Search

This paper discusses the UK Government's public consultation into the NHS bursary and the response from the Nursing and Midwifery Council. A public consultation stipulated that the current arrangements for funding, by the State, were not to be considered for discussion. Instead, the consultation only appraised views that would lead to the successful introduction of student finance loans for NHS professional education. Testimonies from nurses, midwives and nursing students expressed concern that the new funding arrangements were unaffordable, dis-incentivising and biased towards the marketisation of student loans in the UK, yet the changes went ahead. The changes to NHS bursary funding resulted from the UK Government's desire for growth in student numbers (and ostensibly not growth in financial figures), and the fact that nursing (and other healthcare) students will become more fiscally indebted, despite society's moral obligation to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many nurses in the United Kingdom are now undertaking PhDs; however, the process is both complex and time consuming. Research has shown that effective supervision can significantly influence the quality of the PhD and its eventual success or failure. Consequently, many common problems experienced during a Phd often relate to difficulties in the supervisory process. PhD students and supervisors often have different expectations, needs and ways of thinking and working. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to provide an overview of the key elements of research supervision. The paper is aimed at students, prospective students and supervisors involved in the PhD process and explores the perspectives of a student and a supervisor and discusses what each can and should reasonably expect from supervision, how to identify and address potential supervisory problems and how to maintain an effective working relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: this article shares findings from a service evaluation exploring the views of patients relating to the specialist sexual function education and information provided following a spinal cord injury. Background: education optimises patients' involvement in their own decision-making and care processes, with the aim of promoting adherence to agreed plans, reducing the risks of post-injury complications, promoting independence and improving quality of life. Sexual function is a well-known quality-of-life indicator and it has been widely documented that it is not well addressed following spinal cord injury. A previous service evaluation exploring education provided to patients with spinal cord injury identified the need for improved provision of sexual function education/information. As a result, weekly 1-hour sessions focused on sexual function for up to three patients of the same sex were held, facilitated by a clinical nurse specialist. The sessions had an open forum structure. They were initially designed to discuss thoughts and feelings around intimacy and sex after a spinal cord injury, but focused on group members' requests. In addition, patients were offered a one-to-one session where the 'mechanics' of sex could be discussed in further detail. Design and methods: a service evaluation used a questionnaire survey to collect data from a purposive convenience sample of spinal cord injury patients. Data were collected between July and September 2018. Participants completed a locally designed paper questionnaire, which included Likert-style questions and space to add free text comments. Descriptive analysis of the data was used. Results: survey results suggest that the newly formed sexual function education session is positively evaluated in terms of usefulness and all attendees to date would recommend this session to other patients. Conclusions and recommendations: following completion of data analysis, findings will inform the further development of sexual function education, with a particular focus on tailoring it to the patient and reducing the stigma around talking about sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining competence and keeping skills and knowledge in children's orthopaedic nursing alive are problematic in both the UK and Australia. The dearth of dedicated postgraduate courses for this specialty has resulted in an array of unregulated in-house training, nurses' individual educational needs not being met and potential for children with an orthopaedic problem being put at risk of not receiving optimal care. This paper reports on a travel scholarship used to compare and contrast the UK with Australia, which supported an international scoping exercise to identify nurses' beliefs regarding expertise in children's orthopaedic nursing and explore provision for maintaining pertinent knowledge and skills. Potential ways to improve support for nurses in maintaining expertise in this field of practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: this review aimed to identify and review primary research to address the question: 'Is there evidence that mentors are failing to fail underperforming student nurses?' Design: this was an integrative literature review. Methods: online databases (Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL)) were searched using specified inclusion and exclusion criteria to focus the review. Critical appraisal was undertaken and key findings, outcomes and emergent concepts were identified from each study. These were then collated and synthesised into themes. Results: five articles met the criteria and review aim. Three main themes were identified. These were the mentors' relationship with the university, documentation when failing a student, and psychological and emotional impacts. Conclusion: the phenomenon of failing to fail continues to concern the nursing profession but there is limited primary research evidence to inform contemporary discussions in the UK regarding the management of this in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to assess the value of accredited leg ulcer education in influencing changes in practice. This is a before and after educational evaluation that adopted a qualitative survey approach of 12 primary care nurses attending the Nurse-Led Assessment and Management of Leg Ulcers accredited CPD module at a London university. The findings revealed that 6 out