IN BRIEF RCN members at congress debated the health benefits of music and used the opportunity to have a sing-song. London branch member Andrew McGovern said music has been shown to reduce physical and psychological tension. Mr McGovern, who proposed the matter for discussion, added that running a karaoke session at a learning disability day centre inspired him to become a nurse. ‘I saw first-hand the real benefits music brought to physical and mental wellbeing,’ he said. Nearly three quarters of learning disability nurses (71%) have witnessed cuts to the services they work in, a UK-wide RCN survey reveals. The college’s poll of 1,100 learning disability nurses found 42% have seen a drop in staffing levels. There are not enough community services to provide sufficient care and support to people with learning disabilities, according to 95% of nurse respondents. RCN members called on the college’s ruling council to put pressure on the UK governments about the crisis in A&E. East Dorset branch member Kathy Moore proposed the resolution, which states there is something ‘seriously wrong’ with the UK’s A&E service, with inappropriate solutions being found to cope with pressures. The resolution was passed with 99.49% of votes cast. Mental health services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people need to improve, RCN congress heard. During a debate on a resolution calling on congress to lobby for improved mental health services for LGBT patients, Stewart Attridge, of the RCN’s Cardiff and Vale branch, told delegates that gay men are four times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual men. Members voted in favour of the resolution by 94.8%. NHS nurses’ basic pay fell by 0.2% on average from March 2014 to March 2015, while senior managers’ earnings rose by 1.4% in the same period. Nurses, midwives and health visitors saw their combined average basic pay drop by 0.2% to £30,712. However, when the figures are broken down they show that health visitors experienced a worrying fall of 1.5% to £33,661 in that period. More than 1,800 concerns about staffing were raised by staff at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which was placed in special measures earlier this month. Figures obtained following a freedom of information request by a local newspaper show that, from January 2012 to June 2015, there were 1,816 reports made to the health board’s incident reporting system about the ‘lack of suitable/trained staff’. BAPEN has produced a measurement tool for organisations to determine the quality of the nutritional care they are providing. BAPEN president Mike Stroud said: ‘Learning from areas of excellent practice will help to improve standards in areas falling below required levels improvements.’ Go to www.data.bapen.org.uk
NEW GUIDANCE ON END OF LIFE CARE Nutrition and hydration guidance on caring for patients at the end of life was launched at RCN congress in Bournemouth last week. The online resource, developed following the withdrawal of the much-criticised Liverpool Care Pathway, includes case studies, audio recordings and videos of interviews with families, and a number of recommendations, including making regular assessments of nutrition and hydration needs. The nutrition and hydration guidance sits alongside a second online resource, Getting it Right Every Time – Fundamentals of Nursing at the End of Life, which was also presented at the fringe session and will be available from the end of July. Speaking at the session, RCN fellow Dame Gill Oliver, who helped develop the resources, said: ‘I don’t know how many of you are comfortable communicating with a young woman who is going to die in a few weeks. The case studies and audio recordings give you a chance to rehearse.’ RCN general secretary Peter Carter said: ‘This guidance the result of some determined work by RCN members who are absolutely committed to improving care for the dying.’ See news analysis page 12
NMC will take action over dishonesty, barrister warns Nurses should avoid acts of ‘dishonesty’ in their private lives that could bring the profession into disrepute if they want to avoid being referred to the nursing regulator, a barrister has warned. The stark warning came from Ben Rich at a fringe session at RCN congress in Bournemouth last week. He said the NMC code of conduct holds nurses to account not just on their ability to nurse but on the way they uphold the reputation of nursing. He cited examples of cases where the Nursing and Midwifery Council had decided nurses’ fitness to practise was impaired by behaviour that had brought the profession into disrepute. One example involved a nurse who had altered an annual parking permit to avoid the charges for another year. ‘Any conviction for dishonesty is going to get you an impairment. In most cases, you will get a temporary suspension and in many cases you will get a year-long suspension,’ he said.
10 july 1 :: vol 29from no 44 :: 2015by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 18, 2015. For personal use only. NoNURSING STANDARD Downloaded RCNi.com other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
NEW GUIDANCE ON END OF LIFE CARE Nutrition and hydration guidance on caring for patients at the end of life was launched at RCN congress in Bournemouth last week. The online resource, developed following the withdrawal of the much-criticised Liverpool Care Pathway, includes case studies, audio recordings and videos of interviews with families, and a number of recommendations, including making regular assessments of nutrition and hydration needs. The nutrition and hydration guidance sits alongside a second online resource, Getting it Right Every Time – Fundamentals of Nursing at the End of Life, which was also presented at the fringe session and will be available from the end of July. Speaking at the session, RCN fellow Dame Gill Oliver, who helped develop the resources, said: ‘I don’t know how many of you are comfortable communicating with a young woman who is going to die in a few weeks. The case studies and audio recordings give you a chance to rehearse.’ RCN general secretary Peter Carter said: ‘This guidance the result of some determined work by RCN members who are absolutely committed to improving care for the dying.’ See news analysis page 12
NMC will take action over dishonesty, barrister warns Nurses should avoid acts of ‘dishonesty’ in their private lives that could bring the profession into disrepute if they want to avoid being referred to the nursing regulator, a barrister has warned. The stark warning came from Ben Rich at a fringe session at RCN congress in Bournemouth last week. He said the NMC code of conduct holds nurses to account not just on their ability to nurse but on the way they uphold the reputation of nursing. He cited examples of cases where the Nursing and Midwifery Council had decided nurses’ fitness to practise was impaired by behaviour that had brought the profession into disrepute. One example involved a nurse who had altered an annual parking permit to avoid the charges for another year. ‘Any conviction for dishonesty is going to get you an impairment. In most cases, you will get a temporary suspension and in many cases you will get a year-long suspension,’ he said.
10 july 1 :: vol 29from no 44 :: 2015by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 18, 2015. For personal use only. NoNURSING STANDARD Downloaded RCNi.com other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
