Expert advice
Workforce: Nursing vacancies in England and Scotland at record levels
Although the data should be treated with caution, the message is clear: both sides of the...
15 Aug 2017
Legal advice: Can I refuse to care for a patient?
As long as your reasons are not based on discrimination, and it is not an emergency, you can...
08 Aug 2017
Medicines management: Should I still advise patients to finish a course of antibiotics?
Despite a call from experts for patients to stop taking antibiotics when they feel better,...
01 Aug 2017
Workforce: Staff retention is biggest challenge in tackling workforce shortages
With nurse turnover having huge financial implications for employers, it is little wonder...
27 Jul 2017
Legal advice: Do I own the copyright to a chart I designed?
A nurse has designed a chart for recording patient observations and data. Copyright and...
24 Jul 2017
Medicines management: How can we reduce unnecessary medication prescriptions?
All medicines have the potential to cause harm to patients. Before prescribing any...
21 Jul 2017
Workforce: NHS homes fund would give staff a glimmer of hope
NHS Confederation proposal for a £10 billion housing fund for workers shows creativity in...
17 Jul 2017
Medicines management: Should the NMC withdraw its standards for medicines management?
As part of its overhaul of nursing education, the Nursing and Midwifery Council is...
10 Jul 2017
Legal advice: Can a student interview a patient for a study without gaining consent?
A mentor is concerned that a student’s plans to interview patients for a research study...
30 Jun 2017
Workforce: agency nurses may be expensive but unfilled posts risk patient safety
With NHS Improvement halting new rules to cut spending on agency nurses, there may be little...
25 Jun 2017
Medicines management: How can we improve medication error reporting?
A ‘fair blame’ instead of ‘no blame’ approach would help ensure practitioners are not afraid...
13 Jun 2017
Medicines management: Reducing antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract...
Overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance. This is becoming a major problem...
02 Jun 2017
Legal advice: Can a mentor report a pre-registration student to the NMC?
A mentor believes a student's attitude makes her unsuitable for nursing, but students who...
31 May 2017
James Buchan: Nursing workforce crisis is self-inflicted
The nursing shortage is about more than Brexit. UK governments, regulators and educators...
31 May 2017
Legal advice: How can I ensure my partner gets my NHS pension? We are not married
Make sure you understand the terms of your pension scheme and state clearly who you wish to...
23 May 2017
James Buchan: Age of uncertainty and the need for foreign nurses
Lack of clarity on our EU exit terms, combined with scrapping of the student bursary, means...
17 May 2017
Medicines management: UK should review ban on raw marijuana
Raw marijuana could benefit patients with certain conditions and the UK government should...
14 May 2017
Legal advice: can my son’s friend undertake work experience at the GP surgery where I...
Allowing a non-health professional access to patients or patient records risks breaching...
01 May 2017