It’s time to start looking after nurses to boost careNursing Times
27 May 2008
View all stories from this issue.
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‘A PhD is not for everyone’
A colleague and I recently had a lengthy debate about the inadequacies of traditional research training courses in meeting the needs of nurses. -
‘Cardboard nurses are a credit to the profession’
Cardboard nurses – say the BBC – are being used to tell visitors and patients to wash their hands before they go on to the wards in hospitals in Lincolnshire. Apparently, the life-size cardboard nurses contain a recorded message that is activated by people walking past.‘Please wash your hands’, it probably says, perhaps adding ‘and do it properly because I’m watching’. -
Agency nurses to get 'equal conditions'
Agency nurses must receive equal treatment to permanent staff after 12 weeks in a post, under a joint declaration by the government, the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress. -
Alison Gadsby: ‘Patients need visits from their families and friends’
Healthcare associated infections are big news these days, which leaves me slightly flummoxed for several reasons. When I was training as a nurse, I don’t remember the evil MRSA rearing its ugly head. -
Are nurses who fail to blow the whistle on bad practice protecting themselves?
Nigel Jopson and Ian Pierce-Hayes discuss the issues surrounding whistleblowing. -
Assessing the impact of a first-time parenting group
AbstractCox, P., Docherty, K. (2008) Assessing the impact of a first-time parenting group. Nursing Times; 104: 21, 32-33.BACKGROUND: The transition to parenthood can be stressful for first-time parents. This can affect their psychological well-being and their relationship with their baby.AIM: This study evaluated a health visitor-led first-time parent group and its imp -
Campaign raises awareness of immune disorders
A NEW campaign aims to raise awareness among nurses and health professionals of primary immunodeficiency. -
Campaign will explain reforms
Nurses will learn how NHS reforms will affect them in a new Department of Health campaign targeted at the profession. -
Cancer patients to be exempt from hospital parking fees in NI
Certain patient groups are to get free hospital car parking in Northern Ireland, following a government review. -
Early diagnoses key in fighting IMD
Early diagnosis is vital to reducing mortality in children and young people who contract invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), states UK clinical guidance that outlines the key symptoms nurses should look for. -
Evaluating tilt table testing in syncope 2: Management options
This is a two-part unit on syncope and the value of tilt table testing. Part 1 discussed the physiology of syncope, the procedure of tilt table testing, and indications and contraindications for it. This second part outlines the four common non-cardiac causes of syncope, treatment and management options. -
'Flat' cola is not an effective rehydration alternative
Carbonated drinks should not be used to prevent dehydration in children with acute vomiting and diarrhoea, even if they have gone flat, warn UK researchers. -
Government claims success over 18 week target
More patients are being seeing within 18 weeks from GP referral to treatment, the Department of Health has announced. -
Green light for Welsh single-room hospital
Final plans have been approved for the first all single-room hospital in Wales. -
Health service must cut CO2 emissions
The NHS has pledged to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions in a bid to fight global warming. -
Heart attack patients 'ignorant' of cardiovascular risk
Nearly half of patients with a history of cardiovascular disease have poor knowledge about their symptoms and do not perceive themselves to be at risk, say US nurse researchers. -
Improved patient awareness of named nursing through audit
AbstractShebini, N. et al (2008) Improved patient awareness of named nursing through audit. This is an extended version of the article published in Nursing Times; 104: 21, 30-31.The named nurse is an essential role in the delivery of patient care. This article explains the concept, its development and current implementation. It also reports on an audit of patient awareness of their named nurse, conducted in a mental health setting. The findings are discusse -
Judgement beats all pre-eclampsia tests
Clinical judgement is still the best way for nurses to identify those at risk of pre-eclampsia, according to a review. -
Leading on the future of nursing
Following the NT Summit in January, the profession’s leaders met to discuss the issues raised. By Steve Ford -
Measles cases spark warning
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has raised concerns over an outbreak of measles in south east London. -
Mental health care in prisons still a lottery
Prison mental health services in England face a postcode lottery in funding, according to a new report. -
Midwives appoint new leader
Professor Cathy Warwick has been appointed as the next general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives. -
Midwives reject three-year pay offer
