Joan Spitrey

Joan Spitrey has been a registered nurse for more than 16 years, specializing in critical care and acute care services. She currently is a clinical nursing instructor, sharing her passion with the next generation of nurses. She can be found blogging at TheNurseTeacher.com.

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Articles by Joan Spitrey

• Federal policy challenges continue with opioid epidemic

  Friday, August 24, 2018

  On Aug. 16, a mass overdose taxed the EMS services of New Haven, Connecticut. Within 24 hours, 70 people had overdosed on synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or spice, which was suspected to be laced with the potent opioid fentanyl. Again, this highlighted the continued opioid crisis that continues to plague the United States. However, federal and local authorities, despite their best efforts, continue to make little headway in this new war on drugs.

• Do gender disparities in healthcare now include surviving a heart attack?

  Friday, August 10, 2018

  The conversation of gender disparities is not a new one in healthcare. Since Dr. Bernadine Healy talked about the Yentl Syndrome in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1991, the gender disparity conversation has continued. Dr. Healy discussed how women were far less likely to be treated for a heart attack than males, however, once the heart attack was discovered, they were then treated mostly as equals. Therefore, it gave rise to the concept of the Yentl Syndrome, where a woman had to prove they were "just like a man" before receiving attention.

• Tech titans stake claims in healthcare arena

  Thursday, July 26, 2018

  When names like Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft exert their forces, entire industries are changed and transformed. With nearly $3.5 trillion spent in healthcare and rising, it should be no surprise that these titans of modern industry would want to get in on the action. As more patients need to be cared for from our aging baby boomer generation, cost-containment solutions are coming from the tech world.

• Controversial hospital policy targets opioid-addicted patients

  Friday, July 13, 2018

  As the opioid crisis continues to hold the nation captive, some new, innovative approaches are being attempted to at least manage certain aspects of the crisis. The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) in Knoxville will now require patients admitted for medical treatments of drug-use-related infections to comply with new conduct rules. The goal is to create a safer environment for both patients and staff.

• WHO lists ‘gaming disorder’ as mental health condition

  Friday, June 29, 2018

  In response to international pressure, the World Health Organization (WHO) has now listed "gaming disorder" in the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Released on June 25, the new ICD-11 listing hopes to create awareness and potential treatment options for those who may be suffering from this often-mocked condition. The main characteristics are very similar to substance-use or gambling disorders in that the patient’s life choices become severely impaired.

• Parts of Obamacare deemed unconstitutional by DOJ

  Thursday, June 14, 2018

  Ever since the 2010 Affordable Care Act went into effect, it has been entrenched in court battles. One controversial provision in the law was that if Americans chose not to get health insurance, they faced a potential penalty. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Congress' ability to fine those who did not get health insurance as it deemed the financial penalty basically a tax. However, on June 7, the Justice Department said that the requirement for people to have insurance — the individual mandate — was unconstitutional.

• Nursing faces a huge expertise gap in coming years

  Tuesday, June 05, 2018

  There is little debate that healthcare is facing a potentially unprecedented nursing shortage. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections 2014-2024, the total number of job openings for nurses due to growth and replacements will be 1.09 million by 2024. One of the significant contributing factors to the future need for nurses is the impending retirement of baby boomers, who currently make up 40 percent of registered nurses in the United States. The loss of these nurses caring for patients will also see years of experience and expertise go by the wayside, leaving nursing with a significant knowledge gap.

• New Ebola outbreak spreads to large urban area in DRC

  Thursday, May 17, 2018

  On May 8, the Ministry of Health and Population of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced a new Ebola outbreak had begun after two cases were confirmed by laboratory test. By May 13, there were already 41 cases, including 20 deaths and three healthcare workers affected. Despite earlier identification and attempts at containment, one new case of Ebola has been confirmed in Wangata, one of the three health zones of Mbandaka, a city of nearly 1.2 million people on a major river.

• Fentanyl deaths rise as narcotics shortage continues

  Thursday, May 03, 2018

  As healthcare facilities continue to experience shortages with injectable narcotics, researchers report that synthetic opioid deaths have now outpaced prescription drug overdoses. It seems counter-intuitive — how can facilities be short, but deaths in the community continue to rise? As with much of the opioid crisis, the problem is complicated.

• Barbara Bush’s comfort care choice spurs crucial conversations

  Friday, April 20, 2018

  Barbara Bush, beloved former first lady, died April 17 in her Houston home at the age of 92. She was surrounded by her loved ones, including her husband of 73 years, former President George H.W. Bush.

