Nursing in Practice May/June 2020 (issue 114) | Page 8

met its target of providing 100,000 coronavirus
tests per day in the UK by the end of April –
though there have been reports that it changed
its method of counting to meet its goal.
Nurses asked to
sign waivers amid
coronavirus outbreak
The Royal College of Nursing has reported that
nurses were asked to sign waivers that exempt
them, or their employer, from adhering to the
Government’s advice in order to fulfil their role
during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The RCN stated on its website in April:
‘We do not support the use of these documents
in any situation and we urge all health and care
staff to follow the Government’s advice.’
It added: ‘We expect all employers to
undertake individual risk assessments for any
staff within vulnerable groups and to make
alternative arrangements, including the option
of redeployment, to support individuals to
The RCN does not back the use of waivers
abide by the Governm
The Nursing and Mi
advice on the Covid-19
that nurses needed to
roles.
The RCN also found
staff working in high-pr
including those dealing
surveyed in April said t
single-use personal pro
The trade union crit
from Public Health Eng
healthcare workers to r
shortages.
The RCN also called
fixed before the lockdo
after Boris Johnson’s s
people should return to
employment if they cou
NMC dec
set up stud
temporary
A temporary register fo
final six months of their
necessary, the Nursing
has announced.
The NMC put forwa
part of the register for s
NMC chief executive A
May the ‘phenomenal
nurses stepping up to
meant the health and c
overwhelmed’.
Nearly 19,500 thirdmidwives,
as of 17 Apr
placements on the NH
than 13,000 former or
midwives are either wo
standby to assist.
Clinical news
Seek advice on
immunocompromised
children, says NICE
Care home
they can re
patients’ m
ALAMY X2 / GETY X4
Healthcare staff should
contact specialists
before stopping any
medicines for
immunocompromised
children who develop
Covid-19 symptoms,
NICE has said. A guideline said health
professionals should ‘reassure
patients and carers that Covid-19
usually causes a mild, self-limiting
illness in children and young people,
even if immunocompromised’.
The Government to
may reuse medicati
situation, if the pati
originally prescribe
for instance, if they
The temporary gu
Department of Heal
Social Care (DHSC)
as clinicians and
organisations called
on the Government
to relax rules amid
concerns about low
stocks.