Resources

Breathing is a normal vital function which is spontaneous, regular, self-regulating, quiet and effortless and reflects the way the respiratory system functions. The function of the respiratory system is to maintain the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the
lungs and tissues and regulate the acid-base balance. Any changes in this system will affect, and may present in the form of symptoms or signs in, other body systems. Breathlessness is a common symptom in people with cardiac diseases, respiratory diseases, neuromuscular disease, anaemia, significant gastro-oesophageal
reflux and can also be caused by pain, anxiety, emotion, deconditioning and obesity. Thorough, careful and systematic history-taking and assessment may help to identify the potential cause(s), with key question to identify whether the breathlessness is
acute (sudden onset) or chronic (long-standing).

Deconditioning is a term used to describe the physical decline a person might experience following a period of inactivity. It has long been recognised, but has previously been associated with prolonged periods of immobility or hospitalisation resulting from injury or illness. As we come out of the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated periods of lockdown and shielding the more vulnerable, there is evidence that some of the population are suffering the effects of deconditioning. It is apparent that this may be with or without coexisting medical conditions and needs to be considered as an additional or stand-alone diagnosis where symptoms exist, or where worsening of an underlying medical condition could be as a result of deconditioning. This article considers the causes and effects of deconditioning, its impact on physical and mental health, and how we can approach reconditioning programmes through health and society.

The Covid-19 pandemic prompted changes in the ways that individuals access healthcare services and accelerated the transition to digital methods of care. For some, this opened doors for easier and more convenient access. For people already experiencing exclusion and marginalisation however, digital access can create additional barriers for accessing health care.

Cigarette smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of ill health and death. Despite a continued decline, figures show that 14.4% or six million adults still smoke in the UK, with those aged between 25 and 34 years being the highest smokers (Action on Smoking and Health [ASH], 2019). The White Paper, ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People’ (Department of Health [DH], 2011) recognises the impact that smoking has among younger people in England.

Here, Rebecca Bedford, community children’s nursing specialist practice student, University of Hertfordshire and Cambridge Community Health Services, talks about how a shared challenge and increased use of social media and virtual meetings during the pandemic has offered the opportunity for community children’s nurses to develop a national network, raise the profile of the work they do, and develop a collective national voice.

Our ‘community matters’ feature discusses the real issues that we are facing in relation to the recruitment of community nurses and the retention of existing ones. The last few years have been extremely difficult, resulting in many of us re-evaluating our work/life balance. We have seen many of our colleagues retire, although many have then been encouraged to return and, while working less hours, they continue to sustain our workforce and share their skills and knowledge.

Have you ever asked yourself why you wanted to be a community nurse in the first place? Perhaps you were interested in health promotion, or children’s services. Maybe it was the lack of shift work and an improved work–life balance, or simply the variety of patients in the
community. Whatever your reasons, it seems that less and less of your colleagues feel the same way, with community nurse attrition rates on the rise, and the numbers of retirees not being replaced by new registrants.

Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity, determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. Its vision is a future where nobody dies of the disease. Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second biggest cancer killer (Bowel Cancer UK, 2022a). Nearly 43,000
people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK (Bowel Cancer UK, 2022b).