of the 8 nurses who completed the final interviews were satisfied that all learning outcomes for the module had been met. All of the nurses commented they had changed at least one aspect of practice following the module with the majority stating a number of improvements had been made relating to improved knowledge, practical skills, treatment and patient concordance. The evaluation was limited to a small cohort of primary care nurses and further longitudinal research is required to investigate the effectiveness across multiple cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Pelvic floor muscle exercises positively impact on urinary stress incontinence and quality of life for women. Aim To try and understand more about pelvic floor exercises. Methods A search was performed on Cochrane, CINAHL and Discover More. Delimiting the search provided 28 papers, which then informed this literature review. Differing methodology and small sample size of individual studies, variation in trainer and the design of pelvic floor muscle exercises education limited the evidence base. Findings Many barriers existed and women were found to be disinterested with pelvic floor exercises or unaware of the reasons for performing them. Those who were young, in their first pregnancy and from deprived areas were less likely to perform pelvic floor muscle exercises, as they had no access to information or believed they were not necessary. Midwives lacked confidence in their knowledge and suggested that other health professionals could perform promotion better. Conclusions It is important to investigate how midwives can influence education about pelvic floor muscle exercises and women's perceptions. New and creative methods of health promotion are needed to engage women with pelvic floor muscle exercises more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeking service user feedback for student nurses who are engaged in community learning experiences is an important part of a mentor's role. This paper discusses what is currently advocated, the mentor's role in obtaining and managing feedback and makes recommendations to improve the process in the community practice setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caroline Tweedie, Specialist Breast Care Nurse (Caroline.Tweedie@nhs.net), Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, winner of the Silver Award in the Oncology Nurse of the Year category of the BJN Awards 2023 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widening participation agenda has particular significance for worldwide nursing since it is a profession which is under increasing scrutiny in its recruitment and retention practices. Debate about this agenda within nurse education is strengthened by careful scrutiny of the research within the wider context of higher education, some of which challenges commonly held assumptions. This paper examines four areas of relevance to the UK widening participation agenda: disability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and family responsibilities. Taken together, they indicate that nurse education operates within a particularly complex context with some important implications for the future design of pre-registration programmes. These complexities should be debated in depth by educational commissioners and providers, in tandem with regulatory bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary health care is increasingly being located in the community. From the evident changes in demographics and general health, it can be derived that the people whom student nurses care for are likely to have multiple comorbidities and be vulnerable to clinical deterioration. These nurses are required to develop a range of transferrable skills to meet the demands of the population. The challenge for educators of preregistration student nurses is to develop educational strategies to prepare them with the skills, knowledge, and confidence necessary to recognise and manage deterioration appropriately in any context. This article is the first of two papers discussing the stimulus, design, and delivery of an educational innovation that focuses on the recognition and management of the deteriorating patient. The article explores current literature about community-focused simulation highlighting the potential learning opportunities resulting from contextualising simulation scenarios specific to the community setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solution-focused therapy is a model of therapy that builds on the client's strengths, is future-focused and can be generally offered as a brief intervention. It can be used across multiple clinical settings and is not limited to being useful for clients accessing mental health services. Learning the underlying principles and developing a foundation level of skill in the approach was found to be achievable in an undergraduate nursing course, with students reporting an increase in their knowledge of the model and confidence in basic therapeutic skills in just one day of training. In this paper, we introduce the solution-focused approach in relation to nursing practice. We describe the template used for the training day offered to undergraduate mental health nurses. Students reported that this method of learning a therapeutic approach was helpful and increased both their knowledge and skill base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The area of simulation within education is fast developing, with many educational providers striving to keep up with current advances in technology. Evaluation of simulation learning appears overwhelmingly positive (Moule et al, 2008; McCaughey and Traynor, 2010; Hope et al, 2011). However, when looking to generate financial support to develop simulation practices within education, little evidence exists regarding its impact within clinical practice. This paper details the findings of a scoping exercise undertaken to ascertain current simulation practice within nursing curricula, in order to identify good practices and a clear evidence-base for embedding and using simulation to enhance education and practice. The project found overwhelming support for simulated learning from students and facilitators. However, it was highlighted that no clear guidance or strategies were universally used to effectively incorporate simulation within curricula, nor to