Community nursing Resources

In each issue we investigate a hot topic affecting you and your community practice. Here, Geraldine Walters CBE (left), executive director of professional practice, Nursing and Midwifery Council and Heather Bain ( right), academic strategic lead, academic programmes for Robert Gordon University and district nurse educator look at what the NMC post-registration qualifications consultation means for community nursing.

The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) is one of a number of charities that will receive additional support from the Covid-19 Healthcare Support Appeal (CHSA) this year. The funding allocated to the QNI will be used to support community nurses in financial need over the next 12 months. The new money from CHSA is specifically for nurses whose financial circumstances have been impacted by the pandemic and is one of several initiatives it is supporting across the voluntary sector.

Cancer survival rates are increasing, resulting in more people living with treatment or disease-related side-effects. Cancer is now considered to be a long-term condition and patients can present with a wide range of physical, psychological and social needs. Community nurses often see people living with or after cancer, but are not always recognised as part of the cancer workforce. This article outlines a pilot of a ‘cancer in the community’ four-day teaching module for community nurses in South West London. The conclusion and recommendations make the case for community nurses to receive education on cancer as a long-term condition and highlight key learning points from the pilot.

There are currently 15 million people in England who have a longterm condition, which is defined as one which currently has no cure other than drugs and symptomatic management (Bennett et al, 2012). At present, the UK population is affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and those with a long-term condition have been advised to selfisolate to prevent being infected by the virus (Department of Health [DH], 2020). This paper explores some of the effects of stress and anxiety with reference to Covid-19, as well as how the pandemic has affected the community nurse’s role.

When things go wrong, we need to make sure that lessons are learnt and improvements made. If we think something might go wrong, it’s important that we all feel able to speak up so that potential harm is prevented. Even when things are good, but could be even better, we should feel able to say something and should expect that our suggestion is listened to and used as an opportunity for improvement.

Brexit poses seismic challenges for health and social care provision in the United Kingdom concerning the ongoing financial support available to fund health and social care within a post-Brexit economy. Alongside funding issues, there are potential concerns linked to the continued access to medical supplies and equipment which are linked to trading relationships within the European Union (EU). Changes to the context of legal frameworks and funding for research which result from Brexit are also serious concerns. Although many of these areas may have potential detrimental impacts on patient care, there is a particular concern about the loss of migrant health and social care workers, which may exacerbate the recruitment issues currently facing the UK health and social care workforce. Reflections from those who work within health and social care, such as the authors of this paper, can create insider perspectives about what Brexit means to individuals and their families. This can help organisations consider the challenges that their current EU migrant workers experience and explore ways of mitigating these impacts on both the individual and wider organisation to ensure patient care is not diluted, but instead enhanced. 

Lipoedema is a challenging condition for patients, health and social care professionals. Lack of understanding about the condition leads to delayed diagnosis and poor support with self-management. This paper draws on key evidence, best practice guidelines for the management of lipoedema, and a patient story, to provide insights into the presentation, diagnosis, impact and management of the condition. It also identifies key points for practice for community nurses.

• Mental Health Clinical Assessor (RMN)
• Registered Mental Health Nurse (CAMHs)
• Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP)
• Acute Nurse (Band 5)
• Community/District Nurse (Band 5)
• Community / District Nurse (Band 5)
• Community / District Nurse (Band 5, 6 & 7)
• Acute Nurse (Band 5)

Improvement of wound outcomes is a priority for the NHS if the cost of wound management is to be reduced. Failure to undertake a full holistic wound assessment can result in inappropriate and ineffective treatment, resulting in delayed healing, which can have a negative effect on patient quality of life and healthcare resources. NHS England has commissioned a CQUIN scheme for 2017–19. This comprises 13 indicators which seek to improve quality and outcomes of care for NHS
patients, while supporting local areas in delivering their sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs). The tenth national indicator focuses on ‘improving the assessment of wounds’. This article provides a practical guide to systematic wound assessment for community nurses so that CQUIN targets can be met, and also introduces a new tool from BSN medical, an Essity company, to help nurses in this area.