• Tapping into community resources to save lives

  Friday, April 06, 2018

  ​During any emergency, time is everything. Whether it be a sudden cardiac arrest, mass casualty incident or individual trauma, getting prompt attention from skilled personnel is key for survival.

• Nurses continue to push for safe staffing in DC

  Friday, March 23, 2018

  ​For the third straight year, nurses are planning to meet on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The Nurses Take DC event will be held April 26 and hopes to again raise public awareness regarding safe nurse-patient ratios, meeting with legislators to discuss nurse staffing and to support pending legislation.

• Nursing in the global spotlight

  Friday, March 09, 2018

  On Feb. 27, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, along with nurses and other healthcare leaders from around the world launched Nursing Now. The global initiative hopes to raise the profile and status of nursing, with the ultimate goal of moving toward universal healthcare for all.

• EntrepreNURSE panel aiming to break barriers

  Friday, February 23, 2018

  When most think of innovation in healthcare, they tend to think of physicians or biomedical professionals and engineers. Sadly, they rarely think of nurses. But in reality, it's the nurses on the front lines, at the bedside and in the community who will be the end user of most products developed in healthcare and the most impacted by policies. They are the masters of workarounds and ingenuity when resources are limited, but their talent is rarely sought after or capitalized on.

• Nurses shedding light on ugly side of the flu

  Friday, February 09, 2018

  The 2017-2018 flu season is breaking all records. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that the "overall hospitalization rate is higher than the overall hospitalization rate reported during the same week of the 2014-2015 season; the most severe season in recent years." The most recent CDC report showed an additional 17 flu-related pediatric deaths, bringing the total to 53 this season with little relief in sight.

• The race for a universal flu vaccine

  Friday, January 26, 2018

  As this flu season speeds to a crescendo with widespread infections and deaths related to the influenza virus, the need for a universal flu vaccine becomes paramount. Each year, international researchers conduct year-round surveillance for influenza. This data is then analyzed by five World Health Organization collaborating centers who then attempt to make recommendations for the composition of the influenza vaccine.

• Viral video sheds light on complex issues in healthcare

  Friday, January 12, 2018

  On a cold night in Baltimore, a woman who appeared to be wearing just a hospital gown and socks was being deposited at a bus stop after being discharged from University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown. A bystander happened to catch the situation on video and opened the door for the world to see the uglier side of healthcare.

• Making sense of the CHIP controversy

  Friday, December 15, 2017

  On Dec. 11, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel used his show to offer commentary on the reauthorization of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program, better known as CHIP. As his son recovers from heart surgery, he used his celebrity platform to bring attention to this well-supported bill.

• DNR tattoo sparks much-needed conversation

  Monday, December 04, 2017

  A recent correspondence to the New England Journal of Medicine has sparked some much-needed discussion on the issue of do not resuscitate (DNR). Physicians from the University of Miami wrote in to discuss a recent ethical dilemma encountered while caring for a recent patient who arrived with "Do NOT Resuscitate" tattooed on his chest. The patient's signature was tattooed just below the statement, further adding to the questionable legitimacy.

• Are holidays just regular shifts for nurses?

  Monday, November 27, 2017

  Families gathered around bounties of lovingly prepared food. Grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles sharing stories from their youth, laughing and remembering about days gone by. Football and falling leaves as temperatures drop and the mindfulness of being thankful for all the blessings in our lives. This is what the holidays are all about. But for many nurses and healthcare providers, their family gathering is around paper plates and potluck bonanzas in the break rooms of hospital and care facilities around the country.

• Will Narcan’s availability at Walgreens help the opioid crisis?

  Friday, November 03, 2017

  There is little dispute that America is facing a crisis of epic proportions as it relates to deaths from opioid overdoses. From 2013-2016, there was a 540 percent increase of reported deaths nationally. With up to 64,000 deaths reported in 2016 from overdoses, public health officials note that this current crisis is outpacing the HIV epidemic of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

• Madagascar plague outbreak catches health officials off guard

  Friday, October 20, 2017

  When most people hear "the plague," they immediately think of the "Black Death" that killed more than 50 million Europeans in the 14th century. However, despite modern medicine, the plague continues to be endemic to many areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Peru. Currently, Madagascar is experiencing an unusually early plague that has affected 684 people with at least 54 deaths.

• Nurses play an important role in caring for heart failure patients

  Friday, September 22, 2017

  With 5.7 million Americans suffering from heart failure, the likelihood of a nurse caring for a patient with such diagnosis is inevitable. Therefore, it becomes important for nurses to not only skillfully care for and treat this patient population, but also identify patients who may be at risk for developing heart failure.

