Resources

An awareness of the impact of climate change has led to policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs). The National Health Service (NHS) is the UK public sector’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, with a target to deliver a net zero NHS by 2050 (NHS, 2020). Pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs), which use hydrofluoroalkanes (HFA) as the propellant, have been targeted as a perceived easy option to reduce the NHS carbon footprint of HFA, as alternative inhaler devices in the form of dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and soft mist inhalers (SMIs) which contain no propellant are readily available. Balancing the environmental impact while ensuring that the best option of inhaler device is provided for individual patients can lead to conflict and confusion for healthcare professionals while waiting for manufacturers to provide pMDI with propellants that are more environmentally friendly. This article discusses sustainability, from manufacture to disposal.

Clinical placements play a crucial role in the education of pre-registration nursing students, enabling them to gain practical experience and exposure to diverse clinical settings. This article explores the development and pilot of the Leeds primary care student leadership placement, a novel approach to address the challenges posed by limited general practice nursing clinical placement opportunities. The placement, developed and implemented as part of the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) Community Nursing Innovation Programme 2022–2023, provided four final-year adult nursing students with access to a general practice placement spanning a primary care network (PCN). Under a structured programme of support, these students led on NHS health check clinics across multiple sites. The project’s findings indicate that the placement resulted in increased knowledge and understanding of the general practice nursing role, preventative healthcare, health needs and health inequalities, digital health, inclusion and leadership skills and attributes. Moreover, the concept raised awareness of career pathways available in general practice among new registrants and established a sustainable practice learning model, which is adaptable to all healthcare settings. This demonstrates the value and potential of innovative clinical placement approaches in nursing education.

Heart failure (HF) remains one of the most common reasons for hospital admissions and is predicted to rise substantially in the next decade. As many of these patients have other comorbidities, general practice nurses (GPNs) are in the ideal position to assess and identify any possible deterioration before it results in admission. Having a good understanding of HF, terminology and treatment will assist with this, and standardising care and reviews in line with current guidelines will improve care.

Here, Callum Metcalfe-O’Shea, advanced nurse practitioner diabetes specialist and co-chair for the Norfolk Health Professionals Diabetes Forum, provides the last part in the diabetes digest series with an outlook on the future of care provision for diabetes in primary care settings. This article explores the current data on diabetes, acknowledging the change in future therapies and the role of diabetes technology in advancing care. The role of the GPN is also examined to highlight the need to recognise their involvement in supporting high quality care.

Stressors in life often seem to have a habit of coming all in one go. Before the summer holidays I felt tired out emotionally and physically and that I was being bombarded with a constant stream of issues at home and at work to problem solve and manage. No sooner was one issue sorted and another two swept in to take its place. I like to be busy and enjoy a challenge, but I felt over stimulated and exhausted. At the same time a rather negative voice had set up shop in my head, I was not making enough time to look after myself and was looking with envy at my university friend posting pictures of her sunny lunch dates now she has taken early retirement.

Ever felt that you were working alone with no one to turn to? Or that your caseload was getting on top of you, and you just wanted to let off steam?

We’ve all been there at some point in our careers and while nursing is all about caring for others, it’s sometimes easy to wonder who is caring for us.

Getting support from your colleagues is a crucial part of working as a nurse, where long hours and the demands of patient care can mean that managing stress is not always easy. In acute hospitals, the number and accessibility of colleagues on any shift means that support is never far away. But in general practice, many of you spend a significant portion of your working day alone and it’s not always obvious who you should turn to after a distressing episode of care, or even if you’ve just had a rough day.

Here, Dr Nick Jenkins, senior DVLA doctor, explains why they are hoping to gather evidence on topics such as legal obligations, medical licensing rules in other countries, growing prevalence of drivers with multiple medical conditions, as well as advancements

Vaping is often seen as a less-harmful alternative to smoking cigarettes, and while this may be true in some respects, it is not without its dangers. Understanding how this relatively new phenomenon of vaping could develop into a health concern and even an addiction was of real importance to the author’s team at the UK Addiction Treatment (UKAT) Group, hence the launch of an addiction prevalence survey towards the end of 2022.

The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) annual conference takes place online from 2–5 October and is the UK’s leading event for community nursing. Thanks to its sponsors and donations, the conference is free for all registered and student nurses to attend. The theme of this year’s conference is, ‘In the Spotlight — Nurses Leading Care in People’s Homes and Communities’.