Nursing Times
Clare Lomas

Making the most of your money

Student Guide
Studying and being in debt seem to go hand in hand, so at some stage you are likely to feel the pinch. Clare Lomas outlines ways you can get more money and make what you have go further
Home ECG monitoring reduces costs and improves care

27 July 2010
A telehealth pilot project that helps cardiac patients in the North West self-manage their condition has saved £185,000 in 14 months.
Specialist stroke units create 400 nursing posts

27 July 2010
Specialist hyper acute stroke units have created hundreds of jobs for nurses who are taking on increasingly advanced roles in stroke care.
CNO tells nurses to carve out a role in GP-led NHS

20 July 2010
The GP led groups set to take over the bulk of NHS decision making must be monitored for how well they are involving nurses - but it will also be up to the profession to make its voice heard, the chief nursing officer for England has told Nursing Times.
Unison warning over social enterprises

20 July 2010
Nurse entrepreneurs risk shouldering the blame for services that fail in tough financial conditions, Unison head of health Karen Jennings has warned.
NICE to expand remit into social care

13-Jul-2010
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is expected to produce 150 quality standards over the next five years to help trusts measure progress on clinical outcomes, according to the health white paper.
Pledge to 'end uncertainty' around community services

13-Jul-2010
The government has pledged to “end the uncertainty and delay” about the future of community health services.
More control for nurses over patient care

13-Jul-2010
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has pledged to give frontline nurses more control over decisions about patient care.
Control of nurses’ pay handed to employers

13-Jul-2010
NHS organisations will be handed control over nurses’ pay under ambitious plans to reform the NHS announced by health secretary Andrew Lansley yesterday.
Anne Milton pledges to shelter frontline nurses

6 July 2010
Health minister Anne Milton has pledged to protect frontline nurses and give them more control over decisions about patient care.
Overwork fears for breast cancer nurses

6 July 2010
Breast cancer nurse specialists are concerned they have too few staff to cope with an expected surge in referrals.
'Ridiculous' sexy nurse advert inflames Unison

29 June 2010
A television advert featuring “sexy” nurses has been slammed by Unison’s head of nursing Gail Adams as a “ridiculous fantasy”.
Hospital nurses should be 'systematic' about end-of-life care

29 June 2010
Hospital nurses should adopt a more “systematic approach” in helping patients choose where they die, according to a senior Department of Health official.
Lansley pledges £30m to children’s palliative care

26-Jun-2010
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has today pledged £30m of government funds to children’s palliative care projects.
Diabetes tsar: educate patients

22 June 2010
Structured education for patients with diabetes is an essential part of diabetes management and not a “luxury” to be cut, one of the country’s leading diabetes experts has told Nursing Times.
Alzheimer’s Society appoints new chief executive

16-Jun-2010
Dementia charity the Alzheimer’s Society has today appointed Jeremy Hughes as its new chief executive.
Diabetes care ineffective despite better access to services

16-Jun-2010
Many people with diabetes are not receiving effective care despite having greater access to healthcare services, latest figures have revealed.
Nurses lead initiative to help homeless people

16-Jun-2010
A pioneering project to help improve the health of London’s homeless is being piloted by accident and emergency nurses at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, West London.
RCN welcomes review of 'draconian' vetting scheme

15-Jun-2010
The Royal College of Nursing has welcomed government plans to scale back a controversial vetting and barring scheme it feared could breach nurses’ human rights.
PCT leads by example on community 'never events'

15 June 2010
A list of patient safety “never events” has been drawn up by a primary care trust in what is thought to be the first initiative of its kind in community services.
OBE for Manchester chief nurse

14-Jun-2010
The chief nurse at a Manchester trust has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list.
Nurse specialists take initiative to show their value to NHS

1 June 2010
Nurse specialists are developing a tool to demonstrate their clinical and financial value to trusts in order to ward off the erosion of their role as the NHS seeks to make massive savings.
Nurses may have to admit drug errors to patients

1 June 2010
Nurses could soon be legally bound to inform a patient after they have made a drug or other treatment error, under plans being considered by the Department of Health.
Nurses could be breaching code by administering drugs in ignorance

29-May-2010
One in four nurses administer drugs to patients without knowing the possible contraindications and side effects, Nursing Times’ survey has revealed.
Priority for drug safety 'needed'

25 May 2010
Directors of nursing should give medicines management the same priority as infection prevention and control to help reduce drug errors, Nursing Times has been told.
Fearful staff quiet over drug errors

25 May 2010
Nurse fear of being disciplined for making a drug error could be putting patients at risk of harm, a Nursing Times survey has found.
Dying patients denied pain relief because of legal fears

18 May 2010
Dying patients are being denied adequate medication to control symptoms and relive pain because nurses fear prosecution for assisting suicide, a Nursing Times survey has found.
Senior nurses to form 'go teams' for never events

18 May 2010
Senior nurses could form special investigation teams which would be dispatched to English hospitals after a “never event”.
Last offices neglected in over half of hospital deaths

11 May 2010
A dearth of training and guidance means nurses are failing to follow “last offices”, the simple procedures for treating dead patients with dignity and respect, a Nursing Times investigation has found.
Ward duties put specialist nurse roles at risk

11 May 2010
Trusts that send clinical nurse specialists back to the wards could be putting the future of the clinical nurse specialist role at risk, Nursing Times had been told.
Alarm as nurse specialists used to plug gaps on general wards