• Nurses rise against arrest of Alex Wubbels

  Friday, September 08, 2017

  As many in the healthcare world, I was shocked with the unlawful arrest of nurse Alex Wubbels. In healthcare, there is a brotherhood and camaraderie between our law enforcement officers and healthcare workers, especially nurses. We all are on the front line of public service on a daily basis, making this story even more disturbing.

• Are nurses getting the respect they deserve?

  Friday, August 25, 2017

  ​Respect in healthcare is an ongoing conversation and struggle. Members of the healthcare team often feel undervalued or belittled in their position, which minimizes their role in patient-centered care.

• Nuclear exposure preparedness for healthcare workers

  Friday, August 11, 2017

  First, this is not an article aimed at scaremongering or sensationalizing headlines to evoke fear. Although not a topic discussed much since the Cold War, the possibility of a nuclear attack is sadly now part of the international conversation, and healthcare workers need to be educated.

• Nurses must step up as leaders in healthcare debate

  Friday, July 28, 2017

  In hospitals and long-term care centers, community centers and homes, nurses continue to be the front-line workers in healthcare.

• Change may not be easy in healthcare, but it is possible

  Friday, July 14, 2017

  ​Healthcare is one of the most dynamic industries. Not only are new discoveries, modalities, equipment or medications being introduced at a rapid pace, but the unpredictability of taking care of humans and their uniqueness also creates an extra challenge.

• Early lessons from California right‑to‑die law

  Friday, June 30, 2017

  Just over a year after California enacted the End of Life Option Act, preliminary reports released by the Department of Public Health show 111 Californians took a lethal prescription to end their life in the first six months of the new law. Modeled closely after the Oregon law that was enacted almost two decades ago, California became the fifth state to allow patients with less than six months to live to request medication to assist in ending their lives. Currently, doctor-assisted death is legal in Montana, Vermont, Washington state and Washington, D.C.

• More faculty needed to ease the nursing shortage

  Thursday, June 15, 2017

  The United States has endured multiple periods of nursing shortages. However, experts predict the impending shortage will be unlike any that has been seen previously. According to employment projections for 2012-2022 from the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, the total employment of RNs and APRNs by 2022 will increase by more than 570,000 jobs. But taking into account the landfall retirement of baby boomers, there will be a need of 1.13 million new RNs by 2022.

• Nursing beyond the hospital

  Thursday, June 01, 2017

  When most think of nurses, they imagine the trained professional caring for them in a time of need in the hospital or long-term care center. However, the world of nursing is so much more diverse than the traditional bedside caregiver.

• Violence against nurses caps off National Nurses Week

  Friday, May 19, 2017

  National Nurses Week is a time of fun, festivities, celebrations and socialization. However, this past week's news of tragic, violent situations surrounding nurses and healthcare workers brings much-needed attention to the dirty little secret of violence against healthcare workers.

• NIH funding in the spotlight of budget talks

  Friday, May 05, 2017

  As long-term federal budget talks continue, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found itself in the middle of the battle. In an attempt to balance the federal budget and eliminate the budget deficit over a period of eight years, President Donald Trump had proposed to cut the NIH budget by 20 percent, or $5.8 billion. However, in a last-minute agreement, the members of the House of Representatives struck a deal for the Labor HHS Appropriations Bill that will provide a $2 billion increase to NIH funding.

• Patient advocacy — simply complicated

  Friday, April 21, 2017

  For 15 straight years, the American public has rated nurses highest in regards to honesty and ethical standards. This trust is often easily gained, as nurses are the ones at the bedside while other healthcare providers come and go through the day. The nurse is often the one who sees the needs of patients, and that caring does not go unnoticed. The nurse is the "translator" or go between for all the interdisciplinary teams — always being watchful of their patients' unique needs.

• Nurses to rally in DC again to promote safe staffing

  Friday, April 07, 2017

  On May 12, 2016, on an overcast cool morning, a grassroots movement took a stand on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Hundreds of nurses from around the country gathered to bring attention to patient-nurse ratios. But more importantly, they gathered to show their fellow healthcare workers that they would no longer be silent when it came to patient safety.

• Could vitamin C be the simple solution for sepsis?

  Monday, March 27, 2017

  Just as the new international Surviving Sepsis guidelines come to publication this month, a Virginia physician becomes a small voice for practice change among his peers. Dr. Paul Marik, chief of pulmonary and critical care at Eastern Virginia Medical School, believes he may have stumbled upon a possible aid in the survivability of sepsis. In his December 2016 study in the CHEST Journal, Marik and his colleagues describe their success with the use of intravenous vitamin C, hydrocortisone and thiamine in their patients with septic shock.

