Community nurses’ caseloads may include a large number of catheterised patients and catheter-related infection is a significant problem, with up to 90–100% of those who are catheterised long-term going on to develop a catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). For community nurses, ensuring that their skin and that of the patient has been cleansed before any catheter-related intervention is paramount. This article looks at the use of a new antimicrobial cleansing solution (octenilin®; Schülke) and whether its properties reduced the infection risk associated with catheterisation in the community.
Tim Sandle, Head of Microbiology, Bio Products Laboratory Limited, Watford
This article discusses nutrition in relation to patients in the community who are living with venous leg ulcers. The author explores the complex issues surrounding the care of this patient group, which is predominantly made up of older people who often have several underlying medical conditions and may live alone in their own homes or in supported residential settings. The article covers the physiology and aetiology of venous leg ulcers and explores how nutrition plays a role in the healing process. It advocates a holistic approach, taking into account the many factors involved when considering nutritional status and suggests interventions that are available to nurses and healthcare professionals working in the community.
Jennifer Lunnon is a staff nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital
Primary Care services have become an increasingly prominent part of substance misuse delivery in the UK. They expanded in thelast decade with many general practitioners catering for substancemisuse patients in primary care. Nurses have also played a valuable part in helping GPs to work effectively in this area through liaison services and latterly, nurse prescribing clinics. This paper will examine whether problematic drug users can be stabilised and introduced to the idea of recovery, through primary care drug-based services in Islington.
Jeff Fernandez, Nurse Consultant for substance misuse at Islington Primary Care
Mark Medjesi Jones, Deputy Manager for Primary Care alcohol and drug service at Islington Primary Care
Ongoing developments in the prescribing agenda such as the new competency framework and the widening of professional responsibility within this field, are just part of other major changes taking place in health and social care today. The advantages for nurses of working in this new and rapidly evolving healthenvironment include the possibility of greater role flexibility, increased employability in multi-sectoral teams and the opportunity to run their own commissioned services. For managers, there is the possibility of providing a whole therapeutic package of care from each employee, with the distinct advantage of reducing the cost of relying on locum staff and brought-in prescribing services. This article outlines the common competency framework for prescribing, which provides a focus for the development of skill and knowledge and aims to ensure that standards are upheld across care services.
Anita Fatchett, Associate Senior Lecturer Nursing at Leeds Metropolitan University
Andrew McEwan, Non-Medical Prescribing Lead at Leeds Metropolitan University
Many of you will be familiar with The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) and its work — funding innovative projects; developing a network of Queen’s nurses’; supporting nurses who work with homeless people; influencing policy; and publishing reports.
Anne Pearson is Practice Development Manager at the Queen’s Nursing Institute.
Healthcare news in the UK often appears to be dominated by Westminster politics and the London-based media, so we asked the chief nursing officers (CNOs) of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales about how they see the future of community nursing in their respective countries.
Ros Moore, Chief Nursing Officer, Scottish Government.
Charlotte McArdle, Chief Nursing Officer, Northern Ireland.
Dr Jean White, Chief Nursing Officer/Nurse Director, Wales.
In each issue of the Journal of Community Nursing we investigate a hot topic currently affecting our readers. In this, our re-launch issue, we take a look at the changing face of care provision in the UK with the question...Who is today’s community nurse?
Anne Pearson, Practice Developmen,t Manager,QNI
Anne Williams, Lymphoedema Nurse Consultant and Researcher, Blantyre, Scotland
Kate Arkley, Community RGN, Galway, Ireland
Jackie Stephen-Haynes, Professor and Consultant Nurse in Tissue Viability, Birmingham City University and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust Annette Bades District Nursing Specialist Practitioner and Clinical Lead Cardiorespiratory, Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust
