HCPro.com - Nursing - DO NOT USE Top Stories

Blog spotlight: Does being a nurse make you fat?

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:52:00 GMT

Is being a nurse bad for your health? A new survey indicates that this might be the case, and offers managers an opportunity to help staff be healthier and take care of themselves so they can take better care of patients in return.

The survey of more than 2,100 female nurses, conducted by the University of Maryland's School of Nursing, revealed that 55% of participants were obese. The study used body mass index (BMI) as the primary measure for obesity. The nurses who participated in the survey indicated factors such as jobs stress, poor sleep habits, and long, irregular work hours as the primary causes for their excess weight.

This study comes among other recent reports that overweight physicians are less likely to advise obese patients about the benefits of dieting and exercising to lose weight and improve their health. A common thread among these studies is that physicians and nurses who are at an unhealthy weight are unable to provide the highest quality of care for patients, because they are not caring for themselves and feel they cannot lead by example.

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News spotlight: Nursing pilot program focuses on patient engagement

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:46:00 GMT

Horizon Healthcare Solutions (HHI), Duke University School of Nursing, and Rutgers University College of Nursing have combined efforts to create a program to train nurses to become population care coordinators in New Jersey hospitals. The role is intended to work with patients to improve coordinated follow-up and preventative care. HHI funds the training program, a 12-week course that blends face-to-face sessions with online instruction.

HHI launched a pilot program last year with eight primary-care practices, which has since grown to include 23 practices and thousands of patients. Nurses acting as population care coordinators reach out to patients whose medical records reveal missed appointments or overdue procedures, and encourage those patients to receive regular preventative care. HHI intends to continue developing the information gathered from the pilot practices to further improve and expand the program.

Source:NJ Spotlight

From the desk of Adrianne E. Avillion, DEd, RN

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:27:00 GMT

Identify the purpose of the app in relation to learning objectives.
If you are going to mandate that learners have access to a particular app, you must determine the cost. If there is a cost related to using the app, who is going to assume the burden of payment? If they don't have access to the app, how will learners achieve learning objectives?
How are you going to assess whether learners have access to apps? Will this be a prerequisite to the class? How can you make information available to learners who do not have access to the app? You need to evaluate if access to an app is essential or just nice to have available.

When compiling a list of apps as resource information, include the following information as part of the listings.

Explain whether or not the app is free. If there is a cost identify the cost and if there are additional costs to update the app or if updates are free.
Be sure to include a disclaimer. Learners will expect that you evaluate the quality of the app. However, you need to include a statement such as "The information regarding cost and quality of information is current as of (insert date). Remember, that cost and quality may change without warning."
Evaluate every app you place on a resource list. Never recommend an app without evaluating it.
When evaluating an app be sure to assess:
- Cost of initial download
- Cost of updates
- Source of app
- How current is the information provided by the app

SDW news brief: Free nursing app features new tools for nurses

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:25:00 GMT

Robert Freeman, a registered nurse at Beth Israel Hospital in New York, designed an app for nurses that includes a database of over 10,000 medical abbreviations and a news feed specific to the nursing profession. Freeman said the idea for a nursing app came to him when a colleague could not decipher an abbreviation on a patient's chart. He indicates that nursing students will benefit the most from using the app as a learning tool, but that it will also improve efficiency and productivity for all nurses by quickly answering queries.

Freeman spent three months researching the information necessary to design "Nurse Net," his free app. The app includes tools such as the Credentialer, which clarifies the abbreviations for various certifications and credentials used by health professionals, and the Abbreviation Assistant, which interprets abbreviations found on medical charts. "Nurse Net" became available in the Apple Store in November and has been downloaded more than 12,000 times since then.

Source: New York Daily News

Blog spotlight: How to retain nurses by focusing on the reasons they entered the profession

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:11:00 GMT

Recognizing and building upon nurses' dedication to their line of work could be essential to improving nurse retention rates. A survey of 900 nurses revealed that the single common variable reported by nurses from all age groups regarding why they chose nursing was a commitment to healing and an attachment to the nursing profession. As a nurse leader, it is important to acknowledge the reasons your staff chose to pursue a career in nursing and reinforce those choices.