evaluate or audit its effect upon student competency within clinical practice. Further evidence to support the implementation of simulation within nurse education is therefore required to ensure effective implementation and transferability of learning into clinical care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the publication of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) (2007) Simulation of Practice Learning Project, simulated practice learning opportunities are now to be incorporated into preregistration undergraduate nursing programmes across the UK. Since 2008, the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Oxford Brookes University has incorporated simulated practice learning into their curriculum to contribute towards students' 2300 direct clinical care hours. This paper presents the findings of an evaluation project that was conducted by academic staff within the faculty to ensure that they could continue to meet the principles set out by the NMC for auditing simulated learning environments used by higher education institutes (HEIs), and to meet the Essential Skills Clusters (NMC, 2010a) for registration as part of the quality assurance processes. The evaluation took place over 2 days, with a total of 52 participants, including practice partners, mentors, practice educators, academic staff and students from all four branches of nursing (adult, mental health, learning disability and children). Results indicated that the support of direct care hours through simulated practice learning can permit students to practice essential clinical skills in a designated clinical skills suite. These learning experiences can also offer positive outcomes and the opportunities to maintain partnership for students, placement partners, and mentors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This UK-based empirical research investigates interprofessionalism and personalization to assess their potential to achieve quality care provision for people with long-term conditions. Governmental policies extol the virtues of interprofessionalism and personalization to drive modernization forward, however, change requires the commitment of health and social care professionals. Therefore the complexity of turning policy into practice requires continual review to ensure policy ideals become practice realities rather than speculative rhetoric. This paper examines interprofessional working (IPW) and interprofessional education (IPE) by analysing the experiences and working relationships of professionals from different professions and their potential impact upon personalization initiatives. The conclusion argues that educational providers and professional awarding bodies need to enshrine interprofessionalism into curricula and qualification accreditation thereby instilling collaboration intrinsically into care provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged that high-income countries often address discrimination against people with mental health problems, but that low/middle income countries often have significant gaps in their approach to this subject—in how they measure the problem, and in strategies, policies and programmes to prevent it. Localised actions have occurred. These include the Hong Kong government's 2017 international conference on overcoming the stigma of mental illness, and the 2018 London Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit. Furthermore, the UK's Medical Research Council has funded Professor Graham Thornicroft (an expert in mental health discrimination and stigma) to undertake a global study. These and other approaches are welcome and bring improvements; however, they often rely on traditional westernised, 'global north' views/approaches. Given the rapid global demographic changes/dynamics and the lack of evidence demonstrating progress towards positive mental health globally, it is time to consider alternative and transformative approaches that encompasses diverse cultures and societies and aligns to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically UN SDG 3 (Good health and wellbeing). This article describes the need for the change and suggests how positive change can be achieved through transnational inclusive mental health de-stigmatising education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses catheter maintenance solutions, the way they are supposed to be used and the way they actually are being used in primary and community care in the UK. It discusses the knowledge that community nursing staff have regarding these solutions and the need for further education. Appropriate assessment from a suitably trained individual is recommended, resulting in both usage and cost being dramatically decreased, offering more appropriate management and the likelihood of decreasing the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). The literature surrounding catheter maintenance solutions is investigated, and the lack of available evidence is highlighted. Preliminary research exploring primary and community care nurses' knowledge of catheter maintenance solutions is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study was to examine perceived barriers to assessment of delirium for critical care nurses, and the impact of education on their knowledge and practice. Background: Delirium is a significant problem in critical care, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Many authors have found variations in assessment by critical care nurses, but there has been limited analysis of the reasons for this. Education on the topic improves knowledge and practice, but the best approach has not been examined. Design: A questionnaire survey design. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was distributed to critical care nurses (n=31) at a district general hospital. