Fundamentals of Oncology Nursing
AMREF Health Africa
Welcome to unit two of the National Curriculum for Higher Diploma in Oncology with Palliative Care Nursing. In this unit, you will learn about Fundamentals of Oncology Nursing. In the previous unit, you learnt about Critical Thinking and Academic Writing. This unit comprises of sections that introduce you to, and lay the foun....
Oral Health for Nurses and Midwives (November Update 2023)
Jill Iliffe
The Oral Health for Nurses and Midwives CPD course was developed in response to the call from the World Health Organisation for Universal health coverage for oral health for all individuals and communities by 2030. Recent research has provided evidence of close associations between oral health and other chronic non-communicable....
Defining health literacy and effective communication
Veronica Lambert and Deborah Keogh
1 Hours
This learning module explores the concept of health literacy, an often hidden barrier to effective healthcare communication. This module explains how to detect low levels of health literacy among parents and children, and outlines the challenges to assessing health literacy levels, including the stigma and discrimination some pe....
Practical experience of administering subcutaneous rituximab
Sarah Liptrott, Nicola Crosbie, Maris Stella Sugino, Renate Bratke, Maria Mendoza, and Pakeeza Sayyed
Treatment regimens involving the monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody rituximab are the standard of care for patients with CD20-positive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). It has conventionally been given by intravenous (IV) infusion, which requires intermittent patient monitoring during administration. A subcutaneous (SC) formulation is also....
Measles: pathology, management and public health issues
Jackie Bentley, Jo Rouse and Jenny Pinfield
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that continues to occur in epidemics in the UK despite efforts to eradicate it. In the acute stage, measles is associated with several complications including otitis media, but some of the most severe consequences of the disease occur months and even years after the initial infection.....
An overview of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Helen King and Rebecca Myatt
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative malignancies with differing patterns of behaviour and responses to treatment. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and stem cell transplantation are the main treatment modalities, but targeted therapies such as monoclonal antibodies are improving survival. The complex....
An overview of alcohol-related liver disease
Danielle Fullwood
Alcohol is one of the three leading causes of liver disease in the developed world. Patients with alcohol-related liver disease are often cared for in general wards and hospitals, rather than specialist centres. This may be a result of the number of patients being admitted or a lack of referral to specialist services by healthca....
Prevention of surgical site infection
Pauline Harrington
Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common healthcare-associated infection that can cause patients extreme pain and discomfort, resulting in prolonged hospitalisation and additional costs to the NHS. Multidisciplinary team working, combined with audit and surveillance, early recognition of signs and symptoms of infection, and imp....
Priorities at the end of life: caring for people who are dying
Ann Regan and Jane Colling
1 Hours
Care of people who are dying is an emotive topic, and there is only one chance to get it right for each individual approaching death. Failure to do so can hinder and complicate the grieving process of those left behind. Embedding core nursing values is integral to improving the quality of care given to all patients and those clo....
Preventing amputation in people with diabetes
Eleanor Thomas
Good management of diabetes can reduce the risk of complications of the disease. When not well managed, diabetes is associated with the complications of heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and amputations. Diabetes can reduce the blood supply to the feet and cause a loss of feeling. As a result, foot injuries do not....
Understanding bullying in healthcare organisations
Belinda Allen
1 Hours
Bullying is a pervasive problem in healthcare organisations. Inquiries and reports on patient care and poor practice in the NHS have emphasised the substantial negative effects this behaviour may have on patient care. If bullying is to be addressed, it is crucial we develop clarity about what behaviours constitute bullying and h....
Promoting effective communication skills in nursing practice
Elaine Bramhall
1 Hours
This learning module highlights the importance of effective communication skills for nurses. It focuses on core communication skills, their definitions and the positive outcomes that result when applied to practice. Effective communication is central to the provision of compassionate, high-quality nursing care. The module aims t....
Wound debridement: a clinical update
Agi McFarland and Fiona Smith
This learning module aims to improve nurses' knowledge of wound debridement through a review of different techniques and the related physiology of wound healing. Debridement has long been an established component of effective wound management. However, recent clinical developments have widened the choice of methods available. Th....
