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Why you should read this article: • To be aware of the latest developments in non-medical prescribing, including nurse prescribing • To identify the benefits and barriers to increasing the number of nurse independent prescribers • To consider the potential role for nurse independent prescribers in the mentoring and development of future nurse prescribers. The Nursing and Midwifery Council states that nurses should be able to demonstrate competence in prescribing practice at the point of registration to be ‘prescribing ready’. The aim is to increase the number of nurse independent prescribers and improve access to pharmacological treatments for patients. However, while this policy presents opportunities for nurses to develop their prescribing knowledge and skills, there are also challenges involved in integrating prescribing theory into nurse education and ensuring there are enough suitable mentors available in practice. This article details how the policy of prescribing readiness is being addressed in preregistration nurse education and explores the supervision of nurse prescribing in clinical practice. The author also discusses how best to support the professional development of nurse independent prescribers beyond their initial training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To refresh your knowledge of health inequalities and the social determinants of health • To recognise the barriers to nurses implementing effective health promotion • To consider how you and your colleagues could reconfigure the approach to health promotion taken in your area of practice. Inequalities in people’s health due to economic or social circumstances remain a persistent challenge in the UK, with people from disadvantaged communities disproportionately likely to die earlier and experience more health issues than the general population. Health promotion has a vital role in reversing health inequalities and requires a focus on structural and political-level determinants of health, rather than individuals’ lifestyle choices. However, while health promotion is a significant aspect of nurse education curricula, individual nurses may experience role confusion regarding the application of health promotion in their practice. Therefore, a shift is required in nurse education and training on health promotion, as well as its practical implementation. This article suggests some approaches that could be taken to reconfigure the role of nurses in health promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite changes making it easier for nurses to request flexible hours, many are finding the only way to achieve the flexibility they want is by effectively accepting demotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A head of the general election on 4 July, Nursing Standard met shadow health and social care secretary Wes Streeting to find out what nurses could expect from a Labour government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apprenticeships are intended to play a crucial role in increasing the number of nurses in the NHS in England, but there are growing concerns the programme is not fit for purpose. Here, we look at what the issues are and how the programme is set up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of people wanting to study nursing at universities is plummeting despite government promises in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan to increase training places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurses are at risk of failing to learn about the latest developments in patient care because staffing pressures and lack of employer support mean they have no time for continuing professional development (CPD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To enhance your knowledge of the factors that can increase the risk of suicide among healthcare staff • To be aware of the actions that nurses can take with their colleagues to reduce the risk of suicide • To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD, or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers) Reducing the number of deaths by suicide is an important area in public health. Several factors, including excessive workload demands and burnout, mean that healthcare staff such as nurses are at higher risk of death by suicide compared with people working in other occupations. This article explores the contributory factors involved in suicide among healthcare professionals and outlines some of the methods that nurses can use to enquire about suicide risk with their colleagues. It also details appropriate interventions that nurses can use to reduce the risk of suicide among their colleagues. The authors aim to increase nurses' understanding of their role in suicide prevention in the healthcare workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-awaited NHS workforce plan, which has now been published, years after it was promised, has been met with scepticism over how its commitments will be delivered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first-ever cohort of nursing associates – then a controversial new role – joined the workforce in England in January 2019, having completed their two-year training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Band 5 nursing roles usually involve direct clinical practice and patient contact – often key reasons why some nurses choose to remain at this level. 'Some of the opportunities at band 6 and above can start to take you away from that,' says University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust deputy director of nursing workforce Carolyn Pitt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social care nurses often work in isolation from their registered peers, but more than ever need support from across the profession to carry out their roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long shifts, poor access to healthy food at work, and the constant temptation of chocolates and biscuits from patients and their families when you need a quick energy fix – is it any wonder that so many nurses struggle with their weight? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ward managers provide valuable clinical leadership in the delivery of quality care to patients. Their role should be supernumerary – not counted as part of the staffing needed for safe care – affording those in post the time to lead and manage. [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]

