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In the UK, student nurses, nursing associates and midwives are supervised by practice supervisors and practice assessors while completing the placement-based component of their training. Because of increased clinical commitments, staff shortages and rising student numbers, demands for the supervision and assessment of student nurses have increased in recent years and this was exacerbated by COVID-19. The Nursing and Midwifery Council's Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment separated the roles of practice supervisor and assessor, giving rise to opportunities to assess students in a different way. Some integrated care systems are exploring the new role of roaming assessor. Roaming assessors can fulfil the role of practice assessors while providing additional support for student nurses. This role could be expanded to other health professions. This article explores the use of practice learning facilitators as roaming assessors for student nurses in the UK and evaluates the potential benefits and limitations of this approach. Roaming assessors may provide a useful service to deliver practice assessments, increasing the reliability and availability of assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Redeployment in health care can have a negative impact on the mental wellbeing of staff. Advanced planning and provisions for wellbeing support for health professionals has been recommended following previous pandemics. At the authors' institution nurses were redeployed overnight from a specialist cystic fibrosis ward to a COVID-19 high-dependency unit. Aim: To evaluate nurses' wellbeing following this redeployment during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A mixed online survey, consisting of both open and closed questions, based on literature, preliminary results of the Impact of COVID-19 on the Nursing and Midwifery Workforce (ICON) study and staff feedback. This was sent to 28 nurses to explore their feelings and experiences of redeployment to a COVID-19 environment. Purposive sampling was used to select study participants while thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Findings: The survey had an 86% response rate. Using thematic analysis three key themes emerged: redeployment anxiety, lack of organisational preparedness and newfound teamworking. More than half (57%) of respondents expressed anxiety and concern when told of their redeployment; 52% reported that they did not receive adequate support from senior staff and management. However, 74% reported that they felt their nursing was positively influenced by support and teamwork from those in patient-facing roles. Twenty-five percent reported that they were looking for a new job or leaving their current role. Conclusion: This study examines the effects that redeployment to a COVID-19 environment has had on nurses. It highlights the need for further improvement to ensure redeployed staff are supported to safeguard their mental wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There is limited literature on the experiences of internationally educated nurses (IENs) who have joined NHS trusts in England in the past 20 years. The objectives of this integrative review included exploring and analysing the experiences of IENs in the NHS in England and identifying the cultural, pastoral and training needs of IENs during their first 2 years working in England and providing research-informed recommendations to better support IENs. Design: An integrative review of primary research studies using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods of data collection. Data source: CINAHL, British Nursing Index and Google Scholar. Results: Nine articles met the inclusion criteria for this integrative review. All articles contributed to the findings of three main analytical themes: expectations, challenges and belongingness. Conclusion: Limited research fully met the search criteria. This was concerning since IENs have been working in the NHS for decades, yet so few primary studies have been conducted into their experiences. The findings were in line with previous studies, which found that IENs faced challenges both in the workplace and in settling into an English way of life, and often reported feeling that they were not treated equally to their English counterparts. This integrative review raises issues and increases awareness of how the NHS in England can better support IENs transitioning into their new life and ways of working, to further aid recruitment and retention of the international nursing workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic restricted face-to-face contact between students and educators, limiting continual assessment of student's clinical skill development. This led to rapid transformational online adaptations to nursing education. This article will present and discuss the introduction of a clinical 'viva voce' approach, which has been used at one university to formatively assess students' clinical learning and reasoning skills using virtual methods. The Virtual Clinical Competency Conversation (V3C) was developed using the 'Think aloud approach' and involved facilitated one-to-one discussion based on two questions from a bank of 17 predefined clinically focused questions. A total of 81 pre-registration students completed the formative assessment process. Overall, feedback from students and academic facilitators was positive and facilitated both learning and consolidation in a safe and nurturing way. Further local evaluation is continuing to measure the impact of the V3C approach on student learning now that some aspects of face-to-face education have resumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the challenges faced by the social care workforce in the UK, including high turnover rates and difficulties in recruitment and retention. Topics include the economic impact of social care, the need for a person-centred approach in nursing education to prepare students for social care settings, and proposals to establish social care nursing as a recognized fifth field of practice.

The article considers the role of simulation-based learning in delivering a modern workforce, focusing on the benefits offered by a simulated approach, while considering some of the main issues in the healthcare sector in the United Kingdom (UK). Topics discussed include benefits of simulation, opportunity provided by the regular use of simulation in clinical practice, and importance of staff wellbeing to staff retention.

The article reflects on the significance of International Nurses Day (IND) 2024, emphasizing the value of registered nurses and the importance of celebrating their contributions to society. It discusses the theme set by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) for IND 2024, focusing on the economic power of care and the need for investment in nursing. It highlights challenges such as underinvestment in the nursing profession, recruitment and retention issues.

An editorial commemorates International Nurses Day, acknowledging the profound contributions of nurses globally. It celebrates their unwavering dedication, resilience, and compassion, drawing inspiration from the legacies of nursing pioneers like Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale. It emphasizes the importance of supporting nurses and prioritizing their wellbeing within healthcare systems to ensure the continuation of exceptional patient-centered care.

Sam Foster, Executive Director of Professional Practice, Nursing and Midwifery Council, considers the report of the Times Health Commission, which looked at all aspects of the NHS [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues on the devaluation of the contribution of restorative nurse assistants (RNA) in the definition of nursing by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). It views that the nursing associate role is conflated with the role of the healthcare support worker. It calls for the acknowledgment of nursing associates, rather than put them in a limited or marginal relevance, if the expectation is for them to deliver high-quality care.

The article focuses on advanced clinical practitioners in haematology and oncology. Topics include the team complete several clinical procedures including bone marrow biopsies, central venous access device (CVAD) insertion, ultrasoundguided lumbar punctures and skin biopsies for patients with suspected graft versus host disease, and the competency documents were devised for all clinical procedures alongside clinical guidelines and standard operational procedures.

The article discusses the importance of addressing the nursing shortage in Europe to improve the provision of care to patients with non-communicable diseases (NCD). It describes a think piece on overcoming the crisis developed based on a literature review and with insights from the European Federation of Nurses Associations and the Royal College of Nursing. It outlines recommendations from policymakers, such as improving nurses' pay and working conditions.

Sam Foster, Executive Director of Professional Practice, Nursing and Midwifery Council, considers strategies for reforming social care and recognising and rewarding the work of nurses in the sector [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on enhancing the cancer workforce response to domestic violence and abuse. Topics include qualitative research participants reporting about DVA not abating and often intensified after a cancer diagnosis; and experiencing cancer specific abuse such as being prevented from recovering, talking to others about the cancer or accessing treatment.