Embedding the 6 Cs into clinical research practice and management.

The White Paper, Equity and Excellence:liberating the NHS (DH, 2010) emphasises the promotion and conduct of research as a core NHS role. The updated NHS Constitution(DH, 2013) outlines its commitment to innovation and also to the promotion and conduct of research to improve the current and future health and social care of the population.Furthermore, NHS England (2013) in its guidance, Everyone Counts: planning for patients 2014/15 to 2018/19, identified research as one of the essential elements for a successful and sustainable health economy recommending research and evaluation be embedded across the whole patient pathway.The 6 Cs were launched in 2012 to drive the Compassion in Practice vision with calls for every nurse, midwife and member of the care team to implement them into practice (NHS Commissioning Board, 2013). The 6 Cs can be embedded into the world of clinical research so that research patients are afforded the same levels of compassionate care by all members of the research workforce and, indeed, to drive compassion in practice for the researchers themselves. It is suggested that this will result in high quality, compassionate personalised care for all and that the biggest voices will be those of the patients themselves.

An overview of research ethics and learning from the past.

This article has introduced the reader to research ethics. In order to to show the development of the codes of ethics and guidelines in use today, it has briefly reviewed the most infamous unethical research studies. Learning from these traumatic and often cruel moments i history gave impetus to the development of international ethical guidelines, driving research conduct and protecting the rights and safety of those participating in studies today. Research within the NHS would not exist without the hundreds of thousands of patients who volunteer their time and indeed their 'selves' to research . Researchers have a duty to those patients, to treat them with the dignity, respect and care they would afford any patient. In addition to serving as researchers, they must also act as patient advocates to ensure that every stage of the research process embraces all elements of ethical codes and frameworks and patients should expect nothing less.

An exploration of the role of the research nurse and its impact.

Nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (AHPs) are multiskilled with a variety of career options available to them. As nurses develop they can specialize in many areas, performing many different and diverse roles. One of these roles is within the world of research. This paper is a basic exploration of the role of the research nurse or practitioner and how crucial this is in the development and management of research. A series of papers will follow outlining important areas of the research process offering a comprehensive set of developmental areas for both novice and experienced researchers. The term 'nurse' will also refer to midwives and AHPs.

Ten steps to developing an abstract for conferences.

There is an increasing importance being placed on the dissemination of research and other high quality evidence. This article is the first in a series of three that will assist you in ensuring that your work is presented in the best light at the conference of your choice. In this first article we guide you through the ten steps you need to take to ensure that you submit the best possible abstract to the scientific committee. We also will guide you through the process of selection.

Ten steps to successful poster presentation.

Receiving a letter confirming acceptance for you to present a poster at a conference can evoke mixed emotions. Joy, panic, fear and dread are among the many possible emotions and this is not exclusive to first time presenters. Developing an effective poster presentation is a skill that you can learn and can provide a rewarding way to present your work in a manner less intimidating than oral presentation (Shelledy, 2004). The key to successful poster presentation is meticulous, timely, well informed preparation. This article outlines ten steps to help guide you through the process to maximize your success.

Ten steps to successful conference presentations.

Delivering an oral presentation at a conference can be a demanding yet exhilarating experience. It can create a variety of emotions such as excitement, joy and achievement--but for many the overriding emotions are those of anxiety, fear and dread. A certain amount of nervousness can enhance your performance but how can you avoid pre-presentation nerves developing into full-blown anxiety and fear. The key to successful conference presentation is meticulous preparation and practise. This article guides you through ten steps to help maximize your success and enjoyment.

Ten steps to getting your paper published in a professional journal.

There is an increasing expectation that nurses, whether they work in clinical practice management, education or research, will publish. At the same time there remains a mystique about the best way to go about this. This article provides a simple commentary suggesting ten steps to help you publish in a professional journal.

Ten steps to convert your assignment into a journal article.

Nurses spend a great deal of time and effort in constructing a variety of assignments and dissertations as part of courses, both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It is not uncommon to read comments from lecturers such as 'this requires only minimal work to be published'. It might be assumed that many assignments and dissertations would therefore go on to appear in print; however it is questionable just how many of them ever do materialize in journals. The reality is that this transition can be a challenging process. This is highlighted when a search of the literature for use in preparation for this article the authors discovered a dearth of advice to help potential authors make the transition from good quality assignment to published article. With this in mind we will try to guide you through a process that will assist you in converting your academic work into an article fit for publication.

Supporting failing students in practice. 1: Assessment.

This two-part unit examines the issue of nursing students who fail in clinical practice. Part 1 explores reasons for failure, assessment and the emotional challenges mentors may face when supporting failing students.

Supporting failing students in practice 2: management.

This two-part unit examines the issue of students who fail in clinical practice. Part 1 explored reasons for failure, assessment and emotional challenges mentors may face when supporting underperforming students. This part, part 2, discusses the management of failing students.

