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Issue 4, April 19, 2018

• Report: American Hospitals Show Improved Emergency Preparedness

  The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) this week released the 2018 National Health Security...

Issue 48, November 1, 2018

• NEW Release: Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Second Edition

  Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Second Edition provides organizations with...

Issue 47, October 25, 2018

• Grow an Operating Room Nurse Pipeline in 3 Steps

  Struggling to find experienced operating room RNs? One healthcare system started its own pipeline...

• Helping Charge Nurses understand their leadership role (Part 2 of 3)

  The workshop should open with an icebreaker activity called "Fear in the Bucket." This...

Issue 46, October 18, 2018

• Where Are The Nurses? Not in The News Media.

  Journalists consistently overlook nurses as sources in health news stories. It's been that way for...

• Developing a Fall-Prevention Program

  There are three main elements to developing a fall-prevention program: assessment, intervention...

• RN Salaries Remain Flat Since 2016

  Despite occupational growth projections for nurses, their salaries appear to be stagnant, according...

• CDC Highlights Antibiotic Awareness Week

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging healthcare organizations to...

• Nurse Stressors: It’s Not Just Patient Volume and Acuity

  A study examines 'subjective workload' among NICU nurses, and finds a number of perceived stressors...

Issue 45, October 11, 2018

• Nurses Improve Eating Habits with Nutritional Program

  A pilot program gives nurses the support to change their health habits, so they can better care for...

• A Q & A with the First Man Elected as American Nurses Association President

  Ernest Grant hopes to be a role model for a diverse group of future nurses.

Issue 44, October 4, 2018

• Hackers, Mattresses, Retained Sponges Top ECRI Health Tech Hazards List

  In its 2019 Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report, ECRI Institute highlighted potential sources...

• 5 Things You Should Know About the Nursing Shortage

  Parsing out the variables that make up nursing shortage numbers will help nurse leaders make sense...

• Want to Decrease Falls? Here?s How.

  A combination of screening, modifying risk factors, and evidence-based interventions can lower...

Issue 43, September 27, 2018

• 3 Suicide Prevention Resources

  Suicide prevention awareness month is the time for nurse leaders to talk openly about the risk for...

• Nurse-Researcher Finds Past Sexual Abuse Affects Bariatric Surgery Recovery

  Adults who experienced childhood abuse have different recovery needs after bariatric surgery than...

• Study: Hospitals Can Improve Their Infection Rates

  “Healthcare-associated infections come at a considerable expense to patients and families...

Issue 42, September 20, 2018

• Increased Doses of Training Improve Nurses? CPR Skills

  Poor quality resuscitation is preventable.

• Book Excerpt: Conflict Management

  The challenge in handling conflicts for charge nurse leaders lies in trying to meet the personal...

• FREE Tool: Conflict Resolution Worksheet

  Having problems resolving interpersonal issues in your department? Use this free tool to develop...

• FDA Unveils Proposed Hospital Subscription Plan for Antibiotic Use

  As part of its efforts to reduce antimicrobial resistance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA...

Issue 41, September 13, 2018

• Take A Stand. Nurses Should Educate Patients On The Risk of Too Much Sitting.

  Nurses can help raise public awareness that prolonged sitting comes with health risks.

• Lifting Patients Puts Nurses at Risk: Have You Tried These Alternatives?

  There are multiple ways to prevent nurse injuries from patient handling. Find out the pros and cons...

• Nurses' Essential Oils Initiative Reduces Time to Intervention By 26 Minutes

  A nurse-driven project assessed how essential oils affected patients with nausea and vomiting.

Issue 40, September 6, 2018

• How Nurses Can Prevent Social Media Mishaps

  Nurse leaders should review and revisit social media policies to prevent HIPAA violations.

• Not Just for Nurses. This Tool Evaluates the Healthcare Team?s Work Environment

  The AACN's online tool can effectively assess the health of work environments across a wide range...

• Case Study: Harborview Medical Center?s Automated Sepsis Alert System

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Issue 39, August 30, 2018

• Why This CNO Takes Advice from A Millennial Nurse

  One nurse leader created a millennial nurse mentor role to help her address the needs of younger...

