Nursing Times
Steve Ford

Steve Ford is deputy news editor of Nursing Times and HSJ. He covers public health, school nursing, sexual health, smoking cessation and men's health for Nursing Times; and public health, social care and local government news for HSJ.

Retired nurse wins award for global sight-saving work

24-May-2013
A retired ophthalmic nurse from Glasgow has won an award for volunteer work for a sight saving charity.
New overactive bladder drug approved for use in Scotland

23-May-2013
A new treatment for overactive bladder has been approved for use by the NHS in Scotland, with England and Wales set to follow suit.
New chief nurse at Medway trust

23-May-2013
Medway Foundation Trust has appointed a new chief nurse.
NICE launches draft guidance to reduce harm from drips

23-May-2013
Hospital patients who are seriously dehydrated or have other problems with fluid levels are having their lives potentially put at risk by overstretched or under trained NHS staff, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has warned.
Government marks progress towards health visitor target

22-May-2013
More than a 1,000 extra health visitors have been recruited over the past two years, according to latest workforce figures.
NICE updates guidance on assessing and treating fever in children

22-May-2013
Updated clinical guideline on assessing and managing children under the age of five years with fever has been published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Health union adds backing to Speak Out Safely campaign

21-May-2013
Unite has pledged its support for our Speak Out Safely campaign, which aims to help bring about an NHS that is more transparent and protects staff who raise the alarm about concerns.
New indemnity rules could cost nurses £1,200 a year, warns union

20-May-2013
The union Unite has rejected government plans to require health professionals to have indemnity insurance in order to practise, arguing that it could cost health visitors and school nurses £1,200 a year.
Third NHS employer signs up in support of Speak Out Safely campaign

20-May-2013
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals Foundation Trust has become the third NHS employer to publicly pledge its commitment to the principles underpinning our Speak Out Safely campaign.
New hayfever treatment launched

17-May-2013
A novel nasal spray formulation of fluticasone propionate and azelastine hydrochloride has been launched in the UK for relief of symptoms of moderate to severe seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis.
Nurses to aid police with mental health offenders

16-May-2013
Nurses are to join police officers sent to deal with incidents involving people with mental health problems who were likely to be “sectioned”, under proposals unveiled by the home secretary.
WHO warns of threat from new virus

16-May-2013
World Health Organization has warned that the emergence of a new coronavirus represents a “major challenge” for the world as well as the countries currently affected.
Guidance on improving nutrition in hospitals launched

16-May-2013
Guidance to help hospital staff improve standards of nutrition and hydration care, particularly among older patients, has been published.
Nurses commuting further than five years ago

16-May-2013
Nurses now travel further and spend longer on their daily commutes compared to five years ago, according to a survey.
Exclusive: leaving global nursing body should be 'nuclear option', RCN warned

15-May-2013
A decision by the Royal College of Nursing to leave the International Council of Nurses could have “profound effects” on the profession worldwide, a group of senior nurses have warned.
New nursing strategy for Surrey-based hospital trust

15-May-2013
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust (SASH) has published a three-year Nursing and Midwifery Strategy intended to take frontline care to a “higher level”.
Nurse hopes to petition minister over global nursing shortage

15-May-2013
A UK nurse is hoping to lobby the health secretary to help tackle global nursing shortages at a major international health conference next week.
Better support for nurses vital to improving care, says leading academic

14-May-2013
Nurses must be better supported by the NHS, as their experience directly impacts on their ability to provide good patient care, according to a leading nursing academic.
'It’s time to start looking after nurses to boost care'

14-May-2013
Robert Francis QC is not a man to pull his punches and in an interview with Nursing Times this week explains why he thinks nursing needs to take his report on Mid Staffordshire more “seriously”.
How did you celebrate International Nurses' Day?

13-May-2013
Nurses up and down the UK have been supporting International Nurses’ Day with special events and initiatives.
Keeping ward windows shut poses infection risk, warn researchers

13-May-2013
The chance of infection in wards varies dramatically depending on whether nursing staff leave the windows open, researchers have concluded.
EU rules bring greater protection from needlestick injuries

11-May-2013
New rules to give nurses greater protection against sharps injuries have come into force across the European Union.
Trust introduces red socks to identify falls risk patients

10-May-2013
Special socks are being introduced to help reduce the number of patient falls at the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals Foundation Trust.
Next steps in HCA work for nursing students plan unveiled

10-May-2013
Around 200 students on paid placements will test out controversial government plans to require future nurses to spend up to a year working as a healthcare assistant before starting their degree.
Dutch students on placement with private hospital

10-May-2013
A private hospital in Lincolnshire has been playing host to two student nurses from the Netherlands.
Liquid version of epilepsy drug launched

9-May-2013
An oral liquid version of the generic epilepsy drug clobazam has been launched in the UK.
Lincolnshire nurses aiming to help children in Malawi

9-May-2013
Two Lincolnshire nurses are to return to one of the poorest countries in the world to do voluntary work with vulnerable and sick people.
Queen's speech: new legislation to cut migrant access to NHS care

8-May-2013
Curbs on access to NHS care by migrants and responses to the Francis report will be included in future legislation announced today in the Queen’s Speech.
New asthma inhaler launched

8-May-2013
A new asthma combined maintenance and reliever treatment has been launched in the UK.
Keogh inspection begins at Basildon hospital

8-May-2013
Inspectors entered Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals Foundation Trust yesterday as part of the national review into acute trusts with higher than expected mortality rates.
CNO says new NHS 111 service is 'improving'

8-May-2013
There have been “significant improvements” in the service provided by the new NHS 111 phoneline, according to the chief nursing officer.
Priorities for pressure ulcer research identified

8-May-2013
There remain substantial areas of “doubt and uncertainty” about the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers, warn UK researchers.
Speak Out Safely petition passes 1,000 signature mark

7-May-2013
A Nursing Times petition urging people to support our campaign to give greater protection to NHS staff that raise concerns about patient safety has reached an important milestone.
Invest in staff wellbeing to improve patient outcomes, urge researchers

7-May-2013
Enhancing the wellbeing of staff at work not only improves their life quality for but also the quality of patient experience, according to leading UK nurse researchers.
Hospital introduces ‘tuck bags’ to cut infections

7-May-2013
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust has introduced innovative new “tuck bags” across wards to help improve the control of infection.
RCGP sets competency levels for practice nurses

6-May-2013
A framework to support practice nurses in achieving and maintaining competency levels across all areas of their generalist role has been published by the Royal College of General Practitioners.
Scotland's CNO launches handwashing drive

5-May-2013
Rates of norovirus and flu could be reduced with better hand hygiene, Scotland’s chief nursing officer has said – as the Scottish government launches a handwashing campaign.
Bedford and Salford nurses win award for MS care

3-May-2013
Two specialist nurses have been named as the joint winners of the Multiple Sclerosis Trust’s “My Super Nurse” award 2013.
Winners of this year's Student Nursing Times Awards unveiled

2-May-2013
Carla McClintock, from the University of Ulster, has been named the “most inspirational student nurse of the year”.
QNI ‘shocked and saddened’ by death of fundraiser on polar expedition

2-May-2013
The Queen’s Nursing Institute has said its thoughts are with the family of Philip Goodeve-Docker, who died on Sunday while attempting a 700km trek across the Greenland ice sheet.
Warning issued over fault in blood glucose meter

2-May-2013
Clinicians are being warned about a software fault in a type of blood glucose meter used by around 40,000 patients in the UK.
Norfolk community nurse among nominees for MS care award

2-May-2013
A specialist neurological nurse from Norfolk is in the running for a national charity award for multiple sclerosis care.
Brighton nurses to train Zambian colleagues in paediatrics

1-May-2013
Brighton University has been awarded a £30,000 government grant to help set up the first paediatric nursing course in Zambia.
Lack of nurses ‘could hamper’ vaccine drives

1-May-2013
A lack of frontline health professionals could hold back the immunisation programmes announced by the government yesterday, a union has warned.
Continence charity appoints specialist nurse

30-Apr-2013
The national continence charity for children, Education & Resources for Improving Childhood Continence, has appointed its first specialist nurse.
Nurse researchers add support for Speak Out Safely campaign

30-Apr-2013
The Foundation of Nursing Studies has become the latest organisation to give its backing to our Speak Out Safely campaign.
Retired ophthalmic nurse shortlisted for award

30-Apr-2013
A charity volunteer and former nurse has been shortlisted for an award by a Scottish newspaper.
UK midwives aim to help improve childbirth in Africa

29-Apr-2013
Manchester midwives are to lead a major research project to improve midwifery services for women and babies in six East African countries.
Guy's and St Thomas' embarking on major nurse recruitment drive

29-Apr-2013
A major London hospital has highlighted “real concerns” that it will have a “severe shortage” of nurses over the next 12 months due to a reduction in student places in the capital.
One in four deterred from raising concerns

29-Apr-2013
Nearly a quarter of nurses have been discouraged or warned off raising concerns about patient care, according to a survey carried out for the Royal College of Nursing.
Nurses urged to 'play their part' in MMR catch-up

29-Apr-2013
Nurses working in primary care and public health settings are being asked to be “watchful” for signs of measles in their patients and actively seek out those currently unprotected by the MMR vaccine.
Awards launched for members of RCN Wales

24-Apr-2013
The Royal College of Nursing in Wales officially launched its “Nurse of the Year” awards for 2013 on Monday.
‘Use or lose’ talents of retired reps, RCN warned

24-Apr-2013
The Royal College of Nursing must use its retired representatives rather than wasting their experience, its annual congress was told yesterday.
More education ‘key’ to use of Liverpool Care Pathway

24-Apr-2013
Members of the Royal College of Nursing have called for more training and education in end of life care for health professionals in light of the ongoing controversy surrounding the Liverpool Care Pathway.
Members vote to allow RCN to leave international nursing body

24-Apr-2013
The Royal College of Nursing has moved a significant step towards leaving the International Council of Nurses, after a membership vote at congress yesterday evening.
Protect alcohol support services, RCN urges

23-Apr-2013
The government and local councils should “protect and promote” referral and access to alcohol advice and support services, according to the Royal College of Nursing’s annual conference.
NMC comes under fire in congress debate

23-Apr-2013
Nurses called for better regulation of both the profession and healthcare support workers in a debate today at the Royal College of Nursing’s annual congress.
Rotations for newly-qualifieds rejected

23-Apr-2013
A call for rotational posts to be made compulsory for newly-qualified nurses has been rejected in a vote at the Royal College of Nursing’s annual conference.
Nursing profession must look within to find ‘what stops nurses caring’

22-Apr-2013
Nursing “must show the public it cares” following the spate of negative media reports about the profession in recent years, the Royal College of Nursing’s annual congress heard this morning.
Capital rated worst for nursing by patients

22-Apr-2013
Patients in London hospitals say they receive worse quality nursing care than those in the rest of the country, analysis of the latest NHS inpatient survey has revealed.
'Nurse-friendly' hospitals have better patient outcomes

22-Apr-2013
A group of US hospitals that are certified as nurse friendly because of their work environment and staffing levels have better patient outcomes than other hospitals, according to researchers.
NHS staff in 'unique' position to help save victims of human trafficking

19-Apr-2013
New tools to help NHS staff spot and give help to people who have been illegally trafficked have been published by the government.
Trauma warning for nurses treating domestic violence

19-Apr-2013
Emergency nurses often experience disruptive and recurrent memories as a result of caring for the survivors of domestic violence, caution South African researchers.
Nurses need duties and rights to speak up over care, says RCN

18-Apr-2013
The Royal College of Nursing has pledged its support for our Speak Out Safely campaign, which aims to help bring about an NHS that is not only honest and transparent but also actively encourages staff to raise the alarm and protects them when they do so.
Full survey results: are student nurses safe to speak out?

18-Apr-2013
Nursing Times revealed on Wednesday the key findings from a survey of more than 1,400 student nurses.
Pressures drive staff investment at Frimley Park

18-Apr-2013
Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is to recruit 30 more ward nurses, as part of a £1m investment in staff to cope with workload pressures.
Kent provider launches nurse recruitment drive

18-Apr-2013
Kent Community Health NHS Trust is seeking to recruit “innovative” nurses to join its district and community nursing teams.
Praise for staff as trust steps down from major incident status

17-Apr-2013
An unexpected and unexplained peak in inpatient demand is starting to ease at East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust.
Exclusive: half of students raise concerns - but can face 'hell' as a result

17-Apr-2013
Half of student nurses say they have raised concerns about the practice or attitude of a colleague while on placement, according to a survey by Nursing Times.
Exclusive: student opinion divided over need to work as HCA

17-Apr-2013
Student nurses are divided on whether they should be required to undertake work as a healthcare assistant for up to a year before starting their degrees.
RCN congress will not be addressed by minister

11-Apr-2013
There will no keynote speech by a minister at this year’s Royal College of Nursing annual congress, it has been confirmed to Nursing Times.
Nurses thanked for response to measles outbreak

11-Apr-2013
Ministers in Wales have thanked nurses and other NHS staff for their response to the Measles outbreak in the Swansea area.
DH hands hospices £60m funding boost

10-Apr-2013
Hospices across England providing end of life care for children and adults have been given a share of £60m government funding to improve care environments and settings.
Sussex mental health trust rated most 'gay friendly'

10-Apr-2013
Sussex Partnership has come top in the first ever Healthcare Equality Index, published by Stonewall to measure an organisation’s commitment to delivering services to the lesbian, gay and bisexual community.
RCN seeks exit from international nursing federation

10-Apr-2013
Members of the Royal College of Nursing will be asked to vote on whether the union should leave the International Council of Nurses later this month, following a long-running dispute over membership fees.
Psychiatric impact of sharps injuries often 'overlooked'

9-Apr-2013
Needlestick injuries can result in nurses experiencing sustained psychiatric trauma of a similar severity as being involved in a road accident, researchers have warned.
New nursing professor to focus on sick children

9-Apr-2013
A new professorship in community children’s nursing has been created to support research into the experiences of young people with long-term conditions and disabilities.
Over 1,000 MMR jabs given over weekend in response to measles outbreak

8-Apr-2013
Nurses working at special MMR drop-in clinics in South Wales helped vaccinate more than 1,000 children over the weekend, in the wake of a major measles outbreak.
New course for aspiring nurse researchers

8-Apr-2013
A unique new course for new recent nursing graduates who want to peruse a career in research has been launched in Scotland.
Whistleblowing hotline for Scottish NHS staff

5-Apr-2013
A free, confidential phone line for NHS staff who wish to raise any concerns about practices in NHSScotland has been launched.
'Every nurse' has role in boosting public's health, says nursing leader

5-Apr-2013
All nurses will be supported in making “every contact count” to help improve the overall health and wellbeing of their patients, according to England’s top public health nurse.
New senior nursing post for public health in Wales

5-Apr-2013
A new senior nursing role has been created to oversee public health in Wales.
Dementia screening app developed

4-Apr-2013
A free app to help nurses and other clinicians assess patients with possible dementia will be available later this year, according to its developers.
Birmingham trust moves to supervisory status for sisters

4-Apr-2013
An acute trust in the West Midlands is recruiting nearly 50 extra nurses in order to introduce supervisory status for ward managers in its three main hospitals, in the wake of the government’s response to the Francis report.
Queen Victoria nursing director made NICE fellow

3-Apr-2013
Amanda Parker, director of nursing, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been made a NICE Fellow for 2013-16.
Evidence supporting intentional rounding only 'flimsy', claims academic

3-Apr-2013
There is only “flimsy” evidence to support the benefit of introducing hourly ward wards, despite their backing by the prime minister, a nurse academic has claimed.
Aims of Cavendish review into HCA training revealed

3-Apr-2013
A new review of training and support for healthcare assistants will look at how they can be helped to progress into more senior roles, including becoming registered nurses.
Bolton chief nurse joins cancer charity

3-Apr-2013
The chief nurse at a trust in the north west of England has returned to her nursing roots by swapping her NHS role for a post with Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Revalidation for nurses on hold till NMC gets house in order

2-Apr-2013
The introduction of revalidation for nurses must be delayed until the Nursing and Midwifery Council has “turned around its current poor performance”, the government has said.
DH backs 'clearer distinction' between RCN functions

2-Apr-2013
The government has suggested that a “clearer distinction” between the professional and trade union functions of the Royal College of Nursing would boost its authority.
Blood glucose meters recalled

2-Apr-2013
A range of blood glucose meters has been recalled after it was found they failed to operate properly when exposed to very high HbA1C levels.
Inspectors to look for ward manager supervisory status

28-Mar-2013
The government has given its support to making ward managers supervisory to clinical practice – saying trusts will need to give a “valid explanation” for not doing so.
Phones and laptops of 'little benefit' for diabetes self-management

28-Mar-2013
Self-management interventions delivered by computer and mobile phone provide limited benefits for type 2 diabetes patients, according to a Cochrane review by University College London.
UK nurses warned over milk formula marketing

28-Mar-2013
Guidance has been launched by UNICEF to increase awareness among UK clinicians of the marketing practices of infant formula companies.
Practice nurses 'as good as GPs' at treating low complexity cases – especially burns

27-Mar-2013
Appropriately trained practice nurses provide care that is largely comparable to GPs for non-complex cases, according to Spanish researchers.
Lack of mandatory staffing levels 'missed opportunity', says Unison

26-Mar-2013
The government’s failure to recommend minimum nursing staffing levels in its initial response to the Francis report is a “missed opportunity to boost patient care”, Unison has warned.
Francis response: Hunt announces measures targeting HCAs and students

26-Mar-2013
Healthcare assistants will not face statutory regulation but they will be subject to national minimum training and a code of conduct, under government proposals responding to the Francis report.
Wales set to introduce staffing acuity measure

26-Mar-2013
Plans to introduce an assessment process to determine the right staffing levels on wards based on the severity of patients’ conditions have been announced by the Welsh Government.
SOS campaign backed by Florence Nightingale Foundation

26-Mar-2013
The Florence Nightingale Foundation has become the latest organisation to give its backing to our new Speak Out Safely campaign.
Employers reject HCA regulation and creation of 'older person's nurse'

22-Mar-2013
NHS Employers has written to the Department of Health calling on it to reject some of the key recommendations in the Francis report relating to nursing.
Postcards can halve repeat self-poisoning admissions

21-Mar-2013
Sending postcards to patients treated in hospital for self-poisoning can significantly reduce the readmission rate, according to a study published online by the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Chancellor signals cap on pay rises and more attacks on AfC

20-Mar-2013
Nurses face future basic pay rises capped at 1% and renewed attempts to drive down pay progression, suggest today’s Budget statement.
Midlands trust 'investing' in advanced nurse practitioners

19-Mar-2013
A large trust in the east Midlands has more than tripled the number of advanced nurse practitioners working in its accident and emergency department.
Trial will test if blood pressure drug can slow Alzheimer's

8-Mar-2013
A UK trial on whether the hypertension drug losartan can slow down Alzheimer’s disease will begin recruiting in August.
New nursing director for Leeds acute trust

8-Mar-2013
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has appointed a new director of nursing, according to board papers.
Support booklet launched for bereaved grandparents

8-Mar-2013
Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, has launched a free support booklet for bereaved grandparents.
Little benefit from antibiotics for otitis media, finds review

7-Mar-2013
Antibiotics are “not very useful” for the majority of children with middle-ear infection, the authors of a Cochrane review have concluded.
Royal Surrey looks to trim workforce

7-Mar-2013
Royal Surrey County Hospital Foundation Trust is to shed 10 nursing posts as part of efforts to trim its workforce.
Former Winterbourne View operator put in administration

6-Mar-2013
The care home company that ran Winterbourne View has been put into administration.
Sign petition and support our Speak Out Safely campaign

5-Mar-2013
Nursing Times is petitioning the Department of Health to improve protection for nurses that blow the whistle over patient safety concerns, as part of our new Speak Out Safely campaign.
Full survey results: are you safe to speak out?

5-Mar-2013
Nursing Times revealed on Sunday the key findings from a survey of nearly 850 nurses on their views about raising concerns and whistleblowing. We have now published the full results
Union calls on nurses to help with staffing snap-shot

4-Mar-2013
Nurses are being called on to take part in a national union survey to provide a “picture of the situation with staffing levels across the UK”.
Fall in error reporting 'main concern' from NHS staff survey

4-Mar-2013
Pressure on NHS staff has increased but fewer errors have been reported, according to analysis of the results from the latest NHS Staff Survey.
Record levels of NHS staff vaccinated against flu

1-Mar-2013
A record number of frontline NHS staff were vaccinated against influenza this winter, but uptake remains less than half of the workforce.
New drug class for overactive bladder launched

1-Mar-2013
A once-daily drug has been launched in the UK for the symptoms of overactive bladder.
NICE backs drug for diabetic macular oedema

1-Mar-2013
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has recommended ranibizumab (Lucentis) for treating visual impairment caused by diabetic macular oedema, after its manufacturer Novartis agreed to provide it at a discounted rate.
Online 'hub' launched for cancer specialist nurses

1-Mar-2013
The charity Target Ovarian Cancer has launched a web portal for gynaecological cancer clinical nurse specialists.
Reducing sedentary behaviour most important for diabetes prevention

28-Feb-2013
Patients at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes would benefit from being told to sit less and move around more often, rather than simply exercising regularly, according to a UK study.
CNO to have advisory role in hospital mortality probe

27-Feb-2013
Two senior nurses have been appointed as advisors to a review of hospitals in England with high mortality rates.
Surrey and Sussex wins maternity services grant

27-Feb-2013
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust has won a £400,000 grant to spend on its maternity department at East Surrey Hospital.
Community trust promises to cut nurse admin with new IT system

27-Feb-2013
Kent Community Health Trust has purchased an advanced patient management system focused on mobile working, which it claims will cut time spent on administration by nurses.
Foundation trust to support nursing in Uganda

26-Feb-2013
The head of nursing in the war torn African country of Uganda visited nurses at a foundation trust in the South East earlier this month.
Mental health nurse celebrates 50 year career

25-Feb-2013
A nurse from Minehead in Somerset has received a special recognition award for 50 years of caring for patients with mental ill health.
English test can ID potential nursing course strugglers

22-Feb-2013
Screening nursing students for their English language skills can identify those likely to struggle with the course, claim Australian researchers.
New chief nurse takes up post at Surrey and Sussex acute trust

22-Feb-2013
A new chief nurse has started in her post at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust with a pledge to draw up a nursing and midwifery strategy.
Rise in thigh fat predicts reduction in mobility for older patients

22-Feb-2013
An increase in thigh fat predicts mobility loss in otherwise healthy older adults, according to US researchers.
Full survey results: what do nurses think of the Francis report?

21-Feb-2013
Nursing Times revealed on Wednesday the key findings from a survey of nearly 3,000 nurses on the recommendations of the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry report. We have now published the full results
Nurses asked to petition government on staffing levels and HCA standards

21-Feb-2013
Nurses are being called on to sign petitions calling for minimum nurse staffing levels and mandatory basic training and registration for all care staff.
Hike in drugs given to older patients after care home admission

21-Feb-2013
The dispensing of psychotropic drugs to older people increases on entry to care homes, according to the findings of a study in Northern Ireland.
IBD patients need support with 'coming out', say researchers

20-Feb-2013
More support should be made available for gay and lesbian people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, say UK nurse researchers.
Honesty laws and HCA regulation would make NHS safer, say nurses

20-Feb-2013
Calls for a legally-enforced “duty of candour” to be introduced in the NHS in order to encourage and protect whistleblowers have been overwhelmingly welcomed by nurses.
Charity launches commission on whistleblowing

19-Feb-2013
An expert panel has been appointed to investigate the current barriers to effective whistleblowing across a range of sectors including healthcare.
‘Celebrate’ staff that raise concerns, Hunt tells NHS

18-Feb-2013
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has written to trusts warning them against having a “defensive culture” over patient safety and whistleblowing.
Midwives agree to pay changes

15-Feb-2013
An overwhelming majority of Royal College of Midwives branches have voted to accept the proposed alterations to the Agenda for Change pay framework.
Norfolk nurse shortlisted for 'flu fighter' award

15-Feb-2013
Anita Hastings, a staff nurse in respiratory medicine outpatients at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, is in the running for an award for her work on this winter’s NHS workforce influenza vaccination campaign.
Nursing Times journalist scoops award

14-Feb-2013
Shaun Lintern, a key member of the Nursing Times news team, has won a journalism award for his coverage of nursing issues.
Nurse at heart of groundbreaking primary care centre

13-Feb-2013
GPs in the South West have paid tribute to their nurse practitioner for helping make a major new primary care facility a success.
Interview: RCN leader refutes 'darkest hour' description of Francis report

12-Feb-2013
The Francis report should be viewed as one of health service’s “brightest hours” rather than its darkest, according to the head of the Royal College of Nursing.
Interview: the CNO's message to nursing after Francis report

12-Feb-2013
The nursing profession needs to “rebuild the trust of the public”, according to chief nursing officer for England Jane Cummings.
NMC halves completion times for investigations

8-Feb-2013
The Nursing and Midwifery Council is improving its performance on completing fitness to practise cases, latest figures suggest.
Landmark agreement between care provider and unions

7-Feb-2013
The UK’s largest independent provider of health and social care services has signed a joint recognition agreement with three unions for future negotiations on pay, and terms and conditions.
RCM welcomes ‘duty of candour’ for midwives

6-Feb-2013
The Royal College of Midwives has welcomed measures on outlined today in the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry report, which it described as a “watershed” moment for the NHS.
Unison accepts Agenda for Change proposals

6-Feb-2013
Unison has become the latest health union to accept proposals to dilute Agenda for Change, marking a significant step towards their introduction.
Francis calls for nurses to include patient feedback in annual CPD portfolio

6-Feb-2013
Nurses should demonstrate their knowledge is up-to-date with an annual learning portfolio, including patient feedback, according to Robert Francis QC.
Francis report: NICE should draw up safe staffing levels

6-Feb-2013
Minimum safe staffing levels should be drawn up by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and policed by the Care Quality Commission, according to the Francis report.
Unions back Francis on HCAs and staffing

6-Feb-2013
Calls for the regulation of healthcare assistants and safe staffing levels have been broadly welcomed by health unions.
RCN 'acutely aware' of lessons from Francis report

6-Feb-2013
The Royal College of Nursing has acknowledged it has “lessons to learn” from the way it handled events surrounding the care failings at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust.
CNO role should be 'kept under review', says Francis report

6-Feb-2013
The government’s splitting of the chief nursing officer role in England into two positions should be “kept under review”, according to the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry report.
Francis Live: Nursing Times Rolling News

6-Feb-2013
We fill you in on the up-to-the minute news of the Francis Report
Cleanliness standards improving in Scottish hospitals

5-Feb-2013
Standards of cleanliness in hospitals are improving, which is helping in the battle against healthcare associated infections, according Scotland’s top hospital inspector.
Full survey results: how will the Francis report affect nursing

5-Feb-2013
Nursing Times revealed on Sunday the key findings from a survey of nearly 600 nurses on issues relating to the Francis report and the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry. We have now published the full results
Wards dangerously understaffed, warn more than half of nurses

3-Feb-2013
More than half of nurses believe their ward or unit is dangerously understaffed, according to the results of a Nursing Times survey.
NSAID alternative to antibiotics for sore throat

1-Feb-2013
A type of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug can be used as an effective alternative to antibiotics for treating sore throats associated with upper respiratory tract infections, Australian researchers have found.
How did Nursing Times report on the Mid Staffordshire Inquiry?

