Disadvantaged dying in palliative care

It remains true that strongly held religious and cultural beliefs can prevent people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds from accessing palliative care. However, it also remains true...

Legal duty of care and the community nurse

Supporting distress behaviours in people with dementia in the community

Stress is a naturally occurring adaptation reaction in human beings in response to internal or external threats to homeostasis (Lecic-Tosevski et al, 2011). People with dementia, as with any person,...

Self-neglect as a significant public health issue: exploring the responsibility of the SPCDN

There is limited data regarding the prevalence of self-neglect within the UK, coupled with multiple ambiguous definitions of the term (National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), 2020)....

Patient-centred stoma care support: ileostomy patients

An ileostomy is a life-changing surgery, performed to save or improve patients’ lives. As such, lifestyle adjustments are essential to ensure that these patients adapt to the physiological changes in...

GLP-1 receptor agonists and their role in managing type 2 diabetes

The World Health Organization (2023) defines diabetes as a chronic, metabolic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which over time can lead to serious damage to...

How did student district nurses feel during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative study

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the only UK study which explores the experience of student district nurses during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors note there is...

Embracing digital transformation

In the ever-evolving landscape of care, the integration of digital technology stands out as a pivotal strategy to enhance effectiveness and provide support to our community nursing workforce...

Spinning plates or perfect jigsaw?

‘…the success of integrated care will depend on workforce development so that practitioners, many of whom have worked and trained in silos, are able to contribute effectively to complex patient...

Review of recently published articles

New research exploring antipsychotic use in older people and examining their risk of infection following a stroke has been published in Age and Ageing. Studies conducted following stroke into...

Preparing healthcare students for palliative care is essential

The World Health Organization (WHO) is clear about what constitutes palliative care and its goals: ‘Palliative care is a crucial part of integrated, people-centred health services. Relieving serious...

Important legal principles of consent and mental capacity

The right to consent to (and refuse) treatment is a fundamental right that has been established in law for a significant period of time (Jackson, 2022). In the UK, the case of Chatterton v Gerson...