Sleep and insomnia.

Recently, the Mental Health Foundation published the largest survey of the nation's sleep. It revealed that people with insomnia suffer from dramatically higher rates of relationship difficulties, energy deficiency, and depressed mood, as well as other health and wellbeing problems. From this report published on 27 January 2011, it appears that poor sleep is a seriously neglected public health concern, and there is an urgent need to do something about it. One hundred years ago, the BJN published an article by Dr Woods Hutchinson, about sleep and enclosed are some key points made at the time:

Clinical nursing rounds part 3: patient comfort rounds.

Clinical rounds are being introduced in the Dudley Group of Hospitals to improve patient care, involve patients and improve communication. There are four types of rounds, matrons' rounds, nurse management rounds, patient comfort rounds and teaching rounds. This article is the third in the series and describes patient comfort rounds (PCRs). PCRs are an important part of maintaining and monitoring the fundamental aspects of individual patient care. They should be carried out at 2-hour intervals whenever possible, commencing after lunchtime and continuing for the rest of the day. At night time, PCRs should be carried out before patients go to sleep and again in the early morning. It may be necessary to carry out more regular care to some patients. This approach should not be confused with the old system of "back rounds" which were often restricted to pressure area care. The purpose of PCRs is to maintain a regular review of the patient nursing needs, support the nursing process and evaluate nursing care.

The development of the role of the clinical nurse specialist in the UK.

The modern development of specialist nurses started in the early 1970s. This article provides a brief history of their evolution and in particular outlines some of the key factors in their emergence as a key care provider in health care today. There is a constant threat that their clinical nursing background and key nursing skills will be sacrificed or substituted by a more medical-oriented approach. The future, therefore, is one of striking the right balance between nursing and medicine sub-specialism and holistic patient care.