31-Jan-2013
We were there when it was all happening, take a look at how we reported on the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust Inquiry
Nurse accuses Hunt of causing 'more confusion' over Lewisham A&E future

31-Jan-2013
Accident and emergency services will remain at Lewisham Hospital but on a “smaller” scale than at present, the health secretary has announced.
Alternating air mattress better than overlay for ulcer prevention

31-Jan-2013
Alternating air pressure mattresses are more effective than overlays for preventing pressure ulcers in mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care, Spanish researchers have concluded.
NMC fee rise due to take hold on 1 Feb

30-Jan-2013
Nurses and midwives will have to pay £100 instead of £76 to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council from the beginning of next month, in line with the regulator’s decision to increase its fees.
'Mobile working' should be reality for community nurses, says DH report

30-Jan-2013
Providing community nurses with laptops can significantly increase the number of patients seen and time spent with them, according to findings from a major national project.
Bristol trust chief nurse announces departure

29 January 2013
A senior nurse at a hospital in Bristol is leaving to take up a new role within the area’s NHS commissioning structure.
Trust announces internal inquiry into maternity services

28-Jan-2013
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust is to hold an independent internal inquiry into its maternity and neonatal services, after a series of infant and maternal deaths.
Compassion affected by 'draining' nature of nursing, CNO tells MPs

28-Jan-2013
It is difficult for nurses to remain “compassionate all the time” given the emotionally draining nature of the job, the chief nursing officer for England has told MPs.
Mid Staffs suspends worker over taped dummy incident

25-Jan-2013
Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust has suspended a member of staff after a dummy was found taped onto a baby’s face.
Nurses to join march against Lewisham A&E closure

25-Jan-2013
Nursing staff from Lewisham Hospital are preparing to march on Saturday as part of a campaign to save the hospital’s accident and emergency department.
New child continence guidance

25-Jan-2013
Guidance has been developed on dealing with continence issues in children with ano-rectal malformations often associated with Down’s Syndrome.
Mondays are busiest time for A&E staff

24-Jan-2013
Accident and emergency departments in England see the most attendances on a Monday morning – dealing with double the hourly average.
Leicester trust seeks over 180 nurses

23-Jan-2013
A Midlands hospital trust has announced its “biggest” ever recruitment drive for registered nurses.
'Failure to rescue' linked to higher HCA ratio

23-Jan-2013
The higher the ratio of healthcare support staff to hospital nurses the more likely surgical patients are to die from potentially treatable complications, a UK study has found.
Nurse-led unit to display profiles of staff and patients

22-Jan-2013
Patient profiles are to be posted above beds as part of a scheme designed to help nurses get to know those they are treating as “real people”.
District nurses battle through snow to reach patients

21-Jan-2013
Community nurses across the country have been praised for their efforts to get through the snow to reach isolated patients over the weekend.
Extra funding unveiled for nurse education in Wales

21-Jan-2013
An extra 2,000 student places for nurses and other clinicians are to be funded in Wales, ministers have announced.
NHS pay change proposals rejected by Unite

18-Jan-2013
All proposed changes to the national contract for nurse pay and conditions have been rejected by the union Unite, it announced last week.
Nurse returns to roots to help children with birth defects

18-Jan-2013
A theatre nurse from south London has described a charity mission to the Philippines as a “real eye opener”.
New role for top nurse patient safety expert

18-Jan-2013
A leading nurse and patient safety expert is to join the NHS body responsible for managing negligence claims.
Banning nurses from social media sites 'unworkable'

18-Jan-2013
Trying to prevent nurses and other staff from using Twitter and Facebook in NHS settings is “unworkable”, health service managers have been told.
New prostate drug could delay use of chemo

18-Jan-2013
A new option for the early treatment of prostate cancer has been licensed for use in the UK and other European Union countries.
Six NHS organisations in top 'gay friendly' employers list

17-Jan-2013
Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust has been judged to be the most gay-friendly health sector employer in the country.
Child deaths spark extra asthma training for school nurses

17-Jan-2013
Training in asthma awareness will be offered to 500 school nurses across the North West of England following the deaths of three children from the condition over the past 12 months.
Nurses dress up as ‘soap stars’ for infection campaign

16-Jan-2013
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals Foundation Trust has adopted an innovative method of encouraging good infection control techniques by transforming its nursing staff into some of TV’s most iconic soap stars.
Raft of new drugs approved in Scotland

16-Jan-2013
New drugs for diabetes and infection control are among those given the green light for use in Scotland by the NHS.
NICE consults on breast cancer drug prevention

15-Jan-2013
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer could be offered drugs by the NHS as a prevention strategy.
HCA charged with rape at Sussex hospital

14-Jan-2013
A healthcare assistant has been charged with raping a patient at St Richard’s Hospital in West Sussex.
Darent Valley closes to A&E admissions

14-Jan-2013
Dartford and Gravesham Trust was forced to close its accident and emergency department to admissions for the first time, after running out of beds earlier this month.
Admitting fault may allow nurses to avoid NMC hearing

14-Jan-2013
Nurses facing fitness to practise proceedings can now avoid a full hearing if they admit they are at fault, following the introduction of two new measures by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Former nurse appointed to senior post at Devon trust

14-Jan-2013
Kevin Baber has been appointed as the new chief operating officer of Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust.
RCN thanks 'diamond' nurses

14-Jan-2013
Four nurses in the South West of England have received a special award from the Royal College of Nursing for their long standing contribution to the nursing profession.
Call for boycott of Irish nurse graduate scheme

11-Jan-2013
Irish nursing unions have called on students to boycott a new graduate nurse programme, which they claim is an attempt to gain “cheap labour” at the expense of experienced staff jobs.
Nurse looks back at 50 years in the profession

11-Jan-2013
Nancy Bennett, a staff nurse at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, can remember a time when different grades of nurse were not allowed to sit together and nurses helped carry patients on stretchers.
RCN refutes government's NHS claims

10-Jan-2013
Nurses and other frontline staff will “struggle” to recognise the picture of the NHS painted by a report on the government’s progress since taking office, according to the Royal College of Nursing.
Pregnancy pollen exposure may increase asthma risk

9-Jan-2013
A woman’s exposure to high pollen levels in late pregnancy may increase the risk of early asthma in her child, according to Swedish researchers.
Beta blockers 'may' reduce dementia risk

8-Jan-2013
Taking beta blockers may reduce the risk of developing dementia, researchers suggest.
Test could help target asthma treatment

8-Jan-2013
Testing children with asthma for a specific gene could prevent their condition worsening, according to UK researchers.
Mentorship system only ‘just holding together’

8-Jan-2013
The mentorship system, seen as the cornerstone of nurse education, is under “considerable pressure” and “facing a diverse range of challenges”, warn researchers.
Murdered nurse nominated for humanitarian award

8-Jan-2013
A nurse murdered by the Taliban has been nominated for a humanitarian award.
Scotland reports progress on single rooms

7-Jan-2013
The Scottish government has announced that 26 hospitals in the country now have 100% single rooms.
Nurse handed 12-month ban after giving dialysis patient Lucozade

7-Jan-2013
A nurse in Yorkshire has received a 12-month suspension from the Nursing and Midwifery Council after demonstrating a consistent lack of competence.
NMC increases transparency on struck off nurses

4-Jan-2013
The names of nurses and midwives who have been struck off or suspended will be made public on the online version of the Nursing and Midwifery Council register for the first time from today.
Nurses recognised in honours list

2-Jan-2013
A leading health visitor and a nurse turned manager have been made dames in the New Year Honours list.
IT system to help nurses identify vulnerable children

2-Jan-2013
Hospitals will in future have technology to help nurses and other clinicians collect children suffering from abuse and neglect, the government announced over Christmas.
Christmas care home inspections branded 'intrusive'

21-Dec-2012
The threat of care home inspections by regulators over the festive period has been criticised.
Nurses receive national praise for leadership skills

19-Dec-2012
Two nurses and a former nurse have been named as the best in their field at this year’s NHS Leadership Recognition Awards.
Long serving RCN regional director retires

19-Dec-2012
The Royal College of Nursing’s regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber has retired after 30 years with the union.
New nurse led ‘holistic’ lung cancer clinic

19-Dec-2012
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is piloting a holistic nursing assessment clinic for patients with lung cancer, looking at their psychological and social needs.
Safety of savings plans must be agreed by nurse directors, state new NHS rules

18-Dec-2012
Directors of nursing will have to rubber stamp the safety of plans to make efficiency savings in hospitals and community services in future, under the latest operating instructions for the NHS.
All NHS staff told to embrace nursing's '6Cs'

18-Dec-2012
All NHS staff – not just nurses and midwives – have been told they must “embrace” the values of patient care set out in the national nursing strategy for England.
'Nurse leaders will need to be strong in voicing their concerns'

18 December 2012
The 18 December was an important day for the NHS. The new NHS Commissioning Board set out its guidance on how the health service will be run when it takes over from the Department of Health in April.
Memorial fund set up for hoax call nurse

17-Dec-2012
A memorial fund has been set up for the nurse who apparently took her own life after being duped by a hoax call which led to clinical details being revealed about the Duchess of Cambridge.
Sugar may ‘comfort babies during injections’

14-Dec-2012
The sweet taste of sugar may provide some comfort for babies during immunisations, according to a Cochrane review.
New drug approved for use against C diff in Wales

14-Dec-2012
A new antibiotic treatment for Clostridium difficile has been accepted for restricted use by the NHS in Wales.
Nurse recognised for commitment to disabled athletes

13-Dec-2012
The British Paralympic Association’s chief nurse has been given an honorary doctorate in recognition for helping disabled athletes for 40 years.
Lincs trust appoints new head of children's nursing

13-Dec-2012
A new head of children’s nursing has been appointed at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Francis report will be 'very difficult moment' for NHS, warns Hunt

11-Dec-2012
There are pockets of poor care like that found at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust across the country, which should not be tolerated, according to the health secretary.
Strong leadership 'critical' for overcoming nursing's challenges

11-Dec-2012
Nurse leaders will be “absolutely critical” in helping the profession cope with the current staffing pressures and criticism from the public, the head of the NHS has said.
New recruits to nursing must be 'committed to the cause'

11-Dec-2012
Candidates seeking to join nurse education courses will in future be tested on their values to ensure they are “committed to the cause”, according to the senior nurse at the health service’s new education and training body.
Nursing directors told to become social media 'role models'

11-Dec-2012
Senior nurses have been called on to act as “role models” for the nursing profession in the use of social media.
Pressure ulcers cut by a third in midlands and east

10-Dec-2012
The proportion of patients with new grade 2, 3 or 4 pressure ulcers has been reduced by 36% in the last six months across the midlands and east of England, latest data suggests.
Trust launches campaign to improve nursing care

7-Dec-2012
A community and mental health trust has launched its own campaign to “reinforce the fundamentals of nursing”.
BMI impacts on efficacy of anti hypertensives

7-Dec-2012
Body mass index may influence which blood pressure drugs work best at reducing the major cardiovascular complications of hypertension, according to a US study involving 11,482 people.
Trusts told to give students flu jab

7-Dec-2012
Trusts have been reminded that it is their responsibility to offer free flu vaccination to student nurses.
A&E nurses to screen for dementia

6-Dec-2012
A Midlands hospital has created two nursing posts to screen older emergency patients for dementia.
A&E waits getting longer, warns regulator

6-Dec-2012
Waiting times in accident and emergency departments are getting longer, according to a national survey.
Safe staffing tools and hotline to be introduced in Scotland

5-Dec-2012
A hotline for Scottish NHS staff to raise concerns is to be trialed and it will become mandatory for employers to use a new suite of workforce planning tools to ensure staffing levels are safe, ministers have announced.
National nursing strategy set for launch

4-Dec-2012
The new national strategy for nursing in England is due to be launched later today at a conference of senior nurses.
Schoolchildren with health needs at risk, warn unions

30-Nov-2012
Urgent action is needed to protect children and young people with specialist health needs while they are at school, nursing unions have warned.
Nurses promote 'six-steps' to manage dementia

30-Nov-2012
US nurse researchers have developed a six-step approach to help manage behavioural symptoms in dementia patients, which they say can be used across all settings.
New booklet promotes healthy lifestyle during pregnancy

30-Nov-2012
The government’s Start4Life campaign has published guidance for midwives on helping patients recognise the risks of an unhealthy lifestyle during pregnancy.
New health visiting institute launched

29-Nov-2012
A new organisation dedicated to health visitors was officially launched last night at an event in London.
NICE updates guidance on fever in children

29-Nov-2012
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is updating its 2007 guidance on the assessment and initial management of feverish illness in children younger than five years.
RCN Wales unveils its first 'nurse of the year'

29-Nov-2012
A consultant nurse for substance misuse has been named Welsh “nurse of the year” by the Royal College of Nursing.
Former CNO becomes Salisbury non exec

28-Nov-2012
Former chief nursing officer for England Dame Sarah Mullally has been appointed as a non-executive director of Salisbury Foundation Trust.
Liverpool Care Pathway to face independent scrutiny, says Lamb

27-Nov-2012
A series of reviews into the Liverpool Care Pathway for end of life care patients will be overseen by an independent chair, the government has announced.
New midwife-led birth centre opens in Bradford

27-Nov-2012
A £1.2m midwife-led birth centre at the Bradford Royal Infirmary has opened its doors as part of a £3.6m investment in maternity and neonatal facilities.
Devon hospital introduces new nurse consultant role

27-Nov-2012
The post of consultant nurse for older people has been created by the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Fondation Trust to champion the complex and specialist needs of older patients.
Action plan on female genital mutilation welcomed

26-Nov-2012
The Royal College of Midwives has welcomed a government “action plan” to improve prosecutions for female genital mutilation.
Staff and public join rally against A&E closure

26-Nov-2012
Nurses joined the general public in a march on Saturday against plans to close the accident and emergency department at Lewisham Hospital in south London.
Violence threat to healthcare assistants

26-Nov-2012
More than 70% of healthcare assistants have been the victim of aggression and violence at work, suggests research by the Unison.
NHS loses another 1,000 nurses

23-Nov-2012
The NHS nursing workforce in England is continuing to shrink, latest figures suggest.
Birmingham nurse celebrates 40 years on wards

23-Nov-2012
A private sector nurse from the Midlands is preparing to celebrate four decades in the nursing profession.
Faulty defibrillator warning issued

22-Nov-2012
A safety warning has been issued about potential faults in a type of defibrillator often found in shopping centres, railways, dental surgeries and other public places.
CQC inspection finds midwife shortage at Brighton trust

22-Nov-2012
Care Quality Commission inspectors have identified Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust to be in breach of essential standards relating to ratios of midwives to mothers.
Technology cash for Scottish community nurses

22-Nov-2012
The Scottish government has announced a £1m fund to boost access to mobile technology for nurses working in the community.
Aid for appropriate antibiotic prescribing published

21-Nov-2012
Guidance on appropriate antibiotics prescribing in primary care has been published by the Royal College of GPs.
RCN issues guidance on bowel dysfunction

21-Nov-2012
The Royal College of Nursing has published guidelines to help nursing staff understand the functions of the bowel and the need for appropriate assessment.
Case ends disclosure of false allegations against nurses by police

20-Nov-2012
The Royal College of Nursing has won a legal case that it hopes will ensure nursing staff wrongly accused of criminal offences are not at risk of being turned down for future employment.
Ethnicity affects job chances for new nurses

20-Nov-2012
Newly qualified nurses from minority ethnic groups are “disadvantaged” when it comes to getting a nursing job in London, ground breaking research has found.
East Kent trust pioneers new nursing tool

20-Nov-2012
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has introduced “red mats” to alert all staff to patient nutritional needs around-the-clock.
Number of Queen's Nurses passes 300

19-Nov-2012
More than 300 community nurses have been made Queen’s Nurse since the title was reintroduced in 2006.
Orthopaedics recovery programme slashes hospital stays

19-Nov-2012
Changes to the recovery process for patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust are producing “better than hoped for” results, according to nurses.
Menstrual cycle influences respiratory symptoms

16-Nov-2012
Respiratory symptoms vary significantly during different stages of the menstrual cycle, with higher frequencies during the mid-luteal to mid-follicular stages, according to a Norwegian study.
New guidance on food in healthcare

16-Nov-2012
The British Dietetic Association has published guidance on food provision in care settings.
Nurse wellbeing has 'direct impact' on patient care

16-Nov-2012
Levels of satisfaction and wellbeing among NHS staff have a direct impact on patients’ experiences of healthcare, according to a major study by leading UK nurse researchers.
Aerobic exercise can reduce fatigue in cancer patients

16-Nov-2012
Aerobic exercise can help relieve the fatigue often associated with cancer and cancer treatment, according to a Cochrane review.
Warning over moderate drinking during pregnancy

15-Nov-2012
Relatively small levels of exposure to alcohol while in the womb can influence a child’s IQ, according to researchers from the universities of Bristol and Oxford.
NHS is 'sleepwalking' into staffing crisis, warns RCN

13-Nov-2012
The NHS in England is “sleepwalking into a nursing crisis” that is drawing closer as the size of staff cuts increase, the Royal College of Nursing warned today.
Six-monthly monitoring of HbA1c may be too frequent for diabetes patients

13-Nov-2012
Six-monthly monitoring of HbA1c among some patients with type 2 diabetes may be too frequent and cause unnecessary treatment changes, according to a study published by NHS Diabetes and Oxford University.
Longer shifts lead to burnout and more patient complaints

9-Nov-2012
Nurses working 12 hour shifts are more likely to experience burnout, job dissatisfaction, and complaints from patients dissatisfied with their care, according to US researchers.
Preterm risk for mothers with bipolar disorder

9-Nov-2012
Pregnant women with bipolar disorder are at increased risk of preterm birth, regardless of whether they are receiving mood stabilising drugs or not, according to a Swedish study in the BMJ online.
QNI appoints new chair

9-Nov-2012
Community nursing charity the Queen’s Nursing Institute has announced that former deputy chief nursing officer Kate Billingham will be the new chair of its council.
Atypical fracture risk outweighed by bisphosphonates benefit

9-Nov-2012
The risk of atypical fractures from taking bisphosphonates in people with osteoporosis is low, according to US researchers.
New nursing CPD bursaries created

9-Nov-2012
Two £1,000 bursaries have been created by Brighton University to support nurses’ learning and improve care for patients.
Nurse practitioner guidelines updated

9-Nov-2012
A new edition of guidelines for nurse practitioners has been published by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
Private sector nurses celebrate awards

9-Nov-2012
Two nurses are celebrating after winning top awards for their work in the private healthcare sector.
Manual handling guide updated

8-Nov-2012
The charity BackCare has published a new edition of its manual handling guide.
Obesity may aid survival of pneumonia patients

8-Nov-2012
Patients admitted with pneumonia are more likely to survive if they are obese, according to a study published online in the journal Clinical Microbiology and Infection.
Guide launched to aid safe discharge of older patients

8-Nov-2012
A new cross sector guide has been published to support the discharge of older patients from hospital.
Lack of nurse managers in new commissioning groups

7-Nov-2012
Only a third of the new bodies that will commission NHS services have so far earmarked an executive post for a senior nurse, an investigation by Nursing Times suggests.
CCGs 'sharing' nurses to comply with governance rules

7-Nov-2012
Some clinical commissioning groups are planning to share the nurses they are required to have on their governing boards, it has emerged.
London rethinks plans to slash nursing numbers

6-Nov-2012
The NHS is re-examining a controversial review that concluded London’s hospitals could safely slash their nursing workforce through greater productivity.
CQC calls on community nurses to raise concerns

6-Nov-2012
The Care Quality Commission has called on district nurses and other community staff to alert it if they have concerns about “secluded” parts of health and social care system.
Nursing needs new 'narrative' to rebuild public confidence

6-Nov-2012
The nursing profession must create a “narrative” that is forward looking, positive and welcoming to young people if it is to rebuild its tarnished image, according to a senior government nurse.
Nurses warned to record concerns about workload risks

5-Nov-2012
Nurses have been warned to document their concerns on workload and workforce shortages in the wake of “worrying” results from a major union survey.
Rotation scheme for newly qualifieds

5-Nov-2012
A rotation scheme to give newly-qualified nurses a greater variety of experience has been started by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.
Manchester burns specialist named Nurse of the Year

1-Nov-2012
Jacky Edwards, from University Hospital of South Manchester, was last night named “Nurse of the Year” at the Nursing Times Awards in London.
Majority of chemo units working 'at or over capacity'

31-Oct-2012
Two thirds of chemotherapy units are working at full capacity or beyond, according to a small survey of specialist cancer nurses.
'Nurses will take a strong role in service design', says Dr Dan Poulter

30-Oct-2012
Interview: minister Dr Dan Poulter was inspired early on by nurse leaders. He talks to Steve Ford about good care, bad culture and the future of NHS nurses.
Cancer nurses face 'internal conflict' on end of life care

26-Oct-2012
Cancer nurses often face an internal conflict between their need to help patients fight their disease and preparing them for the possibility of “letting go”, a small study shows.
Lincolnshire nurse marks 40 years in critical care

26-Oct-2012
An intensive care nurse at Scunthorpe General Hospital has clocked up 40 years working for the NHS.
NMC fee to rise to £100 in February

25-Oct-2012
Nurses will pay £100 to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council from February, following a decision by the regulator today.
Urgent care centres 'inconsistent' and 'confusing'

25-Oct-2012
Urgent care centres staffed only by nurses are often restricted in the types of patients they can see depending on the time of day and who is on duty, a report by primary care researchers has found.
Wirral practice nurse celebrates award

25-Oct-2012
Philomena Potts, a nurse practitioner and practice partner, has been named Practice Nurse of the Year at a regional awards ceremony in Merseyside.
New COPD treatment launched

25-Oct-2012
A new treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been launched in the UK.
Nursing charity unveils new chief exec

24-Oct-2012
Nursing charity the Cavell Nurses’ Trust has confirmed the appointment of a new chief executive.
Cutting ICU noise may help patients

24-Oct-2012
Overnight noise levels in intensive care units often exceed levels recommended by the World Health Organization, according to US researchers.
Surrey social enterprise wins new contract

24-Oct-2012
A high profile social enterprise scheme has won a £113m contract to continue providing community services across Mid Surrey.
'NMC should accept government bailout'

23-Oct-2012
This week the Nursing and Midwifery Council is expected to decide whether or not to go ahead with its fee hike, bringing to an end the saga that first erupted in May.
Leading acute nurse honoured by medical body

23-Oct-2012
A nurse has been awarded a life fellowship by the Society for Acute Medicine for the first time.
Toolkit to improve patient care in the community

22-Oct-2012
A new toolkit has been launched by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement to help community nurses improve the care they provide based on the first impressions of their patients.
Nurses appointed to new regional commissioning bodies

19-Oct-2012
A number of nursing directors have been appointed to Local Area Teams in the north by the NHS Commissioning Board.
Factsheets on pancreatic cancer published

19-Oct-2012
Pancreatic Cancer UK, which provides free patient information to health professionals, has launched two factsheets on surgery.
Trips rather than slips should be focus of falls prevention, study finds

19-Oct-2012
Care home staff must be more aware of the risk of older patients tripping after getting their feet caught on table legs or chairs, according to Canadian researchers.
Simple interventions can help mental health of ICU patients

19-Oct-2012
More than 50% of patients discharged from intensive care go on to suffer adverse psychological problems, according to UK researchers.
Mary Seacole winners announced

18-Oct-2012
The work of nurses and midwives who have contributed to improving the health of black and ethnic minority communities was celebrated this week at the annual Mary Seacole awards.
New diabetes drug combo launched

18-Oct-2012
A single tablet combination of linagliptin and metformin has been launched.
'It’s time to change the culture of the NHS'

17-Oct-2012
Equipping nurses with the skills to become leaders has been a long-standing issue for the profession.
Whistleblowers viewed as 'troublemakers' in 70s, says leading nurse

16-Oct-2012
NHS staff that spoke out about care abuses in the 1970s were branded “troublemakers”, an influential nurse has said in the wake of allegations that Sir Jimmy Saville was able to molest young hospital patients over many years.
'Whistleblowing' charter launched

15-Oct-2012
A whistleblowing charter has been signed by health unions, employers and regulators, which pledges to support staff who raise concerns.
NHS could be 'paperless' by 2015

15-Oct-2012
The government will commit the NHS to a “paperless” future, possibly by as soon as 2015, according to the health service’s new informatics chief.
Interim chief nurse appointed at Mid Yorks

15-Oct-2012
The struggling Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust has appointed an interim director to lead its nursing and clinical standards agenda, pending a permanent appointment.
Nurses able to 'calculate' safe staffing levels for elderly care

12-Oct-2012
A calculator and toolkit to help nurses ensure safe levels of staffing on older people’s wards have been launched by the Royal College of Nursing.
Cameron pays tribute to heroic WWI nurse

12-Oct-2012
David Cameron has paid tribute to the “extraordinary bravery” of First World War nurse Edith Cavell in a speech setting out plans to mark the centenary of the conflict.
Nurses 'warned children about Savile'

11-Oct-2012
Nurses advised young patients to “pretend to be asleep” when Sir Jimmy Savile was visiting their hospital, it has been claimed.
Guidance on communicating with dementia patients

11-Oct-2012
Guidance to help friends, relatives and carers overcome the stigma of communicating with people with dementia has been published by Bupa.
'Considerable' improvement in care needed at Edinburgh hospital

11-Oct-2012
An unannounced inspection has uncovered a number of serious issues in older people’s care at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Antibiotic launched for hard to treat hospital infections

