Dear Critical Care and Flight nurse members,
It is indeed challenging times for us all who are working in healthcare everywhere. But what is truly incredible is that despite the numerous and unprecedented challenges faced every day our profession nurses continues to showcase leadership, capability, expertise, compassion and sheer resilience to deliver care to those who most need it.
The RCN are working hard to ensure your questions and queries are heard, raised and answered. From a RCN Critical care and flight forum committee perspective, we are all absolutely committed to ensuring we support you during these times. Each of us and our link nurses, are working alongside you in this pandemic and are volunteers for the RCN We will respond to any queries as quickly as we can and kindly note that the information shared is correct at the time of publication, but information such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and coronavirus testing is rapidly changing. The RCN are updating it’s web resources on a daily basis as information changes.
Please do not hesitate to reach out so we can ensure your questions are raised formally.
Facebook
Please do join our Forum Facebook group: RCN Critical care and Flight Nursing Forum
We have an excellent resource list built up and welcome contributions and can support with regular evidence support to questions as they come up relating to our areas.
Please do email the Critical Care and Flight Nurse forum with your thoughts and what you think the RCN can be doing to support you – we would really like to know.
Useful Links
- RCN COVID19 - These pages are continually being updated with information and guidance in response to members questions and concerns. Please do share these with your colleagues and wider networks.
There are a number of frequently asked questions under What do you need to know - Employment Advice
- Information on redeployment
For those being redeployed or working in a critical care surge environment, there is guidance on creating critical care nursing capacity and accountability and delegation:
- Coronavirus (Covid 19) Resources & Guidance
- Speciality Guides
- Joint Statement on developing immediate critical care nursing capacity
- Clinical Guidance for managing Covid 19- resources continue to be updated with general clinical information and specific guidance relating to areas of practice and specific contexts for health and social care provision.
- Remote prescribing
- Palliative and end of life care - Palliative and End of Life care’ and ‘Ethical guidance / rationing health and care support’ has been updated with the available information. The information on these are linked together and also to the revised guidance on COVID-19 guidance on DNA/CPR and verification of death and the revised joint NMC/RCN statement.
- PPE guidance
Fatigue and wellbeing
The RCN critical care and flight forum are working closely with many UK bodies to assess fatigue in the workplace – please do take some time to complete our survey.
It is absolutely vital to be mindful of your own well-being and self-care– this is an excellent resource that may help. The RCN are at present working on a nurse specific version for well- being and support.
NICE guidelines - The first 3 COVID-19 rapid guidelines have now published on the NICE website.
The guidelines cover:
- Critical care
- Dialysis service delivery
- Delivery of systemic anticancer treatments
Other Useful Resources
- Nursing Standard COVID19 resource centre – free resources
- Information for Students regarding workforce expansion
- Intensive care medicine link
Media and press from the RCN
- RCN Press releases
- Nursing Times article: 'Covid-19 places critical care nurses 'front and centre' as leader' - featuring our Professional Lead Suman Shrestha
- Nursing Standard article: 'Covid-19: RCN demands action over 'unconscionable' lack of PPE'
Kind regards,
RCN Critical care and Flight nurse forum steering committee
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