Nurses in the 29 to 43 age range (Generation X) also indicated that the quality of their relationships with their supervisors was a factor in considering whether or not to continue nursing. Nurse leaders can address these reasons by working on good relationships with nursing staff. These efforts could include monthly or quarterly check-ins rather than annual reviews, open and frequent communication with all members of the staff, and encouraging all staff to share thoughts and ideas to address issues or concerns.

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News spotlight: ANA honors six hospitals for outstanding quality

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:04:00 GMT

The American Nursing Association (ANA) has recognized six hospitals for outstanding nursing quality with regard to nursing performance and improved patient outcomes. The ANA selected the winners from among the 1,800 U.S. hospitals that participate in the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI), which tracks patient outcomes and links those outcomes to nurse staffing factors such as certification, turnover, education, and nursing care hours. Using the database, nursing units are able to compare their performance on a community, regional, and national level.

The six hospitals announced at last week's ANA Nursing Quality Conference will receive the 2011 NDNQI Award for Outstanding Nursing Quality. The winners include the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, NY, which has increased the number of RNs with national certification in rehabilitation from 8% to 56% over the past seven years, and the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, NJ, which decreased patient falls by 33% and reduced pressure ulcers in patients during hospital stay by 60% in the past three years.

Source: American Nurses Association

From the desk of Adrianne E. Avillion, DEd, RN

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:02:00 GMT

Editor's note: This feature is written by nursing professional development expert Adrianne E. Avillion, DEd, RN. Each week, Adrianne writes about an important issue in the area of professional development or answers reader questions. If you have a question for Adrianne, e-mail her at adrianne1@comcast.net.

Stretch your simulation training budget

Simulation equipment allows learners to practice anything from CPR to intravenous insertion to surgery. The realism that sophisticated simulation equipment allows is truly mind-boggling! However, few of us have unlimited financial resources to devote to the purchase of a never-ending array of newer, more sophisticated, and more expensive pieces of equipment. How can we make what we have last a bit longer? How do small hospitals (and even smaller professional development departments) provide the simulation experience on a shoestring budget?

One answer is to encourage your learners to participate in developing simulation resources. In addition to using what you already have as far as simulation equipment, why not initiate a contest among your learners? Challenge them to come up with the best ways to simulate a specific situation. Who can concoct the most realistic "blood and guts" or the most shocking wound for an emergency drill? The possibilities are endless and so is the creativity of your learners.

In the August, 2010 issue of Nursing 2010, one of the most creative articles on simulation I've had the pleasure to read was published by authors Kisner and Johnson-Anderson. I've referenced it several times in this publication over the past several years and still recommend it very highly. The authors discuss ways to simulate various problems using items we find every day in our own homes. For example:

Blood that stays in place on extremities (either on a human participant or manikin): 1 bottle Karo corn syrup; 2 bottles red food coloring; 1-2 drops of blue food coloring. Mix well and apply.
Bruising: Crumble and mix old blue and green eye shadows into a powder and apply with a soft brush.
Jaundice: Wrap the face of a manikin with yellow plastic wrap. Don't use this for human participant victims!

Provide your learners with a list of contest rules, (e.g., must use substances available in the average home), deadlines, how the winning simulation ideas will be used, and what the prizes will be. You may want to offer prizes in various categories such as the most creative simulation scenario or the most realistic looking wound. I never cease to be amazed at the creativity of my fellow healthcare workers. You will probably receive enough ideas to help you enhance your simulation programs for years to come.

Here are two references I've cited before, but include again because they are really good and you need to provide those who enter your contest with some resources.

Kisner, T., & Johnson-Anderson, H. (2010). Simulation on a shoestring budget. Nursing 2010, 40(8), 32-36. This article offers excellent advice (see the suggestions for simulating bruising and jaundice above) for implementing simulation in an economical way.
Amick, B. (2010). Simulations, moulage. Retrieved November 17, 2010 from www.inquiry.net/outdoor/skills/instruction/simulations.htm. This site is a good resource for simulations and "recipes" for various problems (see the "recipe" for blood above).
Sources to purchase moulage: www.moulage.net or www.wyb.com/bn_moulage.htm.

SDW news brief: CMS initiative designates "innovation advisers" to improve healthcare

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT

As part of a new initiative from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), 73 "innovation advisers" from across the country have been appointed to work on innovative projects in their respective institutions. The group, consisting of physicians, nurses, hospital executives, and public health and policy experts, will work closely with CMS to improve the programs they initiate and to share ideas and processes that can then be applied on a larger scale. The ultimate goal is to find alternative methods of reducing costs and improving health.

