Top 15: The most popular articles from our clinical archive in 2018
Posted 18 December 2018 - 16:01
Evidence and practice will always be a vital part of RCNi’s work, helping readers reflect on the underpinning knowledge-base behind high-quality nursing practice.
Among the most popular RCNi clinical subjects accessed in 2018 were: how to undertake a structured ABCDE assessment; the therapeutic relationship with patients; leadership; and clinical skills, including insulin treatment and managing non-healing wounds.
This shows your ongoing desire to remain in touch with the core human skills of nursing, coupled with a desire to learn how to lead effective care and improve clinical practice.
Here we look back in more detail at the most popular clinical articles over the past year.
1. Using the ABCDE approach to assess the deteriorating patient
This article outlines the systematic ABCDE (airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure) approach to patient assessment, which enables healthcare practitioners to identify and respond to life-threatening conditions in order of priority.
2. Developing patient rapport, trust and therapeutic relationships
Rapport is established at the first meeting between the patient and nurse, and is developed throughout the therapeutic relationship. This article provides three reflective exercises using case study examples to demonstrate how rapport is developed and sustained.
3. Legal, ethical and professional aspects of duty of care for nurses
This article examines the legal, ethical and professional aspects of duty of care, what these mean for nurses in practice, and how duty of care is intrinsically linked with standards of care and negligence.
4. Leadership styles in nursing
Nurses are often asked to think about leadership, particularly in times of rapid change in healthcare. This article discusses several leadership styles relevant to contemporary healthcare and nursing practice.
5. Developing nurses’ transformational leadership skills
Transformational leadership competencies provide nurses with the skills to contribute to improvements in the quality of patient care, while enhancing their career satisfaction. This article examines how nurses can apply transformational leadership to their practice.
6. Evaluation and its importance for nursing practice
Service evaluation is being increasingly used and led by nurses, who are well placed to evaluate service and practice delivery. This article defines evaluation of services and wider care delivery and its relevance in NHS practice and policy.
7. Developing effective and caring nurse-patient relationships
This article outlines how nurses can use a framework to develop therapeutic relationships with patients and use the best available evidence to deliver effective care. It also explores the challenges in developing effective therapeutic relationships with patients at the healthcare system level, and considers how these challenges can be addressed.
8. Measurement of lying and standing blood pressure in hospital
Measuring lying and standing blood pressure is an important clinical observation in older hospital inpatients. This is because a drop in blood pressure on standing, known as orthostatic hypotension (OH) is common in older people and in acute illness and, therefore, in hospital patients. OH increases the risk of a fall in hospital.
9. Introduction to positivism, interpretivism and critical theory
There are three commonly known philosophical research paradigms used to guide research methods and analysis: positivism, interpretivism and critical theory. Being able to justify the decision to adopt or reject a philosophy should be part of the basis of research.
10. How to write a reflective practice case study
This article guides the reader through the process of identifying suitable case studies to write about and structuring the work they produce. Clear distinctions are made between case study as research methodology and case study as reflective practice process.
11. Effective communication with older adults
Effective communication is essential in nursing practice and requires professional competence and engagement. This article can be used by nurses to support effective communication with older adults across the continuum of care.
12. How to administer an insulin injection
This article outlines how to administer an insulin injection, including: the competencies healthcare practitioners require to undertake this procedure; the steps they should undertake to safely administer insulin; and the evidence base supporting safe and effective insulin injection.
13. Role of effective nurse-patient relationships in enhancing patient safety
Safety is a multidimensional concept, which incorporates interrelated elements such as physical and psychosocial safety. This article discusses the importance of an effective nurse-patient relationship, as well as healthcare environments and working practices that promote safety, thus ensuring optimal patient care.
14. Role of nursing leadership in providing compassionate care
This article encourages nurses to explore the concept of leadership in the constantly changing field of health and social care. All nurses have an important role in leadership, and they should consider what type of leader they want to be and what leadership skills they might wish to develop.
15. Clinical management of non-healing wounds
Chronic wounds represent a significant burden on healthcare resources and can have a negative effect on patients’ quality of life. This article discusses the assessment and treatment of non-healing chronic wounds.
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