Practice Matters Archives

Practice Matters

What Works: Development of a teach-back tool and RN resource for transplant patients

HealthNurses understand that teaching patients with complex medical problems can be challenging in the hospital setting. Tools can help make teaching more effective. I…

Does a right to refuse treatment include a right to demand it?

According to the dictionary, the word integrity is a noun, and it means either adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character;…

From our readers: A perspective on moral uncertainty and politics

Nursing as a profession tends to hold a liberal view of politics and social justice. A strong belief in the autonomy of the professional…

Nurses are nurses—unless they’re not

The key message of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2010 report “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” is that “nurses should achieve…

Preventing injuries from disposable syringes

Editor’s note: This article is the last in a three-part series brought to you in partnership with the International Safety Center. The earlier articles…

The cause of death

The other day I was watching The Murdoch Mysteries, a television show. Set at the turn of the 20th Century, this particular episode focused…

Keeping watch: Enhancing fall prevention through targeted video surveillance

Nurses who work in hospitals are challenged to identify patients at risk for falling and implement initiatives to keep them safe. Activities such as…

What Works: Applying TeamSTEPPS® to improve patient safety

Getting important information out to all staff within a hospital can be challenging. That’s what we faced at Overton Brooks Veterans Administration Medical Center…

Preventing blood and body fluid splashes and splatters

Editor’s note: This article is the second in a three-part series brought to you in partnership with the International Safety Center. In September, we…

Creating moral space for nurses

Some years ago, I was caring for a 67-year-old woman dying of leukemia who had received an experimental chemotherapeutic agent as a last resort.…

Improving patient safety with a modified early warning scoring system

The modified early warning system (MEWS) is a physiologic scoring system for bedside assessment of medical-surgical patients. Early detection of changes in a patient’s…

Afraid at work

Sometimes certain people have personality problems — and anger problems. If that person happens to be in a position of authority, the result can…

What Works: Development of a teach-back tool and RN resource for transplant patients

HealthNurses understand that teaching patients with complex medical problems can be challenging in the hospital setting. Tools can help make teaching more…

Does a right to refuse treatment include a right to demand it?

According to the dictionary, the word integrity is a noun, and it means either adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of…

From our readers: A perspective on moral uncertainty and politics

Nursing as a profession tends to hold a liberal view of politics and social justice. A strong belief in the autonomy of…

Nurses are nurses—unless they’re not

The key message of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2010 report “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” is that “nurses…

Preventing injuries from disposable syringes

Editor’s note: This article is the last in a three-part series brought to you in partnership with the International Safety Center. The…

The cause of death

The other day I was watching The Murdoch Mysteries, a television show. Set at the turn of the 20th Century, this particular…

Keeping watch: Enhancing fall prevention through targeted video surveillance

Nurses who work in hospitals are challenged to identify patients at risk for falling and implement initiatives to keep them safe. Activities…

What Works: Applying TeamSTEPPS® to improve patient safety

Getting important information out to all staff within a hospital can be challenging. That’s what we faced at Overton Brooks Veterans Administration…

Preventing blood and body fluid splashes and splatters

Editor’s note: This article is the second in a three-part series brought to you in partnership with the International Safety Center. In…

Creating moral space for nurses

Some years ago, I was caring for a 67-year-old woman dying of leukemia who had received an experimental chemotherapeutic agent as a…

Improving patient safety with a modified early warning scoring system

The modified early warning system (MEWS) is a physiologic scoring system for bedside assessment of medical-surgical patients. Early detection of changes in…