Among the projects proposed by the innovation advisers is a program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to create a new nursing role in which an attending nurse ensures patients receive all intended procedures and tests. The attending nurse will also verify that patients receive introductory and follow-up information, and make sure information is properly handed off during shift changes. Other initiatives include a push for one-on-one pharmacy counseling in Montgomery County, MD, and a plan to incorporate a discussion of unhealthy weight during routine evaluations in New York.

Source: The Washington Post

Blog spotlight: Nurse donates kidney to patient

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:43:00 GMT

Medical News Today reports that Allison Batson, a nurse at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, donated one of her kidneys to a patient in need. Clay Taber was diagnosed with Goodpasture’s syndrome, a disorder that causes a patient’s immune system to attack the lungs and kidneys, and was suffering complete kidney failure. Taber was admitted to the transplant unit at Emory University Hospital and told that it could take up to five years to find a suitable donor organ.

Batson learned of Taber’s diagnosis and discovered that none of his relatives, including his mother, qualified as kidney donors. Batson said she felt a connection with Taber and ultimately came forward as an organ donor, despite only knowing Taber for a few weeks.

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News spotlight: Another nursing strike possible in California

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:37:00 GMT

Thousands of nurses belonging to the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) could stage a walkout on January 31 if contract negotiations with Kaiser Permanente continue to go poorly. Although NUHW has not submitted a strike notice, union spokesperson Leighton Woodhouse says that options remain open for a one-day picket or a strike day at the end of the month.

A strike by NUWH could also prompt California Nurses Association/National Nurses United to hold a one-day sympathy strike. This would echo a similar situation in September, in which nurses at 30 Californian hospitals protested benefit cuts.

Source: The Sacramento Bee

From the desk of Adrianne E. Avillion, DEd, RN

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:46:00 GMT

Maintain a list of equipment vendors and sales reps. The identities of these people change fairly often. Assign responsibility to your departmental secretary or a trusted volunteer. Sometimes a company’s website can provide current information. If not, phone calls need to be made. This should be done on a regular basis (every month or two). In the long, run taking the time to keep your contact information accurate will save time and energy when you need to contact someone quickly.
Make sure that contact information includes company name, the equipment supplied, name and contact information of vendors/sales reps (include e-mail and mobile phone numbers), and the company’s web address if available.
Woo your vendors and sales reps. Include them on your holiday greeting card list. Always thank them for their help (a follow-up e-mail or handwritten note is sure to please and make them even more helpful in the future). When they drop by unexpectedly, treat them as valued colleagues, not an annoying interruption, no matter how inconvenient the timing.
Ask your vendors and sales reps to keep you informed of changes or updates to equipment including safety alerts. Make sure they have your e-mail address.
Include key clinical staff nurses in meetings with vendors whenever possible. These are the nurses who will most likely be helping to provide just-in-time training. Make them a part of decision-making processes whenever possible.
Maintain, in conjunction with nurse managers, a list of staff nurses who are willing and able to help with just-in-time training. Working with nurse managers helps to avoid conflict and the perception that you are asking staff nurses to do “your” job. There should be nurses on all shifts who are able to help provide this type of training.
Provide a train-the-trainer program for just-in-time training on a regular basis. This is different from preceptor training. You want to train staff nurses in the art of providing inservice, which is often conducted in a rather hurried atmosphere.

These are just a few ideas about planning in advance for those unexpected needs that arise so often.

SDW news brief: Study identifies key factors in nursing retention across three generations

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:41:00 GMT

A study conducted by researchers in Australia found that many nurses are dedicated to healing and the nursing profession, and concluded that building upon this commitment could be essential in improving hospital nurse retention rates. Researchers gathered data from 900 anonymous surveys completed by nurses at seven private hospitals, and grouped respondents according to age: Baby Boomers (ages 44 to 46), Generation X (ages 29 to 43), and Generation Y (29 or younger).

The results of the survey show that older nurses identified a greater number of variables that influenced their decision to continue working in the nursing profession, while the youngest group of nurses identified a single variable. The survey also revealed that flexible working arrangements did not factor in to nurse retention.

Researchers note the necessity of additional research to identify the many factors that influence nurse retention, but they believe their recent findings will have implications at hospitals worldwide.

