Nursing Standard Podcast

What do nurses need to know about tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), which has recently arrived in the UK? Spread by the bite of an infected tick, TBEV can lead to a spectrum of illness including meningitis and encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and is potentially lethal. This episode hears from Sylviane Defres, a consultant in infectious diseases at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and a senior clinical lecturer at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Dr Defres tells interviewer journalist Erin Dean about the signs and symptoms nurses should be looking out for and how the illness presents and develops. They discuss the areas that are higher risk in the UK with more infected ticks and what is known about the spread of the virus in the UK. The importance of public health advice from nurses to protect people from getting bitten by ticks and the availability of a vaccine is also covered. Dr Defres also shares her top three tips for nurses on TBEV: Be aware of the importance of advice on avoiding tick bites as this can protect from TBEV and other tick-borne illness. Be vigilant and consider the possibility of TBEV if seeing a patient with relevant symptoms. Ask them if they have been outside in grassy areas working or enjoying the countryside.  Refer on and seek specialist advice when a patient has possible symptoms which cause concern, especially neurological ones. Patients with neurological signs should be referred to hospital as an emergency.For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast

What are the signs and symptoms of dementia and how can nursing staff best support people with the condition and their loved ones?By 2025, over one million people in the UK will likely have a diagnosis of dementia, making it even more likely that nurses in all settings will encounter someone with the condition and or their family.This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores the different types of dementia (there are over 200 subtypes of the condition) and the varying symptoms.Our guests are Helen Green, an admiral nurse with Dementia UK, which is a specialist dementia nursing charity supporting all the family, and Fred, whose wife Lynne has vascular dementia.They talk about gaining a diagnosis, signposting for support and helping someone with dementia to be stimulated via hobbies and activities.For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast

How do you recognise the signs of sepsis? And how should you respond when you suspect the patient in front of you is at risk?The latest episode of the podcast examines what nursing staff need to know about this life-threatening condition.Our guest, Sian Annakin, is deteriorating patient lead at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, and a sepsis practitioner.She tells Emergency Nurse editor Sophie Blakemore what to watch out for in adults and what the guidelines say about how and when to treat a patient with suspected sepsis.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence sepsis guidance is currently under review with an update expected in late June.Ms Annakin, who is also communications officer for the UK Sepsis Practitioner Forum, discusses why the review is taking place and what it means for nurses and hospital trusts in the interim, as well as when the update is published, whatever the outcome. Listeners will also hear what tools are available to help them screen for sepsis and how to supplement these using their own clinical experience. For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast

How can you make your money stretch a bit further, plan for retirement and feel in control of your finances? Times are tough financially for many nurses at the moment, with pay not rising as fast as the rocketing cost of living. This episode hears from money mentor for women and NHS GP Nikki Ramskill who shares information on how nurses can get to grips with their money and make it work for them better. Known as the Female Money Doctor, Dr Ramskill is on a mission to improve women’s money management skills. She advises knowing exactly what money is coming in and out, how to reduce unnecessary costs and check pension statements to fully understand the current financial situation. She tells podcast host health journalist Erin Dean that nurses should consider expanding their horizons outside of the NHS to earn more, and consider ‘side-hustles’ that can bring in extra money. Nurses need to try as hard as possible not to come out of the NHS pension as it is such a good plan, she says.   ‘Unfortunately, what you are doing is robbing your future self,’ she says. ‘Women have already got a massive gap in their pensions.’ Dr Ramskill shares her four top tips with nurses: Know your numbers. Get clarity on where your money is going and look at your NHS and state pension statementsReview your expenses regularly to get rid of unnecessary costsDon’t assume that someone else will do a better job than you on your financesKnow your worth – think about making more money, potentially outside the NHS.  Find out more about Dr Ramskill: https://thefemalemoneydoctor.comFor more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast

At the end of a shift, many nurses find it a challenge to leave the day behind. You may find yourself constantly going over events that happened at work, or wondering how a patient is faring. This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast will provide the tips and tricks you need to switch off after your shift. Our guest is RCN Nurse of the Year Ana Waddington, who is a paediatric critical care outreach nurse. Ms Waddington speaks to RCNi editorial assistant Serafina Basciano about the importance of having a moment to unwind before leaving work. In her case, it’s reminding herself of three positive things that happened that day. She also discusses an incident with a young patient that tipped her over the edge and tells listeners that there is no shame in reaching out for help. Ms Waddington speaks about activities that she does to help her decompress and reminds nurses to set aside some time every week to practise self-care.For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast

