Nursing times
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In 1998 the World Health Organization declared childhood obesity a 'global epidemic' (WHO, 1998). The Department of Health has identified that prevention must be aimed at children to address its rise in future generations (DoH, 2002). Childhood obesity is recognised as a predictor of adolescent and adult obesity (Smith, 2002; Parsons et al, 1999; Whitaker et al, 1997). Without intervention to prevent the growing trend of childhood obesity there is a risk of increasing economic cost and human suffering in future generations (Laing, 2002).
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Despite major advances in the management of pain since the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Anaesthetists announced in 1990 that postoperative pain management in British hospitals was inadequate, pain continues to be an unacceptable but common sequel to surgery (Wood, 2002). Pain assessment is simple, but unfortunately it is infrequently performed. When clinicians do not obtain pain ratings from patients they are unlikely to underestimate the patients' pain. Improving pain management requires that pain is recognised as a priority and that nurses are encouraged to play an active and pivotal role within the multidisciplinary team to recognise, prevent and treat it.
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Antibiotics have had a major impact on health care since the discovery of penicillin. However, the prescribing of antibiotics remains a common practice dilemma. How should the appropriate prescription of antibiotics continue while ensuring that growth of microbial resistance to infectious diseases is kept to a minimum?