Nursing Times
Victoria Thompson

You love your job AND you want to be paid for it?

8-Oct-2010
Beyond the Bedpan has come to realise that money is a great motivator. It gives us time and comfort and keeps us in gin and tonic and kettle chips. So why are nurses expected to do their jobs for free?
May I recommend a White Lightning with your pot noodle, sir?

3-Sep-2010
Bank holiday is a boozy time for a lot of us. Beyond the Bedpan loves nothing more than a lazy BBQ and a glass of wine. And we’d barely recovered from our bank holiday binge when we stumbled across two alcohol stories that seemed to contradict one another.
Lights, camera, Bristol Stool Chart...

7-Aug-2010
Beyond the Bedpan had always felt that the portrayal of nurses on television was a bit hit and miss to say the least. If it’s not images of saucy nurses romping about with the doctors then it’s subservient, silent handmaidens.
Just pop your trousers on the stool and we'll take a look...

23-Jul-2010
Beyond the Bedpan, along with our “seen it all before” readers, isn’t afraid to talk about embarrassing illnesses. Rashes, itching, discharge. There’s not much that will shock us.
Painting the ward blue and other dubious ways to beat the recession

9-Jul-2010
Cash-strapped trusts take note: not everyone has been tickled by the news that a London hospital hired out one of its wards to be used as the set for a porn film.
Why talk to a patient when you can breathalyse one?

26-Jun-2010
As I’m sure you’re aware, Beyond the Bedpan loves nothing more than to look down our nose at people. We’re naturally suspicious. So the recommendation that nurses and midwives give breath tests to pregnant women to check if they’re lying about smoking seems highly sensible to us.
Robot nurses: sent to destroy?

18-Jun-2010
Beyond the Bedpan isn’t sure what to make of the new breed of hospital robots that have recently appeared in the news. Are they a wonderful tool that will make nurses’ lives easier … or death on wheels?
NHS services iPhone app launched

15-Jun-2010
NHS Bristol has launched an iPhone app to give patients information about local NHS services.
Older people missing benefits of hand holding, warns psychologist

6-Jun-2010
Holding hands is becoming an activity for the young and in love, leaving many older people lonely and missing out on important physical contact with family members, a recent poll has suggested.
'I was shocked at how little drug education was involved'

4-Jun-2010
A look at what you’ve been talking about on Nursingtimes.net this week…
Reading this could be bad for your health

4-Jun-2010
It seems like every time Beyond the Bedpan picks up a newspaper we’re bombarded with scare stories: “Sellotape dangers revealed!”, “Gossip magazines linked to brain tumours!”, “Fresh air more dangerous than smoking!”. If we’re confused, how must our patients feel?
Sex at work: Bad idea or good time management?

29-May-2010
Are you having sex on your breaks? Beyond the Bedpan prefers a coffee and a crossword, but we think we’re alone.
'Sex in pharmacy' and cover-up claims made by former nursing director

21-May-2010
A former director of nursing has accused bosses at Milton Keynes Hospital of covering up scandals including staff having sex in the pharmacy and bodies being left on the morgue floor.
'It’s very busy and stressful. Sometimes I want to cry'

21-May-2010
A look at what you’ve been talking about on Nursingtimes.net…
Feeling stressed? At least you don't defuse bombs for a living...

14-May-2010
Long shifts, no breaks, not enough time to think of a sandwich, much less eat it - that’s the lot of a nurse. But Beyond the Bedpan’s not one to moan - you put your feet up and tell us how your week’s been
'Can we really allow people to start picking which parts of the NMC to follow?'

14-May-2010
A look at what you’ve been talking about on Nursingtimes.net…
Andrew Lansley welcomed by NHS professionals

12-May-2010
The British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives have all welcomed the appointment of Andrew Lansley as the new Secretary of State for Health.
Study highlights new therapeutic option for nocturnal hypoventilation

26-Apr-2010
A recent study published in the journal Thorax has suggested that high-intensity non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) is more effective at controlling nocturnal hypoventilation in COPD patients than conventional low-intensity NPPV.
Are you compassionate, or too busy to care?

