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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the process of developing a contemporary competency framework for admiral nurses in dementia care. Design/methodology/approach Information and evidence was gathered from research and policy literature regarding competencies to deliver advanced practice within dementia care. An online survey completed by 75 admiral nurses with follow-up interviews clarified current practice across the range of service contexts in which they work. A focus group (FG) of people living with dementia and family carers, and a reference group of practitioners helped to develop a competency framework which was refined through FGs with admiral nurses working in different areas. Findings The literature review, survey and interviews provided a framework grounded in up-to-date evidence and contemporary practice. There was broad agreement in the literature and the practitioners’ priorities regarding the core competencies of advanced practice, with constructive suggestions for making the framework useable in practice. This resulted in a robust framework articulating the competencies of admiral nurses which could be used for continuous professional development. Originality/value Engaging the admiral nurses ensured the competencies were contemporary, succinct and applicable within practice, and also cultivated a sense of ownership. Developing the competency framework with the admiral nurses not for them provides an approach which may have value for professionals undertaking a similar process in their specialist area. It is anticipated the competency framework will provide further evidence of the benefits of specialist nurse support for families affected by dementia.

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Research has shown that music can be used to educate or disseminate information about public health crises. Grounded in the edutainment approach, we explored how songs are being used to create awareness about COVID-19 in Ghana, a sub-Saharan African country. YouTube was searched, and 28 songs met the study inclusion criteria. We conducted a thematic analysis of the song lyrics. Most lyrics were in English, Ghanaian Pidgin English, Akan, Ga, or Dagbani. Reflecting the multilingual population of Ghana, half of the songs contained three languages to convey their message, and only five songs were in one language. Eight themes emerged from the analysis: public health guidelines, COVID-19 is real and not a hoax, COVID-19 is infectious, prayer as method to stop the virus, emotional reaction and disruption of “everyday” activities; verbally expelling the virus, call for unity and collective efforts, and inspiring hope. We show that songs have the potential as a method for rapidly sharing information about emerging public health crises. Even though, it is beyond the scope of this study to draw conclusions about the reception and impact of songs on awareness and knowledge, the study shows that examining song lyrics can still be useful in understanding local attitudes toward COVID-19, as well as strategies for promoting preventive behaviors. We note that additional multidimensional efforts are needed to increase awareness among the general public about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peer review This article has been subject to double-blind review and has been checked using antiplagiarism software Author guidelines journals.rcni.com/r/ nop-author-guidelines