• Nurses Feel More Prepared After Active Shooter Simulation

  Following an improvement initiative, emergency nurses reported increased knowledge of how to handle...

• Are Second Victims Getting the Help They Need?

  Second victim support programs popping up in hospitals and medical centers across the country are...

Issue 38, August 23, 2018

• 3 Behavioral Health Programs That Work

  Want to improve mental health screening, access to care, and emergency department length of stay...

• From the Blog: IHI Launches Maternal Care Improvement Project

  The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) has begun a three-year project that aims to improve...

• Sponsored Content: Clinical Communications Quiz! How Do Your Hospital Communications Stack Up? Acing or Barely Passing?

  Where does your organization stand with its clinical communications strategy? It is time to find...

• Webinar: Are You Ready? Targeting Hot Spots in Hospital Compliance

  Wednesday, September 26, 2018 1:00 – 4:00 pm Eastern In this three-hour virtual workshop...

Issue 37, August 16, 2018

• AACN Initiative Calls on Nurses to Vote

  With midterm elections looming, the AAC is encouraging nurses to be part of hte election process.

• 5 Ways Nurses Can Improve Patient Mobility

  Memorial Regional Hospital revamped its mobility program so patients would get the ambulation...

• Book Excerpt: Ongoing Leadership Development Key to Nurse Manager Success

  Nurse executives must be strategic about creating professional growth opportunities in order to...

Issue 35, August 9, 2018

• Nurse Practitioner Salaries On The Rise

  Salaries are growing, and sign-on bonuses are becoming more common, finds a survey of NPs.

• Succession Planning Promotes Bedside Nursing Experience

  New leaders worried about an exodus of seasoned bedside nurses should start preparting the next...

• AORN to Change Recommendations in Heated Bouffant Hat vs. Skull Cap Debate

  Ears. Do you cover them while conducting surgery? This simple question has fueled a bitter fight...

Issue 34, August 2, 2018

• Nurses Need to be Direct When Communicating with Physicians

  By video recording nurse-physician interaction, researchers uncover common causes of poor...

• Heart Failure Program Lowers Mortality Readmissions

  Nurse practitioner support after hospital discharge improves outcomes among heart failure patients.

• Human Trafficking and Healthcare

  Misconceptions and a lack of awareness have caused many providers to inadvertently send victims...

• Q&A: Photos and Wristbands for Patient Identification

  Every time patients are misidentified, they are put at risk. Sometimes the harm is minor: an...

Issue 31, July 26, 2018

• Setting the Standard: Accrediting Transition to Practice Programs

  National accreditation of NRPs serves to reduce variability and to demonstrate quality and...

• House Passes Nursing Workforce Reauthorization

  Nursing workforce development programs will receive support through 2022.

• When Nurse Staffing Lags, ER Performance Does Too

  Lower nurse staffing levels correlate with increases in ER length of stay and patients leaving...

• Human Trafficking and Healthcare

  Misconceptions and a lack of awareness have caused many healthcare providers to inadvertently send...

• Nurse Residency Program Builder, Second Edition

  This title provides a multitude of expert advice and resources to get you started and truly make...

Issue 30, July 19, 2018

• Nurse Manager Coaching Improves Practice Environment Scores

  A hospital's internal coach worked with nurse leaders to develop their emotional intelligence...

• Patients and Families Hesitant to Speak Up About Safety in ICU

  More than half of patients and families expressed discomfort about raising patient safety concerns...

• Educators Turn to 3D Printing to Train Nursing Students

  A nursing professor teams up with research scientists to develop innovative and inexpensive...

• ECRI to take over critical online resource of evidence-based guidelines

  On Monday, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, as it had previously announced it would...

• Infection-Free Vaccination: Safely Storing, Handling, Injecting, and Infusing Medications

  Safe storage, handling, injection, and infusion of vaccines can prevent infections, but those...

