Resources

Indwelling urinary catheters are one of the most commonly used devices in health care. They are usually considered a short-term intervention to manage an episode of urinary retention. Some catheters are removed before discharge, however many are not. Catheters should be removed as soon as possible to avoid catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) and sepsis. When they are left in situ for longer than necessary, the person is put at risk of complications while waiting for an appointment to have it removed. Historically in the authors’ NHS organisation, requests for a trial without catheter (TWOC) were sent to urology from a wide range of clinical settings and subsequently the patient was placed on a long waiting list for a hospital TWOC. This article discusses the transition from hospital to a community-based nurse-led TWOC service and its benefits.

Pneumonia is defined as an infection of the lung tissue in which the air sacs become filled with microorganisms, fluid and inflammatory cells, affecting the function of the lungs (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], 2021a). The disease can affect anyone at any age and is a cause of morbidity mortality around the world, and particularly likely to result in poor outcomes in the elderly, babies and young children, and those with additional health problems (Htun et al, 2019). This article focuses on community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults, and hopes to give nurses and non-medical prescribers an insight into the recognition, treatment and management of this disease in the adult population, with the aim of reducing hospital admissions and improving outcomes for those patients affected.

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.