• New healthcare legislation moves fast in Congress

  Thursday, March 09, 2017

  As the Trump presidency continues to move through its first 100 days, another campaign promise is beginning to come to fruition — the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act. The replacement healthcare bill, titled "The American Health Care Act," was recently introduced and has now successfully passed a second House committee. The bill will soon move to a full House vote, while Senate leaders are pressing for a Senate vote before Easter break, which starts April 7.

• US still lagging in future life expectancy

  Friday, February 24, 2017

  Despite incredible medical advancements, increased health knowledge and a higher mean income, the United States continues to lag behind other developed countries when it comes to the health of its citizens. In a new study published in The Lancet, researchers examined statistical data from 35 industrialized countries to forecast national age-specific mortality and life expectancy based on birth in 2030.

• Science needs to lead, not fear

  Friday, February 10, 2017

  As the United States settles into a new era of policymaking under a new presidential administration, hot topics are sure to rise as advocates push to support their causes. One such fiery topic continues to be the link between autism and vaccinations.

• Flu cases rising at alarming rates

  Friday, January 27, 2017

  ​As 2017 has gotten underway and much of the country has their attention turned to the new presidency, the flu virus is starting to take hold. According to the recent FluView report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the cases of influenza continue to rise.

• In the face of change, nurses must remain trusted strangers

  Friday, January 13, 2017

  As 2017 gets underway, not only is a new year in front of us, but soon we will see the changing of the leaders of the United States. As the Jan. 20 inauguration date quickly approaches, uncertainly in the healthcare community continues to rise.

• No rest for the weary nurses

  Friday, December 09, 2016

  ​With the busy holiday season is upon us, many will be enjoying time off from work so they can visit with family. However, while holiday cheer is spreading, nurses and healthcare providers will continue to march along caring for those who are sick and in need of care. While many enjoy ham dinners with apple pie, there will be nurses working through breaks to provide care to those vulnerable patients in need. Although the idea of skipping a meal break is unheard of in most professions, it sadly is more the norm than not in nursing.

• Trump presidency likely to bring major changes to healthcare

  Thursday, November 10, 2016

  Now that the 2016 election season has come to a close, there really is only one thing most are agreeing on — they are glad it's finally over. Since the first political ad aired more than 500 days ago, the race to the White House has been one of the most divisive and hotly contested campaigns in modern history.

• California sets the bar for violence against healthcare workers

  Monday, October 31, 2016

  When most healthcare workers head into their jobs, the threat of violence is usually not a major concern. It was not really on my radar when I went to work one night in the emergency department (ED) of a busy New York City hospital. Sure, we saw some upset patients and family, but that is just par for the course when working in the ED. After all, our doors were locked, and we had multiple security officers stationed throughout our busy ED. However, this night was going to be different.

• In our high-tech age, the doctor still knows best

  Friday, October 14, 2016

  Like many industries, healthcare has been impacted by technology in ways that were previously unimaginable. Today, heart attacks are diagnosed and treated in record times, people can monitor their blood pressure and even their ECG from their smartphones, and patients can get a rough idea of their potential diagnosis by entering a few symptoms in a computer database before seeing a doctor.

• Nanoengineered proteins may be the key to fighting superbugs

  Thursday, September 29, 2016

  As many in healthcare are well aware, the rise of drug-resistant organisms is becoming a growing public health concern. Just last week, the United Nations met to discuss this "fundamental threat" to global health, demonstrating the urgency.

• ITT Tech hangs nursing students out to dry

  Monday, September 19, 2016

  ​On Sep. 6, ITT Technical Institute announced to its students that it would discontinue operations effective immediately due to new unfulfilled requirements placed on them by the U.S. Department of Education. With this announcement, tens of thousands of students at more than 130 campuses in 39 states found themselves stalled in their educational pursuits.

• Always prepared and always trained

  Thursday, September 01, 2016

  ​Everyone who works in a hospital has endured the on-board training to insure they can safely work at the facility. There is the fire safety, disaster safety and mass casualty, to name a few. And annual updates need to be performed each year to insure every employee knows what to do in an actual emergency. But, like most, they never believe a true emergency will happen to them — until it does.

• Big Pharma’s greed exposed again with rise in EpiPen costs

  Monday, August 22, 2016

  As the school year begins, parents across the nation are being confronted with the outrageous price increase of the life-saving epinephrine delivery device, EpiPen. For parents of children who attend school or daycare, having this life-saving medication readily available is a necessity. The EpiPen quickly delivers epinephrine, which is needed to prevent anaphylaxis and possible death due to severe allergies.