Issue 29, July 12, 2018

• Sexual Harassment Interferes with Nurses’ Job Performance

  According to a recent report, about a quarter of nurses, NPs, and PAs have experienced or witnessed...

• Infection-Control Compliance Hinges on Nurses' Attitudes

  Changing nurses' perception of infection risk could improve compliance with infection control...

• Urinary Catheters Pose More Risks Than Just CAUTIs

  More than half of catheterized hospital patients experience complications, a new study finds.

• Study: CMS Penalties for Hospital-Acquired Conditions Have Little Impact

  A study published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology found that hospitals may have...

• New Release! Nurse Residency Program Builder, 2nd Edition

  With greater numbers of newly licensed nurses entering a more challenging healthcare industry...

• New Release! Nurse Residency Program Builder, 2nd Edition

  With greater numbers of newly licensed nurses entering a more challenging healthcare industry...

Issue 28, July 5, 2018

• How Hospital Occupancy and Staffing Ratios Impact Infection Risk

  A new University of Michigan paper shares some surprising statistics about the connection between...

• 3 Ways to Support Nurses During the Opioid Crisis

  With opioid addiction and overdose on the rise, one nurse leader developed a program to support...

• New Patient Safety Panel Unveils Areas of Focus

  As it works to develop a national plan of action to address preventable medical harm, the new...

• More Nurse Practitioners Now Pursue Residency Programs to Hone Skills

  A growing number of nurse practitioners—typically, registered nurses who have completed a...

Issue 27, June 28, 2018

• Researchers Call for New Medicare Model to Support Advanced Practice Nurses

  With APRNs providing an increased proportion of primary care in the U.S., experts are calling to...

• AANP Launches Public Awareness Campaign to Tout Nurse Practitioners

  The nurse practitioner group aims to raise awareness of NPs' roles in expanding primary care access.

• Prevent workplace violence by recognizing threatening acts

  Effective intervention to decrease threats is dependent on the training and experience that enable...

• Book Excerpt: The Importance of Recognition and Reward Programs

  Staff recognition is an important component of nurse leadership, because it lets staff know that...

Issue 26, June 21, 2018

• Nurse Staffing Ratios to Hit the Ballot in Massachusetts

  The Patient Safety Act, which seeks to impose limits on the number of patients assigned to a nurse...

• Nurses Not Immune to Gender Wage Gap

  A new salary report finds men in nursing earn over $6,000 more per year than women.

• Nursing Groups Partner to Address Nursing Workforce Issues

  AACN and AONE join forces to advance new care models and improve nursing workforce readiness.

• Diagnosing Human Trafficking When a Patient is a Victim

  Only 13% of trafficking victims are recognized as such by their providers.

Issue 25, June 14, 2018

• Nurse-driven initiative decreases falls, saves money

  After implementing a new evidence-based risk assessment tool, SSM Health reduced patient falls by...

• UVM Medical Center nurses vote in favor of strike

  An overwhelming majority of University of Vermont Medical Center nurses voted in favor of a two-day...

• Nurse suicide is real. Don’t ignore it.

  Nurse leaders should recognize and respond to factors that contribute to nurse suicide. Here are...

Issue 24, June 7, 2018

• AACN Practice Alert: Reducing Alarm Fatigue

  Nurses working in acute-care settings are all too familiar with alarm fatigue; the AACN recently...

• Creating Nurse Resilience Programs That Work

  To move the needle on burnout, resilience programs must be designed to meet nurses' specific...

• FDA Issues Recommendations to Prevent Surgical Fires

  A new alert issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week provides recommendations for...

Issue 23, May 31, 2018

• Study finds overtime impedes nurse collaboration

  We’ve all heard about how nurses that work overtime struggle with burnout and make more...

• IHI/NPSF announces DAISY Award 2018 honorees

  The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) along with The Daisy Foundation have announced the...

• 3 takeaways for nurses from the AACN conference

  The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses' annual conference showcased resilience...

• AOHP asks healthcare organizations to ?consider? mandatory flu shot policies

  The Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare recently released a position...

