Learning Disability Practice

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NHS nurse vaccination rates: close-up of a person receiving a vaccination, with a hand holding a needle and the person’s shirt rolled up on their arm   Picture: UNP

Flu and COVID vaccines: your moral duty or a personal choice?

With vaccination rates falling since the pandemic, we look at myths, policies and attitudes

Nurses with long-COVID: a woman clutches her chest due to shortness of breath, a common symptom of long-COVID

Nurses with long-COVID being ‘let down by their employers’

Survey reveals lack of support, with inadequate safeguarding of staff well-being

Number nurses leaving NMC register has risen by almost 50% in just six months

Steep rise in new registrants quitting profession, as recruitment slows

Burnout blamed for ‘devastating’ surge in newly registered nurses leaving NMC register

Alcohol addiction among nurses: a sad looking young woman at a desk with her head on her arm, holding a glass containing alcohol

Addiction and substance misuse in nursing: is it a hazard of the job?

Why many hesitate to seek help with addictive behaviours – and the available support

Woman does calculations at home. Nurses in the NHS pension scheme need to work out te impact of working versus partial or full retirement

Partial retirement from the NHS: what looks like the best option for me?

And find out if you’re at risk of losing pension payments thanks to a rule change

Anthony Omo, adviser to NMC told members that: ‘healthcare is dangerous, and so there is a level of risk you need to live with’

Fitness to practise backlog: NMC cannot be expected to police nurses, says new adviser

Anthony Omo, short-term adviser to the regulator, made his comments at a NMC members’ meeting

Evidence and Practice

Embedding research in learning disability nursing practice: benefits of the MESH programme

MESH programme: embedding research in learning disability nursing practice

How the Mental Health Student Hybrid Placement programme aims to improve students’ skills

Physical health care: exploring attitudes and confidence among learning disability nurses

Physical healthcare: exploring attitudes and confidence among learning disability nurses

Study shows a need for training in physical healthcare to address the needs of this group

 Type 2 diabetes in people with learning disabilities: promoting behaviour change

Type 2 diabetes in people with learning disabilities: promoting behaviour change

How evidence-based education programmes can be used to support change and reduce risk factors

Learning disability and autism training

Your quick-read article summary

Exploing the barriers to identification of chronic pain in people with learning disabilities

Barriers to identifying chronic pain in people with learning disabilities

Health inequalities and lack of research prevent chronic pain from being managed

Exploring practice leadership in intellectual disability services: a concept analysis

Exploring practice leadership in intellectual disability services: a concept analysis

Essential attributes are to embed service values, be person-oriented and deliver active...

Features

A smiling woman appears deep in thought as she looks at her reflection in a mirror

How I used reflective practice to improve care for people with learning disabilities

Nurses share how they have used reflection to change and improve everyday practice

 Nurse behind seated patient stoops slightly and has her hands on his shoulders to express warmth and reassurance. Touch is a powerful way to show compassion in nursing

Using touch to show compassion: tailoring non-verbal communication to the individual

Judging when it’s appropriate to touch a patient or relative – and when it’s not

Illustration featuring five different NHS uniform tunic colours, from left to right: indigo, green, sea blue, navy blue and light blue

Uniform approach: what we like about our standardised scrubs

Nurses from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the pros of their nations’ uniforms

Illustration shows healthcare staff around a table formed from a clock face to suggest a team approach to rostering

Rostering: could more control over your shift timings transform your work-life balance?

Team-based rostering pilots point to improved staff retention and greater collaboration

Community nurse arrives at man’s front door. The two greet each other, suggesting a they share a warm bond

Bonding with long-term patients: promoting continuity of care within healthy boundaries

Tips on fostering ongoing therapeutic relationships while avoiding undue attachment

A dynamic illustration of a strand of DNA looking like a blue spiralling ladder with a section highlighted in pink

Rare neurodevelopmental disorders: what you need to know

Getting to know the characteristics of rare disorders can improve patient care

Opinion

Nurses’ fear of mistakes: a nurse sits on the floor of a locker room trying to overcome her nerves at work

How can I overcome my fears about making mistakes at work?

Tips on addressing anxiety over errors, plus how to handle them if they do occur

New NHS national uniforms in different colourways are designed to better distinguish nursing and other occupational groups 

‘Smart scrubs’: will your new work wardrobe help you do your job in comfort?

New NHS uniform has its critics, but perhaps it’s not such a bad idea

Free
Learning disability nurse and health visitor Lauretta Ofulue appears in one of Dance Syndrome’s videos, which seek to encourage more people to join the profession

Personal videos aim to encourage more people to become learning disability nurses

Videos include personal stories shared by learning disability nurses about their motivations

Students

Using AI for nursing degree: a person’s hands typing on a laptop computer, with illustrated icons representing study and technology hovering above them on the image

Is it cheating if I use AI to help me with an assignment? 

We look at the AI tools available, ways students can use them – and the potential pitfalls

Nursing students working part-time in supermarkets: a young woman stacking shelves in a supermarket 

Side hustles: how can I make extra money as a nursing student?

From bank work to bar work, tips on making extra cash while maintaining your studies

A nursing student looks at an IV monitor as she listens to a senior nurse while learning on placement

Feel you’re not good enough? Tips for students on building confidence

Strategies to help you overcome self-doubt in your studies and on placement

Careers

Becoming a chief nurse: achieving your career goal and overcoming setbacks

So you want to be a chief nurse? First-hand advice on becoming a stand-out leader

Three chief nurses share how they overcame obstacles to achieve their career ambitions

Supportive nursing workplace: a woman smiles as she shakes hands with her new employer during an interview

What does a good employer look like? Your workplace checklist

Experts advise on what to look for, from team culture and well-being support to leadership

Moving up to a band 6 nursing role: illustration shows a nurse standing on the band 6 part of a bar chart, in which the bars are steps from band 4 to band 6

Stay at band 5 or move up to band 6? How to decide what’s right for you

Stepping up may mean more pay, but what are the other factors to consider?

Jobs