Nursing Times
April 2012

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#NurChat - 'Jedi’s have the force, nurses have the code'

Did you miss the latest #NurChat twitter debate about the NMC code? Let us sum it up for you?
#NurChat - Keep talking to improve MH and LD care in general settings

Did you miss the latest #NurChat twitter debate about MH and LD care? Let us sum it up for you?
#NurChat - Nursing is good for the soul

Did you miss the latest #NurChat twitter debate about whether nursing is a vocation or a career? Let us sum it up for you…
#NURSESHIFT: Should nurses work long days? Is it safe practice?

On 28 March 2012, nurses from around the country came together to discuss the issue of nurses working long days (twelve hours or more) on a regular basis and whether this is safe practice.
‘Nightingale’ nurse to oversee museum

The Florence Nightingale Museum in London has appointed Sue Sheridan as the new chair of its board of trustees.
3,000 sought for Parkinson’s study

A charity is looking for 3,000 Parkinson’s sufferers to take part in the biggest ever study into the cause of the disease.
Agreement set to boost diabetes care

A landmark diabetes funding agreement is set to improve the level of care which each child and young person in England with diabetes receives.
Air pollution 'kills 13,000 a year' says study

“Air pollution from exhaust fumes kills more than twice as many people as road accidents,” The Daily Telegraph has reported.
Alzheimer's: statin cure claims unfounded

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs “could stave off the symptoms of Alzheimer’s”, according to The Daily Telegraph.
'Be proud of your profession and enjoy your working life'

We talk to Alison While, professor of community nursing at King’s College London who registered as a nurse in 1975, before becoming a health visitor.
Big rise in womb cancer deaths recorded

A dramatic rise in the number of women diagnosed with womb cancer means death rates have risen by almost 20% in the last decade, figures suggest.
Blood group linked to gastric virus

People’s blood group may dictate whether they get infected by some strains of a gastric virus, research suggests.
Breast cancer category study brings treatment hope

A “landmark” study that divides types of breast cancer into 10 new categories could change the way the disease is treated forever, scientists have said.
Bullied children more likely to self-harm

“Children bullied during their early years are up to three times more likely to self harm than their classmates,” BBC News has reported.
Cable rubbishes regional pay fears

Business secretary Vince Cable has insisted the UK government will not “impose” lower pay on public-sector workers.
Can exercise stop mental decline?

Exercise can dramatically alter the rate of mental decline in elderly people with early signs of dementia, the Daily Express reported today.
Care must be viewed as the essence of nursing

Without knowledge of the concept of caring and what it entails, it is difficult to be an effective nursing leader.
CNOs outline action plan to halt slide in learning disability nursing

The NHS must do more to develop and make the most of specialist learning disability nurses, says a major UK-wide review of the sector.
'Consign outdated ideas of nursing to the past'

The health secretary has once again spoken out about what he intends to do to ensure nursing in this country remains respected and worthy of that respect. One of the things on his hit list is nurse leadership.
Diabetes: cases and costs predicted to rise

“Diabetes could ‘bankrupt’ the NHS in 20 years,” the Daily Mail has reported.
Director of nursing appointed honorary professor

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde director of nursing Rosslyn Crocket has been appointed an honorary professor at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Drug 'reduces asthma symptoms'

Half a million asthma sufferers in the UK could benefit from a “breakthrough” drug that reduces complications caused by the common cold, it was claimed today.
Drug targets cancer spread to bone

Thousands of cancer patients whose disease has spread to the bone could benefit from a new drug currently being approved for use on the NHS.
Employers bid to chip away at incremental pay rises

NHS employers are gearing up for a nationwide attempt to reduce the incremental pay rises that nurses and other staff currently receive, it has been revealed.
Family nurse programme continues to grow

The number of nurses working on a programme designed to improve the life chances of some of the most vulnerable children in society has increased by 50% in the last 18 months, data from the Department of Health reveals.
Few schoolchildren would 'consider nursing' as a career

Efforts must be made to improve the image of nursing as a career choice in secondary schools, Scottish nurse researchers have warned.
'Finding nurses who will speak out is like hunting for Easter eggs'

My daughter stops me: “Dad, Easter is about Jesus dying and being resurrected right?”
Hospitals 'failing to deliver' appropriate end-of-life care to dementia patients

Many patients with dementia who die in hospital still fail to receive sufficiently structured end of life care, a study in the North West has suggested.
Information 'key' to older people managing fall risk

It is crucial that older patients who have experienced a traumatic hip fracture are given information to help them reduce future risk of a repeat event, according to Scottish researchers.
Intentional ward rounds need improving, says PM forum lead

Intentional ward rounds must be carried out hourly and more paperwork should be done by the bedside, according to one of the leads of the prime minister’s nursing forum.
Is 'cuddle chemical' really the new Viagra?

