Episodes
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When sepsis nurse Yvonne Young’s son experienced pain in his knee and groin, she told herself there must be another explanation. It couldn’t be sepsis, could it?
The signs were atypical. But Yvonne, assistant director of nursing for sepsis at UL Hospitals Group in Ireland, listened to the nagging doubt in her head and took her son to the emergency department.
Her instincts were correct – her son ended up staying in hospital for ten days as he recovered from sepsis, and remained on antimicrobials for three months.
On the latest Nursing Standard podcast episode, Yvonne and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust lead sepsis nurse Clare Hird discuss atypical sepsis presentations with Nursing Standard features editor Alistair Mason.
They talk about how sepsis can present in vulnerable patient groups, and some cohorts in which it can easily be missed, including older patients and individuals with learning disabilities.
And Yvonne shares what she learned from the ‘terrifying’ experience of having her 10-year-old son hospitalised with the condition.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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Whatever gripes nurses may have about modern uniforms, they reflect that they at least have it better than previous generations. Nurses at trusts which take on the new national uniform in England will be wearing a smart scrub or dress in a lightweight fabric. In this Nursing Standard podcast we get an overview of the history of the nursing uniform from the 1860s to the modern day and how it is linked to the nursing identity.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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‘Everybody’s going to get pain at some point in their lives. It’s something we’re all going to experience.’ And that’s why it is vital that all nurses have a firm grasp of essential pain management (EPM), according to RCN Pain and Palliative Care Forum chair Martin Galligan.
In this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast, guest host Martin – who is also a lecturer practitioner at the Royal Marsden School – discusses what EPM is and how nurses can use it to provide holistic treatment for patients who are experiencing pain.
Then, along with Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust pain management nurse consultant Karin Cannons and Birmingham Children’s Hospital nurse consultant Rachel Desai, he looks at how it can be used in practice.
Martin, Karin and Rachel use the RAT structure of recognise, assess and treat to explore some real-world examples of pain management.
How would you apply the RAT structure to a 51-year-old man with a two-year history of lower back pain who presents with increased pain and trouble walking after a recent fall? Or a 12-year-old girl who presents with abdominal pain which has been ongoing for a few days, but suddenly worsened the previous night?
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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The ‘glacial pace’ of fitness to practise (FtP) investigations into nursing staff breached human rights, says the review team that examined the running of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Following the publication of their damning report into the internal culture at the NMC, project manager Matt Baker from specialist consultancy Rise Associates spoke to senior reporter Alison Stacey for the latest Nursing Standard podcast episode about the most worrying and shocking aspects of their findings.
But Mr Baker praised the NMC for opening its doors for the investigation to be carried out, and said the regulator had accepted the review’s recommendations, including a commitment to reaching much swifter decisions in FtP cases, getting the process right and reducing the backlog.
‘This has to be a watershed moment for them,’ he said.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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Ahead of the general election on 4 July, Nursing Standard met with cancer nurse and parliamentary undersecretary at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Maria Caulfield to talk to her about what nurses can expect if the Conservatives hold on to power next month.
Still working part time as a nurse, the MP for Lewes spoke to us to discuss the Conservative Party’s priorities for the NHS and the nursing workforce, including whether she agrees that England’s emergency departments are in crisis.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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Nursing and other staff cannot continue to be ‘emotionally blackmailed’ into keeping the NHS going, the Nursing Standard podcast hears.
In an interview on the latest episode, shadow health and social care secretary Wes Streeting speaks about how NHS staff goodwill is now exhausted.
Mr Streeting tells senior news reporter Alison Stacey that action on pay and working conditions must happen to restore professional pride in nursing.
He also talks about his own experience of receiving treatment for kidney cancer, saying the care he received was fantastic, as were NHS staff, but there were too few of them.
The episode is an extract of a longer interview with Nursing Standard ahead of the UK going to the polls in the general election on 4 July.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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Do you have a job interview coming up and it’s making you feel increasingly anxious?
If the thought of showcasing your talents to an interview panel is making your stress levels go through the roof, don’t worry, you are not alone.
The key to success is preparation – prepare well and you are giving yourself the best chance to show the interviewers that you are the ideal candidate for the job.
In the latest episode of the Nursing Standard podcast, hosted by RCNi career development editor Clare Lomas, independent careers coach Dave Cordle offers advice on what to do before, during and after your interview.
Using the STAR technique to answer questions
Should you go for an informal visit? Practise your answers out loud? How can you use the STAR technique – situation, task, actions and results – to answer questions? And how important is asking for feedback?
He advises on all this and more, with examples of how to answer some common interview questions, including the classic icebreaker ‘tell us about yourself’.