Representatives of the midwifery profession have overwhelmingly rejected the three-year pay deal on offer from the government. -
MRSA goal may be in jeopardy
The NHS may have failed to meet its target of halving the MRSA infection rate this year, Marcia Fry, head of operational development at the Healthcare Commission, has cautioned. -
New community nurse degree for students in Essex
Student nurses who want to focus on working in the community are to be offered a new degree course in Essex. -
News Analysis: Patients have their say
The Healthcare Commission has just published the results of its annual survey of hospital inpatients. Richard Staines analyses the findings -
NICE issues major guideline on cardiovascular disease
Practice nurses and GPs should seek to systematically identify all patients aged between 40 and 75 who may be at risk from cardiovascular disease, according to latest guidelines. -
NICE launches new type 2 diabetes guidance
New guidance on the management of type 2 diabetes has called for patients to receive education about their condition from when they are first diagnosed. -
Nurse student initiative slashes waiting times
Student nurses in the Midlands have helped devise improvements that have cut hospital waiting times for toenail surgery by two-thirds. -
Nurse wins award for 'going extra mile' on GUM
A Surrey nurse has become the surprise recipient of a £1,000 prize in recognition of her work in sexual health. -
Nurses key to lymphoedema control
Early nurse-led interventions can significantly improve outcomes for breast cancer patients with lymphoedema, say US nurse researchers. -
Nurses to be appraised by colleagues
Nurses at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust are taking part in a pilot scheme to offer 360 degree appraisals. -
Nursing with a disability
As equality in the workplace comes under the spotlight, Lisa Hitchen talks to nurses about overcoming the odds -
Older care needs image revamp
There needs to be a major shift in the way in which caring for older people is presented as a nursing career, the government has claimed. -
Patient record scheme firm pulls out
The NHS electronic patient records scheme suffered a setback today when the electronics firms running a large part of it withdrew. -
Patient Safety Congress: CNO to ‘capture hearts and minds’
Patient safety is about ‘capturing hearts and minds’, according to chief nursing officer for England Chris Beasley. -
Patient Safety Congress: Honesty urged on adverse incidents
Junior health minister Ann Keen has urged nurses to be ‘honest’ when it comes to patient safety by ensuring they report all adverse incidents. -
Patient Safety Congress: Maidstone turns corner on C. diff
Significant improvements in infection control practices have dramatically reduced cases of Clostridium difficile at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust in Kent. -
Patient Safety Congress: Nurse fear puts patients at risk
Fear and lack of knowledge around mental health and human rights legislation could put patient safety at risk, delegates were warned. -
Patient Safety Congress: Video game will tackle HCAIs
A video game to monitor staff in infection control is to be piloted at a Yorkshire trust. -
Potential dangers posed by MRI scans to be investigated
The safety of magnetic resonance imaging for nurses and other staff is to be investigated by the Health Protection Agency. -
Research collaborations to find new ways of caring
A series of seven partnerships between NHS organisations and teaching universities are to begin research into caring for conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity. -
Rings increase infection risk
Wearing rings increases bacterial colonisation on hands, despite the use of alcohol-based hand-rub, say Turkish researchers. -
Scotland short of epilepsy nurses
Scotland has too few epilepsy specialist nurses to meet the needs of the country’s 40,000 people affected, a charity has warned. -
Specimen collection part 5 - obtaining a sputum sample
This article, the fifth in a six-part series on specimen collection, explains how to collect a sputum sample (Dougherty and Lister, 2004). -
Steps to improve the physical setting in end-of-life care
The Department of Health has announced new funding to improve the standard ofcare settings for dying patients and bereaved relatives. Nerys Hairon reports -
Understanding fear is a vital part of care
‘Don't you drive yet?’ a colleague asked me, as I muttered about the new bus timetable. I hastily discounted any idea of applying for a driving licence, adding that, it was far too grown-up a thing to do – and besides, I might accidentally hurt someone. -
Union rejects pay offer
Health workers from the GMB union have almost unanimously rejected the 8% three-year pay award for NHS workers in a postal ballot. -
Waiting-time target puts infection control at risk
The government’s four-hour waiting time target for A&E patients in England may compromise infection control targets, the RCN has warned. -
Wales is told to tackle staff abuse
The RCN has called on NHS managers to fully implement new measures to protect nurses in Wales. -
Yorkshire nurse takes over as head of academic council
The Council of Deans of Health has appointed a new chairperson.
