Do we need more men in general practice nursing?

Have we done enough to rid the health service of prejudice among staff? When was the last time you saw a male practice nurse? Where does the perception of practice nursing as a destination for the final years of your career come from? Would having a wider demographic represented in community nursing enable the NHS to serve the population’s health needs better?

I always think of nursing as a very inclusive profession. Nurses treat everyone fairly – regardless of their race, age or religion. I have heard nurses talk about treating the victim of a crime and the perpetrator with equal respect and attention in a moving and remarkable way. And yet, when it comes to nurses themselves, I am not always sure they gain that same respect. Read more at Nursing Times: On the pulse

Happy International Nurses' Day 2017 from the Nursing Times

From the moment you joined this profession you made a commitment to deliver the highest quality care for your patients.
So, on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday we're giving you FREE access to the following subscriber articles that highlight inspiring achievements or tips to help you propel your performance.

Free to access:

Helping homeless people move forward with their lives

By Rachel Treece

Gabrielle Bleidorn used to spend every Christmas volunteering with the homeless. So when a nursing post came up a year and a half ago to improve healthcare for homeless people, she knew it was the job for her

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Nurses get training to cope with stress

Overworked nurses in danger of burn out are practising mindfulness to help them cope with the stresses of the job.

AIT Health Library link to book record
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Carmel Sheridan’s The Mindful Nurse was published last year and has already been included on nursing training courses in the UK and the US.

The Galway-based psychotherapist says she was inspired to write the book when she realised how many people coming to her for help were nurses.

She told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “I’ve been teaching mindfulness around the country and more and more healthcare workers were enrolling.

“I saw there was a very high level of burn out for nurses who are not only struggling with their workload but also struggling with their own emotions.

“They are experts in caring for everybody else but they tend to be not so great in caring for themselves as a result.

“A lot of them are physically and mentally exhausted, have difficulty sleeping and have very high anxiety and stress levels.”