Nursing Times
7 June 2011

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75% say it's health professionals' job to discuss death

Death remains a taboo subject in Britain, according to new research commissioned by the Dying Matters Coalition.
'A politically free NHS makes more sense than gangsta rap'

Many things bemuse me. The popularity of Cheryl Cole is an obvious example. Or gangsta rap – and I know I’m not the target audience but what is that all about?
A&E 'sees rise in treating young'

There has been a dramatic rise in the number of children taken to A&E departments with common illnesses, research suggests.
Abortion numbers rise in England and Wales

There has been a slight rise in the number of abortions carried out in England and Wales, official figures show.
ACA launch a pelvic floor leaflet for teenage girls

The ACA have produced a leaflet to help teenagers understand the role of the pelvic floor and how to look after it.
Addressing lapses in care involves getting to the root of the problem

‘Why was no one being held accountable?’
Adverse events less likely with patients involved in self-care

Patients have a more favourable impression of their care and are less likely to suffer an adverse incident if they are involved in their care, a study has found.
Alpha Blocker may relieve painful prostate condition

New findings show that treatment with a specific alpha blocker helps reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
Antipsychotic prescriptions for dementia need annual review

Dementia patients who are given antipsychotic drugs should have their prescriptions reviewed within a year, experts have claimed.
Are your patients satisfied with your surgery?

Patients choose their care centre by evaluating the quality of the service not the quality of nursing care, says RN Jennifer Ward
Asthma warning over ash cloud

Asthma sufferers have been urged to keep their medication with them as the latest volcanic ash cloud closes in on Britain.
BBC panorama case may stop nurses whistleblowing

Has the Care Quality Commission’s failure to act on warnings of abuse dettered you from whistleblowing?
Biomaterial implant jab provides back pain hope

Scientists at the University of Manchester believe they might have finally developed a treatment for chronic back pain.
Blood cancer network could speed up treatment delivery

Patients with blood cancers could get new treatments faster after 13 research centres teamed up to run clinical trials.
Botulinum injections do not reduce chronic neck pain

There is no evidence that Botulinum toxin injections reduce chronic neck pain or associated headaches, according to the US authors of a Cochrane review.
'Brisk' walks slow prostate cancer progression

Newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients can improve their chances of fighting the disease by going on regular power walks, new research has revealed.
Bullying at work increases long-term absence risk

Frequent bullying increases the likelihood of care home staff taking long-term sickness absence, according to Danish researchers.
Calendar Girls star supports charity's bedwetting campaign

Star of Calendar Girls and Loose Women, Lynda Bellingham, is backing Dry and Mighty, a summer awareness raising campaign from ERIC, a national children’s charity.
Cameron to defend NHS reform agenda

David Cameron will signal his determination to press ahead with “deep change” in the NHS, warning it faces a fundamental crisis in the future if reforms are blocked.
Cancer nurse advises BBC on Holby City

A consultant cancer nurse from Cumbria has said she is delighted to be advising the BBC about a storyline in a medical drama.
Child paracetamol prescribing not to recommendations

Many prescriptions issued in primary care for paracetamol either give less than recommended doses to older children or exceed recommended doses in young children, a Scottish study has found.
Clearer guidance to help parents measure child medicine doses

Parents are to recieve more help from clearer guidance to be published on children’s medicines containing paracetamol.
CNO spends £1m on consultants

The chief nursing officer spent nearly £1million on consultants last year, according to data from the Department of Health.
Colostomy pouch noise affects patient quality of life

Colostomy pouch noise affects quality of life in the majority of patients with them but many fail to discuss the issue with specialist nurses, according to survey results.
Combination antithrombotic therapy linked to increased risk of bleeding

Combination antithrombotic therapy may increase the risk of bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), say researchers.
COPD drugs link to urinary problem

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who are treated with certain inhaled drugs may be at a higher risk of developing problems urinating, according to researchers.
Corticosteroids plus antibiotics may help pneumonia recovery

Adding corticosteroids to antibiotics may help patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) recover more quickly than with antibiotics alone, according to experts.
Dehydration: why is it still a problem?