Deletion/insertion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene and white matter hyperintensities in dementia: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) deletion/insertion (D/I) polymorphism and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in patients with dementia. DESIGN: Observational pilot study with adjustment for potential confounders using analysis of covariance. SETTING: Secondary care old-age psychiatry services in greater Manchester, United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-seven patients with dementia: 49 with Alzheimer's disease (AD, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke/Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria) and 48 with vascular dementia (VaD, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l'Enseignement en Neurosciences criteria). MEASUREMENTS: The ACE D/I polymorphism, WMHs (deep WMHs (DWMHs) and periventricular hyperintensities (PVHs)) on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and potential cardiovascular confounders. RESULTS: The D/D polymorphism of the ACE genotype was associated with severity of DWMH (P = .005) but not PVH (P = .34), corrected for age, cardiovascular risk factors, and type of dementia. Post hoc analyses were limited by statistical power but suggested an interaction with the apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele. CONCLUSION: The results support previous observations that genetic factors influence the development of WMHs in dementia. The involvement of the ACE D/I polymorphism in the pathogenesis of DWMHs in dementia (AD and VaD), by a mechanism that is independent of its association with cardiovascular risk factors, should be confirmed in a large population-based sample.

How to search for and use 'grey literature' in research.

An ever-growing amount of grey literature is available to nurses, including oral presentations, personal communication, leaflets, newspapers and magazines, unpublished research, internal reports and minutes of meetings. It can be an invaluable research resource.

Nurses' experiences of caring for the relatives of patients in ICU.

To date there have been no published qualitative studies looking solely at the experiences of nurses caring for the relatives of patients who are critically ill. This small-scale phenomenological study explores such experiences. Three intensive care units in North West England were included; the nine participants were D grade or above, with a minimum of three months' ICU experience. Each nurse attended a tape-recorded, unstructured interview to discuss caring for relatives. A thematic analysis of the nurses' comments was then performed. Although many of the nurses understood the benefits of performing the care-giver role to families, some nurses felt inadequately prepared. There were also issues about whether they felt supported by colleagues in undertaking this role.

Meeting the requirements for becoming a nurse lecturer.

Career planning is essential for nurses considering a change in role, as it provides direction and enables them to use time and money efficiently. This article describes a survey of 25 universities in which each participating institution was asked to comment on the required characteristics of nurse lecturers. The results should be useful to nurses who are planning to become nurse lecturers in the future.

Meeting the needs of families of patients in intensive care units.

Anyone entering an intensive care unit (ICU) can feel bombarded by the huge array of sensory stimuli. Family members in ICU are typically in a state of fear and shock. Studies have shown that caring for the families of patients who are critically ill is believed to be an essential component of the nurse's role. However, despite the fact that the critical care nurse is cited as the one who is responsible for meeting the needs of such families, little is known about how nurses view this role. This article discusses the ICU environment and its potential effect on families and nursing staff.

Asymptomatic spontaneous cerebral emboli and cognitive decline in a cohort of older people: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic spontaneous cerebral emboli (SCE) are common in dementia and are associated with cognitive decline in dementia. The significance of their presence in older people is unknown. METHOD: We included 96 participants (mean (SD) age 76.8 (6.7) years, 46% female) who were the control group in a case-control study to evaluate SCE in dementia. Cognitive functioning was assessed prospectively over 2.5 years, using the MMSE and CAMCOG. RESULTS: The mean (SD) MMSE score was 28.7 (1.4) at baseline with an average (SD) drop of 0.79 (0.91) per year. The presence of SCE was not related to the annual drop in MMSE score, nor to the CAMCOG score at follow-up (p = 0.88 and p = 0.41, respectively). Linear regression analyses identified higher age in years (beta = 0.29, p = 0.003), history of stroke (beta = 0.31, p = 0.001) and carotid stenosis (beta = 0.28, p = 0.003) as independent predictors of cognitive decline. CONCLUSION: We found no association between the presence of SCE and subsequent cognitive decline in older people without dementia.

Asymptomatic spontaneous cerebral emboli and mood in a cohort of older people: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether asymptomatic spontaneous cerebral emboli (SCE) predicts subsequent depression in older people. METHODS: Prospective cohort study with 2.5 years of follow-up including 96 nondepressed older subjects in primary care. Presence of SCE was measured at baseline by transcranial Doppler of the middle cerebral artery and modeled on depression at follow-up using multiple logistic and linear regression analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria did not differ significantly between SCE-positive and SCE-negative subjects (27% versus 12%), while the severity of depressive symptoms did (Geriatric Depression Scale: beta = 0.22; Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale: beta = 0.25). These differences disappeared after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSION: These preliminary findings suggest that asymptomatic SCE may be an interceding factor in the development of late-life depression, consistent with the vascular depression hypothesis.