23-Apr-2010
Overdue or over-egged? Beyond the Bedpan puts compassion tests to the test
Prone positioning does not decrease risk of VAP

21-Apr-2010
Prone positioning does not decrease the occurrence of ventilator associated-pneumonia in ICU, according to a recent study.
Nicotine containing products focus of public consultation

21-Apr-2010
The MHRA has launched a public consultation into the licensing regime of products containing nicotine.
Monitor norovirus for 14 days in elderly patients

20-Apr-2010
A recent study has suggested that elderly patients infected with norovirus should be monitored for infectivity for at least 14 days after the onset of symptoms.
Antibiotic-based lock solutions not recommended for CRBSI prevention

20-Apr-2010
New research suggests that antibiotic-based lock solutions are not effective at preventing catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI)
Cotrimoxazole and warfarin combination increases UGI tract haemorrhage risk

20-Apr-2010
A study has suggested that cotrimoxazole may significantly increases the risk of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract haemorrhage among older patients taking warfarin.
PCTs to replace community nurses with Facebook app

1-Apr-2010
Several PCTs have announced plans to replace over 50 per cent of community nurses with state-of-the-art Facebook applications that could save the NHS millions of pounds.
Fundraising scheme lets shoppers raise money for hospitals

21-Mar-2010
An innovative new fundraising scheme will allow shoppers to raise money for thier local hospital while they shop.
Sexy nurses: Tongue in cheek or demeaning and gratuitous?

19-Mar-2010
Beyond the Bedpan has always been a little concerned about the way nurses are seen by the public, but surely a little tongue in cheek humour isn’t going to change that?
Ad campaign attacked as 'gratuitous sexualisation of nursing'

16-Mar-2010
A bus company in Worcester has refused to remove an advert featuring a “sexy” nurse wearing a PVC uniform, despite complaints that the image “demeans and devalues” the image of nursing.
DH launches consultation on COPD strategy

23-Feb-2010
The Department of Health has today launched a consultation on a national COPD strategy to improve diagnosis, treatment and management of the condition.
Call for more BME organ donors

21-Feb-2010
Celebrities from the British Asian, African and Caribbean communities joined forces yesterday to launch a campaign calling for more BME people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.
Paediatric nurses report rise in Wii-related injuries

21-Feb-2010
Paediatric nurses have reported that children and young people are regularly injuring themselves while playing with the Wii gaming console.
Wigan midwife calls at the Rovers Return

20-Feb-2010
Coronation Street actor Julie Hesmondhalgh met local midwife and Matron, Ann Marie Cunliffe, at the Rovers Return to raise awareness of the telephone service Direct to Midwife.
Catholic archbishop criticises lack of compassion in NHS

15-Feb-2010
Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, has criticised the NHS for treating some patients with a lack of compassion.
Nurses raise awareness of heart health on Valentines day

14-Feb-2010
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, cardiovascular nurses on Merseyside were out and about this week urging local residents to “think about their own hearts, as well as those of their partners”.
Valentine’s roadshow successfully increases Chlamydia testing

14-Feb-2010
A Valentine’s themed roadshow launched by NHS Oxfordshire to encourage testing for the ‘love bug’, Chlamydia, saw more than 160 young people tested on its first day – the number the Trust would normally test in a week.
Do Lucozade and Mars bars count towards my five a day?

