Welcome to Nursing Reports

I am absolutely thrilled to have such an opportunity to make a unique contribution to my profession and the wider community. At heart, I have been a nurse for a very long time. I have spent many years in clinical practice and have been fortunate to have personally thrived in the pursuit of scientific inquiry, analysis, reporting and scholarship in nursing. As this is the first editorial of Nursing Reports, I would like to share my vision. An open access journal o

Editorial: Reporting of Scientific Studies: Misleading Titles

A recent article in a respected British newspaper led with the headline ‘Atheist doctors more likely to hasten death’ which ruffled my feathers in exasperation. The phrase ‘to hasten death’ seems almost synonymous with euthanasia, which are acts that are distinct from end-of-life care. What were the background justification and the findings from the original study? They are well worth reading in full (Seale, 2010)

Effects of patient death on nursing staff: a literature review

There were 509,090 deaths recorded in England and Wales for 2008 (Office for National Statistics, 2010); of these, over 56% (260 000) occurred in NHS hospitals. The death of a patient is an event that most, if not all, nursing staff will encounter during their work. This experience can elicit physical, cognitive, behavioural, spiritual and emotional responses (Parkes, 1998). Aim: The aim of this literature review is to explore how the death of patients in a hospital setting impact on nursing staff. Method: A review of the literature was undertaken using the online databases CINAHL, Medline and PsychInfo. The search was limited to articles in the English language and those from peer-reviewed journals. Results: Themes arising from the literature review included: the theoretical context; the emotional impact; the culture of the healthcare setting; staff’s previous life experiences; and support available for healthcare staff. Conclusions: The death of patients does have an impact on nurses. This can affect them both in their work environment and outside of work. Education around grief theory and support from others are helpful for staff in developing strategies for coping with patient deaths.</p

An exploratory study of Reiki experiences in women who have cancer

Aims: To explore the perceptions and experiences of reiki for women who have cancer and identify outcome measures for an intervention study. Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study of 10 women who had received reiki after cancer treatment was conducted. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and coded using framework analysis. Results: Key themes identified were: limited understanding of reiki prior to receiving any reiki; release of emotional strain during reiki&mdash; feelings of a release of energy, a clearing of the mind from cancer, inner peace/relaxation, hope, a sense of being cared for; experience of physical sensations during reiki, such as pain relief and tingling; physical, emotional and cognitive improvements after reiki, such as improved sleep, a sense of calm and peace, reduced depression and improved self-confidence. Conclusion: Findings suggest that reiki could be a beneficial tool in the self-management of quality of life issues for women who have cancer

Talking about death and dying: Must we really?

There seems to be is a general perception that the British public, which includes health care practitioners, is reluctant to talk about dying and death. Furthermore, this avoidance behaviour is observed, noted and expressed in national policy briefings as being detrimental to patient involvement in decision-making, effective coping and preparation for death, organ donation, writing a will and the process of bereavement (Department of Health (DH), 2008). A coalition of interested parties supported by the National Council for Palliative Care in the UK called Dying Matters has taken on the mantle to campaign for breaking down the barriers surrounding all aspects of dying and death in society and to simply, talk more openly, easily and frequently about life’s ultimate certainty. The coalition was established in 2008 with support from the DH to ‘raise the profile of end-of-life care and to change attitudes to death and dying in society’ (DH, 2008)

Cancer-related Fatigue: A review of nursing interventions

Fatigue is a common and distressing symptom that is a concern for cancer patients, their families, carers and health care practitioners. Cancer-related fatigue is a multidimensional phenomenon that is self-perceived and includes physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural components. It can be unrelenting, disrupts daily life, fosters helplessness and may culminate in despair. The many causes of cancer-related fatigue stem from the disease itself, the cancer treatments and their side effects. The conclusion from a recent critical review of research evidence is that physical exercise and the treatment of underlying problems, such as anaemia or clinical depression, are effective interventions. However, a wide range of practical interventions and complementary therapies are likely to be helpful such as: acupressure and acupuncture, stress management and relaxation, energy conservation measures, anticipatory guidance and preparatory information, and attention restoring activities. This article will provide a comprehensive review of current knowledge surrounding cancer-related fatigue and the nursing interventions that can be implemented in community practice

An Unspoken need

Harry was a 49 year old man with severe learning disabilities and profound communication difficulties living in a palliative care service unit. He had pain related to undiagnosed bowel cancer and died without receiving any treatment other than paracetamol for his pain. A learning disabilities nurse wrote that ‘this man was unable to communicate his distress in a way that carers and staff could interpret.’ He had the right to quality of life like any other human being except that his needs were sometimes misunderstood because he communicated them differently