The effects of dehydration and why prevention is not as straightforward as it seems
Delivering oxygen therapy in acute care: part 2

In part 2 of our focus on oxygen therapy, we look at how developing a spectrum of respiratory support aids the appropriate admininstration of oxygen
Depression major problem for nursing home residents

Depression is a “major health problem” among nursing home residents without cognitive impairment, especially younger residents, according to Norwegian researchers writing online in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
'Don’t just stand by – blow the whistle on poor care'

Last week brought yet more bad news for those in the caring professions.
Early triptan treatment reduces migraine severity

Migraine can be prevented or reduced in severity by early treatment with drugs called triptans, experts have said.
Electrical stimulus helps paralysed man walk again

Pioneering treatment involving hours of training in tandem with electrical stimulus has allowed a hit-and-run victim who was completely paralysed from the waist down to stand up unaided and take steps on a treadmill.
End-of-life care manifesto won't succeed without community nurses

The government must invest “energy and real money” into the district nursing workforce, one of the authors of a new initiative to improve palliative care in primary care settings has warned.
Europe measles cases on the rise

The amount of measles cases reported in the the first three months of 2011 is already close to the number reported for the whole of last year, figures have revealed.
'Families just weren’t being cared for as well as they could be'

Working with families who may have inherited cardiac conditions is hugely fulfilling for Melanie Doyle
Foot ulceration has psychological effects

Foot ulceration in people with rheumatoid arthritis affects patients’ physical, social and psychogical health, say researchers.
Government called on to support Southern Cross staff future

The government will be urged to appoint a cabinet minister to help secure the future of staff and residents at Southern Cross care homes as the company struggles under mounting debts.
Guideline identifies homeless people in need of palliative care

Increased jaundice and spontaneous bleeding are key indicators of approaching death among homeless people, according to latest guidance.
Health and wellbeing part 1: helping ourselves and others

Nursing can be stressful. Ensure you know how to access resources to ease anxieties
Heart disease risk for inactive children

Signs of heart disease can develop in children as young as nine if they do not get enough exercise, a new study has indicated.
Heart function impairment possible in adolescents with Type 2 diabetes

Heart function may be affected in people with Type 2 diabetes as early as adolescence, according to a new study.
High epilepsy drug doses risk birth defects

Seizure control drugs used by epilepsy sufferers during pregnancy have been associated with an increased risk of major birth defects, according to researchers.
Higher calcium doesn't equal extra benefits

People do not have to raise their calcium intake in order to avoid osteoporosis later in life, a study says.
Higher venous thromboembolism risk at low-volume hospitals

Patients who undergo elective total hip or total knee replacements at hospitals with lower surgical volume have a higher risk of venous thromboembolism and mortality following the procedure, according to an American study.
Home rehabilitation after critical illness 'no effect'

An eight-week rehabilitation at home programme for patients recovering from critical illness was found to have no effect on the rate of improvement, according to researchers.
Hormone cancer therapy ups diabetes risk for men

Men with prostate cancer are at higher risk of developing diabetes or diabetes risk factors if they receive androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to block the production or action of male hormones that can fuel the growth of this cancer.
Hormone levels predict individual menopause age

Age-specific blood levels of the Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) can predict when women will reach menopause, say researchers.
'How long can the ‘Dunkirk spirit’ in nursing be endured?'

I have bought a wetsuit. I’d like to say it makes me look like a rubbery ninja but in reality I look more like a seal with a funny head.
How to educate patients

RN, Jennifer Ward, believes educating patients is vital to reducing hospitalisations and improving patient quality of life
How to work in partnership

Consider the purposes and costs of partnerships – working together may not be for the better, says Robin Miller
How's your work-life balance?

