A round-up of news from the professional journals
All of a dither
The Government has been accused of dithering over plans to
replace the UKCC, leaving staff demoralised and confused. UKCC chiefs will tell
nursing minister Lord Hunt that they are fed up being kept in the dark about
how the Government proposes to change the way that nurses are regulated.
Nursing Times,
15 June
No good at figures
Patients’ lives are at risk because some nurses are hopeless
at maths and give wildly inaccurate measures of medicines. In one case, a baby girl died after a doctor
administered a drug measure miscalculated by a nurse.
Nursing Standard,
14 June
Blow the whistle
Health secretary Alan Milburn has called on nurses to blow
the whistle when they suspect colleagues of endangering patients. "A new
reporting system, used by nurses, would spot problems earlier," he said.
His views, backed by the RCN, are shared by nurse Eileen Walker, who sat as a
lay member on the disciplinary committee of the General Medical Council, which
struck off Mr Ledward in 1998. Ms Walker, a UKCC member, said, "Nurses,
managers and doctors all have a responsibility when they suspect something is
wrong." Changes in NHS culture have reduced the chance of a Ledward-style
case being repeated.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Nursing Standard,
14 June
