Search

This article defines the concept of health promotion and explains why it is essential for nurses to embed health promotion aims and values in their practice. It discusses how health promotion contributes to the improvement and maintenance of population health and contemporary public health agendas in the UK and worldwide. Using several practical activities, this article aims to encourage nurses to identify their own approach to promoting health in their professional role, consider how they can implement 'Making Every Contact Count' with the patients they care for, and enhance the overall effectiveness of their practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term health promotion has been used in healthcare for several years. However, the meaning of this term is debated, particularly in nursing. Some nurses might believe that, because they are healthcare practitioners working in healthcare services, that they are 'by default' automatically involved in health promotion activities; however, this is often not the case. Instead, they are more likely to be engaging in health education activities; that is, simply providing individuals with health-related information, rather than seeking to empower individuals, families, groups and communities. While health education is related to health promotion, these terms are not interchangeable, since health education is a component of health promotion. This article clarifies these concepts and describes approaches to illness prevention and promoting well-being that nurses can use in their practice with patients across the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient choice and control should be central to the delivery of high-quality, end of life care. Advance care planning (ACP) is a process through which a patient's choices and preferences for care can be discussed and documented. It also enables patients to express what they would want to happen to them in the event that they lose capacity to make decisions. This article focuses on the use of the patient-held Preferred Priorities for Care (PPC) document, an example of an ACP tool. This article aims to provide a greater understanding of the PPC document as an end of life care tool and increase practitioners' knowledge, confidence and competence in undertaking ACP conversations with patients and their carers. Four case studies are provided to link theory to practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on the patient-centered approach in managing asthma. Encouragement of patients to take an active role in managing the disease; Launch of Asthma Be in Control packs in Great Britain; Citations of the barriers in instigating self-management of asthma.