• Growing concerns for labor standards in nursing

  Friday, August 05, 2016

  Labor issues among nurses are not a new topic. Considering there is little legislative oversight surrounding staffing and healthcare's current financial instability, the tension between nurses and their employers will continue to be present. However, the tension seems to be on the rise in recent years.

• CMS proposes removal of pain management questions for funding

  Monday, July 11, 2016

  In a response to pressure from stakeholders, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed to remove the pain management dimension from the current Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) for purposes of funding. Currently, HCAHPS scores are used for the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) program, which redistributes a portion of Medicare payments to hospitals based on performance in the surveys.

• Physicians still battling NPs over turf with no solutions in sight

  Thursday, June 23, 2016

  In the wake of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposal to allow full practice authority for all VA advanced practice nurses (APRN), the turf battle over who is best suited to provide healthcare has been fired up again. Although this is not a new battle, the tides have been changing in favor of more authority for ARPNs, which causes the question of quality care to be raised once again.

• APRNs gaining respect, but resistance still remains

  Friday, June 10, 2016

  ​In an effort to increase veterans' access to healthcare, the Department of Veterans Affairs is proposing to amend its medical regulations and allow full practice authority for all VA advanced practiced registered nurses (APRNs). This action comes in response to the growing crisis for timely medical care for the nation's service men and women. The VA would join a growing number of states that currently allow them to practice independently.

• Nurses honor guards pay tribute to those who serve

  Thursday, May 26, 2016

  Each Memorial Day, time is taken to remember those who have given their lives for our country. Services are held at memorial parks in which special attention and honor is given to those who paid the ultimate price while serving our country. At many of these services, honor guards from various military branches will ceremoniously provide funeral honors for fallen soldiers. These volunteers will bring dignity, respect and a ceremonial reverence to those they attend.

• Nurses rally in DC to address staffing issues with Congress

  Monday, May 16, 2016

  Hundreds of nurses from around the county gathered on May 12 at the U.S. Capitol to raise awareness of the staffing crisis in our nation's hospitals and the need for solutions. The goal was to bring attention to two current bills before Congress — the National Nursing Shortage Reform and Patient Advocacy Act (S. 864) and the Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015 (H.R. 1602). The bills mandate national nurse-to-patient ratios that are similar to those that have been successfully in effect in California since 2004.

• Why is customer service so difficult in the hospital?

  Friday, April 29, 2016

  On April 20, popular consumer reporter John Stossel wrote an opinion piece on the lack of customer service he received while in the hospital. Stossel was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, for which he was admitted to prestigious New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

• How did we get here? The complex history of the opioid addiction problem

  Friday, April 15, 2016

  ​In an effort to bring attention to the undertreatment of pain in America, Dr. James Campbell, president of the American Pain Society, encouraged healthcare providers to treat pain as seriously as they do vital signs. From Campbell's speech to the APS in 1996, the concept of pain as the "fifth vital sign" was born.

• How can nurses help slow opioid abuse?

  Friday, April 01, 2016

  Most nurses today would quickly agree there is an epidemic of overuse and abuse of prescription pain medication. The public is also beginning to see the effects of liberal prescriptive practices and abuse of prescription medications.

• First nurse hackathon provides opportunity for innovation

  Friday, March 18, 2016

  Nursing is a hands-on profession. Highly trained and educated, nurses are the true caregivers to patients in hospitals, homes and communities. They are in the trenches of healthcare, trying to make it all work for their patients.

• Nurses plan DC rally to promote proper staffing

  Friday, March 04, 2016

  If you get a group of nurses together, there is one topic they are all likely to agree on instantly — staffing. As the largest professional group in healthcare, they tend to be equated as the largest expense as well.

• Leap into leadership with nurses on boards

  Friday, February 19, 2016

  In late 2014, 19 nursing organizations were convened in a collaborative effort with The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and AARP to "increase nurses' presence on corporate and nonprofit health-related boards of directors throughout the county." The goal was to bring front-line knowledge of healthcare to the critical decision-making arenas. Nurses have a unique skill set that allows them to be key stakeholders and decision makers, given the opportunity.

• The steady rise of nurse practitioners in primary care

  Friday, February 05, 2016

  ​Jan. 31 was the last day for uninsured Americans to sign up for healthcare insurance under the Affordable Care Act to avoid tax penalties. According to preliminary early reports, more than 12.7 million Americans have signed up for coverage in 2016.

