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Understanding how millennial nurses view their prospective employers
Amanda Ghosh Medical & Allied HealthcareOut of the four generations in today’s workforce, the millennial generation is the largest. They’re also the future of healthcare. Although the delayed retirement of older nurses has provided a buffer against low retention rates among new nurses, it’s only a matter of time before this buffer wanes. It’s time to tailor our work environments to meet their needs. Is your organization ready to attract and retain new nurse grads from the millennial generation? We can start by understanding what they want.
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Brain circuit implicated in cocaine relapse
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareRepeated use of cocaine rewires the brain and changes the brain’s reward circuitry, which leads to dependence and addiction. An initial, short-term effect — a buildup of the neurochemical dopamine — leads to euphoria and a desire to take the drug again. Researchers are seeking to understand how cocaine’s many longer-term effects produce the persistent cravings and risk of relapse. Researcher Peter W. Kalivas, Ph.D., a university professor and chair of the Department of Neuroscience at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and colleagues have identified a type of neuron that is critical for cocaine-seeking behaviors in rodents.
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6 ways your hospital can reduce patient anxiety
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareIn a hospital, you're always trying to improve patient satisfaction — but you might be overlooking the most crucial area that needs fixing. Anxiety is a well-established issue at varying levels for many patients facing a procedure, extensive treatment, or just waiting for test results. However, many physicians don't see the importance of systematically addressing it. It's important to do so, though. Implement these scientifically proven strategies to provide more calm and ensure better feedback for your organization.
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Travel2020: Finding your inner Buddha at 30,000 feet
Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementA 2013 survey by Carlson Wagonlit Travel said it all when it comes to measuring the toll that travel takes on today’s road warriors. CWT found that travelers can experience stress for as much as "6.9 hours per trip." Sadly, the intervening years have not been kind to business travelers, either. A global study released in March by IHG reported that business travelers lose some 58 minutes of sleep per night while away. While many of the factors that contribute to this particularly insidious strain of stress cannot be helped, there are a few tricks and tips one can apply to one’s travels and daily navigations that can make anyone’s journey through life a little more bearable.
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Why understanding the time pyramid is critical for healthcare administrators
Catherine Iste Healthcare AdministrationEverything that falls under the auspices of healthcare administration is complex. From budgets to billing and policy to care management, healthcare administrators at any level must understand, manage, and optimize complicated systems. As such, the actions of one healthcare administrator can impact a significant number of departments, teams and employees. Because of this, it is critical for administrators to become familiar with and embrace the time pyramid.
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If you haven’t tried EFT, you’re missing out on a great stress…
Victoria Fann Mental HealthcareFor those of you who are unfamiliar with the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), it is a healing modality that involves systematic tapping of specific end points of the energy meridian system to diffuse the intensity of stressful emotions and create a state of overall well-being. EFT was founded by Gary Craig, who learned Thought Field Therapy from Dr. Richard Callahan, a clinical psychologist, in 1991. Four years later, Craig released his first EFT training and guide. Since then, numerous studies have shown that EFT works.
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The increasing health benefits of walnuts
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareBased on several research studies, walnuts may be thought of as the superfood of nuts. A few years ago, studies indicated that a diet including walnuts may have a beneficial effect in reducing the risk, delaying the onset, and slowing the progression of, or preventing Alzheimer's disease. More recently, breast surgeons Mary Legenza, M.D., of Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center, and James Morgan, M.D., formerly of St. Mary's Medical Center, linked walnut consumption as a contributing factor that could suppress growth and survival of breast cancers.
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New study suggests levetiracetam for epileptic seizures in children when…
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareEmergency department (ED) clinicians typically treat status epilepticus with benzodiazepines, followed as necessary with phenytoin, but this approach often leads to intubation and ventilation. Now, the results of a study from researchers in New Zealand and Australia suggest there is a better way to treat severe epileptic seizures in children, and the results of the study will likely change how ED doctors around the world manage status epilepticus in pediatric patients.
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Improving guidance to patients, family caregivers on care facilities
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationFamily caregivers and patients struggle with choosing quality care facilities. This includes both those who have not yet been hospitalized and those who are being discharged to a lower level of care. Unfortunately, sometimes they find their choice isn’t the best fit or safety concerns arise. Delays in choosing a facility increase the risk of discharge for hospitalized patients. Choosing the wrong facility can also strain resources with an unnecessary hospitalization or re-hospitalization. A recent Kaiser Health News article addresses the need for smarter decisions on where to recover after a hospitalization, starting with better guidance from hospitals themselves.
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Despite controversy, HHS releases conscience protection rule for healthcare…
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThe Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights has released a new final rule designed to protect individuals and healthcare entities in HHS-funded programs from discrimination on the basis of their exercise of conscience. It will take effect in approximately two months. The "conscience rights" rule will allow healthcare workers to refuse care based on religious or moral objections and will grant protections to healthcare workers who refuse to provide services such as abortion or transition care for transgender individuals.
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