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QNI launches resource to inform nurses and students about care home nursing

The complexity of care home nursing has been outlined and championed in a new resource pack which aims to encourage more nurses to consider the role.
QNI resource

The complexity of care home nursing has been outlined and championed in a new resource pack which aims to encourage more nurses to consider the role.

QNI resource

The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) Transition to Care Home Nursing resource was launched on 29 January at an event at the RCN headquarters in London.

It is the fifth in a series of resources aimed at encouraging nurses and students to consider and understand different care settings.

Speaking at the launch, QNI chief executive Crystal Oldman said: ‘We want nurses to see care homes as an exciting place to work. We want to see more students working in care homes with qualified mentors, to see how satisfying working in a care home can be.'

The resources are designed as workbooks, which an experienced nurse can use as a guide, while nursing students or newly qualified nurses can use with it mentor or preceptor guidance.

Breaking down barriers to care home nursing

The latest addition was designed by Queen's Nurse Sharon Aldridge-Bent, who said it aims to break down the barriers to care home nursing.

‘It covers all the terminology that surrounds care homes, which took me ages to get my head around, even though I worked in care homes as a district nurse. I don’t think I ever understood the ambiguity around some of the terms.

‘It addresses what the role of the registered nurse in a care or nursing home is and some of the key skills required. And again, when I was writing this, I couldn’t believe the complexity of that.’

She added that the resource not only aimed to introduce nurses to the setting, but help those already in the sector, with guidance on how to produce succinct, clear notes and keep on top of record-keeping.

There are also exercises on how to prepare for inspections and how to ensure other staff are prepared.

Other chapters cover the fundamentals of care, give advice on chronic health conditions, personal care, oral care, hydration, dementia, nutrition, bladder management and more.

Leadership skills could benefit

There is currently a 9% vacancy rate for nurses in social care and the QNI hopes to address this.

Dr Oldman highlighted the potential benefits of the nursing field for nurses who wish to improve their leadership skills or take ownership of care.

‘There is autonomy. It’s a leadership position where you can manage a team of carers and healthcare assistants, and take the initiative to improve the care received by residents in a nursing home,' she told Nursing Older People.

‘You may not get that opportunity or sense of ownership in a big organisation or large team.’

She hopes students who see the resource will push their tutors for placements in care homes.

However, she admitted there was an issue with all sectors fishing from the same pond, with a limited number of nurses and nursing students to recruit from.

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