The role of the specialist in community nursing: perceptions of specialist and district nurses

A safety huddle is a meeting held among district nurses, allied health professionals, specialist nurses, administrative staff, community matrons and healthcare assistants, also known as the wider multidisciplinary team. This article aims to identify and discuss the importance of safety huddles within a community nursing team. The author, a Specialist Community Practitioner District Nurse (SCPDN), explores why safety huddles were introduced and the implications of staff and patient safety if a safety huddle is not performed. The article also discusses the role of the SCPDN, how patient harm is sustained when communication failures occur within a team, new technologies implemented into practice and the implementation of safety huddles electronically.

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Verification of expected death in the community: role of the community specialist practitioner

British Journal of Community Nursing ◽

10.12968/bjcn.2020.25.5.227 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (5) ◽

pp. 227-230

Author(s):

Lianne Ormandy-Brooks

Keyword(s):

Registered Nurses ◽

Nursing Care ◽

Royal College ◽

Community Nursing ◽

Community Settings ◽

Community Nurse ◽

District Nurses ◽

Specialist Knowledge ◽

College Of Nursing

In 2019, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI) recognised a significant reduction in the number of qualified district nurses (those who hold the Community Specialist Practitioner (CSP) qualification). Community nursing is an evolving role, and, with the role of community nurse expanding, the role of the CSP in supporting teams to adapt to the development of the role is more important than ever. As a leader, the CSP possesses skills in leadership and co-ordination of the team, alongside specialist knowledge of the provision of nursing care in community settings. This article seeks to explore the hidden practice of verification of expected adult deaths by registered nurses and how the CSP role is integral in developing and embedding this skill within a team.

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Florence Nightingale's legacy on the role of men in community nursing

British Journal of Community Nursing ◽

10.12968/bjcn.2021.26.6.302 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (6) ◽

pp. 302-306

Author(s):

Thomas Harrison

Keyword(s):

Workforce Planning ◽

Differential Treatment ◽

Community Nursing ◽

Florence Nightingale ◽

Gender Perceptions ◽

Career Opportunities ◽

History Of ◽

Role Of Men

Florence Nightingale is credited with reforming the profession of nursing, and her teachings allowed nursing to be perceived as an almost exclusively female career. However, the long history of men's role in nursing before Nightingale is frequently ignored. Males currently account for one in ten UK nurses, with that figure even less in community nursing, and the ones present receive differential treatment when it comes to hiring and promotion, career opportunities, and stigma associated with gender perceptions. This article attempts to gain a better understanding of the problems that face workforce planning with regards to the lack of men in community nursing.

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Evaluation of a structured preceptorship programme

British Journal of Community Nursing ◽

10.12968/bjcn.2019.24.11.554 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (11) ◽

pp. 554-557

Author(s):

Guy Tucker ◽

Joanne Atkinson ◽

Janet Kelly ◽

Lynette Parkin ◽

Alison McKenzie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nursing Education ◽

Large Scale ◽

Staff Nurses ◽

Clinical Team ◽

Team Leaders ◽

Large Scale Study ◽

Service Initiative ◽

District Nurses ◽

Experienced Nurse

Preceptorship is a period in which newly qualified staff nurses receive support from an experienced nurse to smooth their transition into the service. District nurses (DNs) from the authors’ trust informally expressed the need for a better transition between the completion of district nursing education and entry into the workforce. Hence, a structured preceptorship programme was developed and delivered. This article describes this service initiative and its evaluation by preceptors (n=14) and preceptees (newly qualified DNs; n=13). Both groups valued having a structured preceptorship programme. Preceptees agreed that having a named preceptor was very important, and preceptors felt that the role which they played was rewarding. Both groups felt that the role of the DN was a specialist role and that the preceptorship programme helped to support newly qualified staff make the transition into qualified DNs, clinical team leaders and, ultimately, caseload holders. A large-scale study of DN practice is required to develop a national consensus on the structure and content of preceptorship programmes for district nursing.

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Life is for living: the contribution of the arts and gardens

British Journal of Community Nursing ◽

10.12968/bjcn.2020.25.3.140 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 140-143

Author(s):

Alison E While

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Later Life ◽

The Other ◽

The Arts ◽

District Nurses ◽

Literature Reviews ◽

Healthcare Practice ◽

Potential Benefits

Quality of life and life enrichment are important throughout the lifespan and no less during ill-health or later life. The role of the arts and gardens and their potential benefits are not prominent within healthcare practice. This paper outlines the evidence reported in two literature reviews, one addressing the arts and the other focusing on gardens and gardening so that district nurses can understand what art-based and gardening opportunities they may offer their clients and their carers.

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