• Concerns over Zika virus growing rapidly

  Friday, January 22, 2016

  Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued additional travel warnings for pregnant women as the Zika virus outbreak continues. Initially, the CDC listed 14 countries, but they just added eight more countries in South America, the Caribbean and Polynesia.

• What can the US learn from the success of Mexico’s sugar tax?

  Monday, January 11, 2016

  In 2013, the Mexican government voted to implement an excise tax on sugar-sweetened drinks and on several energy-dense foods. This represented an approximate 10 percent increase in price of all nondairy and nonalcoholic beverages with added sugar and an 8 percent increase on a list of nonessential highly energy-dense foods.

• Nurses spread Christmas joy with Show Me Your Stethoscope

  Thursday, December 10, 2015

  Earlier this year, the nursing world was rocked after some negative comments were made by the women on "The View" about Miss Colorado's monologue during the Miss America pageant. At the time, a small unsuspecting group ​was quickly gaining momentum on Facebook — Show Me Your Stethoscope.

• Could uterus transplant be the next fertility treatment?

  Friday, November 13, 2015

  Transplant medicine has come a long way — from the first attempts of wartime field surgeons attempting skin grafts to the first successful kidney transplant between two twins in Boston in 1954. It has been an amazing journey of evolution of medicine.

• Medical-Surgical Nurses Week: Saving lives, supporting families

  Friday, October 30, 2015

  ​If you have encountered a nurse in your life, you have likely have already met a medical-surgical nurse. This diverse specialty encompasses the largest group of nurses who currently practice. It is estimated that about 400,000 of the 2.9 million registered nurses in the U.S. are medical-surgical nurses. Each year, the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses devotes Nov. 1-7 to showcase and celebrate this dynamic group of nurses.

• Nursing job outlook: The perfect storm brewing

  Friday, October 16, 2015

  One question that continues to haunt the nursing profession is, "Will there be another big nursing shortage?" Although an impending nursing shortage would mean job security for those still working and entering the profession, there could be consequences with patient care if the needs can not be met.

• Meet the passionate founder of Show Me Your Stethoscope

  Thursday, October 01, 2015

  Every once in a while, a person is in the right place at the right time. Some say the moons were in alignment. Others would say you were destined to be in a particular situation by fate or divine intervention. However you look at it, the magic that happened in the Facebook group "Show Me Your Stethoscope" is just such an example.

• Nursing is my talent

  Friday, September 18, 2015

  During the talent portion of last weekend's Miss America pageant, Miss Colorado, Kelley Johnson, gave an emotional monologue describing her experience as a nurse. It was a beautiful delivery detailing her emotional experience with an Alzheimer's patient. She described what many nurses have the opportunity to experience everyday — to touch a life in need.

• Clinical nurse specialists meeting complex needs with higher education

  Thursday, September 03, 2015

  The United States healthcare system is complicated and is becoming overtaxed. With the passing of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, the aging baby boomer population and the need for more healthcare providers, there is no dispute the healthcare arena will be in a state of dynamic change for years to come.

• Beware of resilient, mutated ‘super lice’ — yes, they’re real

  Tuesday, August 25, 2015

  Back-to-school season is a time for next chapters, seeing old friends, making new friends — and, of course, organized germ exchanges. Yes, the sharing of germs and other critters, such as lice, also is part of the fun of back to school.

• Now Yelp can help patients pick a hospital or doctor

  Thursday, August 13, 2015

  When people consider the online review service Yelp, most think about local businesses like restaurants, hair stylists or mechanics. Doctors and hospitals? Not so much. Founded in 2004, Yelp has created a community where consumers can provide their opinions about businesses.

• For better infection control, providers must look in the mirror

  Wednesday, July 29, 2015

  During their education, healthcare providers are taught about disease transmission and infection control. The six links in the chain of infection — infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry and susceptible host — are a mainstay in infection prevention and well known by healthcare providers.

• Could nap rooms help hospital shift workers?

  Wednesday, July 15, 2015

  Imagine you have been up all night, caring for a newborn. You are sleepy, yet need to remain alert. At 6 a.m., you sit down to feed and burp the precious new life. You begin to feel drowsy as you take in the aroma of the newborn. Next thing you know, the infant has fallen to the ground out of your grasp.

• Anesthesiologist found guilty after verbally abusing patient

  Friday, June 26, 2015

  Most healthcare providers show patients a high level of respect, regardless of whether a patient is under sedation or wide awake. In fact, most patients hold healthcare providers with high regard and expect superior service when in their care. Unfortunately, a jury recently found an anesthesiologist guilty of defamation and medical malpractice after a patient recorded her vicious remarks made toward him.