11-Oct-2012
A new antibiotic has been launched for treating complicated skin and soft tissue infections in hospitals and community acquired pneumonia.
Safety alert issued over typhoid vaccine

10-Oct-2012
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued a drug alert advising healthcare professionals that 16 batches of the vaccine Typhim Vi have been recalled.
Search for new NMC chief exec put on hold

9-Oct-2012
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has abandoned its search for a new chief executive and registrar due to the lack of a “competitive field of candidates”.
'First impressions' help improve patient experience

9-Oct-2012
A toolkit that taps into people’s first impressions of a healthcare setting has been launched by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement to help mental health wards provide a better experience for patients.
Cameron outlines £140m investment in technology for nurses

8-Oct-2012
The government is to spend £140m technology and leadership training for nurses and midwives in order to “improve care and beat bureaucracy”.
Free slippers 'cut falls risk'

8-Oct-2012
Staff at Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust saw a 28% reduction in falls after they began a free slipper scheme at one of their mental health facilities.
Calendar reveals vintage nursing ads

5-Oct-2012
Rare adverts featuring nurses from yesteryear feature on the Queen’s Nursing Institute’s new calendar for 2013.
Burnham vows to repeal Health Act

4-Oct-2012
Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham has promised to repeal the controversial Health and Social Care Act should Labour win the next election in 2015.
Multiple myeloma 'jab' gains license

4-Oct-2012
The multiple myeloma drug bortezomib (Velcade) has been licensed for subcutaneous administration.
Ward rounds should not be neglected, warn colleges

4-Oct-2012
A nurse should be present at the bedside during every hospital ward round as a key aspect of inpatient care, clinical leaders have stated.
Call for patients to have more choice over diabetes treatment

3-Oct-2012
Patients should be “at the heart” of clinical decisions on type 2 diabetes treatment, according to “pragmatic” new international guidance on diabetes.
NICE asks for views on VTE care benchmark

3-Oct-2012
A consultation has been launched on developing a care quality standard for the management of venous thromboembolic in the NHS in England.
Colleges and charities defend end of life care pathway

1-Oct-2012
More than 20 organisations have signed a statement seeking to rectify “misconceptions and often inaccurate information” about the Liverpool Care Pathway for the dying patient.
Quality of diabetes care driven by practice nurses

28-Sep-2012
Nurse-led clinics in primary care are associated with better adherence to diabetes guidelines and lower HbA1c levels, according to researchers.
Former CNO to support trusts through FT pipeline

27-Sep-2012
Former chief nursing officer Dame Christine Beasley has been confirmed as a non-executive director of the NHS Trust Development Authority.
Clot-busting stroke treatment should be offered to all

27-Sep-2012
All acute patients presenting with stroke should be considered for thrombolysis, regardless of age or stroke severity, according to latest national guidelines.
Nursing charity renames itself after heroic WWI nurse

27-Sep-2012
A charity set up to help nurses through difficult times has gone back to its roots by renaming itself after the nurse that inspired its foundation nearly one hundred years ago.
RCN publishes guide for nurses working in orthopaedics

26-Sep-2012
The Royal College of Nursing has published guidance for nurses working in the field of orthopaedics.
All staff offered redundancy by Kent trust

25-Sep-2012
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has taken the drastic step of offering all its staff voluntary redundancy as it attempts to save £15m-£20m.
Health unions to march again next month

25-Sep-2012
Health unions are urging their members to join a demonstration next month against future public sector cuts.
Young epilepsy patients face lottery in specialist nurse access

24-Sep-2012
Less than half of UK children with epilepsy have seen a specialist nurse within 12 months of diagnosis, despite guidelines stating that all should be offered care input from one.
Nurse leaders call for views on their 'vision' for nursing

21-Sep-2012
Ensuring ward managers have supervisory status, using evidence based staffing levels and recruiting staff with the “right culture and values” are among the key priorities for action to improve the profession, according to the nurse leaders.
Charity offers nurses site loss learning bursary

21-Sep-2012
Bursaries are being offered to ophthalmic nurses for a seminar exploring the most common cause of sight loss in the UK.
HPV vaccine switch takes place

21-Sep-2012
The vaccine used by school nurses to deliver the human papilloma immunisation programme has changed this month.
Nurse hopes England will skate to victory in Brazil

21-Sep-2012
The nation’s summer of sport is not yet over for one nurse from north Essex.
New student and HCA members elected to RCN council

20-Sep-2012
The Royal College of Nursing has announced the election of four new members of its governing body, including for the first time healthcare assistants.
NICE calls on nurses to apply for scholarships

20-Sep-2012
Nurses and other clinicians are being encouraged to apply for fellowships and scholarships provided by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
New nursing minister praises East London maternity unit

19-Sep-2012
Dr Dan Poulter kicked off his new role as minister with responsibility for nursing and midwifery yesterday with a visit to a state-of-the-art maternity unit in one of the country’s most deprived areas.
DH ends funding for 'unique' nursing research centre

19-Sep-2012
The country’s only national centre for nursing research has been dealt a blow to its future survival, following a decision by the Department of Health to end funding it.
Nurse education director appointed

19-Sep-2012
The University of Lincoln has appointed a new director of nurse education to oversee the expansion of its student nursing programme.
Nurse appointed head of private hospital

19-Sep-2012
Spire Liverpool Hospital has appointed Alison Peake as its new hospital director.
New nursing director appointed at East Sussex trust

18-Sep-2012
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has appointed Alice Webster as its new director of nursing after a stint as interim.
Nursing research celebrates landmark

18-Sep-2012
A host of leading nurse academics gathered last week to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the National Nursing Research Unit, the only unit of its kind in the country.
Nurses hope to gain from field hospital experience

18-Sep-2012
Two nurses from Shropshire have begun a fortnight’s army training in Germany.
Post-surgery pain risk higher for breast cancer patients

18-Sep-2012
Breast cancer patients are significantly more likely to have severe pain in the week after surgery if they suffer from other conditions such as arthritis, back pain and migraine, researchers have found.
'Dr Dan' handed government nursing brief

17-Sep-2012
Responsibility for nursing policy at the Department of Health has been given to a hospital doctor, following the government’s ministerial reshuffle.
RCN launches ad campaign to promote 'remarkable' nurses

17-Sep-2012
The Royal College of Nursing has launched a major bus advertising campaign to demonstrate to the public the reality of modern day nursing.
COPD patients aided by antibiotics

17-Sep-2012
Taking antibiotics can help patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Spanish researchers have found.
Pension changes reach parliament

14-Sep-2012
The government has unveiled its public sector pension’s bill in Parliament, claiming it would save £65bn savings over the next 50 years.
Chance to develop nursing research career

14-Sep-2012
The chief nursing officer is calling on nurses and midwives to apply for internships in clinical academic training.
Nurse celebrates 45 years at same hospital

14-Sep-2012
A senior nurse at Tameside Hospital will mark 45 years in the profession on 16 September.
Stoma nurse wins award for second year running

13-Sep-2012
A specialist nurse from Peterborough has been recognised for her work for the second year in a row by a Stoma care charity.
Leading community nurse honoured

12-Sep-2012
The former director of the Queen’s Nursing Institute has been made an honorary professor.
Healthy pregnancy service in running for award

11-Sep-2012
Two midwives from Yorkshire have been shortlisted for an award recognising innovations that could transform the NHS.
Nurses of different ages must 'respect' each other

3-Sep-2012
The mix of ages within the nursing workforce can increase high stress levels and harm patient care in the process, German researchers claim.
Senior nurses 'resistant' to evidence-based practice

31-Aug-2012
Nurse managers are often “serious barriers” to preventing the implementation of new evidence-based practice by other nursing staff, US researchers have claimed.
New guidance for nurses on promoting safe sex

31-Aug-2012
Brief behaviour change interventions should form part of routine practice for nurses working in sexual health settings, according to guidelines on promoting on safer sex from the British Association for Sexual Health and the British HIV Association.
Nurse helps Bulgarian children's charity

31-Aug-2012
A Shropshire nurse is heading to Bulgaria next month to help abandoned children with learning difficulties.
Nurse appointed to new research role

31-Aug-2012
The first ever Florence Nightingale Foundation chair in clinical nursing practice has been appointed.
Simple liver disease test developed for primary care

30-Aug-2012
A simple “traffic light” test has been devised by UK researchers to help diagnose liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in primary care.
Nurse helps GP Paralympians

30-Aug-2012
A specialist nurse from Salisbury will be providing support to athletes in their events at the Paralympic Games, which are set to get underway today.
Obesity linked to AF in younger women

30-Aug-2012
Obesity can trigger atrial fibrillation in seemingly healthy fertile women, according to latest study findings.
Decline in Scottish nursing posts set to continue

30-Aug-2012
Nearly 400 NHS nursing posts are due to be cut in Scotland during 2012-13, unions have claimed.
Audit of care home diabetes care starts

28-Aug-2012
A drive to improve the quality of diabetes care in care homes has been launched.
Trust launches 'picture menus' for older patients

28-Aug-2012
Older patients in North Tyneside and Northumberland are set to benefit from a novel approach to helping them to eat well while in hospital.
Nurse to research mental health 'recovery'

28-Aug-2012
A nurse at a Sheffield health trust has been awarded funding to develop a new assessment tool to help mental health staff to promote “recovery”.
Union members reject NMC fee hike and back alternative funding models

25-Aug-2012
An overwhelming majority of nurse union members have registered their opposition to the fee hike proposed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
More male and mixed-race health visitors wanted

16-Aug-2012
The Department of Health says it is seeking to attract more men and people from mixed ethnic backgrounds into health visiting, as part of the national recruitment drive.
Interim nursing director appointed at Yeovil hospital

16-Aug-2012
An acute trust in Somerset has appointed one of its senior critical care nurses as interim director of nursing, it has been announced.
£24m contract offered for family nurse expansion

16-Aug-2012
The government is seeking an “external partner” to help deliver the expansion of the Family Nurse Partnership programme.
Hospital drug alerts system would catch ‘nurse killer’

14-Aug-2012
A specialised drug prescribing system could help prevent a repetition of patient murders, such as those by nurse Colin Norris, researchers claim.
Nurse volunteers needed for hospital ship

14-Aug-2012
International charity Mercy Ships is appealing for UK nurses to volunteer to help people in West Africa over the next 10 months.
Welsh nursing icon celebrated with memorials

14-Aug-2012
The life and work of pioneering Welsh nurse Betsi Cadwaladr has been commemorated with the unveiling of a memorial stone and bench.
Views still sought for HCA code and training standards

13-Aug-2012
Nurses and healthcare assistants are being urged to take part in a consultation on the future development of a code of conduct and training standards for healthcare support workers.
Degree nurses 'not too posh to wash', says Willis Commission

10-Aug-2012
The move to degree-only entry to nursing is unlikely to affects nurses’ “ability or desire to care with compassion”, according to interim findings from an expert group set up by the Royal College of Nursing.
Nurses urged to give views on needlestick rules

9-Aug-2012
The introduction of rules intended to protect UK nurses and other health professionals from sharps injuries moved a step closer this week.
Sussex trust fights back over reconfig plan criticism

9-Aug-2012
A Sussex acute and community trust has fought back following criticism of its reconfiguration plans from its own consultants and two local campaign groups backed by the media.
New director of nursing for Ipswich Hospital

9-Aug-2012
Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust has appointed a new director of nursing and quality.
NMC claims fee hike business case is 'sound'

8-Aug-2012
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has insisted the business case for its proposed fee hike is “sound”, following news that the health secretary has told it to carry out an independent audit of the plans.
First HCAs to be elected to RCN council

8-Aug-2012
Voting is now open for the election of the first two “health practitioners” to serve on the Royal College of Nursing’s council.
25% of Scottish intensive care admissions alcohol related

5-Aug-2012
Alcohol problems account for a quarter of Scottish intensive care unit admissions, according to a study published online in the journal Anaesthesia.
New edition of children's BNF published

5-Aug-2012
An updated edition of British National Formulary for Children has been published.
DVT treatment alternative approved for use

4-Aug-2012
An oral drug alternative to warfarin has been approved for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis in the NHS.
Heart issues 'could easily be treated' if identified

4-Aug-2012
A quarter of patients in their late 80s have undiagnosed heart problems that could easily be treated, according to a UK study.
Stroke more damaging to women's life quality than men's

4-Aug-2012
Having a stroke or transient ischemic attack has a much more profound effect on the quality of life of women than men, according to nurse researchers at Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm.
Equity firm gains stake in nursing agency after management buy-out

3-Aug-2012
Temporary staffing provider Nurse Plus has become the subject of a management buy-out, which its new owners hope will see the organisation grow by nearly a third in size.
New specialist nurse service for Norfolk and Suffolk

3-Aug-2012
Bliss, the special care baby charity, has announced a new nursing post to support the families of premature and sick babies in the East of England.
DH insists 'swift appointment' of NMC chair was necessary

1-Aug-2012
The Department of Health has insisted it was right to act quickly in appointing a new chair for the Nursing and Midwifery Council, following criticism from the regulator itself yesterday.
‘Grave concerns’ over appointment of new NMC chair

31-Jul-2012
A new chair has been appointed to lead the troubled Nursing and Midwifery Council, but the regulator itself has raised concerns about the selection process.
Petition against NMC fee hike halfway to target

31-Jul-2012
A petition calling on MPs to debate the proposed fee hike by the Nursing and Midwifery Council has passed the halfway point towards its target.
Care industry to feature on TV’s Undercover Boss

30-Jul-2012
Working undercover on the frontline has revealed “the extent of the challenges” facing staff in the care home sector, according to a manager whose experiences are due to be broadcast tonight.
Wet weekends ‘worth every minute’ for UCLH Olympic dancers

30-Jul-2012
Frontline staff, from healthcare assistants to surgeons, represented University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust during Friday’s Olympics opening ceremony.
East London NHS staff describe ‘unforgettable’ Olympic night

30-Jul-2012
More than 30 nurses and staff from East London NHS Foundation Trust took part in the Olympics opening ceremony on Friday evening.
Olympic opening ceremony will 'reaffirm greatness of NHS'

27-Jul-2012
Midwife Jane Logan will be among 800 volunteers from the NHS performing in tonight’s opening ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics.
A&E sister looks back on Olympic torch experience

27-Jul-2012
An accident and emergency sister who carried the Olympic torch yesterday has described the experience as “incredible” and a “privilege”.
Norfolk nurse prepares for Olympics

27-Jul-2012
A Norfolk specialist nurse will be one of 3,000 “first responders” providing care to members of the public attending the Olympics, which officially begin this evening.
Alcohol specialist nurses 'pay for themselves many times over'

27-Jul-2012
Calls for the expansion of alcohol specialist nurse services are growing in the wake of an influential report from MPs.
National recognition for ADHD specialist nurse

27-Jul-2012
Kathryn Currah from Stanhope in County Durham has been recognised nationally for her work with children and young people.
NMC appoints two new council members

26-Jul-2012
Two more nurses have become members of the nursing regulator’s ruling council.
All children to be offered annual flu vaccine

25-Jul-2012
The government will today announce that the national flu vaccination programme will be extended to all children in the UK.
Spyropoulos to continue as RCN president

23-Jul-2012
The Royal College of Nursing has re-elected its president and deputy president for further terms of office.
Dearth of training in dementia diagnosis

9-Jul-2012
Nurses must receive more education and training in identifying dementia, if care is to improve in line with the increasing prevalence of the condition, according to a group of MPs.
Extra weight may protect heart failure patients

7-Jul-2012
Obesity appears to have a protective affect for heart failure patients, according to a study by the University of California, Los Angeles.
RCOG publishes care requirements for parents whose babies die

7-Jul-2012
New patient information about the care parents can expect to receive during and after the death of a baby before birth has been published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Lansley launches scheme to recognise 'NHS Heroes'

7-Jul-2012
A new scheme to recognise the work of NHS staff in England was launched last week by the government.
Midwife teacher numbers squeezed - RCM

6-Jul-2012
There are too few teachers to adequately train the numbers of student midwives entering the education system, the Royal College of Midwives has warned.
Extended opening for GP practices in Wales

6-Jul-2012
Plans to improve access to GP surgeries in Wales have been announced by the Welsh government.
Specialist nurses better value for money than doctors

6-Jul-2012
Nurse specialists provide diabetes care of a similar quality to doctors and are more cost-effective, according to a study, which concludes nurses have not been used to their “full potential”.
Nurse swaps NHS job to develop ICU in Nepal

6-Jul-2012
A Teesside charge nurse has left his £40,000 NHS post to help pioneer critical care nursing in Nepal.
Theatre staff training contract awarded

6-Jul-2012
Buckinghamshire New University has won a contract to provide training for theatre staff in the Thames Valley.
NMC fee rise confirmed as 'only deal on the table'

3-Jul-2012
The Department of Health looks increasingly unlikely to intervene on behalf of registrants over the unpopular proposals to increase the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s fee by 58%.
Review concludes NMC is failing 'at every level'

3-Jul-2012
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has problems “at every level”, according to a highly critical report into the regulator published today.
Website helps bowel cancer patients choose hospital

1-Jul-2012
Macmillan Cancer Support has launched an online toll allowing newly-diagnosed bowel cancer patients in England to see how other patients rated local hospitals.
Less weight gain with new diabetes drug

1-Jul-2012
A new drug offers significant advantages over existing treatments for type 2 diabetes patients who do not respond to metformin, suggest findings from a trial in the Lancet online.
Sickle cell episodes 'must be treated as acute emergencies'

1-Jul-2012
Acute painful sickle cell episodes should be treated as acute medical emergencies, with analgesia offered to patients within 30 minutes of presenting at hospital, according to latest guidelines.
Call to reduce kidney injury by monitoring patient fluids

30-Jun-2012
A campaign has been launched in hospitals and nursing homes to encourage staff to better monitor and manage inpatients’ fluid status.
Private franchise tops first 'friends and family' chart

28-Jun-2012
Hinchingbrooke Health Care Trust has been rated joint top in the inaugural results of “friends and family” patient satisfaction test, recently endorsed by the prime minister.
Nurse award for dedication to public education on palliative care

28-Jun-2012
A Camden palliative care nurse has won an award for her work in educating the public about dying.
Queen’s nurse carries Olympic torch

27-Jun-2012
Queen’s nurse David Lighten, a community cardiac nurse from Bradford, has become one of 8,000 people to carry the Olympic Torch on its journey throughout the UK.
NICE calls on nurses to advocate better VTE care

27-Jun-2012
Nurses have been called on to act as advocates for “challenging” new guidance on services for patients presenting with a suspected venous thromboembolism.
RCN seeks rep views on pay changes

25-Jun-2012
The Royal College of Nursing is surveying its local and regional representatives on some of the early proposals put forward by NHS Employers to alter the Agenda for Change contract.
DPN linked to sleep apnoea in diabetes

25-Jun-2012
Diabetes patients are more likely to experience obstructive sleep apnoea if they also have diabetic peripheral neuropathy, according to a Birmingham University study.
Living alone increases mortality risk for CVD patients

24-Jun-2012
Cardiovascular patients should be screened to find out if they live alone, as this may increase their short term mortality risk, according to researchers.
Maternal anxiety may increase eczema risk

24-Jun-2012
Maternal anxiety during pregnancy is a risk factor for the onset of infantile atopic eczema, a study suggests.
Nurses given guide to improve community malnutrition

23-Jun-2012
A new guide has been launched to assist community healthcare professionals in identifying and managing patients at risk of disease-related malnutrition.
NMC to cease offering professional advice

22-Jun-2012
The Nursing and Midwifery Council is to discontinue offering professional advice to nurses and midwives via its telephone line and email service at the end of this month.
'Test A&E patients for tetanus', say researchers

21-Jun-2012
Two-thirds of patients who present at accident and emergency with wounds have immunity to tetanus, according to a study by the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
Union to protest against regional 'pay cartel'

21-Jun-2012
Members of the union Unison are to protest today at plans in the South West to create a regional “pay cartel”.
RCN calls for views on NMC fee hike

21-Jun-2012
The Royal College of Nursing has begun surveying its members on the proposed fee hike by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
New antibiotic launched for C diff

21-Jun-2012
The first in a new class of antibiotics was launched in the UK last week for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection.
Bid to improve end of life care for gay people

21-Jun-2012
The National End of Life Care Programme has published guidance on care for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people at the end of their lives.
Queen honours nurses who treated 'Arab spring' casualties

19-Jun-2012
Three nurses who gave aid during the Libyan uprising last year were among more than 20 people connected to nursing or midwifery who were named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2012.
NICE publishes guidance on upper GI bleeds

19 June 2012
Endoscopy should be offered to unstable patients with severe acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding immediately after resuscitation, according to new national guidelines.
No cognitive protection from fish oil supplements

19 June 2012
Older people who take omega-3 fish oil supplements are probably not reducing their chances of losing cognitive function, according to a Cochrane systematic review.
NICE backs oral DVT treatment

18-Jun-2012
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has published final draft guidance recommending rivaroxaban (Xarelto) as a treatment for deep vein thrombosis.
Rise in A&E attendees with sports injuries

18-Jun-2012
Accident and emergency departments in England have seen a 14% rise in sports injury cases in a year, according to the NHS Information Centre.
Updated: nurses should carry on 'as normal' during doc pensions action

16-Jun-2012
Nurses should turn up for work as usual and not volunteer to do work usually done by doctors during planned industrial action over pensions this week, nursing unions have advised.
NHS chief exec admits concern at specialist nurse cuts

15-Jun-2012
The head of the NHS has hinted that specialist nurse posts will have greater protection in future from cost cutting measures.
RCN congress chair elected for further year

15-Jun-2012
Members of the Royal College of Nursing have re-elected their congress chair and vice chair.
Scottish family nurse scheme to be extended

13-Jun-2012
The family nurse partnership programme in Scotland has been extended to three new parts of the country, it has been announced.
Nordic walking safe exercise for heart failure patients

10-Jun-2012
The exercise craze “Nordic” walking enables heart failure patients to safely exercise more intensely than normal, according to a Polish study presented at the Heart Failure Congress in Belgrade.
Patients assume passive role to avoid 'difficult' label

9-Jun-2012
Illness and patients’ perceptions of their status as subordinate to clinicians are the most important barriers to their active involvement in reducing clinical errors, according to researchers from the University of Surrey.
Leading RCN activist to stand down

7-Jun-2012
Royal College of Nursing council member and former council chair Sandra James is to stand down, it has been announced.
'Far too few' school nurses to expand flu vaccination

5 June 2012
There are insufficient school nurses to deliver an expansion of the national influenza vaccination programme to include all children, immunisation experts have warned.
'Interns' masking true state of nurse workforce, says RCN Scotland

5 June 2012
There has been a slight increase in nurses working in Scotland, potentially marking an end a recent workforce slump – though unions remain doubtful.
‘Outstanding’ Cumbria nurse wins national award

5 June 2012
Judith Brassington, a multiple sclerosis specialist nurse, has won a national award from a charity in recognition of her work.
Nurses to rotate mental and physical health roles

5 June 2012
Mental health nurses in Norfolk are to swap roles with colleagues in acute hospitals and vice versa, as part of a new rotation programme.
Nurses get in the Jubilee spirit

2-Jun-2012
Nurses and other hospital staff around the country have been helping their patients – both young and old – to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this weekend.
NMC launches consultation on planned fee hike

1-Jun-2012
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has begun a consultation exercise on its proposals to increase the registration fee from £76 to £120.
Third of inpatient cardiac arrests preventable, says report

1-Jun-2012
A third of inpatient cardiac arrests and subsequent resuscitation attempts can be prevented by improved practice such as better recognition of deteriorating patients, an investigation has found.
Dahl charity offers nurses innovation grants

27-May-2012
Research grants are being made available to nurses by a children’s charity set up by the author of George’s Marvellous Medicine and other well known books.
Community heart nurse to join torch relay

26-May-2012
A Bradford community heart nurse is one of at least four nurses set to carry the Olympic Torch this summer.
Essex nurse to be Olympics first responder

25-May-2012
A nurse from Colchester General Hospital has been chosen to be a medical first responder at the London Olympics.
Mental health nurses protest at car park charge

24-May-2012
More than 100 nurses and health workers have staged a lunchtime protest against the introduction of parking charges for patients and staff at Springfield University Hospital in South London.
New system tracks learning disability patients

24-May-2012
A new patient-tracking system has been introduced by Sussex Community Trust to help patients with learning disabilities in West Sussex get targeted specialist support on admission.
Nurses petition government over NMC fee plans

24-May-2012
Anger at the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s proposed fee hike has led a group of nurses to petition the government to intervene.
New infection threats emerging to replace MRSA and C. diff

23-May-2012
A third of healthcare associated infections are now caused by bacteria that need to be tackled with different infection control techniques to MRSA and C. difficile, a report has warned.
NICE calls for better communication on opioid treatment

23-May-2012
Nurses should discuss concerns about addiction with patients who are being treated with strong opioids for pain relief when nearing the end of life, according to latest guidance.
Teesside neonatal nurse to carry Olympic torch

22-May-2012
Neonatal nurse Jo Chubb will be taking part in the Olympic torch relay next month.
Children’s nursing revolutionary receives honorary award

22-May-2012
Marcelle de Sousa, who revolutionised healthcare for children and young people in the UK, has been honoured for her achievements by London South Bank University.
NMC admits to finding FtP errors in nursing register

22 May 2012
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has admitted that IT errors have left hundreds of nurses and midwives with inaccurate registration records, in some cases involving cautions and striking off orders.
Nurses kept on hold by the NMC

22 May 2012
Only around half of registrants’ calls to the Nursing and Midwifery Council are currently answered inside the industry standard.
'It doesn't matter' where health visitors are based, says Lansley

18-May-2012
The health secretary has dismissed arguments over where health visitors should be based as “missing the point”.
NMC proposes 60% hike in registration fee

17-May-2012
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has proposed increasing the annual registrants’ fee to £120 from the start of next year.
New guidance on orthopaedic pin sites

17-May-2012
Guidance on the effective care of orthopaedic pin sites and infection prevention has been published by the Royal College of Nursing.
College pledges to defend ‘human rights’ of nurses

17-May-2012
The Royal College of Nursing says it “deplores” violence against health professionals and will act directly to broach the issue with governments around the world.
Nurses want employers to allow mandatory training within working hours

16-May-2012
Nurses have urged employers to ensure all mandatory training is undertaken in work time.
Miliband: Attacks on nursing are 'totally unfair'

16-May-2012
Attacking the nursing profession over isolated examples of bad practice “is totally unfair”, Labour leader Ed Miliband has told Nursing Times.
RCN delegates reject compulsory winter flu jab

