Clinical
Our clinical nursing articles aim to inform and educate nurse practitioners and students. This is achieved through the publication of peer-reviewed, evidence-based, relevant and topical articles.
Development and evaluation of an electronic medical device training passport to...
Why you should read this article: • To recognise some of the factors that can make it challenging for nurses to access training and maintain competence in using medical devices • To learn about development of an electronic medical device training passport that aims to better identify nurses’ training needs • To understand the benefits of an electronic medical device training passport for nurses, nurse managers and clinical leaders Background All nurses, particularly those working in critical care settings, are required to use medical devices when providing patient care. However, inconsistent practice and variations in documentation can make it challenging for nurses and nurse managers to identify what medical device training is required and when. Aim To develop and evaluate the use of an electronic medical device training passport to identify the training needs of nurses in intensive care units (ICUs). Method A pilot study was conducted in a multi-unit critical care department in London, England, to determine if the passport could make it easier to identify ICU nurses’ medical device training needs compared with existing practice. Nine participants were first asked to identify their needs using existing spreadsheets or paper records, then asked to identify them using the passport. The participants were also interviewed to identify their training requirements before and after using the passport. The data were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings The electronic passport significantly improved identification of medical device training needs compared with paperwork or spreadsheets for all device groups, except for medical devices used on high dependency units (P≤0.005). However, there may be issues related to nurses’ behaviours and expectations, particularly that staff do not always recognise their need for training. Conclusion The findings of this pilot study suggest that the use of an electronic medical device training passport has many benefits and could make it easier to identify ICU nurses’ training needs in clinical practice.
Mindful self-compassion for nurses: a systematic review
Why you should read this article: • To understand the concept of mindful self-compassion • To recognise the importance of mindful self-compassion in relation to reducing stress • To consider using mindful self-compassion activities to enhance your own well-being This article details a systematic review that aimed to synthesise and analyse the published research on the effects of mindful self-compassion interventions on stress in nurses. Five studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria and were analysed in terms of sample characteristics, intervention, measurement of self-compassion, additional psychosocial outcome measures, intervention duration and adherence, intervention outcomes and effect size and follow-up. The review found that mindful self-compassion interventions had medium-to-large effect sizes for self-compassion, traumatic stress, burnout, stress and compassion satisfaction. There was also high intervention adherence (mean=86%) in the included studies. Since these interventions can improve self-compassion and compassion in nurses, they have the potential to enhance the quality of compassionate care provided by nurses who undergo training in mindful self-compassion.
Maintaining person-centred care in hospitals during restrictions on family presence
Approaches to maintaining person-centred care in hospital during restrictions such as COVID
Gender diversity in nursing: time to think again
Familiarise yourself with specific techniques that could improve gender diversity in nursing
Patient outcomes and healthcare costs associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia
A study on the economic consequences of ventilator-associated pneumonia
Psychological peer support for staff: implementing the Trauma Risk Management model in...
Why you should read this article: • To increase your understanding of the Trauma Risk Management model of psychological peer support • To appreciate the potential benefits of peer support for staff exposed to challenging events or times • To read about one trust’s response to increased staff support needs during the COVID-19 pandemic One of the many consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is that the psychological well-being of nurses and other healthcare staff has received greater attention. The Supporting Our Staff (SOS) service, set up in 2017 at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, provides psychological peer support to staff using the Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) model. TRiM is a psychological risk assessment and peer support model designed to mitigate the risks associated with exposure to traumatic events. It was initially developed and used in the UK armed forces but has started to be used in healthcare organisations. This article describes the development and expansion of the SOS service, the implementation of the TRiM model by the SOS team, and the significant part the service has played in the trust’s response to the increased psychological support needs of its staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Understanding the work and decision-making strategies of bed management nurses
A systematic review of the literature on bed management nurses
How succession planning affects nurse managers’ leadership and organisational resilience
An assessment of how knowledge of succession planning affects practices and resilience
Identifying effective retention strategies for front-line nurses
An exploration of strategies to reduce the voluntary turnover of front-line nurses
Introducing a digital portal that enables patients to access their health records
This article outlines the process of implementation and discusses the lessons learned
Engaging nurses in achieving a culture of excellence
A description of a children’s hospital journey towards Pathway to Excellence accreditation
Examining an education intervention on nurses’ medicines management knowledge
Mandatory hospital medicines management programmes and their effects on nurses’ knowledge