Suffering from Compassion Fatigue, Burnout or Both? What a Nurse Can Do
May 16, 2013 - When it comes to feeling worn down in your job, it is important to distinguish between nurse burnout and compassion fatigue because they have different sources and different solutions, explained Dana Nelson-Peterson, DNP, MN, RN, administrative director for ambulatory nursing services at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle.
Senate Confirms Marilyn Tavenner as CMS Administrator
May 16, 2013 - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced on May 15 that the United States Senate confirmed Marilyn Tavenner, a former nurse and health system leader, as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Lower Nurse Turnover Linked to Higher Quality Care in Rural Hospitals
May 8, 2013 - Rural hospitals that have lower nursing turnover and better practice environments may fare better when it comes to ensuring that heart failure patients receive optimal care, a new study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative suggests.
Orthopedic Surgery Outcomes Affected by Anesthesia Types
May 1, 2013 - A study published in the May issue of Anesthesiology discovered that spinal or epidural anesthesia, types of regional anesthesia that numb patients from the abdomen to the toes, were associated with fewer postoperative complications and death than general anesthesia in patients undergoing primary hip or knee replacement.
iPads and Apps are Helping Kids Cope with Pain
April 26, 2013 - While many adults decry the negative impacts of technology and electronic games on children, child life specialist Callie Kofoed, MSW, who works in the radiology department at Seattle Children’s Hospital, wouldn’t be without either. Her job is to distract kids and minimize their pain while undergoing procedures, and in her opinion, iPads are saviors.
FDA Warns of Contamination Risk from Damaged Covers for Medical Bed Mattresses
April 24, 2013 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting health care providers, health care facility staff, and caregivers that damaged or worn covers for medical bed mattresses can allow blood and body fluids to penetrate medical bed mattresses, posing a risk of infection to patients. The FDA is providing recommendations for reducing this risk, clarifying terms used to describe medical bed mattress covers, and encouraging health care providers, health care facility staff and caregivers to report problems related to medical bed mattress covers.