News RCN Publishing will operate under the new name of RCNi from March 2. The RCNi brand brings a new look to the company and unites all of its journals, blogs, news, events, jobs, books and online learning materials in one website. A user-friendly online portfolio will also enable subscribers to store evidence of practice, continuing professional development, feedback and reflection, and so demonstrate compliance with revalidation. www.rcni.com Reducing hospital admissions of older people from care homes is the focus of a £1 million research project. The three-year study, led by Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and the University of Bradford, will develop and test an intervention to reduce avoidable admissions. End of life care planning should depend on sensitive communication, a leading palliative care nurse has said in response to the launch of a tool to identify hospital patients likely to die within three months. The 29-point CriSTAL tool was developed at the University of New South Wales in Australia. But Joanne Atkinson, director of programmes at Northumbria University’s department of public health and wellbeing, insisted planning for death should focus on communication. A booklet is available for patients, families and carers featuring 12 questions about hip fracture care. Produced by the National Hip Fracture Database, the questions cover pain relief, memory problems, the seniority and type of doctor that should be involved in care, how soon an operation should take place and rehabilitation after the operation or procedure. tinyurl.com/pn9lkso 6
March 2015 | Volume 27 | Number 2
Nurses urged to use RCN’s manifesto in run up to general election VOTE, VOTE, vote. That is the message from the RCN, which has launched its manifesto in the run-up to May’s general election. The college is calling on nurses to promote its manifesto Nursing Counts, and is urging members to find out what their parliamentary candidates’ views are on nursing issues, including safe staffing and pay. Using the college’s campaign website RCN members can type in their postcode to access a list of candidates in their area. A template letter is available, which can be emailed to the candidates asking for their views on the three manifesto priorities. The three priorities are: improve patient care, which includes a commitment to safe staffing; value nursing, which includes giving nurses fair pay; and investment in health and care, which includes a commitment to halt cuts to the nursing workforce. RCN parliamentary officer Will Hardy said members were surveyed last year, asking what
Scheme trials emergency care at home to reduce hospital admissions A COMMUNITY matron and paramedic have joined forces to provide emergency treatment to people at home or in the community to help reduce the number of emergency department presentations and hospital admissions. Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Partnership NHS Trust has teamed up with West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust to pilot the service, which involves a nurse accompanying a paramedic on 999 calls in Tamworth and surrounding areas using a rapid response vehicle. The six-month pilot was launched in November and will run until the end of March when it will be reviewed to see if it is to be continued or implemented across a wider area. Community matron at Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Partnership NHS Trust Jane Holmes said: ‘As a team, we are able to assess, diagnose and prescribe to enable urgent care to be delivered.’
they would like the college to focus on in its manifesto, and this generated more than 10,000 responses. RCN President Cecilia Anim said: ‘We all need to take action to ensure candidates across the UK understand the benefits of valuing nursing.’ Go to www.rcn.org.uk/votingcounts Rex
In brief
RCN members are being encouraged to find out what their local MP’s views are on key nursing issues before voting
Interim director of nursing and quality at the trust Rose Goodwin said: ‘This service is innovative because we are sharing expertise across the ambulance and community trusts to ensure people only access acute care as a last alternative.’
Task force funded to tackle delayed discharges in Scotland THE SCOTTISH Government has announced funding of £100 million to help reduce the number of delayed discharges from hospitals. The money will be invested in increasing social care capacity. A target of discharging patients within 72 hours of clinical readiness was agreed in November last year by members of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). The funding, which was announced in January, will allow a COSLA task force to implement plans supporting delayed discharge improvement. NURSING OLDER PEOPLE
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March 2015 | Volume 27 | Number 2
Nurses urged to use RCN’s manifesto in run up to general election VOTE, VOTE, vote. That is the message from the RCN, which has launched its manifesto in the run-up to May’s general election. The college is calling on nurses to promote its manifesto Nursing Counts, and is urging members to find out what their parliamentary candidates’ views are on nursing issues, including safe staffing and pay. Using the college’s campaign website RCN members can type in their postcode to access a list of candidates in their area. A template letter is available, which can be emailed to the candidates asking for their views on the three manifesto priorities. The three priorities are: improve patient care, which includes a commitment to safe staffing; value nursing, which includes giving nurses fair pay; and investment in health and care, which includes a commitment to halt cuts to the nursing workforce. RCN parliamentary officer Will Hardy said members were surveyed last year, asking what
Scheme trials emergency care at home to reduce hospital admissions A COMMUNITY matron and paramedic have joined forces to provide emergency treatment to people at home or in the community to help reduce the number of emergency department presentations and hospital admissions. Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Partnership NHS Trust has teamed up with West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust to pilot the service, which involves a nurse accompanying a paramedic on 999 calls in Tamworth and surrounding areas using a rapid response vehicle. The six-month pilot was launched in November and will run until the end of March when it will be reviewed to see if it is to be continued or implemented across a wider area. Community matron at Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Partnership NHS Trust Jane Holmes said: ‘As a team, we are able to assess, diagnose and prescribe to enable urgent care to be delivered.’
they would like the college to focus on in its manifesto, and this generated more than 10,000 responses. RCN President Cecilia Anim said: ‘We all need to take action to ensure candidates across the UK understand the benefits of valuing nursing.’ Go to www.rcn.org.uk/votingcounts Rex
In brief
RCN members are being encouraged to find out what their local MP’s views are on key nursing issues before voting
Interim director of nursing and quality at the trust Rose Goodwin said: ‘This service is innovative because we are sharing expertise across the ambulance and community trusts to ensure people only access acute care as a last alternative.’
Task force funded to tackle delayed discharges in Scotland THE SCOTTISH Government has announced funding of £100 million to help reduce the number of delayed discharges from hospitals. The money will be invested in increasing social care capacity. A target of discharging patients within 72 hours of clinical readiness was agreed in November last year by members of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). The funding, which was announced in January, will allow a COSLA task force to implement plans supporting delayed discharge improvement. NURSING OLDER PEOPLE
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Jun 21, 2016. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2016 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved. 06-07 NOP March 2015.indd 6
18/02/2015 11:27