4 May 2010
Clinical nurse specialists are being sent back to the wards to perform duties outside of their specialist remit and expertise
Corporate focus vital in boardroom

27 April 2010
Directors of nursing should broaden their focus beyond nursing issues if they are to push the quality drive at board meetings and avoid being stereotyped as the “bleeding heart” of the boardroom.
Cancer charity gets tough on nurse funding

20 April 2010
Plans to increase the number of cancer nurse specialists could be put at risk if the NHS cannot commit to funding new posts, a leading cancer charity has warned.
Nurses need greater awareness of Hepatitis C

20 April 2010
Nurses must see Hepatitis C as a disease, rather than stigmatising people suffering from it, or risk a “major public health emergency”, a charity has warned.
Nursing directors defend profession over failure to hit single sex ward target

13 April 2010
Nursing directors have blamed inadequate buildings rather than nurses’ lack of commitment for some trusts failing to meet the target on delivering same sex accommodation.
Strategies needed to tackle negative image of nursing

6 April 2010
Directors of nursing must develop strategies to address negative perceptions of the nursing profession at a local level before launching any national campaign to improve nurses’ image.
Manchester trust rolls out automatic patient warning system

6 April 2010
An early warning score system that helped to slash length of stay at a Manchester hospital is to be rolled out across the trust from this month.
Nurses instrumental in eliminating mixed sex accommodation

6 April 2010
Nurses have been praised for being at the centre of successful efforts to eliminate mixed sex accommodation in hospitals.
Safety fears prompt calls for more nurse led care plans

30 March 2010
Nurses are being told to take more responsibility for developing personalised care plans in response to fresh evidence that the safety and welfare of NHS patients is being compromised.
Data sharing vital to tackling winter death burden

23 March 2010
Better information sharing between clinicians in acute and primary care is vital to reducing winter deaths, senior nurses have warned.
Sexualising nurses could lead to attacks on staff, warns Unison

23 March 2010
Portraying nurses in a sexually provocative way could contribute to attacks on nursing staff, Unison head of nursing Gail Adams has warned.
'Myths' could leave nurses in danger of sharps injuries

16 March 2010
Nurses will remain at risk of unnecessary sharps injuries because half of trusts are unlikely to switch to safer needles, despite new European legislation.
CQC completes non-exec board line up

16 March 2010
The Care Quality Commission has appointed John Harwood as its sixth non-executive board member.
Innovative device to reduce needlestick injuries

16 March 2010
A device designed to stop nurses from manually re-sheathing needles could help to significantly reduce the number of needlestick injuries.
Mid Staffs failings put directors of nursing under scrutiny

9 March 2010
Directors of nursing are under scrutiny from strategic health authority chief nurses following the Francis report into serious care failings at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust.
Workforce survey warns of significant gaps in diabetes nurse specialists

9 March 2010
Nearly half of diabetes specialist nurses are due to retire in the next 10 years, a national workforce survey has found.
GPs should fund nurse COPD training

2 March 2010
GPs should fund training for practice nurses to deliver the national chronic obstructive pulmonary disease strategy, according to a leading health educator.
Basildon 'guilty' over patient death

28-Feb-2010
Officials at Basildon University Hospital in Essex have pleaded guilty to health and safety failings that led to the death of a patient with severe learning disabilities.
RCN: Mid Staffs should act as warning on staff shortages

24-Feb-2010
The independent inquiry into serious failings at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust should act as a “siren” across the NHS to show the consequences of focusing on “process over patients”, the RCN has said.
Cutting specialist nurses could cost NHS millions, warns RCN

24-Feb-2010
Cutting specialist nursing services for people with long term conditions would be a “false economy” that could cost the NHS millions, the Royal College of Nursing warned today.
London trust trials pioneering falls prevention tool

16 February 2010
A pioneering tool to help prevent falls in older patients is being piloted at London’s Imperial College Healthcare Trust.
Nurse-led service slashes cancelled heart ops

16 February 2010
A nurse-led service for patients having cardiac surgery has helped slash the number of cancelled operations and length of hospital stay at a south London trust.
NHS East of England appoints new deputy chief nurse

14-Feb-2010
The East of England strategic health authority has announced the appointment of Gwen Collins as the region’s new deputy chief nurse.
Handover tool improves patient safety

9 February 2010
A pioneering electronic tool to improve the quality of patient handover has significantly improved patient safety at a Wiltshire trust.
Root cause analysis 'critical' to patient safety, says CNO

9 February 2010
Using root cause analysis tools to understand adverse events is “critical” to improving safety across the NHS, according to chief nursing officer for England Dame Christine Beasley.
US hospital 'kite mark' scheme could boost nurse retention

9 February 2010
Nursing directors should be actively explore the adoption of a US accreditation programme that recognises excellence in nursing care, according to the lead nurse piloting the scheme in the NHS.
London heroin user tests positive for anthrax

6-Feb-2010
A drug injecting heroin user is being treated in a London hospital after testing positive for anthrax, the Health Protection Agency announced today.
Nurse training in VTE prevention must be mandatory

2 February 2010
All hospital nurses must receive mandatory training in the prevention of venous thromboembolism, senior nurse specialists have warned.
Safer surgery checklist improves theatre nurse retention

2 February 2010
Adopting the World Health Organization’s safer surgery checklist could help improve nurse retention, a prominent US surgeon has told Nursing Times.
Trust failings allowed nurse Colin Norris to kill, says report

27-Jan-2010
A series of failings at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust in West Yorkshire allowed former nurse Colin Norris to kill four elderly patients, an independent inquiry has found.
Assess all hospital patients for blood clot risk, says NICE

