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Teen Pregnancy Part 2: Obstetrical Complications in Adolescents
Teen pregnancies are at high risk of obstetrical complications with an increased rate of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Acute care clinicians should be familiar with, and adept at, caring for the common or emergent obstetrical complications that may occur in a pregnant teenager.
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Pandemic Coronavirus May Kill the Handshake
The COVID-19 pandemic may be the death knell of the handshake, although its deep anthropological roots may resurface after the viral storm is over. A study using nonpathogenic bacteriophage MS2 as a viral surrogate found that handshakes and, to a lesser extent, fist bumps can be sources of transmission.
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Fear of Threats, Violence During Pandemic Response
Violence has been an ongoing threat to healthcare workers, but it is manifesting again as social tensions rise amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This became evident during the politicization of wearing face masks and threats against public health officials trying to enforce their use or mandate other pandemic control methods.
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Caring for Our Caregivers Initiative Helps Healthcare Workers Meditate
A nonprofit psychology group has launched the Caring for Our Caregivers initiative, distributing computer tablets with meditation and wellness exercises to help healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has exacerbated the longstanding issues of staff burnout in healthcare, adding elements of fear that may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Healthcare Workers Holding the Line Against Pandemic
The nation’s healthcare workers are grimly holding the line against the worst pandemic in a century. Those who survive may pay a mental health price, a “moral injury” not unlike soldiers returning from war, mental health experts warn. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement is addressing these current and looming issues through a series of webinars and papers on “psychological PPE."
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Uproar as CDC Scales Back COVID-19 Testing
In a move widely seen as further evidence the pandemic response has been politically undermined, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently revised SARS-CoV-2 testing guidelines, de-emphasizing the need to test asymptomatic people who have been in contact with a case of COVID-19.
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Engage Staff When Training or Implementing New Programs
Quality improvement professionals often must train staff in new processes or initiatives, but the effectiveness of those sessions can depend on the approach. A simple meeting with a PowerPoint presentation may not be the best way to get good results.
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IU Health Overhauls CPR Training for Frontline Staff
Like many healthcare organizations, IU Health used to require employees to attend CPR courses every two years. However, because these skills can degrade quickly, employees are training every quarter with online simulations and hands-on practice.
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Health System Improves Stroke-to-Treatment, Door-to-Groin Times
University of Michigan Health in Grand Rapids has dramatically improved metrics for stroke treatment, using communication tools to connect EMS teams with specialists in neurology, radiology, nursing, laboratory, and pharmacy. The improved communication makes it possible for the hospital to activate the appropriate personnel in the ED before stroke patients arrive.
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Preparing for Survey with Response Plan
Most accreditation surveyors will arrive for site visits unannounced or with short notice. Put a plan in place that can be enacted when surveyors arrive.