Nursing Standard 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 nu...

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...

How do you reduce imposter syndrome and make changes at work?   This episode’s guest is no stranger to change, having revolutionised sexual health care in Northern Ireland by setting up an early medical abortion service.   Sexual and reproductive healthcare nurse Nicola Bailey established the Rose Clinic providing terminations up to the tenth week of pregnancy to women in Belfast, overco...

Christmas may be a time for giving but accepting a gift from a patient could land you in hot water. While patient’s have the best intentions of thanking nurses at Christmas, or any other time of the year, accepting a gift could be in breach of the Nursing and Midwifery Council code. The Code clearly states that nurses must refuse ‘all but the most trivial gifts, favours or hospitalities, as accept...

Preparing for your first night shift can be a daunting experience. So many questions cross your mind. Will I be able to stay awake? What should I eat? And what should I bring with me?  This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast answers all those questions and more.  Podcast guests Molly Kiltie, senior mental health practitioner at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, and Danielle Robi...

How are nursing students preparing for the health challenges of climate change? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores how students and universities are ensuring their courses cover this vital topic. Nursing student Leonie Harrison and lecturer Alison Taylor discuss the proactive approach they are involved with to make their course at the University of Brighton more sustainable. Thi...

What is it with nurses and ghost stories? Why does every hospital seem to be ‘haunted’ by a past patient or long-dead matron? This Halloween episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores why so many nurses have a spooky story to tell. Our podcast guest  Ciaran O’Keeffe  is head of the School of Human and Social Sciences and associate professor of education and research at Buckinghamsh...

What is it like to be a newly registered nurse?  Making the transition from nursing student to newly registered nurse is exciting, but it can also be nerve-wracking.  Securing a role that is the right fit for you – with the right support at the right time – is crucial if you are to thrive in your new career.  But how do you go about getting your first job and what should you be look...

The emotional distress of caring for seriously ill and dying patients can take its toll on nurses who may struggle with feelings of unresolved grief. If it is not recognised and dealt with issues can build up that can lead to burn out, compassion fatigue, inadequate care for patients and nurses leaving the profession.   So, what can nurses do to protect themselves and maintain healthy and hap...

Major changes are afoot to advanced community nursing qualifications.   So, what do they mean for nurses’ careers? And what do employers, universities and other providers delivering education and training need to do?   This episode explores the new standards for specialist community public health nursing (SCPHN) and specialist practice qualifications (SPQs) introduced by the Nursing and...

Starting a nursing degree is exciting … but can also be overwhelming. So, where do you start? How can you prepare for academic study? What books should you buy (if any … yet) - and what are the best shoes to walk the wards in? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast answers all these questions and more on how to navigate those first weeks, months and year of a nursing course. Our guests Lin F...

Managing the continence care of patients with dementia in hospital can be a challenge for time-pressed staff. This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores this nursing practice which is little discussed yet vital to patient dignity and care outcomes. Katie Featherstone, director of the Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory at the University of West London, speaks about her research into t...

Is your workplace missing some nurses? Is there a perpetual struggle to fill rota gaps?   This isn’t just a UK problem but one that is reflected across the world, impacting global health in the most significant way.   In this episode, International Council of Nurses chief executive Howard Catton talks about the issues with recruiting staff from overseas and how worldwide nursing shortage...

How do you spot and treat monkeypox? And how concerned should nurses be about the UK outbreak of this relatively rare virus?   This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast examines what nursing staff need to know about the condition.   Our guest is Belinda Loftus, a sexual health nurse and a manager at the Spectrum Community Health social enterprise, which provides enhanced primary care...

How can the nursing regulator be fair to the professionals on its register while protecting the public? The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s ability to remove a registrant’s licence to practise – their livelihood – understandably makes some nursing staff fearful of the regulator.  Research has also shown inequalities for certain groups of nurses, midwives and nursing associates on the NMC regi...

Dysphagia describes eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties in an individual of any age.    This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores this complex and potentially life-threatening problem, what nurses need to be looking out for, and how and when it should be escalated.   Guest Rachael Jones, senior advanced nurse practitioner in stroke at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS...

As days get longer and people spend more time outdoors, the risk of contracting Lyme disease from infected ticks increases.   The latest episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores what nurses need to know about this condition.   Podcast guest is Nick Beeching, a professor in tropical and infectious diseases from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.   In the int...

Nurses encounter many different wounds in their practice. These range from lower limb leg ulcers – including venous leg ulcers and diabetes-related foot ulcers - to surgical wounds, pressure ulcers and those caused by trauma.  Wounds can be distressing, painful and debilitating for the person as well as affecting body image. They are also costly and take time to manage for the health service...

The link between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes has been proven time and again – so why does the UK have a persistent shortage of nurses? Is it all financial? And do, or should, nurses have a role in calling this out and finding solutions? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast hears from Jane Ball, professor of nursing workforce policy at University of Southampton who has spent...

Are you being held back in your career by self-limiting beliefs? These are those nagging thoughts that you’re not quite good enough or an imposter in your nursing role. Such anxieties can hamper professional development, discouraging nurses from stepping forward for new opportunities and job promotion. So how do you overcome these doubts? Gemma Stacey, director of the Florence Nightingale Foundati...

Do you know your emotional triggers, those particular situations that cause a surge of stress or anger? Feeling overwhelmed is a common response in times of high pressure, and the pandemic has brought even more challenges for healthcare staff. Yet self-care can appear a self-indulgence practised by people with time and energy. But does it have to be that way? A free massive online open course (MOO...

How can you make revalidation a straightforward task?   The process can feel like a mammoth task to many nurses and nursing associates when faced with their deadline to revalidate with the Nursing and Midwifery Council every three years.   There can also be confusion about what can be included as continuing professional development (CPD). Do you need a certificate for every learning expe...

What makes a good leader and how can every nurse demonstrate these skills whatever their seniority or setting? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast examines the topic of leadership and how all nursing staff and other healthcare workers can find and develop their own style. Guest Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust chief nurse Karen Bonner talks about her own style of authentic and compass...

Do you find it hard to eat well amid the pressures and demands of your nursing job? Perhaps you find yourself skipping meals during long shifts, grabbing a takeaway on the way home or craving sugary treats to combat exhaustion? You are not alone. A recent survey by Nursing Standard found almost six in ten respondents are turning to unhealthy and disordered eating as a result of work-related stress...

Are you looking to change direction in your career? You are not alone. The pandemic has made many nurses rethink – or at least review – their career pathway. So what do you do? Do you need to spend a lot of time retraining – or could you use your transferable skills to secure that new job? This episode of the podcast hears from former associate director of nursing and midwifery Winnie George, who...