“Forget Viagra, the ‘cuddle drug’ could be the new way to boost performance in the bedroom,” according to the Daily Mail.
Know how to support your staff

Learning to recognise and deal with low self-esteem is not easy but it is invaluable.
Lab tests give early clues on autism drug

Autism research in mice has raised the possibility of drugs to treat the condition, BBC news has reported.
Labour proposes free social care for terminally ill

Labour has proposed providing free social care to patients with a terminal illness and ending means testing, the party announced yesterday.
Lansley set to brave this year's RCN congress

Health secretary Andrew Lansley is to address the Royal College of Nursing’s annual congress this year, it has been announced.
'Listen to what nurses are saying about staffing'

Most nurses believe in setting minimum nurse to patient ratios, according to a recent report by Unison.
Lower cervical cancer screening age, says sufferer

Women should start being screened for cervical cancer at the age of 20, according to a student nurse who was diagnosed with the disease.
Malnutrition 'affects wide range of patients'

Malnutrition is often associated with older generations of patients, but it is also a problem for around a quarter of the 20-29-year-olds admitted to hospital, according to a report.
Medics 'offered genital mutilation'

As many as 100,000 women in Britain have undergone female genital mutilations with medics in the UK offering to carry out the illegal procedure on girls as young as 10, it has been reported.
MetaHabilitation: how to survive life after trauma

MetaHabilitation is a new model for rehabilitation after personal life crisis or significant trauma. It focuses on emotional and spiritual challenges.
Mobile phone cancer link unproven, says HPA

There is “no convincing evidence” that mobile phones cause cancer, according to a major report issued by the Health Protection Agency.
Mobile stroke treatment needs more evidence

Treating stroke patients in specialised ambulances en route to hospital could boost the number of patients who receive life-saving therapy, BBC News has today reported.
More patients report nurse shortages on wards

More hospital patients are reporting shortages of nursing staff on the wards, the latest national inpatient survey has revealed.
New drug for heart disease patients

Chronic heart disease patients whose lives are at risk could soon be prescribed a newly approved drug.
New review links obesity to lack of sleep

Lack of sleep has been linked to obesity in a new paper that reviews the evidence from a raft of sleep restriction studies.
NMC fails to rule out fee rise in quest to clear FtP backlog

The head of the Nursing and Midwifery Council has promised to go “back to basics” to tackle the mounting backlog of fitness to practise cases – but warned it could take up to three years and a fee rise could not be ruled out.
NMC to raise awareness of midwife supervisor role

The Nursing and Midwifery Council is to launch a drive aimed to increase awareness of the role of supervisors of midwives.
No evidence of omega-3 MS benefits

There is no evidence to suggest fish oil supplements slow down the progression of multiple sclerosis, scientists have warned.
'Nurses aren’t immune to changes in etiquette'

It’s rare that I ever read anything in the papers about “a crisis in nursing” and actually agree with its sentiments.
Nurses create 'diabetes listener' service

A new service has been started by nurses in the West Midlands for diabetes patients with mental health problems associated with their condition.
'Nurses should be seen and treated as people with passions and lives'

We talk to Kerri Wright, a part-time senior lecturer in the School of Health and Social Care at the University of Greenwich, who qualified as a nurse in 1995.
Nursing director leaves troubled Norfolk trust

Nursing director Carole Crocker is the latest senior manager to leave the troubled James Paget University Hospitals Foundation Trust in Great Yarmouth.
'Nursing is physically and psychologically challenging; you need to have a supportive network'

We talk to Karen Sanders, senior lecturer in nursing, healthcare ethics and law at London South Bank University, who qualified as a nurse in 1983.
Nutrition champions 'tackling patient malnutrition'

Nutrition link nurses are being used in Yorkshire to help introduce guidelines at ward level to tackle malnutrition among patients.
Obese patients 'prefer to be know as big'

Obese patients are not sensitive about discussing the issue of weight with health professionals but prefer to use more colloquial terminology, according to researchers in London.
Older people's nursing 'not widely perceived as a specialism'

Nurses who work predominantly with older patients are still not seen as specialists, despite the increasingly complex nature of care in this area, according to a study on international nursing opinion.
Our tweetly round-up

We scour the twittersphere in order to bring you our top tweets from this week. Did you make it in?
Our tweetly round-up...

