EBN Podcast

Peritoneal dialysis: Older patients report better quality of life than younger

As the population ages, so too does the requirement for dialysis. Home dialysis has not been made an option for many older patients. Dr. Edwina Brown discusses research findings that age should not be a contraindication in home dialysis. Associate Editor of EBN, Roberta Heale, hosts the podcast.

Patients with heart failure and their partners

Welcome to this Evidence Based Nursing podcast. This month’s commentary for discussion is concerned with patients with heart failure, and their partners, and the value they hold being seen and supported together . Dr Helen Noble, Lecturer Health Services Research, Queens University Belfast, and Associate Editor, Evidence Based Nursing will be joined by Assistant Professor Harleah G. Buck, of Pennsylvania State University who is the commentary author. The key issues that arise from this work including what we already know about the topic, the strengths and weaknesses of the research methods and the implications for clinical practice will be deliberated. The discussion is designed to help you think about issues raised in the commentary and explore the clinical applicability of the original research discussed.
Reference to original commentary:
Patients with heart failure, and their partners, value being seen and supported together. Evid Based Nurs 2015 18: 77 originally published online February 4, 2015 10.1136/eb-2014-102024

Desire to hasten death

On 11 September, the Second Reading of the Assisted Dying Bill will take place in the House of Commons. If eventually passed, it will allow a terminally ill adult (prognosis less than 6 months) resident in England or Wales to be supplied with a lethal prescription to be self-administered under the supervision of ‘an attending health professional’ (doctor or nurse). Before the prescription is issued, a High Court Judge will have to be satisfied that the person has (mental) capacity, and that the desire to hasten death is voluntary, settled and informed. The key criterion is short prognosis; the patient does not have to be ‘suffering unbearably’.Professor Robert Twycross, Emeritus Clinical Reader in Palliative Medicine, Oxford University, is against this bill being passed. Here he tells Gary Mitchell, EBN Social Media Editor, why.Read Professor Twycross's full editorial: http://ebn.bmj.com/content/early/2015/08/11/eb-2015-102189.full

Living with younger onset dementia

EBN associate editor Gary Mitchell caught up with Kate Swaffer in London earlier this month to discuss her upcoming book, what it is like to live with dementia, and the current areas for development within healthcare systems and society.
Kate's book, "what the hell happened to my brain?" is to be released later this year with Jessica Kingsley Publishers. If you are interested in finding out more about Kate's work check out her webpage and regular blog series here: http://kateswaffer.com/

Palliative care in nursing homes

Gary Mitchell, EBN associate editor, catches up with Joanne Agnelli and Jessie McGreevy from Four Seasons Health Care at the Alzheimer's Show in London at the start of June.
Joanne and Jessie, two of our hosts from a recent twitter-chat on optimising palliative care in nursing homes, agreed to record a short podcast to illuminate the key points from the recent discussion. This podcast succinctly highlights the practical things any nurses, within a care home setting, can do to enhance palliative care for their residents.

Cervical screening in survivors of childhood sexual abuse

Welcome to this EBN podcast where Dr Allison Shorten, Associate Editor, will explore a recent commentary in EBN with the commentary author, Dr. Louise Cadman. These discussions are designed to help you think about issues raised in the article, as well as the clinical applicability.
The commentary is about an interesting study regarding the challenges of providing safe and sensitive care during cervical screening for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Dr Louise Cadman reflects on the study and critically explores the findings offering her thoughts on the implications for practice.
Read the commentary:
Professionals providing cervical screening may require training and support on how to provide safe and sensitive care for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Link: http://bmj.co/1DY3HeL

Pain management in children

Welcome to the EBN podcast. Dr Joanna Smith, Associate Editor, will be taking a closer look at an article published by Dr Alison Twycross, who has published extensively on pain management in children, and is the Editor at Evidence-Based Nursing.
In this session, Dr Alison Twycross, Head of Department for Children’s Nursing and Reader in Children’s Pain Management, will discuss issues raised in her article; children’s and parents’ perceptions of postoperative pain management: a mixed methods study. These discussions are designed to help you think about issues raised in the article, as well as the clinical applicability. As an expert in the field, Dr Alison Twycross reflects on the study, and offers insightful comments and ideas that can be used in practice.
Read the commentary:
Although parents are generally satisfied with their child's postoperative care, children continue to experience moderate-to-severe pain postoperatively http://goo.gl/WpyKw8

Advanced care planning

Welcome to the 11th #ebnjc podcast, this month’s topic is advanced care planning.
Dr Alison Twycross, School of Health and Social Care, London South Bank University and Editor, Evidence Based Nursing will explore with the commentary author, a recent commentary in EBN titled: The majority of hospitalised elderly people at high risk of dying have thought about end-of-life care, though documentation of preferences in medical records may be lacking.
The discussion is designed to help you think about issues raised in the commentary and explore the clinical applicability of the original research discussed.
Dr Twycorss discuss with Dr Sarah Jeong, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle some of the issues raised in his commentary report. Dr Jeong reflects on the work, critically exploring the findings offering his
thoughts on the implications for practice.
Read the commentary: goo.gl/sg4dQi
Read the original paper: goo.gl/HUDlaQ

Discontinuation of antipsychotics in adults with learning difficulties

Welcome to the 10th #ebnjc podcast, this month’s topic is care of people with learning disabilities.
Dr Helen Noble, Lecturer Health Services Research, Queens University Belfast and Associate Editor, Evidence Based Nursing will explore with the commentary author, a recent commentary in EBN titled: In adults with intellectual disability, discontinuation of antipsychotics is associated with reduction in weight, BMI, waist circumference and blood pressure.
The discussion is designed to help you think about issues raised in the commentary and explore the clinical applicability of the original research discussed.
Dr Noble discuss with Professor Pierre Chue some of the issues raised in his commentary report. Dr Chue reflects on the work, critically exploring the findings offering his
thoughts on the implications for practice.
Read the commentary: http://goo.gl/KDnevz
Read the original paper: http://goo.gl/TW050U

Hearing loss in older adults and cognitive decline

Welcome to the EBN podcast. Dr Dorothy Forbes, former Associate Editor, will be taking a closer look at a commentary from the journal with an invited guest. These discussions are designed to help you think about issues raised in the article, as well as the clinical applicability of the original research paper.
In this session, Dr Roberta DiDonato, who is affiliated with Experimental Cognitive Psychology at the Memorial University of Newfoundland & Labrador will discuss the issues raised in a commentary recently published in EBN.
The commentary reviewed a prospective longitudinal study that examined the association of age‐related hearing loss (ARHL) with cognitive decline (see link to original article below). Co-author Dr DiDonato reflects on the study undertaken, and offers insightful comments and ideas that can be used in practice and policy.
Read the articles:
Community-dwelling older adults with hearing loss experience greater decline in cognitive function over time than those with normal hearing: http://ebn.bmj.com/content/early/2013/07/09/eb-2013-101375.full
Original research article: Lin FR, Yaffe K, Xia J, et al. Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults. JAMA Intern Med 2013;173:293-9