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Why you should read this article: • To understand the benefits of debriefing following challenging clinical situations • To increase your awareness of various approaches to debriefing that can be used in healthcare settings • To consider how you could enhance the implementation of debriefing in your area of practice. Healthcare professionals, including nurses, will be involved in the care and management of patients in cardiac arrest. This highly stressful and demanding situation can lead to breakdowns in communication, difficulty in decision-making and emotional distress for members of the healthcare team. Debriefing is a recommended tool that team members can use to acknowledge what went well, what could be improved and areas for learning or development. However, debriefing is often not prioritised due to pressures in clinical practice. This article discusses the benefits of debriefing and outlines some of the approaches and tools that may be used. The author argues that by recognising the importance of debriefing after cardiac arrests in the hospital setting and committing to best practices, nurses can be better prepared for the challenges of resuscitation and improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To recognise the potential benefits and risks associated with remote prescribing • To understand the main principles of effective practice in remote consultations and prescribing • To consider how you could enhance the use of remote patient consultations in your area of practice. There has been a rapid increase in remote patient consultations, including remote prescribing – partly in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but also as part of the move towards a ‘digital first’ NHS. There are various benefits associated with remote prescribing, such as convenience for patients and judicious use of healthcare resources. However, it is also associated with several risks, for example the use of inappropriate medicines or doses if the prescriber does not have full access to the patient’s records. This article considers some of the benefits and challenges of remote prescribing, and discusses the main principles of effective practice in relation to patient safety, informed consent and documentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To recognise the strengths that neurodivergent nursing students can bring to practice • To understand how practice assessors and supervisors can develop neuro-inclusive learning environments • To contribute towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers). Neurodivergent conditions such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and Tourette’s syndrome are common, and it is highly likely that practice assessors and supervisors will be asked to support neurodivergent nursing students in their practice learning environments. This article details the strengths that neurodivergent students can bring to nursing, as well as some of the challenges they may experience in practice settings. It outlines how practice assessors and supervisors can develop neuro-inclusive learning environments where neurodivergent students can thrive, as well as how to support them if they are not meeting their required proficiencies. The authors also discuss how appropriate reasonable adjustments can be implemented by using a collaborative approach with students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To appreciate the value of nurses scoping the literature on a chosen subject • To become familiar with the main steps involved in undertaking a scoping review • To understand what types of evidence can be included in a scoping review. Rationale and key points: Scoping reviews have become a popular approach for exploring what literature has been published on a particular field of interest. They can enable nurses to gain an overview of the contemporary evidence base relating to a practice area, treatment or specific patient demographic, for example. This article provides a concise guide for nurses planning to undertake a scoping review, explaining the various steps involved. • Scoping reviews are classified as ‘big picture’ reviews used for knowledge synthesis, and their primary objective is to identify, review and clarify the breadth and nature of the evidence. • A well-structured scoping review can be useful for determining the emerging evidence on a subject and may act as a useful precursor to a systematic review. • Undertaking a scoping review involves identifying a focus, selecting the pertinent evidence, synthesising that evidence and reporting the findings. Reflective activity: ‘How to’ articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence-based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of: • How this article might improve your practice when undertaking a scoping review. • How you could use this information to educate nursing students and colleagues on the appropriate techniques and evidence base required for scoping the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To recognise the factors that may be affecting communication within your team • To be aware of how interpersonal relationships and organisational culture can affect team communication and performance • To consider strategies that you could use in your practice to enhance communication with your colleagues. Effective communication within nursing and multiprofessional healthcare teams is essential to promote patient safety. However, communication is a complex concept comprising various elements and variables that affect how messages are delivered, received and interpreted. In this article, the author explores communication within healthcare teams and provides some insight into the factors that affect team communication, such as interpersonal relationships. The author also explores organisational culture and cultural sensitivity, and discusses some evidence-based approaches to enhancing communication within healthcare teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To recognise the potential benefits of using online spaces in the control of communicable diseases • To consider how to address challenges such as the spread of health misinformation online • To learn about a framework and resources you could use in your practice to navigate online spaces effectively. The digital revolution has significantly altered healthcare, including communicable disease control, with online spaces emerging as vital tools in preventing, identifying and controlling the spread of diseases. However, healthcare professionals, including nurses, need to find a balance between harnessing the benefits of mass communication and mitigating the potentially harmful effects of online misinformation. This article explores the benefits and challenges of using online spaces such as social media platforms in the control of communicable diseases and discusses the potential use of telehealth in reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial resistance. The author also describes a framework that nurses can use to explore potential roles and practice in the context of communicable disease control in online spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To understand the causes of peripheral neuropathic pain and its effects on patients’ quality of life • To be aware of the non-pharmacological interventions that may be used to manage peripheral neuropathic pain • To consider how you could support patients to self-manage their peripheral neuropathic pain. Peripheral neuropathic pain is a complex condition that can adversely affect people’s quality of life. Alongside pharmacological interventions, nurses can support patients to self-manage their pain using non-pharmacological interventions such as lifestyle changes and exercise. To do this effectively, nurses should be able to recognise the signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathic pain and be able to educate patients on appropriate self-management approaches. It is important that nurses provide education, advice and information in a way that patients can understand and check this understanding. This article provides an overview of how nurses can support patients to self-manage peripheral neuropathic pain by using various non-pharmacological interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of international students arriving in the UK