27-Jan-2010
All patients admitted to hospital should be assessed for the risk of developing blood clots, according to latest NICE guidance.
Nursing research needs to be more 'scientific'

26 January 2010
Nursing research needs to be more scientific if it is to help nurses change practice and improve patient outcomes, according to one of the country’s leading nurse academics.
Safety checklists could cut 'human error' in clinical practice

26 January 2010
Using safety checklists in routine clinical practice would help nurses improve care across a range of key areas, according to the nursing lead of a national patient safety campaign.
Nurses urged to rely less on technology when observing patients

24-Jan-2010
The chief nurse at a top London teaching hospital has urged nurses to rely less on technology when observing patients.
COPD strategy to be unveiled next week

21-Jan-2010
A long-awaited national strategy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for England could be available for consultation by the end of this month, Nursing Times has learnt.
Cancer survivor plan means 'shift' in nurse skills

19 January 2010
Practice and community nurses will need a range of new skills to help deliver a major government strategy to improve the care of cancer patients and survivors.
DH appoints liver disease tsar to lead national strategy

18-Jan-2010
The Department of Health has appointed Dr Martin Lombard as the first national clinical director for liver disease.
Ignoring warning signs is 'criminal'

12 January 2010
Nurses who “actively choose” not to use early warning scores to spot deteriorating patients should face disciplinary action, the senior nurse lead for a new patient safety campaign has told Nursing Times.
Almost two million women screened for breast cancer in 2009

19-Dec-2009
The number of women aged 50 to 70 screened for breast cancer in the UK reached almost two million in 2009, according to latest statistics.
NHS 'on track' to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation

16-Dec-2009
The NHS is on track to “virtually eliminate” mixed-sex accommodation from English hospitals, health minister Ann Keen announced yesterday.
Dedicated infection control nurses needed in ICU during pandemic

8 December 2009
Acute trusts should appoint a dedicated infection control nurse to work with staff in intensive care units during the height of a swine flu pandemic, latest research suggests.
Top nurse warns risk assessment tools are not backed by evidence

8 December 2009
The director of the national nursing research unit has called into question the worth of clinical risk assessment tools routinely relied on by thousands of frontline nurses.
Calls for more understanding of nurses with mental health problems

1 December 2009
There is “no evidence” to suggest that a nurse with a mental health problem would not be good at their profession, according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Nurses encouraged to become NICE 'ambassadors'

1 December 2009
Nurses who want to play a bigger role in the work of NICE are being encouraged to apply for a fellowship with the institute.
Call for mandatory training in care of the dying patient

24 November 2009
End of life care experts are to call for all healthcare staff to receive mandatory training in how to care for patients nearing the end of their lives.
Call for more donor transplant coordinators

24 November 2009
The organ donation organisation for the UK NHS Blood and Transplant has called for more nurses to become donor transplant coordinators.
GOSH nurses unveil workforce planning tool

16-Nov-2009
An electronic tool that can be used to facilitate better workforce planning was unveiled by nurses at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital for children today.
Directors of nursing lack confidence in their strategic skills

10 November 2009
Managers have more faith in nursing directors’ ability than they have in themselves, Nursing Times’ 360 degree survey reveals.
Over two thirds of nurses say their directors are invisible on the wards

10 November 2009
There are wide divergences between how visible directors of nursing believe they are and the perceptions of their own nursing staff, according to a survey by Nursing Times.
Antipsychotics associated with significant weight gain in children

28-Oct-2009
Children and adolescents who take second-generation antipsychotic medication are significantly more likely to experience weight than those who do not, latest research suggests.
Nurses must stay vigilant to MRSA risk during swine flu pandemic

27 October 2009
Nurses must remain vigilant to the risks of MRSA during the swine flu pandemic, infection control nurses have warned.
Student nurses denied observation practice on clinical placements

20 October 2009
Student nurses are not being given the opportunity to practice basic observation techniques while on clinical placements, potentially leading to a major gap in essential skills.
Poor observation skills are risking patients' lives

13 October 2009
Patients’ lives are being put at risk because of poor practice in basic patient observations, Nursing Times can reveal.
Automatic observation equipment can detract from nursing skills

13 October 2009
Automated technology to monitor vital signs has emerged as a contested area in the drive to maintain standards of patient observation.
NPSA says all nurses should be using early warning score systems

13 October 2009
All acute nurses should be using early warning score systems to identify patients at risk of deterioration, according to the National Patient Safety Agency.
School nurses urged to follow DH guidance on HPV vaccine

6 October 2009
School nurses have been advised to continue to follow government guidelines on offering the HPV vaccination, while reassuring pupils and parents that the vaccine is safe.
Half of diabetes sufferers experience hypoglycaemic episodes

5-Oct-2009
Half of people with type two diabetes regularly experience mild to moderate hypoglycaemic episodes, latest survey results suggest.
One in eight strokes preceded by 'warning stroke'

29-Sep-2009
One out of every eight strokes is preceded by a ‘warning stroke’, latest study results suggest.
Innovative blood tracking system will help to improve patient safety

29 September 2009
An innovative barcoding system to improve the safety of patients requiring blood transfusions is to be piloted by nurses on the South coast.
Vitamin D deficiency linked to high blood pressure

28-Sep-2009
Pre-menopausal women who have a vitamin D deficiency are significantly more likely to develop high blood pressure in mid-life, latest study results suggest.
Nursing at heart of drive to speed up cancer diagnosis