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics. Results: Knowledge and practice were variable, but correlation was seen between nursing band and years of experience with better scores. Any type of education led to significantly improved scores. Several barriers to assessment were found, with the most common being lack of knowledge and difficulty in assessing intubated patients. Conclusion: It is essential to improve practice in delirium assessment and management. Education is vital to improve the knowledge and practice of critical care nurses regarding delirium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background An interprofessional education initiative was developed and piloted in 2014 at Queen’s University Belfast, within the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the School of Medicine. Aims The aim of the collaboration was to introduce concepts of normal labour and birth to fourth-year medical students, led by final-year midwifery students. Methods A variety of birthing resources were available to the midwifery students to promote interactivity with the medical students, including birthing balls and birth manikins. Artistic licence in relation to planning the activities was encouraged. Significant emphasis was placed on the importance of relationship-building with women in labour, and the concept of being ‘with woman’ was core to all elements of teaching. Midwifery students undertook acting roles such as the labouring woman, partner or midwife role and acted out mini scenarios such as contacting for advice about early labour, positions for labour or positions for birth. Medical students were encouraged to participate in the role play, and the interactive workshop culminated with a hands-on simulation of childbirth. Findings Evaluation of the workshops has been extremely positive. The midwifery students reported a perceived benefit of teamwork in preparing for the workshop and also a perceived increased level of confidence. Conclusion Both schools have recognised the benefits of this form of inter-professional education and have subsequently made a commitment to embed it within their respective curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some university schools of nursing in Australia and the UK have developed collaborative links with Malaysia to deliver part-time Transnational Higher Education (TNHE) post-registration top-up nursing degree courses. It enables nurses trained to diploma level to upgrade to a degree qualification. The views of 18 Malaysian nurses who had studied with one Australian and two UK TNHE universities were explored using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Participants recruited via convenience and snowball sampling methods were interviewed in English and Bahasa Malaysia (Malaysian language). Thematic analysis were used to analyse data. Findings indicated nurses’ frustration with technology-enhanced teaching and learning and a lack of support throughout the programme. Although nurses developed confidence in using computer technology, they remained disappointed with the level of academic support. The data and some useful strategies outlined provide important insights for TNHE providers, the Malaysian Nursing Board and private hospital employers to consider for enhancing nurses learning and experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Midwives have a key role in identifying women at risk of perinatal mental health problems, referring to specialist services, planning care where appropriate, and supporting women and their families. Current guidelines and standards do not place an emphasis on perinatal mental health care as central to the training of student midwives in the UK. Research has shown that midwifery students and midwives do not feel skilled in this aspect of their role. At the University of Surrey, a programme-specific perinatal mental health module was developed for student midwives in the second year of their pre-registration programme, which has been well evaluated. Service users and specialist mental health practitioners have been involved in developing and teaching the module, and the content is reviewed annually to reflect national policy drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need to improve communication between dental professionals and deaf patients. It proposes key initiatives to overcome communication issues of patients with hearing loss including changing clinic policies and the use of assistive devices. It presents statistics on the number of people in Great Britain who are experiencing hearing loss, and those with British Sign Language (BSL) proficiency.

The author reflects on competence in nursing and vascular access care. She suggests that in 2014 there is a great amount of evidence which is available to inform nursing practice as it relates to nursing competence. She argues that despite access to evidence, there is poor adherence to guidelines on vascular access care, and as a result, the National Infusion and Vascular Access Society (NIVAS) published a set of central venous access device competencies in November of 2013.

This article presents a case study of a local social initiative in Gravesham, Kent, of a mother-to-mother breastfeeding peer-supporters programme, known as 'Breast Buddies'. The geographical location in this study has areas of high deprivation and the aim of the Breast Buddies programme is to increase the uptake and duration of breastfeeding in order to improve the health of children in this area. The background and history of the Breast Buddies scheme is presented followed by the findings from an evaluation that was undertaken into the scheme. The training programme for Breast Buddies has now been accredited by the University of Greenwich and offers successful participants the opportunity to gain academic credit for their training, which is improving their educational and employment opportunities and increasing their potential for social mobility. INSETS: Table 2. Indicative content of Breast Buddies training programme;Table 3. Mothers successful at completing the coursework for.... