British journal of nursing (Mark Allen Publishing)
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The Government has introduced tough measures in dealing with violence and aggression in the workplace. Employers have a duty to provide adequate safety measures and training to reduce risks and ensure, where possible, the health, safety and welfare of their employees. This article highlights the responsibilities of employers and the pressures in both hospital and community environments on staff at risk from violent or abusive incidents. ⋯ The article looks at the "NHS Zero Tolerance Zone Campaign" and whether this can be enhanced by introducing training of an empathetic nature along with other practical environmental issues. It suggests that there are alternative and more effective, techniques in dealing with violence and aggression that can be used to defuse a situation before it ever becomes a physical altercation. The philosophies of eastern martial arts can teach us a lot about personal self-esteem and confidence which are two key elements in managing conflict situations.
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Review Comparative Study
The benefits of VAC therapy in the management of pressure ulcers.
This study investigates whether vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy, alginate or hydrocolloid dressing are most effective in the treatment of pressure ulcers. A total of 281 patients were included in this study. ⋯ An original analysis of the published data was carried out. Most of the pressure ulcers showed some response in all of the categories investigated, with pressure ulcers in the VAC therapy group showing a greater response in all aspects than those in the other two groups.
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Anxiety is a common phenomenon among hospitalized patients, and over the past few decades there has been a growing interest in using music as an anxiolytic agent on patients in intensive care undergoing ventilation. Critically ill patients experience both anxiety and pain related to their illness and injury, but the implementation of music can help provide a supportive role for relief of symptoms that interfere with the healing process. This article aims to review music therapy as an aid to reducing anxiety and pain levels within an intensive care unit setting. By observing the literature, music therapy as a non-pharmacological intervention will be discussed and the benefit of promoting a healing environment for patients will be addressed.
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Stoma care nurse specialists are valued for their diverse expertise, but it is essential that all practitioners who regularly care for people with stomas have the opportunity to develop professionally and influence this important area of practice. The vision of a clinical and educational team from Suffolk and south Norfolk led to the development of innovative web-based learning material. The aim is to inspire nurses to engage actively with people who have a stoma. 'Professional care of the person with a stoma' is about caring for the whole person, physically and emotionally, from the period before surgery, to their continuing care in the community. An overview of four aspects of stoma care is presented here as a way of sharing with a wider audience the expert practice harnessed during the development of this web-based module.
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Increasingly nurses are called upon to meet patients' spiritual needs. However, there is evidence to suggest that nurses are unable to do this adequately because of confusion about the notion of spirituality. This is compounded by the uncertainty surrounding the role of nurses in spiritual care interventions. ⋯ This article offers practical guidance to nurses seeking to improve spiritual care for their patients. A working definition of spirituality is offered and spiritual needs are explained in the context of a case scenario. Practical guidance is given on how spiritual care can be put into action, using the Actioning Spirituality and Spiritual care in Education Training (ASSET) model as a framework for assessment of spiritual needs, planning, implementing and evaluation spiritual care, and a spiritual assessment tool for practice is outlined.