Taking time off from work can be hard, especially when you’re in charge, but it’s essential, says Steve Gulati
HPA urges parents to protect children with MMR

The Health Protection Agency is urging parents to protect their children against measles by ensuring they have been immunised with two doses of MMR.
'I have a mental list of personal nursing do's and don'ts'

Student nurse, Elena Ivany, wants to increase social contact with patients as part of her personal nursing code of conduct
'I would like to thank you for taking part in this important process'

This month, CNO Christine Beasley has been working with directors of nursing across the NHS on the government’s listening exercise
'I'm a control freak and it's unfair on my excellent team'

We talk to Rosemary Cook who has been a nurse for 31 years and is the director of the Queen’s Nursing Institute.
Inappropriate catheter use common among hospital inpatients

Excessive and inappropriate intravascular catheters use increases hospital days and cost, say researchers.
Independent inquiry into Winterbourne 'not ruled out'

A full independent inquiry into the abuse of residents at Winterbourne View, filmed by BBC Panorama, has not been ruled out, the government has said.
Investing in primary care nurses improves practice clinical quality

GP practices that employ more nurses and invest strongly in their training and education tend to provide better care, according to analysis of data exclusively shared with Nursing Times.
Join Nursing Times on LinkedIn!

Nursing Times has created a new group on LinkedIn where you can contact, share and discuss career development tips with your peers.
Lansley ready to change Health and Social Care Bill

Health secretary Andrew Lansley has said he was ready to accept “substantial and significant” changes to his NHS reform plans.
London nursing entry requirments not linked to course quality

Entry requirements for adult nursing courses in London appear to bear little relation to their quality, according to the latest performance ratings.
Loud opeating theatres up surgical infection risk

Patients are more likely to develop surgical site infections (SSIs) if the operating theatre is noisy, say researchers.
Malnutrition needs identifying in the community

Findings from a national survey show that malnutrition is still under-recognised
Many frozen plasma doses have 'unproven clinical benefit'

There is wide variation in dose of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) use by ICU clinicians, according to UK researchers.
Measles and the MMR: where are we now?

‘The numbers of susceptible unvaccinated children are mounting and as they get older, it’s forgotten that they still need protection’
Mephedrone linked to severe anxiety and suicidal thoughts

The adverse psychological effects of mephedrone – also known as meph, 4-MMC, MCAT, drone, miaow and bubbles – have been documented for the first time.
More men may require surgery for englarged prostate

Despite an increased use of oral therapies, some men may not be receiving adequate treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia and may still suffer severe adverse complications as a result, according to researchers.
More see mental health problems as an 'illness'

More people see mental health problems as an illness like any other, according to a new survey.
Most UK heart disease deaths in North West

The highest rate of deaths from heart disease in England occurs in the North West, figures have suggested.
MRSA strain found in British cow milk

Although not a general threat, a new strain of MRSA has been found in the milk of British cows, scientists said today.
Muscle thermoplasty breakthrough for severe asthma

Severe asthma sufferers could be set to benefit from a new treatment after a hospital became the first in the UK to carry out a pioneering technique which can help patients breathe easier.
Negative pressure wound system approved for high-risk surgical patients

A single-use negative pressure wound therapy system has been approved for use on acute wounds and high-risk incisions and grafts.
Newly discovered cholesterol 'hikes heart disease risk'

The risk of heart disease can be exacerbated by a newly discovered form of “ultra-bad” cholesterol, researchers have said.
NICE advises primary care on mental health detection

More should be done to notice symptoms of anxiety and depression so that the millions of people who are undiagnosed can be given help, it has been claimed.
NICE approves rituximab cancer treatment

Patients with follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are set to benefit from a treatment recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
NMC to bring education quality monitoring 'in house'

The Nursing and Midwifery Council has announced that a contract with a consultancy firm to monitor the quality of nursing and midwifery programmes will not be renewed.
No change on 18 week target despite PM pledge

The Department of Health has confirmed that there will be no reintroduction of national performance management for the 18 week referral to treatment target, after prime minister David Cameron pledged to retain the limit.
Non-invasive spectroscopy may help investigate urinary incontinence

A cell phone-sized, wireless near-infrared device is as reliable as the current “gold standard” invasive tests in determining bladder disease, according to researchers.
Nurse consortia role must be 'enshrined in law'

The Health Bill must be amended to make it illegal for GP consortia not to have a nurse in a senior decision making position, the Royal College of Nursing has said.
Nurse prescribers can boost clinical capacity for ADHD treatment

Nurse prescribers can safely be used to increase clinic capacity for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to UK researchers.
'Nurses deserve a seat on the board and they deserve it now'