16-May-2012
Nurses have rejected the idea of requiring all nursing staff and students to have the annual winter flu jab.
Congress rejects plan to pay people to be healthier

16-May-2012
Nurses have rejected calls to introduce financial incentives for improved public health behaviour.
Academic attacks media 'myths' about nursing profession

16-May-2012
A nursing historian has attacked media critics that express “highly critical” but “ill informed” opinions about the profession.
RCN members denounce 'cuts in name of transformation'

15-May-2012
Members of the Royal College of Nursing have denounced attempts to make cuts to NHS services in the name of “transformation”.
Miliband commits to national nursing pay - but not to saving pensions

15-May-2012
Labour leader Ed Miliband has said he supports the “national pay framework” for nurses but would not commit to repealing controversial NHS pension reforms.
Fees row between RCN and global nursing federation

15-May-2012
The Royal College of Nursing is in talks with the International Council of Nurses over its “disproportionate” fees.
Nursing academics ‘must be supported’

15-May-2012
Nurses involved in education and training often feel “overlooked or forgotten”, the Royal College of Nursing’s council chair has warned.
'Invest in skilled nurses to make real savings'

15-May-2012
It’s that time of year again. The Royal College of Nursing’s annual congress is upon us and by the time you read this Andrew Lansley will have inevitably endured a frosty reception from delegates.
Carter: 'It's never been tougher for nurses'

14-May-2012
“It’s never been tougher” for nursing staff but the profession should not be blamed for care failings, according to the head of the Royal College of Nursing.
Community nursing 'overburdened', warns RCN

14-May-2012
The majority of community nurses say they are facing cutbacks and spending less time with patients, according to survey results revealed yesterday.
RCN warns of treatment in corridors and long trolley waits

13-May-2012
Patients are being routinely left on trolleys for hours and treated in corridors and other inappropriate areas, the Royal College of Nursing has warned in the wake of new survey results.
Next CNO calls on nurses to spread best practice

11-May-2012
The next chief nursing officer for England has called on nurses to embrace evidence-based practices to mark International Nurses Day.
Nurses Day celebrated in Westminster Abbey

11-May-2012
Thousands of nurses once again celebrated International Nurses Day this year at the annual service to commemorate the life of Florence Nightingale in Westminster Abbey.
NMC consults on proposed changes to FtP process

9-May-2012
Nurses are being asked whether they support the introduction of measures that would remove the need for full fitness to practise proceedings in some situations where registrants admit guilt.
Troubled trust turns to nursing quality framework

8-May-2012
Nurses and midwives at a struggling foundation trust in the North West are being encouraged to join a nationwide nurse-led approach to drive up standards and maintain excellence in care for patients.
'I want every nurse to be proud', says next CNO

8-May-2012
Nurses should be respected and be able to have pride in their profession, according to England’s next chief nursing officer.
Project to tailor dementia care launched in Sussex

8-May-2012
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust has launched a project intended to improve care for dementia patients.
Unions seek views on pay and conditions

5-May-2012
Unions have launched a joint survey asking their NHS members about their views on pay and working conditions.
Nurse appointed to develop new end of life care centre

4-May-2012
A nurse has been appointed professor in palliative care at De Montfort University in Leicester.
NMC advertises for new chief exec and chair

4-May-2012
The nursing regulator has started recruiting for a permanent chief executive and chair.
New guidelines for care of children in emergency settings

4-May-2012
Minimum requirements for how children in emergency settings should be treated, including nurse staffing requirements, have been set out in new standards.
East Kent maternity shake-up goes ahead

4-May-2012
Maternity services in east Kent are to be reconfigured, with two units to close to births, it has been announced.
Midwives accept pensions offer

2-May-2012
The Royal College of Midwives has announced that it has “reluctantly” decided to accept the government’s deal on pensions
Ward staffing pressures leave vital care undone

1 May 2012
A “staggering” amount of necessary care is left undone by nurses at the end of shifts because of staffing pressures, according to latest findings from a landmark nursing study.
Training access holds back nurse prescribers, warn researchers

27-Apr-2012
Access to specialist training is holding back nurses involved in prescribing pain medications, potentially at the expense of patient care, UK researchers have warned.
You own the quality forum Lansley tells nursing profession

24 April 2012
The health secretary has said he hopes the opportunity to lead improvements to patient care will overcome cynicism from the profession about the new nursing and care quality forum.
Trust ends increment pay freeze over sick leave

17 April 2012
A second hospital trust in the north west has ripped up a sickness absence policy under which nurses were withheld pay increments, following a landmark legal ruling, Nursing Times has learnt.
NICE updates infection control guidance for practice nurses

16-Apr-2012
Practice nurses have been told to decontaminate their hands immediately after removing gloves, in updated guidance on preventing the spread of infection in primary care settings.
Queen urged to intervene over NHS Jubilee pay

11-Apr-2012
The Queen has been asked to intervene directly to ensure the NHS treats the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June as a bank holiday.
Toolkit aims to help maternity staff improve safety

10-Apr-2012
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.
‘Nightingale’ nurse to oversee museum

10-Apr-2012
The Florence Nightingale Museum in London has appointed Sue Sheridan as the new chair of its board of trustees.
NMC to raise awareness of midwife supervisor role

9-Apr-2012
The Nursing and Midwifery Council is to launch a drive aimed to increase awareness of the role of supervisors of midwives.
Lansley set to brave this year's RCN congress

6-Apr-2012
Health secretary Andrew Lansley is to address the Royal College of Nursing’s annual congress this year, it has been announced.
Scottish hospital checks underway on older care

5-Apr-2012
An inspection programme of standards of hospital care for older patients is underway in Scotland.
RCN updates position on emergency contraception

3 April 2012
The Royal College of Nursing has published an updated position statement on the role of school nurses in providing emergency contraception services in education settings.
PNs face tighter checks on registration

2-Apr-2012
GPs are to be told to check their practice nurses are on the nursing register in response to fears unqualified staff are posing as registrants.
Immigration cap would 'halve' UK's migrant nurse workforce

31-Mar-2012
The Royal College of Nursing says it has “grave concerns” that a shake up of UK immigration policy could lead to thousands of overseas nurses being forced to leave the UK.
'Revolution' needed to improve care of older patients

27 March 2012
Frail older people are being passed around in hospital like “parcels” because of a lack of continuity of care, a report has warned.
Greece and England top nurse 'burn out' league table

24-Mar-2012
Nurses in England have lower levels of job satisfaction and are at higher risk of “burnout” than their counterparts in most other European countries, a major nursing study has revealed.
Twitter goes 'behind the scenes' at maternity unit

23-Mar-2012
A Midlands hospital is conducting the UK’s first “tweetathon” from a maternity unit today.
District nurse decline risks 'tragedy' for patient care

23-Mar-2012
The community and district nursing workforce fell sharply last year, latest figures reveal, sparking fears of a “creeping tragedy” for patient care.
Unison and RCM to consult members on NHS pension deal

22-Mar-2012
Unison is to ballot its 450,000 members who work in the health sector on the government’s proposals to change the NHS pension scheme.
Census confirms NHS nursing workforce has shrunk

21-Mar-2012
The number of registered nurses working in the NHS fell by 3,000 last year, according to latest workforce figures.
Cancer nurse to carry Olympic torch

21-Mar-2012
An oncology nurse from Sussex will carry the London 2012 Olympic Games torch as part of its journey round the country.
Mandatory staffing ratios aid recruitment and retention

21-Mar-2012
Setting minimum staff to patient ratios could create a more stable nursing workforce that is less dependent on agency cover, while improving safety, according to the latest academic review.
Unions fight to keep national pay deal

17-Mar-2012
A move to local pay for NHS staff would lead to damaging competition between trusts for workers, entrench low pay in certain areas and further erode morale, health unions warned last week.
Diabetes patients 'misunderstand' self test readings

15-Mar-2012
Type 2 diabetes patients who self-monitor blood glucose levels at home often misunderstand the significance of high readings and how to react to them, warn researchers in Scotland.
NHS Diabetes backs foot screening test for inpatients

14-Mar-2012
A simple screening tool can help nurses reduce the risk of diabetes patients developing hospital-acquired foot lesions and heel ulcers, according to its developers.
Infection control nurses told to test twice for C diff

14-Mar-2012
Two tests must be carried out to diagnose cases of Clostridium difficile in hospital patients, according to latest guidance from the Department of Health.
Pay review body backs £250 pay rise for lower paid NHS staff

13-Mar-2012
NHS staff earning £21,000 or less a year should receive a pay rise of £250 from April, the NHS pay review body has recommended.
Tell me about 'bonkers' bureaucracy, says DH nurse

13-Mar-2012
The Department of Health’s new deputy nursing director has called on the profession to help him identify examples of over the top bureaucracy that need to be changed.
Nurses warn Lansley of pressure in acute sector

13 March 2012
Incidents of patients not being treated with dignity or not gaining sufficient nutrition are “unacceptable and must stop”, the health secretary has told nurses.
Nurse education cuts pose threat to 'quality of patient care'

12-Mar-2012
The Royal College of Nursing and the Council of Deans of Health have issued a joint statement warning of the threat to the profession posed by significant cuts in the commissioning of pre-registration education of adult nurses.
Managers 'hiding behind' NMC referrals

10-Mar-2012
Managers have been accused of referring nurses to the regulator for performance issues that they should be sorting them out themselves.
Lansley unveils scheme to boost nurse research

9-Mar-2012
More nurses will be encouraged to access training in clinical research under plans unveiled by the government yesterday.
Bucks wins children's nurse training contract

8-Mar-2012
A university has won a regional contract to provide children’s nursing training in the south of England.
Nurse appointed to senior role at orthopaedics trust

8-Mar-2012
Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has appointed Val Doyle as its new director of operations.
CQC finds gaps in nursing home DNR policy and training

7-Mar-2012
Nearly a third of nursing homes do not have a “do not attempt resuscitation” policy, according to a review by the Care Quality Commission.
Nurses face increased public scrutiny

6 March 2012
The performance of nurses is to be exposed to routine public scrutiny for the first time under a “transparency” pilot scheme that senior nurses hope to roll out across the country.
Unison urges nurses to take part in staffing ratio survey

6 March 2012
Nursing staff are being asked to record the nurse-to-patient ratio on their ward as part of a major national survey by Unison.
Low turnout on pensions ballot leaves college sitting on fence

6 March 2012
A “disappointingly” low ballot turnout among Royal College of Nursing members has led it to hold back from rejecting the government’s latest pensions offer.
Nurses could face fines in fitness cases

6 March 2012
Nurses could be forced to pay fines and legal costs when found at fault in fitness to practise cases, under a plan presented by legal experts to ministers.
Tool developed to help predict mental illness in new mothers

5-Mar-2012
A new online training tool has been developed to help midwives neonatal nurses in Wales identify and treat new mothers at risk of severe mental illness in the postnatal period.
Carter and Lansley in row over RCN support for bill

3-Mar-2012
The Royal College of Nursing and health secretary Andrew Lansley entered a fresh war of words over the health bill this week.
Scottish nurse decline slowing as numbers reach new low

3-Mar-2012
The number of nurses working in the NHS in Scotland has now reached its lowest level for six years but the rate of decline appears to be slowing, according to latest data.
NMC and other regulators face legal overhaul

1-Mar-2012
Provisional plans have been drawn up that would give the Nursing and Midwifery Council and other professional regulators increased flexibility to use their powers while also making them more accountable.
RCN stalls on pensions deal decision after poor ballot turnout

28-Feb-2012
The Royal College of Nursing’s council has held back from rejecting the government’s latest pensions offer after a poor ballot turnout among members.
Guidance to 'transform' hospital end of life care

28 February 2012
Good communication between nurses and other staff is at the centre of guidance intended to “transform” end of life care in acute hospitals.
NICE issues guidance on patient experience

27-Feb-2012
Nurses should “avoid making assumptions” about patients based on appearance or other personal characteristics, according to latest guidance.
Nursing academic speaks out against district nurse cuts

25-Feb-2012
Cutting back on district and community nurse numbers to try and save money is a “false economy”, a nursing academic has warned.
Women 'display fewer heart attack symptoms'

23-Feb-2012
Women often do not present with typical symptoms of chest pain when they have a heart attack, according to a major study of more than one million myocardial infarction patients.
More midwives needed to tackle smoking during pregnancy

20-Feb-2012
More midwives are needed to address wide regional variation in percentage of women who continue to smoke during pregnancy, according to unions.
RCN talks up public health potential of nursing

17-Feb-2012
The full potential of the nursing workforce must be harnessed if gaps in health inequalities are to be closed, according to the Royal College of Nursing.
East Kent Hospitals to introduce patient monitoring system

16-Feb-2012
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has become the latest to invest in a new deteriorating patient monitoring system.
Meeting patient expectations is 'biggest problem' facing nursing

16-Feb-2012
More than half of nurses say patient and carers’ expectation of services that cannot be met with existing resources is the “biggest problem” currently facing nursing.
Chief nurse to hold fort at Yorkshire trust

16-Feb-2012
Helen Thomson, director of nursing and deputy chief executive at Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust, will be interim chief executive of the trust for around a month, it has been announced.
New end of life care post for Lincolnshire

16-Feb-2012
A nurse has been appointed to a new end of life care co-ordinator post at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Coloured trays aid nutrition in Norfolk

15-Feb-2012
A simple coloured tray system has been introduced to help ensure patients are able to access appropriate levels of nutrition in Norfolk’s community hospitals.
NHS manager sets up care home rating website

15-Feb-2012
An NHS manager hopes to improve national care standards by launching what she says is the first live, independent ratings website for care homes.
Virtual world and hypnotherapy win midwives' praise

15-Feb-2012
Innovations such as the use of hypnotherapy and online virtual worlds during pregnancy and birth have won midwives national recognition.
Nurses warn of dangerous dips in safe staffing levels

15-Feb-2012
Most nurses believe that staffing levels have regularly dipped below safe levels over the last year and want mandatory ratios for the number of staff per patient introduced, according to a Nursing Times survey.
Survey: NMC must have nurse in top leadership role

14-Feb-2012
Nearly three quarters of nurses believe it is vital that someone with a nursing background holds one of the top two positions at the Nursing and Midwifery Council, according to a poll by Nursing Times.
'Dignity gown' introduced in Nottingham

14-Feb-2012
A hospital trust in the Midlands has begun introducing a pioneering new reversible “dignity gown”.
Nurses can expect key role in new hospital end of life care initiative

14 February 2012
Ward managers and other senior hospital nurses will be asked to help lead the implementation of a new end of life care planning initiative, Nursing Times understands.
Three quarters of nurses want health bill dropped

13-Feb-2012
An overwhelming majority of nurses believe the health and social care bill should be dropped, according to a poll by Nursing Times.
Hospital nurses begin using 'dignity pegs'

13-Feb-2012
Nurses at north Cumbria’s two hospitals have introduced a new scheme on their wards to try and protect the privacy and dignity of all patients.
Mandatory flu jabs for nurses among RCN congress resolutions

13-Feb-2012
Mandatory flu vaccination for nursing staff and an “honest debate” about the future of general hospital services will be among the issues debated at this year’s Royal College of Nursing congress.
Nurse stroke expert gains European recognition

13-Feb-2012
The UK’s only nursing professor of stroke care has been made a fellow of the European Stroke Association.
NMC merger with other regulator unlikely

12-Feb-2012
Merging the Nursing and Midwifery Council with another regulatory body is not an option being considered, the man leading the latest strategic review of the troubled organisation has said.
South East’s first stand-alone children’s A&E opens

11-Feb-2012
The first stand-alone children’s emergency department in the South East has opened at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton and Hove.
DH director: care home staff need training in end of life care

10-Feb-2012
Care home staff should increasingly receive training in the provision of end of life care, a senior Department of Health director has suggested.
Terms set for strategic review of nursing regulator

8-Feb-2012
Initial recommendations from the strategic review into the Nursing and Midwifery Council are expected in April.
First infection control guidance for surgery in primary care

6-Feb-2012
Practice nurses assisting in minor surgical procedures in primary care settings must be able to prove they are competent in aseptic technique, according to the first ever guidance on the area.
Teenagers should get meningitis C booster

6-Feb-2012
A significant change is likely in the routine schedule for meningitis C vaccination, following new recommendations from government advisors.
Tees chief nurse gains academic role

5-Feb-2012
A senior nurse from the north east has been made a visiting professor at the University of Teesside.
Shropshire hospital trust appoints director of nursing

4-Feb-2012
Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has appointed Jayne Downey as its director of nursing and governance.
Birmingham trust takes nurse training online

3-Feb-2012
A Midlands hospital trust has pioneered a new online training system for nurses which it believes could free up thousands of hours of time for patient care as well as saving money on agency staff.
Audit reveals patchy access to heart failure specialist nurses

3-Feb-2012
Less than half of heart failure patients are currently referred to specialist nurse services after discharge, even though it reduces mortality risk, a major national audit has found.
Nurses asked for ideas to improve quality and safety in care homes

30-Jan-2012
Nurses are being asked for ideas on how to improve patient care and working conditions in care homes, as part of a new programme of work by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.
Nurses to feature in Olympics opener

27-Jan-2012
Hundreds of NHS nurses are to feature in the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, according to reports.
RCN attacks planned cut in Scottish student nurse places

27-Jan-2012
The Royal College of Nursing has strongly criticised moves by the Scottish Government to slash the number of training places for nurses and midwives by nearly 300 in 2012-13.
RCN warns Lansley of nurse backlash but chance of anti bill consensus recedes

27-Jan-2012
The Royal College of Nursing has rejected suggestions it has weakened its opposition to the health bill, despite the apparent failure of the royal colleges to agree a consensus at the end of last week.
Shock in children after vaccination 'extremely rare'

27-Jan-2012
Anaphylactic shock following vaccination is “extremely rare,” according to research by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Government orders review of NMC

26-Jan-2012
It has been confirmed that the Nursing and Midwifery Council is to undergo a strategic review due to its failure to deal with a long standing backlog of fitness to practise cases.
Hospital nurses lose payments worth £500 a year

26-Jan-2012
Nearly half of nurses at a south coast hospital could lose “recruitment and retention” payments worth around £500 a year.
Nursing student to represent England at netball

25-Jan-2012
A Leicester nursing student has been chosen to represent England at the upcoming Under-21 World Netball Championships.
RCN issues warning over public health nursing workforce

24-Jan-2012
The government must clarify what will happen to the public health nursing workforce before it attempts to implement its reforms on the ground, the Royal College of Nursing has warned.
Drug rounds must be protected in care homes to cut high error rates

24 January 2012
Nurses and care assistants working in care homes must be protected from interruption during drug rounds to reduce the “serious safety issue” posed by high error rates, according to the authors of a UK study.
Nursing forum members will not be 'great and the good'

21-Jan-2012
The prime minister’s new forum on nursing will be made up of frontline staff and also look at standards in social care, health minister Paul Burstow has said.
Unions claim 'united front' against health bill

19-Jan-2012
Health unions have described their opposition to the health bill as an “unprecedented united front”, following a hardening of opinion by the royal colleges of nursing and midwives.
RCN and RCM harden their opposition to health bill

19-Jan-2012
The royal colleges of nursing and midwives have openly opposed the government’s health and social care bill for the first time, and called for it to be scrapped.
Social care cuts causing hike in delayed discharge, warn nurses

17 January 2012
Eight out of 10 nurses warn that cuts to social care services are increasingly leading to more of their older patients being unnecessarily stuck in hospital, with implications for dignity and care quality.
NMC could face new review following resignation of chief exec

17 January 2012
The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence looks set carry out a review of the nursing regulator, following the resignation of its chief executive last week.
Phone app launched in bid to cut teenage pregnancies

16-Jan-2012
A mobile phone app has been launched as part of efforts to improve sexual health and reduce unplanned teenage pregnancies in Kent.
NMC chief exec resigns

12-Jan-2012
The chief executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council Dickon Weir-Hughes has resigned from his post with immediate effect, Nursing Times has been told.
Six staff disciplined over care standards at Norfolk hospital

11-Jan-2012
Six members of staff have been disciplined over incidents relating “to poor practice regarding care” of older patients at a troubled foundation trust.
RCN to consult members on pensions offer

10-Jan-2012
The Royal College of Nursing is to ballot its members on whether to accept or reject the government’s “final offer” on pensions, it has announced.
Nurse health and wellbeing should be 'core principle' for NHS trusts

10-Jan-2012
Trusts should be held to account for improving the health and wellbeing of their workforce, the NHS Future Forum has recommended.
NMC 'clarifies' position on HCA regulation

January 10 2012
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has “clarified its position” on regulating healthcare assistants, appearing to row back from earlier comments made by its chief executive backing mandatory regulation.
Adverts go out for new chief nursing officer post

January 10 2012
The Department of Health has begun advertising for a chief nursing officer to sit on the NHS Commissioning Board, the new body set to take over the day to day running of the health service.
DH dismisses Unite, as unions reach critical decision point in pensions saga

January 10 2012
The government has signalled that a decision on whether controversial pension proposals are accepted will lie with Unison and the Royal College of Nursing, despite Unite’s rejection of the deal last week.
Scabies outbreak shuts hospital wards

9-Jan-2012
Two wards at a hospital in Sussex had to be closed to new admissions for 48 hours after an outbreak of scabies.
Time helps and hinders communication with learning disability patients

8-Jan-2012
Time is perceived by hospital nurses as both an “enemy and friend” for communicating with patients with learning disabilities, according to a study of 15 nurses by the University of Queensland.
Commonly prescribed drugs linked to cramps

8-Jan-2012
Three types of commonly prescribed drug may be linked to symptoms of cramp, according to a Canadian study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
A&E handover tool boosts patient safety awareness

7-Jan-2012
A new tool for shift handovers significantly improves practice and awareness of patient safety issues in emergency departments, according to research at St Mary’s Hospital in London.
Older patients with pressure ulcers stay longer in hospital

7-Jan-2012
Older hospitals patients with pressure ulcers stay significantly longer than other older patients, say German researchers from University Hospital Aachen.
Nurses in new year's honours list

3-Jan-2012
A range of senior and frontline nurses from across the UK were among those to be mentioned in the new year’s honours list.
DH unveils new director of nursing

3-Jan-2012
Viv Bennett has been announced as England’s most senior public health nurse.
Sexual health nurses should discuss alcohol with teenagers

31-Dec-2011
Nurses working in sexual health clinics should be trained to offer routine advice to teenagers on the risks of alcohol consumption, according to report published today.
Nursing ratios linked to patient outcomes

30-Dec-2011
Researchers say they have found more evidence linking patient safety with nursing staffing levels.
2011: a difficult year for nursing?

30-Dec-2011
Newspaper headlines are rarely positive but it seems 2011 has been dominated by stories on poor care, especially that of older patients, which will have been a difficult read for most nurses.
MRI scan 'better' for assessing heart patients

29-Dec-2011
A magnetic resonance imaging scan for coronary heart disease is better than the most commonly-used alternative, a major UK trial has shown.
Diet high in vitamins and fish may protect cognition

28-Dec-2011
People with high levels of certain vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids in their blood do better in cognitive tests, and are less likely to have brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to US researchers.
The unofficial awards ceremony for 2011

28-Dec-2011
Nursing Times thought it appropriate (and fun) to dish out a few unofficial gongs to those that have had a major impact in or on nursing this year.
Hospital launches time saving midwifery DVD

27-Dec-2011
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust has launched a DVD for expectant mothers.
What were the most popular nursing news stories of 2011?

26-Dec-2011
Everyone loves a list at Christmas and here’s ours: the top 10 most read stories of 2011.
Practice nurses have 'vital' role in identifying at risk migrants

26-Dec-2011
The Health Protection Agency has called on practice nurses and other primary care practitioners to identify migrants who may be at risk from infectious disease.
Hospital staff asked to look out for ‘gel thief’

24-Dec-2011
Nurses and other staff at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have been told to be on their guard for thefts of antibacterial alcohol gel.
MHRA advises against PIP implant removal

24-Dec-2011
The UK’s medical devices regulator says there is no evidence to support routine removal of PIP breast implants following the health scare that emerged in France earlier this week.
Learning disability nursing needs urgent review and recruitment drive

23-Dec-2011
A national recruitment campaign is needed to prevent the UK’s depleted learning disability nursing workforce from becoming “compromised”, the Department of Health has been advised.
Curbs on nurse migration have not had 'anticipated effect'

22-Dec-2011
Tightening UK immigration restrictions for overseas nurses have not led to the planned benefits for their home countries, according to researchers.
New midwifery research post for Cardiff

20-Dec-2011
Cardiff University has created a new professor of midwifery post.
Nurse dementia ‘champions’ appointed by hospital trust

20-Dec-2011
Peterborough and Stamford Hospital Foundation Trust has appointed 30 specially trained nurses to help enhance the understanding of dementia and its care for patients and carers at Peterborough’s City Hospital.
Vaccine side effects top of nurses' concerns about flu jab

20-Dec-2011
Concerns about side effects and efficacy remain the two most frequent reasons for nurses refusing the flu vaccine, according to researchers.
RCN repeats call for mandatory HCA regulation

19-Dec-2011
More than 2,500 nurses and healthcare assistants have signed a letter from the Royal College of Nursing to ministers urging them to introduce the mandatory regulation of NHS support staff.
New 'productive' tool launched to help practice nurses streamline care

19-Dec-2011
Practice nurses are being urged to take control of improving efficiency in their work environment, under the latest programme in the “productive” series.
Prince Charles praises nurses for hospital food improvement

16-Dec-2011
The food hospital patients are given “should help rather than hinder recovery”, the Prince of Wales said yesterday at a reception to celebrate trusts that have improved the quality of their catering.
Enuresis award for Surrey school nurse innovation

14-Dec-2011
Social Enterprise scheme Central Surrey Health has won a national award for best employee idea for service innovation.
Movers and shakers in nursing?

