EDITORIAL
Giving credit where it’s due
Editor in Chief Ian Peate Editor/Associate Publisher Julie Smith [email protected] Deputy Editor Aysha Mendes da Mata [email protected] Subeditors Daniel Davies [email protected] Vicqui Stuart-Jones [email protected] Commissioning Editor Sue Woodward Group Classified Director Rachel McElhinney [email protected] Circulation Director Sally Boettcher [email protected] Associate Publisher Chloe Benson [email protected] MedEd Manager Tracy Cowan [email protected] Classified Sales Executive Harry Nolan Production Manager Jon Redmayne Production Assistant Larry Oakes Editorial Make-up Lindsey Butlin Publisher Anthony Kerr Chief Executive Officer Ben Allen UK PERSONAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Quarterly Direct Debit Annual Direct Debit Annual Credit Card 2yr Annual Credit Card 3yr Annual Credit Card
£42 £164 £173 £294 £415
Subscribe online: www.magsubscriptions.com, Subscribe by phone: +44 (0) 1722 716997 MA Healthcare Ltd is part of the Mark Allen Group
www.markallengroup.com The British Journal of Nursing is published by MA Healthcare Ltd, St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB Tel: 020 7738 5454 Editorial: 020 7501 6716 Sales: 020 7501 6726 Email: [email protected] Websites: www.britishjournalofnursing.com © MA Healthcare Ltd, 2014. All rights reserved. No part of the British Journal of Nursing may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the Publishing Director. The British Journal of Nursing is a double-blind, peerreviewed journal. It is indexed on the main databases, including the International Nursing Index, Medline and the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) ISSN 0966 – 0461 Print: Pensord Press Ltd, Blackwood, NP12 2YA Distribution: Comag Distribution, West Drayton, UB7 7QE Cover picture: iStockphoto.com
The paper used within this publication has been sourced from Chain-of-Custody certified manufacturers, operating within international environmental standards, to ensure sustainable sourcing of the raw materials, sustainable production and to minimise our carbon footprint.
British Journal of Nursing, 2014, Vol 23, No 11
N
urses are a force for change and investing in nursing can make a difference; it is high time credit was given where it is due. To make the best use of nurses in the NHS, they should be encouraged and supported to perform to their highest potential. This support must come from managers locally and from the Government centrally, despite this Government’s desire to ‘decentralise’. There is growing evidence to suggest that sufficient, adequately educated and motivated health workers are central to the health of the local, national and global populations. It is not possible to provide equitable access to any healthcare service without a sufficient number of appropriately prepared and educated nurses.The nursing workforce is the backbone of any safe, effective healthcare system. Nurses are the largest group of health professionals and, in some parts of the UK, they are the only health workers available to local populations. Nurses have a significant role to play in improving the health and wellbeing of the population, regardless of where they practise. But this does not come cheap—and it should not be attempted to be done on the cheap. Nurses practise alongside other healthcare workers in situations where there is often a gap between the supply and demand of health workers.There are other factors too: the impact of the global and national financial crises, the migration of nurses, as well as nurses’ working lifespan. Transformation of the scope of practice, the influence of new technology and demographic shifts have changed, and will continue to change, the way nurses work. Patient safety is paramount in all spheres of health care and workforce planning is the key to this, as well as to measuring workloads and ensuring that there are safe staffing levels for patients and also for nurses. The current worldwide economic downturn has resulted in a number of adverse outcomes and the services provided by healthcare providers have not been free from in-depth examination, as they use significant resources, both human and material. There is a shortsighted view that spending on health services is a cost, as opposed to an investment. The language of this approach has no place in any organisation that provides health and social care to people (often society’s most vulnerable).Terms such as ‘return on investment (ROI)’, ‘efficiency’ and ‘a costeffective approach’ are derived from industry. When they are used, so are their associated methodologies, which often come from manufacturing, such as ‘lean thinking’ and ‘process re-engineering’. It could be argued that such methodologies are at odds with the professional value set that nurses hold. North and Hughes (2012) suggest that this value set focuses on an obligation to the provision of equitable public services, as well as an ethos of care.
