Resources

Nurse-led projects are one of the most direct ways in which the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN) helps nurses improve patient care. Since 1990, the QICN has funded around 350 innovative projects across the whole range of community nursing specialisms in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, through its Community Nursing Innovation Programme (CNIP). Nurses are given the time, support and confidence to develop ideas rooted in the realities of the communities they serve and often the projects become part of mainstream services.

People living within rural areas of Scotland, as in other remote parts of the UK, face certain challenges in relation to economy, transport, education and health. The definition of rural Scotland is defined as settlements with a population of less than 3,000, with these settlements further defined by postcodes and drive times to larger settlements. Also within such rural communities, there is a higher percentage of ‘older smaller’ households, where one or both adults are of pensionable age. In addition, remote rural areas have a higher proportion of single pensioner households (‘single older’) compared to accessible rural areas and the rest of Scotland (Scottish Government, 2021). Scotland’s population compared to urban areas as a whole is ageing, with a larger proportion of the population in remote rural areas now aged 65 and over, with a lower percentage of people aged 16–44 years old (Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services [RESAS], 2023). This paper highlights these issues and showcases the collaborative work being undertaken by Urram, a local charity to address issues residents face in a rural community on the west coast of Scotland.

At JCN we would like to thank our industry partners for their support to the 2025 JCN study days and exhibition. To share what has been happening at these UK-wide events, we invited our partners to give an overview of the topics they presented, which offer some valuable insights into their areas of care and highlight the education provided to our delegates.

Hypercholesterolaemia, typically characterised by elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, remains a significant modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Before pharmacological intervention, UK guidelines emphasise the importance of making lifestyle changes — especially dietary modification — which can yield clinically meaningful reductions in cholesterol levels. This article equips community nurses with practical, evidence-based nutritional strategies to support patients in managing hypercholesterolaemia. Key areas include increasing dietary fibre intake and striving towards a Mediterranean-style diet. Controversies around saturated fat, seed oils, and dietary cholesterol are addressed through a nuanced, food-matrix lens. The article also explores the roles of phytosterols, cooking oils, coffee, and body weight in lipid management. With appropriate support, nurses can help patients implement simple, sustainable changes to lower cholesterol levels and reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.

Self-care or self- management of health has become essential for sustainability of health and social care services but can be challenging to engage with for several reasons. Frustration can arise when people are unable to self-manage, perhaps through lack of confidence, willingness, outside influences (such as family members), lack of knowledge about a particular condition or procedure, disease symptoms, or even issues with digital inclusion. It can become difficult to work with people where there are barriers to self-management due to lack of time or resources to fully explore and address these alongside the person, or lack of access to professional training for skills such as coaching, which are essential to achieving effective self-management.

Viscopaste and Ichthopaste Bandages and Zipzoc Medicated Stocking have a heritage to be proud of and have been trusted by clinicians for decades to treat patients successfully. But despite their longevity in the armoury of many healthcare professionals, there is often still some uncertainty around product selection, with clinicians asking, ‘how do I know which product to choose for my patient?’ Despite using the products for many years, clinicians and patients are often unable to explain the specific modes of action of zinc oxide and ichthammol. This can result in a knowledge gap in relation to product choice and the healing success that they observe. This feature provides the reader with a better understanding of when it might be desirable to choose one of these products over another. But first, let’s look at the main raw ingredients of zinc oxide and ichthammol.

I work part time for Sutton Health and Care — Sutton community services. I support residents and staff in three supported living homes.

I start the day with the Sutton Health and Care Home Support Team. We review hospital admissions, accident and emergency department attendances and discharges, and arrange to review those individuals. I then add any additional people to my caseload and check if there have been any changes in the health of people I plan to visit. I visit each home on a specific day. I catch up with staff who may refer additional patients.