Briefing

A
round-up of news from the professional journals

Student
increase

Courses
in nursing and midwifery were boosted by more than 2,000 extra students during
1999/2000, English National Board figures show. The  population of nursing students increased by 2,287 on the previous
year, a rise of 4.6 per cent. RCN senior research officer John Stock said,
"While it is too soon to say we are making real inroads into nursing
shortages, this is something to build on".

Nursing
Standard,
9 August

Death
by work

When
ICU nurses are subjected to severe workloads, mortality among hospital patients
has been proved to double beyond expected rates. Infections, errors, delays in
weaning patients from mechanical ventilation and complications induced by
medical treatment are all more likely in hospitals when staff are overworked.

Nursing
Times,
13 August

Undercover
drugs

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Nurses
have been decision-makers when administering drugs secretly, and the practice
is reportedly a daily event in many care homes and hospitals.  Senior nursing staff admitted to covertly
feeding drugs in more than 70 per cent of the institutions studied, although
this figure may be much higher in reality.

Nursing
Times,
13 August