The current managerial drive associated with economic austerity has forced nurses into a difficult situation, as trusts and the Government are still struggling to hold down healthcare costs. In terms of total cost, the ICN (2014) notes that the most expensive workforce are nurses—and it is nurses who have experienced the revision of skill mix, the slashing of nursing positions and a continual reduction and even suppression of their salaries (their last pay rise was a meagre 1%, effectively a pay cut in real terms). The upshot for patient confidence, morale, quality and safety are considerable. From Keogh’s (2013) review, it is evident that this leads to short-term decision making, which brings long-term consequences. Nurses are essential for health and wellbeing. It is paramount that the Government, as well as nurses (who do have a role to play here), focus on the nursing workforce as central to achieving better health for all. Improving the environments that nurses work in can have a significant impact on enhancing patient safety and the standard of care provided. The ICN (2014) recognises a simple, evidence-based equation: educated nurse workforce+good working environment=high-quality care. This equation makes clear how to make the best use of the crucial resource, which is nursing. This year was the 11th year that the British Journal of Nursing (BJN) awards have taken place. The aim of these awards is to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in a number of areas of nursing. There were 17 categories at the awards ceremony. Recognising and rewarding talent is one way we can give credit to those nurses who do make a difference. NICE (2014) is developing draft recommendations concerning nursing workforce levels in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals. This is set to be the first of a series of guidelines to be issued on safe staffing in various healthcare settings. How local trusts deal with these recommendations (and it will be down to the local trusts) remains to be seen. But what is needed is an investment in the nursing workforce, the conditions in which nurses work, and their ability to access high-quality education. BJN
Ian Peate
Editor in Chief British Journal of Nursing
International Council for Nurses (2014) Nurses: A Force for Change: A Vital Resource for Health. http:// tinyurl.com/o3o3hxb (accessed June 2014) Keogh B (2013) Review into the quality of care and treatment provided by 14 hospital trusts in England: overview report. http://tinyurl.com/p3cypjn (accessed June 2014) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2014) Safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals. http://tinyurl.com/ mk9xpk2 (accessed June 2014) North N and Hughes F (2012) A systems perspective on nursing productivity. J Health Organ Manag 26(2): 192–214
549
British Journal of Nursing. Downloaded from magonlinelibrary.com by 193.061.135.112 on November 24, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. . All rights reserved.
Giving credit where it’s due
Editor in Chief Ian Peate Editor/Associate Publisher Julie Smith [email protected] Deputy Editor Aysha Mendes da Mata [email protected] Subeditors Daniel Davies [email protected] Vicqui Stuart-Jones [email protected] Commissioning Editor Sue Woodward Group Classified Director Rachel McElhinney [email protected] Circulation Director Sally Boettcher [email protected] Associate Publisher Chloe Benson [email protected] MedEd Manager Tracy Cowan [email protected] Classified Sales Executive Harry Nolan Production Manager Jon Redmayne Production Assistant Larry Oakes Editorial Make-up Lindsey Butlin Publisher Anthony Kerr Chief Executive Officer Ben Allen UK PERSONAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Quarterly Direct Debit Annual Direct Debit Annual Credit Card 2yr Annual Credit Card 3yr Annual Credit Card
£42 £164 £173 £294 £415
Subscribe online: www.magsubscriptions.com, Subscribe by phone: +44 (0) 1722 716997 MA Healthcare Ltd is part of the Mark Allen Group
www.markallengroup.com The British Journal of Nursing is published by MA Healthcare Ltd, St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB Tel: 020 7738 5454 Editorial: 020 7501 6716 Sales: 020 7501 6726 Email: [email protected] Websites: www.britishjournalofnursing.com © MA Healthcare Ltd, 2014. All rights reserved. No part of the British Journal of Nursing may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the Publishing Director. The British Journal of Nursing is a double-blind, peerreviewed journal. It is indexed on the main databases, including the International Nursing Index, Medline and the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) ISSN 0966 – 0461 Print: Pensord Press Ltd, Blackwood, NP12 2YA Distribution: Comag Distribution, West Drayton, UB7 7QE Cover picture: iStockphoto.com
The paper used within this publication has been sourced from Chain-of-Custody certified manufacturers, operating within international environmental standards, to ensure sustainable sourcing of the raw materials, sustainable production and to minimise our carbon footprint.