28-Sep-2009
Nurses will be at the centre of a government drive to diagnose more cancer patients more quickly, due to be announced by the prime minister tomorrow.
Insufficient evidence for PSA prostate cancer screening

25-Sep-2009
There is insufficient evidence to support population-wide screening for prostate cancer using the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, according to two new sets of research published online in the BMJ.
Funding squeeze halts innovative nurse-led service

22 September 2009
Lack of funding has halted a successful nurse-led telemedicine scheme, despite such innovations being championed by the government.
Question mark over value of elective MRSA screening

22 September 2009
Trusts are spending thousands of pounds on screening elective patients for MRSA, but only a tiny proportion are testing positive for the infection, a Nursing Times investigation has found.
HRT increases lung cancer death risk

21-Sep-2009
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) using oestrogen and progestin increases the risk of death from lung cancer, latest study results suggest.
Exercise better than shockwave treatment for chronic shoulder pain

17-Sep-2009
Supervised exercises are more effective than shockwave treatment in relieving chronic shoulder pain, latest study results suggest.
Early periods linked to birth complications

16-Sep-2009
Women who start their periods at an early age are more at risk of birth complications in later life, latest study results suggest.
Nurses failing to recognise patient engagement

15 September 2009
Public and patient engagement needs to be given more recognition in nursing practice, a pioneering research project suggests.
Is nursing’s great challenge care of the elderly?

14-Sep-2009
A recurring theme in negative reports about nursing quality in the NHS seems to be the care given to older patients. Clare Lomas investigates what can be done to meet the challenge
Depression increases cancer patients’ risk of dying

14-Sep-2009
Cancer patients who suffer from depression are more likely to die from the disease than those who do not, suggest Canadian researchers.
Telehealth system slashes hospital admissions in COPD patients

12-Sep-2009
A nurse-led telehealth project for patients with COPD has helped to slash the number of unnecessary hospital admissions at an acute trust in Leicestershire.
Chronic pain patients trapped in 'ongoing cycle' of suffering

11-Sep-2009
The majority of patients who suffer from chronic pain are still in moderate to severe pain after a year of treatment, latest survey results suggest.
MRSA infection rates in England fall by 40 per cent

10-Sep-2009
MRSA blood stream infection rates in England fell by nearly 40 per cent in the last quarter, according to latest figures from the Health Protection Agency.
'Community prevention' cuts teenage binge drinking

8-Sep-2009
A community based prevention system aimed at promoting healthy behaviour among young people can cut rates of binge drinking among teenagers, latest study results suggest.
Nurse-led services protect public from medics’ quirks

8 September 2009
Nurse-led services protect patients from the “idiosyncrasies of the individual clinician” and should be championed and not attacked.
In-hospital ‘sepsis teams’ significantly improve patient care

8-Sep-2009
Introducing an in-hospital ‘sepsis team’ to an acute trust can significantly improve the outcomes of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock, study results suggest.
Childhood cancer survivors need early breast cancer screening

7-Sep-2009
Women treated with chest radiation for childhood cancers are not being adequately screened for breast cancer, research suggests.
MHRA issues addiction warning on over the counter medicines

3-Sep-2009
Packs of over the counter medicines containing codeine and dihydrocodeine are to carry new warnings about the risk of addiction, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced today.
Labour drugs linked to breastfeeding problems

2-Sep-2009
Drugs given to women in labour to prevent postpartum haemorrhage could reduce their ability to breastfeed, latest research suggests.
Cardiac therapy can delay progression of heart failure

1-Sep-2009
Cardiac resynchronisation therapy can significantly delay the progression of heart failure, latest study results suggest.
HIV subtype linked to increased dementia risk

1-Sep-2009
Patients infected with a particular subtype of HIV are more likely to develop dementia than those with other subtypes, latest research suggests.
Government launches consultation on generic substitution

1 September 2009
Government plans to force pharmacists to routinely substitute branded medicines for generic versions could compromise patient safety, specialist nurses have warned.
Medication dispensing tool for vulnerable adults

1 September 2009
A new medication dispensing tool to support the needs of vulnerable adults in the community is to be piloted by nurses in the West Midlands.
Government launches study into female genital mutilation

27-Aug-2009
Nurses and midwives are today being asked to take part in a new government study into female genital mutilation.
Women with ovarian cancer facing delay in diagnosis

26-Aug-2009
Many women with ovarian cancer are going undiagnosed for months because their symptoms are not being investigated quickly enough, latest research suggests.
New device for ‘on the spot’ blood analysis in GP surgeries

25-Aug-2009
A new device which could offer ‘on the spot’ blood cell analysis in GP surgeries is being developed by University of Southampton researchers.
High diastolic blood pressure linked to memory problems

25-Aug-2009
People with high diastolic blood pressure are more likely to experience memory problems than those with normal diastolic readings, latest study results suggest.
New drug reduces risk of osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women

24-Aug-2009
Treating postmenopausal women with osteoporosis with twice-yearly injections of a new drug, denosumab, significantly decreases their risk of suffering a fracture, latest study results suggest.
MHRA recalls more than one hundred batches of drugs

19-Aug-2009
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a class two medicines recall of more than one hundred batches of drugs after they were exposed to unsatisfactory conditions during shipment.
Hospitals to bid for advanced radiotherapy provision

18-Aug-2009
Hospitals in England are being invited to bid to provide an advanced form of radiotherapy to cancer patients, health minister Ann Keen announced today.
Asthma education programme for children reduces need for emergency care