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All prisoners should be entitled to the same standards of health care as the general population. This is the principle of equivalence. Inmates who are physically or mentally ill, addicted to substances, or disabled should receive equivalent care to what is expected of the NHS. There are a number of variations and inequalities in the health services that prisoners receive across the UK. A number of prisons have no policies in place for HIV, hepatitis C or sexual health. The prevalence of HIV is significantly higher in the prison population than it is in the wider community. This article considers and outlines the important principle of equivalence and the needs of the prison population in relation to HIV infection and other blood-borne virus infections. Methods used to minimize risk are described and the importance of development, implementation and evaluation of harm minimization strategies are discussed. The term 'prison' in this article is used to identify all places of detention in England and the term 'prisoner' is used to describe all adults who are held in such places. Prison services and healthcare provision in other UK countries are also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hospital admission can be associated with a poor prognosis. Consequently, the end stage of the illness needs to be recognized for timely palliative care to be initiated. Tools to enhance the palliative phase such as the Gold Standards Framework and the Liverpool Care Pathway rely on the recognition of the final phase of a person's life. The illness trajectory of cancer makes this recognition far easier than for COPD, as a result many patients and their families manage at home with limited support. Lincolnshire Respiratory Network has developed criteria to help recognize the end-stage COPD, which correlate well with recent recommendations from the Consultation on a Strategy for Services for COPD in England (Department of Health, 2010). However, there needs to be appropriate training to assist practitioners in their confidence to refer patients with end-stage COPD to palliative care providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have focused on the value that nurses place on pressure ulcer prevention, even though values are a key determinant of a person's behaviour and actions. Previous studies have reported that the value that a nurse places on pressure ulcer prevention is linked to the skin care that they deliver. This article describes a study that was undertaken to determine the value that nurses place on pressure ulcer prevention, which also identified how this value is formed. The participants in this study (n=16), were recruited from non-acute adult medical wards of 14 hospitals in one NHS trust, and a university. Data was gathered via semi-structured interviews and interpreted through Straussian grounded theory. The findings of this study show how the participants underwent a transition from placing a low to a high value on pressure ulcer prevention and how this affected patient care. The key point in this transition appears to be an encounter with a patient with a high grade pressure ulcer, which caused the nurses to reappraise their values. Looking after patients with pressure ulcers seems to increase the value that a nurse places on pressure ulcer prevention. The education that nurses receive on pressure ulcer prevention only appears to alter their values when they have some experience of looking after patients with pressure ulcers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to identify actual and potential peristomal skin problems in relation to the use of different types of stoma appliances and accessories. It also compared ostomists' perceptions of their peristomal skin condition with those of stoma care nurse specialists. Background Maintaining skin integrity is a basic skill that ensures good stoma management. It is widely accepted that from time to time a patient with a stoma will seek clinical advice about a peristomal skin problem. Little is known about how often patients present with these problems, the clinical course of peristomal skin problems, and how patients manage them. Method: A multi-centred descriptive study was conducted among 80 ostomists. Fieldwork took place over 13 months. The sample was drawn from a UK home care delivery database. Using structured questionnaires, ostomists were interviewed by a stoma care nurse specialist. A digital photograph was taken of their peristomal skin and their answers compared with nurse assessment using the Stoma Care Ostomy Research index scoring system. Findings: Of the interviewees 32% had healthy peristomal skin both via questionnaire and at observation. At observation, 68% were observed to have peristomal skin problems, of whom 44% had irritated skin, 12% had ulcerated skin, 9% had an apparent allergy and 3% had macerated/eroded skin. In addition, 21% had an ill-fitting appliance at observation. Half (50%) were observed to have a parastomal hernia, although only 24% reported having one. These findings demonstrate significant differences between the perception of skin problems among ostomists and actual skin problems observed by stoma care nurse specialists. Conclusions: Peristomal skin problems are common among ostomists. The difference between ostomists' and nurses' perceptions of peristomal skin condition led to the identification of educational needs for the new ostomist. Education and regular follow-up by the stoma care nurse specialist is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compression therapy is considered the gold standard for healing chronic venous leg ulceration, and impressive healing rates are achievable for many patients. Unfortunately, this condition is chronic, characterized by frequent recurrences and, for some patients, ulcer healing may never occur. Within community services, commissioners of nursing services tend to focus on complete ulcer healing within a defined timescale as quality indicators. The challenge, therefore, will be for community nurses to demonstrate alternative but equally effective patient-centred outcome measures for nursing interventions when healing is delayed or does not occur. The current government health policy encourages active patient involvement in treatment, with an emphasis on self-care/management for patients with chronic conditions. Self-management interventions, such as the Expert Patient Programme (Department of Health, 2001) for chronic conditions, have been positively evaluated and have demonstrated considerable benefits for patients in terms of pain reduction and improved psychosocial wellbeing. This article briefly discusses the outcomes of such interventions and suggests that nurse-led self-care programmes could be adapted for leg ulcer patients in order to provide alternative outcome measures for nursing interventions when ulcer healing may not be achievable. This article also gives an overview of current innovations developed to encourage patient involvement and self-care in this client group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of ward nurses in medical, surgical, orthopaedic and