A cognitive sketch pad to record thoughts of psychiatric patients.

The purpose of a cognitive sketch pad is to facilitate thoughts that allow patients to be engaged with their nurse and with activities of daily living. This recording of thoughts is a way of finding areas of agreement that will move patients' care towards recovery.

Communication about sexual problems in male patients with multiple sclerosis.

Aim: To explore the reasons given by a disability, assessment and rehabilitation team (DART) for perceived difficulties in discussing sexual problems with male patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and to compare them with the views of a sample of patients.

Method: Data were gathered from a multidisciplinary team who were responsible for assessment and rehabilitation of patients with MS, using a focus group and semi-structured interviews with 11 male patients. Data were analysed thematically, with reference to Annon's (1976) model of communication.

Maintenance of oral health in people with learning disabilities.

The oral health of people with learning disabilities is often compromised, which has a deleterious effect on their well-being. This article explores the need for specialist intervention. Barriers to effective care are scrutinised and potential solutions are suggested.

Physical activity levels during phase IV cardiac rehabilitation in a group of male myocardial infarction patients.

Objective: To determine physical activity levels during phase IV cardiac rehabilitation in 31 male myocardial infarction patients (median age 62, range 53-77 years).

Methods: Patients recorded daily physical activity over 16 weeks in a diary. Diaries were analysed for total general physical activity (TGPA), leisure time physical activity (LTPA), and "active for life" exercise classes (AFL).

Slow habituation of induced gamma and beta oscillations in association with unreality experiences in schizotypy.

Highly schizotypal individuals exhibit deficits in attentional processing, in particular dysfunctional habituation. This has led to the suggestion that abnormal habituation may represent a trait marker of psychotic vulnerability. This study examined the difference between high- and low-schizotypal individuals' habituation of nonphase-locked gamma and beta-1 oscillations, with and without attention.

'Implementation deficit' and 'street-level bureaucracy': policy, practice and change in the development of community nursing issues.

The present paper examines the mechanisms by which health and social care policies put forward by the Government may be translated into community nursing practice. Data from a research project on community nurse case managers were re-examined in the light of two classic theories often cited by policy analysts (i.e.

The perioperative practitioner.

This article demonstrates how patient care can be compromised when vital patient information is not communicated to the team in the operating theatre. It challenges practitioners to consider the information required to properly care for our patients. Several members of NATN were asked to comment on this article and these are reproduced at the end.

What do we know about... nutrition and older people?

Nutrition is important to the health and functioning of elderly people. This paper summarises the evidence that many old people suffer from undernutrition and outlines the insidious effects of this form of malnutrition. It discusses the physiological and practical difficulties elderly people face in achieving good nutrition, and the challenge this poses to health workers.

Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and coronary heart disease risk factors following 24 wk of moderate- or high-intensity exercise of equal energy cost.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of exercise intensity on cardiorespiratory fitness and coronary heart disease risk factors. Maximum oxygen consumption (Vo(2 max)), lipid, lipoprotein, and fibrinogen concentrations were measured in 64 previously sedentary men before random allocation to a nonexercise control group, a moderate-intensity exercise group (three 400-kcal sessions per week at 60% of Vo(2 max)), or a high-intensity exercise group (three 400-kcal sessions per week at 80% of Vo(2 max)). Subjects were instructed to maintain their normal dietary habits, and training heart rates were represcribed after monthly fitness tests.

The HALO system--a light weight portable imaging system.

This paper describes the development of a prototype portable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device with anticipated application in material science and biomedicine. The device consists of two rings constructed from permanent magnets with the polarization aligned axially. The geometry of the device produces a B0 field with cylindrical symmetry.

The construction and development of health professions: where will it end?

Aim: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the construction and development of professional health work as it has occurred over the past 15 years in the UK and present an informed, speculative analysis of present and future health care work.

Background: Since the early 1990s, there has been a strong political imperative in the United Kingdom (UK) to develop existing roles in nursing and the allied health professions, blurring professional boundaries and emphasizing patient/client-centred care delivery. This has already led to major changes in professional work patterns and the privileging of interprofessional work.

Evaluation of decontamination procedures used in primary care.

This study examined decontamination and infection control procedures in general practice. Four primary care trusts participated with a response rate of 80 per cent. The study showed evidence of poor compliance with national standards and examples of unsafe practice.

Nurse prescribing, nurse education and related research in the United Kingdom: a review of the literature.

This literature review aims to explore nurse education and the impact this has had on preparing nurses to become nurse prescribers and nurse prescribing research. Research about the initial nurse prescribing education and training programme indicated that although patients were content with nurses prescribing medication, nurses lacked confidence in applied pharmacology and therapeutics and hence, required additional scientific education. With the implementation of extended nurse prescribing, it is conjectural to assume that nurses have been prepared more effectively until results from the national evaluation are available.

The theories underpinning rational emotive behaviour therapy: where's the supportive evidence?

This paper examines the underlying theoretical philosophy of one of the most widely used cognitive behaviour therapies, rational emotive behaviour therapy. It examines whether two central theoretical principles are supported by research evidence: firstly, that irrational beliefs lead to dysfunctional emotions and inferences and that rational beliefs lead to functional emotions and inferences and, secondly, that demand beliefs are the primary core irrational belief. The established criteria for evaluating the efficacy of the theories are detailed and used to evaluate the strength of evidence supporting these two assumptions.

Why nurses need to understand the principles of bereavement theory.

This article considers the value of bereavement theory to nurses. The contexts in which nurses care for the bereaved are identified and the terms "bereavement", "grief"and "mourning" are defined. A selection of psychological and sociological bereavement theory and models are considered in relation to their value in nursing practice.

Right and left ventricular diastolic function of male endurance athletes.

Background: Echocardiography of endurance athletes has demonstrated a substantial increase in left ventricular mass with no disturbance of diastolic function as assessed by the e:a ratio. Few studies have examined the right ventricle of athletes. The present study evaluated diastolic function of both right and left ventricles of endurance athletes through use of measurements of the motion of the atrioventricular (AV) plane.

Intensive care nurses' experiences of assessing and dealing with patients' psychological needs.

Several authors have highlighted the short- and long-term psychological effects of an intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Few authors have discussed the nurses' perceptions of psychological care. In this research, 12 nurses, who currently work in ICU, were interviewed using a semi-structured technique.

Enteral feeding and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

Many patients are unable to eat and others are malnourished. Such patients need nutritional support, and enteral feeding offers one way of providing such support. It may be needed for a short time during acute or critical illness or for prolonged periods in chronic illness.

Supporting student nurses learning in and through clinical practice: the role of the clinical guide.

Practice learning is an important part of the curriculum and accounts for approximately 50% of the pre-qualifying nursing programme in the United Kingdom. However, the nature of practice learning is very often ill defined, and mentors and nurse teachers apply a range of models to enhance learning in practice settings. Supporting students to learn is an important function for both educators and practitioners, yet there is little consensus in the literature as to what constitutes appropriate support and more importantly which methods promote deep learning.

Are probiotics and other functional foods the medicines of the future?

Many health benefits are being claimed on behalf of so-called 'functional foods', and they are becoming more popular among consumers. But do they really help to prevent and treat disease? This paper discusses their potential uses and looks at current research and opinion, focusing on probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics, which can be added to foods such as yoghurt.

Nursing care of the acute head injury: a review of the evidence.

This article aims to review the current evidence in relation to acute head injury care. Head injuries are a frequent cause of death and disability in western society with the first 72 h being an important period for prevention of further brain damage. The underlying physiology behind head injury and intracranial pressure will be discussed.