A study has found that three out of four nurses have experienced violence while at work, and 9 out of 10 have suffered verbal abuse. Out of 2,354 nurses interviewed in the study, three-quarters said they had experienced some form of violence in their job, while 92% said they had been verbally abused by patients.

Despite the high number of cases of workplace violence identified in the study, official figures fail to reflect the severity of the situation, with only one in six cases formally reported, the study found. Many of the nurses involved in the research, carried out by a team from Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Western Australia, said they felt as though workplace abuse or violence was simply “part of the job”.

Some 69% said they had been physically threatened, 52% said they had been physically assaulted and 40% said they had been involved in a situation in which a weapon was used.

Lead author Dr Rose Chapman said: “Many of the nurses who took part in the research said that they did not report incidents because they felt that workplace violence was just part of the job”.

The age, sex and level of experience of the nurses involved in the study varied, while the number and nature of incidents also varied depending on what department they worked in.

Copyright Nursing Times, Thursday 4th February 2010, 13:44

Source: http://www.nursingtimes.net/whats-new-in-nursing/news-topics/health-workforce/over-90-of-nurses-experience-violence-or-verbal-abuse/5011127.article

Taking a daily fish oil capsule can stave off mental illness in those at highest risk, trial findings suggest. A three-month course of the supplement appeared to be as effective as drugs, cutting the rate of psychotic illness like schizophrenia by a quarter. The researchers believe it is the omega-3 in fish oil - already hailed for promoting healthy hearts - that has beneficial effects in the brain.

A "natural" remedy would be welcomed, Archives of General Psychiatry says. "The finding that treatment with a natural substance may prevent, or at least delay, the onset of psychotic disorder gives hope that there may be alternatives to antipsychotic drugs," the study authors said.

Antipsychotic drugs are potent and can have serious side effects, which puts some people off taking them. Fish oil supplements, on the other hand, are generally well tolerated and easy to take, say the scientists.

The international team from Austria, Australia and Switzerland tested the treatment in 81 people deemed to be at particularly high risk of developing psychosis. Their high risk was down to a strong family history of schizophrenia, or similar disorders, or them already showing mild symptoms of these conditions themselves. For the test, half of the individuals took fish oil supplements (1.2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids) for 12 weeks, while the other half took only a dummy pill. Neither group knew which treatment they were receiving.

Dr Paul Amminger and his team followed the groups for a year to see how many, if any, went on to develop illness. Two in the fish oil group developed a psychotic disorder compared to 11 in the placebo group. Based on the results, the investigators estimate that one high-risk adult could be protected from developing psychosis for every four treated over a year. They believe the omega-3 fatty acids found in the supplements may alter brain signalling in the brain with beneficial effects.

Alison Cobb, of the mental health charity Mind, said: "If young people can be treated successfully with fish oils, this is hugely preferable to treating them with antipsychotics, which come with a range of problems from weight gain to sexual dysfunction, whereas omega-3s are actually beneficial to their general state of health. "These are promising results and more research is needed to show if omega-3s could be an alternative to antipsychotics in the long term."

Copyright BBC Health News Thursday 4th February 2010 13:38

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8490937.stm

On Tuesday 24th November 2009, OES Healthcare Recruitment learned of an attempt of serious fraudulent behaviour conducted by an individual/ organisation in the Philippines claiming to be OES Healthcare Recruitment in order for individuals to be trained and obtain the right to live and work in the UK.

We can without hesitation confirm that this IS NOT an event set up or managed by OES Healthcare Recruitment and do not condone the actions of this individual/ organisation.

This matter is currently being investigated by the respective authorities and will be dealt with in the most swift and severe manner possible.

DO NOT PAY ANY MONEY TO ANY COMPANY CLAIMING TO BE OES HEALTHCARE RECRUITMENT.

OES Healthcare Recruitment does not charge any money or any fees to candidates whatsoever, and any attempt to obtain money or any fees from any candidate would confirm a fraudulent and illegal approach.

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Tuesday 24th November 2009 10:03

How best to ensure patients are at the heart of the health service is the subject of an NHS Alliance online debate running for six weeks from 20 October.

NHS Alliance spokesman Brian Fisher said: “We now have an opportunity to debate how we can best embed patient and public involvement throughout the NHS and make it a vibrant tool for those key processes that need to be active everywhere: accountability, safety, service redesign, efficiency.”

Department of Health spokeswoman Joan Saddler said: “The engagement of people in their own care and in the shaping of local services leads to new ideas, improved quality, high productivity and better relations. “We welcome this debate and look forward to finding out how people think the NHS can do more to put patients at the heart of its work.”

Participants are asked to contribute practical suggestions on how patients and the public can be involved in a meaningful way and answer six questions about NHS accountability.

A report summarising the debate will be published at the end of the year.

Copyright Health Service Journal Tuesday 20th October 2009 11:32

Source: http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/policy/nhs-alliance-debates-patient-and-public-involvement-in-the-health-service/5007559.article

Lip balm is mostly used to heal chapped lips. But now there's a different kind on the market which claims to help you lose weight. However, some health workers aren't impressed with it and are warning Britons against trying it.

Burner Balm hit the shops in the US six months ago and already tens of thousands of sticks have been sold there. In the UK it can now be bought online for under £5. The manufacturers say four key ingredients blended together make it work: Green tea (which has been linked to weight loss), caffeine (to boost energy), the mineral Chromium Piclinate - (which, it's claimed, helps the body burn fat), and the herb Hoodia (which apparently suppresses the appetite).

The Burner Balm website states the contents "have all been proven for many years to be effective as dietary supplements". But experts have hit back, saying it's a gimmick.

Tam Fry is from the National Obesity Forum in London. He told Newsbeat: "My main concern is young women because they're easily influenced by their peers. "You would have to put this on your lips every minute of the day to get enough to have any effect whatsoever. "The only answer to losing weight is eating healthily and exercise." It's claimed the contents of the lip balm quickly dissolve through the lips and into the bloodstream so users don't even have to lick their lips for the ingredients to kick in.

Consumers are advised to apply it no more than four to six times a day. The one side effect claimed by the lip balm's makers is insomnia due to the caffeine but they say it only happens if it's used a few hours before bedtime. Burner Balm say they're in the process of inventing a version of the product which doesn't have caffeine to resolve this problem.

So far, there's no evidence that Burner Balm works but the makers say they're putting together a scientific study which proves it does. They also claim to have hundreds of testimonials from consumers around the globe, who say they've shed weight after regularly using the product.

Matt Mills is the inventor. He said: "This is not a gimmick. It's a low cost dietary product that people want and that's being proven everyday."

Nineteen-year-old Melissa's overweight and she's willing to try Burner Balm. She said: "Sure, I'd give it a chance. It sounds like an easy way to get thin."

An "easy way to get thin" is the dream for many women and with manufacturers keen to target them but diet experts say there's really no such thing as an "easy" option.

Copyright BBC Health News Tuesday October 20th 2009, 11:30

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/health/newsid_10000000/newsid_10002400/10002453.stm