Student nurses urged to read new book on patient stories of care at home

A new book has been launched that it is hoped will become a valuable resource for student nurses giving them unique insights into patient and carer experiences of care at home. The book –

_Collected Stories: being cared for at home_ – was developed in partnership between the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Keele University’s school of nursing and midwifery. >

 “We hope that students and other learners will use the book as a > tool for learning long into the future” >  > Patricia Owen The stories included in the collection comprise a

range of experiences for patients and carers who have interacted with trust’s community nursing services, including both physical and mental health. Each story in the book, which was

launched on 18 October at a special event held at Royal Stoke Hospital, concludes with an opportunity for the reader to reflect and learning points to consider. Alison Bussey, director of

nursing at the trust, said: “I am delighted and proud to work with our partners at Keele University to launch this collection of stories which will provide nurses, allied health

professionals and students with an insight into the experiences of our patients and carers. “It recognises the experiences of the care they receive and, more importantly, will provide the

patients’ viewpoint of what it is they value from their district nursing and community nursing services,” she said. Dr Patricia Owen, Keele’s head of school of nursing and midwifery, said:

“This book is a fantastic collaboration between our team and our partners at MPFT and will be a truly valuable resource for our education programmes. “We hope that students and other

learners will use the book as a tool for learning long into the future,” she added. > “I urge all aspiring nurses and anyone involved in care to read > this book” >  > Tommy 

Whitelaw The book was funded by the university and the launch event coincided with the first in a series of public seminars held by the school of nursing and midwifery to mark 70 years of

the NHS. The first seminar – titled Letters, life and love stories (You can make a difference) – was led by speaker Tommy Whitelaw, a campaigner for the awareness of dementia and caring. He

also provided the book’s first story, which is about his late mother, who had vascular dementia, and includes personal experiences of the vital role district nurses played in his journey as

a carer. Mr Whitelaw said: “It is a great honour and I am truly humbled to have been asked… to both speak at this event and to provide the first story for this fantastic book which I urge

all aspiring nurses and anyone involved in care to read.” Dr Julie Green, director of postgraduate programmes and award lead for specialist community nursing at Keele, added: “It was great

to combine the launch with the first in our series of seminars to celebrate 70 years of the NHS and with this talk having a particularly close link to district nursing and the experience of

a carer; it was a perfect time to launch the book.” Book launch Julie Green introduces the book at the launch event