• Keeping a watchful eye on South Korea’s deadly MERS outbreak

  Friday, June 12, 2015

  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), South Korea reported its first confirmed case of Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) on May 20. The initial case was a businessman who had returned from a trip to the Middle East.

• Robotic anesthesia pushes surgery into a new era

  Monday, June 01, 2015

  A new automated anesthesia delivery machine is challenging the way we look at anesthesia delivery. The Sedasys Computer-Assisted Personalized Sedation System administers a propofol infusion to patients undergoing colonoscopy and espophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) procedures without the direct oversight of an anesthesia provider. The use of propofol for such procedures has been gaining momentum and has become a frequently preferred medication. The effects are quick, and the time for the medication to wear off is also quick, making it highly desired in procedure areas.

• Is nursing really for everyone?

  Monday, May 18, 2015

  Last week, nursing student Jennifer Burbella filed a lawsuit against Misericordia University after failing a required class for the second time. The lawsuit claims she suffered from severe anxiety, depression and poor concentration and was not given appropriate accommodations during her final exam.

• What is the origin of Nurses Week?

  Friday, May 01, 2015

  Each year, Nurses Week begins on May 6 and runs through May 12, Florence Nightingale's birthday. This is a week where the worker bees of the healthcare world get some time in the spotlight. Many nurses look forward to the week of gifts, praises and a reminder of the greatness of nursing. But how did all this celebrating actually originate?

• How to talk to patients about advanced directives

  Friday, April 17, 2015

  April 16 has been designated as National Healthcare Decision Day. This movement came out of the passion and frustration of founder Nathan Kottkamp. He was the member of several hospital ethics committees and was repeatedly challenged with trying to interpret healthcare decisions for people who had no advanced directives. Anyone working in a hospital — especially a critical care area — can certainly relate.

• Health concerns about electronic cigarettes are mounting

  Friday, April 03, 2015

  On March 23, the California Public Health Department launched a series of ads as part of an effort to inform the public of the potential dangers of electronic cigarettes. This comes 25 years after the state of California issued its first anti-smoking ads, becoming one of the leaders in tobacco use and prevention. The efforts have paid off over the years, as the state has one of the lowest youth smoking rates in the country.

• EMR systems generating a new set of problems for nurses

  Friday, March 20, 2015

  One of the biggest proposed purposes and benefits of the electronic medical record (EMR) was improved patient care and safety. Gone would be the days of "team reading" of illegible doctor's orders — now prescriber orders would be entered directly into the record, removing errors from handwriting and transcription.

• What does the future hold for Nina Pham?

  Friday, March 06, 2015

  On March 2, nurse Nina Pham filed a lawsuit against her employer, Texas Health Resources, for negligent training and a violation of privacy in the wake of the Ebola incident in Dallas. Pham helped take care of Thomas Eric Duncan, who walked into a Dallas community hospital infected with the Ebola virus he contracted in Liberia, and she became the first person to contract Ebola in the United States.

• ‘Superbug’ surfaces at UCLA — What you need to know

  Friday, February 20, 2015

  According to reports this week, UCLA's Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Los Angeles has potentially infected nearly 180 patients with the "superbug" known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE. UCLA has traced the source of the spread to duodenoscopes that are used for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

• What healthcare providers need to know about measles

  Friday, February 06, 2015

  Many who work in healthcare today are too young to remember the measles epidemics of years past. Therefore, their knowledge and care of this previously eradicated disease is extremely limited and quick identification of infected individuals could be limited. As we learned last year from our Ebola exposures, our lack of knowledge of uncommon, yet highly communicative diseases is our Achilles' heel. As healthcare providers, we owe it to ourselves and our patients to remain informed of such diseases.

• The medical world is changing — How can we keep up?

  Friday, January 23, 2015

  Healthcare is a dynamic industry. It is constantly changing as new modalities, treatments and technologies are discovered or even rebutted. Even with the changes in technology, diagnostics and treatments, the healthcare environment has stayed relatively static. The patient seeks treatment, and the healthcare provider treats based on the needs of the patient. The provider of care bills for services and is paid.

• Why we need more nurses on hospital boards

  Friday, January 09, 2015

  At the end of 2014, the Nurses on Boards Coalition was formed to promote the increase of nurses on corporate and nonprofit health-related boards of directors in the United States. The Coalition consists of 21 national organizations, such as the American Nurses Association, AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

• Ebola and the year of horrors and heroes

  Friday, December 12, 2014

  This week, Time magazine announced its Person of the Year: the Ebola fighters. The runners-up included notable people such as Vladimir Putin and the Ferguson protestors. All of those considered where notable newsmakers this year, but nothing captivated the news — especially within healthcare — than Ebola and the brave souls fighting this enormous fight.