Issue 22, May 24, 2018

• Brigham and Women’s Nurse Who Sued for Retaliation Awarded $28 Million

  A jury has ruled that a Boston hospital retaliated against a Haitian-American nurse who stood up...

• Study Finds Overworked Nurses Can Lead to 40% Increase in Patient Death Risk

  Examining the link between the workload of nurses and patient outcomes, a new study published in...

• Nurse Champions Compassionate Culture With ’The Pause’

  Pausing for a moment of reflection after a patient’s death reconnects caregivers to the...

• From the Reading Room: Improving patient satisfaction one focus group at a time

  For one hospital, the ability to heal patients doesn't just come from qualified staff members or...

Issue 20, May 17, 2018

• 3 Steps to Successful Recruiting at Your Hospital

  To recruit optimal candidates and make the job application process more efficient, Children's Mercy...

• CDC says Heparin Syringes may have caused bloodstream infection outbreak

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 14 cases of bloodstream...

• AORN expects to make revisions to its guildeline for OR headwear

  After participating with other healthcare heavy-hitters in February in a task force that met to...

• In the know: The history and importance of the pinning ceremony

  Graduation season is upon us! Here’s a brief history of this important tradition in nursing.

Issue 19, May 10, 2018

• Editor's Note: Happy Nurses' Week!

  HCPro would like to thank all of the nurses who have devoted their life to helping patients and...

• Nurses Week: Building on Florence Nightingale’s Example

  Florence Nightingale may be nursing's most famous caregiver, but don't overlook the way today's...

• Nurse Turnover: Realities, Risks, and Prevention

  In this full chapter excerpt from The Nurse Manager’s Guide to Recruitment and Retention...

• Blog Post: Lead the charge for change and innovation

  This year’s Nurses' Week theme is innovation, encouraging nurses to take the lead on...

Issue 18, May 3, 2018

• Sharing some Nurses' Week ideas

  Looking for ideas about how to celebrate Nurses’ Week? Take a look at some of these creative...

• 4 Elements That Enhance Patient Experience

  Positive moments involve four specific qualities and, by focusing on those elements, nurses can...

• Colorado Nurses Face Jail Time After Pleading Guilty to Drug Thefts

  Two Colorado nurses were given prison sentences in the last few weeks after pleading guilty to...

Issue 17, April 26, 2018

• Uncertainty a Common Cause for Repeat Emergency Department Visits

  Researchers develop a new tool to better understand the role uncertainty plays in...

• Study Questions Effectiveness of Performance Measures

  A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine asserts that the U.S. healthcare system...

• Fall Risk Evaluation Tool

  This free tool will provide your staff with guidelines to evaluate patients and assess their risk...

• New Illinois legislation requires all nurses to receive sexual assault training

  In an effort to improve treatment of sexual assault patients, the Illinois attorney general is...

Issue 16, April 19, 2018

• Can Triage Nurses Help Prevent 911 Overload?

  Washington D.C. has the highest rate of 911 calls in the U.S., and one in four of those calls is...

• Nurse Leaders: Broaden How You Think About Patient Experience

  A difficult experience with the healthcare system inspired one nurse leader to improve patient...

• Joint Commission Urges Hospitals to Protect Workers from Abuse

  The Joint Commission is the latest healthcare heavy-hitter to call for better protection of...

Issue 15, April 12, 2018

• 5-Step Guide to Engaging Nurses

  After retooling its leadership team and committing to improving staff engagement, Appalachian...

• Free Tool: Finding your career path

  Having trouble figuring out the next step in your nursing career? This free questionnaire can help...

• Patient Safety tools designed to minimize risks from system mergers and acquisitions

  Ariadne Labs and CRICO/Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions released a...

• Study: Recounting the cost of CAUTIs

  While most say the average cost of treating a CAUTI is $1,000, that figure is likely too low. In...

Issue 14, April 5, 2018

• The Interview: American Nurses Association President Pamela F. Cipriano

  The American Nurses Association president talks empowerment, advocacy, and how nurses can shape the...

