Opinion

Comment

A nurse stands in front of a line of other nurses, looking happy and confident. Yet nurses often downplay their role

Our professional inferiority complex: why you’re never ‘just’ a nurse

Safety-critical care is what we do, yet some of us can’t resist the urge to downplay

X-ray style illustration showing where the pancreas is located in the body

How can we improve the pancreatic cancer patient care pathway?

Pancreatic Cancer UK specialist nurse Di Dobson says people with the condition deserve better

Illustration showing two nursing team members in uniform standing pointing at a huge shift roster, as if discussing filling or swapping shifts

Unsocial shifts and rotas: what’s your breaking point?

Nurses are flexible but there has to be give and take if the NHS is to boost retention

Car park pay machine and pay-and-display signs in a hospital car park – hospital nurses face charges and fines for parking at work

Hospital car parking: who exactly is making a profit from all those charges and fines?

Using staff as cash cows if they drive to work shows how far goodwill has fallen in the NHS

Cruel curbs on migrant care workers’ lives are at odds with British values

Rules to stop overseas staff bringing family are also risky for the care sector and NHS

How my disability made me a better, braver nurse

As nurses we can use our own experiences as patients to enhance person-centred care

Expert advice

Nurse reads a vital signs monitor at patient’s bedside. This is key information when assessing level of risk for a person with sepsis

Sepsis guidance update: how do I need to change my practice?

Nurse specialist explains the importance of more targeted antibiotic use

Close-up image of two hands, as a nurse in uniform sits at the bedside of a dying patient in hospital, holding their hand

When a patient is dying: nurses’ role in the hours before and after death

Recognising when death is near, verifying death and providing compassionate care

A nurse in scrubs sits while taking a break, looking tired and fanning her face with her eyes closed as she struggles with symptoms of menopause during a shift

Menopause: what reasonable adjustments can I expect at work?

Most nurses will experience menopause and new guidance says employers have a duty to help

Ramadan and how to keep energy levels up in clinical practice during a month of fasting

Tips on the best ways to minimise hunger and thirst, while making time to pray on shift

Illustration of a nurse looking down and demotivated, holding a mask showing a brave face, which she is putting on her own face

How to give your best to patients when you’re lacking motivation

Finding ways to boost morale and reaching out to peers can help you get back on track

Man frowns and holds his chest as he coughs – chronic cough is a common experience among adults

Chronic cough in adults: how the latest guidance can help you help your patient

Advice on diagnosis and assessment, red flags, complications and timely referral

Editorial

Free
Global cancer icon showing ribbons around a map of the world

Too many people are still being diagnosed with cancer too late

Every nurse can make a difference and every person with cancer’s voice should be heard

Free
A nurse sits at the bedside of an older female oncology patient wearing a head scarf

Cancer nursing workforce needs to be supported, protected and grown

Morale is at an all-time low and the patient experience reflects this

Free
Yellow Ribbon for supporting people living with illness: Sarcoma Awareness Month is in July

Sarcoma Awareness Month allows us to focus on rate types of cancer

Keeping skills up to date and enhancing knowledge can enable faster diagnosis and treatment

Free

Why holistic and person-centred care is vital for people living with cancer

People with cancer need to talk about their needs and concerns and have more input in care

Free

Why we need to end the stigma around cancer

After the COVID-19 pandemic a greater focus on hard-to-reach groups is vital

Free

To improve cancer outcomes there needs to be investment in nurses and healthcare staff

As the pandemic recedes, we must meet the needs of people who require cancer care

Your views

A nurse appears apprehensive while being questioned by a senior nurse

Can difficult personal circumstances excuse mistakes at work?

We ask our readers if factors outside of work should be considered relevant

Illustration showing healthcare staff in different uniforms, representing different professions, standing on top of piles of coins of varying heights, suggesting pay differences between professions

NHS pay: would a separate pay spine benefit nurses?

We ask our readers if a split from Agenda for Change is the best approach

A year on from NHS industrial action, what has changed for nurses?

After the hard-won pay deal, we ask our readers’ panel how they feel about the dispute now

Dreaded form-filling: would standardisation across all settings make your job easier?

Universal patient documentation and its potential to ease your admin burden

Patient confidentiality and sharing patient data in your work WhatsApp group

What safeguards do you need to help you use instant messaging responsibly?

Is it safe to ask nurses to move settings to fill-in the staffing gaps?

Nursing care is complex and staff from diverse specialties aren’t interchangeable

Reviews

Psychosocial Issues in Palliative Care

Book review: Psychosocial Issues in Palliative Care

Assistant professor Vineeth Joseph reviews Psychosocial issues in Palliative Care

Death and the Elephant

Book review: Death and the Elephant

Nurse consultant Natalie Doyle reviews a life-affirming memoir

Anti cancer Living

Book review: Anti Cancer Living

Chemotherapy nurse consultant Catherine Oakley reviews Anti Cancer Living

The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer tile

Book review: The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer

Maria Leadbeater reviews The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer

Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine

Book review: Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine

Community liaison nurse team leader Kate Law reviews the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine

Abbreviated MRI of the Breast_tile

Book review: Abbreviated MRI of the Breast: A Practical Guide

Informative reference book written from a US perspective

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