Schizophrenia is a mental disorder affecting approximately 23.9 million people worldwide, significantly contributing to the global disease burden, revealing 14.8 (10.9–19.1) million years lived with disability in 2021.1 The lifetime prevalence of schizophrenia was estimated at 0.72%,2 noteworthy for its severe functional impairments and considerable physical and...

Although the UK is a multicultural society, racially minoritised populations are often under-represented in healthcare research owing to the significant barriers to participation they experience.1 Under-representation of racially minoritised groups in research impacts the quality of evidence and applicability of findings to these groups. This, in part, explains why these communities are more likely to report poorer health and poorer experiences of using healthcare services than their White counterparts,2 given that their cultural and spiritual preferences are often ignored.3 This commentary will explore some of the persistent multifaceted barriers and the role of research ethics committees (RECs) in enabling inclusive healthcare research among racially minoritised communities, given their key responsibility in building public confidence, ensuring ethical conduct and safeguarding research participants. In addition, patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) can complement the roles of RECs in embracing diversity in healthcare...

International guidelines on paediatric resuscitation support parental presence during resuscitation.1 To ensure their needs are met, parents need dedicated support during their child’s resuscitation, whether they are present or not. Resuscitation is a stressful and potentially life-changing time for parents; however, there is little empirical evidence on who and how parental support should be provided. The aim of this...

Vital signs are essential markers of a patient’s physiological state, and these include heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiration rate and level of consciousness. Consequently, accurate assessment, documentation and interpretation of these markers are vital for early detection of patients’ deterioration and timely intervention.1 2

People with autism, particularly those experiencing moderate-to-severe intellectual impairments, face an increased likelihood of developing anxiety disorders.1 2 Although anxiety is common among this group, there is limited research demonstrating the effectiveness of psychological treatments for...

Take home messages

A pilot creative health placement for undergraduate student nurses at a UK...

Stroke nursing is widely recognised for its significant role across the whole multidisciplinary stroke care pathway.1 Ensuring that stroke nurses are equipped with the latest stroke specialist knowledge and skills is fundamental in providing high-quality and safe stroke care.1 2 However, in spite of the provision of nationally-recognised, quality-assured training and education programmes, for example, the Stroke-Specific Education Framework in the...

Climate change is causing a global climate emergency, which is increasingly seen as a major problem for global health concern.1 Climate change has far-reaching consequences for society and can impact our mental health.2 Eco-anxiety is the fear of an environmental catastrophe and is associated with symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia and trauma.3 Nurses are exposed to the negative impact of climate change through...

Shortages in the nursing workforce impact on the quality of patient care and pose a complex challenge for governments and healthcare organisations across the globe. There are estimated to be approximately 29 million nurses worldwide as of 2020, with a shortage of approximately 7 million against required levels. Despite growth in the workforce over the coming years, the nursing shortage is still projected to be 4.5M by 2030.1

One approach to addressing...

Previous investigations into postnatal debriefing have had mixed results regarding its effectiveness and have not established best practices for its usage.1 Shortcomings of prior studies included the heterogeneity of types of debriefing delivery, which varied across contexts (format, setting, provider type), and varying inclusion and exclusion criteria.1 Importantly,...

Sepsis is a life-threatening response to infection and remains a critical challenge with high morbidity and mortality rates. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines serve as a cornerstone for sepsis management and are pivotal in standardising care. Taylor et al’s article1 scrutinises the real-world implications of updated SSC antibiotic timing recommendations2 and offers critical insights into the practical effects of the revised antibiotic timing guidelines.

Children sometimes have subtle illness presentations and symptom overlap with non-serious conditions.1 Young age also presents a communication barrier. The combination of these factors can lead to diagnostic delays and sometimes misdiagnosis, particularly in emergency department (EDs) that do not see high volumes of children. In the USA, one in three EDs sees fewer than five children daily. A prior study linked low-paediatric ED volume to diagnostic delays in...

The term severe mental illness (SMI) refers to individuals with psychological conditions so profound that they significantly hinder their capacity to perform functional and occupational activities, with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder often being classified as SMIs.1 Evidence suggests that there is an association between an increased risk of multimorbidity and the presence of mental illness.2 However, the degree of association and the prevalence of...

There is a concerning rise in emotional burnout in the nursing population due to the ever-increasing emotional demand and stress levels of working in healthcare.1 2 Burnout leads to reduced staff levels, causing negative patient outcomes, with cost implications for healthcare and further strain on remaining staff, leading to more burnout.1 Emotional intelligence...

Anxiety is a prevalent issue among healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, owing to the highly stressful nature of their work environments.1 Increasing workload, emotional demands and critical responsibilities contribute to elevated anxiety levels, which can affect well-being and job performance.2 Mindfulness-based programmes have gained attention as potential interventions for alleviating anxiety by promoting mental well-being and resilience. This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness of these programmes in reducing anxiety among...

Climate change is increasingly harming human health. Extreme weather events cause devastation, low crop yields and failure, contributing to food insecurity, economic hardship and resource shortages. Rising temperatures also increase the spread of infectious diseases and epidemics. Globally, countries are using healthcare services as an initial method of addressing these challenges.2 However, healthcare systems are major...

The WHO recommendations around intrapartum care aim that a positive experience of childbirth should be the outcome of labour for each woman.1 Care should be experienced as clinically and psychologically safe1 and provide emotional as well as practical support.1 Yet, racist practices can limit this. However, among staff, black women are perceived...

Although care for low-risk births in the Netherlands is primarily conducted by midwives, the use of consultant-led care has been increasing for a variety of indications, leading to a high patient burden for consultants. The induction of labour (IOL) of late-term pregnancies has historically been an indication for consultant-led care. This study by Velthuijs et...

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent birth defect that significantly affects infant and child mortality and morbidity.1 2 While medical advancements have extended the survival of children with CHD into adulthood, the financial burden on parents remains a growing concern. Indirect evidence links this to stress and family...

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a significant public health issue, with diet playing a crucial role in its management.1 Food insecurity, defined as the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life, exacerbates this condition, making effective dietary interventions critical.2 Food-as-medicine programmes, which provide medically tailored meals and nutritional education, aim to improve health outcomes for individuals with chronic diseases.2 The study...