Viewpoints Resources

Delayed toilet training is common among children with additional needs and this group are more likely to experience continence issues, which can have serious long-term implications for their health. Early bowel and bladder assessment and support to achieve their potential is critical. Below is a summary of the issues and resources available to enable this.

Compression bandaging can present a challenge to healthcare professionals. Some clinicians may not have the necessary skills and training to safely and competently apply it, while others may be using it but not in accordance with the evidence base. As clinicians, it is our responsibility to make sure that our knowledge and skills are up to date so that we can  deliver evidence-based care to patients and do no harm (Abu-Baker et al, 2021). The NHS Long Term Plan emphasised the importance of placing the patient at the heart of their care with their experiences, needs and preferences considered when developing a care plan with them (NHS England, 2019).

Having read the ‘Community matters’ piece in the last issue of the Journal of Community Nursing on talking about death and ‘do not attempt cardiopulmonary  resuscitation’ (DNACPR) orders, a subject very close to my heart, I felt compelled to write this editorial to encourage community nurses to always keep this vital aspect of care in mind. Discussing death and DNACPR orders can be challenging. However, these conversations are not just about medical procedures; they are about understanding and respecting patients’ wishes, values, and dignity. Engaging in these discussions ensures that patients receive the care they want at the end of their lives, aligning with their personal
values and preferences

The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) and the National Garden Scheme (NGS) have  announced five new gardens and health projects led by nurses taking place in 2023.

The five projects are all led by nurses working in community settings and seek to improve the health of local people. Many projects supported by the QNI go on to become part of
mainstream services. All this year’s projects will run until early 2024 when they will submit their final reports.

The Queen’s Nursing Institute has been working for the past two years on a project to encourage more internationally educated nurses to look at community nursing roles in England. The project is supported by NHS England, hence the geographical focus on that country.

When our son Jack told my husband and I that he was gambling, we had no idea his life was at risk. As parents, we thought we knew all the dangers to warn our children about — drinking, drugs, smoking, road safety, sexual predators. 

In This Together (ITT) is an informative magazine, now in its sixth year, for people with conditions that require long-term  management with compression therapy. We are excited to also launch the In This Together website so that we can offer more frequent education, resources and updates in between issues of the magazine.

There is a wealth of evidence to demonstrate that racial inequalities persist in the UK in health, housing, employment, and the justice system. Some of this evidence is presented on the government’s ‘Ethnicity facts and figures’ website, which provides experience and outcome data for people from a variety of backgrounds (www.ethnicity-factsfigures.service.gov.uk/).

Research shows that there could be over 175,000 people in the UK with the genetic condition Lynch syndrome (National Institute for Health and Care [NICE], 2016). As healthcare professionals, it is vital to follow the evidence to determine who may be affected by Lynch syndrome in order that they can have appropriate screening to decrease their risk of bowel cancer and other related cancers. Those leads are largely found in two ways. First, through testing those with bowel cancer to see if they have Lynch syndrome so that their relatives can be tested to see if they have also inherited the condition, this is done in secondary care. The second way is through identifying individuals with what are termed ‘high risk’ family histories so that they can be tested for Lynch syndrome. This can be achieved in primary or secondary care.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a debilitating, lifelong condition which places significant
societal and economic burden on patients, caregivers and healthcare systems; the realities of living with SCD for both patients and caregivers significantly impact quality of life,
and include mental health issues, as well affecting ability to attend and be successful at school or work, therefore reducing earning potential (Sickle Cell Health Awareness,
Perspectives and Experiences (SHAPE) survey, 2022).