Resources

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a common condition, occurring around the world and in varying degrees of severity. Diagnosis and treatment place a burden on health services and economies on a global scale. The disease, if left untreated, can lead to several complications, some of which can have long-lasting effects and a huge impact on the woman’s health and quality of life. This article gives an overview of signs and symptoms, treatment and complications, with a view to helping nurses and non-medical prescribers make an impact on outcomes for women affected by this unpleasant disease.

This article explores Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust’s (NHFT’s) innovative approach to addressing workforce challenges in the healthcare sector through apprenticeships and T-levels. NHFT offers various apprenticeship opportunities, ranging from entry-level healthcare support roles to pre-registration and post-registration nursing across different specialties. The article also looks at NHFT’s collaborations with local educational institutions and primary care training hubs to provide pathways for individuals who transitioned from different careers into nursing through apprenticeships. Additionally, the introduction of T-levels offers younger people practical experience in health care alongside classroom learning, opening pathways into nursing careers. The benefits of apprenticeships in providing financial support, practical experience, and career progression are highlighted. Overall, these alternative pathways play a crucial role in developing and retaining local healthcare professionals, addressing workforce challenges and reducing reliance on international recruitment.

It is exciting to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Journal of General Practice Nursing, to reflect on how far the journal has come and be part of its development for the future. I first
wrote for the journal in February 2016, looking back it’s a passionate article about the importance of our role in facilitating lifestyle change and health promotion. It still rings true
today and maybe has helped me to not feel cynical about the tidal wave of preventable disease we face in our daily work.

For most people, workplace ethical dilemmas involve relatively little soul-searching. Should they tell the boss that they used the company credit card to buy her birthday present on expenses? Is it wise to let their line manager know that he ought to invest in some  deodorant? And do they really need to tell HR that Darren from accounts tried to kiss them at the Christmas party?

A new report on palliative and end-of-life care in the community has been published by the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) and Marie Curie.

The report by the two charities is based on a national survey of health and care staff undertaken in 2023. The majority of survey respondents were community nurses. The findings reflect how palliative and end-of-life care is delivered today, and shines a light on the challenges being faced by nurses. People at end of life need highquality
holistic care and support but worryingly, 9 out of ten respondents to the survey reported being unable to meet the needs of the people they care for, or those close to them, at least
in part.

In order to instil confidence in your patients, you yourself need to feel confident in the care you’re providing — including the products you use. 

This is why we’re publishing the results of a recent randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing the efficacy of Exufiber® with the market leading gelling fibre dressing, in exuding venous and mixed aetiology leg ulcers.

This clinical skills series — Think menopause — looks at menopause-related issues to help general practice nurses (GPNs) identify, assess and manage women whose day-to-day lives may be detrimentally affected by this stage in their life. Here, Sue Thomas, advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) based in Leamington Spa, looks at physical activity and the menopause. Sue is also the founder of a local menopause support charity, Action Menopause Warwickshire, which is free for ladies to attend  (https://actionmenopausewarwickshire.org.uk/).

Worldwide gout is the commonest type of inflammatory arthritis. It is often misdiagnosed and poorly managed (Dehlin et al, 2020). Gout can be diagnosed and treated in primary care and is amenable to nurse management (Doherty et al, 2018). This article will help readers to be able to diagnose and manage gout, as well as how to be aware of and treat
acute gout and prevent further episodes. Certain conditions increase the risk of gout and this article advocates a holistic approach to improve overall health.

The United Kingdom (UK) has a comprehensive national immunisation programme which comprises both routine and selective immunisation schedules (UK Health Security Agency [UKHSA], 2023). The routine programme includes those vaccines offered to the population, with eligibility predicated on age. For the last few years, vaccine coverage has been
falling in the majority of children’s and young people’s immunisation programmes (UKHSA, 2022; UKHSA 2023a; UKHSA 2023b; UKHSA 2023c). The decline in coverage has been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic and consequent lockdowns, illness among recipients, and confusion and hesitancy about vaccines in general. This article discusses the drop in coverage of the adolescent immunisation programmes in England, and the role that general practice nurses (GPNs) and primary care immunisers can play in ensuring that young people are offered missing vaccines. The benefit of this catch-up activity is seen in reduced risk of morbidity and mortality from vaccine preventable illness in both individuals
and those around them.

Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is the volume of air forcefully exhaled at maximum speed. This can be measured using a peak flow meter or a spirometry device. Peak flow meters are portable, inexpensive and widely available. The technique is non-invasive, carries no risk to the person, can be taught and learned quickly, and can easily be mastered by the patient. Published evidence for the use of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and peak flow monitoring in asthma is limited, despite the use of the peak flow meter being documented in national and international guidelines for many years. National and international guidelines recommend the use of easily calibrated spirometers, which can provide accurate results
with good technique, along with fractional exhaled nitrous oxide (FeNO) testing, which requires a greater analysis and interpretation of the results. Is the use therefore of the peak flow meter redundant? This article discusses the indications for use of peak flow meters, technique and clinical context.