18-Aug-2009
Children with asthma who participate in an interactive education programme are significantly less likely to require emergency care than children who do not, study results suggest.
PNs face tough new blood pressure target for diabetes

18 August 2009
Practice nurses face the prospect of tougher blood pressure targets for diabetes from next year.
Surgery films aim to enable earlier discharge

18 August 2009
Patients undergoing elective hip and knee replacement surgery at a trust in Essex are being shown short animated films to help facilitate earlier discharge from hospital.
Tissue donation rises as nurses focus on bereavement support

18 August 2009
A pioneering service that provides hospital staff with 24-hour access to a bereavement and donation officer has helped to dramatically increase the number of tissue donations at a Lancashire trust.
One in seven people cannot name cancer symptom, says Cancer Research UK

17-Aug-2009
One in seven people in the UK cannot name a single symptom of cancer, according to a survey by the charity Cancer Research UK.
RNID calls for national programme to tackle hearing loss

16-Aug-2009
RNID has called on the government to implement a national hearing screening programme to address the effects of hearing loss, and reduce isolation and poor health in older people.
Family carers acting as ‘expert speakers’ on dementia care

16-Aug-2009
Family carers of people with dementia are acting as ‘expert speakers’ to help train healthcare professionals in dementia care.
Drinking wine may reduce skin toxicity in breast cancer patients

15-Aug-2009
Patients with breast cancer who drink wine while undergoing radiation treatment have a lower incidence of skin toxicity, latest study results suggest.
Lifting weights can reduce lymphedema symptoms after breast cancer surgery

13-Aug-2009
Women who lift weights after surgery for breast cancer are less likely to experience worsening symptoms of lymphedema than those who do not, latest research suggests.
New treatment for oxygen-deprived newborns

12-Aug-2009
Treating oxygen-deprived newborns with the hormone erythropoietin can significantly reduce the chances of them developing brain damage, latest research suggests.
Optimistic women less likely to develop heart disease

11-Aug-2009
Middle aged women who are optimistic are less likely to develop heart disease or die from any cause compared to pessimistic women of the same age, latest study results suggest.
Childhood cancer survivors at increased risk of diabetes

11-Aug-2009
Childhood cancer survivors treated with total body or abdominal radiation have an increased risk of developing diabetes, latest research suggests.
Government launches online advice service for first-time parents

10-Aug-2009
A free online service to help first-time parents care for their babies has been launched by the Department of Health.
Better evidence base for complementary therapies remains a priority

10-Aug-2009
New research is needed to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of complementary therapies, according to a report from a health thinktank.
Extending swine flu vaccination 'more effective' than antivirals

8-Aug-2009
Extending the vaccination policy for swine flu could be more clinically and cost-effective than using antiviral drugs during a seasonal outbreak, say UK researchers.
Men with angina twice as likely to have a heart attack as women

7-Aug-2009
Men with angina are twice as likely to have a heart attack, and almost three times as likely to have a heart-disease related death, than women with the same condition, say UK researchers.
NHS Greenwich launches first UK breastfeeding tent

6-Aug-2009
NHS Greenwich has launched the first UK breastfeeding tent, offering mothers a comfortable place to breastfeed their babies at outside events.
Abused older people at increased risk of premature death

6-Aug-2009
Older people who suffer abuse or self-neglect have a significantly greater risk of premature death than other older adults, latest research suggests.
Survey points to deprivation as key infant mortality indicator

5-Aug-2009
PCTs in England with higher rates of deprivation and more ethnic minorities have higher rates of infant and perinatal death, latest research suggests.
Domestic violence screening provides only ‘modest benefit’

5-Aug-2009
Universal screening for domestic violence in healthcare settings provides only modest benefits to women, say Canadian researchers.
Urine test may predict type 1 diabetes progression

4-Aug-2009
Measuring the level of a higher molecular weight protein in the urine of patients with type 1 diabetes can help predict progression of the disease, say Swedish researchers.
Smoking, hypertension and diabetes linked to dementia

4-Aug-2009
Middle-aged people who smoke, have hypertension or diabetes have a significantly increased risk of developing dementia, latest research suggests.
New tool to reveal nursing quality

4 August 2009
Nurses will soon be able to benchmark the quality of patient care against other trusts in England under a new strategic health authority initiative.
Work across primary and acute care cuts MRSA in drug users

4 August 2009
A drugs specialist nursing team at a Bristol trust has helped to slash rates of MRSA in injecting drug users.
New non-invasive urine test for chlamydia

29-Jul-2009
University of Cambridge researchers have developed a new urine test to diagnose chlamydia infection in men.
Survey reveals ‘shocking lack’ of dementia awareness

28-Jul-2009
A large number of people in the UK have a ‘shocking lack of understanding’ when it comes to dementia, latest survey results suggest.
Ethnic inequalities ‘minimal’ in NHS primary care, say researchers

28-Jul-2009
People from ethnic minority backgrounds in England are just as likely to access GP services as white people, and have similarly positive clinical outcomes, latest study results suggest.
Hypertension going undiagnosed in smokers

27-Jul-2009
Hypertension is diagnosed less often in people who smoke, despite them being at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease, latest research suggests.
Nurse prescribers to get legal powers to mix medicines

21 July 2009
Nurse independent prescribers will be legally empowered to mix medicines – and direct other nurses to do so – after ministers accepted proposals to change the law on mixing medicines in clinical practice.
Obese children twice as likely to suffer musculoskeletal problems

