CPD articles
Our continuing professional development (CPD) articles are designed to assist with your nursing skills and practice.
Preventing, identifying and managing delirium in nursing homes and acute settings
Older people in nursing homes are vulnerable to delirium, a condition causing confusion
Holistic pain assessment in older people and older people living with dementia
Nurses have a crucial role in pain assessment for older people and those living with dementia
Sexually speaking: person-centred conversations with people living with a dementia
Nursing responsibilities in addressing sexuality in people living with a dementia
Type 2 diabetes in older people: pathophysiology, identification and management
Exploring the implications of increased longevity and how this is linked to type 2 diabetes
Sexual health and well-being in later life
This article defines sexual health and explores the changes people experience in later life
How therapeutic communication can reduce distress in people with dementia
Newcastle Model’s biopsychosocial framework is revisited to understand the caregiving context
Osteoporosis and fragility fractures: risk assessment, management and prevention
Nurses need to be aware of the risk factors and identify at-risk patients
Understanding and managing depression in older people
Clinicians do not always recognise depression in older people as they attribute symptoms to the ageing process and the effects of failing health. Similarly, older people do not always appreciate that their symptoms relate to their mood. Understanding how depression affects older people can improve access to support, thereby improving overall health and quality of life. To ensure these outcomes we need a workforce with excellent communication skills that supports therapeutic relationships, promotes recognition of symptoms, and enhances assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management.
Helping people live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
How nurses can have a positive effect on the lives of people with COPD
Effective communication with older people
Nurses can overcome communication barriers through thoughtful interventions
Approaches to managing older people using opiates and their risk of dependence
There is little doubt that opiates have transformed healthcare, particularly in relation to pain management. However, many patients prescribed this type of drug develop problems such as dependency. Although we do not know how many older people have developed such problems due to opiate use we know that some will. It is important for nurses to understand the context in which opiates are used, as well as the specific needs of older people and how to respond to them.
Ethical practice in dementia care
Case study examples of challenging ethical situations that might be encountered