Lynne Pearce
Meet the headache specialist
A small number of neurology nurse specialists have become experts in helping patients suffering from headaches
Student life - Groans about student loans
When chancellor George Osborne announced last November that student bursaries were to be replaced with loans from 2017, it sparked widespread concern among nursing students.
Practice nursing: the pitfalls and the potential
A survey by the Queen’s Nursing Institute has confirmed that practice nursing is facing major pressures, with one third of practice nurses due to retire by 2020, patchy access to training and widespread discrepancies in pay. But there is also cause for optimism, as new initiatives aim to ensure practice nurses are better supported and rewarded.
With responsibility comes vulnerability
The Medical Defence Union warns that as nurses take on more responsibilities, they are more vulnerable to complaints and clinical negligence cases. Advanced nurse practitioners are advised to work within their competence, communicate clearly and apologise when things go wrong.
Scholarship can help ideas flourish
Scholarships from the Florence Nightingale Foundation are providing nurses with the financial means to put innovative ideas into practice. Nurses from all four countries of the UK can apply for leadership, travel and research scholarships to support their career development and help improve patient care.
From acute to primary care
Moving from hospital to the community has been made simpler thanks to the Queen's Nursing Institute
Nurse-led general practice blazes a trail
The nurse-led Cuckoo Lane Surgery in London has been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. Nurses run the practice and deliver most of the care to patients. Patient satisfaction rates are very high, and staff say Cuckoo Lane is an exceptionally rewarding place to work.
Break down the barriers
North East London NHS Foundation Trust strives to attract black and minority ethnic staff and to ensure all staff have opportunities to fulfil their potential. The trust has introduced reforms to remove barriers that prevent BME staff securing senior positions. Staff say that while more could be done, the organisation highly values BME staff.
The safety net with too many holes in it
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) were introduced in 2007 to protect the rights of people in hospitals and care homes whose freedoms are restricted. In December 2015 the Care Quality Commission highlighted a tenfold increase in DoLS applications. Nurses need more training in this fundamental area of practice.
Time to break the continence taboo
Millions of people in the UK experience continence problems that can have a devastating effect on quality of life. Nurse experts welcome new care guidance from NHS England but say that healthcare staff need to do more to raise patient awareness of available treatment options.
Care for all sexual orientations
Caring for trans* clients presents a particular challenge from a career perspective
General practice nurses urged to join professional mainstream
There has never been a time of greater opportunity for nurses working in general practice, according to a report published last month by the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI)
Ease the path from acute to community
NICE offers guidelines on how to ensure patients have the social support they need to leave hospital in a timely way. Its new guidance acknowledges the patient’s ‘journey’ often begins with emergency admission, and emphasises the dedicated role of the discharge co-ordinator. Despite pressures, nurses can lead improvements.
Changing the realities of poverty in pregnancy
Pregnant women from disadvantaged, vulnerable or excluded groups are more likely to have poorer maternal and neonatal outcomes. In Bradford, a three-year pilot project is targeting pregnant women in some of the poorest areas to improve the health of mothers and babies.
So you want to meet Elvis?
Eden House care home in County Durham, part of Helen McArdle Care, was rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission after one of its new unannounced inspections. Residents have a nail bar and hair salon and are served restaurant-style meals at the home. Set amid landscaped gardens, it prides itself on meeting the expectations of its 53 residents.
Towards a better understanding
A new website from Alzheimer’s Research UK aims to help young children, juniors and teenagers to understand dementia and the changes it can cause to a loved one’s behaviour. The site also assists nurses to answer children’s questions about the condition.
Looking back with pride 1916-2016
The RCN celebrates its centenary this year. In the past century it has grown into a unique voice for nursing, as a trade union and a professional body for its 430,000 members. General secretary and chief executive Janet Davies is confident it will still be here in 2116, a powerful body for an irreplaceable profession.
A modern take on menopause
Old scare stories about hormone replacement therapy and lack of training among healthcare professionals mean that many women are missing out on treatments for debilitating symptoms of menopause. NICE’s new guidance says HRT can be effective and offers advice aimed at healthcare professionals and patients.