Resources

Globally, there are more than 800 million people aged over 60, which equates to approximately 12% of the world’s population. This figure is expected to grow rapidly, with studies estimating that by 2050 numbers of older people will reach two billion (United Nations [UN], 2015). The UK has a higher than the global average older population.

Community nursing is a crucial part of the UK’s healthcare system. In the future, the NHS wants more patients to be treated in the community and outside a traditional hospital setting, which will see community and district nurses playing an increasingly vital role. Here, Bridget Kearns, district nuring sister/advanced nurse practitioner (ANP), Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, looks at and dispels the many myths still surrounding community nursing, so as to encourage and attract more community nurses.

Due to recent energy price increases, fuel cost rises and hikes in the general cost of living, healthy eating may not be at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts — simply eating may be a serious and very real issue for many.

Considering we live in one of the richest countries in the world, it is interesting quite how many colourful words and phrases the English language has for being hungry – ‘I’m starving’, ‘I’m absolutely ravenous’, ‘I could murder a … [fill-in blanks with favourite fast-food].’

The National Community Nursing Plan 2021–2026 is coming. If you have not heard about this exciting opportunity to use your voice as a highly skilled nurse working in the community, you should get involved.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Bladder & Bowel Forum has become aware that continence nursing is facing some serious challenges. Following yearly strategy day discussions with the committee, concerns were shared that nurses in general seem to have lost confidence in bladder and bowel care and continence assessment.

Healthy skin is important — but, as the largest organ of the body and with its external aspect, it can be vulnerable. We can protect skin from the sun, and avoiding smoking and stress and eating a well-balanced diet may delay premature ageing of the skin and prevent various skin complaints (American Academy of Dermatology Association [AAD], 2022). However, it still requires great care.

The Malnutrition Pathway has developed a new online resource focusing on the nutritional needs of patients with cancer (www.malnutritionpathway. co.uk/cancer), which aims to enable nurses to recognise nutritional issues and provide first-line advice. The resource is supported by downloadable patient fact sheets.