Technology is driving us to distraction by James Williams
Smartphone distraction by ransomtech (Creative Commons)
“How often are you diverted from a task by the seductive lure of your mobile phone? And does it matter? In a landmark book, the author argues we’re losing the power to concentrate”. Check it out here!
The search for the perfect painkiller…by Nic Fleming
Painkillers by Kris A (Creative Commons)
“Millions of Americans are hooked on powerful opioid painkillers – and thousands are dying as a result. Now scientists are trying to design a new and safer generation of drug.” By Nic Fleming. Read the essay here!
The Language of Kindness: A Nurse’s Story by Christie Watson
A book review by Molly Case
Kindness – Photo by David King (Creative Commons)
Check out this book review by Molly Case on ‘The Language of Kindness: A Nurse’s Story’. Sounds like essential reading for nurses and students nurses alike. Check it out!
It’s important for nurses to keep up to date with evidence-based interventions to help their patients with pain management. Many patients continue to experience high levels of pain post-op, so any new options nurses can incorporate into their pain management strategies have the potential to make an important impact on patient suffering.
In this review the authors sought to answer the following question: Which of the nonpharmacological interventions used for postoperative pain after total knee arthroplasty are effective?
If you want to know the ‘answer’, click here!
‘Cutting the stigma of nursing home placements‘
by Abby Farzaneh, 2nd year student nurse (adult), Bournemouth University
Some great advice about how to get the most out of your placement should it be in a nursing home. As outlined in the article, there are loads of learning opportunities and chances to develop your skills – take the chance.
Well done Abby!
And if I may, I will add two words of advice for this or any other type of placement opportunity: be proactive. If you wait for things to happen, the placement opportunities will pass you by like a train leaving you on the platform, wondering what amazing destination you may have arrived at had you had the courage to board. If you actively seek out chances to learn and develop your skills however, every placement, indeed every encounter in life, can be a rich learning experience. Don’t believe me? Be proactive and you’ll see – get on the train.
‘Antibiotics and antiseptics for wounds: evidence and ignorance’
It is sadly not unusual for some of our patients to have a pressure ulcer, and for those of you who already have experience of this, you’ll know it can be challenging to achieve healing of the ulcer. You will of course consider that the ulcer requires an adequate blood supply so that the immune system can get to work in removing debris and starting wound repair. Also, the patient will require an adequate intake of nutrition such that the wound has a supply necessary to facilitate healing. Promoting mobility is also crucial since, of course, a lack of this contributed to the ulcer in the first place. An additional consideration is that ulcers can get infected which will delay healing, so naturally you might assume that antibiotics and antiseptics would have a clear role in healing pressure ulcers – not so. Not according to the latest Cochrane review, the main points from which have been summarised by Sarah Chapman on the Evidently Cochrane blog. There is an obvious research need here, and logically nurses should contribute to this evidence base. This is imperative to promote better patient outcomes. Could this be the topic of your first research project?
Have you thanked a nurse lately? You’ll want to after reading this.
Source: Study Confirms What We Knew All Along: Nurses Are Key to Hospital Success.
Any thoughts?