14-Feb-2010
Beyond the Bedpan wonders why all shift nurses aren’t managing to prepare and eat three healthy meals a day. It’s not like they’ve got anything better to worry about, right?
Matrons develop patient and relative 'listening clinics'

7-Feb-2010
Two leading nurses at Southampton General Hospital are giving patients and relatives the chance to talk about their experiences in innovative ‘listening clinics’.
Nurses hold clothes-swapping party for cancer charities

7-Feb-2010
After raising more than £900 for cancer charities last year, nurses from Ipswich hospital are once again urging people to attend a swishing party to raise money.
Retired nurse sails the Atlantic to raise QNI funds

7-Feb-2010
A retired nurse who set sail across the Atlantic to raise funds for the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) has returned home safe and sound with hundreds of pounds worth of sponsorship.
Nurses star in infection control campaign

6-Feb-2010
Two nurses from Leicester’s Hospitals are starring in an infection prevention and control campaign, led by NHS East Midlands.
Excessive internet use linked to depression

5-Feb-2010
Spending too much time browsing the internet may leave people feeling depressed, according to the first major study into the effects of web use on mental health.
David Seaman launches mobile cancer information unit

31-Jan-2010
Football legend David Seaman officially launched a unique mobile cancer information unit in Barnsley this week.
Kerbside drinking project holds 'learning day' for nurses

31-Jan-2010
An award winning North Tyneside project to reduce kerbside drinking among young people is holding a national ‘learning day’ to share its innovative work with others.
Shingles vaccination could protect four million older people

31-Jan-2010
If found to be cost-effective, a shingles vaccination programme could be rolled out protect around four million patients aged 70-79.
RCN chief visits modernisation hospital

30-Jan-2010
Dr Peter Carter has visited King’s Mill Hospital to meet nurses during the hospital’s modernisation programme.
Doctor who suggested MMR-autism link to face charges

28-Jan-2010
Dr Andrew Wakefield, the doctor who first suggested a link between MMR vaccinations and autism, is due to learn whether he is guilty of unethical research practices after an investigation by the GMC.
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.
Nurse suspended for putting photographs of patients in surgery on Facebook

22-Jan-2010
A nurse has reportedly been suspended after putting photos of patients having operations on social networking website facebook.
RNHA slams 'worrying' reports of forced tube feeding in care homes

12-Jan-2010
The RNHA has expressed surprise at the way the media interpreted a report suggesting that many care homes were refusing admission to new residents unless they came fitted with tubing to facilitate artificial feeding.
Charity praised for elderly care work

10-Jan-2010
Care charity Brendoncare has been praised as a ‘Beacon of Quality’ for its innovative care solutions and commitment to person-centred care for older people through its care centres and social clubs.
Composer in residence set for nursing school role

10-Jan-2010
Renowned Irish composer John Browne will swap the opera house for the Health Service in 2010 when he becomes the first ever composer in residence at the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery at King’s.
Off duty nurse comes to the rescue of car crash victims

10-Jan-2010
A nurse has been thanked after helping victims of a car accident when two cars collided outside a salon while she was having her hair cut.
Nurses beat the cold weather - by riding to work on work on toboggans

9-Jan-2010
The extreme weather conditions this week didn’t stop healthcare professionals at Scarborough and Bridlington Hospitals coming into work
Student nurses set for passage to India

9-Jan-2010
Two intrepid trainee nurses will be travelling to India to experience life in its healthcare system.
'Back to the floor Friday' popular with nurses

20-Dec-2009
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is undertaking an action research project to evaluate its Back to the floor Friday initiative and early results suggest it has been popular with nurses.
NHS Cumbria's flood heroes visit Number 10

20-Dec-2009
The outstanding work of GPs and community nurses during and after last month’s Cockermouth floods has been recognised at a special Downing Street reception for public sector workers.
Pomegranates could be used to fight MRSA

20-Dec-2009
Scientists from Kingston University in South West London have discovered that the pomegranate rind can be turned into an ointment for treating MRSA and other common hospital infections.
Alan Bennett meets nurses at opening of new operating theatre

19-Dec-2009
Playwright Alan Bennett met theatre nurses and other staff when he opened a new operating theatre at University College Hospital where he was once a patient.
'Landmark' trial for music therapy in children's mental health