Source: Medical News Today

Blog spotlight: You can't improve without knowing what's wrong

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:03:00 GMT

In the healthcare quality improvement field, there has been much talk about reporting errors, about a just culture, about using occurrence reporting data to implement quality improvement initiatives, and sharing results with staff. But it seems, according the latest Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report that many of you have probably seen, that hospitals aren’t cutting it.

In summary, the report concludes:

Hospital incident reporting systems captured only an estimated 14 percent of the patient harm events experienced by Medicare beneficiaries. Hospital administrators classified the remaining events (86 percent) as either events that staff did not perceive as reportable (61 percent) or as events that staff commonly report but did not report in this case (25 percent).

So, the majority of events go unreported because staff didn’t think the event qualified for the reporting system.

A list of common events is coming (via AHRQ and CMS), and it’s sure to be helpful. Until then, hospitals should work on what Occurrence Reporting: Building a Robust Problem Identification and Resolution Process author Ken Rohde calls this a reporting threshold.

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Website spotlight: Suicide risk: Solutions to rapid assessment and documentation

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

In November 2010, The Joint Commission issued a Sentinel Event Alert requiring all hospitals to screen patients who do not present with a primary mental health diagnosis and are treated in general hospitals in medical-surgical units and the ED, in addition to those patients who are admitted after a suicide attempt and are a known risk.

The alert comes after suicide has ranked in the top five most frequently reported events to The Joint Commission since 1995.

Of the 827 inpatient suicides reported to The Joint Commission's Sentinel Event Database since 1985, 14.25% occurred in the nonbehavioral health units of general hospitals (e.g., medical-surgical units, ICU, oncology, telemetry), 8.02% occurred in the EDs of general hospitals, and 2.45% occurred in other nonpsychiatric settings such as home care, critical access hospitals, and long-term care hospitals.

Based on these findings, the identification of individuals who are at risk for suicide while under the care of, or following discharge from, a healthcare organization has become an important step in protecting these at-risk individuals.

To read about the rest of this free article, click here.

Editor’s note: To read more articles like this, visit the Reading Room, part of www.StrategiesForNurseManagers.com.

From the desk of Adrianne E. Avillion, DEd, RN

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:57:00 GMT

Dealing with limited financial resources

The current economic conditions make it more important than ever to keep within our seemingly ever-shrinking budgets. Here are some ideas for collaboration that might help to stretch those very limited dollars.

Intra-organizational: Consider working with other departments to purchase interdisciplinary resources such as laptops, LCD projectors, etc. Develop interdisciplinary education programs such as communication, safety, team building, disaster planning, etc. Work with managers of other departments to identify budgetary items that can be shared.
Extra-organizational: Identify opportunities to collaborate with other nursing professional development (NPD) specialists from organizations other than your own. Can you work on developing programs that are owned by more than one organization? Is there a possibility of sharing resources such as equipment, online programming, etc.? Can you work with other organizations to sponsor and implement regional seminars?
Professional associations: Think outside the box when it comes to networking and collaborating with other continuing education professionals. Of course, the National Nursing Staff Development Organization (NNSDO) and its local affiliates are excellent sources of networking and potential collaboration. Don’t forget other possibilities such as your local chapter of Sigma Theta International (www.nursingsociety.org); The American Society for Training and Development (www.astd.org); Health Care Education Association (www.hcea-info.org); Organization of Healthcare Educators (www.o-h-e.net)
Partnering with media companies: Most budgets for journals, books, DVDs, etc. have shrunk. But you may be able to barter for copies of the latest versions of these projects. For example, most professional associations offer complimentary copies of Core Curricula and other texts to authors or contributors. If you have talented writers on your staff you may be able to negotiate offering them work time to write a chapter for a Core Curriculum, a book, or an education program. In return, any complimentary copies of the products they produced are given to the NPD Department.
Grants and research projects: Contact local colleges and universities, especially those with which you have student affiliations. Many professors are looking for clinical sites as part of grants and research projects.