14-Jul-2009
Overweight and obese children are almost twice as likely to suffer from musculoskeletal problems as children of normal weight, latest study results suggest.
Nurse prescribing: The next steps

14 July 2009
Nurse prescribing powers have grown from small beginnings to cover the entire formulary today. But area is still not without its concerns and difficulties. Clare Lomas reports on barriers facing nurse prescribers
Swearing increases pain tolerance, suggests UK research

13-Jul-2009
Swearing may increase an individual’s pain tolerance levels, latest UK study results suggest.
Moderate alcohol intake ‘cuts dementia risk’

13-Jul-2009
Older people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol have a lower risk of developing dementia, latest study results suggest.
Gastro nurse specialists 'vital' to hospitals

7 July 2009
Every hospital in the UK needs a gastroenterology nurse specialist, according to the British Society of Gastroenterology.
Nurse prescribers need more CPD

7 July 2009
Nurse prescribers’ CPD needs are currently going unmet, according to research by a leading expert.
Sex counselling should be offered to heart attack patients

5-Jul-2009
Heart attack patients should be offered counselling on how to lead a healthy sex life, say Swedish nurse researchers.
UK backs cigarette vending machine ban

1-Jul-2009
The majority of adults in the UK support new proposals to protect children from tobacco by putting it out of sight in shops and to ban vending machines, latest survey results suggest.
Vegetarians less likely to develop cancer than meat eaters

1-Jul-2009
Vegetarians are significantly less likely to develop cancer than meat eaters, latest study results suggest.
Picture cards improve nutrition among dementia patients

30 June 2009
Providing older people with visual aids at mealtimes can significantly improve quality of life for people with dementia, suggests an initiative at a specialist day centre for older people in Manchester.
Primary care urged to implement new end-of-life guidelines

30 June 2009
Primary care services will face an ‘avalanche of need’ among dying patients if they do not act now to improve end-of-life care, a leading expert in end-of-life care has warned.
Fame Academy star calls for better access to gastroenterology specialists

28-Jun-2009
Vocal coach Carrie Grant, star of the BBC’s Fame Academy, has called for better access to gastroenterology nurse specialists.
CBT ineffective for schizophrenia

26-Jun-2009
CBT is not an effective treatment for people with schizophrenia, and only has limited effect on depression, say University of Hertfordshire researchers.
Gastroenterology experts call for 24-hour service in all UK hospitals

25-Jun-2009
The British Society of Gastroenterology has called for all hospitals in the UK to offer a 24-hour gastroenterology service, including round-the-clock emergency endoscopy.
Food pictures aid nutrition for learning disability patients

23 June 2009
A nutritional toolkit developed by Nursing Times Award winners is to be rolled out across the East Midlands.
Nutritional supplements could help slow sight loss in the elderly

20-Jun-2009
Giving nutritional supplements to elderly people could help slow sight loss and sharpen vision, latest study results suggest.
Picture menu cards improve quality of life in people with dementia

20-Jun-2009
Providing older people with visual aids at mealtimes can significantly improve the quality of life of people with dementia, suggests an initiative at a specialist day centre in Manchester.
Clinical research open day for nurses

18-Jun-2009
Nurses interested in a career in clinical research have been invited to attend a free recruitment open day at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
Vaccinating children could help control swine flu spread

18-Jun-2009
Targeting children for flu vaccination could help control the spread of pandemics such as the current swine flu, say University of Warwick researchers.
Stillbirth more likely with independent midwives, says study

16-Jun-2009
Scottish researchers have called for an urgent review into the way birth care is delivered in the UK.
EU directive puts nurses in charge of continuity

16 June 2009
Continuity of patient care will increasingly become the responsibility of nurses following the limiting of junior doctors’ hours to 48 a week, a leading nurse specialist has warned.
Trust develops leadership course for critical care nurses

16 June 2009
A trust in west Yorkshire has developed a nursing leadership programme to help staff nurses take charge of critical care areas.
Fear of beer bellies forcing men to cut back on the booze

15-Jun-2009
Men are worried that drinking too much alcohol will give them a beer belly or man boobs, latest survey results reveal.
At least 300 diabetes patients suffer a heart attack each week

15-Jun-2009
More than 300 diabetes patients are admitted to hospital with a heart attack every week in the UK, according to latest figures.
MHRA issues recall of urinary incontinence drug

14-Jun-2009
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a class one recall of Oxybutynin Hydrochloride, a drug used to treat urinary incontinence.
Northumbria University researchers to lead study on older people

14-Jun-2009
Researchers from Northumbria University are to lead a pioneering network studying the health and wellbeing of older people.
Cancer screening initiatives should focus on women’s fears, say nurse researchers

13-Jun-2009
Initiatives aimed at increasing the uptake rate of cancer screening should focus on addressing women’s fears, say US nurse researchers.
Tony Hadley and Shane Richie named Huntington’s Disease Association’s new patrons

11-Jun-2009
Singer Tony Hadley and actor Shane Richie have been named as celebrity patrons of the Huntington’s Disease Association.
Beyond getting the message – why the NHS is adopting social marketing

9 June 2009
Realising that just telling people about healthy living won’t necessary make them change, the NHS is employing social marketing. Clare Lomas looks at how this idea, with its more targeted and even informal approach, can lead to people acting on public health messages
SMC recommends rituximab for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

