February 2011 Vol. 6 No. 2 Archives

February 2011 Vol. 6 No. 2

ANA awards five hospitals for outstanding nursing quality

February 11, 2011

The American Nurses Association (ANA) honored five hospitals Jan. 27 for achieving outstanding nursing quality, based on the nursing performance measures they collect and report to ANA’s National…

Banner Simulation Medical Center: Using simulation to set up new nurses for success

February 11, 2011

Today, many nursing students graduate from educational programs without the clinical skills and judgment they need to handle a typical hospital caseload. At the same time, the number…

Can a nurse be too old to work at the bedside?

February 11, 2011

Read guest blogger Donna Cardillo’s thought-provoking article about when age comes into play during a nurse’s career. A recent New York Times article begged the question, “How old…

Cerebral interventional radiology: New options for stroke victims

February 11, 2011

Every 40 seconds, someone has a stroke; every 4 minutes, someone dies from stroke. Strokes are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. The two…

Combating medication verification workarounds in an electronic world

February 11, 2011

In the classic report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System, the Institute of Medicine reported that at least 44,000 of the deaths that occur in…

Common sense about cold sores

February 11, 2011

You have been looking forward to your nursing class reunion for months. The day finally arrives; but to your horror, a large cold sore has appeared! It’s ugly…

Ethics for nurses in everyday practice: How stupid can you get?

February 11, 2011

Staffing is an issue at this 150-bed proprietary acute-care hospital. More than 100 of the hospital’s nurses, led by Mary Sims*, RN, signed a letter of concern about…

Evidence-based interventions for constipation in patients with cancer

February 11, 2011

Editor’s note: One of a series of articles on managing cancer-related symptoms from the Oncology Nursing Society. Constipation is a common but often unrecognized and undertreated problem for…

FDA approves drug to reduce risk of preterm birth

February 11, 2011

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Makena (hydroxyprogesterone caproate) injection to reduce the risk of preterm delivery in pregnant women with a history of at…

FDA approves new drug for COPD

February 11, 2011

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved roflumilast, an oral drug that reduces exacerbations from severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Read more at http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm244989.htm

FDA approves new drug for lupus

February 11, 2011

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Benlysta (belimumab) for treatment of lupus. The FDA last approved a drug for lupus in 1955. Read more at http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm246489.htm.

FDA warning for terbutaline in preterm labor

February 11, 2011

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that terbutaline, indicated for asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema, should not be used in pregnant women for prevention or prolonged…

Fidaxomicin reduces C. diff recurrence

February 11, 2011

Compared to vancomycin, patients treated with fidaxomicin for Clostridium difficile infection were significantly less likely to have a recurrence. Read more here.

From our readers…Creating a patient/family advisory board

February 11, 2011

Today’s nurse is challenged to procure the skills and knowledge to facilitate healthy work environments in order to achieve best patient outcomes. How better to assist the nurse…

From our readers…Creative staffing solutions for floating and low census

February 11, 2011

Many hospitals have fluctuations in patient volumes that require staffing adjustments. Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine, is no exception — we were struggling with challenges such as decreased…

From our readers…Mentoring the community: Sharing secrets with rival hospitals

February 11, 2011

If you are involved in a project or program that is truly awesome, why not share it with other nursing units or even neighboring hospitals? Nurses in our…

From our readers…Sustaining evidence-based practice initiatives

February 11, 2011

Successful implementation and diffusion of any practice change requires careful strategic planning. Considerations are involving appropriate persons throughout the effort, planning for diffusion after a small test of…

How to disagree with the head nurse and keep your job

February 11, 2011

You can disagree with your boss, but learn to do so wisely. Read more…

Maximizing organ donation through aggressive donor management

February 11, 2011

Currently, more than 110,000 Americans are on the waiting list for a life-saving organ transplant. Each year, more than 5,000 people die while still waiting. Between January and…

NEJM: Perspective on foodborne diseases

February 11, 2011

The Feb. 23 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) includes a perspective on foodborne disease. Read it at http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1010907.

New dietary guidelines promote efforts to improve health through proper nutrition

February 11, 2011

It’s designed to be simple—calories in, calories out. Eat foods with high nutritional content (calories in) and get regular exercise (calories out) and ensure the two are in…

Nitroglycerin ointment slightly increases bone mineral density in postmenopausal women

February 11, 2011

Nitroglycerin ointment applied at bedtime for 2 years slightly increased bone mineral density in postmenopausal women states a study in JAMA. Read more at http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/305/8/800.abstract.

Nurses’ job dissatisfaction contributes to costly labor disputes, turnover, and risk to patients

February 11, 2011

Nurses’ job dissatisfaction contributes to costly labor disputes, turnover, and risk to patients according to a report in February’s Health Affairs. Read more here.

Older adults often closed out of clinical trials

February 11, 2011

More than half of clinical trials exclude older adults according to a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Read more here.

Public-sector research in drugs and vaccines improves public health

February 11, 2011

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine reports, “Public-sector research has had a more immediate effect in improving public health than was previously realized.” Read more…

Rand report calls for more action to prevent military suicide

February 11, 2011

“The War Within: Preventing Suicide in the U.S. Military,” a report released by the Rand Corporation, states U.S. military officials should improve their efforts to identify those at…

Recognizing aortic dissection: A race against time

February 11, 2011

Four in 10 victims die immediately. For those who make it to the ED alive, survival hinges on the healthcare team’s ability to promptly recognize aortic dissection.

Social Security improvements results in longer life spans

February 11, 2011

A study published in the Journal of Public Health Policy found that Americans over the age of 65 experienced steep declines in the rate of mortality in the…

The genetics of colorectal cancer

February 11, 2011

A 52-year-old patient arrives at the busy family practice office where you work for his follow-up visit. He had not undergone colon cancer screening, despite his age, but…

Voice communications technology: healthcare provider perceptions and satisfaction

February 11, 2011

“Unnecessary noise is the most cruel abuse of care which can be inflicted on either the sick or the well.” Florence Nightingale, Notes on Nursing (1860) In an…

When medication regulations collide with common sense

February 11, 2011

The original five rights of medication administration are a time-honored lesson all nurses learn—the right patient, right medication, right dose, right time, and right route. But have all…