On behalf of ESGENA and the Dutch Society of Endoscopy and GE Nurses and Assistants (V&VN Maag Darm Lever) they have pleasure inviting you to the 16th ESGENA Conference, which will be held during the 20th UEGW on Saturday 20th-22nd October 2012, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Download Programme [ 250 Kb ]

ESGENA are offering national societies a poster board during the ESGENA Poster Session.

This year there are two options for country posters:

1. You can present your Society's structure, achievements and different projects (e.g. working parties, guidelines) as in previous years
2. Or you can present your national courses for endoscopy nurses with structure, content, locations, etc.)

The scientific posters will be displayed on Saturday 22 October 2011 to Sunday 22 October 2011 in front of the ESGENA lecture halls K21-K24

• Call for National Society Posters  [ 200 kb ]

Please find below the preliminary programme for the ESGENA component of UEGW 2011 (22-24 October 2011):

• ESGENA Preliminary Programme  [ 475 kb ]

In response to the recent issues relating to the administration of drugs by nurse endoscopists, the National Prescribing Centre have issued a table of legal mechanisms for drug administration. This can be accessed at:

• www.npc.co.uk/prescribers/resources/legal_GI_endoscopy.pdf

Shared examples of good practice can also be submitted on:

• www.npc.co.uk/prescribers/resources/sharing_practice_proforma.doc

There is a breakfast meeting for nurse endoscopists at the BSG annual conference on Thursday March 17th where these issues will be discussed with Jane Brown Director of Policy and Implementation at the National Prescribing Centre.

Pauline Hutson, Chair BSG Nurses and Associates Section
November 2010

Message to all Nurse Endoscopists

The range of procedures being undertaken by nurse endoscopists is extending to include more therapeutic interventions particularly at bowel screening colonoscopy. It is timely therefore to review the issues relating to the administration of opiates by nurse endoscopists. A BSGE working party chaired by Dr Miles Allison Consultant Gastroenterologist convened in June to address these issues. The intention was also to review current practice involving other drugs including polyp lifting solutions used for endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). In addition to representative nurse endoscopists from across the UK the meeting was also attended by Jane Brown, Director of Policy and Implementation from the National Prescribing Centre, David Cressey Consultant Anaesthetist representing the Royal College of Anaesthetists, Rick Forbes-Young representing the Royal College of Nursing and Pauline Hutson Representing the Endoscopy Associates Group.

The BSGE has recently received an enquiry into the use of Entonox and fitness to drive. Entonox (50% nitrous oxide, 50% oxygen, manufactured by BOC) is mainly used in obstetric units and by the ambulance service, but its analgesic and sedative properties with rapid onset and offset make it a potentially attractive agent in patients having colonoscopy and it is already in use in many units. A number of publications in the 1990s showed that it is safe and effective, with reduced discomfort and nausea compared to IV agents and allows earlier discharge from the recovery unit. It is perhaps surprising that it is not more widely used.

As for the question of fitness to drive: the recently revised product licence states that patients are fit to drive a vehicle (or operate machinery) after only 30 minutes. Used in combination with a rapidly acting bowel cleansing agent, this could mean that for patients whose colonoscopy is to be done mid-week, only half a day away from work is required – a major advantage for the self-employed. A pdf file, "Entonox: Information for the User" is available from BOC (and on the BSG website)

Alistair McNair, Secretary BSG Endoscopy

• BOC Entonox Product Guide  [ 44 Kb ]