Resources

A correct diagnosis means a healthier patient, fewer repeat appointments and reduced antibiotic prescribing. As an advanced nurse practitioner, the author found that whether she prescribed antibiotics or not, too many patients were coming back a week later with ongoing symptoms of respiratory tract infections (RTIs). The fall in repeat appointments during a pilot project for C-reactive protein (CRP) testing which the author observed showed that point of care technology is key to an accurate diagnosis.

Professional networking is a valuable tool to build advantageous professional support systems of people who will advise, encourage and enhance healthcare practice (Donelan, 2014). Networking benefits include increased engagement and insight
into healthcare policy and subsequent changes and trends in the professions, along with better opportunities for career advancement (Meiring, 2018).

Here, Carole Young, professional nurse advocate, independent tissue viability nurse consultant and associate lecturer, Anglia Ruskin University, reflects on the impact of the pandemic on specialist nurses in the last two years and considers what is needed next in terms of support and recovery of self and service. The role of compassionate
leadership and professional nurse advocacy (PNA) will be discussed to share an understanding of how restorative clinical supervision (RCS) can be used to support emotional recovery and plan for future development. Models including A-EQUIP and the GROW coaching model used by PNAs to guide RCS will be explained as tools which can
support personal reflection and recovery through personal actions for quality improvement

Pilonidal sSinus disease (PSD) is a debilitating inflammatory disorder of the skin that is more common in young males. The cause of PSD is not fully understood but contributed to loose hair and debris driven deep into the skin within the natal cleft leading to prolonged inflammation and formation of ‘pits’ which fill with hair and debris. Symptoms range
from mild discomfort to severe sinus development, which may result in pain, infection and multiple surgical procedures and has a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life

Conversations about menopause are finally happening. It is no longer the hushed whispers between women of a certain age, it is being talked about openly, honestly and at a national level. Healthcare professionals, education providers, employers and policy makers have woken up to the fact that adequate menopause health care for women has been sadly lacking for many years.

This article introduces the NHS England national care bundle for children with asthma, the main themes, and what is expected of clinicians in primary care. This is the first phase of a national plan to improve asthma care, with a focus on integration of systems and effective communication. It follows several high-profile reports, national and global guidelines, with the aim of training clinicians to consistent standards, keeping children and young people with asthma well, improving diagnosis, patient pathways and encouraging self-management. It explores the main themes of the asthma care bundle, and what it means for clinicians across the spheres from primary through to tertiary specialist care.

Vaccination and immunisation are slightly different things. Vaccination is the giving of a dose of antigen, for example, intranasally (the children’s ‘flu vaccine) or an intramuscular injection (the baby six-in-one vaccine). Immunisation refers to the process of receiving the vaccine and then becoming immune to the disease following this. Immunity can be developed after having the disease itself, but there is the risk of post-disease sequelae such as Ramsey-Hunt syndrome after ophthalmic shingles or severe epiglottitis with haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

This article focuses on the benefits of physical activity for people with a common long-term condition, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It highlights the evidence and explains the importance of both increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time for health. The availability of brief interventions for physical activity in primary care vary widely and therefore this article offers some suggestions about how to close that gap and broach the subject in practice. It introduces some free new resources for people with COPD to support them to become more physically active.

The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is one that has been followed by certain populations from warmer climates for thousands of years. Many of these people seem to live in good health to an advanced age. Is this due to where they live and maybe a more laid-back lifestyle, or is their diet also responsible for this rude health? More recently, the popularity and publicity on the MedDiet seems to have grown exponentially

While most people breathe without thinking about it — it just happens automatically — there are considerations as to why it is better to breathe through your nose than your mouth. Here, Alexandra Murrell, nurse lecturer at Kingston University, explores some of the literature around some of the causes of mouth breathing and why general practice nurses (GPNs) should be alert to signs of mouth breathing in both adults and children.