NURSING AND EDUCATION PLATFORM

Read book Stefan Popenici , Sharon Kerr (2013) What Undermines Higher Education. Amazon.

Implications for care and the whole of society. Business emphasis. Survival of the fittest.Can we not be honest, caring individuals anymore??

Odd how nobody replies to emails. Just a click on reply would be fine. Perhaps if my name or affiliations were different?

Is there anybody who cares out there? Here in UK patients Association/RCN/Nursing Standard; they are all linked. Come on people- time we spoke.

Come on RCN. Poor care- we need honesty!! You dare to proclaim on TV today that it is only due to low staff levels? Not always. There are not always low staff levels in nursing. I do have evidence but journals etc wil not dare publish.(See book Decisions and Dilemmas in care homes 2006 that some also try to block). Poor care is not somethings that has happened overnight- see article Care in Crisis on this web You and other bodies DID know about poor care 20 years ago. Myself and others told you. The concern of the RCN is nurse members they argue. Yet, even that is debatable according to reports.

Remember too - good care. Here are some examples; the nurse who kindly calmed  a patient down when in extreme distress and pain. The care home which only ever gives mr Smith sausage and potato for dinner everyday as that is all he ever wants and all he has eaten for years----. Examples of bad care- yes, we now publically know about. Thanks to the press.

The number of people I have heard lately who want/ expect to write a book -- "and lie on a beach". If you get 10% per book- you are lucky. Publishing is not easy. Yes ,may well be  a blockbuster (JK Rowlings was not accepted first submission- no offence JK! and others). It depends on the marketing list of the publisher, controversy of the subject (Darwin) (poor care), who has written it- I have references. Yes wellknown authors do sell more books etc etc. There is after all plagiarism, amongst academics and publishers (I have refs). We all know of individuals who went for assistance-- and others were given the idea to research or the article that went to the journal to appear with somebody else's name on it. Copyright regiistration does exist fror a fee but there is  a limit to that. At the end of the day, is taking an idea plagiarism?

It is time the established, assisted the established. This is surely the true meaning of academia. Not possession and elitism.

This book was published by Fivepin a publisher which no longer exists It is an original approach that discusses rationales given by nurses and carers and explores the appropriate action to take.As far as possible it is supported by references eg court case re hot water bottle bursting (p67). Regulations at the time are referred to. The Mental capacity Act is mentioned (p16) .There are also other regulations which now exist.Whilst the book does not address fully, issues of mental health it does refer to the Mental health Act to indicate the differences in legislation. It was never intended to refer to issues concerning mental health patients as this is  a separate issue, beyond the scope of the book.Recall the intention of the author was to analyse the proposal made by herself, that some decisions in nursing are made with good intentions but the incorrect action is taken. This has stimulated further research. It was not the aim to prescribe action; it is impossible to do this for every individual situation. It was the aim to analyse possible actions , linking it to any regulations or cases that did exist at the time. Any original or reletively new idea, must some element of thought. The aim of writing anything, or indeed academia, did not ought to be the regurgitation of all references and what others have said before.

There are  3 misleading points in this book. p23 does not intend to imply that ANY nurse may apply the Mental Health Act. Only specially trained RMNs in certain circumstances, may do so.

Sections of the Mental Health Act apply , other than section 2

P39 and 41 are incorrect. Section 2 does not apply to treatment, other sections apply.

Despite the negative review on Amazon, which the author is not allowed to respond to, the book is still of immense value.The publisher did agree to put this ammendment in but failed to do so.The author does intend to update the book anyway. As all authors know, publishing is not easy, especially as an independent author without the backing of an institiution.Although, support was requested. It indeed, took 10 years to find a publisher for this work which was then updated by referring to the Mental Capacity Act for example. Many stated not enough books would be sold as it refers to nursing homes. Experts and agencies did check the content especially regarding possible actions to take. Yet the book remains of immense value, especially regarding the reports of poor care that have finally been allowed to be published today. It offers an alternative perspective- decisions making. It does analyse the dilemmas regarding residents who are not mentally ill - or lack mental capacity. This is the aim of this book; individuals who are not mentally ill- still reserve the right to refuse treatment or require an alteration to that which is provided. Individuals often, do not realise that this may be the case.Nor is there documented evidence until now, of the occurence of such issues along with a historical analysis.For this reason, this book should not be ignored but should be used to launch further research and promote thinking amongst staff, which  the book has actually achieved. 

Whilst individuals to have a right to opinions, authors too have  a right to reply.

Following conversations with my academic colleague; I will not take credit myself;

Much research has been done about why nurses/ student nurses leave nursing. We wonder- why nurses remain in nursing?? Are there some nurses who only ever see the good that occurs? Are they able to survive the stress? What makes them survivors? Will search this but any thoughts are welcome. Same could apply to other jobs- we know.

The work of independent people(ie not fortunate to be employed within a University/ major establishment) is being blocked. Publishers prefer professor Bloggs or reputable establishments, to produce work for them. There are opportunites here for the established, to assist the unestablished thus increase the reputation of academia. That is what it is about surely?

Take the report in the Sun newspaper re prostitutes in  care home (29.1.13).Yes, the home ought to have gained clearance by regulatory bodies etc and documented. They may well have done- I do not know.  Human rights issue addressed by myself 1999 (Equinox actually published it. Some years later, research done by Counsel and Care. Years after that  guidelines produced by  a  major body who I had approached in 1999 but they were not interested. The effect of blocking people is to delay development. I submitted a wonderful piece 1990s from 2 care assistants in a care home. The journals would not publish it. says it all.

If you know any other examples of blockages (!) in any field, please let me know.

Publications are welcome on this website.

See book, Decisions and Dilemmas (2006) Fivepin.

Uk.Little funding for health/soc care/ education.Meanwhile a 10yr old boy who cannot breathe waits 30mins for emergency help-- and passes away. Where is the Govt money going if not on priority services? Businesses close because  greedy individuals/councils  demand high rental charges or high taxes. We all need to take stock and accept less payment for jobs and rent etc. Otherwise there is no hope. Visions of riots in Greece are looming---

Politics

Consider this Noam Chomsky's Theory of Justicewww.chomsky.info/onchomsky/2011----.htm

Yes it may be controversial and not entirely correct- what is? In the uk (and possibly elsewhere) we have home industries closed so now we import. Recall the closure of the mines. Was Scargill correct? Hence lack of jobs yet people pushed into HE for what reason? Gap between haves and have not, increase. Stories of riots in Spain and Greece mufled in the UK but they will in years to come occur here in response to further cut backs and restraint of the poor. (Ack T.I.M)