Nursing in Practice Autumn 2022 issue | Page 5

5 acknowledged that efforts were already under way to encourage recently retired nurses back into the workforce .
But it also suggested greater flexibility in the NMC readmission process , and the introduction of a consistent , national policy on the pension rules associated with ‘ retire and return ’.
Sue Boran , director of nursing programmes ( innovation ), at the QNI told Nursing in Practice it was vital to consider flexible solutions to staffing needs .
‘ Speaking to recently retired nurses about why they decided to retire can provide useful intelligence ; asking on what terms would they consider returning , even part time , will help employers provide the right terms and conditions and working environment ,’ she said . The report is available on the Policy Exchange site , bit . ly / 3xElwkL . See views , from page 12 .
COMMUNITY NURSING
Campaign highlights need for baby head measurements
A charity has launched a campaign to raise awareness among health visitors and parents of the importance of taking babies ’ head measurements in recognising hydrocephalus , a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain that can be fatal if left untreated .
The charity Harry ’ s Hat – which supports children and families affected by hydrocephalus – wants to ensure parents and ‘ anyone working on the front line of social care [ has the ] awareness and the confidence ’ to recognise and report the signs of the condition .
A key symptom of hydrocephalus in babies is the swelling of the head . Health visitors are required to take measurements of babies ’ heads at the
six-to-eight-week check , but Harry ’ s Hat has found many cases go unrecognised by healthcare professionals .
With its latest initiative , the ‘ Get-a-Head ’ campaign , the charity is hoping to raise £ 50,000 , some of which will be used to take on a project worker ‘ to do outreach with health visitors and GPs ’.
Harry ’ s Hat was founded by Caroline Coates , who told Nursing in Practice the charity has found ‘ anecdotal evidence ’ of head measurements not being performed for babies . She added that a large head measurement is not always understood as a sign of hydrocephalus .
‘ If a baby ’ s clothes fit but its hat is too small , or parents are having to cut their clothes to get the head through , this would be a reason to investigate further ,’ she said .
Ms Coates stressed that health visitors are ‘ already doing a phenomenal job ’ and that the charity wants ‘ to be sympathetic to their workload ’, but pointed out that a better understanding of the signs of hydrocephalus and regular head measurements can lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes .
CLINICAL
Common viruses may trigger Alzheimer ’ s disease
The shingles virus may play a role in the development of Alzheimer ’ s disease ( AD ) by reactivating another dormant virus , and triggering the development of AD-related plaques in the brain , a study has suggested .
Researchers from the Universities of Manchester and Oxford alongside Tufts University in Massachusetts have shown that infections such as varicella zoster virus ( VZV ), which causes chickenpox and shingles , may activate dormant herpes viruses , leading to the accumulation of AD-associated proteins in the brain .
A complete understanding of the causes of Alzheimer ’ s disease has yet to be established , but there is increasing evidence to suggest microbial organisms are involved – in particular , the herpes simplex virus type 1 ( HSV-1 ), the so-called cold sore virus , the researchers said .
After infection , HSV-1 resides in the peripheral nervous system , usually in a dormant form and can be reactivated by events such as stress and immunemediated mechanisms .
The new research suggests that dormant HSV-1 can be activated by another type of herpes virus , VZV , which could in turn lead to AD-like damage . The research was published in the Journal of Alzheimer ’ s Disease , bit . ly / 3d4IqdM .
CLINICAL
Child immunisation suffers largest drop in generation
Child immunisation rates have suffered ‘ the largest sustained drop ’ in a generation , the humanitarian aid organisation UNICEF and the World Health Organization ( WHO ) have warned , signalling a ‘ red alert for child health ’.
The percentage of children who received three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria , tetanus and pertussis ( DTP3 ) – a marker for immunisation coverage within and across countries – fell by five percentage points to 81 % between 2019 and 2021 , the WHO and UNICEF reported .
As a result , 25 million children missed out on one or more doses of DTP through routine immunisation services in 2021 alone , they said – a shortfall of two million more than in 2020 and six million more than in 2019 .
UNICEF ’ s executive director Catherine Russell called for immunisation catch-ups , warning that otherwise ‘ the consequences will be measured in lives ’. She said the data shows there is a ‘ red alert for child health ’. bit . ly / 3BAWp4G .
QNI and nursing , both nationally in the UK and internationally in the many years of her reign ’. bit . ly / 3QAJiom .
Community nurses to wear cutting-edge ‘ smart goggles ’ Community nurses at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust will wear cutting edge ‘ smart goggles ’ on home visits , as part of a NHSE pilot scheme aimed at freeing up time to spend with patients .
The ‘ virtual reality style headsets ’ can transfer the appointment directly to electronic records . Their use is subject to patient consent .
They will also be able to share footage directly with hospital colleagues for a second opinion , cutting down on the need for further appointments and hospital admissions .
Additional roles in general practice reduces patient satisfaction , study finds Employing healthcare workers other than nurses or GPs in general practice leads to a drop in patient satisfaction , a study has found .
Policies to introduce more social prescribers , pharmacists , paramedics , physiotherapists , nursing associates and physician associates has also not freed up time for nurses or GPs , the analysis of 6,295 GP practices in England between 2015 and 2019 suggests .
Researchers behind the largest study yet of the newer roles in general practice said their findings had ‘ profound implications ’ for policymakers . bit . ly / 3BxYQ7S .
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ALAMY X3