8-Dec-2011
Four nurses were included in this year’s list of the people most likely to influence health policy next year.
Lung cancer patients twice as likely to get treatment if they see a nurse

7-Dec-2011
Lung cancer patients who see a specialist nurse are twice as likely as other patients with the disease to receive any form of treatment, according to latest data.
Young people should be able to 'text' school nurses

6 December 2011
Young people want to be able to directly text, call or email their school nurse for healthcare advice, according to a report for the government.
Pension talks set to continue on Friday

1-Dec-2011
The government and health unions are set to hold their latest round of talks today over changes to pensions in the wake of yesterday’s strike.
Wide variation in night nursing levels on geriatric wards

1-Dec-2011
Nurse staffing levels at night on some acute wards for older patients have been branded “risky and irresponsible” by the Royal College of Nursing.
Nurses crucial to improving child health information

December 2011
There are “significant weaknesses and gaps” in the health information provided to children with long term conditions, a major report has warned.
Call for research on nurse role in palliative care prescribing

1-Dec-2011
Experts have called for research into whether increased use of specialist nurses can help improve drug adherence rates among palliative care patients taking strong opioids.
RCM condemns government pension 'threats'

29-Nov-2011
The Royal College of Midwives has said it supports the strike over pensions tomorrow and condemned “threats” from the government.
Union leaders to visit nurses on picket line

29-Nov-2011
Union leaders will visit nurses and other NHS staff at three hospitals during the strike over pensions tomorrow.
NMC reappoints chair for 'challenging year'

29-Nov-2011
Nursing and Midwifery Council chair Tony Hazell has been reappointed for another 12 months after three years in post.
Butterworth appointed chair of Foundation of Nursing Studies

29-Nov-2011
Leading nurse academic Tony Butterworth has been appointed chair of the Foundation of Nursing Studies.
Police charge 10 in Winterbourne case

28-Nov-2011
Police have charged 10 people in connection with the abuse of residents with learning disabilities at the Winterbourne View care home near Bristol.
BMI nurse wins award for paediatric improvements

25-Nov-2011
A London nurse has been recognised for her work in paediatric services.
Trusts offered bonuses for good performance on pressure ulcers

24-Nov-2011
NHS trusts will be able to earn payments next year based on their performance against a “bundle” of nursing indicators on preventable harm, with particular focus on pressure ulcers.
Nursing directors must 'agree' NHS savings plans

24-Nov-2011
NHS cost saving plans must be agreed by directors of nursing and have “built-in” assurances that patient safety and service quality will not be compromised, according to latest guidance from the Department of Health.
NHS chief says improving patient dignity is top priority next year

24-Nov-2011
Improving the dignity of older patients is “probably the most important” priority for the NHS next year, its chief executive has told Nursing Times.
Parking restrictions eased for district nurses in south London

24-Nov-2011
Lambeth Council has agreed new parking arrangements for nurses and other health professionals who visit patients at home.
Cardiac nurse recognised for work on arrhythmia services

24-Nov-2011
A nurse from the North East has become the first non medic to win a major charity award for her work on arrhythmia.
Former RCM leader given honorary award

23-Nov-2011
One of the country’s leading midwives has been recognised for her contribution to the profession.
QNI warns of loss of district nursing skills and identity

22 November 2011
Less than half of patients receiving home nursing care know if the person treating them is registered, fuelling fears that district nursing is losing its identity, according to a Queen’s Nursing Institute study.
Midwives sing in support of pensions' protest

21-Nov-2011
A mother and daughter midwife duo are part of a 14 strong group of public sector staff, “The Workers”, that has released a song to support the “day of action” on 30 November against pension changes.
Nurses answer call to have flu jab

21-Nov-2011
Nurses are heeding calls to have the seasonal flu jab, with almost three times as many NHS frontline staff having been vaccinated so far compared to the same time last year, latest Department of Health figures show.
GMB votes in favour of pensions strike

17-Nov-2011
Members of the GMB union, which includes NHS staff, are the latest to vote in favour of strike action over changes to public sector pensions.
Lansley unveils plan for voluntary registration of HCAs

15-Nov-2011
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has officially announced plans for a voluntary register, code of conduct, and basic training standards for healthcare assistants.
Student nurses left unprotected after being refused flu jab

8 November 2011
One in four student nurses are being prevented from getting vaccinated against seasonal flu because both NHS trusts and GPs are refusing them the jab, Nursing Times has discovered.
High nurse turnover leads to more injuries

8-Nov-2011
High rates of turnover among registered nursing staff are linked to an increased risk of injury for hospital nurses, according to researchers.
Lifetime award for leading children's nurse

3-Nov-2011
Children’s nurse Marcelle de Sousa was awarded the “Lifetime Achievement” award last night at the annual Nursing Times awards.
Public health reforms risk 'division' of children's nursing services

2-Nov-2011
The government’s public health reforms risk creating a “dysfunctional division” among children’s nursing services, with a gulf developing between health visiting and school nursing, MPs are warning.
Shortage of paediatric nurses poses surgery danger, says report

31-Oct-2011
Many hospitals that provide paediatric surgery lack sufficiently qualified nursing staff, a major patient safety report has warned.
Mary Seacole winners for 2011 announced

26-Oct-2011
A nurse who set up a project to create awareness of hepatitis C in Grantham is among the recipients of this year’s Mary Seacole awards.
Former RCN president to lead nursing research academy

26-Oct-2011
The Academy of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Research (UK) has appointed Roswyn Hakesley-Brown as its new chair.
Medway FT accredited for minor injuries course

25-Oct-2011
Medway NHS Foundation Trust has introduced a minor injuries training course for nurses and paramedics.
Call for government to drop ban on local nurses sitting on CCG boards

25-Oct-2011
Peers are being lobbied to amend the Health and Social Care Bill to allow nurses and doctors to sit on the board of their local clinical commissioning groups, which are due to take over from primary care trusts under the government’s reforms.
RCN elects new council chair

24-Oct-2011
Kath McCourt has been elected chair of the Royal College of Nursing’s ruling council.
'CQC: The scale of the problem is difficult to measure'

24-Oct-2011
Shocking is a word used often to describe reports of poor care standards for older patients, such as those from the Care Quality Commission earlier this month.
Older patients' care investigation: what people said

24-Oct-2011
Nursing Times has spoken to senior nurses and medical specialists about their views on standards of care for older patients
School nurse invents new asthma spacer

21-Oct-2011
A Norfolk school nurse has won a prestigious award for inventing a “pocket sized” asthma spacer.
Royal Surrey County appoints director of nursing

19-Oct-2011
Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has appointed a new executive director to lead its nursing workforce.
H1N1 flu warning to pregnant women

19-Oct-2011
Influenza in pregnant women significantly increases the risk of stillbirth or infant death shortly after birth, according to UK research which charities say “must not be ignored”.
Patient safety is most likely spark for nurse industrial action

18-Oct-2011
The reason nurses are most likely to consider taking industrial action over are staff or service cuts they believe will reduce patient safety, according to a survey by Nursing Times.
Whistleblowers need support to deal with after effects

18 October 2011
Greater support is needed to tackle the serious emotional consequences of whistleblowing, according to researchers.
Future nurses set to recieve more training in public health

18 October 2011
The nursing workforce will in future receive more training in general health prevention as part of the government’s policy on public health, a senior Department of Health clinician has hinted.
Nurse prescribers slash alcohol addiction treatment times

17-Oct-2011
Nurses in Yorkshire are pioneering a prescribing initiative for alcohol addiction patients that has helped slash treatment times.
New assistant maternity role at Chesterfield Royal Hospital

15-Oct-2011
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has introduced a new type of maternity services staff.
RCN: some of the issues highlighted by CQC 'go beyond nursing'

13-Oct-2011
Nurses must be “leaders” in changing attitudes towards older people in society, the Royal College of Nursing has said in response to a critical report from the Care Quality Commission.
Accolade for cancer nurses at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole FT

13-Oct-2011
Four nurses who provide vital tailor-made packages of care for breast cancer patients at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have been “adopted” by Macmillan Cancer Support.
Regulator celebrates new Scottish office

11-Oct-2011
The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s new base in Scotland has been officially opened.
Health visitor figures could be wrong

11 October 2011
The health visitor workforce is continuing to shrink despite the high profile government drive to boost numbers – and fears are growing that it may have been even smaller than first thought.
Nurses threatened with disciplinary letter in lone worker dispute

11 October 2011
Community nurses in Croydon have been handed disciplinary letters as employers ratchet up pressure in a row over the safety of lone workers, Nursing Times has learnt.
NMC 'clarifies' that official industrial action does not breach nursing code

10-Oct-2011
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has issued a statement “clarifying” its position on industrial action, after unions threatened the regulator with legal proceedings.
Whistleblowing nurse wins £15,000 payout after unfair dismissal

6-Oct-2011
A senior overseas nurse unfairly dismissed for criticising conditions at a UK care home has won £15,000 in an employment tribunal decision.
NMC launches bid to lure former health visitors back to work

6-Oct-2011
Letters are being sent to thousands of former health visitors in a bid to boost recruitment efforts, amid claims from unions that the national plan to increase their numbers is faltering.
QNI appoints chair designate

5-Oct-2011
The Queen’s Nursing Institute has announced that former Nursing Times editor Jane Salvage will be its next chair.
Lansley: 'We must tackle problems in nursing'

4-Oct-2011
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has pledged to give “nurses time to care” and to “root out bad practice” in his keynote speech at the Conservative Party conference.
New evidence may call into question conviction of 'killer nurse' Colin Norris

4-Oct-2011
Former nurse Colin Norris may appeal against his murder conviction based on new evidence provided by a leading expert on insulin and hypoglycaemia.
Community nurses 'fear for safety' in Croydon

4 October 2011
Community nurses and healthcare assistants making home visits alone and out of hours in Croydon are being told that their fears for their personal safety are “exaggerated”, according to unions.
Nurses protest at mental health cuts in South London

3-Oct-2011
Healthcare staff employed at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust were involved in a lunchtime protest over service cuts last week.
Hospital rapped for 'abject' nursing care

3-Oct-2011
“Dire” and “abject” nursing care at a hospital in Swansea may have contributed to the death of a patient with learning difficulties, an investigation has concluded.
Deteriorating patient initiative cuts cardiac arrests by a third

30-Sep-2011
The introduction of a team of senior nurses and doctors trained to give emergency aid when a patient unexpectedly deteriorates has seen cardiac arrest calls slashed at a North West hospital.
Community services social enterprise set to launch in Plymouth

29-Sep-2011
Plymouth Community Healthcare Community Interest Company will be launched on 1 October to provide NHS community and mental health services for the people of Plymouth.
New cancer nurse role at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare

29-Sep-2011
A charity has agreed to fund a new cancer nurse post at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.
Whistleblowing petition launched

28-Sep-2011
A new petition has been launched aimed at persuading the government to improve protection for NHS whistleblowers.
DH issues warning over flu vaccine for children

27-Sep-2011
Practice nurses have been warned not to use the influenza vaccine Viroflu in children under five years old due to an increased risk of fever.
First drug granted new children's licence

26-Sep-2011
The first ever children’s medicine to hold a new paediatric use marketing authorisation (PUMA) has been granted by the European Commission.
Neonatal nurse develops car seat cot death guidelines

26-Sep-2011
An initiative by a neonatal nurse to help improve safety for babies in care seats has been recognised by a national charity.
GPs sceptical of community matron value

26-Sep-2011
Community matrons could become a casualty of the latest NHS reforms due to the low opinion in which the role is held by GPs, latest research suggests.
NHS North West brings forward health visitor recruitment plans

23-Sep-2011
The strategic health authority has increased the number of health visitor training posts it will need to meet the government’s recruitment drive from 603 to 715, after the Department of Health raised questions about its original plan.
‘Selfish’ nurses urged to have winter flu jab

22-Sep-2011
The chief medical officer has branded nurses who fail to have the seasonal flu jab “selfish”, as a campaign was launched specifically to encourage healthcare staff to get vaccinated.
Hospital reconfigurations 'cost cutting attempts dressed up as change' says Carter

21-Sep-2011
Too many hospital reconfigurations are cost cutting attempts “dressed up as change” which increases public cynicism and damages necessary service evolution, according to the leader of the Royal College of Nursing.
Blood donor reforms ‘don’t go far enough’

21-Sep-2011
Blood donation eligibility criteria should be based on individual behaviour, backed by advanced screening, not on sexuality, the Liberal Democrats conference has heard.
Ministers should be allowed to intervene in another Southern Cross, says Burstow

21-Sep-2011
Health minister Paul Burstow has hinted the government may seek to introduce legislative changes allowing it to directly intervene in any future cases similar to the collapse of Southern Cross.
RCN council election results announced

19-Sep-2011
The Royal College of Nursing has announced the results of its ruling council elections.
Community nurse education 'must be developed'

19-Sep-2011
Improving training for the community nursing workforce is the “most important issue in professional education”, according to senior nurses writing in next week’s Nursing Times.
RCM warns over 'critical shortfall' of midwives

15-Sep-2011
Parts of England are now facing dangerously high shortages of midwives, the Royal College of Midwives has warned.
Rebecca Leighton returned to nursing register but with restrictions

14-Sep-2011
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has issued Stepping Hill nurse Rebecca Leighton with an interim order allowing her to work as a nurse but restricting her practice while it carries out a full investigation into the theft of drugs.
New nurse-led prison health service launched in Surrey

14-Sep-2011
A dedicated healthcare service to support prisoners who have a learning disability has been launched across Surrey’s four prisons.
Nurses from Swaziland and Brazil win human rights award

13-Sep-2011
The International Centre for Nursing Ethics has recognised the “outstanding commitment” of three overseas nurses to human rights and nursing.
Chase Farm Hospital to remain open but loses A&E unit

12-Sep-2011
The health secretary has rubber stamped plans to downgrade Chase Farm Hospital’s emergency department and take forward a possible merger with North Middlesex University Hospital Trust.
Police investigate milk tampering at Stepping Hill

12-Sep-2011
Police are investigating an apparent case of milk contamination at Stepping Hill Hospital.
New method to aid treatment of asthma attacks during pregnancy

9-Sep-2011
A treatment algorithm based on actual measures of airway inflammation has been designed by Australian researchers to cut asthma exacerbations during pregnancy.
Multidisciplinary approach 'key to diagnosing suspected disorder of sex development'

9-Sep-2011
New guidance from the Society for Endocrinology highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary team, including a nurse, in diagnosing children with a suspected disorder of sex development.
Practice guide to support LTC patients to become 'self managers'

9-Sep-2011
A guide to care planning for patients with long term conditions has been published by the Royal College of GPs.
Weight Watchers 'twice as good' as standard care

8-Sep-2011
Adults referred to the commercial weight loss programme Weight Watchers lose around twice as much weight as people receiving standard care over 12 months, according to a Medical Research Council study.
Review removes 'mystery' of pain relief for postoperative patients

8-Sep-2011
The most effective single dose oral analgesics for acute postoperative pain in adults have been identified by Oxford researchers in a Cochrane review of 350 studies.
Nurses 'should conduct genetic tests'

5-Sep-2011
Training hospital nurses to carry out genetic testing and take family histories from cancer patients can reduce referrals to specialist genetic services by up to 75%, according to an expert pioneering the idea.
Swine flu diagnoses put children at risk

1-Sep-2011
The swine flu algorithm used by the National Pandemic Flu Service in 2009-10 to triage patients by phone or online “is of little use in differentiating unwell children”, according to UK researchers.
Slump in Scottish nursing workforce continues

30-Aug-2011
Nearly 500 nursing and midwifery posts have been lost in Scotland since the end of March, with a similar number predicted to go over the next six months, according to latest workforce data.
Female nurses reduce burnout in ICU teams

30 August 2011
Critical care teams are less likely to burn out if they contain a high proportion of female nurses, according to researchers.
Antibiotics little affect on conjunctivitis recovery

29-Aug-2011
Most patients with acute infective conjunctivitis recover within seven days, regardless of whether they receive antibiotics or not, according to Oxford University researchers.
Plasma exchange therapy may help treat haemolytic uraemic syndrome

28-Aug-2011
Plasma exchange therapy could be crucial for treating diarrhoea-associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome – a common complication in this summer’s Escherichia coli outbreak in Europe – say Danish researchers.
Tool identifies patients at risk of venous thromboembolism

27-Aug-2011
A new risk prediction tool can identify patients at high risk of venous thromboembolism who might need preventative treatment, according to research.
Nurses asked to rate CQC

24-Aug-2011
Nurses are being asked to rate the Care Quality Commission and its approach to regulating essential standards, following a fresh wave of high profile care failings.
NMC to review serious cases before internal investigation

22-Aug-2011
Nurses and midwives involved in “very serious cases” that pose a risk to patients should be referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council prior to an internal investigation, the regulator has stated.
Staffing issues key criteria for Epsom and St Helier merger

22-Aug-2011
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust has announced a set of criteria for organisations bidding to merge with either of its two hospitals, which includes having plans in place to support their current workforce and minimise uncertainty .
QNI seeks views on standards of home nursing care

19-Aug-2011
The Queen’s Nursing Institute is seeking the views of patients, carers and family members about the nursing care they have experienced in their own homes.
Mixed sex breaches down to just over 1,000

18-Aug-2011
Mixed sex accommodation breaches have reached their lowest level since the introduction of fines, according to latest figures, but 30 per cent of acute trusts are still failing to be fully compliant.
Trusts asked if simplified KSF is working

17-Aug-2011
Trusts are being asked for evidence that the new streamlined version of the troubled knowledge and skills framework is working.
Ashford celebrates one year MRSA free

17-Aug-2011
Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has reported 365 days without a hospital acquired MRSA bacteraemia at the trust – one of only 11 in England to do so.
Children’s nurse selected for national ice hockey team

16-Aug-2011
A Blackburn nurse has been selected to play ice hockey for England.
Older patients should 'walk around the ward'

16-Aug-2011
Encouraging older patients to walk around the ward can significantly reduce the amount of time they need to stay in hospital, nurse researchers have found.
Warwickshire nurses develop care pathway for learning disabilities

15-Aug-2011
Community nurses in Warwickshire have developed a care pathway for older children with learning disabilities to aid their transition into adult services.
Most nurse managers 'negative' about tackling staff absence

15-Aug-2011
Most nurse managers are apathetic about tackling staff absence, despite nurses consistently having one of the highest rates of absenteeism among NHS staff, a study suggests.
Anxiety prevelant in day surgery patients

14-Aug-2011
The majority of day surgery patients experience anxiety, but it is more prevalent in female patients and those undergoing general anaesthesia, according a Manchester study online in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.
Compression stockings could improve sleep apnoea

13-Aug-2011
Wearing compression stockings may be a simple way to improve obstructive sleep apnoea in patients with chronic venous insufficiency, according to a French study involving 12 patients.
Children excluded by discussions about their care feel scared and angry

12-Aug-2011
Children who are excluded from discussions about their hospital care often feel scared and angry that no-one is listening to them or telling them what is going on, according to researchers from the nursing school at Trinity College, Dublin.
Trusts advised to gear up for staff flu vaccination

10-Aug-2011
NHS organisations have been advised to begin training sessions for flu link nurses ahead of the next seasonal influenza vaccination campaign for staff.
RCN calls for review of measures to protect nurses during riots

10-Aug-2011
The NHS must review measures to protect nursing staff in light of the rioting sweeping across urban England, the Royal College of Nursing said today.
Nurses should 'prescribe' exercise to cancer patients

9 August 2011
Up to half of nurses involved in treating cancer patients fail to advise them about the benefits of exercise, despite growing evidence that it can aid recovery, the results from a charity survey suggest.
Nurses breaching online rules

26 July 2011
More than 40% of nurses say a colleague has inappropriately posted details of patients or colleagues on social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter, an exclusive Nursing Times survey has revealed.
Nearly half of nurses reveal their job online

26 July 2011
Just under half of nurses, midwives and health visitors state their profession on social media sites, according to survey findings.
Charity campaign saves specialist nurse post

21-Jul-2011
A charity has declared victory in its campaign to secure a specialist nurse for West Sussex after local GPs had advised a primary care trust to put recruitment to the post “on hold”.
Sussex aims to recruit 150 extra health visitors

21-Jul-2011
As part of the national health visitor strategy, the NHS in Sussex has launched a recruitment drive for new health visitors.
Southern Cross jobs at 250 homes look to be secure as rescue plan announced

20-Jul-2011
Southern Cross’ largest landlord has announced plans to run 249 of the care homes operated by the collapsed provider.
Nurse arrested over Stepping Hill deaths named

20-Jul-2011
A woman has been arrested by detectives investigating the deaths of three patients at Stepping Hill hospital, Greater Manchester Police have said.
Toolkit for community nurses working with homeless

20-Jul-2011
The Queen’s Nursing Institute has produced a new toolkit for community nurses working with the homeless.
Plans for new student nurse bursary system revealed

19-Jul-2011
All future nursing and midwifery students look set to be offered a combination of a bursary and a loan, under latest government plans.
Infection Prevention Society publishes standards for nurses

19-Jul-2011
The Infection Prevention Society has published a set of outcome competences for nurses and other practitioners working in infection prevention and control.
Southern Cross redundancy plan withdrawn

19 July 2011
Proposals for 3,000 redundancies and staff contract changes at Southern Cross have been withdrawn under plans to transfer its care homes to landlords.
Nursing workforce could shrink by 100,000 over next decade

18-Jul-2011
The NHS nursing workforce could crash by up to 100,000 over the next decade due to a combination of spiralling cuts to posts, falling student places and a retirement bubble, academics have warned.
Campaign launched to protect Parkinson's nurses

18-Jul-2011
Nearly a third of Parkinson’s disease specialist nurses feel insecure in their posts and one in five believe their post is at risk or threatened in some way, according to a charity survey.
Doncaster hospital celebrates former nurse

15-Jul-2011
Doncaster Royal Infirmary this month celebrated one of its former wartime nurses.
South Bank receives NMC degree course approval

14-Jul-2011
London South Bank University has received approval from the Nursing and Midwifery Council for its new nursing degree programme.
UWE nursing school branch moves to new Gloucester home

14-Jul-2011
The Gloucester branch of the nursing school at the University of the West of England is to relocate to new premises in the city centre later this year.
Royal Marsden updates nursing manual

13-Jul-2011
An updated edition of the Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures has been published.
Friarage nurses recognised for mentoring skills

13-Jul-2011
Nurses in Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital accident and emergency department have received an accolade for the standard of support given to student nurses.
RCN will take whatever action is 'merited' over pension threat

12 July 2011
The Royal College of Nursing is “not afraid” to take industrial action – including strike action – over the threat to public sector pensions if members call for it, according to the union’s leader.
RCN sets out core values of health visiting

12 July 2011
Inconsistency in the titles given to nurses providing health visiting services services must be addressed, the Royal College of Nursing has said in a position statement.
Hike in referrals to NMC

12 July 2011
The number of fitness to practise cases referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council increased by more than 1,000 last year.
Record 20 nurses run in the sun to support QNI

9-Jul-2011
Community nurses ran 10km around London at the weekend in support of the Queen’s Nursing Institute.
Toolkit launched to improve patient handover safety

6-Jul-2011
Doctors can learn from nurses’ greater experience of patient handover, according to latest guidance.
Scottish nursing workforce being 'chipped away'

5 July 2011
The loss of nursing posts in Scotland is accelerating, latest workforce figures reveal.
Community nursing must be 'built up' to provide 24/7 palliative care

4-Jul-2011
Round the clock community nursing services should be available everywhere to support patients nearing the end of their life, according to an independent review commissioned by the government into the way palliative care is funded.
Appointing nurses to oversee catheter insertion 'cuts infections to zero'

1-Jul-2011
Appointing dedicated infection control nurses (ICNs) to oversee central line catheter insertions can slash bloodstream infections, according to US researchers.
Tough protocols for catheter use can slash UTI risk

1-Jul-2011
Training nurses and healthcare support staff to reduce urinary catheter use where possible has the knock-on effect of helping to reduce infection risk, according to US researchers.
DH review will consider national lessons from Winterbourne

27-Jun-2011
The government is to investigate if there are “systemic ” problems with the way learning disabilities patients are cared for, as part of a review into events at the Winterbourne View care home.
Glasgow nursing school secures short term survival

27-Jun-2011
A Glasgow nursing school that was threatened with closure looks set to remain open until at least 2013, due to a national review of nurse education in Scotland, it was announced last week.
Nurses to have place on influential 'clinical senates'

21 June 2011
Nurses are to sit on “clinical senates”, influential new bodies that will advise local NHS service planning, under proposed changes to the Health and Social Care Bill.
Nurses win local power

21 June 2011
A nurse will sit on the board of every local NHS commissioning body, the government has said in its revised health reform plans - confirming a victory for Nursing Times’ A Seat on the Board campaign.
Dignity spot checks for Welsh wards

21 June 2011
Hospitals in Wales are to undergo dignity spot checks, ministers have said.
Lack of training in respiratory care reduces end of life choice

21 June 2011
Nurses specialising in respiratory care appear less likely than other specialists to receive the training and skills needed to broach end of life discussions with their patients, latest NHS research has suggested.
Your guide to the NHS reforms

21 June 2011
The government last week published proposals to amend the Health and Social Care Bill, following a “listening exercise” on its NHS reforms. Below are the key changes that will impact on nurses. Further details of changes to the legislation are due to be published this week.
Two Winterbourne View nurses suspended by NMC

17-Jun-2011
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has today suspended the registration of two nurses from Winterbourne View Care Home in Hambrook, which recently featured in an episode of Panorama.
Consortia must have nurse on the board, government confirms

14-Jun-2011
There must be a registered nurse on the board of every GP led commissioning consortia, the government has said in its revised health reform plans – marking a victory for the Nursing Times’ Seat on the Board campaign.
Review of future HCA regulation should be priority, says forum

13-Jun-2011
A new body due to be set up to oversee the education of health professionals should undertake an urgent review of healthcare assistant regulation, the government’s Future Forum has recommended.
Forum calls for review of 'unacceptable' CPD variation

13-Jun-2011
Current provision of post-registration training for nurses is “unacceptable” and must be the subject of a national review, the government’s Future Forum has recommended.
Future forum rules against nurses having seat on boards

13-Jun-2011
Nurses should be denied a seat on the boards of GP commissioning consortia, the government’s Future Forum has recommended.
London nursing entry requirments not linked to course quality

7 June 2011
Entry requirements for adult nursing courses in London appear to bear little relation to their quality, according to the latest performance ratings.
Uncertainty continues for largest care home provider workforce

7 June 2011
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.
Nurse consortia role must be 'enshrined in law'

6-Jun-2011
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.
Primary care nurses advised to be alert to measles threat

6-Jun-2011
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.
DH campaign to get more nurses vaccinated against flu

31 May 2011
The Department of Health is to run a campaign to encourage more NHS staff to get immunised against seasonal influenza, following continued poor uptake among the healthcare workforce last year.
RCN says fall in standards 'inevitable' as posts are cut

26-May-2011
The Royal College of Nursing has warned it is “inevitable” frontline care will be affected by staffing cuts, in response to a highly critical report on nutrition and dignity standards.
Nurses will need new 'skillset' to cope with personal health budgets