If you want to hear more from Mr Cordle, visit an RCNi Nursing Careers and Jobs Fair, where he is a regular speaker. You can also look at the RCN’s nursing careers resource, which has information, advice and support, including free coaching sessions for RCN members.
Note: This is a recording from a panel discussion at an RCNi Nursing Careers and Jobs Fair in Manchester.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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Our podcast guest explains the benefits of the NHS pension, why it is such good value for nurses, and the implications of recent changes to the scheme.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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What is the difference between being a nurse in Scotland and the rest of the UK?
This latest episode explores the differences on pay, terms and conditions for nurses working in NHS Scotland and beyond.
Our guest, RCN Scotland’s director Colin Poolman, talks to podcast host and senior reporter Alison Stacey about how negotiations between the RCN and the Scottish government secured better pay, a shorter working week and protected learning time.
Band 5 nurses will also be able to self-apply to have their role reviewed to check their job and skills match their pay band.
Mr Poolman explains why RCN Scotland are able to directly negotiate with the government on pay, gives advice to all nurses on the band 5 job review, and discusses what the new safe-staffing legislation means for healthcare staff across the country.
We also hear from Mr Poolman on what the election could mean for the pay claim, and whether he envisages Scottish nurses taking to the picket lines in 2024.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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Tips on defusing conflicts, responding to aggression and the importance of staying calm
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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The incredible work of a nurse that inspired a hit charity song and global humanitarian effort to feed starving people in Africa is remembered in our latest podcast episode.
On the 40th anniversary of the formation of charity superstar group Band Aid, Nursing Standard talks to the nurse who helped prompt the cultural phenomenon led by musician Sir Bob Geldof.
Dr Dame Claire Bertschinger was working for the Red Cross in Ethiopia in 1984 when she was featured in a BBC news broadcast about the devastating drought.
Journalist Michael Buerk described the biblical famine he was witnessing as the ‘closest thing to hell on earth’.
Thousands of people had already died and seven million were threatened with starvation in the war-torn country.
Dame Claire tells journalist Erin Dean how she was running a feeding station where hundreds of women brought their starving babies each day.
‘There were just thousands of people starving, hungry, wearing tatters, not even clothes, just rags,’ she says. ‘There was insufficient food for everyone. It was the most horrendous thing you can imagine.’
There were few resources available, and Dame Claire had to choose who would be fed and saved. One day she went out to select the 60 or 70 children they had food for that day – and found there were more than a thousand waiting outside.
The BBC footage prompted musicians to launch Band Aid, and the recording of charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas? It featured some of the most famous musical stars in the world at that time, including George Michael, Bono, Boy George and Sting.
The song was also performed at a charity concert, Live Aid, on 13 July 1985, which raised more than £100 million for famine relief in Ethiopia.
Dame Claire describes how she had little idea what was going on with the fundraising at the time – but it did have a rapid impact on the care available in Ethiopia.
She reflects in the podcast on her experiences in Ethiopia and other countries, the impact it has had on her, the legacy of Band Aid, and what she has learned through her varied career.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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Public speaking strikes fear into the hearts of many – it’s regularly reported as one of the most common phobias – but is an increasingly important skill for many nurses.
The good news is that there are many ways to become a better and more confident public speaker, even in the face of anxiety.
This latest episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores how nursing staff can hone their speaking skills. It considers the importance of preparation – from understanding an audience, to getting slides right, to practising words out loud in advance – as well as sharing tips for the day itself.
Guest Paul Trevatt qualified as a nurse in 1993 and has over 20 years’ experience of presenting at conferences and events. He tells health journalist and podcast host Claire Read that nurses should ultimately see speaking opportunities as a chance to improve patient care. Keeping that in mind can, he says, help make any nerves feel worthwhile enduring.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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Building confidence in the workplace is vital for nursing staff, both for patient safety and nurses’ own career development.
Being confident can help in areas such as raising concerns and overcoming imposter syndrome, as well as in job interviews and applying for opportunities, such as a secondment.
But what steps can nurses take to build their confidence in the workplace?
This episode looks at what we mean by confidence, how communicating with confidence can benefit your patients and your career, and how being confident can make you a better leader.
Guests RCN Nurse of the Year 2023 and head of nursing primary care at East London NHS Foundation Trust Julie Roye and lead nurse for safe staffing at University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust Pippa Clark speak about why a good organisational culture is vital to enable nurses to build their confidence, the importance of reflection in nursing and how to handle negative feedback.
Celebrating your successes as a nurse is also vital in building confidence, they tell RCNi career development editor and podcast host Clare Lomas, and never forget – there is no such thing as a silly question.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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Nurses and other healthcare staff face constant workplace pressures, especially during the colder months when respiratory conditions are more prevalent.