Gender services care for people with gender incongruence, the term used for a discrepancy between an individual's birth-assigned sex and their gender identity, or how they feel about their gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the number of nurses in the NHS is a priority across the UK, and in England the government has a target of 50,000 more by 2025. When this election commitment was made in 2019, boosting student numbers, improving retention and developing new routes into the profession could all have played a role. But it is now 'too late' to use a scale-up in domestic preregistration education to meet the target, says University of Edinburgh visiting professor James Buchan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To understand the importance of emotionally intelligent leadership in nursing • To enhance your understanding of the components of emotionally intelligent leadership • To identify various practical activities that leaders could undertake to enhance their emotional intelligence skills Emotionally intelligent leaders demonstrate a sensitivity to their own and other people's psychological health and well-being, directing others towards common goals while developing effective personal relationships with their colleagues and team members. Emotional intelligence is particularly relevant in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, where nurse leaders need to demonstrate this skill when supporting their teams to manage high levels of stress, exhaustion and the risk of moral injury. This article explores emotional intelligence, discusses its importance as a characteristic of effective nurse leaders and managers, and suggests practical activities that leaders can undertake to develop their emotional intelligence skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To increase your awareness of the pressures and demands on palliative care services • To gain a clearer understanding of the scope of specialist and generalist palliative care • To recognise that all nurses have a role to play in delivering palliative and end of life care The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a significant increase in the demand for palliative and end of life care, particularly in the community. Furthermore, palliative and end of life care services face growing pressures due to the increasing number of older people and increasing prevalence of chronic illness. Palliative and end of life care cannot be provided solely by specialists but needs to be integrated into mainstream healthcare. All nurses have a role in supporting patients with life-limiting conditions, and their families, by providing what is termed 'generalist palliative care'. However, some nurses may feel unprepared, unsupported or lacking the confidence and skills for that role. This article explores the definitions of palliative and end of life care, as well as the changes and challenges in service provision brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also considers how nurses who have not specialised in this area of practice can be supported to care effectively for patients with life-limiting conditions, and their families, notably through workforce development initiatives such as training programmes and clinical supervision. This could not only increase the skills of the nursing workforce but also improve patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurses are potential leaders at every stage of their career, and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of effective leadership more than ever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To recognise the importance of effective leadership during highly challenging periods, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic • To understand the advantages and disadvantages of using the transactional, transformational and laissez-faire leadership styles in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic • To be aware of the potential benefits of compassionate leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic Leadership is central to effective nursing practice and is considered to be particularly important during crises such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This article examines several leadership styles that are commonly used in healthcare – namely the transactional, transformational and laissez-faire leadership styles – and considers their advantages and disadvantages in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also explains the potential benefits of compassionate leadership in supporting the nursing workforce during this highly challenging and stressful period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a nurse, getting paid what you deserve is not always easy to achieve. But one area in which nurses need to be especially vigilant is acting-up pay and ensuring they are not losing out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White nurses applying for posts at acute NHS trusts in London are more than twice as likely to be offered a job than black applicants, research shared with Nursing Standard suggests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a newly registered nurse (NRN), finding your voice in a professional sense can be challenging. You may feel you should speak up but are not quite sure how, or you may think your voice does not matter due to your relative inexperience. Or maybe you are so busy trying to keep your head above water and make it through the day that you sometimes forget you even have a voice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview with Ruth May, chief nursing officer of England, is presented. May discusses the challenges experienced in the recruitment and retention of nurses. She also talks about the efforts to promote pride in nursing and the roles of the National Health Service (NHS) and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in raising the status of nursing in the country.

The article features Yvonne Coghill, chair of the Royal College of Nursing Institute (RCNi) Nurse Awards 2019. She discusses her aim to double the number of entries from, and nominations for, black and minority ethnic (BME) nurses. Also mentioned is her role as director of the workforce race equality standard (WRES) since its introduction by National Health Service (NHS) England in 2015.

The article provides information on a National Health Service (NHS) England Midlands' Developing Aspirant Ethnic Minority Nursing and Midwifery Leaders Programme for nurses and midwives which aims to improve representation of black and minority ethnic staff in senior roles. Topics include background on the creation of the programme, long-term ambition of the programme, and recommendations from clinical workforce equalities manager Tom Warner for those who want to establish a programme.

Almost one in seven nurses missed work in the past 12 months because of caring commitments at home, a Nursing Standard survey suggests. And the burden of family caring can be greater for nurses because relatives may be keen to pass responsibilities on to 'the nurse in the family'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents views of stakeholders in healthcare on issues that will determine the future of National Health Service (NHS) England. It includes Mark Dayan, public affairs analyst at Nuffield Trust on the current health of the NHS and the importance of political will to reform social care funding. Former NHS chief executive Lord Crisp and nurse Charlotte Hall presented their views on the role nurses could play in the future of the NHS.

The article discusses the doubtful success of the National Health Service (NHS) Long Term Plan unless the NHS staffing crisis is resolved in Great Britain as of February 2019. Topics covered include the plan's focus on prevention, digital access to services, and alleviating workforce pressures, and the climate of political uncertainty stemming from Brexit. Also noted are proposed funding increase for undergraduate clinical placements, and financial support for nurse mental health training.