6-Dec-2009
Queen’s University Belfast is to play a major role in the biggest trial ever conducted to investigate how music therapy can help children and young people with severe mental health problems.
Specialist nurses awarded grants for bowel care

6-Dec-2009
Eight specialist nurses have been awarded grants for projects and development initiatives to improve the care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Nurse publishes guide to essential workplace skills

5-Dec-2009
A book co-edited by one of Southampton General Hospital’s paediatric matrons is set to give student and qualified nurses a step-by-step guide to essential workplace skills.
Student nurses take health education to Zambia

5-Dec-2009
Student nurses from Stirling are launching a campaign to raise £6,000 to carry out voluntary work in Zambia.
Young people have wrong perception of NHS careers

5-Dec-2009
Young people lack a proper understanding of career oppourtunities within the NHS.
Health secretary opens new dental unit

2-Dec-2009
Health Secretary Andy Burnham has visited the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust to open a new dental unit for patients with special needs.
Amanda Holden celebrates Natural Birth Centre anniversary

28-Nov-2009
West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust celebrated the first birthday of its Natural Birth Centre with the help of Britain’s Got Talent judge, Amanda Holden.
Green spaces to improve nurses' health and wellbeing

28-Nov-2009
A health board in Scotland is planning to develop calming green spaces at its hospital sites as a way of improving the health of patients, staff and visitors.
Cancer staff named 'Northern team of the year'

22-Nov-2009
Staff involved in setting up a more precise type of radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients have been named as ‘Northern team of the year’ by the Society of Radiographers.
Productive Ward wins 'lean' award

22-Nov-2009
The University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust celebrated sucess at the Lean Healthcare Academy annual exhibition and awards this week.
Librarians trained to provide public health information

21-Nov-2009
A new partnership between NHS Choices and public libraries will provide the public with access to more information about their health.
QNI calendar marks 150 years of district nursing

21-Nov-2009
The Queen’s Nursing Institute has released a wall calendar for 2010 as part of its activities to mark the 150th anniversary of district nursing.
Video: Should nursing be an all graduate profession?

20-Nov-2009
Nursing Times caught up with nurses at the 2009 Nursing Times Awards to ask what they thought of plans to make nursing an all-graduate profession.
Nursing Times Awards 2009

20-Nov-2009
All the highlights from the 2009 Nursing Times Awards
Frank Bruno opens 'Rolls Royce' mental health unit

14-Nov-2009
Former world heavyweight boxing champion Frank Bruno MBE has opened The Crystal Centre, a new mental health care centre for older adults.
Apologising to patients can reduce court cases

10-Nov-2009
Apologising to patients when something has gone wrong can be beneficial to nurses, patients and relatives, according to an article published by Nursing Times.
Health minister to consult nurses on epilepsy care

9-Nov-2009
Health minister Ann Keen has pledged to meet with epilepsy specialist nurses in an effort to improve services for patients with the condition.
New cardiac care unit opened

8-Nov-2009
A brand new cardiac care unit at Princess of Wales Hospital will improve patient experience and reduce patient waiting times.
Nurse takes on cycle challenge for Cancer Research

8-Nov-2009
Jessie Huang from Fairfield in Liverpool, is returning to Taiwan to take part in the challenge of a lifetime in November 2010, when she will cycle the length of the country.
Nurses prepare for Afghanistan

8-Nov-2009
Clinical staff from Guy’s and St Thomas’ staff have been preparing for deployment to Afghanistan along with other army reservists in what is the largest group called up from a London hospital since the Korean War.
DH updates pregnancy and birth guides

1-Nov-2009
New advice on storing breast milk and safe medicines to take during pregnancy are some of the updates the Department of Health has made to its Pregnancy and Birth to Five books.
Midwife wins work placement in Sierra Leone

