Nurses’ diaries are vital for respiratory expert Dr Carol
AN Edge Hill respiratory care expert is collaborating on a new research project asking nurses to keep a diary of their experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Carol Kelly joins the five-strong team of nurse researchers who hope their study will help “capture the nursing voice” during the crisis and ensure lessons are learned.
“The skills and expertise of respiratory nurses will come to the fore as health services strive to deal with the coronavirus crisis,” said Dr Kelly.
“Because this disease affects the respiratory tract specifically, respiratory nurses will be fundamental to addressing the current challenge.”
As a registered nurse who has worked as a respiratory nurse specialist and held senior clinical roles in the NHS for many years, Dr Kelly knows all too well the challenges the profession faces.
Dr Kelly, reader in respiratory care and head of applied health and social care in the University’s Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine, said: “Everyone is feeling anxious because their roles are changing so rapidly.
“But we hope the study will help document some of the positives to come out of the crisis, including new ways of working.
“I know I am working very differently and I’m sure others will be too, so let’s see what good can come out of this pandemic and what lessons we can learn for the future.”
The research will include a national survey of nurses working in respiratory care environments during the pandemic together with a call for respiratory nurses to keep a diary or blog of their experiences.
In-depth interviews with willing individuals will also be conducted in the future.
The other nurse researchers involved in the project are: Emma Ray, a respiratory nurse specialist working in primary care in Hampshire who instigated the project; Lindsay Welch, senior lecturer in adult nursing at Solent University; Dr Kate Lippiett, research fellow at the University of Southampton; and Dr Nicola Roberts, senior lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University.
They are all members of the Association of Respiratory Nurse Specialists, which is supporting the project, together with backing from the British Thoracic Society and Primary Care Respiratory Society.
For more information on the research project, visit https://arns.co.uk/ research-2/
DIETICIANS from Edge Hill University are playing a critical role in supporting patients during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Julie Abayomi, associate head of applied health and social care, has recently been appointed chair of the British Dietetic Association (BDA) England Board and is at the forefront of leading a team of health professionals that are giving out advice to combat nutritional problems at a public health level.
“It is not only our amazing doctors and nurses who support patients with Covid-19 symptoms.
“Dietitians are vital members of the intensive care multidisciplinary team,” explained Dr Abayomi.
“Particularly when patients are undergoing sedation and ventilation, they need intensive nutrition support to aid their recovery.’’
Dr Abayomi added: “The work of our healthcare professionals in this field is more important than ever to help us fight the Covid-19 outbreak.
“Our work to design, prescribe and monitor feeding regimens to meet the needs of each individual patient is so important to help them get back on their feet.”
Around the UK, hundreds of dietitians are preparing to support the NHS in a variety of ways, and many who usually work outside the sector have volunteered to return to support their colleagues in clinical roles.
Edge Hill University has agreed to release health colleagues back to the NHS to support their efforts and Dr Abayomi is herself is returning to the NHS after seven years out of a clinical setting.
She said: “I have always kept in contact with my colleagues working for the NHS and I know how busy they are at the best of times.
“This is a time of crisis and our NHS colleagues need all the help they can get, so if I am able to help then I will, and I’m so proud to see colleagues at Edge Hill University doing the same.
“My offer to help will enable to NHS to free up their experienced staff to deal with more urgent patients.”
The critical care specialist interest group of the BDA has recently published guidelines on the healthy management of nutrition and dietetic services during the Covid-19 pandemic www.bda.uk.com/resource/ bda-critical-care-group-covid19-guidance-published.html and is urging people to follow their advice.
Edge Hill University offers a range of healthcare programmes which are designed to support the NHS workforce, for more information visit www.edgehill. ac.uk.