SDW news brief: When nurses catch compassion fatigue, patients suffer

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:54:00 GMT

Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis is now offering a program to help nurses battle compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue, a combination of burnout and secondary traumatic stress from witnessing others suffer, can lead to feelings of sadness and despair. It has been linked to impaired health, more sick days, decreased job performance, and high turnover. Compassion fatigue also presents a risk of substandard care and lower patient safety when nurses disengage from patients or leave other nurses to take on an increased workload. The program at Barnes-Jewish, like many emerging programs, offers workshops in meditation and stress reduction, support groups, and staff retreats to teach nurses how to handle the physical and emotional demands of the occupation.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Blog spotlight: Top 10 most read blogs posts from 2011

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:54:00 GMT

Here's a rundown of the most-read posts from 2011:

1. Analyzing nurse staffing: Understanding FTEs

Staffing: what a problem! Developing and monitoring the staffing budget is one of the most, if not the most, difficult responsibilities of the nurse leader. Labor consumes the majority of the financial resources of the organization. Therefore, everyone must act responsibly in order to ensure the financial health of the organization. But how do you know how many staff you need on your position control in order to meet the needs of the department (not too many, and not too few)? That is a $100,000 question!

2. Helping new graduate nurses over transition shock: Part 1: The "doing" stage

It's the time of year when hospitals are welcoming new graduate nurses to their units and nurse managers are preparing to help these new nurses make the difficult transition from nursing school to nursing practice.

Kendra Varner, MSN, RN, nurse residency program coordinator for the Kettering Health Network in Dayton, OH, wrote in the book Nurse Residency Program Builder, that new nurses go through many experiences as they transition to become competent nurses. In the first part of a three part series, Varner describes the first stage.

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Website spotlight: Nurses key to making healthcare better

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:51:00 GMT

Nurses made a strong showing in this year's HealthLeaders 20, our annual profile of individuals who are making a difference in healthcare. Four nurses were featured this year, all people who are changing healthcare for the better, and all operating in very different arenas that showcase the many ways nurses make a difference across healthcare.

The public figure
AnnMarie Papa, DNP, RN, is president of the Emergency Nurses Association and has achieved national prominence for her efforts to call attention to the prevalence of hospital violence, especially violence in hospital emergency departments.

Nurses and other healthcare staff are so used to violence from patients and family members that many consider it simply one of the hazards of the job. Healthcare leadership, however, was largely unaware of the scale of the problem until Papa and the ENA shone a light on the statistics and started talking about ways to reduce violence.

ENA published a seminal study in 2009 that revealed one in four nurses in EDs or trauma centers had experienced physical violence more than 20 times in the past three years, and almost one in five had experienced verbal abuse more than 200 times during the same period. Suddenly the topic was on everyone's lips, The Joint Commission published a sentinel event alert, and healthcare facilities started looking at ways to reduce the risk. Many hospitals now have zero tolerance policies and the ENA offers a toolkit for hospital administrators to evaluate the safety of their EDs and trauma centers.

To read about the rest of the nurses on the list, click here.

Editor's note: To read more articles like this, visit the Reading Room, part of www.StrategiesForNurseManagers.com

From the desk of Adrianne E. Avillion, DEd, RN

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:46:00 GMT

Editor’s note: This feature is written by nursing professional development expert Adrianne E. Avillion, DEd, RN. Each week, Adrianne writes about an important issue in the area of professional development or answers reader questions. If you have a question for Adrianne, e-mail her at adrianne1@comcast.net.

Strategies to engage in nursing staff development research

As we look forward to all that the New Year will bring, consider collaborating with your local colleges and universities to enhance your nursing research/professional development research endeavors.

In my hometown of York, PA, we are fortunate to have wonderful nursing research endeavors. The Eta Eta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, in conjunction with several of our local hospitals and health systems and York College of Pennsylvania, work together to facilitate collaborative nursing research that focuses on improving patient outcomes at the staff nurse level. Every year a research day seminar is presented and I am always impressed with the caliber of research being conducted, and often led, by staff nurses.

Another impressive facet of this endeavor is the way diverse groups of people from a variety of education and healthcare settings work together to identify tactics that improve patient outcomes and enhance the role of the bedside nurse in nursing practice initiatives.

Investigate the Sigma Theta Tau website to locate your local chapters (www.nursingsociety.org) and to access contact information. The colleges and universities with whom you have student affiliations are also excellent collaborative resources. But the most important aspect, to me, of this collaboration, is the opportunity to empower staff nurses to make practice changes for the good of the patient. Egos and territoriality have been all but abandoned in the pursuit of nursing excellence.

If you would like more information about the York initiatives please e-mail me at adrianne1@comcast.net and I can supply you with additional contact options.