Welcome to another edition of the BJN Nutrition Supplement, where the National Nurses Nutrition Group (NNNG) and the BJN support one another to enhance the knowledge of practitioners of all health and care professions, so that the nutritional care of patients continues to improve.
This edition is another example of how varied and diverse the field of nutrition and nutrition support is. From blended diets for children and young people to food audit and sustainability, it demonstrates just how wide a knowledge base is required for those working either within the specialty of nutrition support or alongside it. We are no longer working in organisations that only focus on the delivery of care; there are also investments in supporting and preserving the wider community, in addition to an increased awareness of the financial and environmental implications of all the decisions we make and the care we give.
Join a network of your peers
For those colleagues who are either lone specialists at their organisation or in a very small team, the opportunities for keeping up-to-date with innovations with current clinical practice can sometimes be hard to find, but is essential if policies are to reflect up-to-date, safe practice. The NNNG and its umbrella organisation BAPEN are immensely helpful and supportive. By becoming a member of the NNNG, you immediately qualify for free membership of BAPEN, which allows you free access to all the guidelines from both organisations. There is also the opportunity for professional networking with a wider range of UK colleagues. The NNNG has a members-only discussion forum where you can reach out to colleagues for advice – or offer support to others, all from the comfort of your computer.
The NNNG exists to ensure patients receive improved nutritional care. One way of doing this is to allow members access to innovations and information that traditionally was only available to people who were able to attend conferences in person. With the financial pressures on both organisations and individuals, this is not an option for many nurses, which is why the NNNG made the decision to move in a new direction to collaborate with the BJN and The Insides Company to develop a unique series of webinars.
Webinars: informing practice
After a previous successful webinar with The Insides Company on chyme reinfusion, we have another one planned for early winter, watch this space! We also have webinars on the theme of nasogastric (NG) tube care and management. There was a successful webinar on NG tube securement earlier this year, which is still available on demand – see the NNNG website (www.nnng.org.uk). On 30 October there is a webinar on NG tube safety and novel technologies. There will be an opportunity for a live question-and-answer session following the presentation. This will cover subjects such as barriers to change and experiences of colleagues making changes within their own organisations.
For anyone who works with NG tubes, these are sessions not to be missed. Having been a lone operative as a clinical nurse specialist in nutrition support, I know only too well that it can be difficult when people look to you for answers in specific areas of clinical practice and procurement, yet you don't know where to find them yourself. Having first-hand descriptions of the challenges faced will give an overview of where learning opportunities were missed or overlooked. It also gives viewers the opportunity to see if these innovations in practice are right for their organisation or patient cohort. The webinar will provide invaluable insights into the management of a device whose safety implications are often underappreciated.
One of the other core groups of BAPEN, the British Pharmaceutical Nutrition Group (BPNG), is hosting a webinar on 23 October on the issue of using filters with parenteral nutrition (PN) infusions (see https://www.bpng.co.uk). Regardless of whether you work in a hospital that has its own compounding unit for PN, it is made off site, or you are a community nurse who administers it to a patient in their own home, it is important to be aware of recent alerts and the latest advice. This is something that again shows how diverse nutrition support is and how so many professions are required to provide excellent patient care.
I hope you find this supplement enjoyable and useful. Remember to take time to look after yourselves and each other.