rehabilitation specialties in relation to their care of wounds and their choice and use of wound dressings was carried out in May and August 2009 at St Mary's Hospital. Isle of Wight, UK. The objectives were to find out the distribution of wound types, and their characteristics, that were treated by ward nurses in the hospital, and to assess clinical practice in the use of wound dressings, before and after a bespoke programme of education and training. A visual framework to aid the ward nurses in the choice of dressings and frequency of change was introduced after the May 2009 survey. Following the nurses' education and training programme a repeat survey, using the same methodology, was conducted in August 2009. In the initial survey, 172 wounds were included (mean number of wounds per patient 1.64) and in the repeat one, 159 (mean number of wounds per patient 1.54). In both phases of the survey, the most common wound type was pressure ulcers, followed by surgical wounds; over 60% of the wounds were pressure ulcers, of which around half were category 1, and one-third were category 2. No category 4 ulcers were recorded. About one-third of the wounds had a duration of more than 21 days. On average, wound dressings were left in place for between two and three days, with 35% of dressings being changed on a daily basis. The mean cost of dressings per wound per week was observed to be lower in the repeat survey than in the initial one (£9.02 and £11.23 respectively). The number of undesirable reasons for changing the dressing was lower in the second phase than the first. The methodology of the surveys provided meaningful and valuable results over a short timescale, and increased understanding of wound types, their characteristics, and clinical practice. The surveys showed that data that can be collected in a short period using a simple tool can yield complex and revealing data trends. They also showed that an education programme followed by a re-survey can improve practice and reduce the costs of wound care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since April 2006, commissioning responsibility for healthcare services in public prisons has been fully devolved to NHS primary care trusts (PCTs), with the expectation that offenders will have access to the same range and quality of health services available to the wider population. In order to support prison nurses in meeting this goal, a PCT and university established a partnership, which used an action research approach to develop, instigate and evaluate a bespoke educational programme for nurses working in two local prisons. This article outlines the processes involved in the design and implementation of the programme. It also reports on findings from pre- and post-intervention questionnaires and focus groups with course participants, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, which suggest that the innovation had a positive impact on the nurses' confidence, assertiveness, clinical expertise and approach to change. The article concludes that the action research project should continue, but its scope should now broaden to address educational support for healthcare assistants, collaborative learning between prison officers and prison nurses, and the implementation of clinical supervision and action learning sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional working is an important NHS policy aim (Department of Health 2000; Barrett et al 2005), which has meant that interprofessional education (IPE) is an increasingly important topic for higher education institutions (Caldwell and Atwal, 2003; Barr and Ross, 2006). The argument for IPE is based on the assumption that it will enhance interprofessional working and assist in ameliorating many of the challenges of contemporary health-care. However, there is a dearth of evidence of the effectiveness of IPE in the UK, particularly at undergraduate level. This does not necessarily mean that IPE is ineffective, but suggests the need to explore ways of introducing and evaluating IPE locally for undergraduate students. This article reports on an evaluation of a pilot IPE initiative for undergraduate students from different disciplines, in an attempt to consider how sustainable IPE could be introduced in one institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is both a human right in itself and an indispensable mean of a better future. Removing Barriers to Achievement, published by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES, 2004a), highlights its vision for giving children with special educational needs and disabilities the opportunity to achieve their full potential. Chapter two in particular focuses on removing barriers to learning and it is here where the Government focuses, emphasises and justifies the issue of inclusion of children with learning difficulties into mainstream education (DfES, 2004a).The aim of this article is to explore inclusion and simply challenge whether the policy is effective in its purpose by considering educational practice today. It is important that nurses from all fields have some level of understanding regarding the education of children in the community. This is vital to fulfil our role and provide the necessary support to users and families of the service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the UK the clinical nurse specialist role (CNS) has evolved in an uncoordinated manner resulting in a broad job remit, with clinical, managerial, research and educational elements. CNSs working in specialist palliative care are expected to contribute to the delivery of education but many have received no formal training to support them in this aspect of their role. There has been limited research exploring the role the community palliative care CNS in providing education, making this study timely. