Elderly patients, defined as adults aged 65 years and above, represent a growing segment of the surgical population.1 Despite numerous advances in surgical techniques and postoperative care, elderly patients face unique physical and psychological challenges that can exacerbate their risk of poor clinical outcomes.2 The recent study by Kata et al explores...

Haemodynamic management, and particularly the management of blood pressure (BP), is critical to reduce mortality and preserve the functional capacity of people with cardiovascular disease.1 However, there is insufficient evidence to justify lower BP targets (≤135/85 mm Hg) in people with hypertension and established cardiovascular disease.1 Wang et al have undertaken a multicentre clinical trial in 26 hospitals across China to explore both...

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are widely used for the administration of medications, fluids and parenteral nutrition. It has been estimated that annually 5 million CVCs are inserted in the USA and 27 million worldwide. However, the use of CVC is associated with several risks. This systematic review and meta-analysis by Teja et al provides important findings about some CVC complications globally and at the venous site.1

The...

Management of heart failure (HF) is a challenge, with less than one-third of patients meeting physical activity recommendations.1 Existing cardiac rehabilitation programmes are designed to meet class 1A American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity.1 Benefits, facilitators and barriers to these programmes are described...

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in intensive care units (ICUs) marks a significant advancement in critical care, offering automated task management and enhanced data analysis. Historically, critical care has relied on high-acuity clinical decision-making, where nurses’ judgement and expertise are paramount. The rapid evolution of AI promises efficiency but raises concerns about ethical implications, role changes and trust. While AI tools improve clinical outcomes, their black-box nature and potential for...

Music intervention is a complementary treatment that aims to ameliorate symptoms related to a medical condition. Music intervention is distinct from music therapy in that it is a solo listening experience rather than an active or therapist-guided session. Music intervention is thought to be a low-risk and convenient treatment with potentially positive effects on patients with breast cancer as measured by self-assessed symptom or quality of life scores or pain treatment...

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) has become one of the most prevalent occupational health problems1 and represents a major burden for individuals, employers1 2 and healthcare systems.1 The need to consider psychosocial factors such as stress and coping strategies is increasingly recognised...

Today’s world is increasingly augmented by AI, and use and application of natural language process-based translation services could enhance clinical communications. They have the potential to support confidential and cost-effective communication mechanisms for non-native language patients. This study1 evaluates quality, cultural sensitivity, terminology, context, consistency and risks associated with use of AI translators for Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian paediatric patients, illustrating shortcomings in quality, accuracy and patient...

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...

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

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...

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.

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...

People living with Long Covid often find the complexity of navigating health services difficult. The nurse’s role is to support patients in this context. This includes ensuring they are sufficiently informed about what Long Covid is. The specialist nurses recommended the British Heart Foundation’s online resource - Long Covid: Symptoms, tests and treatments: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/long-covid%23whatdoesfatiguefeel.

Information about Long Covid is also available via Long Covid Physio: https://longcovid.physio/

Every person...

Patients with colorectal cancer face treatments that can bring significant financial burden, physical strain and relationship changes which can affect quality of life. These stressors may be mitigated by coping ability, particularly resourcefulness, which reflects the ability of the patient to independently perform daily tasks and seek help when needed. The patient experience and need for care can affect caregivers as well, leading to caregiver burden: an accumulation of the negative responses to the caregiver that result from providing care, including disrupted schedules, financial and...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. While research in recent decades has focused on minimising treatment, the disease still impacts women’s lives in many ways. Because increased sleep disturbances affect approximately...

Long Covid is an emerging long-term condition resulting from SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterised by a wide array of persistent symptoms, it is heterogenous in nature with fluctuations and experiences of relapse.2 As a relatively...

Failure to identify and respond to deteriorating patients is a significant and complex clinical safety issue. There is a growing body of international research evidence which has identified the importance of system and human factors in ‘failure to rescue’ events.1 Yet, despite the widespread adoption of rapid response and...