26-May-2011
The introduction of personal health budgets for patients will require a “culture change” among nurses, who will need to learn a whole new set of skills, researchers have warned.
West Sussex nurses commended for work on Productive Ward

25-May-2011
Nurses at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust have adopted the Productive Ward programme across all wards and been commended by regulators for their work on the initiative.
'The tensions around specialist nursing cannot be ignored'

24-May-2011
This week sees three contrasting reports on the role of specialist nurses in the NHS.
Midwife ratios linked to readmission rates

24 May 2011
Maternity units with shortages of midwives are likely to have higher rates of readmission, UK nursing researchers have warned.
NMC calls on nurses to play key role in new safeguarding boards

24 May 2011
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has called on nurses to play a “key role” in new boards being set up to safeguard vulnerable adults.
Westminster Abbey welcomes nurses

19-May-2011
More than 2,000 nurses celebrated International Nurses Day this year at the annual service to commemorate the life of Florence Nightingale in Westminster Abbey.
DH finalising programme to develop school nursing

17-May-2011
The Department of Health has said it is finalising details of a development programme for school nursing.
Managers make tea for nurses to celebrate Nurses Day

13-May-2011
Senior managers at the City Health Care Partnership in Yorkshire donned pinnys and made tea for their nursing staff to celebrate their hard work on International Nurses Day on Thursday.
ICU nurse jailed for £113,000 fraud

13-May-2011
A critical care nurse who worked hundreds of shifts for a private agency while on paid sick leave from the NHS has been sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment.
Most nurses prepared to take industrial action over pension threat

11-May-2011
Nearly three quarters of nurses and midwives are prepared to take industrial action to protect public sector pensions, according to a Unison survey of 2,000 of its members.
Sussex Partnership hails success of consultant nurse post

11-May-2011
The mental health trust appointed one of the country’s first senior nursing posts dedicated to older people’s mental health three months ago to help more people be cared for at home rather than in hospital.
'The impact of cuts on care cannot be ignored'

10 May 2011
The warning signs are mounting that cuts to NHS services are starting to have a noticeable impact on patients and the nurses who are attempting to care for them.
NMC plans shake-up of support staff

10 May 2011
The Nursing and Midwifery Council is planning a shake-up of the support staff it employs for its fitness to practise hearings.
Cuts threat taking toll on nurse health and wellbeing

3 May 2011
Two thirds of nurses have suffered the side effects of work-related stress over the last year, with the majority reporting they are having to work longer hours, a Nursing Times survey has found.
GPs under pressure to support nursing post

3 May 2011
A charity has accused an emerging GP consortium of leaving 600 Parkinson’s disease patients in Sussex without specialist nursing care.
You cannot drive reforms without the goodwill of nurses

26-Apr-2011
This week an investigation by Nursing Times found that a third of the new GP consortia being set up across the country to effectively run the NHS from local level have decided to include a nurse on their board.
NMC chair given honorary degree

21-Apr-2011
Nursing and Midwifery Council chair Tony Hazell is to receive an honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton today.
Northern Lincolnshire reconfigures community midwife service

21-Apr-2011
A new system of post-natal care will be established in North East Lincolnshire from next month, which will largely see the end of home visits.
Liverpool trust extends nurse-led health scheme for ex-offenders

21-Apr-2011
A pilot scheme which helps ex-offenders to get health checks has been extended in Liverpool.
Mental health nurses asked to look out for escaped prisoner

19-Apr-2011
Police in north London are asking mental health nurses to be on the lookout in case they treat an escaped prisoner.
South Manchester FT nurses make YouTube video on MRSA

19-Apr-2011
Nurses at a South Manchester hospital have helped make a YouTube video on infection control, which features them dancing to the Village People.
Government response to PM's commission branded 'too little, too late'

19-Apr-2011
Senior nurses have criticised the government for its “insufficient” response to the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
Trolley waits rise for Irish A&E patients, warn unions

15-Apr-2011
Almost 25,000 patients have been left to wait on trolleys in Irish hospitals during the last three months, according to nursing unions.
Doncaster honours wartime nurse

15-Apr-2011
A Yorkshire hospital is to display pictures of one its wartime nurses in celebration of her 90th birthday.
RCN warns of 12% cut to qualified nursing workforce

11-Apr-2011
Trusts plan to shed a “shocking” 12% of their registered nursing workforce over the next four years, a Royal College of Nursing investigation has found.
Survey: nurses propping up NHS with overtime

10-Apr-2011
Nurses are “propping up” the NHS by consistently working in excess of their contracted hours and providing last minute shift cover, according to findings from an ICM survey of 2,000 UK nurses.
Lansley to 'listen' to nurses at RCN congress

8-Apr-2011
Health secretary Andrew Lansley will be the first secretary of state or prime minister in eight years not to give a keynote speech at Royal College of Nursing annual conference next week.
Lansley questioned over response to PM's Commission

7-Apr-2011
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has pledged to publish a response to the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery during the “pause” in the government’s reform agenda.
Student bursary consultation launched by unions

7-Apr-2011
Unions have launched a consultation on the government’s latest proposals for reform of the bursary system that will offer healthcare students a minimum of £3,324 a year.
Liverpool Community Health appoints head of nursing directorate

7-Apr-2011
Helen Lockett has joined Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust to head up its operations and nursing directorate.
Derby care home nurses to be trained in dysphagia

7-Apr-2011
Care home nurses in Derbyshire are to receive specialist training in helping older patients in care homes with feeding or swallowing difficulties.
Lansley told to change his verbal support for nurses into action

5-Apr-2011
The government’s language on NHS reforms is now more “inclusive” of nursing, but must be backed up by action to require more involvement from nurses, according to the Royal College of Nursing.
Unison warns of action over pension threat

5-Apr-2011
The government will face industrial action if it persists with plans to cut the pensions of public sector health workers, the leader of the union Unison has warned.
Minister warned over loss of nurse leaders

4-Apr-2011
The NHS is “haemorrhaging” nurse leaders due to government targets on management cuts in the run up to the transition to GP consortia, ministers have been warned.
Government returns to drawing board over student bursary reform

31-Mar-2011
Student nurses are to be consulted by unions over fresh government proposals to change the NHS bursary.
Hike in complaints against nurses is 'serious cause for concern'

31-Mar-2011
The number of complaints made about nurses and midwives has jumped by nearly 60% since last year, according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which said it was “cause for serious concern”.
Registered nurse levels affect patient mortality risk

29 March 2011
Patient mortality rates are significantly affected by the number of registered nurses on a ward, a major US had shown.
Wales set to meet school nurse target

28-Mar-2011
A Welsh Assembly commitment to ensure that every secondary school in Wales has a school nurse is expected to be achieved at the end of April, the health minister Edwina Hart has announced today.
DH keeping 'very close eye ' on Southern Cross

26-Mar-2011
The government has said it is monitoring the situation at Southern Cross Healthcare.
Nurses set for London protest against cuts

25-Mar-2011
Thousands of nurses and other public sector workers are due to march in London tomorrow in what is being billed as the largest union protest for more than 30 years.
York gains approval for move to degree-only nursing course

24-Mar-2011
The University of York has become the latest institution to have its nursing degree course approved under new standards for the move to a graduate-only entry profession.
Care home provider appoints Admiral Nurse

24-Mar-2011
An independent care home provider has appointed an Admiral Nurse to help support its dementia patients.
Cancer patients rely on charity handouts to heat homes

24-Mar-2011
A cancer nursing charity has warned that patients in Scotland are having to rely on handouts to keep warm because they cannot afford to heat their homes.
RCN does deal with independents over royal wedding pay

23-Mar-2011
Nine independent sector employers have agreed to recognise the royal wedding day as a normal bank holiday.
Specialist heart nurses recognised with awards

23-Mar-2011
Two Manchester nurses have won a national charity award for their work with young heart patients.
NHS qualified nursing workforce falls by nearly 4,000

22-Mar-2011
The overall number of registered nurses employed by the NHS decreased last year by 3,678, according to latest figures.
Pay freeze confirmed for those earning over £21,000

21-Mar-2011
Healthcare assistants look set to receive a basic pay rise of £250 next month, but salaries will be frozen for other nursing pay bands.
Japanese Nursing Association to dispatch volunteer nurses

21-Mar-2011
The Japanese Nursing Association has said it will begin dispatching volunteer nurses and supplies by bus to the areas of the country affected by the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March this week.
Few trusts test nurses for compassion

15 March 2011
Very few NHS organisations test potential nurse recruits on their aptitude for nursing, despite early evidence from trusts where it has been implemented that it can improve standards, analysis by Nursing Times reveals.
Patients see red at Portsmouth Hospital

11-Mar-2011
Senior nurses at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital have moved away from traditional shades of nursing blue in favour of a high visibility red uniform.
Nurses to march in Barts protest

8-Mar-2011
Student nurses and other healthcare workers are expected to march through the city of London tomorrow evening as part of a protest against proposed cuts to posts.
Chief nursing officer to extend tenure

3-Mar-2011
The chief nursing officer for England has confirmed she will stay on in the post till October.
Scottish intern scheme for newly-qualifieds seeks applicants

2-Mar-2011
A paid internship programme to help 380 newly-trained Scottish nurses and midwives find work has opened for applicants this week.
Plan to tackle A&E aggression with design

28-Feb-2011
Can better design reduce violence in A&E settings?
Royal wedding pay terms to be decided locally

25-Feb-2011
Pay rates for the royal wedding bank holiday will be decided locally by trusts and union representatives, following the collapse of a national solution.
Theatre staff vote for industrial action

23-Feb-2011
Theatre nurses at St George’s Hospital in south London have voted in favour of industrial action over proposed changes to rotas.
National guidance on pregnancy and diabetes

23-Feb-2011
The Royal College of Midwives and NHS Diabetes have published joint guidance for managing pregnant women with diabetes.
NHS post cutting tally reaches 1,926 in the capital

18-Feb-2011
Nearly 2,000 NHS posts are now believed to have been earmarked to disappear in London, following further revelations of cost-cutting plans last week.
Student nurses demonstrate against pay elimination

18-Feb-2011
More than 3,000 Irish student nurses demonstrated on Wednesday in Dublin against the elimination of pay for pre-registration nurses and midwives.
Yearly nurse pay scale rise to continue in Wales

8 February 2011
Incremental pay rises for nurses working in Wales will not be frozen, first minister for Wales Carwyn Jones has signalled.
Nursing poll reveals patient safety concerns

7-Feb-2011
Only 7% of nurses believe their organisation has the right number of staff to deliver good quality care to patients, according to the results of a snapshot survey revealed yesterday by the Royal College of Nursing.
Wales maternity services to be 'among best in world'

1-Feb-2011
Maternity care in Wales will be increasingly delivered in homes and community settings, according to a draft strategy published last week by the Welsh Assembly.
Safety checklist for caesarean sections launched

1-Feb-2011
The National Patient Safety Agency has launched a surgical safety checklist for maternity.
Practice nurses urged to get savvy on migrant health risks

1-Feb-2011
The Health Protection Agency has published a guide to help practice nurses and GPs look after migrant patients from overseas.
Alert calls for prompt assessment when patients fall

1 February 2011
Nurses have been urged to ensure safe manual handling and prompt assessment of inpatients who have fallen.
Foundation trust refutes bullying staff claims from MP

28-Jan-2011
A foundation trust has taken the “unusual” step of writing to staff about its whistleblowing policy after an MP published allegations of bullying made by trust staff.
Nursing professor issues warning on government public health plans

26-Jan-2011
The government’s plan to “nudge” the public into becoming healthier could fail because of the contradictory messages put out by advertisers and the media, a leading nurse academic has warned.
Staff flu vaccine views criticised

25 January 2011
The government’s head of immunisation has criticised the attitude of nurses and frontline NHS staff towards vaccination.
Lansley defends move to GP commissioning

17-Jan-2011
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has said most NHS commissioning decisions already involve doctors and nurses working in primary care, in defence of his reform agenda.
Nurse fury over jobs offer

11 January 2011
The overwhelming majority of nurses wants unions to reject a freeze on pay increments in return for a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies, a Nursing Times survey has found.
St George's theatre nurses protest against cuts

11 January 2011
Around 150 theatre nurses and other staff at St George’s Hospital in London began 2011 with a lunchtime protest against public sector cuts.
Time with patients cuts costs

11 January 2011
Ward managers and other senior nurses should give greater priority to improving patients’ experience in hospital, as it can help save money as well as improve quality, according to the NHS Confederation.
Most nurses believe trusts would renege on job security deal

6-Jan-2011
More than 80 per cent of nurses believe their trust would fail to honour a proposed deal not to make compulsory redundancies over the next two years if they agreed to forego a pay rise, according to an exclusive poll by Nursing Times.
District nurses praised for efforts to reach snow bound patients

23-Dec-2010
District nurses have been praised for donning crampons and navigating ice covered lanes in order to reach rural patients in Wales.
Southampton A&E nurse given award for war work

23-Dec-2010
A nurse based at Southampton’s teaching hospitals has received a top national honour for her work treating injured troops in Afghanistan.
Nurses encouraged to train on safer use of insulin

23-Dec-2010
The health service’s diabetes unit has called on trusts to ensure their staff have been trained in the safe use of insulin, following a warning from the National Patient Safety Agency.
Trust told it still needs to improve on pressure sores and staffing levels

22-Dec-2010
An east London hospital trust has been told by regulators it still needs to do more to implement systems to assess pressure damage and employ sufficient staff to meet the needs of patients.
Footballers do their bit for festive cheer

22-Dec-2010
Football stars from Spurs, Everton and other teams up and down the country have been taking time out to visit children’s wards in the run up to Christmas.
Government sets out plans for funding public health

22-Dec-2010
Health visiting and Family Nurse Partnership services will be commissioned by the new NHS Commissioning Board, under latest government proposals.
College urges pregnant women not to shun flu vaccination

20-Dec-2010
Pregnant women have been urged to get vaccinated against flu by the Royal College of Midwives, following warnings that severe cases requiring hospital admission are on the increase.
Essex mental health nurse jailed for fraud

20-Dec-2010
A mental health nurse from south Essex has been jailed for nine months for defrauding the NHS of £65,000.
RCN disappointed at lack of nurse inclusion in NHS reform agenda

15-Dec-2010
Government reforms will “struggle to succeed” without more engagement with nurses, the Royal College of Nursing has warned.
Constipation drug approved by NICE

15-Dec-2010
A constipation drug has been approved for use by the NHS in England.
Productive Ward needs push

14 December 2010
The failure to implement the Productive Ward programme more widely is a “huge missed opportunity” for the NHS, academics have said.
The Year in Nursing 2010

14 December 2010
Nursing Times recalls the main events that made headlines in the news for nurses in 2010
Nurses to set up commissioning network

13-Dec-2010
A group of senior primary care nurses is to establish a forum to push for the involvement of nursing in GP commissioning consortia.
Nurse appointed to champion living organ donation

10-Dec-2010
A specialist nurse is to be a national champion for living organ donation.
QNI launches new award for end of life care

6-Dec-2010
The Queen’s Nursing Institute has announced a special award to commemorate one of its former trustees Professor Kieran Sweeney.
RCN calls on employers to be 'sympathetic' over extreme weather

2-Dec-2010
Royal College of Nursing has made a plea to employers not to deduct holiday from nurses unable to get to work because of the snow this week.
Patients Association claims bringing back matron has failed

2-Dec-2010
Matrons should be able to concentrate on basic nursing care standards rather than meeting performance targets, the Patients Association has said.
Nurses and midwives not stopped by the weather

1-Dec-2010
Nurses and midwives up and down the country have been battling to work against the odds as the UK is stuck in the grip of snow this week.
Inquiry launched into law on assisted dying

30-Nov-2010
An independent commission has been launched to look into whether the law needs to be changed on assisted dying.
Nurses lack skills in end of life care

30 November 2010
More than one in four nurses involved in end of life care do not feel competent to broach the subject of death with patients, a Nursing Times reader survey has revealed.
CNO to step down in March

17-Nov-2010
Chief nursing officer for England Dame Christine Beasley is to retire in March it has been announced.
Nurses want seat at GP consortia table

16 November 2010
Senior nurses have questioned calls for community nurses to set themselves up as “advisory units” to the GP groups that will be commissioning NHS services from 2013.
Nurses hit by workload hike as cuts force down staff numbers

8-Nov-2010
Nurses are facing increasing workloads as the NHS attempts to deal with financial difficulties, a union survey has revealed.
Every nurse to receive whistleblowing guidance from NMC

5-Nov-2010
Every registered nurse and midwife in the UK is to be sent whistleblowing guidance by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
On-call nurse pay to become more 'equitable and consistent'

5-Nov-2010
Employers and unions have agreed a set of principles they say will lead to a fairer system of on-call payments for nurses.
Tragedy puts skills deficit in the spotlight

2 November 2010
The case of an agency nurse mistakenly turning off a disabled patient’s ventilator is symptomatic of the increasing dilution of skills in overstretched community nurse teams, senior nurses have warned.
Nurse director aims high for Basildon

2 November 2010
The new nursing director at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals Foundation Trust has said nursing staff morale is now “very good”, and that she wants the hospital to become one of the best in the country.
DH fails to untangle pledges on family nurses and health visitors

29-Oct-2010
The government has pledged to double the size of the Family Nurse Partnership but has so far failed to clarify how this will affect previous announcements on health visitor recruitment.
This year's Mary Seacole winners unveiled

27-Oct-2010
Nurse and midwife research on improving treatment for asylum seekers and the challenges faced by black and minority ethnic nursing degree students are among the winners of this year’s Mary Seacole Awards.
NMC lobbies Europe over nurse training standards

26-Oct-2010
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has called on members of the European Parliament to revise standards on nursing and midwifery training.
Nurse who 'switched off life support' will not face charges

26-Oct-2010
The agency nurse that accidentally switched off a patient’s life support machine will not face criminal charges.
RCN elects deputy president

19-Oct-2010
Cecilia Anim has been elected deputy president of the Royal College of Nursing.
CNO acts to ensure nursing voice is heard

19 October 2010
The chief nursing officer for England Dame Christine Beasley has moved to try and ensure nurses have a voice in NHS spending decisions when commissioning responsibility shifts from primary care trusts to GPs.
Specialist shift a waste of cash

19 October 2010
Moving clinical nurse specialists to general duties will cost the NHS more in the long run than keeping them in their specialist roles, according to a report by major cancer organisations.
New pledge on whistleblowers

19 October 2010
Health service employers will have to pledge to support whistleblowers, under proposed changes to the NHS constitution announced ahead of the latest inquiry into care failings at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust.
Claire Rayner: a nurse that became a true patient advocate

12-Oct-2010
Claire Rayner, the former nurse, health journalist, author, agony aunt and patient advocate, died this week in hospital in Harrow north London, after failing to recover fully from intestinal surgery in May.
Nurses duck end of life care discussions

5 October 2010
It is nurses, not patients, who are reluctant to broach discussions about end of life care, a conference was told last week.
GP consortia will commission more specialist nurses

5 October 2010
Handing the bulk of NHS commissioning powers to GPs could result in more specialist nurses being employed in the community, according to a doctor pioneering the policy.
End of life care communication skills lacking among nurses

28 September 2010
Nurses do not have the skills needed to talk to patients about their end of life care, research has found.
Nurse retirement could create staff crisis

7 September 2010
London and the South East of England could be facing a serious nursing and midwife shortage over the next seven years, labour market analysts have warned.
Antibiotic resistant bacteria risk from hospital sinks

6-Sep-2010
The Department of Health has issued an alert warning that hospital wash basins have been identified as a source of gram negative bacteria.
End of life care is compromised as ‘crucial’ services are denied funds

31 August 2010
Primary care trusts spent just a quarter of the funds they were given to pay for end of life care on direct nursing provision to support patients dying at home.
RCN sets out framework for 'community nursing success'

30-Aug-2010
The Royal College of Nursing has unveiled a 27 point policy statement on the future of community nursing services.
Essex hospitals get alcohol nurse

27-Aug-2010
An alcohol nurse specialist was appointed for the first time to work at Colchester General Hospital and Essex County Hospital.
'Skills passport' proves hit with nurses

27-Aug-2010
A “skills passport” for nurses moved a step nearer following a successful pilot by the health sector training council Skills for Health.
Top hospitals show bias for male nurse directors

17 August 2010
Male nurses are twice as likely to hold a top job in England’s leading hospitals, a Nursing Times investigation has revealed.
Call to rate chemo nurse quality

17 August 2010
Patient experience, safe medication administration and nausea and vomiting should be developed “urgently” as quality indicators for nurse delivered chemotherapy, researchers say.
Wards set to face regular scrutiny on their patient safety records

17 August 2010
Trusts are to be routinely surveyed on their patient safety record for the first time from next month.
Want to go large with your statins, sir?

13-Aug-2010
The future of public health intervention will be more of a holding exercise than a pre-emptive strike if the view of some researchers at Imperial College London becomes the norm.
Disease lottery revealed in end of life care provision

10 August 2010
Nurses must change their approach to end of life care for chronic disease, senior nurses have warned in response to research shared exclusively with Nursing Times.
Practice nurses fearful about their future training and support

10 August 2010
Primary care nurses fear their training and support networks will collapse with the abolition of primary care trusts.
Private patients in NHS hospitals 'galling' for nurses

10 August 2010
Expanding private healthcare in NHS hospitals could be “galling” for nurses and lead to conflict, a union leader has warned.
Nursing improvements under threat as quangos face cull

3 August 2010
Attempts to transform nursing care are threatened by plans to axe national bodies in charge of quality improvement, patient safety and public health, nurse leaders have warned.
Regulate HCAs now, warns review

3 August 2010
There is an urgent need to regulate assistant practitioners because they are being increasingly used as substitutes for registered nurses, a major review has warned.
Health visitors to be allied with SureStart, rather than GPs

23-Jul-2010
GPs will not be responsible for recruiting and employing health visitors under the government’s reform agenda, health secretary Andrew Lansley has told MPs.
Nursing staff inspired to assess lifestyles

13 July 2010
A pioneering service aimed at improving the lifestyles of hospital patients has inspired nursing staff to do the same.
Anne Milton calls on nurses to boost organ donation

13 July 2010
Health minister Anne Milton has urged nurses to play an active part in efforts to boost donation rates, which are still failing to keep up with demand.
24/7 palliative care nursing still patchy

9-Jul-2010
Round the clock community nursing support for end of life care patients remains available in only half of primary care trusts in England, a charity has claimed.
Do not cut specialist roles, warns SHA chief

2-Jul-2010
Specialist members of the NHS workforce must not be sacrificed in order to find efficiency savings, a government advisor and strategic health authority chief executive has warned.
Patient scheme inspires nurses to improve lifestyle

26-Jun-2010
A pioneering service aimed at improving the lifestyles of hospital patients has inspired nursing staff to do the same.
Nurses admit skills gap on treating patients with learning disabilities

21-Jun-2010
A third of nurses believe that people with a learning disability receive a poorer standard of healthcare than the rest of the population, according to a survey by charity Mencap.
Nursing profession loses leading light on ethical research

18-Jun-2010
Paul Wainwright, professor of nursing at Kingston University and St George’s University of London, has died suddenly at the age of 62.
Community staff transfers set to continue

15 June 2010
The Department of Health has indicated the process of transferring community nurses and other services to different organisations will continue.
Awards launched to celebrate military nursing care

30-May-2010
Scottish public health minister Shona Robison met nurses from the 205 (Scottish) Field Hospital (Volunteers) last week to mark the opening of nominations for the third annual Military and Civilian Health Partnership Awards.
Lansley: NHS pay cannot be exempt from financial pressures

13-May-2010
The new health secretary has suggested the coalition government will seek to review the Agenda for Change pay deal, after saying NHS staff pay should not be exempt from wider financial pressures.
Patients stop taking OAB drugs because of perceived lack of efficacy

13-May-2010
Nine out of ten patients who discontinue taking medication for overactive bladder do so because they say it does not work as expected or they could not tolerate it, according to research published online in the British Journal of Urology International.
National Gallery to exhibit pictures from Middlesex Hospital

9-May-2010
The National Gallery is to hold an exhibition featuring paintings which used to hang in the Middlesex Hospital.
New prostate drug licensed for UK use

7-May-2010
A duel treatment pill for enlarged prostate patients has been approved for use in the UK.
Guidance on management of sore throat published

6-May-2010
Guidance on the management of sore throat and indications for tonsillectomy has been published by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network.
Hay fever drug Grazax offers little benefit

6-May-2010
The hay fever drug Grazax, a sublingual tablet containing standardised allergen extract of grass pollen, is not cost effective, the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin has concluded.
Overactive bladder drugs differ on side effect severity

5-May-2010
The antimuscarinic drug solifenacin is associated with significantly fewer side effects than another drug in the same class, oxybutynin, according to Canadian researchers.
Student nurses call for longer clinical placements

4 May 2010
Nursing students want fewer but longer clinical placements, according to the union Unison.
Nurse teams could solve out-of-hour GP concerns

4 May 2010
The majority of out of hours primary care could be provided by community nurses and nurse practitioners, Scottish politicians have been told.
Major parties line up on need to protect specialist nurses

30-Apr-2010
All three parties have said they oppose cuts to specialist nurse posts or their reassignment to general ward duties.
Former nursing student jailed for NHS fraud

28-Apr-2010
A former overseas nursing student at Thames Valley and Surrey universities has been jailed for defrauding the NHS of over £18,000.
Minimum nurse to patient ratios cut death rates

27 April 2010
A major US study has added further weight to the argument that setting minimum nurse to patient ratios saves lives.
Nursing home sector increases share

27 April 2010
Long term nursing and residential care is increasingly being provided in the private and voluntary sectors, according to a report from market research analysts Key Note.
Mid Staffs nurses face fresh criticism after Facebook food fight

22-Apr-2010
Two nurses from Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust posted photos of themselves on Facebook having a food fight in a clinical area around a month after the trust received scathing criticism over standards from the Healthcare Commission.
Irish nursing leaders oppose deal on pay and reform

14-Apr-2010
A major Irish nursing union has recommended its members reject a government deal that guaranteed wages would not be cut in return for acceptance of service reforms.
Botox provider regulation scheme goes live

14-Apr-2010
A voluntary registration scheme has been launched for practitioners and organisations that provide injectable cosmetic treatments, such as Botox.
Nurses warn patient safety is being compromised by equipment shortages

6 April 2010
A dire lack of manual handling equipment is compromising the safety of nurses and their patients, suggests a survey by Nursing Times.
Relationships key to driving up quality, says Scottish CNO

