Nursing times
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Young people in young offender institutions experience more physical and mental health problems than the general population. This article explores how the primary nursing service at HM Young Offenders Institution Huntercombe used national policy as a framework for managing change. In outlining the challenges and opportunities that influence practice development, we hope to demystify nursing in a prison setting, which is a hidden and often misunderstood aspect of healthcare.
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The increasing ageing population and the common occurrence of acute and chronic pain in this group means that nurses are likely to come into contact with many older patients who need pain management. This article examines the assessment of acute pain in older people, as well as different approaches to and challenges in pain management.
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The National Patient Safety Agency reported 152,000 falls in England and Wales in acute hospitals in 2009, 26,000 in mental health trusts and 28,000 in community hospitals. The number of falls is due to rise in line with increasing numbers of older and frail people who have more complex health needs. Many of these falls are preventable; the challenge for the NHS is to improve patient safety while protecting independence patients' rights to make informed choices.
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Despite its importance in end of life care, spiritual care is poorly addressed. This article presents the results of an innovative service in which nurses notify hospital chaplains of all patients placed on the Liverpool Care Pathway and the chaplains then visit to offer spiritual support to both patients and their carers. Nurses reported that the service was valuable not only for patients and their families but also for themselves and the whole clinical team. All nurses said they wanted the service to continue.