The prime minister recently made a speech backing the NHS reforms and although he said nurses should be more engaged in commissioning, no formal role on consortia boards was alluded to - the RCN’s Dr Peter Carter explains why this is so essential.
Nurses may overestimate their manual handling skills

Nurses often overestimate their manual handling skills, despite having previously received training in it, Australian researchers have warned.
'Nursing fundamentals never change but technology races forward'

We quiz the chief nursing officer for Wales, Jean White, who is also honorary visiting professor at Cardiff University. She qualified to be a nurse in 1982.
Nursing must respond to failings in essential care

The publication of the first 12 reports from an inspection programme of hospitals by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has once again highlighted how much work the profession still has to do to ensure consistent standards of essential care.
Nursing Times announces new 'Rising Star of the Year' award category

There is just one month left to enter the Nursing Times Awards 2011.
Nutritional support: how to reduce the risk of harm

Ensure safe and effective care when using enteral and parenteral nutrition
One in three consortia have a nurse at board level

The Royal College of Nursing has renewed its call for nurses to have a guaranteed place on all GP consortia boards.
One in three experience pain after cytological smears

One in three women will experience some pain, bleeding or discharge after a follow-up cervical cytology test, according to Scottish researchers.
Online communities valuable for specialist nurses

Online networks can be particularly valuable to nurses working in highly specialist fields, according to Canadian researchers.
Online interpreter could aid communication with deaf patients

Nurses who are required to communicate with people who are deaf have been urged by a charity to consider using an online interpreter.
Pacemaker improves libido for men with heart failure

Men with chronic heart failure can look forward to improved sexual performance thanks to a type of pacemaker, a new study claims.
Pain to identify pressure ulcers early

A £2 million, five year research programme has been initiatied to find if pain can pinpoint pressure ulcers early.
Pandemic influenza triage does not reliably distinguish patients

Current triage methods for suspected pandemic influenza do not reliably identify patients with good and poor outcomes, warn Sheffield researchers in the Emergency Medicine Journal online.
Patient family history reports 'not accurate tool'

Patient reports of family cancer history are not a highly accurate tool for making referral recommendations, according to a study online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Patient mobile phones pose infection control threat

Around 40% of mobile phones entering hospitals with patients, carers and visitors may contain multi-drug resistant pathogens such as MRSA, according to Turkish researchers.
Polypill may cut heart disease risk

Heart disease and stroke risks could be cut after the world’s first international trial of a “polypill”.
Postgraduate nursing programmes 'enhance practice'

Postgraduate programmes enhance practice and further professionalise nursing, say Welsh researchers.
Postoperative dressings may not reduce infection risk

Dressing clean surgical wounds with postoperative dressings does not decrease the level of infection and wound dehiscence, say researchers.
Primary care nurses advised to be alert to measles threat

Primary care nurses have been advised to ensure patients – particularly those travelling to France – are vaccinated with MMR following a dramatic rise in measles cases this year.
Quiz 'detects Alzheimer's disease'

Alzheimer’s disease could be detected using a 15-minute online test, researchers have claimed.
Read the script from today's webchat: how can nurses help cancer survivors?

Dr Frances Goodhart hosted a live webchat on cancer survival on June 10 at 12pm. You can read the transcript here
Read the transcript from today's webchat with Dr Peter Carter: the future of nursing

Dr Peter Carter, the Royal College of Nursing’s Chief Executive and General Secretary, chatted with us live about the future of nursing: health reforms and nurse commissioning. You can read the transcript here
Researchers advance child bladder reconstruction

Employing a variety of the most sophisticated experimental techniques and procedures, researchers have advanced treatments for children in need of bladder reconstruction.
Salicylic acid and cryotherapy simillar for verruca treatment

There is no difference in outcomes between salicylic acid treatment for verrucas and cryotherapy, a study published in the BMJ has found.
Scotland urged to transfer hosptial services into community

Better leadership is required from the Scottish government, the NHS and councils to improve community health services, according to a spending watchdog.
Selenium supplements 'do not reduce cancer risk'

Taking supplements containing the mineral selenium do not reduce cancer risk, according to a Cochrane review by Italian researchers.
Skin cancer infusion significantly extends lives

A life-giving skin cancer drug described as a “true breakthrough” could be available in the UK within months.
Smoking while pregnant may alter baby's DNA

Asthma may be caused by changes in a baby’s DNA if their mother smokes during pregnancy, according to researchers.
'So what area of nursing do you work in?'

