CPD articles
Our continuing professional development (CPD) articles are designed to assist with your nursing skills and practice.
Undertaking drug calculations for oral medicines and suppositories
Nurses are required to demonstrate knowledge and competence in undertaking drug calculations...
11 Oct 2017
The medicines refrigerator and the importance of the cold chain in the safe storage of...
The medicines refrigerator is a common piece of equipment found in clinical areas. It is...
04 Oct 2017
Undertaking an oral contraceptive pill review
This article provides nurses with an understanding of the process for undertaking an annual...
27 Sep 2017
Developing and maintaining compassionate care in nursing
Compassionate care is a fundamental aspect of nursing, and is an important value that is...
20 Sep 2017
Care of older people with diabetes
The global population is ageing, and increasingly developing long-term conditions and...
13 Sep 2017
Role of patient education in postoperative pain management
Postoperative pain continues to be a significant issue in healthcare, with a considerable...
06 Sep 2017
Improving nurses’ level of reflection
Reflecting on practice is an important aspect of nursing. There is widespread...
30 Aug 2017
Supporting safe sexual and intimate expression among older people in care homes
This article outlines how care home staff can support safe sexual and intimate expression...
23 Aug 2017
Developing nurses’ transformational leadership skills
Healthcare is a complex area with significant potential for service improvement despite the...
16 Aug 2017
Developing patient rapport, trust and therapeutic relationships
Rapport is established at the first meeting between the patient and nurse, and is developed...
09 Aug 2017
Role of effective nurse-patient relationships in enhancing patient safety
Ensuring and maintaining patient safety is an essential aspect of care provision. Safety is...
02 Aug 2017
Recognising and diagnosing depression in children and young people
This article focuses on the recognition and diagnosis of depression in children and young...
26 Jul 2017
Managing patients’ anxiety about planned medical interventions
Patients are often anxious about planned medical interventions, and those experiencing...
19 Jul 2017
Using the Vessel Health and Preservation framework to enhance vein assessment and...
There is a range of risk factors that can lead to peripheral intravenous (IV) cannula...
12 Jul 2017
Undertaking effective handovers in the healthcare setting
Handovers are a crucial aspect of the patient’s healthcare pathway. Effective handovers...
05 Jul 2017
Understanding the link between obesity and diabetes
The incidence of type 2 diabetes is rising alongside increasing rates of obesity, in part...
28 Jun 2017
Leadership styles in nursing
Nurses are often asked to think about leadership, particularly in times of rapid change in...
21 Jun 2017
Considering patient experience and evidence-based choice of medicines in medicines...
Medicines optimisation can be used by healthcare professionals to support patients to gain...
14 Jun 2017