15 April 2024

As nurses and nursing leaders continue to be overwhelmed by increasing challenges as the call to demonstrate higher levels of resilience gains momentum, this article focuses on the importance of nurses working collaboratively through the process of coaching, a construct gaining momentum as the profession seeks to expand and facilitate new ways of working in order to develop both current and future nursing leaders.

25 March 2024

Rectal cancer is common in the UK, affecting about 12,000 people each year. This article examines surgical treatment and likely subsequent problems with bowel function. It outlines how nurses can assist with simple interventions and what to do next if these do not work.  

15 February 2024

Continence is not a life-threatening condition but does affect an individual’s quality of life and the lives of their family and carers. This article explores the most common types of bladder and bowel problems and how to improve patient care. It looks at the prevalence of conditions, different types of continence issues, how they can affect quality of life and the complications that can occur when poorly managed. 

19 January 2024

Diagnosing and managing lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women aged 65 years and over is important to ensure their health and wellbeing. This article explores how to diagnose lower UTI, considering alternative diagnoses especially in older adults. It also looks at how to manage and treat uncomplicated lower UTI and provides guidance on recurrent UTI.

10 January 2024

In the second of a two-part series, Ann Yates concentrates on the multiple causes/risks of faecal incontinence, the knowledge and skills required to complete a basic assessment and initiate conservative therapies, including the role of medication and pelvic floor rehabilitation, and also discusses management options for faecal incontinence. 

09 November 2023

This article is based on published research, together with the practical experience of healthcare professionals at the Complex Wound Clinic in North West London. The aim is to highlight the importance of considering skin tone when managing IAD.   

20 October 2023

Genitourinary syndrome of the menopause is an umbrella term to more accurately describe a range of vulvovaginal and lower urinary tract symptoms related predominately to low oestrogen levels. Here, Sue Thomas, advanced nurse practitioner, discusses the complications that can arise.  

22 September 2023

Faecal incontinence is the term describing the inability to control the bowels. This can include the uncontrolled passage of solid or liquid stool or of flatus (wind) through the anal canal. It is recognised as a symptom rather than diagnosis and is the result of complex interactions of many contributing factors. This series of two articles will look at this taboo condition, how it affects quality of life, highlight the anatomy and physiology which affects bowel control and then discuss conditions and contributing factors that make individuals prone to the symptoms of faecal incontinence. 

07 September 2023

A frequent side-effect of chronic coughing is urinary incontinence (UI) — mainly stress urinary incontinence. Although quite prevalent within this cohort of individuals, there seems to be little professional knowledge with regards to interventions to prevent or treat UI. This article looks at the causes of chronic coughing and how it impacts on UI.  

11 August 2023

Lynch syndrome is an inherited genetic condition and there could be over 175,000 people in the UK. About half of all people with Lynch syndrome develop colorectal cancer and it is also responsible for other cancers, including endometrial, gastric, small bowel, urothelial and brain cancers. This article outlines what Lynch syndrome is, how people can be screened and why testing is so important.