to study nursing is on the rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple generations come together in the healthcare workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strict rules on what patients can eat and drink before surgery, which have been followed routinely for decades, could be unnecessary and could cause undue distress, experts argue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To gain insight into the challenges, for nurses, of preventing and addressing adult abuse • To understand where you can access further support, advice and training on adult safeguarding • To contribute towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers). Safeguarding adults at risk of abuse presents complex ethical challenges. By knowing what counts as adult abuse, recognising the signs of adult abuse and appropriately addressing suspected adult abuse, nurses contribute to protecting patients’ safety, well-being, autonomy and dignity. This article discusses categories and indicators of adult abuse, relevant legislation and standards, the principles of adult safeguarding and the key elements of a nursing assessment of suspected adult abuse. The author highlights that nurses need to approach safeguarding concerns sensitively and strike a balance between acting to safeguard the person and preserving their right to autonomy. There is a need for ongoing education and training to enhance nurses’ understanding of safeguarding practices, legislation, policies and standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The death of a loved one can trigger a range of feelings and emotions, among them anger, denial, guilt, sadness and shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To refresh your knowledge of various elements of communication • To recognise the skills required to communicate effectively and provide person-centred care • To learn about different communication models to support effective non-verbal and verbal communication. Communication is a process of sharing information and developing relationships through interaction. It is essential for nursing care, providing a basis for nurses to establish therapeutic relationships and trust with patients and their families. It is often assumed that nurses can intuitively communicate well; as a result, traditionally there has been a lack of formal training in this area. However, communication is a skill that can be developed and enhanced. This article explains the elements of communication and discusses the skills required by nurses to communicate effectively and provide compassionate, person-centred care. The author outlines two communication models to demonstrate how nurses can use these skills to deliver bad news and support people in distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To increase your knowledge of the physical and psychological effects of anorexia nervosa • To recognise the challenges of providing care to patients with anorexia nervosa in acute hospital settings • To enhance your ability to deliver psychologically informed care to patients with anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa is a challenging and highly distressing illness associated with significant and often debilitating symptoms that affect the person's physical and mental well-being, as well as their wider social networks. Although some patients can make important steps in their recovery in the community, many will become significantly unwell and require medical stabilisation and refeeding in an acute medical ward as a result of significant weight loss. This article describes some of the challenges experienced by adult nurses when caring for patients with anorexia nervosa on acute medical wards and explores how the patient's distress may manifest and complicate the recovery process. The article also discusses the principles of psychologically informed care and therapeutic interactions that nurses can use to promote recovery and ensure optimal practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teamwork is one of the most fundamental elements of providing safe healthcare. Effective team working has been found to reduce errors, increase patient safety and improve patient mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On her first nursing placement two decades ago, Caroline Whitton met a patient on a surgical ward who had cystic fibrosis. She cared for him again on her emergency department placement, and then on the respiratory ward. She later cared for the man as an outpatient in her capacity as cystic fibrosis nurse at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust until he died. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a well-known saying that nurses ‘eat their young’ – which suggests there can be times when support and communication between nurses from different generations might be lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smartphones play a huge part in our lives, with the average person spending more than four hours a day using them. However, the time you spend on your phone does not have to be wasted time consumed by aimless scrolling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Custody healthcare practitioners are specialist nurses and paramedics who provide expert clinical and forensic care to people detained in police stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While many internationally educated nurses work at senior levels in their home countries, their experience and expertise is unlikely to be recognised when they first arrive in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare often involves strong emotions and difficult situations, making staying calm when things are starting to escalate a vital skill for nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiprofessional team is a diverse range of colleagues from different disciplines collaborating to achieve a common outcome. Multiprofessional, also known as multidisciplinary, team working is fundamental to providing high quality, personcentred care, with positive collaboration between experts enabling a deeper understanding of different disciplines, specialist knowledge and skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursing has a problem with retention across the UK. But the scale of the issue is not uniform – it varies between organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Have you been called ‘the band 5’ or ‘the student’ in the workplace or on placement? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High intensity theatre (HIT) lists are an efficient new way to maximise numbers of patients treated to help reduce backlogs in non-emergency surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having had a career in nursing since the mid-1980s and the role of a senior lecturer for 20 years, I thought I would recognise a heart attack if I saw one. Until it happened to me. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a nursing student, it is important to be able to raise concerns in a professional manner, but this can be a daunting prospect when you are working with more senior and experienced staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeling safe to raise concerns in the knowledge that any issues will be listened to and acted on is essential to our well-being at work. Whether about patient safety or staffing levels, we must have the courage to raise and escalate our concerns using the tools and support available, such as a red flag system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issues patients from minority ethic backgrounds experience when seeking healthcare – like lack of empathy, discrimination, and poor outcomes – are well documented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sitting down with the close family members of a patient, my thoughts turned to how they must be feeling since finding out that their loved one was going to die. They had known for a day or so by this point, and I wondered if they could believe what was happening. I also wondered if they had thought about organ donation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism health passports (AHPs) have been endorsed by the UK government and recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, but are they working in practice? As autistic researchers, we want to share what we have discovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]