Patient charting. Turning a routine activity into an opportunity for injury prevention.

Injuries can be predicted and prevented. The first step in doing so is gathering data about who was injured and how. Because injury data is based on documentation in patients' medical charts, physicians play an important role in injury prevention. This article describes how to document all types of injuries, including those that are self-inflicted or caused by abuse.

Learning pathways in contemporary primary care settings - student nurses's views.

Workforce planning to address nursing supply along with curriculum change affecting practice placements has acted as key drivers shaping learning resources for student nurses within Aberdeen Community Health Partnership. As part of their learning, students are afforded the opportunity to visit a range of contemporary primary care settings such as public health, specialist nurses and NHS 24 on what are known as 'pathway experiences'. This research adopted a qualitative approach using focus group interviews to discover students' learning as a result of this initiative. Two main themes emerged, these being 'Healthcare contexts' and 'Nursing know-how'. Students developed a greater awareness and understanding about the delivery of healthcare in primary care settings and they expanded their nursing knowledge and skills. While students valued the experience, they also thought pathways fragmented their time at the base placement and detracted from gaining the practical nursing skills they considered of prime importance in their transit towards qualifying and working within a clinical setting. Implications for the future development of the pathway initiative are discussed.

I felt like a real nurse - student nurses out on their own.

In the United Kingdom, the education of nurses to be 'fit for practice' has received considerable attention having a catalytic effect on the way nursing programmes are organised. A period of clinical practice is now recommended in the final stages of nurse education to help prepare students for the role of registered practitioner. In the study area, the opportunity for student nurses in the final stages of their programme to visit patients and clients on their own in the community is given to facilitate achievement of the competencies required for entry to the nursing register. The aim of the study reported here was to discover what this experience meant for students in their final year. A qualitative methodology utilising one-to-one, semi-structured interviews was adopted. The tape-recorded interviews were transcribed and the content analysed to reveal codes, categories and themes. The findings revealed that being 'out on their own' was valued by students who felt they were taking on the role of a 'real nurse'. The main themes to emerge were: building confidence, developing professionalism in relationships, learning to manage care, developing knowledge and gaining insight, and being included and supported. The opportunity for final stage students to work independently in whatever setting they are placed is recommended as important for their professional development.

Nursing intervention in care homes: district nurses' views.

Nursing need within residential care homes has been reported as increasing for the district nursing workforce (Audit Commission, 1999). This report presents the findings from a small exploratory study to discover the views of district nurses regarding a project to provide nursing care to clients in residential care homes. Named nurses work within some of the homes in the city on specified days and are available to carry out nursing interventions required by clients, thus precluding the need for a member of the district nurse team to visit on that day. The background to the study is discussed, followed by the qualitative research methodology used. Three broad themes emerged from the findings: roles and responsibilities, communication and organisational issues. Each of these is discussed and recommendations suggested with a view to enhancing the potential benefit of the project for its users.