A large part of neuropsychiatry consists of medicines management. Patients may have been prescribed medicines for signs and symptoms which turn out to have no physical cause. Psychoactive drugs tend to need careful management, so there is often a lengthy process of weaning off one drug whilst introducing new ones (whose dosage needs titrating), all the while monitoring the patient carefully.

Changes in prescriptions may take some time to filter down to the pharmacists, who might continue to dispense repeat prescriptions for a lengthy period before they become aware of any changes. This article outlines how one nurse found a simple answer to this problem.

Incontinence Associated Dermatitis (IAD) is challenging to both identify and manage. The damage associated with IAD occurs when a patient’s skin is exposed for prolonged periods to sweat, urine, faeces and exudate. This article discusses IAD and provides case studies in which a barrier cream has proven effective in the management of these lesions.

The roles of nurses, midwives and care staff have significantly changed in recent years. We have learned new skills and our responsibilities have increased accordingly. This has presented some challenges. This article describes how the 6Cs can help guide staff.

Generally speaking, most clinicians know something about heart failure, even if it’s only the obviousness of the words. Rarely do you have the opportunity to experience catastrophic heart disease and survive to tell the tale. This article, written by a retired nurse and patient, explains in a very personal way, how you can and should make a difference to your patients, and asks you to be confident that you can make a patient’s life better.

This article gives a brief overview of hyperhidrosis, a debilitating condition affecting at least 1% of the population. Any part of the body may be affected, such as the face, head, neck, back or groin; but most commonly the hands, feet and axillae are the primary concern.