Blog 4: Closing the Education Gap: Promoting Compassionate Care for Individuals with Sickle Cell Disease by Debbie Omodele, Children’s Haemoglobinopathy Nurse Specialist, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital Trust.

Despite existing for many decades, sickle cell disease (SCD) still faces a knowledge gap among the public and healthcare professionals (HCPs). Educating HCPs about SCD pathophysiology, care, and management is crucial to bridge this gap and breaking down healthcare-related stigmas. In this blog, we will hear directly from patients, shedding light on their experiences and … Read more Blog 4: Closing the Education Gap: Promoting Compassionate Care for Individuals with Sickle Cell Disease by Debbie Omodele, Children’s Haemoglobinopathy Nurse Specialist, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital Trust.

Blog 3: Sickle cell crisis. Third in the series of blogs by Debbie Omodele, Children’s Haemoglobinopathy Nurse Specialist, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital Trust.

Blog 3: Sickle Cell Crisis by Debbie Omodele What words come to mind when you hear the words ‘sickle cell’? I can almost guarantee that many of you thought of the word pain amongst many. Pain is one of the most common complications of Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD).  As mentioned in blog 1 and 2, … Read more Blog 3: Sickle cell crisis. Third in the series of blogs by Debbie Omodele, Children’s Haemoglobinopathy Nurse Specialist, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital Trust.

Blog 2: Genotypes, Compatibility and Sickle cell disorder. Debbie Omodele

Genotypes Did you know that a couple who are both carriers of the sickle haemoglobin (Hb) gene (HbAS) carry a 25% chance of having a baby with Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD)? These chances are the same with every pregnancy they have together. Your genotype is the set of genes that determines whether you have SCD, … Read more Blog 2: Genotypes, Compatibility and Sickle cell disorder. Debbie Omodele

Blog 1: Shining the light on Sickle Cell on Rare Disease Day

This is the first of  a series of Blogs written by Debbie Omodele, Children’s Haemoglobinopathy Nurse Specialist, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital NHS Trust. Keep an eye out for follow ups on topics such as preconceptual screening, managing conditions, psychological well-being, pain management and transition looking at the importnace of family wihtin this process. Enjoy. … Read more Blog 1: Shining the light on Sickle Cell on Rare Disease Day

LGBTQIA+ History Month

Barry Hill – Assistant Professor, Nursing Science and Critical Care, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Barry.Hill@northumbria.ac.uk February marks celebration and also remembrance of LGBTQIA+ communities. What follows is a short piece of why this topic is important and can only serve to help us as family nurses to care for this community. Lesbian, Gay, … Read more LGBTQIA+ History Month

Learning Disabilities Nurses Supporting Families With an Autism Diagnosis

The role of the Registered Nurse Learning Disabilities (RNLD) and the wider MDT in supporting families with an autism diagnosis Chloe Hawkins, Learning Disabilities Student Nurse Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition which is present from birth (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2021). Autism presents differently in each individual, however there … Read more Learning Disabilities Nurses Supporting Families With an Autism Diagnosis

Providing healthcare to trans people and communities

Nursing the trans community As a nurse or health support worker, you will provide care for people from diverse backgrounds, and it is important that you help to create a safe and welcoming environment for all your patients and clients. As some trans patients have reported poor experiences of health care settings, your approach has … Read more Providing healthcare to trans people and communities

A mother’s lifelong support by Jill Edwards

A mother’s lifelong support Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a serious, inherited, long term condition. CF primarily affects the lungs and digestive system but as it progresses other organs are affected. CF related diabetes (a different form of diabetes to type 1 & 2), liver disease, CF related arthritis and osteoporosis are complications of CF. People … Read more A mother’s lifelong support by Jill Edwards

Nephrotic mumma: chronic illness and motherhood by Sophie Clifford

Living with an invisible chronic illness isn’t easy: you end up having rehearsed answers to lots of questions about your health, you know what it’s like to live with permanent fatigue, big worries about the future are just things you think about every day, you are incredibly good at collecting water samples in tiny bottles and you are probably on first name terms with a few of the nurses at your local hospital. Earlier this year I decided to add a baby into this craziness and the last 7 months have been the biggest learning curve of my life.

Read moreNephrotic mumma: chronic illness and motherhood by Sophie Clifford