8-Jun-2009
A monocolonal antibody drug treatment has been approved for patients in Scotland with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
UK carers feel ignored by healthcare professionals, survey shows

8-Jun-2009
The majority of carers in the UK feel their role is overlooked or ignored by healthcare professionals, latest survey results suggest.
Major UK study to look into preventing falls in older people

8-Jun-2009
University of Portsmouth researchers are to study the best ways of preventing falls in older people.
Fatigue common after myocardial infarction say nurse researchers

7-Jun-2009
Half of all patients who have a myocardial infarction experience onerous fatigue four months after the event, say Swedish nurse researchers.
Welsh school bans swimming goggles over fear of ‘serious injury’

7-Jun-2009
A school in north Wales has banned pupils from wearing swimming goggles for fear they could cause serious injury.
Study reveals ‘unacceptable delays’ in stroke prevention surgery

6-Jun-2009
Many UK patients who are at high risk of stroke are not having preventative surgery quickly enough, latest study results suggest.
Tough new QOF diabetes target could lead to more hypos

2 June 2009
New targets for tight glycaemic control in the GP contract could increase the risk of hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes, nurse specialists have warned.
NHS staff to learn from NASA

31-May-2009
NHS staff will be able to learn from some of the world’s leading innovative organisations next month, including US space agency NASA.
Charity calls on government to help improve coeliac diagnosis

29-May-2009
The charity Coeliac UK has called on the government to ensure all healthcare professionals implement new NICE guidelines on the assessment and treatment of the disease.
New cardiac clinic saves two lives in first year

28-May-2009
A new cardiac clinic designed to detect those at risk of sudden cardiac death syndrome has been credited with saving two lives in its first year of operation.
Compression stockings do not reduce DVT risk in stroke patients

27-May-2009
Compression stockings are not effective in reducing the risk of DVT in stroke patients, latest study results suggest.
Families of sudden death patients should be screened for cardio risk

26-May-2009
Close relatives of a young person who dies suddenly should always be referred for cardiac and genetic screening to assess the risk of inherited heart disease, say Dutch researchers.
NICE to issue guidance on lower back pain

26 May 2009
New clinical guidelines on the treatment and care of people with lower back pain are to be published by NICE this week.
Nurses pioneer new electrical treatment for long-term pain

26 May 2009
UK specialist nurses are helping pioneer a new electrical treatment for long-term pain.
Warwick nurses help raise £6,000 for patients with bowel cancer

25-May-2009
Three nurses from Warwick Hospital joined more than 80 golfers last week to help raise money for patients with bowel cancer.
DH publishes guidance on patient feedback

23-May-2009
The Department of Health has published new guidelines to help NHS trusts use patient feedback to improve services.
Teenage birthing video gets over a million hits

23-May-2009
A hard-hitting video showing a schoolgirl giving birth on a school playing field has been viewed by more than one million people in just one week.
Risk of variant CJD 'overestimated' in the UK

22-May-2009
The number of people in the UK who may have variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) could be fewer than previously estimated, Health Protection Agency researchers have said.
Lyme disease cases continue to rise in England and Wales

21-May-2009
The number of reported cases of lyme disease in England and Wales has increased for the fifth year running, according to figures from the Health Protection Agency.
Chronic back pain relieved with comfrey root extract

21-May-2009
Extract of comfrey root can be used to quickly and effectively relieve chronic back pain, latest study results suggest.
NMC strikes nurse from register over painkillers theft

20-May-2009
A senior staff nurse has been struck off the nursing register by the Nursing and Midwifery Council for stealing prescription painkillers from a Sheffield hospital.
UK lacks knowledge on vitamin D

19-May-2009
People in the UK could be putting their bones at risk because they do not know enough about vitamin D, latest survey results reveal.
Diabetes assessment tool cuts hospital stays

19 May 2009
A tool to help nurses manage the care of inpatients with diabetes, particularly those admitted for non-diabetes related problems, has significantly improved patient care at an acute trust in the East Midlands.
RCN rejects call to screen young people for cardiac abnormalities

19 May 2009
Nurses at RCN Congress last week voted against screening all young people for cardiac abnormalities.
PCTs failing to meet target on diabetic retinal screening

18-May-2009
Two thirds of PCTs in England are failing to meet a government target on retinal screening of diabetic patients, according to latest Department of Health figures.
UK swine flu cases hit 100 mark

18-May-2009
The number of swine flu cases in the UK passed the 100 mark yesterday as 14 more people were diagnosed with the infection.
A&E departments meet four-hour government target

17-May-2009
NHS staff have been praised for their ‘hard work’ in helping to meet the government’s four-hourly A&E waiting target during the last financial year.
Dance DVD for older people launched

17-May-2009
A London-based dance company has launched a DVD to help encourage older people to take up dancing.
Women in healthcare have more affairs

17-May-2009
Married women working in healthcare have more affairs than their male counterparts, suggests a UK dating website.
Government secures 90 million doses of swine flu vaccine

15-May-2009
The government has signed an agreement to secure supplies of up to 90 million doses of pre-pandemic swine flu vaccine, the Department of Health announced today.
RCN Congress: Nurses views on the week's hot topics

14-May-2009
Nursing Times talks to nurses at RCN Congress to find out their views on the stories making the news this week
RCN Congress: Reaction to Gordon Brown and David Cameron's speeches

14-May-2009
Nursing Times talks to nurses at RCN Congress to find out what they thought of the speeches made by Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
Call to ensure retention of nursing staff