Group B streptococcus in pregnancy: intrapartum care choices for women
Nina Whittle and Penny Champion
Group B streptococcus (GBS) colonisation can occur intermittently in a proportion of the population. This normally benign gram-positive bacterium has the potential to cause neonatal sepsis if the baby is exposed to it during vaginal delivery. Overwhelming sepsis in the neonate occurs infrequently, with most cases occurring in th....
Cultivating compassionate care for patients
Belinda Dewar
1 Hours
The term compassion is at the forefront of current healthcare policy, yet its meaning and how it can be realised in practice is far from clear. This learning module debates the meaning of compassion in the context of practice and argues that it essentially involves how people relate to each other. It highlights key processes to....
Blood glucose monitoring and management in acute stroke care
Elizabeth Laird
Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for stroke. Concerns have been raised that adults with acute stroke, irrespective of whether or not they have a history of diabetes mellitus, are at increased risk of experiencing hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia. Hyperglycaemia is associated with severe stroke and poor clinical outcomes,....
Colorectal cancer and how to avoid it
Paul Beland
1 Hours
Colorectal cancer represents a significant threat to men and women and in Western societies its incidence is increasing. However, with care, adequate screening and early detection, it can be diagnosed and treated effectively. Although Western lifestyles, especially diet and sedentary living, are difficult to change, screening an....
Blood glucose monitoring in diabetes
Paula Mayo
While the prevalence of all types of chronic conditions is increasing, diabetes is one of the few long-term conditions that individuals can successfully manage and control on a day-to-day basis, providing that they have access to appropriate advice and support. Blood glucose monitoring and patient education are essential in diab....
Ankylosing spondylitis: patient diagnosis and management
Deborah Bond
This learning module provides an overview of ankylosing spondylitis, including signs and symptoms, diagnosis and management. The module focuses on the difficulties and delays associated with diagnosing this chronic inflammatory disease and developments in diagnostic criteria. Changes in the management of patients with the diseas....
How to remove a non-tunnelled central venous catheter
Lisa Dougherty
This module aims to help nurses to undertake the removal of non-tunnelled central venous catheters (CVCs) in a safe, effective and patient-centred manner. A non-tunnelled CVC is inserted directly into a central vein with its tip usually located in the vena cava or right atrium. Insertion of a CVC can increase the risk of pneu....
How to perform open tracheal suction via an endotracheal tube
Nicola Credland
This How to module provides nurses with information on how to perform open tracheal suction via an endotracheal tube. Tracheal suction involves the removal of pulmonary secretions from the respiratory tract using negative pressure under sterile conditions. Practitioners should be aware of the indications for, and risks associ....
How to suction via a tracheostomy
Nicola Credland
Patients with a tracheostomy tube may be unable to cough adequately to expel pulmonary secretions. Therefore, tracheal suction is essential in managing secretions and maintaining respiratory function and a patent airway. This How to module provides nurses with information on how to suction via a tracheostomy. Tracheal suction....
An evidence-based approach to subcutaneous injection technique
Sherri Ogston-Tuck
Injections are routinely administered by nurses in acute care settings and in the community. Nurses require a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology, pharmacological principles and equipment, and potential risks to the patient of injections. Nurses should also take an active approach to patient assessment before inject....
How to insert a peripheral cannula
Sally Jane Shaw
This How to module aims to assist healthcare practitioners to undertake the safe and effective insertion of a peripheral cannula. It provides information on best practice related to peripheral cannulation with an open-ported safety cannula. The same principles for practice apply to non-ported open safety cannulae. Peripheral....
How to check the arterial pulse
Christopher Nicholson
This module aims to help healthcare professionals to check the arterial pulse. It focuses on the radial pulse, and also briefly considers the brachial and carotid pulses. The arterial pulse provides information about the patient’s condition and is therefore a vital sign. Checking the pulse is an essential clinical skill for heal....