1-Nov-2009
Zoe Vowles, a midwife from London, has won a place on the Vodafone Foundation’s 2009 World of Difference International Programme, allowing her to spend a year working abroad for Health Unlimited.
Paediatric hospital rolls out electronic prescribing system

1-Nov-2009
London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust (GOSH) has become the first specialist paediatric hospital in the UK to complete a trust-wide roll out of the EPMA system.
Knife crime nurse activist branches out into film

31-Oct-2009
A Liverpool nurse who teaches first aid to young offenders is to appear in a film about knife crime.
Nurses' workshop to shape the future of nursing

31-Oct-2009
Nurses and midwives across the east of England were invited to take part in a workshop, which will help to shape the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.
University boosts nursing provision with visiting professors

31-Oct-2009
Buckinghamshire New University has appointed two new visiting professors, David Foster and Janice Sigsworth, to its nursing and healthcare team.
Clocks going back could help epilepsy patients, says expert

25-Oct-2009
The extra hour of morning light gained as the clocks go back today could make all the difference to patients with epilepsy.
Nurses develop diabetes education resource

25-Oct-2009
New RCN accredited resource to support nurse education in Type 2 diabetes therapy
New director of nursing and patient safety appointed at London trust

24-Oct-2009
St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust, London, has appointed Alison Robertson as its new Director of Nursing and Patient Safety.
Nursing lecturer awarded Queen’s Nurse title

24-Oct-2009
A senior lecturer in nursing at the University of Chester has been given the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse.
Ugandan adventure for psychiatric nurse

24-Oct-2009
A nurse from Manchester took has spent her holiday visiting a health clinic in Uganda which is on the frontline of the battle against Aids.
Nurse wins £1,000 in hospital lottery

18-Oct-2009
A nurse has won £1,000 in the Southampton Hospital Charity Lottery first birthday celebrations.
Thousands of overs 65s denied mental health services

18-Oct-2009
Tens of thousands of people over the age of 65 are being denied access to specialist mental health services because of ‘arbitrary’ age limits, the Royal College of Psychiatrists says.
Apprentice winner secures NHS deal

17-Oct-2009
Yasmina Siadatan, winner of this year’s series of The Apprentice, secured her first major deal for Sir Alan Sugar’s business empire - with the NHS.
Audio website to help with long-term conditions

17-Oct-2009
An audio website has been launched by to help people with long-term conditions.
Care home reopens with Alice in Wonderland tea party

11-Oct-2009
Residents, staff and friends of Bupa’s Maypole Nursing Centre dressed as characters from Alice in Wonderland to celebrate the reopening of the home following a £442,000 refurbishment.
Salford student becomes first deaf male nurse

11-Oct-2009
A student from the University of Salford has become the first deaf male nurse to enter the nursing register using British Sign Language (BSL) as his first language.
Twitter could provide 'innovative solutions' for long-term conditions

11-Oct-2009
Research by a Bournemouth University web professional suggests that social networking website Twitter could be an effective means of delivering improved quality of life to people suffering from long-term conditions.
RCN issues recession guidance for struggling nurses

10-Oct-2009
The RCN has issued advice on how nurses can cope with financial uncertainty during the recession.
Digital kidney guide wins media award

4-Oct-2009
The Kidney Patient Guide, an online discussion forum and information centre for sufferers of kidney disease, has won an award at the Fresh Media and Digital Awards.
Award-winning nurses get royal seal of approval

3-Oct-2009
Heather Carrick from Glasgow and Julie Chambers from Belfast were named as winners in the prestigious national WellChild Awards 2009.
QNI website gains national recognition

3-Oct-2009
The Queen’s Nursing Institute’s 150th anniversary of district nursing website has received two national accolades.
Nurses test emergency action plans

27-Sep-2009
Nurses at a Merseyside hospital tested their emergency plans with a special training exercise that simulated a gas explosion in the city.
Male cancer awareness scheme launched

