels of patient needall levels of patient need

• Resource poor countries: likely to be Resource poor countries: likely to be about promoting hygiene and skin about promoting hygiene and skin integrity through health education at integrity through health education at a non-specialist levela non-specialist level

ISNG Vision ISNG Vision

Through optimal use of the nursing Through optimal use of the nursing resource and in collaboration with resource and in collaboration with other professionals and agencies, other professionals and agencies, the world’s population will have the world’s population will have access to adequate facilities and access to adequate facilities and resources for the promotion of resources for the promotion of healthy skin for all healthy skin for all

ISNG (2000)ISNG (2000)

Aims of ISNG: IAims of ISNG: I• Contribute towards major public health Contribute towards major public health

initiatives where skin management is centralinitiatives where skin management is central

• Promote nursing education for nurses on Promote nursing education for nurses on skin health, develop curriculaskin health, develop curricula

• Facilitate collaboration with nursing Facilitate collaboration with nursing networks & other health professionals on networks & other health professionals on skin health skin health

• Establish an Advisory Group of expert nurses Establish an Advisory Group of expert nurses who provide a resource on skin health who provide a resource on skin health

• Collect information about the role of nurses Collect information about the role of nurses in the provision of skin care worldwidein the provision of skin care worldwide

Aims of ISNG: IIAims of ISNG: II• To exercise the political function of the group To exercise the political function of the group

through:through:– Raising awareness of: Raising awareness of:

•skin disease as a public health concern of skin disease as a public health concern of significant impact on individuals and significant impact on individuals and populationspopulations

• lack of support and resources for nursing which lack of support and resources for nursing which prevents realisation of the full potential to meet prevents realisation of the full potential to meet skin care related health needsskin care related health needs

– Promoting nursing involvement in Promoting nursing involvement in international dermatology policy makinginternational dermatology policy making

• Supporting research and development on Supporting research and development on skin care nursingskin care nursing

ISNG HistoryISNG History• 19981998: working group established in Oxford, : working group established in Oxford,

aims and objectives of the group determinedaims and objectives of the group determined• 1998/91998/9: Data established : Data established • 19991999: Launch at VIII International Congress of : Launch at VIII International Congress of

Dermatology, CairoDermatology, Cairo• 19991999: European Skin Care Nursing Network- : European Skin Care Nursing Network-

AmsterdamAmsterdam• 19991999: Successful funding bid for -project : Successful funding bid for -project

workerworker• 2000: 2000: ISNG Office set up atISNG Office set up at University of University of

SouthamptonSouthampton• 2002: 2002: Invited to plan the first nursing Invited to plan the first nursing

symposium at World Congress of Dermatologysymposium at World Congress of Dermatology• 20032003: Affiliated to the International Council of : Affiliated to the International Council of

NursesNurses

Membership and Membership and countriescountries• 265 members from 265 members from

over 30 countriesover 30 countries

• Cover most Cover most continentscontinents

• Most are activists/ Most are activists/ senior influential senior influential nursesnurses

• Nurses mainly but Nurses mainly but multi-professionalmulti-professional

ISNG Advisory BoardISNG Advisory Board

• Advise on the ISNG development Advise on the ISNG development supporting Chairsupporting Chair

• 9 members covering 5 continents9 members covering 5 continents

• All leaders in dermatology nursing All leaders in dermatology nursing include a number ex Presidents/ include a number ex Presidents/ Chairs of national dermatology Chairs of national dermatology nursing groupsnursing groups

• Providing leadership in their regionsProviding leadership in their regions

Key achievements I: 1999-Key achievements I: 1999-20062006• Raising the profile and awareness of Raising the profile and awareness of

dermatology nursing internationally dermatology nursing internationally • Educational projects: Educational projects:

– Contributed towards the WHO Global Contributed towards the WHO Global Alliance for Morbidity Control of Lymphatic Alliance for Morbidity Control of Lymphatic Filariasis health promotion on skin care Filariasis health promotion on skin care (2000-2004) (2000-2004)

– Establishing the Principles of Skin Care Establishing the Principles of Skin Care Project (2006/7)Project (2006/7)

• Instigated the development of ESCNN: Instigated the development of ESCNN: European Skin Care Nursing NetworkEuropean Skin Care Nursing Network

ISNG fieldwork in ISNG fieldwork in TanzaniaTanzania

•

ISNG fieldwork in ISNG fieldwork in TanzaniaTanzania

Key achievements II: 1999-Key achievements II: 1999-20062006• Supported development of national groups Supported development of national groups

and regional activity: eg: Europe (Switzerland, and regional activity: eg: Europe (Switzerland, Italy), South Africa, IndiaItaly), South Africa, India

• Advice on international issues to BDNG Advice on international issues to BDNG Committee 2000-4Committee 2000-4

• Led the first nursing symposia at the World Led the first nursing symposia at the World Congress of Dermatology in 2002 (Paris) Congress of Dermatology in 2002 (Paris)

• Key conferences: eg: Tanzania, Malta, South Key conferences: eg: Tanzania, Malta, South Africa, India, FranceAfrica, India, France

• Regular newsletters to members Regular newsletters to members

• Established website www.isng.orgEstablished website www.isng.org

Australia: ADNA integrated Australia: ADNA integrated meeting Perth 2005meeting Perth 2005

Malta: first ISNG joint skin & wound Malta: first ISNG joint skin & wound care conferencecare conference

South African first meeting: South African first meeting: 20062006

India: Hyderabad -nursing India: Hyderabad -nursing symposium for dermatologists symposium for dermatologists 20062006

Key relationships with Key relationships with other groupsother groups• International Council of Nurses International Council of Nurses

(official affiliate member)(official affiliate member)• International Foundation of International Foundation of

DermatologyDermatology• International League of International League of

Dermatological SocietiesDermatological Societies• National dermatology nursing National dermatology nursing

groups: egs BDNG, ADNA groups: egs BDNG, ADNA (Australia), NDNA (Netherlands), (Australia), NDNA (Netherlands), Dermatology Nurses Association Dermatology Nurses Association (USA)(USA)

International Council of International Council of Nurses: vision shared with Nurses: vision shared with ISNGISNG

We are in the vanguard of health We are in the vanguard of health care progress, shaping health policy care progress, shaping health policy around the world through our around the world through our expertise, the strength of our expertise, the strength of our numbers, the alignment of our efforts numbers, the alignment of our efforts and our collaboration with the public and our collaboration with the public and other health care professionalsand other health care professionals

Who will advise patients about Who will advise patients about matters dermatological in the new matters dermatological in the new

millenniummillennium?? Dermatologists have been accused of thinking Dermatologists have been accused of thinking

that they are the only people who know about that they are the only people who know about skin diseases and that they are the only skin diseases and that they are the only people sufficiently qualified to treat them. people sufficiently qualified to treat them. How true is this, and is it likely that How true is this, and is it likely that dermatologists are going to be the major dermatologists are going to be the major sources of advice on dermatological matters sources of advice on dermatological matters in the new millennium? in the new millennium?

Prof.Prof. Robin Marks (2000) in Archives of Dermatology Robin Marks (2000) in Archives of Dermatology University of MelbourneUniversity of Melbourne President, International League of Dermatological Societies President, International League of Dermatological Societies