Article: Providing dignified continence care to older people at end of life

At end of life, mobility is often compromised and people can experience extreme fatigue.  These factors and others can make it more difficult to maintain continence.  This article aims to enable healthcare staff to understand the problems older people may experience and how to work with the older person and caregivers to develop solutions that maintain dignity and enhance quality of life.

Nazarko, L. 2019.  Providing dignified continence care to older people at end of life. International Journal of Palliative Nursing; Oct 2019; vol. 25 (no. 10); p. 504-512.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: No one should die alone: volunteer support for patients dying in hospital

Demand for palliative care is increasing as the population ages, with half of people dying in hospital.  This article describes how one trust is using end-of-life volunteers, a role developed in partnership with the charity sector, to help ward staff provide high quality care. The model has improved support and care for patients in the last days and hours of their life, especially those who would otherwise be along, and is now being adopted by other hospitals.

Sardar, S. 2019.  No one should die alone: volunteer support for patients dying in hospital. Nursing Times, 115 (12) p 34-36.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: The future is probably now: understanding of illness, uncertainty and end-of-life discussion in older adults with heart failure and family caregivers

This Canadian study explored the understanding of older adults with heart failure and their caregivers. 19 participants took part.  The found participants were knowledgeable about the condition but limited in their understanding of the consequences of the illness.  Participants did not recognise that deterioration in the condition as part of the decline towards end of life and had not engaged in end of life discussions.  The study concluded healthcare professionals need to ensure older adults and caregivers understand the consequences of deterioration and care plans align with their preferences and needs as they advance towards end of life.

Im, J. et al. 2019. 'The Future is Probably Now': Understanding of illness, uncertainty and end-of-life discussions in older adults with heart failure and family caregivers. Health Expectations, 22 (6) p 1331 - 1340.

Available to download

Article: Neuropathic pain in advanced cancer: causes and management

Managing neuropathic pain in patients with advanced cancer can be challenging: it often requires an adjuvant analgesic and what works for one person may not work for another. Pain that is unresponsive to pharmacological approaches may require interventional procedures that are not usual in pain management and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Nurses play a key role in assessing the severity of the pain along with managing treatments.

Perdue, C. 2019. Neuropathic pain in advanced cancer: causes and management. Nursing Times, 115(11) p52-56.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Infection control: use of disposable gloves and aprons

Disposable gloves and aprons are used to protect health professionals and patients from the risks of infection. However, it is important to use them appropriately or they may increase patients' risk of healthcare-associated infections. This article discusses when and how to use them.

Wigglesworth,N. 2019. Infection control 3: use of disposable gloves and aprons. Nursing Times, 115(7) p34-36

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Infection control: good hand-hygiene practice for hospital patients

This article reviews the evidence on the importance of patient hand hygiene and recommended good practice.  It's accompanied by a poster, which can be photocopied, advising patients when and how to clean their hands.

Chadwick, C. 2019. Infection control 4: good hand-hygiene practice for hospital patients. Nursing Times, 115(9) p27-29.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Infection control: equipment for facial and respiratory protection

Respiratory and facial protection are used by health professionals when there is a risk of blood or body fluids splashing into the face and eyes or exposure via inhalation.  This article discusses when and how to use the right protective equipment.

Wigglesworth, N. 2019. Infection control 5: equipment for facial and respiratory protection. Nursing Times, 115(10) p30-32.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Infection control: hand hygiene using soap and water

This article briefly explains the importance of hand hygiene, when it should be performed and which cleansing agent to use; it also outlines the procedure for decontaminating the hands using soap and water and how to protect skin integrity.

Wigglesworth, N. 2019. Infection control 6: hand hygiene using soap and water. Nursing Times, 115 (11) p37-38.

Contact the library for a copy 

Article: A programme to cut inappropriate use of non-sterile medical gloves

Healthcare workers should only use non-sterile gloves for self-protection when exposure to blood or body fluids is likely. Overuse of gloves can have negative repercussions, including higher expenditure and waste, more skin problems and missed opportunities to decontaminate hands.

Dunn, H. et al. 2019. A programme to cut inappropriate use of non-sterile medical gloves, Nursing Times, 115(9), p18-20.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Staffing a specialist palliative care service

Calculating staffing needs for specialist palliative care services is complex, and there is little published evidence to suggest best practice.  This Canadian article written by the Canadian Society of Palliative Care is based on the interdependence of three key professional roles, an extensive literature search, key stakeholders and expert opinion. It recommends a number of starting points that will be evaluated as it's implemented across Canada.

