Resources

Wound healing is a complex, multi-phase physiological process that can be compromised by a range of factors, including malnutrition. In community settings, chronic wounds such as pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and venous leg ulcers are common and place a significant burden on both patients and the healthcare system. Despite this, nutritional considerations are often overlooked in wound care. This article outlines the critical role of adequate nutrition — particularly protein and key micronutrients — in supporting tissue repair and reducing the risk of chronic wound development. It also explores the impact of malnutrition as both a contributor to wound chronicity and a barrier to healing, with particular attention given to high-risk groups such as older adults and those with diabetes. Practical recommendations are provided to support community nurses in identifying patients at nutritional risk and implementing appropriate dietary interventions or referrals. The importance of a multidisciplinary approach, including timely dietetic input, is emphasised throughout.

In 2018, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published antimicrobial guidance on prescribing for catheterassociated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). CAUTIs are among the most prevalent healthcare-associated infections, posing significant challenges to patient care and healthcare systems worldwide. Managing CAUTIs requires a multifaceted approach encompassing prevention, early detection, and appropriate intervention strategies. This article discusses the processes involved in improving CAUTI rates and presents a critical review of the current evidence in managing CAUTIs effectively.

Dementia is a syndrome occurring as a result of brain disease, which is usually chronic or progressive in nature and ultimately a lifelimiting condition. In addition to cognitive decline, people diagnosed with dementia will experience a gradual loss of function with a growing inability to perform basic activities of daily living, such as feeding, toileting and dressing. Dementia is often synonymous with ageing so individuals also experience conditions related to age, such as the effects of ageing skin and increased risk of frailty and falls, all of which are significant risk factors for skin tears. This paper considers fragile skin in the form of a skin tear, in the context of a fictionalised case study based on clinical practice of a person with dementia, and explores the assessment, care and treatment of such an injury, reflecting on the literature.

As the healthcare landscape in the UK increasingly shifts towards community-based care, attracting newly qualified nurses to these roles is essential for sustaining and enhancing services. This article explores strategies to engage student nurses in community careers at the point of registration, drawing on the experiences of two recently qualified nurses who have chosen to begin their careers in community nursing. Their insights, combined with available evidence, highlight key factors influencing career decisions, including mentorship, exposure during training, and awareness of the benefits associated with community nursing. The article offers practical recommendations for nurses and educators to inspire and support the next generation, emphasising the importance of pre-registration placements, role modelling, and structured postgraduate support. Additionally, it examines ways to ensure that newly qualified community nurses feel equipped in their roles, fostering retention and long-term commitment to this important area of healthcare.

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.

The ‘community matters’ feature in this issue is definitely worth taking time to read (pp. 8–12). It discusses student nurses and the value that each and every one of them brings to our practice and workplace. I am sure we have all felt an additional pressure to the ever increasing demands on our time and workload when we are allocated a student nurse to assess or supervise. There is no doubt about it — students can be challenging, but this is positive for us as well as our patients and workplaces. We are all continually learning and students are receiving knowledge based on the latest available evidence, which can support our own development. Their questions are a catalyst for reflection on our own practice and can instigate change, thus enhancing patient care. Remember — we have all been a student at some point in our careers and without the support, guidance and experiences we had, we would not be where we are today.

With all the demands on the time of community nurses, being allocated a student can often be perceived as a mandate that does not bring any immediate benefit to the supervisor, assessor and wider team. The supervision of students in the community requires one-to-one observation, which can limit the nurse’s feeling of personal autonomy. Students also require documentation to be completed to evidence learning and consideration of their individual learning needs, all of which take time. Although this role is a requirement of registered nurses, it is rarely given any protected time due to workload pressures.

In March 2025, The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) announced its new name, The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN). The change of name highlights the organisation’s commitment to promoting and supporting community nursing across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The new name was granted by supplemental Royal Charter and is actually the fourth name of the charity since it was founded in 1887, in the reign of Queen Victoria. Nursing pioneer, Florence Nightingale, was instrumental in the creation of the charity, along with the philanthropist, William Rathbone, who had pioneered district nursing in Liverpool.

After a long wait, and years after updated international guidelines, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has worked with the British Thoracic Society (BTS) and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) to produce a unified guideline on asthma for the UK (NICE et al, 2024).

It comes at a time when seven out of ten people with asthma are not receiving the basic care they need to stay well, often resulting in their condition being uncontrolled and leaving them at risk of lifethreatening asthma attacks. In fact, the number of asthma deaths has actually risen over the past decade (https://ow.ly/zA1750V5ZRy; https:// ow.ly/OycP50V5ZS0; https://ow.ly/ TIe250V5ZSQ).

With a quarter of children now starting school not toilet trained, ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity is launching an intervention to help reverse the trend, and is inviting families and healthcare professionals to hop aboard the Toilet Train.

Over the last century, the average age that children are being potty trained in the UK has risen from 12–18 months, to an average of around three or even four years today (Blum et al, 2004).

ERIC, The Children’s Bowel & Bladder Charity, carried out research with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in 2016 and the National Day Nursery Association in 2018. Both surveys showed that parents are toilet training their children later. Furthermore, research by Kindred Squared (2024) showed that one in four children in England and Wales are now starting school still wearing nappies.