30 March 2010
Improving relationships between nurses and their patients is vital to increase the quality of nursing care, according to chief nursing officer for Scotland Ros Moore.
Third of nurses pay for training with their own money

30 March 2010
A third of nurses are having to use their own time and money to keep up to date with mandatory training because they cannot access it through the NHS, according to a survey by the Royal College of Nursing.
Nurses feel unable to communicate with managers

23 March 2010
Only 28 per cent of nurses say there is good communication between senior management and staff at their trust, according to results from the 2009 staff survey.
Teesside nurses lead orthopaedic improvements

23 March 2010
Nurses on Teesside have played a leading role in slashing treatment times for patients with fractured neck of femur.
'Quick' guide to end of life care launched

19-Mar-2010
The National End of Life Care programme has launched a “quick check” guide for healthcare professionals detailing the difference between care planning and decisions made in advance.
Minister airs concerns on use of nurses in out of hours care

16 March 2010
Health minister Mike O’Brien has said he is concerned that out of hours patients are being seen by a nurse when they expect to see a GP. He said patients must be made aware if a nurse is being sent to attend their call.
Suffolk nurses launch single sex bay drive

16 March 2010
Senior nurses at Ipswich Hospital Trust in Suffolk have launched a campaign to encourage staff to make sure patients are treated in single sex facilities, in line with government guidelines.
Nurses neither saints nor sinners, says Unison

2-Mar-2010
Modern nurses are “neither saints nor sinners” and relate more to Nurse Jackie than Carry on Nurse, a leading nursing union has said in response to the final report of Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
RCN calls for politicians to implement 'milestone' nursing report

2-Mar-2010
The Royal College of Nursing says political leaders must act urgently to ensure the recommendations in a “milestone” report on the future of nursing become reality.
Senior nurses must be fully responsible for nursing numbers and quality of care

2-Mar-2010
Directors of nursing and other senior nurses must be “fully accountable” for the quality of nursing in their service or organisation, according to the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
Sisters must be closer to nursing directors in NHS hierarchy

2-Mar-2010
Sisters and charge nurses should be no more than two places down from the director of nursing in the hierarchy of NHS organisations, according to the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
Commission backs degrees and calls for 'new stories' to promote nursing careers

2-Mar-2010
National campaigns are needed to “inspire” school leavers to take up nursing as a career and to encourage former nurses to return to the profession, according to the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
Student nurses must be taught to be entrepreneurs and innovators

2-Mar-2010
Nurses should be taught entrepreneurial skills in both pre-registration and post-registration education and training, according to the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
Nurses need greater referral powers to cope with growth in long term conditions

2-Mar-2010
Nurses must be “enabled” to make direct referrals to other health professionals and services in order to help the NHS cope with the growing number of patients with long term conditions.
Nurses must act as 'role models' for healthy living

2-Mar-2010
Nurses must take personal responsibility for their own health, acknowledging that they are public role models for healthy living, according to the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
NMC welcomes mandate to regulate advanced nursing roles

2-Mar-2010
The Nursing and Midwifery Council says it has been given a “clear mandate” to regulate advance nurse practitioners and protect the title “nurse” by the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
Prime Minister's Commission calls for nurses to take professional pledge

2-Mar-2010
The final report of the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery has called for all nurses and midwives to make a pledge to provide high quality, compassionate care.
PM's commission final report due

2 March 2010
The final report of the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery is due to be published today.
Florence Nightingale Museum to reopen

27-Feb-2010
The newly renovated and refurbished Florence Nightingale Museum is to re-open on 12 May, to coincide with Ms Nightingale’s birthday and the centenary year of her death.
CNSs promote role through 'grand round' for nursing

23 February 2010
Clinical nurse specialists at Imperial College Healthcare Trust are promoting their role and helping train other nurses using an initiative borrowed from medicine.
NHS Direct has 'changed nursing practice'

23 February 2010
The introduction of nurse led telephone triage has substantially changed nursing practice, creating new skills but also the risk of losing some, according to researchers.
Productive programme drives up ward leadership skills

23 February 2010
The Productive Ward programme has shown significant potential to grow leadership skills at ward level that could be incorporated into training, according to an independent review by nurse researchers.
Call to legally protect 'health visitor' title

22-Feb-2010
The union Unite, which includes the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association, has launched a campaign to legally protect the title “health visitor”.
Botox provider regulation plan announced

20-Feb-2010
A registration scheme is to be set up for practitioners and organisations that provide injectable cosmetic treatments, such as Botox, for the first time.
Hampshire hospital 'on fire'

16 February 2010
Staff at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital were put to the test last week during a fire and evacuation exercise.
GP patients should be seen by practice nurse, says RCN

13-Feb-2010
Practice nurses should be the first port of call for the majority of primary care patients, according to the Royal College of Nursing in Scotland.
Surge in nursing students opting for degrees

12-Feb-2010
Student applications for nursing degrees have leapt 73.7 per cent, the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service has announced.
Catheter clamping after hip fracture questioned

11-Feb-2010
There is little benefit from clamping the urinary catheter before its removal in patients with hip fracture, according to Swedish researchers.
Nurses identify cancer nursing metrics

9 February 2010
Three potential indicators to measure the quality of ambulatory chemotherapy delivered by nurses have been identified by researchers.
Call to expand cancer remit for practice nurses

2 February 2010
The role of practice nurses should be expanded to provide routine support and follow up to cancer survivors, according to one of the country’s leading GPs.
No job guarantees for nurses at foundation trusts

28-Jan-2010
Nurses working for foundation trusts are at risk of compulsory redundancy because of the impending public sector spending squeeze, a leaked report suggests.
Tories predict impending nursing shortfall

28-Jan-2010
Government figures show that nurse numbers could be cut by more than 13,000 over the next five years, the Conservatives have claimed.
NMC to seek nurses' views on future practice standards

27-Jan-2010
The Nursing and Midwifery Council will launch a major consultation later this week on the knowledge and skills nurses of the future will need to practice.
How to transform patient care and boost efficiency

26-Jan-2010
The experience of millions of patients could be transformed and hundreds of hours of appointment time and bed days could be saved if nurses applied eight “high impact” actions across the NHS.
Nurses can slash waits by leading on palpitation assessment

26-Jan-2010
Nurse-led clinics can provide a rapid assessment for patients with palpitations, which may offer a viable alternative to the traditional cardiology outpatient service for low-risk patients, according to UK researchers.
Nurses meeting out of hours challenge in rural areas

26-Jan-2010
Nurses can be just as effective as GPs at providing out of hours care, especially in rural areas, says the Royal College of Nursing.
Nottingham trust best gay friendly employer in NHS

24-Jan-2010
Five NHS organisations appeared in the annual list of the UK’s top 100 lesbian, gay, and bisexual friendly employers, published by charity Stonewall.
Long term focus reduces Cornish admissions

23-Jan-2010
Using community matrons to case manage A&E “frequent flyers” has helped a primary care trust significantly reduce emergency admissions at its hospitals.
Nursing Times Awards winners visit Downing Street

23-Jan-2010
Nursing Times Awards winners were invited to visit Downing Street this week to meet with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Pay negotiators may focus on better conditions

23-Jan-2010
Unions have hinted they may seek better working conditions over significant salary rises in this year’s pay negotiations due to the public sector spending squeeze.
New director of nursing at Barking trust

20-Jan-2010
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust has announced that Deborah Wheeler has taken up the post of executive director of nursing.
Nurse research projects shortlisted for RCN award

19-Jan-2010
The Royal College of Nursing Research Society announced the shortlist for the Akinsanya Award 2010 for Innovation in Doctoral Studies in Nursing.
Student nurses should quit smoking as part of training

19-Jan-2010
Student nurses who smoke should be encouraged to quite as part of their training, say researchers.
Community nursing should be taught as separate degree

19 January 2010
Community nursing should be offered as a degree subject separate from general nursing, according to a leading nurse academic.
Students face average debts of over £6,500

19 January 2010
The average nursing student can expect to finish their course with debts of between £6,500 and £7,000, according to results from the annual Unison student survey.
Community nurses happier with streamlined KSF

12 January 2010
A refined version of the knowledge and skills framework is helping community nurses in Yorkshire to be more productive and feel happier in their roles.
Increased nurse staffing levels improve clinical outcomes, research concludes

12 January 2010
General practices could improve clinical outcomes if they employed more nurses per number of patients, the latest UK research suggests.
Third of frontline NHS workers vaccinated against swine flu

12 January 2010
A third of frontline NHS staff in England have been vaccinated against swine flu, according to latest figures from the Department of Health.
Degrees are 'step in the right direction', says nursing director

23-Dec-2009
A nursing director has defended the move to all-graduate entry nursing, saying it is about “complexity of care rather than elitism”.
Guide on reducing harm from falls published

22-Dec-2009
Guidance for nurses and other health professionals on reducing falls has been published by the Patient Safety First campaign.
Ex-nurse loses appeal against murder conviction

21-Dec-2009
Former nurse Colin Norris has lost an appeal against his conviction for murder.
Cookery lessons aid recovery from eating disorders

18-Dec-2009
Giving cookery classes to patients with eating disorders can significantly improve ability and motivation to recover, according to pioneering research by a trust in London.
Plea to leave paramedics in peace on 'black Friday'

18-Dec-2009
Unison is urging Christmas revellers to refrain from abusive and threatening behaviour towards paramedics attending call outs.
Scottish nursing workforce up by 700 despite recession

18-Dec-2009
The recession has not yet affected nursing recruitment in Scotland, suggest latest figures.
RCN pays tribute to Sir Liam's public health legacy

17-Dec-2009
The Royal College of Nursing has paid tribute to the “bold stance” of Sir Liam Donaldson during his tenure as chief medical officer for England.
MP proposes sunbed ban for under 18s

17-Dec-2009
An MP is seeking to introduce stricter regulation for sunbed use in England and Wales.
Call for nursing directors to get proactive on measuring patient experience

17-Dec-2009
Directors of nursing in hospitals should begin measuring patient experience based on seven “core” areas of care, according to the patient charity the Picker Institute.
Older patients quality agenda differs from government

15-Dec-2009
The government’s ideas on quality do not necessarily match the aspirations of older patients, according to research published today in Nursing Times.
Public sector pay cap divides nursing unions

15 December 2009
Nurses are to get a pay rise of no more than 1 per cent from 2011 as part of the chancellor’s efforts to restrict public spending.
Poor MRSA records targeted by new DH objective

14-Dec-2009
The government has announced new targets for tackling MRSA in acute settings.
Ministers call for more family nurse schemes

11-Dec-2009
Government ministers have written to NHS managers encouraging them to set up more Family Nurse Partnership teams.
Roll out begins for national NHS uniform in Scotland

9-Dec-2009
The first deliveries of the new NHS Scotland national staff uniform arrived at hospitals today.
Nurses face cap on state pension contributions

9-Dec-2009
Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced that nurses and other public sector staff will have state contributions to their pensions capped in order to save the government £1bn a year.
New respiratory tsars to develop COPD strategy

9-Dec-2009
The government has appointed two new tsars to tackle respiratory disease.
Nurses will have to vaccinate under fives against swine flu

8-Dec-2009
Community nurses will have to vaccinate children aged between six months and five years against swine flu, after a deal could not be reached with GP leaders.
Anger over bank bonuses as nurses face pay freeze

4-Dec-2009
Nursing union representatives have said it is outrageous that bankers were attempting to get bonuses when nurses around the country were facing pay freezes.
Nurses already feeling pressure - before winter sets in

24 November 2009
Staff shortages and high bed occupancy levels are increasing the pressure on services across the NHS to unexpected levels, a Nursing Times investigation has found.
One in 10 hospital nurses asked to fiddle waiting time figures

24 November 2009
Forty per cent of nurses believe their colleagues are involved in helping to meet waiting time targets by underhand means, often referred to as ‘gaming’.
Pay victory for nurses in Hertfordshire

18-Nov-2009
Hundreds of newly qualified nurses in West Hertfordshire Hospital NHS Trust are in line for a lump sum payment.
Preceptorships remain at whim of trusts

17 November 2009
Mentoring periods for newly qualified nurses are to remain non-mandatory.
Staff chase patients for missing equipment

17 November 2009
NHS staff in Durham and Darlington are attempting to track down unused equipment worth £500,000.
Students able to opt out of helping with pandemic

16-Nov-2009
Nursing students will not be forced to carry out NHS work in the event of an escalation of the second swine flu surge, according to Department of Health guidance.
Troubles float away as Burnley celebrates National Stress Awareness Day

14-Nov-2009
People in Burnley were invited to let their stresses float away by writing uplifting messages on balloons last week to mark National Stress Awareness Day.
Patient advocate hits out at all-graduate profession plans

12-Nov-2009
A leading patient advocate has said she is against plans for nursing in England to become an all-graduate profession.
All new nurses must have degrees

12-Nov-2009
The government has rubber-stamped plans for nursing in England to become a degree-only profession
Nurse expertise may be overlooked as PCT structures get more complex

10 November 2009
The increasingly complex nature of primary care organisation will make it harder to ensure nursing is involved in strategic decision making, nurse leaders have warned.
Practice nurses 'held back' by GPs

10 November 2009
The development of practice nursing in Scotland is being held back by a lack of recognition of its value by GPs, suggests a survey by the Royal College of Nursing.
Queen's Nurses to double in number

10 November 2009
The number of community nurses holding the title of Queen’s Nurse will double over the next six months, from 70 to 140.
US nurses and doctors at loggerheads

10 November 2009
Serious examples of bad blood exist between nurses and doctors in the US, a survey by the American College of Physician Executives has revealed.
Fashion show celebrates trust pledge on breast cancer

7-Nov-2009
Ten breast cancer survivors have hit the cat walk at the West Middlesex University Hospital Trust to celebrate the trust signing up to a patient pledge scheme on services.
Orpington Hospital celebrates military past

7-Nov-2009
A “history panel” was unveiled at Orpington Hospital in Kent yesterday to commemorate its past as one of the greatest military hospitals in the world.
GPs college invites practice nurses to join new foundation

5-Nov-2009
The Royal College of General Practitioners has unveiled its new section for practice nurses and other non-medical primary care staff.
Managers must look after nurses' mental wellbeing, says NICE

5-Nov-2009
More attention should be paid to the mental wellbeing of nurses and other NHS staff, according to latest NICE guidelines.
Welsh nurses get worst deal on working conditions

4-Nov-2009
Nurses in Wales are getting a rougher deal on training than their colleagues in the rest of the UK, according to the RCN.
DH 'scripts' to urge nurse take-up of swine flu vaccine

27 October 2009
Frontline nurses are being told that getting vaccinated against swine flu is the ‘single most important thing’ they can do to help the NHS “stay ahead of the game” this winter.
Productivity drive for community nurses

27 October 2009
A major productivity drive has been launched for community settings, which could see nurses increasing the amount of time they spend with patients by two-thirds.
Minister calls for NHS trusts' transparency over management consultants

21-Oct-2009
NHS organisations will have to be more transparent about their use of management consultants in future, health minister Mike O’Brien has said.
NMC will take pandemic 'into account' in complaints against nurses

20 October 2009
The NMC will take into account the difficulties of working in unfamiliar areas of practice when receiving complaints about nurses during a surge in the swine flu pandemic.
Sending patients in the right direction

20 October 2009
A campaign to help patients choose the most appropriate place to get treatment, rather than automatically heading to A&E, was launched this month across the north east by NHS North of Tyne.
Third of nurses think Labour best for profession

20 October 2009
A third of nurses think Labour is the political party that best understands the contribution of nursing care to the NHS and how to improve it, suggests a snapshot poll of more than 600 visitors to the Nursing Times website.
Community hospital reopens after campaign

18-Oct-2009
Primary care nurses from Oxfordshire PCT celebrated the reopening of a community hospital in Oxford last week.
Ed Balls to visit school nurses

16-Oct-2009
Children, schools and families secretary Ed Balls has pledged to visit frontline school nurses to get a firsthand idea of their work pressures.
Study calls on nurses to support students with diabetes

13-Oct-2009
Nurses need to be aware of the disruption that young people with type 1 diabetes experience to their self-care routines if they go to university, suggests a study.
Minimally invasive surgery best for stress incontinence

13-Oct-2009
Less invasive surgical treatments for stress urinary incontinence in women are just as effective as traditional open surgical approaches, according to a Cochrane review.
Central line care bundle to be launched in December

13 October 2009
A national initiative to reduce central venous catheter associated bloodstream infections (CABSI) is set to be launched in December, Nursing Times has learnt.
Health visitors receiving 'insufficient' training on care record

13 October 2009
Health visitors are receiving “insufficient” training on using the electronic patient records system, according to latest survey results.
Colchester nurses join the procession

11-Oct-2009
Neonatal sister Sheila Dempsey was one of a group of nurses from Colchester General Hospital who took part in the Essex town’s carnival last month.
Cancer nurse's innovative service slashes length of stay

10-Oct-2009
A cancer nurse from Manchester has been recognised for introducing an innovative service that has slashed the average length of patient stays.
Seasonal flu jab programme launched in England

9-Oct-2009
The national seasonal flu vaccination campaign has been launched today in England.
RCN calls for views on government social care plans

9-Oct-2009
The RCN has launched an online consultation asking members for their views on the future of the social care system in England.
MRSA screening branded 'unethical'

9-Oct-2009
Mandatory MRSA screening for elective patients in England is unethical, according to a leading microbiologist. .
CCTV to be trialled in A&E departments

8-Oct-2009
The Welsh Assembly has announced that the use of CCTV cameras are to be piloted at four A&E departments from December.
Unions react to public sector pay policies

6-Oct-2009
Unions have welcomed a government pledge to honour the three-year pay deal for nurses but expressed concern at Tory plans for a pay freeze.
CNO urges nurses to look at swine flu vaccine evidence

6 October 2009
Chief nursing officer for England Dame Christine Beasley has called on nurses to look at the clinical evidence around the swine flu vaccine before making any decision not to have it.
How the swine flu vaccines were approved

6 October 2009
The two pandemic flu vaccines to be given to UK patients have now been approved by the European Medicines Agency and licensed by the European Commission.
NMC says quality of nursing courses improving

6 October 2009
The overall quality of nursing and midwifery education courses in the UK has improved, according to the NMC.
Nurse confidence in swine flu vaccine falling

6 October 2009
Nurses’ confidence in the safety of swine flu vaccination has fallen over the last two months, Nursing Times’ latest survey suggests.
RCN hits back after GP accuses nurses of 'dumbing down' services

2-Oct-2009
A leading GP has been criticised by the RCN for saying the NHS was ‘dumbing down’ by giving nurses extended roles.
Student nurses warned over 'wild' freshers week behaviour

2-Oct-2009
The NMC has warned new student nurses and midwives not to go ‘too wild’ during freshers’ week.
Nurse sets up unique cancer support group

29 September 2009
A specialist nurse in Doncaster has formed a support group for patients with blood cancers.
Nurses to lead on diabetes project

29 September 2009
Nurses at three primary care trusts are to lead a major initiative to help diabetes patients have a say in improving their local services.
Theatre nurses encouraged to improve productivity

29 September 2009
A programme that empowers theatre nurses and other surgical staff to make changes to their daily operating regimen can improve both staff satisfaction and service quality, pilot results suggest.
Eye nurses take to the skies

27-Sep-2009
Three ophthalmology nurses flew to Jaipur in India last week in an aeroplane with a difference.
Swine flu vaccine gets green light

25-Sep-2009
One of the swine flu vaccines ordered by the government has now been licensed for use in the UK.
Unions call for full 2.25% pay rise for nurses

25-Sep-2009
Unions have called for nurses to receive their full 2.25% pay increase in April, as planned under the multi-year pay deal.
Swine flu vaccine gains union backing

25-Sep-2009
Nurses and other health workers have been encouraged to get vaccinated against swine flu by the union UNISON.
One in five asthma patients may reject swine flu vaccine

24-Sep-2009
Nearly 20 per cent of asthma patients may reject swine flu vaccination, a survey by the charity Asthma UK has revealed.
Causes of increase in preterm births revealed

24-Sep-2009
Increases in spontaneous and medically induced preterm births have made equal contributions to a rise in preterm births, suggest researchers.
Nurse invents simple IV assessment tools

23-Sep-2009
A nurse has successfully developed two assessment tools to help colleagues give intravenous treatment, in particular chemotherapy.
Birmingham nurses win victory over back pay

22 September 2009
A group of nurses at Birmingham Children’s Hospital have won a long-running battle with their trust over its failure to award them mandatory pay rises.
Swine flu vaccine will mean extra hours for PNs

22 September 2009
The swine flu could spell extra payments for practice nurses who may be needed to work overtime to help vaccinate “at risk” patients during the autumn.
Government will miss long term care plan targets

18-Sep-2009
The government will miss its target of offering all patients with long term conditions a care plan by 2010, suggests a survey.
New rules on organ and tissue donation

17-Sep-2009
A revised code of practice on gaining consent for organ or tissue donation has been published by the Human Tissue Authority.
Innovative life support training extended to nursing students

17-Sep-2009
Queen’s University Belfast has launched the first UK immediate life support (ILS) course for undergraduate nursing students.
Charity joins forces with Bupa to roll out dementia champions

17-Sep-2009
The Alzheimer’s Society and Bupa have jointly launched a national Dementia Champions programme.
Mid Staff inquiry gets under way

16-Sep-2009
An independent inquiry into care provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has been launched.
Asthma chart to 'improve treatment'

16-Sep-2009
A new computer based chart is to help nurses and other clinical staff decide if a child is at risk of developing asthma.
NMC to encourage 90,000 nurses to rejoin register in fight against swine flu

16-Sep-2009
The Nursing and Midwifery Council is to encourage thousands of nurses with lapsed registrations to rejoin the register to help out in a resurgence of the swine flu pandemic.
Minister says student bursary shake-up will increase diversity of nursing

15 September 2009
The shake-up up of the student bursary system will help open up nursing to people from a wider range of backgrounds, according to health minister Ann Keen.
PFI contracts are a "barrier" to matrons

15 September 2009
Private cleaning contracts must be swept away so frontline nurses can take full control of improving the hospital environment, a leading matron has said.
Regulator to shine spotlight on nursing quality

15 September 2009
The quality of nursing care in England, and particularly that given to older patients, looks set to come under special scrutiny from the new health and social care regulator.
School nurse workload 'too heavy'

14-Sep-2009
Two thirds of school nurses feel their workload is too heavy, an RCN report has revealed.
Police re-open case of missing nurse from 1960s

13-Sep-2009
Police are seeking nurses who may have known a nursing cadet who disappeared in Birmingham more than 40 years ago.
Whiplash patients routinely given insurance claims advice

9-Sep-2009
The promotion of personal injury claims is commonly featured in written advice given to whiplash patients, according to a UK study.
Patients view smiling as 'best' indicator of nurse skill

9-Sep-2009
Smiling and being cheerful is seen by some patients as an indicator of good nursing, research has confirmed.
End-of-life care service extended across Lincolnshire

9-Sep-2009
A Marie Curie Cancer Care rapid response pilot scheme has been expanded to cover the whole of Lincolnshire.
New centre to facilitate nursing links with developing countries

8-Sep-2009
Nurses who wish to develop professional links with colleagues overseas have been given a boost by investment in a new advice centre.
RCN unveils new council members

8-Sep-2009
A dozen new nurses have been elected to the Royal College of Nursing’s ruling council.
Frontline staffing cuts drive up nurse sickness rates

8 September 2009
Major increases in nurse sickness and absence levels result when budgetary pressures lead to staffing cuts, reveals latest UK research.
Nursing ripe for efficiency drive, says report

8 September 2009
Nursing across the board is ripe for a major efficiency drive, according to a major report on potential NHS productivity savings commissioned by the government.
NMC calls on nurses to help with diversity research

7-Sep-2009
The Nursing and Midwifery Council is calling on more nurses to help them with research on the diversity of the profession.
RCN launches annual performance survey

7-Sep-2009
The Royal College of Nursing is to carry out research asking its members to rate its performance.
Staffing cuts would reduce patient safety, warn nursing unions

3-Sep-2009
Nursing unions have warned that any attempt to cut nurses and other NHS staff in order to save money would have a detrimental effect on patient safety.
HPV vaccination gets off to good start in England

3-Sep-2009
The HPV vaccination programme has got off to a successful start in England, latest figures suggest.
Southampton trust launches specialist nurse recruitment

1-Sep-2009
A south coast acute trust has announced it is looking to fill more than 75 specialist cardiac nursing posts.
RCN backs female genital mutilation study

1-Sep-2009
The Royal College of Nursing has given its backing to a government initiative to stamp out female genital mutilation.
No sign of indicator for nurse compassion

1 September 2009
The Department of Health has so far failed to deliver a way that the compassion of nurses can be measured, despite it being name-checked as a ministerial priority.
Trauma tsar has nurses at the centre of his plans

1 September 2009
Professor Keith Willett has been set the task of redesigning and improving NHS trauma care. Richard Staines and Steve Ford report on his plans and how they will affect nursing
Care home training standards 'must be maintained'

25-Aug-2009
Proposals to remove minimum training standards for care home staff must be reversed, according to the union UNISON.
Use of overseas GPs for out-of-hours care 'must be reviewed'

24-Aug-2009
The use of overseas doctors to cover out-of-hours and weekend care must be reviewed due to potential safety issues, according to GP leaders.
Call for nurses to walk the Great Wall of China

23-Aug-2009
A breast cancer charity is calling on nurses to help it raise money by trekking along the Great Wall of China.
NHS staff urged to get 'fruity'

23-Aug-2009
Nurses and other staff at an Essex PCT have been urged to set a healthy example to their patients this week and choose a fruity diet.
First Welsh patient dies from swine flu

21-Aug-2009
A 55-year-old woman has become the first person to die from swine flu in Wales.
Scotland launches hand hygiene drive in schools

21-Aug-2009
School nurses in Scotland are being called upon to teach pupils the essentials of good hand hygiene as part of efforts to reduce the risk of spreading swine flu.
Call for 'fast track' recruitment of health visitors and more male school nurses

20-Aug-2009
More men should be encouraged to become school nurses and health visiting should have a new “fast track” entry scheme, according to the union Unite.
Breastfeeding tent goes live in London

18 August 2009
Midwife and infant feeding adviser Janet Blake chats with mothers at NHS Greenwich’s Baby Café breastfeeding tent – the first in the UK.
CNO praises charity care home

18 August 2009
Chief nursing officer for England Dame Christine Beasley has praised the high standard of service provided to residents at Eversfield care home in Surrey, which is run by the charity Elizabeth Finn Care.
NMC clarifies position on use of retired nurses in pandemic