Using Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and other social media platforms are part of many nurses’ day-to-day lives. Getting the most out of social media accounts as a nurse, while avoiding the potential pitfalls, is the topic of this episode. We explore the positives of these online tools that can bring members of the profession together. Our guest is Teresa Chinn, a nurse, social media expert and honorary assistant professor at the University of Nottingham, and founder of the #WeNurses Twitter group. She shares her experience and the many ways that social media has helped her improve her practice and tackle the isolation she felt when working as an agency nurse. The podcast hears about valuable guidance from the NMC, drawing on the Code, which can help nurses use social media safely and responsibly. https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/nmc-publications/social-media-guidance.pdf She also emphasises the importance of not letting social media take more time than desired from already busy lives.  Ms Chinn also shares her three tips for getting the most out of social media. https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/features/how-to-use-social-media-to-get-health-messages-to-patients-and-public-170766 https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/students/nursing-studies/social-media-teaching-nursing-students-how-to-engage-and-be-professional-online-173076 https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/features/when-social-media-becomes-a-minefield-nurses-161401 https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/students/nursing-studies/how-to-stay-out-of-trouble-when-using-social-media-175686 https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/newsroom/news/would-you-share-your-unique-nurse-pin-on-social-media-193386For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast

How does kindness – and also unkindness – affect working relationships and patient care?Kindness is fundamental to nursing practice and the quality patients most value in their experience of care. Whereas unkind behaviour can impact on a nursing professional’s ability to respond effectively and learn – and, also, affects patient outcomes.This episode of the podcast explores what it means to be kind, how these behaviours influence person-centred care and inter-staff relationships.Our guest is William Gage, lecturer in adult nursing at King’s College London, who has written a popular CPD article on kindness for Nursing Standard.Mr Gage also explains the meaning of purposeful behaviour and how kindness is about offering practical support to one another.He also delves into compassionate leadership and speaks about how ‘resilience’ is as an unhelpful term in nursing.For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast

What does it mean to be a ‘silent companion’ and how does this help to build trust at the end of a patient’s life?Find out more in this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast, which explores the challenges that nurses face when providing person-centred end of life care.Other topics addressed include effective communication, building authentic and trusting relationships, and the importance of nurses in this role being able to care for themselves.Joining podcast host RCNi CPD editor Nick Lipley are RCNi authors Tracy Smith and Kasia Patynowska, who both work for UK end of life care charity Marie Curie.Tracy is currently Marie Curie clinical educator for Scotland and Kasia is a Marie Curie research nurse in Northern Ireland.Supporting person-centred end of life care is the focus of a CPD article, co-authored by Tracy and Kasia with Marie Curie colleagues and published by Primary Health Care.Publication of the article has been supported by Marie Curie so that it is open access.For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast

In January thousands of nurses in the NHS staged a two-day strike across England over pay, as members of the RCN continue their historic walkouts.But what were the real reasons for nursing staff voting for industrial action?In the latest episode of the Nursing Standard podcast we hear from nurses on the picket lines in South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Brighton and London about their personal reasons for taking part in the strikes on 18 and 19 of January 2023.Speaking to reporters nurses from all aspects of nursing, staff told us their chief concern was patient safety and the future of the NHS. While some nurses spoke of struggling to pay their bills, some student nurses explained that completing their placement proficiencies was almost impossible, as the staff shortages meant learning and university paperwork is being side-lined.Speaking on the picket line alongside nurses, the RCN’s general secretary Pat Cullen told the podcast that nurses had been ‘pushed onto picket lines by this government’ and while the stalemate remained, the biggest NHS strike would go ahead in February with all mandated members of the union in England, Wales and Northern Ireland striking at the same time. She said: ‘We need to get round a table and start to work together to resolve the 2022/23 pay dispute, and we need to do that very quickly before we move into another set of strikes.’For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast