In this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast two experienced nurses share their experiences of the challenges and benefits of working shifts, including how irregular hours can lead to social isolation, poor diet and disrupted sleep. They emphasise the importance of good quality rest and the need for nurses to prioritise self-care. · For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 16, 2024•43 min•Season 13Ep. 4
Pressure ulcers are one of the most common preventable ways by which patients are harmed during their care. They can be serious and even life-threatening, causing pain and distress to people of all ages and across all care settings. Nurses have an essential role in preventing pressure ulcers, and often the first action in prevention is to complete a pressure ulcer risk assessment. This can provide a foundation for care planning. Risk assessment and using risk assessment tools are the focus of th...
Oct 02, 2024•20 min•Season 13Ep. 3
When sepsis nurse Yvonne Young’s son experienced pain in his knee and groin, she told herself there must be another explanation. It couldn’t be sepsis, could it? The signs were atypical. But Yvonne, assistant director of nursing for sepsis at UL Hospitals Group in Ireland, listened to the nagging doubt in her head and took her son to the emergency department. Her instincts were correct – her son ended up staying in hospital for ten days as he recovered from sepsis, and remained on antimicrobials...
Sep 17, 2024•41 min•Season 13Ep. 2
Whatever gripes nurses may have about modern uniforms, they reflect that they at least have it better than previous generations. Nurses at trusts which take on the new national uniform in England will be wearing a smart scrub or dress in a lightweight fabric. In this Nursing Standard podcast we get an overview of the history of the nursing uniform from the 1860s to the modern day and how it is linked to the nursing identity. For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podca...
Sep 03, 2024•36 min•Season 13Ep. 1
‘Everybody’s going to get pain at some point in their lives. It’s something we’re all going to experience.’ And that’s why it is vital that all nurses have a firm grasp of essential pain management (EPM), according to RCN Pain and Palliative Care Forum chair Martin Galligan. In this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast, guest host Martin – who is also a lecturer practitioner at the Royal Marsden School – discusses what EPM is and how nurses can use it to provide holistic treatment for patient...
Aug 20, 2024•27 min•Season 12Ep. 8
The ‘glacial pace’ of fitness to practise (FtP) investigations into nursing staff breached human rights, says the review team that examined the running of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Following the publication of their damning report into the internal culture at the NMC, project manager Matt Baker from specialist consultancy Rise Associates spoke to senior reporter Alison Stacey for the latest Nursing Standard podcast episode about the most worrying and shocking aspects of their find...
Jul 11, 2024•33 min•Season 12Ep. 7
Ahead of the general election on 4 July, Nursing Standard met with cancer nurse and parliamentary undersecretary at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Maria Caulfield to talk to her about what nurses can expect if the Conservatives hold on to power next month. Still working part time as a nurse, the MP for Lewes spoke to us to discuss the Conservative Party’s priorities for the NHS and the nursing workforce, including whether she agrees that England’s emergency departments are in c...
Jun 25, 2024•4 min•Season 12Ep. 6
Nursing and other staff cannot continue to be ‘emotionally blackmailed’ into keeping the NHS going, the Nursing Standard podcast hears. In an interview on the latest episode, shadow health and social care secretary Wes Streeting speaks about how NHS staff goodwill is now exhausted. Mr Streeting tells senior news reporter Alison Stacey that action on pay and working conditions must happen to restore professional pride in nursing. He also talks about his own experience of receiving treatment for k...
Jun 13, 2024•10 min•Season 12Ep. 5
Do you have a job interview coming up and it’s making you feel increasingly anxious? If the thought of showcasing your talents to an interview panel is making your stress levels go through the roof, don’t worry, you are not alone. The key to success is preparation – prepare well and you are giving yourself the best chance to show the interviewers that you are the ideal candidate for the job. In the latest episode of the Nursing Standard podcast, hosted by RCNi career development editor Clare Lom...
May 30, 2024•32 min•Season 12Ep. 4
Our podcast guest explains the benefits of the NHS pension, why it is such good value for nurses, and the implications of recent changes to the scheme. For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 15, 2024•19 min•Season 12Ep. 3
What is the difference between being a nurse in Scotland and the rest of the UK? This latest episode explores the differences on pay, terms and conditions for nurses working in NHS Scotland and beyond. Our guest, RCN Scotland’s director Colin Poolman, talks to podcast host and senior reporter Alison Stacey about how negotiations between the RCN and the Scottish government secured better pay, a shorter working week and protected learning time. Band 5 nurses will also be able to self-apply to have...
