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Sarah Jane Palmer

Registered nurse and freelance writer, based at the Department for Work and Pensions as a disability analyst

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Skin care considerations for those with chronic oedema or lymphoedema

Overall, skin care is a crucial part of nursing care of patients who have chronic oedema and lymphoedema. It is important to have a daily regimen set up in a care plan, with the involvement of tissue...

Link between housing and health and how it affects older people

The Hyde Housing Association Ltd (2021) stated that anyone can apply for housing, but eligibility criteria would need to be met for the range of housing available. Eligibility would be based on need,...

Long COVID and mental health

Taquet et al (2021a) published the results of their study in the Lancet, which explored the neurological and psychological effect of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They looked specifically into 6-month...

Skin care in the summer: risks, assessment and treatment

There are two type of skin ageing factors: intrinsic and extrinsic. The Skin Cancer Foundation (2015) stated that the skin loses fat and water content as people age, becoming thinner and allowing UV...

Preventing skin tears among older adults in the community

First, it is important to clarify what a skin tear is, as there can be some confusion or misconception that it is a minor issue or something far less complex than one might think..

Psychological factors and intermittent self-catheterisation

Overall, there is an array of considerations when treating a patient who is using or is being considered for ISC. It is, of course, important that their cognition and insight are considered so that a...

An overview of enteral feeding in the community

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes are used for enteral feeding. These are long-term, artificial enteral feeding tubes suitable for adults and children that require endoscopic placement,...

Skin infections in older adults

Hahnel et al (2017) investigated the prevalence of skin diseases in older nursing home residents while also exploring the possible associations of these with demographic and medical characteristics....

Measuring oxygen saturation in homecare

According to the British Geriatrics Society (BGS) (2020), Public Health England (PHE) has suggested that COVID-19 should be suspected in any person with a new continuous cough and/or a high...

Overview of stoma care for community nurses

A colostomy is needed to treat conditions such as bowel cancer, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis; anal, vaginal or cervical cancer; bowel incontinence; and/or Hirschsprung's disease (NHS, 2017)....

Dermatological conditions in older adults: clinical overview

Generally, the most common symptom of dermatitis, dermatologically speaking is itching, which might appear with or without lesions of the skin. Therefore, to evaluate pruritus, a thorough history and...

Urge incontinence in postmenopausal women

Urge incontinence (also known as overactive bladder), is caused by overly active or irritated bladder muscles, and the most common symptom is the frequent and sudden urge to urinate, with occasional...

Encouraging exercise in older adults: advice for nurses

Booth et al (2019) systematically reviewed the literature on the use of motivation as a mechanism underpinning exercise-based falls prevention programmes for older adults with cognitive impairment...

Practising asepsis during dressing changes in community settings

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance covering healthcare-associated infection prevention and control in primary and community care was published in 2012. This guidance...

Faecal incontinence in palliative and end-of-life care

In 2018, NHS England published a document aimed at commissioners and discusses continence. The publication recognises that continence is an important component in a person's health and wellbeing at...

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