In this section:
This year, why not enjoy a day out at a National Gardens Scheme garden - you'll be helping fund the QNI too!
Providing vital funding for projects that help improve patient care.
Visit our nursing heritage website, a celebration of District Nursing around the world since 1859.
Other subjects
QUESTION: Does anyone know of any international forums for individuals or teams working with homeless people?
ANSWER:
New Zealand – New Zealand Coalition to End Homelessness
USA: Common Ground – New York; Street Physicians; National Coalition for the Homeless www.nationalhomeless.org
Europe – FEANTSA – www.feantsa.org
Australia – Homelessness Australia www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au
Salvation Army International
QUESTION: “Do any Forum members know of qualified Health Trainers who work specifically with homeless or vulnerably housed individuals and/or families. If so, please could you let me know which NHS Healthcare Trust or organisation they work for. Thanks.”
ANSWER: NHS Westminster commissioned Groundswell to deliver a Homeless Health Promotion Programme where homeless peers are trained and supported by the local Health Promotion team and other NHS and LA services.
Their training is very comprehensive - getting health issues covered, but also such issues as confidentiality, note taking, complaints etc - and the peers are supported by an experienced group counsellor. Additionally the programme looks to support peers into training and/or employment (not necessarily health and social care) after 6 months
ANSWER: We have qualified trainers in Sussex Homeless Service St John Ambulance
They teach:
- First Aid for Frontline Workers – including Overdose Aid
- Overdose Aid and Essential First Aid for clients
These are the only things we are teaching while a review of our Homeless Training takes place
ANSWER: I think the Health Trainer Service managed by PSS in Liverpool have a health trainer that works with the Homeless –they are on the web – Google PSS, Liverpool.
QUESTION: Do any of the forum members have PGDs relating to the use of Naloxone in opiate overdoses in hostel accommodation, could I have a look at please? I understand that in some hostels non-nursing staff are trained in its administration – any information would be useful
ANSWER: We have a Naxalone PGD, and I can talk them through the issues if necessary. (In fact, you don't need a PGD for an emergency one-off dose, only if there is a chance staff will want/ need to administer repeated doses - although staff often feel more confident if there is a PGD in place. In addition anyone can give that emergency one-off dose, not just clinicians.)
ANSWER: In a previous job we issued Naloxone to all service users housed/hostel dwellers and street homeless. They were all trained to administer it and keep with them at all times. In the hostels just about every resident held it. There were a number of occasions when it was administered in the hostel either by service users or myself or one of my colleagues. As it is an 'administer in emergency' medication it doesn't need a PGD.
http://www.mungos.org/press_office/321_st-mungo-s-trials-life-saving-overdose-drug-in-hostels
RESPONSE: There is a wealth of information on our forums in response to the question from your member on naloxone – I searched for ‘take home naloxone’ – and the search for ‘naloxone’ only brought up over a hundred results: http://smmgp.groupee.net/eve/forums?a=search&reqWords=take+home+naloxone
QUESTION: I am currently a 3rd year student adult nurse nearing the end of my training. All going well I should be a qualified adult nurse by August 2013.
I have been in a little bit of a predicament in the last few months trying to decide what area of nursing I would like to specialise in. I undertook my elective placement with drug and alcohol recovery services Hertfordshire. I really enjoyed the placement and found it a very interesting area to work in. I initially thought that I may have to do mental health nursing to get into the area which would require a further 2 years of training which was not very appealing to me. After some discussion with my lecturers last week they advised me to try to get into the substance misuse area with my adult nursing degree. I have also contacted CRI where I undertook my placement and I am hoping to volunteer with them on a weekly basis for the next few months. My questions are:
Do you think I have a good chance of getting a job in the substance misuse area either through recovery work or in an area where I could apply my nursing skills?
Do you know any areas where there would be a chance of being sponsored to undertake further study in the near future, such as a substance misuse top up degree?
Have you any further advice on how to get into the substance Misuse area once I qualify and possibly an area where I would be working with the homeless.
ANSWER: Re training - he could look at doing part one RCGP substance misuse management training (drugs) and part one RCGP alcohol management.
This training consists of an e learning module followed by face to face study day resulting in a nationally recognised certificate.
Costs per course are £250 so I suggest he looks for sponsorship.
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