Henderson, J. et al. 2019. Staffing a Specialist Palliative Care Service, a Team-based Approach: Expert Consensus White Paper. Journal of Palliative Care 22(11) p1318-1322.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Digital legacies with people affected by motor neurone disease

Little is known about how to best support young people (24 years and under) when a family members dies form motor neurone disease.  One potential solution is through use of a digital legacy whereby videos which documents a person's life memorial and achievements are purposely recorded by an adult during their illness.  This study aimed to investigate whether this supports or hinders a young persons' bereavement.  Twenty healthcare professionals, specialists and experts were recruited and interviewed in their work place or by telephone. It found the use of digital legacies to be a feasible and valuable method to support young people bereaved as a result of motor neurone disease.

Clabburn, O. et al.  2019. Digital legacies with people affected by motor neurone disease: The views, experiences and perceptions of healthcare professionals, specialists and experts for use with bereaved young people. Bereavement Care; 2019; vol. 38 (no. 2-3); p. 68- 75.

Contact the library for a copy

Report: Fresh eyes approach: a walkthrough to improve people's experience of care in the last months of life in acute hospitals. Family and carers' perspectives

This report summarises our learning from our ‘fresh eyes’ walkthroughs of 12 acute hospital trusts, a key component of the programes approach to consider the patient, family and/or carers’ experiences by walking through a potential journey.

Hospice UK, 2019.  Fresh eyes approach. A walkthrough to improve people's experience of care in the last months of life in acute hospitals. Family and carers' perspectives.

Available online or request a copy from the library

Report: Fresh eyes approach: caring to the end - shining a spotlight on bereavement and mortuary services

The Fresh Eyes method is part of a Hospice UK and NHS End of life Care project to improve care for patients at end of life, cared for in acute NHS hospitals.  It undertakes a "walk through" of a potential patient / relatives journey. This report summarises Hospice UK’s learning from their walk through of post death care, bereavement centres and mortuary services in 12 acute hospital trusts across England, taking part in two end of life care hospital improvement programmes supplemented with an analysis of mortality data.  Published November 2019.

Download report here

Report: The current state of caring for family carers in UK hospices

Published November 2019, the report summarises the state of carer assessment and support provision across the hospice sector in the UK.

Higgerson, J. et al. The current state of caring for family carers in UK hospices: findings from the Hospice UK Organisational Survey of Carer Assessment and Support.  Hospice UK,  2019.

Available from the Hospice UK web site or request a copy from the library

Article: Do the Welsh have it? Evaluating a bereavement support service supporting people bereaved by dementia

Research has shown that carers who report higher levels of pre-death grief are at greater risk of complicated grief after their loved one has died.  The Bereaved by Dementia project was set up to address the bereavement needs of people bereaved by dementia throughout Wales.  This report summaries the findings, recommendations and suggestions for future research.

Roleston, C, et al. 2019.  Do the Welsh have it?  Evaluating a bereavement support service supportive people bereaved by dementia.  Bereavement Care, 38 (2-3) p 104-108

Contact the library for a copy

Article: UK Childhood bereavement services:

This paper is a reflection on the development of childhood bereavement services.  It describes the early days of service growth, outlines three challenges the services currently face before considering their impact on the wellbeing of bereaved children.

Rolls, L. 2019. UK childhood bereavement services: A reflection on their development and cultural influence.   Bereavement Care, 2019, 38 (2-3) p 91-103.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Pressure ulcer education 1: introducing a new core curriculum

In spite of prevention programmes, pressure ulcers (PU's) remain a major health problem.  Staff education has been shown to be key to prevention.  This article discusses a new core curriculum for PU prevention and management.  It describes the content, how it was developed, and it's use in academic and clinical settings to support individual learning.

Fletcher, J. 2019.  Pressure ulcer education 1: introducing a new core curriculum.  Nursing Times, 115 (11) p 18-19.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Pressure ulcer education 2: assessing patients' risk of pressure ulcers

Risk assessment is the first step in pressure ulcer prevention to identify patients most at risk, plan and implement interventions, and ensure resources are used appropriately. This article outlines the key factors in assessing risk for effective pressure ulcer prevention.

Young, C. Fletcher, J. 2019 Pressure ulcer education 2: assessing patients' risk of pressure ulcers. Nursing Times, 115(11) p20-22.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Pressure ulcer education 3: skin assessment and care.

This article highlights what practitioners need to know about risk factors associated with impaired skin integrity, how to check for non-blanchable erythema, and evidence-based interventions to promoted skin integrity and prevent pressure ulcers.

Fletcher, J. 2019. Pressure ulcer education 3: skin assessment and care. Nursing Times, 115(12) p26-29.

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Hierarchy disruptors: bringing specialist knowledge from hospital to community care

This article discusses Project ECHO, now widely used by Hospice UK to facilitate a learning community across many countries.  The article looks at how it could be used in the NHS.

Eaton, L. 2019. Hierarchy disruptors: bringing specialist knowledge from hospital to community care. British Medical Journal (Online); Jun 2019; vol. 365

Contact the library for a copy