Legislatively, 2008 was a good year for nursing. In many states, safe nurse staffing laws, mandatory overtime restrictions, and safe patient-handling legislation got the thumbs-up.
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Concerned nurse manager Subject: A nurse’s behavior frightens a patient LR is a new graduate RN with 1 year of experience on our…
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Concerned RN Subject: Refusal to participate Two nurses on my unit have submitted written notification stating that they would no longer participate…
This has certainly been an interesting and exciting presidential election year. I hope many of you have been tuned in and by now have learned that ANA has…
Acting on a directive from the 2006 House of Delegates, ANA has endorsed the Kid Safe Chemicals Act. The bill would ensure for the first time that all…
Karen Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, newly elected president of the American Nurses Association (ANA), attended a meeting at the White House in recognition of the 90-day anniversary…
In its role as the professional organization for all 3.1 – 3.6 million registered nurses in the United States, ANA is the author and custodian of three foundational…
ANA urges Congress to invest in domestic nursing education, not immigration As the nursing shortage continues to weigh on hospital administrators and patient care, the need to resort…
ANA has launched a campaign aimed at increasing federal funding for nursing recruitment and education by $50 million. If successful, this campaign would result in a total of…
Often, patients and families express their gratitude for a special nurse’s outstanding care with spoken thanks or heartfelt commendations written to a nursing supervisor. Some even offer a…
Often, patients and families express their gratitude for a special nurse’s outstanding care with spoken thanks or heartfelt commendations written to a nursing supervisor. Some even offer a…
Over the past three decades, we have become increasingly aware of the impact that our environment, and chemical exposures in particular, has on our nation’s health. We know…
A survey of 74 C-suite executives published in Health Affairs finds they are optimistic about the effects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The survey found that 65%…
Current discussions on the unique health issues of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations have prompted the healthcare professions to reexamine their mission and values. The American…
The Stick—penalties for excess readmissions Is your hospital on the list? Starting this month, over 2,200 hospitals are forfeiting up to 1% of their base Medicare payments as…
Three-year-old Christy* has been in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) since birth, when she was diagnosed with McCune-Albright syndrome and multiple other conditions that left her…
Rear Admiral Carol A. Romano, PhD, RN, FAAN, is the Assistant Surgeon General and Chief Nurse Officer for the United States Public Health Service (USPHS). Since her appointment…
On July 30, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the participants for a new initiative that provides funds to support clinical training of advanced practice…
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has broadened the concept of “medical staff” so that hospitals can include other practitioners such as APRNs and PAs “as…
I’m a new nurse employed in a hospital and would like to better understand a nurse’s responsibility around calling out sick. On the inpatient unit where I’ve worked…
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: A worried relative Subject: Pain and suffering I have a cousin who was diagnosed 5 months ago with end-stage liver cancer. The cancer…
Legislation under consideration in the U.S. House and Senate would require group health insurers to cover mental health care at the same level as physical health care. As…
Congress has passed the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, which as of Dec. 15 was ready to be signed by President Obama. The Act establishes a national plan for…
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: An alarmed nurse Subject: Nursing’s responses to pandemic-fueled inequities I’m troubled that the COVID-19 pandemic has not only exposed but also worsened health…
In an open letter to Congress, Dr. Cipriano urges legislators to leverage nurses’ knowledge, skills, and abilities to help bring order to a chaotic healthcare system.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, fraud is “the intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result…
In a new report, the Institute of Medicine concludes that at least 25% of harmful adverse drug events are preventable, and recommends specific preventive actions for nurses and…
To achieve higher quality of care and help transform our healthcare system, we need to don our customized tool belts, get to work, and be willing to abandon…
Bullying is an abusive behavior that threatens the safety of healthcare workers. Nurses should examine their own interactions to see if they are exhibiting this undesirable behavior.
I’ve seen some backlash on social media after our organization issued a dress code policy that addressed hairstyle. I know policies that are restrictive for certain ethnicities aren’t…
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Contingently confused Subject: Conventional, contingency, and crisis standards of care Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I keep hearing about different levels of care. What…
According to the Associated Press, a Brookdale Senior Residence facility* worker who identified herself as a nurse, refused to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to Lorraine Bayless, an 87-year-old…
In recent years, most of the world’s people have celebrated their diversity: different races and languages, religions and cultures, and social mores. These differences are what make life…
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…
To: Ethics inbox From: Concerned RN Subject: Bedside arraignments I am a medical-surgical nurse and admitted a patient to my unit who was arrested and injured during the…
To: Ethics inbox From: Puzzled nursing instructor Subject: “Putting away” your moral beliefs? Recently, a nursing student wrote this as part of a course assignment: “Ethics can be…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to implement changes in 2011 designed to improve review of medical devices. Read more at http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm240418.htm.