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the role of the community palliative care CNS as educator. Method: Hermeneutic phenomenology, using semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of eight community palliative care CNSs was the approach used. Formal ethical approval was obtained and all participants provided written informed consent. Colaizzi's framework for analysis provided a structured and transparent approach to data analysis. A summary of the findings were verified by the participants to enhance the credibility of interpretation presented here. Results: Data analysis identified three main themes; conflict of expectations, credibility as a teacher and making the education role work. This study highlighted a team approach may address the conflict of expectations between the role specifications and practice reality. Conclusion: The CNS has a role in education. However for some CNSs, providing informal education rather than formal education may be appropriate. If the community palliative care CNS provides formal education, they require the knowledge and skills to deliver it effectively. The role of the CNS in palliative care education in the community should respond to personal, professional and local needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based practice (EBP) ensures that clinical health management decisions are based on valid, reliable and relevant evidence determined by sound research and evaluation. It is a key element of both the clinical governance and clinical effectiveness agendas. Clearly, there is a need to provide adequate educational and professional attributes to meet this increasing demand. The aim of this research was to identify and map all UK postgraduate courses that focus on EBP within health-and social-care services. Electronic searching of internet databases and all UK postgraduate electronic prospectuses using the broad term 'evidence based' was undertaken. Course details and prospectuses were obtained and reviewed, where available. ln total, 12 postgraduate courses were identified. These could be broadly categorized into two distinct groups: five courses focused on health-care sciences designed for multidisciplinary health professionals and seven targeted clinical specialities. UK universities therefore provide relatively few courses in EBP. Two models of EBP education appear to be developing, which either specifically target EBP as a separate component of the curriculum or integrate into existing subjects. Further evaluation is needed to determine the relative merits of each. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to assess a Finnish and a British curriculum of rehabilitation by means of benchmarking. The following aspects were assessed: the basic purpose of education; the qualifications provided by the educational programme; the objectives of education; the curricular model; the study modules and their contents; the coursework practices; and the evaluation and development of the curriculum. According to a comparative assessment the Finnish and British curricula had the same underlying starting point: in both countries, rehabilitation is regarded a societally topical and multidisciplinary issue that is addressed in the educational programme. The studies are based on different systems of credit units and scores, but after a standardization of scoring, the programmes are mutually comparable and roughly correspond to each other. There is, however, a significant difference in the two curricula: the structure of the study modules. Finnish study modules are practical-based and focus on the experiences of different individuals, groups of patients and health professionals. The education focuses on rehabilitation issues and aims to enhance students' awareness of and competence in certain target areas of practice. The British study modules are more research-based; the focus is on the scientific approach and the ways to produce knowledge. The British curriculum risks ignoring practical issues surrounding individual patients and therapists, but its focus on research-based practice means that practice is logically and consistently structured. The Finnish curriculum focuses on issues surrounding therapists and patients but risks becoming fragmented, as rehabilitation can be studied from many different scientific perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An evaluation of a community course for nurses working in primary care was undertaken to ascertain whether it made an impact on the students' clinical practice. The course was undertaken by 16 nurses working within community nursing teams that included intermediate care, health visiting, school nursing and district nursing. Three quarters of the nurses had worked in the community for less than one year and half of these were newly qualified nurses. The evaluation consisted of semi-structured questionnaires, which were completed after the course and by the student and their mentor after 3 months. The assessment of practice document submitted by the students for assessment was also scrutinized for examples of changes students had made to their practice. The results demonstrate that the students felt that the community course has made an impact on their practice and encouraged them to develop some of the key skills identified for community nurses (Department of Health, 2004). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the National Diploma in Dental Nursing introduced by the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses (NEBDN). It notes that the curriculum, which is based on the General Dental Council (GDC) registration requirements for dental nurses, covers four domains of professional practice which include clinical, professional, and communication. It also describes the qualification's development process with details on the two-stage assessment of trainee dental nurses.

Clinicians and healthcare providers are frequently reminded that they are 'accountable' practitioners -- but what is the definition of accountability, and how does it apply in a practical and legal context? To clarify these issues, the University of Nottingham School of Nursing has formed a partnership with Browne Jacobson Solicitors. Together they have developed a 7-stage training programme for nursing students which covers the key aspects of accountability, including ethical concepts, the law of negligence, and scenario-based training on being called as a witness in an investigation. This article introduces the implications of accountability and describes the structure and syllabus of the programme, including participants' feedback on the benefits of the experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the Certificate of Higher Education in Dental Nursing annual event delivered through Cardiff University, which will allow interested applicants to take a tour of the Dental Teaching Unit in Porth, Wales.