‘I’m a staff nurse for adult inherited metabolic disorders and not many nurses know what I do!’
Southern Cross announces thousands of redundancies

Hundreds of nurses’ jobs are feared to be at risk after the UK’s largest care home operator, Southern Cross Healthcare, announced 3,000 job cuts.
Specialist nurse elected Association for Continence Advice chair

Debbie Yarde, senior specialist nurse and team manager in bladder and bowel care has been elected chair of Association for Continence Advice at their annual conference last week.
Staff 'should urge at-risk flu jab uptake'

People who are at a greater risk of contracting winter flu need to be encouraged by healthcare professionals to take up the vaccination, it has been claimed.
Supplements 'could prevent pre-eclampsia'

The dangerous pregnancy complication pre-eclampsia could be prevented by taking dietary supplements, a study has found.
'The tensions around specialist nursing cannot be ignored'

This week sees three contrasting reports on the role of specialist nurses in the NHS.
The text effect - transforming two-way patient communications

Text messages can bypass the complexity and expense of fancier technologies to tackle one of health care’s costliest burdens: patient communications, says Martin Perminas, CEO of Boomerang
Transanal irrigation guideline launched

The revised St Mark’s Hospital guideline for the use of transanal irrigation has been launched at the Association for Continence Advice.
Trust bucks trend by hiring nurses

A hospital trust in the West Midlands is bucking the national trend by increasing its number of qualified nurses in a bid to improve care and save money.
Trust issued 18,000 parking fines

More than 18,600 parking penalties were issued by three hospitals during 2010, according to consumer group Which?
Trusts fined over mixed sex wards

Mixed sex accommodation breaches have dropped sharply since the launch of a tougher regime four months ago but more than one in 10 trusts have seen their performance decline.
UK approval sought for prostate cancer drug

An innovative new prostate cancer drug which lengthens life-expectancy for men in the late-stage of the disease could be available for use in the UK within a year.
Uncertainty continues for largest care home provider workforce

The future of thousands of nurses and healthcare assistants employed by Southern Cross Healthcare remains uncertain, following news that the troubled care home provider has given itself a four month breathing space to stabilise its precarious finances.
Unqualified injectors use 'phoney titles' to fool customers

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has been urged to beware of cosmetic injectable firms conning customers.
Victory in sight for Nursing Times' Seat on the Board Campaign

The government is set to make it compulsory for GP consortia to have a nurse representative on their boards, Nursing Times understands.
'We can improve addicts' lives and health, and stop them using dirty drugs'

In helping people battle substance misuse, Paul Thompson has learnt it’s not just the patients who need educating
'We can put our heads down and do nothing - or we can take action'

Jane Cummings and Michelle Mello ask what we can do to improve quality and justify pride in the nursing profession
'We must recognise that we are role models to our patients'

In 2009, the Boorman report highlighted the importance of NHS staff health and wellbeing, not only for individual employees but also so they can delivery quality healthcare.
What can nurses do to help cancer survivors?

Dr Frances Goodhart believes that nurses can make a real difference to patients recovering from cancer by providing information, honesty and support
Will organ donation ever be the norm?

What will help organ donation become a routine, accepted feature of palliative care?
Win a copy of '10-minute consultation: cardiovascular risk'

Registered users of nursingtimes.net can win a copy of the novel ‘10-minute consultation: cardiovascular risk’
Win a copy of 'Legal Aspects of Medicines 2nd edition'

Registered users of nursingtimes.net can win a copy of the novel ‘Legal Aspects of Medicines 2nd edition’
Women from deprived areas less likely to survive breast cancer

Women from poorer areas of the UK are less likely to be diagnosed early and are less likely to survive breast cancer, say researchers.

Nursing Times7 June 2011

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Nursing Times
7 June 2011