Jennifer Trueland
Television has the potential to enhance life in care homes
Care home televisions blaring all day long can be distressing, but research suggests TV is comforting and stimulating too
Help in raising concerns about child abuse
A helpline for healthcare staff, funded by the government but run by the NSPCC, is the latest attempt to encourage professionals to speak up about suspected child abuse. Nurses have a duty to act if they suspect abuse, while employers must provide training and support.
A good way to die
An end of life care service is providing joined-up care for patients. Care co-ordinators arrange packages of care so patients can die in the place of their choice – often at home. The result is high satisfaction rates among patients, families and staff.
Local role that’s hard to ignore
Launched by Diabetes UK in 2015, the clinical champion programme is already making a difference to patient care and nursing careers
Spotting signs of dementia
Care home staff are well placed to notice if an older person living in the home may be developing dementia. A tool developed for their use – DeAR GP (Dementia Assessment Referral to GP) – empowers care home staff, makes more efficient use of GPs’ and specialist memory nurses’ time, and improves diagnosis of dementia.
Where age is no bar to friendship
In an award winning project in Dundee, secondary school pupils pay weekly visits to a care home and interact with the residents, who love their cheery company. The project improves understanding between generations and helps dispel myths about care home nursing.
Tackling the impact of problem drinking
As the UK’s drinking culture exerts increasing pressure on the NHS, nurses in settings from emergency departments to GP practices and community care are on the front line of alcohol abuse, using brief interventions and outreach education to change patients’ behaviour.
Rewarding work in sexual health
Working at a Marie Stopes clinic has some unique challenges, but also offers unique rewards.
My NHS trust's development programme gave me the leg-up I needed
Just as Lola Kehinde was getting frustrated at a lack of opportunities, her employer started a development programme that others might like to follow
The many benefits of ‘always events’
Simple changes that make a huge difference to patients are being implemented through the Always Events programme. Staff at a Lancashire pilot site use Always Events to support patients’ care transitions and communicate more clearly. The aim is to provide an exceptional patient experience.
Singing from the same song sheet
Forth Valley Nurses’ Choir is making a name for itself by singing at hospitals and charity events. Their audiences – including people with dementia – experience emotional release during the songs, while the nurses benefit from the camaraderie and wellbeing associated with singing in a choir.
Rallying support for an unpaid army
Unpaid carers fulfil a vital role looking after family members or friends who are sick, disabled or who need extra support. Their contribution to the healthcare system is undeniable, but often comes at the expense of their own health and wellbeing. More needs to be done to help individuals in a caring role.
The home front on pressure ulcers
Tissue viability specialist nurses at Guy’s and St Thomas’ trust in London are training care home staffand community carers to prevent and manage pressure ulcers. The successful Zero Pressure campaign stresses immediate response to any sign of skin reddening.
Get on your bike to boost sustainability
Sussex Community NHS Trust’s award-winning Care Without Carbon strategy is reducing waste and energy consumption by encouraging staff to make green pledges or accept ‘dares’, for example to recycle more or travel to work by bike. The approach is saving money and improving the health and fitness of staff.
‘I want nurses to flourish in all areas’
Nursing is a great career, declares newly-appointed chief nursing officer for Scotland Fiona McQueen. She also reveals that the reassuring care she received from nurses as a child was influential in her decision to follow in their footsteps.
At what age are you too old to treat?
New research exposes a misconception that older people are more likely to refuse treatment following a cancer diagnosis. Nurses can play a role in obtaining more accurate assessments of older people and raising awareness that cancer risk rises with age.
Seeing cancer from a cultural perspective
Black and minority ethnic people are at risk of delayed cancer diagnoses because of language barriers and the social stigma attached to cancer in some communities. Nurses can help by acting as advocates for patients, and by being aware of the risks for different ethnic groups.
Be aware and beat the odds
Denton Wilson discovered he had prostate cancer aged 42, shortly after losing his father to the disease. Eighteen years later he is still raising awareness among black men. Nurses should understand the increased risks for black men of having and dying from prostate cancer.