guts out as a band 5 in an understaffed A&E or cardio unit so the NHS can get a top-class nurse for peanuts. The many European nurses working in the UK as healthcare assistants are also losing their skills. It is such a shame. Cher Goodyer, by email
HOW IS THE RCN GOING TO SUPPORT MEMBERS IN CLAIMING OVERTIME? As part of its pay campaign, the RCN is calling on its members to record the hours they work and to request payment or time off in lieu for overtime (News December 10). RCN general secretary Peter Carter says: ‘Enough is now enough and in the new year we will be supporting members to ensure their rights are met.’ But how will the RCN be supporting its members? I have been in the RCN for many years. I was health and safety rep for a general hospital and then lead for another one, as well as becoming lead steward at a major city hospital. When I left to work in the community, I had no more correspondence from the RCN. Now I only receive the general emails inviting me to attend conferences and to submit posters for conferences. The training and financial outlay to help me become a rep and steward has been wasted. The RCN has a database of members and their email addresses. Why isn’t this being used to keep members up to date and help them feel involved? Emails are an ideal way to keep all members in touch and, when it comes to asking them to record their overtime, to let them know what is wanted and when. There has been no real interaction with members in this electronic age. It should be so easy. If it wasn’t for Nursing Standard, I wouldn’t know what was happening in the RCN. Malcolm Harrison, Derby
THE ROLE OF CHAPLAINCY SERVICES IN TODAY’S MULTICULTURAL NHS Reverend Keith Riglin, chaplain at the St Thomas’ campus of King’s College London, says: ‘Care by nurses
is patient-centred but we approach the patient as full people, not as machines – we bring ourselves to our practice, and our world view is part of our being’ (News December 3). Many patients benefit from the presence and support of ordained chaplains and lay chaplaincy volunteers. Some of these patients may be religious, but many are not. I believe that hospital chaplaincy services continue to be highly relevant and that they underpin professional nursing practice. Yet chaplaincy services are not immune to the financial pressures being faced by the NHS. With chaplaincy services facing cuts and changing priorities in terms of the allocation of resources, now is a good time for their role to be addressed. What is the role of chaplaincy services in today’s multicultural NHS? How can they continue to be of benefit to our patients and to us as nurses? Perhaps the RCN could look further into this issue and commission research and publish some quality guidance. Donato Tallo, by email
‘FLORENCE’ IS BEING DEVELOPED AS A DIGITAL HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT I was delighted to see Jane Whyatt’s article about the Heatherlands Medical Centre (Careers December 17), and our successful use of speech recognition technology. By way of clarification, the speech recognition product we are using is called Dragon Medical, created by the American technology company Nuance. It enables us to dictate patient letters, notes and records in the presence of the patient. The other product referred to in the article, Florence, is a personal digital healthcare assistant concept, created by Nuance to illustrate how speech could be applied in a medical environment in the future. At the moment, it is not available commercially. Ivan Camphor, practice doctor, Heatherlands Medical Centre, Woodchurch, Cheshire
TWEETS OF THE WEEK ‘Twas the night before Xmas and all through the ward, not a patient was stirring and the nurses were bored @Nurse_Problems
I wish every #CMHT would teach about mental health at local secondary schools @nurse_w_glasses
If a NURSING HOME (and I stress both words) can’t or won’t provide end of life nursing care in a homely environment, what is it for? @PDarbyshire
‘Nursing – it’s a reflex – it’s what you do.’ If you’re a nurse, you will understand this… When you’re poorly #Nurses Matter @WeNurses
Nursing is the hardest job you’ll ever love. #Nursing @DonnaCardilloRN
Treat each patient with kindness. Listen to what matters to them. Remember the small things can be the biggest #NursingWisdom2015 @SarahChapman30
2015 is here, the year Mary Seacole’s Memorial Statue will be erected @St Thomas’ Hospital @seacolestatue
TBH I think nursing generally is in crisis, I fear 2015 isn’t going to be easy. The ‘voice of the nurse’ is weak @sphams
Follow Nursing Standard @NurseStandard and join the #NScomment chat on Thursdays at 12.30pm