This year the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is marking the anniversary of the Kefauver-Harris amendment, passed 50 years ago. The legislation gave FDA weight to require…
Promoting the critical role nurses play in the health of patients and the nation, as well as guaranteeing a strong nursing workforce into the future, are core components…
Your chief nursing officer stops you in the hall. To your surprise, she asks, “Jen, why don’t you apply for that charge nurse position that’s opening up on…
A study in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has found that cassia cinnamon, commonly used in products sold the U.S., contains higher concentrations of coumarin than in…
When someone mentions the words politics and nursing in the same sentence, do you roll your eyes? Do you think to yourself or ask aloud, “What does this…
Nurses know that patient advocacy is an expected and important role for their practice, but the practical implications of acting as an advocate are often left for the…
The recently launched Initiative on the Future of Nursing seeks to address the challenges facing the nursing profession and to improve healthcare quality and delivery. It’s time for…
November 6, 2010 marks the 10th anniversary of the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act. ANA’s new president reviews the progress made in reducing bloodborne pathogen exposures over the…
As she ends her term as ANA President, Rebecca Patton urges nurses to demonstrate their leadership and help make the provisions of the new healthcare reform act a…
ANA supports the Medicare Patient Access and Quality Improvement Act, which would repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and reform Medicare Part B payment
Find out what has been accomplished during the 112th Congress and what healthcare professionals stand to lose if our country goes over the "fiscal cliff."
By taking part in ANA’s Lobby Day, nurses can join forces to educate elected officials on the critical issues facing nursing today. This content is for Digital Access…
CMS has proposed major changes to the rule for Medical Conditions of Participation, which can significantly affect nursing practice. This content is for Digital Access and Print Plus…
The August legislation that raised the debt ceiling was the first round in the government spending debate. Safety-net programs may be on the Congressional chopping block in the…
ANA recently cohosted a Senate Nursing Caucus briefing to present final results from the 2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, and participated in a healthcare reform conference…
The Republicans now control the House of Representatives. No matter what policy objectives either party tries to enact, ANA will continue to ensure that the voice of nursing…
By meeting in-person with their congressional representatives, nurses can garner support for the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act, which would allow advanced practice nurses to order home…
As one of three nurses in Congress, Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX-30) has been a champion for nursing, introducing and cosponsoring bills to advance the nursing profession. One…
As Congress nears the "fiscal cliff" and the so-called sequester with its across-the-board spending cuts, ANA will continue to advocate for funding of programs important to nurses.
On Jan. 17, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released “Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Enforcement, and Breach Notification Rules under the Health Information Technology…
Higher education bill created new opportunities for nurses and schools; House joins Senate in supporting advanced practice registered nurses in home health.
You can get directly involved in developing public health policy by submitting your comments on proposed government regulations to federal departments and agencies.
Quality-improvement initiatives give short shrift to nursing- specific indicators. The authors discuss obstacles to incorporating such indicators and explore current initiatives to include them.
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Concerned RN Subject: Unethical practice error What if I make an inadvertent, unethical practice error? Is the Code of Ethics for…
ANA’s House of Delegates recently approved a resolution supporting health care for all. The author examines the social, economic, and political ramifications of undocumented immigrants’ lack of access…
Family nurse practitioner (FNP) and nurse-midwife Karen Holder, FNP-BC, CNM, MHS, sees patients at a large primary care clinic in Flagstaff, Arizona, as well as at small satellite…
Nurses in the Department, Veterans Administration, Federal Nurses Association (FedNA), and other groups are collaborating to make sue the healthcare needs of active-duty military personnel and veterans are…
The Fall 2013 update to The Leapfrog Group Hospital Safety Score shows many hospitals are making headway in addressing errors, accidents, injuries, and infections that kill or hurt…
The jurors file into the courtroom, avoiding eye contact with the attorneys and spectators. I hold my breath. The plaintiff’s attorney straightens his tie; the defense attorney flexes…
Easy and inexpensive Thank you for Susan Fetzer’s excellent article, “Putting a stop to postop nausea and vomiting,” in the August issue. One treatment that wasn’t mentioned is…
Mary D. Naylor, PhD, RN, FAAN, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, has been appointed to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. MedPAC was established by Congress…
Caring for a medically futile patient can be a wrenching emotional experience. Learn how to cope with the complex medical, ethical, and legal issues and help patients and…
In my time as a nurse, I’ve observed patients’ concerns being dismissed as nonconsequential or in their heads. I’ve found these patients to be sincere and quite clear…
A medication error can occur in any healthcare setting-with devastating consequences. The authors describe weaknesses in the key elements of medication use and propose ways to make drug…
First Lady Michelle Obama and Mary Wakefield, PhD, RN, Administrator for the Health Resources and Services Administration held a conference call on Sept. 28 with nurses from across…
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: A conflicted school nurse Subject: Honoring a do not attempt resuscitation order I’m a school nurse at an elementary school where I’ve cared…
The New England Journal of Medicine features an interview about healthcare reform with Health and Human Services’ Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Read more at http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1014722.
The July 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine includes an insightful review of public polling on Medicare and how public opinion has contributed to the…
The World Health Organization has released new guidelines for malaria treatment to counter the misuse of anti-malarial drugs. Access the guidelines at http://www.who.int/malaria/en/.