• Preventing nurse fatigue to keep our patients safe

  Monday, December 01, 2014

  ​With the holiday season upon us, it is not unusual to feel the stress of this busy time of year. Our schedules become filled with fun times with family and friends, but our own health often gets neglected. However, as healthcare providers, we have a responsibility to our patients.

• The role of simulation in the reduction of medical errors

  Tuesday, November 18, 2014

  If you have taken a CPR class in the last few decades, you are familiar with Resusci Anne, the manikin used for learning CPR. The first Anne was invented to provide life-like training in the 1960s, and her soft helpless face was to inspire the rescuer to want to help the "dead" person.

• To quarantine or not? A question of trust

  Friday, October 31, 2014

  As the debate rages on regarding quarantines ordered by state governors, Kaci Hickox, the nurse who was ordered home quarantine, refuses to comply. So the national debate continues. Although all do not agree upon the current course of action, there are a few things we all agree on.

• Why are healthcare workers getting infected with Ebola? We were not prepared

  Friday, October 17, 2014

  ​Thomas Eric Duncan, the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States, died Oct. 8. Shortly after, a nurse named Nina Pham was diagnosed with the Ebola virus, followed this week by a second nurse who is also infected. With the current infections of two direct caregivers, questions have surfaced regarding the preparedness of our hospitals and healthcare staff in the United States.

• Lessons healthcare workers can learn from Ebola crisis in Dallas

  Friday, October 03, 2014

  As many are aware, the first travel-associated case of Ebola in the United States was confirmed on Sept. 30. According to reports, the patient is currently in isolation and listed in serious condition. It appears a few lessons can be learned from this situation.

• With the emergence of telemedicine, where do nurses fit in?

  Friday, September 19, 2014

  So much has changed in the healthcare world with the advent of technology and the evolution of telemedicine. And telemedicine continues to evolve as technology becomes more advanced. Where do nurses fit into this changing landscape? Below are a few examples.

• Is there room for scribes in nursing?

  Friday, September 05, 2014

  Recently on Twitter, I came across an interesting conversation regarding the usefulness of scribes by physicians. One physician, who never used them, published an article against their use. However, the other physician responded via his blog in praise of their efficient use. But what really caught my attention was how the responding physician stated he felt there was a place for scribes in nursing.

• When good intentions go wrong in nursing

  Friday, August 22, 2014

  Each day, every minute, nurses make countless decisions. Rigorous training, education and experience are supposed to prepare the nurse to respond appropriately when faced with decisions regarding patient care.

• Ebola: The current state of the outbreak

  Friday, August 08, 2014

  On July 11, I shared an article about the Ebola outbreak that was reaching historic levels. At that point in time, the outbreak was contained to the West African countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea with 888 confirmed cases.

• World Hepatitis Day: Learn more about this deadly disease

  Monday, July 28, 2014

  ​The World Hepatitis Alliance in coordination with the World Health Organization recognizes today, July 28, as World Hepatitis Day 2014. The WHO considers viral hepatitis as the "world's most serious disease," and it is estimated that 1.4 million people die each year from this disease.

• Deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa reaches historic levels

  Friday, July 11, 2014

  As of July 8, there have been 888 confirmed cases of Ebola with 539 deaths in West Africa, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The outbreak has spread to three countries thus far — Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia — and is the most severe ever recorded.

• Who will make your health decisions when you are unable?

  Friday, June 27, 2014

  On Father's Day, we said goodbye to the father of the long-distance dedication, Casey Kasem. He was an American icon best known for his weekly radio countdown programs and as the voice of Shaggy in the "Scooby-Doo" cartoon series. Sadly, Kasem's legacy was tarnished by a family conflict surrounding his end-of-life decisions — all played out in the media for the world to watch. Unfortunately, these disputes are all too common.

• Does social media have a place in healthcare?

  Friday, June 13, 2014

  Just like many of you, I have been on the Facebook bandwagon for quite some time. I have really enjoyed it as I have lived all over the country, and it has been a great way to keep up with old friends. But does it have a place in a healthcare career or profession?

• The 4 basics of medical malpractice

  Friday, May 30, 2014

  One of every healthcare provider's biggest fears is being named in a lawsuit. Although most did not go into the healthcare profession with the intent to harm, sometimes harm does occur. Often the only way to determine if harm was negligent is through the civil court system and, in extreme cases, the criminal courts.