Staff shortages and industrial action have also impacted services.
But what support is there for nursing staff and managers to navigate challenging times?
This episode examines how the NMC code acts as a professional anchor, helping nurses manage risks and escalate concerns. It provides a framework for decision-making and professional accountability.
Guests NMC executive director of professional practice Sam Foster and assistant director, national and regional outreach Sam Donohue speak about how the code should never be used in a negative way, but rather as a tool to support nurses and promote patient safety.
Managers also have a role in supporting staff and making tough decisions to mitigate risks and keep people safe, they tell Nursing Standard editor and podcast host Flavia Munn.
Our guests also discuss the importance of tackling incivility at work and Ms Donohue shares the findings of her research into joy in nursing.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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All hospitals are soon to need a system in place that allows patients, families and carers to request an urgent second opinion of care under Martha’s rule.
Some hospitals already have a process in place for raising concerns about patient care, including Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.
This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast focuses on Call 4 Concern, a nurse-led service at that already offers this approach the hospital.
Journalist Erin Dean speaks to Alison Schofield, lead nurse for the critical care outreach team which runs the Call 4 Concern service, about how the service is run and the benefits it offers patients and their loved ones.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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What is a skin tear and why do they matter?
This episode of the podcast examines why these wounds shouldn’t be seen as ‘just a skin tear’ - and their diagnosis and treatment.
Our guest is Samantha Holloway, a reader and senior lecturer responsible for delivering the masters degree programme in wound healing and tissue repair at Cardiff University School of Medicine.
She talks to RCNi senior nurse editor Richard Hatchett about her drive to change perceptions of skin tears, the three types of tears, immediate treatment and maintaining skin integrity.
The pair also talk about higher risk care settings for skin tears and preventative measures such as protective clothing.
Ms Holloway also stresses the importance of collecting data on skin tears to establish their prevalence.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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One year ago nurses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part in historic strike action, many for the first time.
Some of the biggest hospitals across the UK saw nurses walk out in their fight for better pay and working conditions, as well as concerns over unsafe staffing levels and patient safety.
In this Nursing Standard podcast episode RCN chief nurse Nicola Ranger joins senior reporter Shruti Sheth Trivedi to talk about the significance of nurses taking industrial action, whether things have changed for the profession a year on, and her experience of visiting hospitals while nurses were on picket lines.
Ms Ranger makes it clear the strikes were not just about pay but also about patient safety and the future of the NHS.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast.
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It is a situation all too familiar for many nurses, menopause symptoms becoming so overwhelming they make continuing to work a challenge.
When Wendy Madden, nurse lead for menopause at University Hospitals Birmingham, began experiencing menopause symptoms they almost forced her to quit the job she loved.
The fatigue, being unable to sleep, hot flushes and anxiety shattered her confidence at work.
‘It started making me lose my confidence, I didn’t feel I was able to do my job as effectively as I was before. I came into work one day and looked at the building I worked in and thought “I don’t want to be here”,’ she said.
In this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast Ms Madden tells news editor Andrea Downey about her experience of the menopause and how it led her to helping others.
Ms Madden’s experience highlighted a lack of support for staff going through the menopause and spurred an idea for a ‘menopause passport’ to make conversations with managers easier.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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When author and poet laureate Michael Rosen contracted COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic he was put into an induced coma and told he had just a 50% chance of waking up.
For 40 days the author lay ventilated and unconscious at Whittington Hospital in North London. Meanwhile his nurses working in the Intensive Care Unit kept detailed daily diaries of his progress, often sharing personal details of their own pandemic journeys and encouraging him on to ‘keep fighting’ as he battled for his life.
Following his long recovery, Mr Rosen collected the diary entries to create a heartwarming book ‘Many Different Kinds of Love: A story of life, death and the NHS,’ about his experience, which gives a glimpse into the NHS on the frontline during that turbulent time.
On 10 November Mr Rosen attended RCNi’s inaugural Nursing Live to read extracts from the book. Ahead of his talk he joined senior reporter Alison Stacey to record this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast.
Here he tells the story of his near-death experience with COVID-19, along with his unwavering support for nurses during the historical strikes announced one year ago.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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Everyone deserves care that works for them at the end of their lives, and there is only one chance to get it right.
But charity Marie Curie has warned that for many people from diverse communities this is often not the case.
In this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast, journalist Erin Dean talks to Rekha Vijayshankar, a research and clinical nurse, and Rini Jones, senior policy and research manager for equity and equality, from charity Marie Curie.
They discuss the complex inequities in end-of-life care that contribute to patients experiencing poor access and quality of care.
For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast
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