• Hospitals show major improvements to LGBTQ-inclusive care

  According to a report released by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), healthcare facilities in the...

• Case Study: Hospitalwide Huddles Curb Catheter Infections at Saint Anthony

  In just two years, the facility cut its hospital-acquired infection rate by 90% and saved itself...

• Patient Safety Strategies: Building a Fall Prevention Toolkit

  Patient falls are a fixture in The Joint Commission’s list of top 10 sentinel events; in...

Issue 13, March 29, 2018

• Rock Your Health: Celebrate Spring!

  In this seasonal blog post, Carol Ebert shares advice for getting a fresh start to the spring.

• Nurse Practitioners Increase Low-Income Access to Care

  Study finds physicians tend to practice in more affluent communities while NPs practice in areas of...

• The Joint Commission: Comments open on proposed suicide risk NPSG through May 7

  Wishing you could weigh in on The Joint Commission’s expectations about suicide risk? You...

• Free Tool: Developing a successful Shared Governance Council

  Using this tool from The Shared Governance Training Program, dispel myths about Shared Governance...

Issue 12, March 22, 2018

• Capitalizing on diverse strengths and styles

  In this excerpt from The Nurse Manager's Guide to Recruitment and Retention, discover strategies...

• US News Lists Top Medical, Graduate Nursing Schools

  Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Emory figure prominently in the magazine's list of the...

• CMS Cites Baltimore Hospital for Abandoning Patient in January

  A Baltimore hospital was cited by CMS in a report released this week for its actions in removing a...

• Women in Medicine Shout #MeToo About Sexual Harassment at Work

  Much as the #MeToo moment has raised awareness of sexual harassment in business, politics, media...

Issue 11, March 15, 2018

• New wave of recruitment strategies target nurses

  Hospitals around the country are always looking for new ways to recruit nurses, and some are...

• Gearing Up for Patient Safety Awareness Week

  The goal of the week is to “have a visible and focused discussion on patient safety,&rdquo...

• Six Tips to Reduce Post-Surgery Confusion in Older Patients

  Older patients are more vulnerable to postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction, but a few...

• Diagnostic Errors Lead ECRI’s Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns

  The annual list released this week includes health IT and opioids among other timely topics.

Issue 10, March 8, 2018

• Dealing with Difficult Patients: Helping patients sleep better

  In this entry in our ongoing series, we explore ways you can help patients suffering from sleep...

• Not Tolerated: Sexual Harassment in Healthcare

  Ever since the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke in 2017, there’s been new (and well-deserved...

• 3 Ways to Knock C. diff Rates Down to Zero

  One hospital's multimodal approach has successfully lowered infections.

• Joint Commission releases 2017 sentinel event stats

  Unintended retention of a foreign body, patient falls, and wrong-site surgery top The Joint...

• Joint Commission releases 2017 sentinel event stats

  Unintended retention of a foreign body, patient falls, and wrong-site surgery top The Joint...

Issue 9, March 1, 2018

• Dealing with Difficult Patients: Fear and anxiety

  In this entry in our ongoing series, we explore ways you can help patients suffering from anxiety...

• Burnout, depression remain a concern for healthcare staffers, patients

  Burnout and depression continue to be concerns for healthcare providers, and a recent survey also...

• Solving Workforce Woes: 4 practical reforms providers should consider

  A working paper from George Mason University argues the provider workforce needs to modernize...

• Expanding a Telehealth Program to Serve More Patients

  Instead of conducting telehealth sessions without any stated purpose, specific disease management...

Issue 8, February 22, 2018

• Dealing with Difficult Patients: The importance of self-care

  Sometimes, the most difficult patient is yourself.

• Is Nurse Work-Life Balance a Myth?

  One nurse leader is on a mission to see whether the concept of work-life balance exists.

• Removing Barriers in Oder to Achieve Your Population Health Goals

  Caring for large groups of patients, while simultaneously optimizing clinical outcomes and...

• Involving patients and representatives in care decisions

  Involving patients in their care isn’t just polite, it’s a CMS requirement.