May 02, 2024•29 min•Season 12Ep. 2
Tips on defusing conflicts, responding to aggression and the importance of staying calm For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 17, 2024•20 min•Season 12Ep. 1
The incredible work of a nurse that inspired a hit charity song and global humanitarian effort to feed starving people in Africa is remembered in our latest podcast episode. On the 40th anniversary of the formation of charity superstar group Band Aid, Nursing Standard talks to the nurse who helped prompt the cultural phenomenon led by musician Sir Bob Geldof. Dr Dame Claire Bertschinger was working for the Red Cross in Ethiopia in 1984 when she was featured in a BBC news broadcast about the deva...
Mar 22, 2024•31 min•Season 11Ep. 6
Public speaking strikes fear into the hearts of many – it’s regularly reported as one of the most common phobias – but is an increasingly important skill for many nurses. The good news is that there are many ways to become a better and more confident public speaker, even in the face of anxiety. This latest episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores how nursing staff can hone their speaking skills. It considers the importance of preparation – from understanding an audience, to getting slide...
Mar 08, 2024•19 min•Season 11Ep. 5
Building confidence in the workplace is vital for nursing staff, both for patient safety and nurses’ own career development. Being confident can help in areas such as raising concerns and overcoming imposter syndrome, as well as in job interviews and applying for opportunities, such as a secondment. But what steps can nurses take to build their confidence in the workplace? This episode looks at what we mean by confidence, how communicating with confidence can benefit your patients and your caree...
Feb 22, 2024•46 min•Season 11Ep. 4
Nurses and other healthcare staff face constant workplace pressures, especially during the colder months when respiratory conditions are more prevalent. Staff shortages and industrial action have also impacted services. But what support is there for nursing staff and managers to navigate challenging times? This episode examines how the NMC code acts as a professional anchor, helping nurses manage risks and escalate concerns. It provides a framework for decision-making and professional accountabi...
Feb 08, 2024•32 min•Season 11Ep. 3
All hospitals are soon to need a system in place that allows patients, families and carers to request an urgent second opinion of care under Martha’s rule. Some hospitals already have a process in place for raising concerns about patient care, including Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast focuses on Call 4 Concern, a nurse-led service at that already offers this approach the hospital. Journalist Erin Dean speaks to Alison Schofield, lead nurse for th...
Jan 24, 2024•24 min•Season 11Ep. 2
What is a skin tear and why do they matter? This episode of the podcast examines why these wounds shouldn’t be seen as ‘just a skin tear’ - and their diagnosis and treatment. Our guest is Samantha Holloway, a reader and senior lecturer responsible for delivering the masters degree programme in wound healing and tissue repair at Cardiff University School of Medicine. She talks to RCNi senior nurse editor Richard Hatchett about her drive to change perceptions of skin tears, the three types of tear...
Jan 10, 2024•26 min•Season 11Ep. 1
One year ago nurses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part in historic strike action, many for the first time. Some of the biggest hospitals across the UK saw nurses walk out in their fight for better pay and working conditions, as well as concerns over unsafe staffing levels and patient safety. In this Nursing Standard podcast episode RCN chief nurse Nicola Ranger joins senior reporter Shruti Sheth Trivedi to talk about the significance of nurses taking industrial action, whether ...
Dec 15, 2023•18 min•Season 10Ep. 7
It is a situation all too familiar for many nurses, menopause symptoms becoming so overwhelming they make continuing to work a challenge. When Wendy Madden, nurse lead for menopause at University Hospitals Birmingham, began experiencing menopause symptoms they almost forced her to quit the job she loved. The fatigue, being unable to sleep, hot flushes and anxiety shattered her confidence at work. ‘It started making me lose my confidence, I didn’t feel I was able to do my job as effectively as I ...
Nov 29, 2023•36 min•Season 10Ep. 6
When author and poet laureate Michael Rosen contracted COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic he was put into an induced coma and told he had just a 50% chance of waking up. For 40 days the author lay ventilated and unconscious at Whittington Hospital in North London. Meanwhile his nurses working in the Intensive Care Unit kept detailed daily diaries of his progress, often sharing personal details of their own pandemic journeys and encouraging him on to ‘keep fighting’ as he battled for his life....
