The ‘new normal’: delivering childhood immunisations during the COVID-19 pandemic

Delivery of the national immunisation programmes in general practice did not cease. Good coverage of immunisations is crucial to prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases (such as pertussis...

The need for more nurses in clinical director roles

Are we doing enough for our BME workforce in nursing?

The statistics tell a very stark story and the writing is evidently on the wall.

Are you ready for your vital role this winter?

Preparations for a possible second wave of COVID-19 this winter are well underway. While the Government works with primary and secondary care to ensure the NHS can cope with increased demands in case...

Periwound skin care considerations for older adults

In relation to changes that occur within the epidermis, proliferation of keratinocytes reduces leading to a slower rate of epidermal turnover (Farage et al, 2013). The main role of keratinocytes is to...

Experiences of advanced clinical practitioners in training and their supervisors in primary care using a hub and spoke model

Following a consultation period and review of primary care services, one local commissioning group requested a fresh approach to ACP training to meet the needs of a primary care service, and one which...

Asthma guidelines: which is the best of three?

The GINA report of 2020 (GINA, 2020) is the only guideline so far to have published guidance during the pandemic, although both the BTS and NICE have published separate documents on the subject. GINA...

Hypertension: don't be silent about ‘the silent killer’

Over the years, the role of nurses in blood pressure management has changed significantly. There has been a move away from nurses simply measuring, monitoring and charting blood pressure to specialist...

Recognition and management of sepsis in the urgent care out of hours setting

Sepsis is a life-threatening and common condition prompted by a microbial infection that causes the immune system of the body to react robustly; failure to provide timely treatment could lead to death...

Inhaled therapy for asthma

For severe or difficult asthma, a relatively new treatment exists for initiation by specialist care only. Monoclonal antibody (MAB) injections are given by intramuscular injection once a month to...

The nurse leader as a coach: Is the tide turning?

Myriad of definitions exist that seek to describe the term coaching. These include Milner et al, (2018) who argue that coaching is a skillset that requires dialogue between a coach and the person or...

The quest to find an effective vaccine for COVID-19

Coronaviruses include a range of organisms that can cause diseases, including the common cold and the current SARS-CoV-2. Despite the original severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus...

What nurses do as routine, is special in the time of COVID-19

The overtreatment of type 2 diabetes in frail older people

The Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study found that people with tighter glycaemic control (HbA1c <42 mmol/mol) had excessive mortality, particularly in those with multiple...