26-Sep-2009
A new scheme to educate men about the risks of ‘male’ cancers is being launched today by health secretary Andy Burnham.
Nurse retires after 42 years service

26-Sep-2009
Ralph Roberts, Scunthorpe General Hospital’s Matron for Surgery and Critical Care, has retired after a 42 year career with the NHS.
Rate of new swine flu cases doubles in a week

24-Sep-2009
The number of new swine flu cases in England has almost doubled in the past week.
Joint 20 year celebration for nurse and her hospital

20-Sep-2009
A Leeds nurse is celebrating 20 years service at the hospital she joined on it’s opening day.
Nurses undertake sky dive to raise money

20-Sep-2009
Staff from the Bramshaw Women’s Unit at the Princess Anne Hospital are undertaking tandem parachute jumps to raise money for improvements to services across the unit
Nurse wins top prize at Dementia UK Awards

19-Sep-2009
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s lead continence nurse Jane Spencer, who works at the Calder unit, Fieldhead has been named Dementia Nurse of the Year.
Nurses dress as firefighters to raise money for charity

19-Sep-2009
A group of nurses and firefighters will swap uniforms and take part in a bed push to raise money for charity.
Treating smokers prompts nurse to quit habit

19-Sep-2009
Years of helping patients suffering with smoking related diseases has seen Bradford nurse Julie Tucker quit the cigarettes for good.
'Lying down' pictures lead to A&E staff suspensions

9-Sep-2009
Seven A&E staff at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon have been suspended for playing the ‘lying down game’ and posting pictures on the internet.
Dedicated response team launched to deal with major incidents

6-Sep-2009
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust has become one of the first ambulance services in the UK to launch a Hazardous Area Response Team.
Mobile clinic improves MMR vaccination rates

6-Sep-2009
A mobile immunisation clinic has significantly improved MMR vaccination rates among at-risk children.
Nurses have their say on staff well-being

6-Sep-2009
Nurses from across the East Midlands are helping shape the future of health and well-being services for themselves and other healthcare workers following the release of a national review.
Bupa offers help to young unemployed

5-Sep-2009
Bupa has signed up to a new Government drive to create opportunities for thousands of young people and to help them gain the vital experience and skills needed to enter the world of work.
Nurse organises charity car wash for diabetes

5-Sep-2009
A Birmingham nurse has organised a charity car wash to raise money for Diabetes UK after her father received treatment for the disease.
Nurses offered epilepsy training grants

5-Sep-2009
National charity Epilepsy Action is looking for nurses who want training in epilepsy care. The charity is offering a number of training grants to help fund nurses through a Professional Diploma in Epilepsy Care.
Twitter users back NHS

12-Aug-2009
Users of the social networking site Twitter united today in defence of the NHS.
CMO offers reassurances after first 'healthy' swine flu death

11-Jul-2009
Sir Liam Donaldson has offered reassurances that further ‘healthy’ swine flu fatalities will be rare after a patient in Essex became the first person in the UK without underlying health problems to die of the disease.
Swine flu: Website will track suspected Tamiflu side-effects

6-Jul-2009
Suspected side effects of swine flu antiviral Tamiflu can now be reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency via a new dedicated webpage.
RCN Congress: Nurses views on the week's hot topics

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

14-May-2009
Nursing Times talks to nurses at RCN Congress to find out what they thought of the speeches made by Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
WHO raises swine flu alert to phase 5

29-Apr-2009
WHO’s director general Dr Margaret Chan has raised the current level of the swine flu pandemic alert from phase 4 to 5, only one short of a full pandemic.
Swine flu cases confirmed in UK

27-Apr-2009
Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed the first swine flu cases in the UK
The Oscars of nursing

3-Dec-2007
Nurses from across the UK donned black ties and evening dress last week in order to celebrate their own and their colleagues’ achievements at the Nursing Times Awards in London, writes Victoria Thompson

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Victoria Thompson