We scour the twittersphere in order to bring you our top tweets from this week. Did you make it in?
Pessary may postpone premature birth

“A cheap medical device can dramatically reduce the number of premature births in some at-risk women,” the BBC has reported.
Police probe watered down morphine incident

Detectives are investigating how bottles of painkilling morphine on a hospital ward were diluted with water, it has been disclosed.
Press portrayal of care leaves nurses exposed to abuse

Media scrutiny around poor examples of care may be changing the way the nursing is perceived by the public and exposing nurses to increasing levels of abuse, warn Australian researchers.
Rule change gives nurses same script powers as doctors

Legislation has come into effect giving independent nurse prescribers the power to prescribe controlled drugs in schedules two to five.
School nurses are 'invisible' to teenagers

Less than one in five teenagers would talk to a school nurse if they were worried about their health, a new survey has found.
Scottish hospital checks underway on older care

An inspection programme of standards of hospital care for older patients is underway in Scotland.
Separating personas in social networking: the 'professional' and 'personal'

Many of us will decide to use social networking sites like Facebook to stay in touch with our family and friends.
'Social media is here to stay, so practice must adapt accordingly'

Social media is everywhere.
Specialist discharge sister for end-of-life patients 'a success'

A scheme piloting the introduction of an end-of-life discharge sister has proved successful for “many patients”, according to UK researchers.
Study 'links autism to maternal obesity'

“Obese women and those with type 2 diabetes could be increasing their chances of having a child with autism or another development disorder,” BBC News has reported.
Study probes weight gain after diets

“Trying to lose weight alters your brain and hormones so you’re doomed to pile it on again,” the Daily Mail reported.
Support networks in diabetes self-care 'need assistance themselves'

Family members often play a significant role in helping diabetes patients with self-care, which needs to be recognised by healthcare professionals in terms of offering support, according to researchers.
Tai chi and heart health in older people

“Practising the ancient art of Tai Chi can boost elderly people’s hearts,” according to the Daily Mail.
'The regulator must not be seen as an HR service'

Every nurse I meet is fearful of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
The Student Nursing Times Awards 2012

The first-ever Student Nursing Times Awards takes place today in London. Nursing Times reveals what it’s all about.
'There are aspects of mental health that are challenging...'

Tayaba Nicholson has been making a major difference in mental health since her student days.
Tiny device 'could repair damaged nerves'

Tiny computer-generated implants “can help restore feeling in severely injured limbs”, according to the Daily Mail.
Toolkit aims to help maternity staff improve safety

A toolkit for improving safety in maternity services has been launched by the King’s Fund with the backing of the Royal College of Midwives.
Training access holds back nurse prescribers, warn researchers

Access to specialist training is holding back nurses involved in prescribing pain medications, potentially at the expense of patient care, UK researchers have warned.
Unison attacks regional pay rates

Changing the pay rates of public sector workers, including NHS staff, to reflect regional differences would be an “unworkable, divisive nightmare”, union leaders have warned.
Using evidence

Understand your staff’s strengths and weakness in using research evidence, says Nicola Wright.
'We firmly believe regional pay would destabilise the entire NHS'

The pay review body report published in March 2012 has accepted the second year of the government’s public sector pay freeze, along with recommendations to implement regional pay for nurses and NHS staff.
'We have set up forums to allow nurses to network and make their voices heard'

As a nurse practitioner in urgent care, Nicola Groom uses both clinical and managerial skills
When data reflects badly on your staff

Putting information into context is vital if feedback is to be judged fairly, says Toby Knightley-Day.
X-ray 'brain tumour risk' is not proven

Regular dental X-rays “can double or even triple the chance of developing a common type of brain tumour,” according to The Daily Telegraph.
'You have to obtain skills that a nurse would normally never be expected to learn'

Jemma Gardner uses advanced skills to work solo, flying across the frozen north.

Nursing TimesApril 2012

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Nursing Times
April 2012