Electronic health records give healthcare providers faster, more efficient access to patient information. Experts hope to make the data less vulnerable to security breaches.
Nurse practitioners should be eligible to serve as “medical homes” for primary care By Eileen Shannon Carlson, JD, RN Congress is working to develop a comprehensive bill to…
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Volunteer RN Subject: Global health outreach With the recent earthquake in Haiti and the devastation that country has experienced, I feel compelled to…
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Overworked RN Subject: Freelance nursing I’m exhausted. My unit is always short staffed. I’m asked to work longer hours and come in on…
Nurses need more than solid technical skills to provide ethical care. A recent AMA Ethical Force Program report casts a spotlight on effective patient communication as an essential…
The 2010 healthcare reform act (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or PPACA) gives nurses new opportunities to deliver care and play an integral role in leading change.…
How do we get into morally questionable situations? I love this article. As a current student in the nursing program, I find it incredibly important to watch my…
John Rowe, a physician who is professor in the department of health policy and management at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, has written “Why Nurses…
To: Ethics Inbox From: An ANA member Subject: Bullying and incivility Bullying and incivility are rampant on my nursing unit. My manager doesn’t address the situation, which…
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Concerned emergency department clinical manager Subject: Patient/family privacy and nurses’ well-being A patient was brought to our emergency department (ED) from home…
As nursing practice becomes more autonomous, nurses are becoming more vulnerable to lawsuits. Learn how to avoid being sued for malpractice and what to do if you are…
Are you an RN who has been out of the workforce? Your talents, experience and expertise are needed in all healthcare settings. While technology and treatments have changed,…
During the August Congressional recess, many elected officials will be available in their district offices. This is a great opportunity for nurses to meet with them and perhaps…
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Conscientious RN Subject: Patient care during research I’ve been asked to care for patients who are participating in a research study. What…
“It really doesn’t matter whether you are Muslim or Christian or Jew. In every religion, in every country, in every region at every time, there are some basic…
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…
Using the patient “hand off” tool I-PASS reduced medical errors by 40% according to a study at Boston Children’s Hospital. I-PASS stands for: I = Illness severity, P…
According to a study in Health Affairs, immigrants in the U.S. disproportionately subsidize the Medicare Trust Fund, probably as a result of the high proportion of working-age taxpayers…
A study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that the hospital-based, pay-for-performance program Medicare Premier Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration failed to reduce 30-day mortality. Read More.
A study in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy reports a survey of oncology pharmacists in the United States found that shortages of oncology drugs can cause treatment…
CDC recommends HIV screening for everyone New recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) call for routine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening for all patients…
Medicare to stop reimbursing hospitals for eight preventable conditions Medicare will stop paying hospitals for the extra costs of treating eight conditions stemming from preventable errors—falls, pressure ulcers,…
Patients lose when nurse staffing is insufficient Heavy workloads and insufficient staffing affect patient care, according to about 2,000 nurses surveyed worldwide by the International Council of Nurses…
ANA and state associations promote health system reform The importance of health system reform can seem like a distant memory when gas prices are going through the roof…
B is a 12 year old boy who suffers from cardiomyopathy following an acute viral illness. His condition is stable, but without a heart transplant, doctors believe he…
Even if they’re not portrayed on the TV shows "CSI" or "Law & Order: SVU," forensic nurses are pivotal in real-life forensic cases. Catch up on the dynamic,…
In April, Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, became the fourth National Coordinator of Health Information Technology within the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) at…
To make health care better, I would… …mandate every patient have a primary RN who knows the patient’s past health history, socioeconomic status, health risks, medications, and potential…
The American Nurses Association (ANA) is seeking an increase of $25 million in FY 2007 funding for the Nursing Workforce Development programs administered by the Health Resources and…
I’m a nurse educator and realize that artificial intelligence (AI) crossing over into the academic environment via ChatGPT and other chatbots affects how we frame the use of…
Few Americans know that a U.S. Navy nurse may lose his 18-year career because he decided he could no longer in good conscience continue force-feeding hunger striking detainees…
Being under scrutiny can rattle even the toughest RN. Our legal expert, LaTonia Denise Wright, BSN, RN, JD, explains how to protect your rights if you’re caught up…
What’s in a name? Editor’s note: The information below was provided by United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP). It may be freely reproduced and distributed, for non-commercial use only.…
We may not realize it, but most nurses have frequent contact with domestic abuse victims. Shame and fear of reprisal keep many victims from reporting the problem. Caregivers’…
Seventy-two seconds into liftoff, a defective mechanical part set off a string of events that caused the Challenger space shuttle to tear apart as millions watched it vanish…
Reader Survey
Please share your feedback! We’re interested to learn more about your experience with American Nurse Journal.
Get your free access to the exclusive newsletter of American Nurse Journal and gain insights for your nursing practice.
NurseLine Newsletter
*By submitting your e-mail, you are opting in to receiving information from Healthcom Media and Affiliates. The details, including your email address/mobile number, may be used to keep you informed about future products and services.