Quick Guide to BNF / BNFc

Get access to the information you need on drugs and medicines.

What is it?

The BNF is the British National Formulary and the BNFc is the British National Formulary for Children. These are the key authoritative, reference texts for information about drugs and medications, provided especially for UK healthcare staff.

How to Access…

Who is it for?

These texts are available for NHS staff and healthcare students.

Log in

The BNF and BNFc are available in a range of formats. You will need login details for some formats but not all.

Keele Staff and Students – use your Keele login details
NHS Staff – use your NHS OpenAthens username / password

Key Formats

Print Book

We hold print versions of the BNF and the BNFc within the Health Library. These are available for reference. You can find the BNF at shelf mark RS125.B7 and the BNFc at shelf mark RJ560.B7.

Medicines Complete (login required)

The BNF and BNFc are available online via the Medicines Complete interface. You will need to log in to access Medicines Complete. More drugs-based texts may be available within Medicines Complete dependent on the subscription of your organisation.

NICE Evidence (freely available)

An online version of both the BNF and BNFc is available via the NICE Evidence website:

Home page for the BNF on the NICE Evidence website

Mobile App

A mobile app is available from the publishers, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. One app contains content to both texts. Search for “BNF Publications” on your App Store. The app is free and no login is required. Please check the terms and conditions for allowed use.

Comments

Stop the Pressure Day – preventing pressure ulcers

Today Thursday 16 th November (2023) is Stop the Pressure Day. This national campaign aims to raise awareness of the seriousness of pressure ulcers and to highlight how to prevent pressure ulcers in patients. Pressure ulcers are a key indicator of nursing care . Use our resources to learn more about pressure ulcers, how you can prevent them and how you can treat them. Check these key resources : [You will need your NHS OpenAthens username to access these resources] Oxford Medicine Online Chapter 27 Pressure ulcer prevention and management in Oxford Handbook of Nursing Older People Chapter 24 Preventing and limiting deterioration on the medical wards in Handbook of Patient Safety BMJ Best Practice – Pressure Ulcer Clinical Knowledge Summaries – Pressure Ulcers Cochrane Library Clinical Answers – How do different support surfaces compare in terms of pressure ulcer prevention? RCN i journal Nursing Standard - U...

NHS OpenAthens - the essential username to access NHS resources

All NHS staff can register for an NHS OpenAthens username. This gives you access to a wealth of resources, providing you with evidence to make the best clinical decisions and deliver the best patient care. Key Evidence With a single username / password you can access a wide variety of healthcare focused, good quality, online information sources including: ebooks, journals, articles, clinical summaries, databases and clinical tools. Your Account Register for your account online via the online form . Make sure to use your work-based details so that your request is approved automatically. Check our NHS OpenAthens web page for more help on keeping your account up-to-date, including resetting your password. More help For more information and help about NHS OpenAthens: Go to our NHS OpenAthens help page for step-by-step instructions and support Complete our quiz NHS OpenAthens - what's fact or fake Contact your NHS OpenAthens admin if you need any help with your account

Register for the latest evidence via KnowledgeShare

We’ve signed up to a new resource to help you get the latest evidence. You can register with KnowledgeShare to receive personalised emails with the latest evidence straight in your inbox. You can choose: Clinical conditions you are interested in Any professional aspect of healthcare How frequently to receive your bulletin What level of information you want Whether you want to share your details to connect with other NHS staff Make sure you make the right decisions with the most up-to-date evidence. How do I register? Go to the Health Library current awareness page and either: Complete the MS Word registration form and send it back to us. We’ll set up your account. Self-register using your NHS OpenAthens login at the KnowledgeShare website Visit the Health Library: Pick up a form from either of our Health Libraries, return the completed form, and we will create an account for you.

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