18 August 2009
The NMC has no powers to automatically re-register retired nurses to enable them to return to full nursing duties in an escalation of the swine flu pandemic.
Staff cuts and swine flu prompt global nurse protests

18 August 2009
Staff cuts and swine flu have been the focus for organised protests by nurses around the world this month.
DH director of immunisation tells nurses they have a 'duty' to have swine flu jab

17-Aug-2009
The Department of Health’s director of immunisation Professor David Salisbury has said nurses have a responsibility to be vaccinated against swine flu, after a Nursing Times survey reveals one third of frontline nurses do not want the jab.
NPSA consults on new NHS incident reporting system

16-Aug-2009
Nurses are being asked for their views on improving the health service’s serious incident reporting system.
New tools to improve hospital nutrition in Wales

15-Aug-2009
The Welsh Assembly is to roll-out new tools and standards for hospital nutrition.
QNI announces funding for community nurses in West Midlands

14-Aug-2009
The Queen’s Nursing Institute has announced that eight nurse-led community projects are to receive funding in the West Midlands.
Twitter users back NHS

12-Aug-2009
Users of the social networking site Twitter united today in defence of the NHS.
RCN gives cautious welcome to nurse pedometer plan

12-Aug-2009
The RCN has warned that a plan to give Scottish nurses pedometers as part of an efficiency drive must not lead to an increase in pressure on frontline staff.
Foundation trusts told to be more 'pessimistic' about spending

11-Aug-2009
Foundation trusts have been told to reassess their future spending plans to better reflect the financial challenges of the recession.
Nursing director in running for NHS leadership award

11-Aug-2009
The nursing director of an acute trust in the North East has been shortlisted for a major NHS leadership award.
Nurse cycles 1,000 miles for cancer research

9-Aug-2009
An energetic nurse from the North East has cycled from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise money for breast cancer research.
Alder Hey nurse receives recognition for ‘tireless’ paediatric work

8-Aug-2009
The head of nursing at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital on Merseyside has received an honorary fellowship from Edge Hill University.
Cut in Irish hospital nursing posts postponed

7-Aug-2009
Health service bosses in Ireland have agreed to postpone planned nurse job cuts until a patient risk assessment has been carried out.
NMC clarifies position on emergency use of retired nurses

7-Aug-2009
The NMC has no powers to automatically re-register retired nurses in the event of an escalation of the swine flu pandemic.
Physical abuse of A&E nurses rife in US

7-Aug-2009
More than half of US emergency department nurses have been physically assaulted while at work, according to a survey.
Nursing agency launches new bonus scheme

6-Aug-2009
A recruitment agency is to offer extra financial incentives in a bid to attract more nurses and other health professionals during the recession.
RCN warns of 'unsustainable' pressure on nursing

6-Aug-2009
The RCN has warned that a new increase in nursing vacancy rates will put profession under ‘unsustainable pressure’.
Increase in nurse posts taking at least three months to fill

6-Aug-2009
Long-term staff vacancy rates for nursing posts in England have increased this year, according to figures from the NHS Information Centre.
New guidance for menopause nurses

5-Aug-2009
A new guide for nurses working in the field of menopause has been published by the RCN.
Last chance to have your say on future of profession

4-Aug-2009
Nurses and midwives have until next Monday to register their views with the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
Nurses receive training on lone worker alarms

3-Aug-2009
The first few hundred nurses and other health service lone workers have been trained in the use of new personal safety alarms, according to the NHS Security Management Service.
UK student nurse appointed president of European group

3-Aug-2009
A UK student nurse has been elected president of the European Nursing Students Association.
Commission identifies need to promote modern nursing

21 July 2009
There is a need to raise public awareness of the modern roles and skills of nurses and midwives, according to the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
Art therapy to help meningitis sufferers

19-Jul-2009
The Meningitis Trust has launched a nationwide free art therapy service for children and young people affected by the disease.
Friarage hospital celebrates 60 years of nurse training

18-Jul-2009
A special celebration has been held to mark 60 years of nurse training at the Friarage hospital, part of South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Maternity unit offers round-the-clock hot meals

18-Jul-2009
New mothers at the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust’ maternity unit are now able to get a hot meal of their choice at any time and to suit their cultural taste.
Maternity units rewarded for innovation

17-Jul-2009
Justice secretary Jack Straw helped NHS maternity staff from his constituency celebrate their award for innovative service earlier this month.
Angry doctors hit out at BNP election tactics

17-Jul-2009
Three UK doctors have criticised the tactics employed by the British National Party prior to the European Elections last month.
Unwanted pregnancies caused by poor contraception awareness

15-Jul-2009
Many women who fall pregnant unintentionally do so because they have not received enough information on contraception rather than the method failing because of a fault, suggest survey results.
Guidance targets sexual health among BME teenagers

15-Jul-2009
New guidance has been published to help nurses broach sexual health issues with BME teenagers.
Government to announce new mental health strategy

14 July 2009
More members of the nursing profession can expect to be involved in delivering mental health services under latest government proposals.
PM's commission seeks public view on nursing

14 July 2009
The Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery is due to hold its first ‘listening event’ this week to gauge public opinion on the profession.
GP may have died from swine flu

13-Jul-2009
A Bedfordshire GP who died at the weekend had swine flu, NHS officials have confirmed.
E-prescription system up and running in Scotland

13-Jul-2009
The UK’s first national e-prescription system has gone live across Scotland.
NMC unveils Professor Dickon Weir-Hughes as new chief exec

13-Jul-2009
The NMC has appointed Professor Dickon Weir-Hughes as its new chief executive and registrar.
Nursing agency receives top business award

13-Jul-2009
A nursing agency, Healthcare Locums, has been named ‘company of the year’ at a business awards ceremony.
IBD nurses win grants for gastro research

12-Jul-2009
Five specialist nurses have won funding grants for research into inflammatory bowel disease.
Nurses 'gallop' for breast cancer charity

12-Jul-2009
A nursing agency has helped raised thousands of pounds for cancer research by taking part in a horse race with a difference.
Unison issues swine flu guidance for health care members

12-Jul-2009
The public sector union UNISON has issued swine flu guidelines to its members working in hospital and healthcare in the UK.
Nurse breaks fire-run record

11-Jul-2009
A nurse and amateur stuntman has broken the world record for running while on fire.
Nurse helps out Ellen MacArthur Trust

11-Jul-2009
Kim Rowlandson, a senior staff nurse at St Mary’s hospital on the Isle of Wight, has been helping some young cancer survivors take to the high seas.
Video guide to hospital services for learning disability patients

11-Jul-2009
A film has been launched to explain the care and support being provided at Gloucestershire’s two inpatient units for people with learning disabilities.
NMC pledges further progress as report heralds improvements

9-Jul-2009
The NMC has acknowledged that is cannot be ‘complacent’ in its efforts to rehabilitate itself as the nursing profession’s regulator.
New number for non-emergency medical advice

9-Jul-2009
A new non-emergency telephone number, 111, has been proposed by Ofcom.
Call for minimum standards for TB care in UK

9-Jul-2009
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Tuberculosis has called for the introduction of national minimum standards for TB care in the UK.
Patient jets in to thank life-saving nurses

8-Jul-2009
A patient has returned to Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to thank nurses who potentially saved his life by spotting a serious heart condition during routine tests prior to an eye operation.
Women ignoring government contraception advice

8-Jul-2009
Young women continue to prefer using the oral contraceptive pill, despite government efforts to increase the use of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), suggests a UK study.
Former nurse takes over as head of London mental health trust

8-Jul-2009
Judy Wilson has appointed as the new chief executive of South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
Recession-hit hospice forced to close

8-Jul-2009
A 30-year-old hospice in Bristol is to close its doors due to the recession.
Warning over clopidogrel and PPI use

8-Jul-2009
PPIs should be avoided in patients taking the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel (Plavix), the European Medicines Agency has warned.
Brown pledges to prioritise global effort to cut maternal mortality

7 July 2009
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he is committed to placing maternal mortality high on the agenda of the G8 summit in Italy this week.
Government responds to Nursing Times' campaign on car parking

7 July 2009
Nurses who are concerned about the level of car parking charges at their hospital should raise the matter with their trust, the government has said in response to Nursing Times’ Free Parking – Clamp Down on Charges campaign.
Long-serving nursing director Denise Hagel steps down

6-Jul-2009
One of the UK’s longest serving directors of nursing, Denise Hagel, retires this week.
Former RCN president joins International Council of Nurses board

6-Jul-2009
A former RCN president is to take up a senior position at the International Council of Nurses.
Increase in surgical errors

6-Jul-2009
The number of NHS patients re-admitted due to surgical errors has increased significantly in England over the last five years, according to latest government figures.
NHS wards getting cleaner

6-Jul-2009
There has been a marked improvement in the standard of NHS inpatient ward environments in England, according to latest Patient Environment Action Team (PEAT) assessment scores.
NMC receives hike in complaints about nurses

5-Jul-2009
There has been an 18% jump in complaints made against nurses and midwives, according to latest figures from the nursing regulator, the NMC.
Trust praised for antibiotic guidelines

3-Jul-2009
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust has been recognised by the British Medical Association for leading the way in use of antibiotics in the fight against infection.
Former nurse wins CMO public health prize

3-Jul-2009
A smoking cessation initiative set up by former nurse Ailsa Rutter won top prize at the chief medical officer for England’s first Public Health Awards in London.
Nurse claims Michael Jackson asked for powerful anaesthetic

3-Jul-2009
A US nurse claimed Michael Jackson had asked her to inject him with the anaesthetic propofol four days before he died.
Health visitors welcome decision to drop community nurse role

1-Jul-2009
The union Unite, which represents health visitors, has welcomed a decision by the Scottish Government to drop plans to create a generic community nurse role.
Matrons on the march over infection control

30 June 2009
University Hospital Aintree is the latest hospital to employ cardboard cut-outs of senior nursing staff in its efforts to combat healthcare-associated infections.
Research nurses take arthritis prize

30 June 2009
A research nurse has won a national prize in recognition of his work with arthritis patients.
Welsh nurses complete Nursing Times Leadership Challenge

30 June 2009
More than 150 Welsh nurses competed in the inaugural Nursing Times Leadership Challenge Cymru earlier this week.
More heart attack patients receiving primary angioplasty

24-Jun-2009
Results from this years Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project show that nearly half of myocardial infarction patients are now receiving primary angioplasty, which has better outcomes than thrombolytic drugs.
'Rising stars' sought in IBD nursing

24-Jun-2009
The RCN’s inflammatory bowel disease specialist interest group wants to honour ‘rising stars’ in the field of IBD nursing.
Survey calls on health visitors to provide home hazard advice

24-Jun-2009
Mothers need more information from health visitors on hazards in the home, suggests a survey launched to coincide with Child Safety Week 2009.
Nurses lead on relationship advice for stroke victims

24-Jun-2009
Nurse researchers in Northern Ireland have produced a series of recommendations on helping stroke survivors overcome relationship problems that may result from the condition.
New 'Wall of Life' campaign to boost organ donation

23-Jun-2009
NHS Blood and Transplant has launched a new campaign to boost the number of people joining the NHS Organ Donor Register by creating an online mosaic.
Support for parents of premature babies

23-Jun-2009
Special care baby charity Bliss has launched a DVD to help train parents of premature babies in infant resuscitation.
Few psychiatric units have banned smoking

23-Jun-2009
Few psychiatric units in England have fully implemented a total ban on smoking nearly a year after it came into effect, according to a survey by the Mental Health Foundation.
Have nurses been freed? Exclusive survey on a year of NHS reforms

23 June 2009
In the second part of Nursing Times’ investigation into the government’s NHS Next Stage Review one year on from its publication, nurses give their opinions on its impact and progress. Steve Ford reports
NHS hospitals to pilot proactive approach to smoking cessation

23 June 2009
The Department of Health will this week launch a new proactive smoking cessation pilot scheme at 35 hospitals in England.
Nurses to be based with social workers and teachers

23 June 2009
Primary care nurses are going to be based at a south-coast school as part of a pioneering community scheme to combine services.
Antibiotics protect against infection risk from torn surgical gloves

22-Jun-2009
Surgical gloves that develop holes during an operation do not increase the risk of surgical site infection if patients are receiving prophylactic antibiotics, suggest study results.
Hand function test goes online

22-Jun-2009
A test to enable online assessment of hand function has been launched by the University of Southampton.
Nurses praised for reducing C. diff cases

19-Jun-2009
Nurses have been praised by the Health Protection Agency for their part in hitting the government’s target for reducing cases of C. diff.
BMA rejects suggestions that GPs could strike during UK swine flu outbreak

16-Jun-2009
Doctors’ leaders have rejected suggestions that GPs could refuse to work in the event of a serious swine flu outbreak in the UK because of concerns over insurance cover.
Teaching assistants treating schoolchildren without training

16-Jun-2009
Teaching assistants are frequently being asked to give medicines and treatment to schoolchildren without sufficient training, according a UNISON survey.
New Manchester children's hospital is largest in UK

16 June 2009
The largest children’s hospital in the UK opened its doors last week in Manchester.
Nurse-led service wins award for reducing health inequalities

16 June 2009
A social enterprise in Lincolnshire that combines a nurse-led practice with a social care unit has won through to the finals of the national NHS Health & Social Care Awards.
Patients should be told not to drive while wearing plaster casts

15-Jun-2009
Clinicians should advise patients not to drive while wearing an upper limb plaster cast, according to Sussex and London researchers.
A&E nurses of the past star in Casualty 1909

13-Jun-2009
The fact-based costume drama Casualty 1909 returns to Sunday night on BBC One.
'Better quality care will save money', says new health minister

10-Jun-2009
Increasing the quality of care the NHS provides will have the knock-on effect of saving money, claims new health minister Mike O’Brian.
King’s College Hospital appoints new nursing director

10-Jun-2009
Geraldine Walters has been appointed as the new director of nursing at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London.
New community nursing role for end-of-life care

9 June 2009
A new type of community nursing role is due to be rolled out in east Yorkshire from this week.
Patient safety campaign celebrates successful first year

9 June 2009
More than 90% of acute trusts in England have now signed up to the Patient Safety First campaign, a year after it was launched.
PM's commission sets out programme for action

9 June 2009
The Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery has agreed key subject areas that it will investigate over the coming months.
Scottish nurses take aid to Haiti

9 June 2009
Three nurses from Fife in Scotland helped out with health care in the poorest country in the western hemisphere last month.
Former health secretary Alan Johnson signs off in Scarborough

8-Jun-2009
Earlier this month nurses told former health secretary Alan Johnson about the difficulties of phasing out mixed-sex accommodation in old hospitals.
Gillian Merron and Mike O’Brian join Department of Health

8-Jun-2009
Two new ministers, Gillian Merron and Mike O’Brian, have been appointed to the Department of Health.
Ministerial health roles vacant after cabinet reshuffle

8-Jun-2009
Two ministerial posts in the Department of Health are currently vacant following the cabinet reshuffle on Friday.
Funding programme created for patient-centred research

8-Jun-2009
A new partnership has been create that will provide funding for nurses to lead innovative local projects to improve patient care.
NMC to issue guidance for nurse whistleblowers

8-Jun-2009
The NMC has started work on revising its guidance on whistleblowing for nurses and midwives.
Regulators set up European midwives network

8-Jun-2009
Midwifery regulators from across the European Union are planning to set up an informal network.
Diversity dancers visit sick children in Basildon

5-Jun-2009
The winners of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent competition, the Essex-based street dance group Diversity, visited sick children at Basildon Hospital last month.
Health visitor union rejects call for mandatory MMR jab

4-Jun-2009
A union representing health visitors has rejected a call from doctors’ leaders to make MMR immunisation mandatory for young children.
Penicillin may be best option for MRSA-related illness in children

4-Jun-2009
Common antibiotics, such as penicillin, may be best first-line treatment for children with MRSA-related infections, according to US researchers.
Wales gets long-term conditions research boost

4-Jun-2009
Swansea University has been given approval to establish of a research centre on the management of long-term conditions.
Migrane pain linked to cluster headaches

3-Jun-2009
A pain condition common in patients with migraine may also have a high prevalence in those with cluster headache, suggests a US study published online in the Journal of Headache and Pain.
Autism present in 1% of children

3-Jun-2009
Around 1% of children in the UK aged 5-9 years old have an existing diagnosis on the autistic spectrum, according to epidemiological research carried out by the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University.
Police rule out child death and fluid bag link

2-Jun-2009
Police have ruled out a link between damage to fluid bags at an Essex hospital earlier this year and the death of a child.
Combination therapy works for pain-associated depression

2 June 2009
Combination therapy managed by a practice nurse can successfully treat patients with pain-associated depression, according to US researchers.
Euro working time directive will reduce patient safety, warn nurses

2 June 2009
More than half of nurses think the European working time directive could have a negative effect on patient safety, according to an online survey by Nursing Times.
Northwick Park nurses 'make a pass' at rugby star

2 June 2009
England rugby captain Steve Borthwick visited nurses at London’s Northwick Park Hospital last month to help raise funds for the hospital’s haematology unit.
Nurses go the extra mile for hospices

2 June 2009
Two nurses walked 40 miles in 16 hours last month to raise money for palliative care facilities in the North East, including the building of a new children’s hospice.
What does the 48-hour week mean for nursing?

2 June 2009
As doctors’ hours are reduced, will this mean greater career opportunities for nurses – or just more work being dumped on them? Steve Ford investigates how nurses think the European working time directive will affect their roles and standards of care.
Working time directive tsar says the 48-hour week is good for nursing

2 June 2009
Wendy Reid, the national clinical lead for the European working time directive, talks to Steve Ford about why she thinks limiting doctors’ working hours to no more than 48 hours a week is good for nurses and their patients
New diabetes measurement starts roll-out

1-Jun-2009
From today the UK will start the process of changing the type of unit used to measure blood glucose levels in diabetes patients.
RCN seeks nurse views on alcohol sales code

1-Jun-2009
The RCN is seeking the views of its members on alcohol and the drinks industry.
Award-winning hospital appoints first woman director

31-May-2009
A nurse has become the first woman director of the independent Benenden Hospital in its 102-year history.
London hospital praises wards for dignity and compassion

31-May-2009
Five wards at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust were awarded ‘beacon status’ this week for delivering compassion and dignity in care.
New 'puzzle' brings back memories for Alzheimer's patients

30-May-2009
A student has designed a jigsaw puzzle for people living with Alzheimer’s disease, featuring a combination of large pieces and images intended to suit older people.
Swine flu reaches Wales

30-May-2009
A man who recently returned from the US has become the first probable case of swine flu in Wales.
Tributes paid to Northern Ireland’s first CNO

30-May-2009
Northern Ireland’s first chief nursing officer, Dr Mona Grey, died this week at the age of 98.
'Lifetime risk' for child cancer survivors

29-May-2009
Childhood cancer survivors have a ‘persistent and high risk’ for a second primary cancer throughout their lives, according to a Danish study.
Unvaccinated children at risk from whooping cough

29-May-2009
Children who do not receive pertussis vaccine are 23 times more likely to get whooping cough than fully immunised children, suggests a US study.
Surgery goes live on TV

26-May-2009
Television viewers across the country were able to watch operations live in their own homes this week, following the start of a pioneering new series.
Sharp rise in eating disorder admissions in under 18s

26-May-2009
The number of girls aged under 18 being admitted to hospital in England with eating disorders has jumped in the last five years, latest government figures show.
MPs to consider 'lessons' that can be learnt from Mid Staffs

26 May 2009
MPs are to look at the ‘lessons’ to be learnt from the high-profile failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.
Portsmouth FC help out with healthy buses

26 May 2009
Portsmouth Football Club manager Paul Hart has helped to launch two health and education outreach buses.
Preceptorship framework to 'be completed by end of year'

26 May 2009
The government will have a national framework for one-year preceptorship schemes to support newly qualified nurses ready for roll-out within the next six months, Nursing Times can reveal.
Nurses honour descendent of distict nursing founder

21-May-2009
The great great-grandson of the founder of district nursing has been honoured with a special award for his service to community nurses.
Ann Keen visits primary school children at RCN Congress

19 May 2009
Ann Keen took time out at RCN Congress in Harrogate last week to talk to school children about the range of opportunities a career in nursing can provide.
Nursing must widen recruitment net to avoid crisis

19 May 2009
Nursing must tap into new sources of potential recruits if the profession is to head off a fresh recruitment crisis and achieve the government’s quality agenda, warn nurse researchers.
School nurses increasingly taking on child protection work

19 May 2009
Overstretched school nurses are increasingly taking on child protection roles, according to a survey published last week.
Radiology toolkit to help beat delays in diagnosis

18-May-2009
Radiology departments have been sent a toolkit to help them reduce bottlenecks and delays for patients awaiting diagnostic imaging services.
Christie nurses protest over lost hospital funds

12 May 2009
Nurses from Manchester’s Christie Hospital joined with patients and MPs last week in a march on Whitehall.
Devon nurse shares tribal experience

12 May 2009
Reg Barker has brought his experiences of tribes in New Guinea to the walls of his trust.
Men of Yorkshire targeted in new health promotion

12 May 2009
A new health ‘manual’ has been launched that is specifically targeted at men in Yorkshire.
Swine flu children 'shunned' by other pupils

8-May-2009
Some of the children who have been treated for swine flu in the UK have been ‘shunned’ by their peers.
Swine flu complacency danger

8-May-2009
Complacency about swine flu is the new danger facing the UK, according to the government.
Toolkit for acute nurses who encounter patients with learning disabilities

6-May-2009
A toolkit to help nurses in the acute sector care for patients with learning disabilities has been launched in north Staffordshire.
Learning disabilities patients gain new champion

5-May-2009
A Special Olympian has been appointed by the government to champion the needs of people with learning disabilities.
CNO orders experienced nurse leader to be sent to Mid Staffs

5 May 2009
An experienced assistant director of nursing is to be deployed to Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust on the orders of chief nursing officer for England Dame Christine Beasley.
Community nurses welcome deal on lone worker alarms

5 May 2009
The Department of Health has officially announced the roll-out of 30,000 personal security alarms for community nurses.
Nursing commission must recruit from outside the profession

5 May 2009
The Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery must look outside the profession to be successful in its aims, according to a nurse leadership expert.
The big issues in nursing

5 May 2009
Nursing seems to be facing more changes and challenges than ever before. Earlier this year, Nursing Times held its annual summit at which the key issues affecting the profession were debated. Steve Ford reports on a special round-table meeting, held in April, to update this discussion
Cards and fridge magnets help support mental health patients

28 April 2009
Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has issued service users with information cards and fridge magnets featuring telephone numbers for the trust’s 24-hour crisis helpline, the Samaritans and SANEline.
Student nurse a contender on reality TV show Britain’s Next Top Model

24-Apr-2009
Chloe Cummings, 18, a student nurse from Liverpool is aiming to become the next Kate Moss or Naomi Campbell.
Midlands hospital named after Queen Mother

20-Apr-2009
A state-of-the-art hospital in Birmingham will be named after the Queen Mother
Colin Norris to face NMC following murder conviction

17-Apr-2009
Nurse Colin Norris, who was last year convicted of murder, will appear via video link at an NMC fitness to practice hearing next week.
Nurses offered guidance to spot deliberate injuries in children

15-Apr-2009
Nurses and other health professionals are being offered new advice on recognising the signs of deliberate head and spinal injuries in children.
Panorama report exposes lack of training for domiciliary carers

14-Apr-2009
The RCN has commended undercover investigators for exposing ‘shocking practices’ in domiciliary care services.
Free back pain course for primary care nurses

13-Apr-2009
A charity has launched a free online back pain training course for nurse practitioners and GPs
Unique nurse-led children's centre celebrates birthday

11-Apr-2009
The UK’s only specialist children’s walk-in centre has just celebrated its third anniversary.
Indemnity may be made compulsory for nurses

7 April 2009
All nurses and midwives would be required to have clinical insurance cover before they can register to practise under latest government proposals, Nursing Times has learnt.
Model baby to help train nurses in CPR and other skills

6-Apr-2009
Paediatric nurses in Southampton are to hone their skills by training on a new high-tech mannequin.
Health watchdog calls on NHS to act on race equality failings

31-Mar-2009
The Healthcare Commission has called for immediate improvements in promoting race equality in the NHS.
Children prefer paediatric nurses in bright uniforms

31-Mar-2009
Putting hospital nurses in bright, multi-coloured uniforms makes children more comfortable and parents more confident, according to an Italian nursing study.
More nurses equals better care

31 March 2009
A week after a healthcare watchdog identified staffing shortages as a key reason for failings at an acute trust, Nursing Times has obtained new evidence confirming a direct correlation between patient outcomes and nursing workforce numbers. Steve Ford investigates
Research highlights risk of low nursing numbers

31 March 2009
The more nurses that a trust employs per bed the fewer of its patients are likely to die or to experience long hospital stays, reveals a major statistical analysis published this week in Nursing Times.
NICE nurse research centre to merge

30-Mar-2009
Nursing and supportive care research centre to be part of ‘one of the largest clinical guideline centres in the world’.
Government chooses UCL to train smoking cessation experts

30-Mar-2009
A new nationally-accredited training scheme for smoking cessation specialist nurses and other health professionals working in the area will start in June.
CMO calls for practice nurses to tackle pain

24 March 2009
Practice nurses could in future have to assess pain and its associated disability under the quality and outcomes framework.
Kidney patients to get personal care plans

24 March 2009
All adult patients with chronic kidney disease in England are to receive a new personalised system of care, the national director for kidney care Dr Donal O’Donoghue has announced.
Landmark case allows NMC to reinstate nurse

24 March 2009
The NMC has been granted the power to overturn a decision to strike a nurse from the register.
New child safeguarding checks scheme delayed

24 March 2009
Nurses will not be required to register with the government’s new vetting and barring scheme for those working with children and vulnerable adults until 2010, the Home Office has announced.
NHS completes roll-out of antenatal screening for sickle cell

24 March 2009
The NHS formally announced last week that it has achieved 100% roll-out of its antenatal screening programme for sickle cell and thalassaemia.
Nurses call for more training in cancer care

24 March 2009
More than one-third of nurses have not had any specific education or training in helping to care for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer, reveals a survey carried out jointly by Nursing Times and Macmillan Cancer Support.
First response to the Prime Minister's Commission

17 March 2009
In the week following Nursing Times’ exclusive report on the Prime Minister’s Commission on the future of the profession, Steve Ford finds out what nurses think about the review

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