Celebrate!!
Looking for a reason to celebrate the last half of 2003?
Want to recognize your colleagues?
The following calendar lists specific healthcare groups and identifies days/weeks for the rest of 2003 to set aside in observance and celebration.
2003 Health Observance Calendar
Nurse Assistant's Week(June 12-19)Contact: Career Nurse Assistant Programs, Inc. (330)825-9342
National Rehabilitation Week(September 14-21)Contact: Allied Services (570) 348-1405
Child Health Month(October)Contact: American Academy of Pediatrics (847) 981-5005
National Physical Therapy Month(October)Contact: American Physical Therapy Association (800) 999-2782 http://www.apta.org
National Physician Assistant Day(October 6)Contact: American Academy of Physician Assistants (703) 836-2272
National Pharmacy Week(October 19-25)Contact: National Pharmaceutical Association (202) 628-4410
National Healthcare Quality Week(October 19-25)(800) 966-9392 http://www.nahq.org
National Home Care Month(November)Contact: National Association for Home Care (202) 547-7424 http://www.nahc.org
National Hospice Month(November)Contact: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (703) 837-1500 http://www.nhpco.org
National Respiratory Care Week(October 19-25)(972) 243-2272 http://www.aarc.org
World AIDS Day(December 1)Contact: American Association for World Health (202) 466-5883 http://www.aawhworldhealth.org
National Home Care Aide Week(November 9-15) Contact:Home Care Aide Association of America (202) 547-7424
Low Staffing Levels Increase Chances of Needlestick Injuries
In a recent University of Pennsylvania study published in The American Journal of Infection Control, researchers concluded that needlestick injuries in hospital nurses increase dramatically when nurse-staffing levels are low. Current research indicates that patient outcomes suffer when nurse staffing levels fall; however, this is one of the first studies linking on-the-job injuries in hospital nurses with heavier workloads.
The study, conducted in 22 hospitals in the United States, all with reputations for excellence, found that poor working conditions and high workloads were associated with 50% to 200% increases in needlestick injuries and near misses. Could this also be true in the home care setting?
American Journal of Infection Control, 30 (4), June, 2002.
Benefits of Being a Certified Nurse
AACN has just released to the media and key healthcare influencers a white paper on the benefits that specialty certification for nurses bring to the public, employers, and to nurses. Entitled "Safeguarding the Patient and the Profession: The Value of Critical Care Nurse Certification," the report puts forth a call to action for all who can influence and will benefit from certified nurses' contributions to patient care. Although the report focuses on critical care nursing certification, the points can be applied to other settings, especially home care.
The release of this white paper is a major part of AACN's initiative to raise awareness of the value of nurse certification. Individuals in search of supporting literature to encourage agencies to provide expanded support for continuing education and certification should find this paper helpful if shared with managers and administrators. The white paper and related documents are available at http://www.aacn.org
A Defibrillator on Every Corner
Sudden cardiac arrest strikes up to 350,000 Americans annually and is a leading cause of death in adults. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs twice as frequently in men as in women and is a leading cause of death in adults. Two out of three sudden cardiac deaths occur at home, work, or in a public place-before the victim reaches a hospital.
As demand for and use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) has dramatically increased, the AED Instructor Foundation has been established to help initial emergency care instructors provide CPR training in locations that have not experienced optimal response to cardiac emergencies.
The AED Instructor Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the professional development and success of trainers who teach initial life-support and AED use. To help its affiliates expand the availability of AED training, the Foundation provides professional support including educational materials and professional development tools. To learn more about public access defibrillation, locate a CPR/AED instructor in your area, participate in the Foundation's PAD Support Program, or join the AED Instructor Foundation by visiting http://www.aedinstructorfoundation.org
Online Patient Safety Journal
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and an editorial team at the University of California, San Francisco, are creating the nation's first peer-reviewed, Web-based medical journal that will showcase patient safety lessons drawn from actual cases of medical errors. The site is intended to educate healthcare providers about medical errors in a blame-free environment. All healthcare providers are invited to submit real cases. To preview the site and to learn about anonymous case submission, visit http://www.WebMM.ahrq.gov