Role of the Nurse Counsellor in Managing Patients with the Hyperventilation Syndrome

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Abstract
A hyperventilation clinic was established specifically to deal with patients referred from the accident and emergency department with the hyperventilation syndrome. This was run by a staff nurse, who counselled the patients and taught abdominal breathing techniques and relaxation. In 30 patients so managed, 63% said their symptoms were much better or had completely gone and in only 6% was there no improvement; 43% had previously had more than one attendance at the A&E department, but following treatment only 2 patients represented during 5 months of follow up. The use of a nurse counsellor seems to be a simple and effective approach to managing these patients and considerably reduces both casualty and outpatient physician time.