NURSING :: voluses 29 no 19 :: permission. 2015 35 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 26, 2015. For personal usejanuary only. No7 other without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
HOW IS THE RCN GOING TO SUPPORT MEMBERS IN CLAIMING OVERTIME? As part of its pay campaign, the RCN is calling on its members to record the hours they work and to request payment or time off in lieu for overtime (News December 10). RCN general secretary Peter Carter says: ‘Enough is now enough and in the new year we will be supporting members to ensure their rights are met.’ But how will the RCN be supporting its members? I have been in the RCN for many years. I was health and safety rep for a general hospital and then lead for another one, as well as becoming lead steward at a major city hospital. When I left to work in the community, I had no more correspondence from the RCN. Now I only receive the general emails inviting me to attend conferences and to submit posters for conferences. The training and financial outlay to help me become a rep and steward has been wasted. The RCN has a database of members and their email addresses. Why isn’t this being used to keep members up to date and help them feel involved? Emails are an ideal way to keep all members in touch and, when it comes to asking them to record their overtime, to let them know what is wanted and when. There has been no real interaction with members in this electronic age. It should be so easy. If it wasn’t for Nursing Standard, I wouldn’t know what was happening in the RCN. Malcolm Harrison, Derby
THE ROLE OF CHAPLAINCY SERVICES IN TODAY’S MULTICULTURAL NHS Reverend Keith Riglin, chaplain at the St Thomas’ campus of King’s College London, says: ‘Care by nurses
is patient-centred but we approach the patient as full people, not as machines – we bring ourselves to our practice, and our world view is part of our being’ (News December 3). Many patients benefit from the presence and support of ordained chaplains and lay chaplaincy volunteers. Some of these patients may be religious, but many are not. I believe that hospital chaplaincy services continue to be highly relevant and that they underpin professional nursing practice. Yet chaplaincy services are not immune to the financial pressures being faced by the NHS. With chaplaincy services facing cuts and changing priorities in terms of the allocation of resources, now is a good time for their role to be addressed. What is the role of chaplaincy services in today’s multicultural NHS? How can they continue to be of benefit to our patients and to us as nurses? Perhaps the RCN could look further into this issue and commission research and publish some quality guidance. Donato Tallo, by email
‘FLORENCE’ IS BEING DEVELOPED AS A DIGITAL HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT I was delighted to see Jane Whyatt’s article about the Heatherlands Medical Centre (Careers December 17), and our successful use of speech recognition technology. By way of clarification, the speech recognition product we are using is called Dragon Medical, created by the American technology company Nuance. It enables us to dictate patient letters, notes and records in the presence of the patient. The other product referred to in the article, Florence, is a personal digital healthcare assistant concept, created by Nuance to illustrate how speech could be applied in a medical environment in the future. At the moment, it is not available commercially. Ivan Camphor, practice doctor, Heatherlands Medical Centre, Woodchurch, Cheshire
TWEETS OF THE WEEK ‘Twas the night before Xmas and all through the ward, not a patient was stirring and the nurses were bored @Nurse_Problems
I wish every #CMHT would teach about mental health at local secondary schools @nurse_w_glasses
If a NURSING HOME (and I stress both words) can’t or won’t provide end of life nursing care in a homely environment, what is it for? @PDarbyshire
‘Nursing – it’s a reflex – it’s what you do.’ If you’re a nurse, you will understand this… When you’re poorly #Nurses Matter @WeNurses
Nursing is the hardest job you’ll ever love. #Nursing @DonnaCardilloRN
Treat each patient with kindness. Listen to what matters to them. Remember the small things can be the biggest #NursingWisdom2015 @SarahChapman30
2015 is here, the year Mary Seacole’s Memorial Statue will be erected @St Thomas’ Hospital @seacolestatue
TBH I think nursing generally is in crisis, I fear 2015 isn’t going to be easy. The ‘voice of the nurse’ is weak @sphams
Follow Nursing Standard @NurseStandard and join the #NScomment chat on Thursdays at 12.30pm
NURSING :: voluses 29 no 19 :: permission. 2015 35 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 26, 2015. For personal usejanuary only. No7 other without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