Issue 7, February 15, 2018

• Dealing with Difficult Patients: High-octane energy

  In the latest entry in our ongoing series, we explore ways you can help patients suffering from an...

• American Nurses Association launches #EndNurseAbuse initiative

  Bolstered by the #MeToo movement, the ANA seeks to shed light on workplace abuse against nurses...

• 3 Reimbursement Models Nurse Leaders Must Know

  From bundled payment models to uncompensated care, here are developments in the reimbursement realm...

• Where does Joint Commission stand on flu shots for healthcare workers?

  CDC recommends that healthcare workers get vaccinated annually. Some healthcare facilities...

Issue 6, February 8, 2018

• Dealing with Difficult Patients: Suicidal behavior

  In this entry in our ongoing series, our experts discuss how to identify and respond to suicidal...

• Nursing Excellence: Leadership development, culture, and retention

  Nursing is a demanding profession, typified by long hours and a high-stress work environment as...

• Revamp Your Nurse Managers’ Job Scope

  Changes to Cincinnati Children's Hospital's nursing management structure led to increased...

• Joint Commission issues new advisory to support 'second victims'

  The Joint Commission is encouraging healthcare organizations to take steps to support "second...

Issue 5, February 1, 2018

• Dealing with Difficult Patients: Behaviors that drive you bananas

  In the third part of this ongoing series, we discuss some behaviors that make nurses crazy, and how...

• APRNs Targeted by AMA Resolution

  Despite evidence that advanced practice registered nurses improve outcomes and access to care, the...

• Lack of sleep for nurses can lead to health risks, medical errors

  Earlier this month, the American Academy of Nursing released a position statement that recommended...

• Protecting your Patients: Violence and Active Shooters

  “We are in an environment where underlying violence is considered acceptable,” says...

• Occurrence Reporting: How to Report, Identify, and Resolve Problems

  CMS and The Joint Commission are placing more emphasis on reducing adverse events, which means...

Issue 4, January 25, 2018

• Dealing with difficult patients: defense mechanisms

  In the second part of this ongoing series, we discuss some patient defense mechanisms nurses can...

• Promote proper sleep among nurses

  Shortened lifespans and risk of death from cardiovascular disease in night-shift workers have been...

• ANA releases statement on the HHS’ new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division

  The American Nurses Association warns that nurses must take care to balance their rights to...

• Rights and Restraints: The need for good restraint and seclusion policies

  The misuse of restraints has led to death by asphyxiation, as well as complications such as nerve...

Issue 3, January 18, 2018

• Dealing with difficult patients: Basics of behavior

  In the first part  of this ongoing series, we discuss some of the fundamental theories of...

• Another government shutdown would impact public health, healthcare industry

  A shutdown of the federal government would impact public health and consequently the healthcare...

• Care Team Surveys Can Augment Mortality Reviews

  Surveys glean information not otherwise found in traditional mortality reviews, including the...

• Joint Commission to roll out new maternal care and infectious disease requirements

  The accreditor made the announcement in the latest R3 Report, with the aim of protecting both the...

Issue 2, January 11, 2018

• Combating implicit bias in health care

  Every nurse brings their own perspective and bias to the profession; here are some ways to...

• Nurse Managers Must Model Relationship Skills

  Connecting with staff on a personal level is key to nurse manager success.

• The Joint Commission Releases 2018 Patient Safety Goals

  The Joint Commission has released a list of its 2018 Ambulatory Health Care National Patient Safety...

• Nursing still the most trusted profession

  For the 16th time, nurses were named the most ethical profession according to Gallup’s annual...

Issue 1, January 4, 2018

• Tips for recommitting to nursing in the new year

  The new year is often a time for retrospection and reflection, especially when it comes to your...

• ’BSN in 10’ Becomes Law in New York

  Empire State becomes first in the nation to require that nurses obtain a bachelor's degree.

• Throwback blog: Your 10 Step Guide to a Rockin' New Year

  Carol Ebert shares her tips for a healthy and happy new year.