December 2017 Vol. 12 No. 12

Table of Contents
prevent sharps injury operating room ant

A renewed focus on preventing sharps injuries in the operating room

In July, the American Nurses Association (ANA) hosted its first in-person Sharps Injury (SI) Prevention Stakeholder meeting. Experts, advocates, specialists, and frontline nurses from varied backgrounds with global renown convened to discuss the state of sharps injuries and needlesticks in U.S. health care. With hepatitis C infections and associated comorbidities, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and coinfection with hepatitis B, HIV or multidrug resistant organisms, at an all-time high, especially among baby boomers, renewing focus and making concerted efforts to reduce sharps injuries and bloodborne and infectious disease exposures is time critical.

whack side head health care price Leah curtain

A whack on the side of the head

The last iteration of repealing and replacing Obamacare has gone down in failure because of Republicans appalled by cost and Democrats obsessed with numbers of Americans without access. I think repeal and replace keeps coming up because the narrative never changes. What Congress needs is a new way of thinking—a whack on the side of the head.

advocate nurses board Cole edmonson ana

Advocating for nurses on boards

As part of its ongoing initiative sponsored by the Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation to recognize nurses in board leadership roles, the American Nurses Foundation interviewed Cole Edmonson, DNP, RN, FACHE, NEA-BC, FAAN. Edmonson is the chief nursing officer (CNO) at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, a three-time designated Magnet® hospital.

Community-acquired pneumonia

Community-acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is exactly what it sounds like—a lung infection acquired while out and about in the world. The cause may be a virus, bacteria, or fungus. (See CAP stats.) community acquired pneumonia cap stats The estimated cost of treating CAP in the United States is about $12.2 billion a year. Inpatient treatment ranges from $7,500 to $10,227 per admission, whereas outpatient treatment ranges from $150 to $350 per patient. This difference demonstrates the need for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

lillee gelinas

Do salary surveys matter?

Research shows that hospitals with better nurse staffing and work environments have better outcomes. For you, that means less burnout, more job satisfaction, and less desire to quit your job. But how does your salary fit in? Researchers are trying to understand how salary, work environment, and staffing levels work together to influence nurse-related outcomes.

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From the Ethics Inbox: Identifying and advocating for human trafficking victims

I am an RN in a small community hospital. Last month, I admitted a young woman who had suffered a head injury resulting from an assault. The patient only spoke Spanish and her male companion insisted on interpreting for her. The young woman had no family present, and her companion offered to consent to her treatment, although he was not related.

mindful nurse holiday happy

Nurses living mindfully—Over the holidays and always

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim is to improve population health, increase patient satisfaction, and reduce per-capita spending. The Quad­ruple Aim adds the goal of improving healthcare pro­viders’ work life. This holiday season, “gift” yourself with self-care techniques to ensure the best care for patients and families and to promote effective interprofessional work environments.

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Serving the profession

Help protect the health, welfare, and safety of the public. Takeaways: Serving on your board of nursing is challenging and…

Take the pledge to #EndNurseAbuse

The American Nurses Association (ANA) has launched the #EndNurseAbuse initiative to increase awareness of the serious problem of physical and…
sepsis challenge develop process educate staff lead reduce mortality

The Sepsis challenge

Developing processes and educating staff lead to reduced mortality. Takeaways: Sepsis requires early identification with rapid treatment. Sepsis core measure…
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