A rapid review exploring nurse-led memory clinics.
Kerrie E Luck, Shelley Doucet
PMID 34102023WHAT IT FOUND
Six descriptive reports suggest nurse-led memory clinics improve access to dementia diagnosis and care, with high stakeholder satisfaction.
However, the evidence is anecdotal and lacks rigorous trials, so these clinics cannot yet be proven effective compared to standard physician-led care.
Key findings
01Nurse-led memory clinics were reported to enhance access to diagnosis and care, offer effective service delivery, and achieve high stakeholder satisfaction.
02The evidence base is limited to six descriptive studies and case reports, with no randomized control trials or standardized outcome measures.
03Clinic structures varied significantly in referral processes, team composition, and nurse credentials, ranging from multidisciplinary teams to nurse-physician dyads.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included only six articles, all of which were descriptive reports, case studies, or evaluations rather than controlled trials. No formal quality appraisal or risk of bias assessment was conducted. Data extraction and screening were performed by a single reviewer, increasing the risk of selection bias. The included studies lacked standardized outcome measures, making it impossible to statistically compare effectiveness or safety. The rapid review methodology used only three databases and excluded grey literature, potentially missing relevant evidence.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the reported improvements in access and satisfaction as proof that nurse-led clinics are clinically superior or safer than physician-led clinics. The evidence is anecdotal, derived from small, uncontrolled studies without rigorous outcome measurement, and cannot support a conclusion of efficacy.