Nov 16, 2023•48 min•Season 10Ep. 5
Everyone deserves care that works for them at the end of their lives, and there is only one chance to get it right. But charity Marie Curie has warned that for many people from diverse communities this is often not the case. In this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast, journalist Erin Dean talks to Rekha Vijayshankar, a research and clinical nurse, and Rini Jones, senior policy and research manager for equity and equality, from charity Marie Curie. They discuss the complex inequities in end-...
Nov 01, 2023•39 min•Season 10Ep. 4
Half the UK population has chronic pain, making nurses increasingly likely to encounter patients living with it. So, what skills do nurses need to employ to understand how pain impacts an individual’s life and assess what physical and mental health support they may need? This episode of the podcast explores the management of both acute and chronic pain with three experts in the field. Guest podcast host Martin Galligan, lecturer practitioner and programme lead of advanced clinical practice in ca...
Oct 19, 2023•26 min•Season 10Ep. 3
Following the Lucy Letby case it is more important than ever to address the challenges nurses and other healthcare staff face when raising concerns. October marks Speak Up month for the NHS, a campaign run by the National Guardian’s Office (NGO. This year’s theme is ‘breaking barriers’, which focuses on removing the obstacles people feel prevent them from raising concerns at work. Speaking up is the subject of this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast. National guardian for freedom to speak u...
Oct 04, 2023•26 min•Season 10Ep. 2
What is a litigation nurse and what is their role in addressing the complaints and concerns of patients and service users? What specific nursing skills can a litigation nurse bring to the legal team to meet client needs? The latest Nursing Standard podcast explores the role of a litigation nurse and, based upon this type of work, how nurses can reflect upon their own practice in areas such as record keeping and communication. In this episode we hear from litigation nurse Matthew Brown who works ...
Sep 20, 2023•21 min•Season 10Ep. 1
Severely exhausted, feeling cynical or struggling emotionally? You could be burned out by your job. Studies show that 25-50% of nurses are experiencing burnout in some work settings, which can impact on patient safety. It is also linked to increased staff absences and a large driver of nurses leaving their jobs or the profession entirely. But how can you spot the warning signs, and can you stop burn out? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast looks at aggravating factors of burnout among n...
Aug 16, 2023•26 min•Season 9Ep. 8
A rolling of the eyes, talking over you, or plain rudeness- we might all have a colleague who behaves in an uncivil way. But should you do anything about it, or just ignore it? Incivility at work can take many different guises and can leave people feeling dejected, unmotivated and unfairly treated. This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast looks at how to deal with incivility in the workplace, and why in a healthcare setting its impact can mean life or death. Our guest is consultant in emerge...
Aug 02, 2023•24 min•Season 9Ep. 7
How do you use early warning scores to optimum effect when assessing the deteriorating patient? When should you refer a person in your care to a more senior member of the team, and in what circumstances must you immediately escalate a case? The latest episode of the Nursing Standard podcast discusses these issues as we explore early warning scores. Tools such as the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) help nurses and other healthcare professionals to assess when a patient’s condition is worseni...
Jul 19, 2023•23 min•Season 9Ep. 6
Irritability teetering on unexpected rage, feeling physically and mentally exhausted and down - and like the only option is to flee work? Is this the consequence of workplace pressures … or could it (or also) be the perimenopause? The perimenopause - the phase when women are experiencing menopausal symptoms but are still having periods – is the subject of this episode of the podcast. Our guest is Katharine Gale , consultant nurse in women’s health and menopause and director of Fluxstate , which ...
Jul 06, 2023•28 min•Season 9Ep. 5
Have you considered working at one of the UK’s summer festivals? Festival season is back again and there are plenty of opportunities to use your nursing skills and enjoy festival life. If you are looking for a role but don’t know where to start the latest episode of the Nursing Standard podcast answers all of your questions. Podcast guest Vicky Lennon, intensive care sister in Bath, talks about her experience of working at Glastonbury and provides tips on how to find a role that is right for you...
Jun 22, 2023•15 min•Season 9Ep. 4