The article discusses the issues raised in connection with the exit of Great Britain from the European Union (EU), called Brexit, and its impact to nurses and the National Health Service (NHS). Issues discussed include the likelihood of a funding boost for the NHS, the status of nurses from the EU and from other countries working in Great Britain as well as British nurses who would like to work in the EU, and Brexit's impact to health research.

The article explores the factors that could affect the implementation of a system for nursing student supervision and assessment in Great Britain. Topics mentioned include the emergence of new routes into nursing including nursing associates and nursing degree apprenticeships, the important role to be played by education providers and practice placement providers, and the roles that replace nurse mentorship including practice assessor and academic assessor.

The article examines the differences in nurses' pay in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, as of March 2018. The National Health Service (NHS) Pay Review Body (RB) is considering evidence on pay rises from staff side unions, the government and NHS Employers. Negotiations are being held between all key parties to try to reach agreement on changes to Agenda for Change (AfC) pay structure. The implication of the devolution legislation on pay structure is discussed.

The article focuses on the need for government and England's chief nursing officer to respond to the crisis of nurses walking away from the National Health Service (NHS) and the profession. Topics discussed include the need to reverse cuts to training budgets, the number of nursing vacancies in the NHS in England and details on the Nursing Workforce report.

The article discusses National Health Service (NHS) organizations' practice of using other staff to fill gaps in the nursing workforce in Great Britain. Topics discussed include NHS trusts' challenges in recruiting and retaining nurses, the hiring of cheaper and unregistered staff, and the of impact of role substitution and diluting skill mix on quality of care.

The article focuses on the prevalence of sexual harassment in health organisations in Great Britain. Topics discussed include the need for employers to have clear policies on sexual harassment, supporting staff in reporting sexual harassment incidents to the police and the need for managers to take sexual harassment seriously.

The article address the shrinking nursing workforce in Great Britain, as confirmed by figures from the National Health Service (NHS) Digital and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Topics discussed include decline in the number of full-time equivalent nurses and health visitors in 2017, remarks from King's Fund director of policy Richard Murray, and reasons of nurses for leaving.

The article focuses on the need for improvement in Black and minority ethnic (BME) nurse representation in leadership roles in Great Britain discussed at a National Health Service (NHS) Employers conference held in London, England in September 2017. It was discovered that only 2.2% of nursing director jobs are filled by people from the BME group. The event was attended by nurses, board members, chief executives and diversity experts. Also discussed is the unconscious bias against BME nurses.

The first cohort of Kenyan nurses offered work in the UK as part of a government deal to boost NHS numbers has begun work at a trust in England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anyone familiar with the NHS's attempts to improve the prospects of black and minority ethnic staff could be forgiven for being sceptical about this year's big idea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our experts consider a hot topic of the day [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the difficulties faced by health care providers in recruiting nurses and physicians to practice medicine in remote and isolated areas in the U.S. While 19% of the U.S. population live in rural areas, only 17% of the nation's physicians practice in those communities. The rural population in general is poorer than people in urban settings and it is older, which means its health care needs are greater.

In the face of NHS budget cuts, nurses are being asked to justify their workforce numbers. Keith Hurst reviews some of the tools available for calculating staffing levels, examines their pros and cons, and discusses their application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The desperate situation of the health workforce in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) cannot be overstated. This has been a significant and confounding factor in the decline in life expectancy in a number of SSA countries. This article identifies the reasons for the global shortage of nurses and recommends actions to address the crisis in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ageing nursing workforce and potential changes to the NHS pension scheme mean that employers need to consider the needs of older nurses as a matter of urgency. INSETS: Patients keep you in touch with reality;Retirement age should be up to the nurse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the results of a survey on whether Tony Blair's government delivered a better work/life balance for nurses. Complaints of some nurses about employee friendly policies; Impact of nurses' caring responsibilities on their career prospects; Emphasis needed on the older members of the workforce; Way the National Health Service relies on nurses' goodwill to ensure shifts are covered and jobs are completed before they go home. INSETS: 'I do not see enough of my family';'A big thank you to my boss';'I appreciate my charge nurse'.

When is a 'nurse' not a nurse? Many of us are becoming increasingly concerned at the growing trend of the use of the term nurse to describe a wide range of different workers. These workers have a range of backgrounds and qualifications, but they are still referred to as nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NHS banks provide a pool of temporary staff to cover planned or unplanned shortfalls in the workforce, including sickness absence, vacancies and annual or maternity leave. They enable trusts to avoid having to pay expensive agency fees to fill any gaps in staffing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurses are under pressure to be healthy role models, but the food available in hospitals can pile on the pounds. Erin Dean reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The government's proposed pay award of 1% has caused widespread anger, but it is important that we do not suggest that nurses deserve more pay in reward for their hard work during the pandemic – it is about much more than that. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]