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This paper describes the evolution of undergraduate nurse education within the University of Southampton. It highlights the continuing responsiveness of the university to the rapidly changing policy initiatives and landscape of healthcare delivery with subsequent workforce needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of service user involvement of a group of children and young people with palliative care needs from a Children's hospice in the design and development of the BSc (Hons) Children's Nursing programme at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU), Kent. It will specifically describe the children and young people's service user involvement in three key areas: programme development and contribution to the curriculum, selection of students and participation in the assessment of the students' clinical experience. The introduction of the new Nursing and Midwifery Council Standards for pre-registration nurse education (2010) has led for the need to involve service users at the planning and development phase of new nurse educational programmes to ensure the delivery of high-quality care. The following key themes were identified as being important to the children and young people: communication, accessing mainstream education and transitioning. These have been incorporated and strengthened within the new children's nursing curriculum, creating a contemporary children's nursing programme in response to the needs of children and young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The management of chronic conditions has evolved to include tele-rehabilitation systems but are these changes being realised in practice and is the increasing adoption of networked environments reflected in pre-registration health education? This paper outlines a scoping exercise which explores current health informatics education in regional higher education institutions for medical, nursing, and allied health professions pre-registration curricula in England. Aims: to establish whether health informatics (HI) competencies are integral to regional higher education (HE) health care programmes and whether graduates would be equipped to work safely and effectively within networked primary care, secondary care and rehabilitation centres. Methods: a mixed research model was adopted; generating data from a regional sample of education providers offering pre-registration medical, nursing, and/or allied health professional programmes. Data collection was by way of online survey and interviews. From 27 identified regional programmes, academics (n=14) representing nine different medical and health professions responded via interview and online questionnaire; a response rate of 51%. Students representing eight health professions (n=186) responded to online questionnaires. Findings: Basic information communications technology (ICT) skills, information literacy, and knowledge management are well supported within the identified programmes of study. However, several endorsed informatics standards are not fully integrated. Time constraints and a shortage of expertise were identified as barriers to integration. Sixty-one percent of students would value more access to, and training on clinical information systems. Conclusions: The report revealed limitations in the provision of informatics education; within HE health care curricula and offers recommendations to improve practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursing is the largest qualified professional workforce in the UK, with TV programmes, films, books and other media sources frequently informing the general public's views of nursing roles. This study examines first year pre-registration nursing students' perceptions of community nursing roles, using a qualitative design and questionnaire. Participants included pre-registration nursing students from a university in north west England: a mean of 240 and 68.5% across all questions. Of those invited, 267 were adult nursing students; 53 were mental health nursing students; and 30 were child nursing students. Data were collected using an online questionnaire across two groups and analysed thematically. Four questions were considered relating to students' knowledge of community nursing. Results uncovered knowledge gaps, and community roles were perceived to be less dynamic than secondary care roles, correlating to clinical tasks and popularised media sources. Results provided insight into student nurse perceptions, offering an understanding from which to construct a more inclusive, community-focused nursing curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting health and preventing ill health are key standards of proficiency for pre-registration nursing education in the UK. The knowledge and skills required to fulfil this role is dependent on students developing a clear understanding of population health during their educational experience. The websites of the 60 undergraduate adult nursing programmes in England that lead to registration were explored, to see how the population health agenda is presented in the information for future candidates. It was found that only 26% of universities promote a population health agenda in the general description of the adult nursing programme, emphasising clinical skills teaching and partnerships with hospital trusts for placement provision. To embrace the breadth of 21st century nursing practice, universities should be marketing nursing proficiencies and raising awareness of the wider context in which care is delivered during recruitment. This approach to branding has the potential to challenge stereotypes and widen participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient safety is a key priority for all healthcare systems, and there is growing recognition for the need to educate tomorrow's nurses about the role of human factors in reducing avoidable harm to patients. A pilot survey was sent to 20 schools of nursing in England to explore the teaching of patient safety and human factors. All 13 schools that responded (65% response rate) stated that patient safety was covered in their curricula and was allocated more than 4 hours; all the classes included human factors. Only two respondents indicated their teaching to be multi-professional. Awareness of the World Health Organization's multiprofessional patient safety curriculum guide was poor. Faculties also seemed unaware that the Institute for Healthcare Improvement provides free online patient safety modules for students and that there is a global network of student patient safety chapters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is variation in undergraduate curriculum content related to abortion, both nationally and internationally. Aims To explore how student midwives perceived education related to abortion within a midwifery curriculum. Methods A qualitative exploratory survey design used an anonymised questionnaire to capture the perception of 60 student midwives on education related to abortion. Frequency, distribution and themes generated were synthesised using framework analysis. Results A total of 45 students responded. Overall, 16 were in first year, 15 were in second year and 14 were third year students. Of those who had received education about abortion, only five (2.25%) expressed that their learning needs about the topic had been met. A total of 40% (18) had cared for women seeking abortion while in clinical placement. There were two overarching themes that were identified: education and values. Conclusions The theory of abortion did not prepare the students for practice. Standardised midwifery content is required, covering definition, process, and legal aspects of care around abortion, on international, national and local levels. Empathy was enhanced by exposure to theory or practice and a safe, reflective, educational space is essential to explore how perceptions change after exposure to the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the Autism Act 2009 and subsequent publications, the University of Southampton's Faculty of Health Sciences introduced an interactive e-learning package through enhancing and harmonising its learning resources, to enable students to effectively work with individuals living with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The resource encompasses reading material, quizzes checking self-knowledge, links to external resources, video links and hearing those living with autism, and can be accessed by students at a time convenient to their learning needs and placement activities. With the increasing numbers of women with a known ASD, midwives will need to adapt behaviours, environments and care packages, and support women through their transition to parenthood. Based on the lead author's experience as a parent and carer of someone living with an ASD, this article explores the challenge for midwives to experience the world from a different perspective, embrace it and become understanding and more tolerant of difference and diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a recent Nursing and Midwifery Council revalidation of a university undergraduate nursing programme, simulation skills sessions and anatomy and physiology theory were integrated into one unit (module). This was done in order to integrate the basis for patient assessment and care provision with the anatomical and physiological theory and thereby enhance student learning and nursing practice. Students evaluated the new unit well and valued the close link between theory and practice simulation. Improvements were seen in the simulation skills sessions as students were better able to apply their underlying theory to their actions. Learning was enhanced as both simulation and theory were seen as more meaningful to practice and patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with learning disabilities are living longer lives. Over the past few years, research has explored the needs of people with learning disabilities, their families and learning disability professionals in relation to end-of-life care and death. However, little is known about the needs of paid carers and their experience of end-of-life care. This article discusses the development, implementation and evaluation of a study day about end-of-life care that was delivered to paid carers on two separate occasions in Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. A total of 43 paid carers attended and the days were well evaluated. The need for further training for paid carers who work with people with learning disabilities at the end of life was highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been considerable investment in end-of-life care education for the care home sector in recent years. This article looks at three recent initiatives in West Sussex in south east England and appraises the advantages and disadvantages of each. The three initiatives were an action learning project, a Six Steps to Success care home programme, and a Gold Standards Framework for Care Home programme. The details of how each approach was operationalised and the initial results and evaluations are discussed. It is essential that end-of-life educators working in the same geographical area communicate and build on one another's contributions, and this article is an instance of such collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]