Articles Tagged With: nurses
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Landmark California Law Requires Stocks of PPE
On April 1, 2021, a new California law went into effect that requires hospitals to maintain a supply of personal protective equipment sufficient for 90 days of patient care.
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Legal Implications for ED, Hospital if Triage Nurse Orders Testing
The authors of a recent analysis examined 13 studies about nurse-ordered testing at triage. Ten studies were about length of stay or time to diagnosis. The authors of the other three compared tests ordered at triage with tests ordered by emergency physicians. There were some surprising findings.
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Hospital Reduces HAPI Rate by Half with Huddles, Rounds
Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital in Illinois had attempted to reduce hospital-acquired pressure injuries for years, with some success, but hospital leaders remained unhappy with the rate of pressure ulcers. Making changes stick required a change in culture.
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Discharge Algorithm Improves Transitions, Results
Decision support technology can help case managers improve transitions of care and more easily access patient information necessary for an optimal discharge. The algorithm can collect data on patients’ functional status, cognition, caregiver status, and other important characteristics.
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Help Physicians, Nurses Overcome Fear of Seeking Assistance for Stress Relief
Stress has long been a serious problem for physicians and nurses, but the added burden of COVID-19 is bringing attention to a particular challenge: All too often, clinicians are reluctant to seek the support of their employee assistance programs and other mental health resources available to them. A primary reason they avoid seeking help is that they fear they will face negative repercussions at work, even losing their jobs, according to recent research.
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Finger-Pointing in Nurse Charting Is Opportunity for Plaintiff
Emergency nurses and physicians may not understand the liability implications of using charts to air grievances. A unified defense is recognized as the best approach for all defendants in ED malpractice claims, but finger-pointing notes make it difficult. Physicians and nurses should meet briefly before each shift to discuss the importance of teamwork, not only regarding patient care but also documentation.
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OR Teams Often Exposed to Toxic Chemicals in Surgical Smoke
Executive nurse leaders can collaborate with states and professional organizations to advocate for smoke evacuation legislation, and they can create policies at their facilities to mitigate surgical smoke.
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ED Nurses Also Face Liability for Misdiagnosis
The idea that it is not within the nurses’ scope of practice to contribute to diagnosis is both dangerous and wrong.
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ANA Offers Resources for Supporting Nurses’ Mental Health
A designated chief wellness officer should oversee a robust mental health resources bundle and encourage nurses to seek help when they need it.
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Vascular Complications Common Allegation in Lawsuits Against ED Nurses
It is unclear whether the claims involved IV infiltration, thrombophlebitis, pain caused by multiple sticks, or inadvertent arterial placement. Prevention efforts might include procedural training, integration of ultrasound in IV placement, or escalation of patients with difficult access to providers who specialize in IV access.