British Journal of Nursing, 2014, Vol 23, No 11
N
urses are a force for change and investing in nursing can make a difference; it is high time credit was given where it is due. To make the best use of nurses in the NHS, they should be encouraged and supported to perform to their highest potential. This support must come from managers locally and from the Government centrally, despite this Government’s desire to ‘decentralise’. There is growing evidence to suggest that sufficient, adequately educated and motivated health workers are central to the health of the local, national and global populations. It is not possible to provide equitable access to any healthcare service without a sufficient number of appropriately prepared and educated nurses.The nursing workforce is the backbone of any safe, effective healthcare system. Nurses are the largest group of health professionals and, in some parts of the UK, they are the only health workers available to local populations. Nurses have a significant role to play in improving the health and wellbeing of the population, regardless of where they practise. But this does not come cheap—and it should not be attempted to be done on the cheap. Nurses practise alongside other healthcare workers in situations where there is often a gap between the supply and demand of health workers.There are other factors too: the impact of the global and national financial crises, the migration of nurses, as well as nurses’ working lifespan. Transformation of the scope of practice, the influence of new technology and demographic shifts have changed, and will continue to change, the way nurses work. Patient safety is paramount in all spheres of health care and workforce planning is the key to this, as well as to measuring workloads and ensuring that there are safe staffing levels for patients and also for nurses. The current worldwide economic downturn has resulted in a number of adverse outcomes and the services provided by healthcare providers have not been free from in-depth examination, as they use significant resources, both human and material. There is a shortsighted view that spending on health services is a cost, as opposed to an investment. The language of this approach has no place in any organisation that provides health and social care to people (often society’s most vulnerable).Terms such as ‘return on investment (ROI)’, ‘efficiency’ and ‘a costeffective approach’ are derived from industry. When they are used, so are their associated methodologies, which often come from manufacturing, such as ‘lean thinking’ and ‘process re-engineering’. It could be argued that such methodologies are at odds with the professional value set that nurses hold. North and Hughes (2012) suggest that this value set focuses on an obligation to the provision of equitable public services, as well as an ethos of care.
The current managerial drive associated with economic austerity has forced nurses into a difficult situation, as trusts and the Government are still struggling to hold down healthcare costs. In terms of total cost, the ICN (2014) notes that the most expensive workforce are nurses—and it is nurses who have experienced the revision of skill mix, the slashing of nursing positions and a continual reduction and even suppression of their salaries (their last pay rise was a meagre 1%, effectively a pay cut in real terms). The upshot for patient confidence, morale, quality and safety are considerable. From Keogh’s (2013) review, it is evident that this leads to short-term decision making, which brings long-term consequences. Nurses are essential for health and wellbeing. It is paramount that the Government, as well as nurses (who do have a role to play here), focus on the nursing workforce as central to achieving better health for all. Improving the environments that nurses work in can have a significant impact on enhancing patient safety and the standard of care provided. The ICN (2014) recognises a simple, evidence-based equation: educated nurse workforce+good working environment=high-quality care. This equation makes clear how to make the best use of the crucial resource, which is nursing. This year was the 11th year that the British Journal of Nursing (BJN) awards have taken place. The aim of these awards is to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in a number of areas of nursing. There were 17 categories at the awards ceremony. Recognising and rewarding talent is one way we can give credit to those nurses who do make a difference. NICE (2014) is developing draft recommendations concerning nursing workforce levels in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals. This is set to be the first of a series of guidelines to be issued on safe staffing in various healthcare settings. How local trusts deal with these recommendations (and it will be down to the local trusts) remains to be seen. But what is needed is an investment in the nursing workforce, the conditions in which nurses work, and their ability to access high-quality education. BJN
Ian Peate
Editor in Chief British Journal of Nursing
International Council for Nurses (2014) Nurses: A Force for Change: A Vital Resource for Health. http:// tinyurl.com/o3o3hxb (accessed June 2014) Keogh B (2013) Review into the quality of care and treatment provided by 14 hospital trusts in England: overview report. http://tinyurl.com/p3cypjn (accessed June 2014) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2014) Safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals. http://tinyurl.com/ mk9xpk2 (accessed June 2014) North N and Hughes F (2012) A systems perspective on nursing productivity. J Health Organ Manag 26(2): 192–214
549
British Journal of Nursing. Downloaded from magonlinelibrary.com by 193.061.135.112 on November 24, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. . All rights reserved.
