Ask dying adults about their spiritual beliefs.

Essential facts Religion should be included in the vital discussions about the care people and those close to them want to receive in the last two to three days of life, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Ask dying adults about their spiritual beliefs.

Essential facts Religion should be included in the vital discussions about the care people and those close to them want to receive in the last two to three days of life, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Report reveals too many BME nurses - and men - are being referred to NMC.

Disproportionate numbers of nurses from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds are referred to fitness to practise (FtP) proceedings, according to data from the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Teething.

Essential facts Teething is a normal physiological process when a baby's first set of teeth emerge through the gums. Most babies grow their first tooth at some point during their first year. Babies can experience teething differently, with some showing signs of distress.

Trusted family help.

As a health visitor for 42 years, Carolyn Taylor is well qualified to say that the job provides the opportunity to improve people's lives. 'For someone who wants to make a difference to how children are brought up and protected, it's as rewarding a profession as it's always been,' says the Sunderland health visitor.

A fair assessment?

The NMC wants to link the proposed system of revalidation to employers' systems of appraisals. As well as considering job performance with their manager or supervisor, nurses and midwives will be required to reflect on how they have adhered to the code and have their fitness to practise confirmed. Every nurse and midwife should have regular and meaningful appraisals.

Leg clubs: a runaway success.

The Barnstaple Leg Club has been running for almost two years in north Devon providing treatment and support to older people with leg ulcers on a weekly basis. This article examines the concept of leg clubs and describes how the community nursing team that leads the club offers holistic care to local people. The nurses are able to see more patients than they would by carrying out home visits, healing their wounds and boosting their self-esteem and confidence, while at the same time reducing social isolation.

Integrated care is here and it works.

Health and social care organizations in Southwark and Lambeth are joining forces for an ambitious programme in which nurses work with other professionals to deliver hospital-level care to patients in their homes. Early indications are that the integrated approach is reducing admissions and improving care.

From nurse to doctor.

Two nurses who have retrained as doctors say they were frustrated by the limitations of their nursing roles. They explain what is involved and the advantages of coming from a nursing background in their new medical posts. An admissions tutor offers some advice for nurses considering following in their footsteps.

From heart failure to success.

A cardiovascular disease service in Merseyside is keeping patients out of hospital and providing them with faster and more effective care. The key to the service's success is the integration of formerly fragmented services. The model is popular with nurses, who no longer work in isolation and are supported to provide holistic care.

Championing women.

A 'small but significant' number of midwives choose to be members of the RCN. Their interests are represented by Carmel Bagness, a midwife, educator and policy adviser who is forging a role at the college that encompasses wider women's health issues.