13-May-2009
The RCN Council must lobby governments to ensure that the retention of nursing staff matches service needs, nurses have said.
Plans to limit RCN members to one forum put on hold

13-May-2009
Plans to limit RCN members to joining just one professional forum have been put on hold, delegates at RCN Congress heard this week.
School nurses not getting access to specialist training

13-May-2009
The majority of school nurses in the UK are not getting access to specialist training and development, latest survey results suggest.
Carter warns specialist nurses are needed to tackle social problems

12-May-2009
The RCN has called for the recruitment of more specialist and school nurses to help halt the rising rates of sexually transmitted infections and binge drinking among young people.
Mental health nurses 'under-report' drug errors

12 May 2009
Medication errors in mental health settings are being ‘massively under-reported’, experts have warned.
NICE recommends the drug alitretinoin for severe hand eczema

6-May-2009
NICE has issued preliminary guidance on the use of the drug alitretinoin for the treatment of severe chronic hand eczema in adults.
New guidance to help people with chronic back pain return to work

5-May-2009
New guidance to help people with chronic back pain return to work is to be published by University of Leicester researchers today.
Ward rating system reduces MRSA cases

5 May 2009
A ward rating system for infection control has helped nurses cut MRSA rates by more than one-third in just a year at an acute trust in the North East.
Keen calls for end to NHS 'blame culture'

2-May-2009
Removing the NHS ‘blame culture’ around making mistakes is essential to improving patient safety, health minister Ann Keen told conference delegates at the Patient Safety Congress in Birmingham last week.
NICE to launch major new information source for NHS staff

28 April 2009
Nurses will soon be able to access nursingtimes.net through a comprehensive new web-based service due to be launched by NICE this week.
Nurse model speeds up service for renal patients

28 April 2009
A nurse-led renal service at a Manchester acute trust has significantly improved the care of patients requiring haemodialysis for chronic kidney disease.
London PCT recalls patients over hepatitis C test risk

27-Apr-2009
A south London PCT is recalling more than 12,000 patients for tests after they were treated by a healthcare worker infected with HIV and hepatitis C.
Social marketing best practice database launched

26-Apr-2009
The first collection of case studies showing that social marketing is effective in changing people’s health behaviours has been launched by the National Social Marketing Centre (NSMC)
Colin Norris struck off nursing register following NMC hearing

20-Apr-2009
Nurse Colin Norris, who was convicted of murder last March, has been struck off the nursing register by the NMC.
Online ‘roadmap’ receives positive response from cancer survivors

20-Apr-2009
An online tool that provides cancer survivors and their families with an easy-to-follow ‘roadmap’ for managing their health has received an extremely positive response from users, say US researchers.
Urine test may predict lung cancer risk in smokers

20-Apr-2009
A simple urine test could be used to identify why some smokers develop lung cancer while others do not, say US researchers.
Personal care plan pilots up and running

14 April 2009
Nurses in the east of England are helping to pilot an initiative to implement personalised care plans for people with long-term conditions.
Shedding pounds: nursing and obesity

7 April 2009
The problem of growing obesity levels is never far from the headlines. Nurses across the UK are involved in a range of innovative projects designed to tackle the problem, including a controversial scheme that pays people to lose weight. Clare Lomas investigates
Nurses to be trained to teach Buteyko Breathing Technique to asthmatics

6-Apr-2009
A new course to train nurses how to teach the Buteyko Breathing Technique to people with asthma has been launched by Coventry University and the Buteyko Breathing Association.
AstraZeneca recalls NebuChamber respiratory devices

2-Apr-2009
Respiratory nurses should contact all patients who have received a NebuChamber inhalation aid, manufactured by AstraZeneca, and ask them to return the device, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has said.
Nurse research loses support of charitable trust

31 March 2009
The economic downturn has forced the closure of the Smith & Nephew Foundation, an independent charitable trust that has provided funding for nursing research for more than 35 years.
Lack of robust nurse research may jeopardise metrics, warns academic

26-Mar-2009
The meaningfulness of new metrics to measure the quality of nursing care could be jeopardised by a lack of robust, evidence-based nursing research.
Care homes should adopt person-centred care for dementia

24 March 2009
A person-centred care approach for people with dementia should become routine practice in care homes, say Australian researchers.
Documentary focuses on 'reality' of being NHS nurse

24 March 2009
The nursing profession has come under further public scrutiny this week with the broadcast of a Channel 4documentary.
Hospital pioneers high tech ICU cameras

24 March 2009
ICU nurses at a major London hospital have become the first in the UK to use high-tech video and imaging equipment to remotely monitor patients.
Injectable drug errors cut by checks when nurses change shifts

24 March 2009
Routine checks on patient medication charts at every change of nursing shift in ICU could reduce errors linked to injected medicines, latest international study results suggest.
Practice nurses face tough new diabetes target for HbA1c control

24 March 2009
Practice nurses look likely to carry much of the burden of a new quality and outcomes framework target for diabetes control that comes into force in April.
Why nurses are vital to beating cancer

24 March 2009
NHS cancer services have developed significantly in the last decade. Clare Lomas talks to cancer tsar Professor Mike Richards about how nurse-led services have been at the heart of these advances and the future role that all nurses can play in tackling the disease
Stand up and be heard at presentations

1-Jan-2007
THE MERE thought of speaking in front of an audience is enough to bring most people out in a cold sweat. In fact, repeated UK surveys have shown that the only things people fear more than public speaking are spiders.

Nursing TimesClare Lomas

Nursing Times
Clare Lomas