In this issue of the Journal of Infusion Nursing, we join colleagues around the globe in celebrating the profession of nursing and recognizing those who have dedicated themselves to working with patients, communities, and the health care system at large. We also recognize the American Nurses Association (ANA) for championing the interests of registered nurses for more than 100 years. I'm delighted to share, yet again, portions of the ANA Nurses Month Resource Toolkit. The Toolkit is loaded with many options to help facilitate your personal or corporate celebration of our profession during the entire month of May.
Self-Care is the focus of week 1. Nurses are encouraged to engage in healthy self-care activities that include both mind and body. "Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation(TM), is a program designed to help you improve your health in six areas: physical activity, nutrition, rest, quality of life, safety, and mental health."1 In week 2, nurses are encouraged to actively participate in Recognition activities to honor exemplary nurses. Professional Development is highlighted in the 3rd week. Check out ANA's free webinars from the Navigate Nursing series.2 The month-long celebration is wrapped up in week 4 with a focus on Community Engagement. As members of our profession, we are encouraged to "Help promote nurses' invaluable contributions by engaging with [our communities] and educating them on what nurses do."1 Click on https://media.nursingworld.org/share/3E45708E-4136-4213-9F344857899DB526/?mediaI to access the ANA Resource Toolkit for more ideas and many meaningful options to help you and your colleagues celebrate National Nurses Month.
This issue of the Journal is loaded with examples of how nurses and other health care professionals are designing research studies that enhance the practice of infusion therapy. Their work contributes to the body of literature that builds the base of evidence that informs best practice.
Authors Joslyn, Saber, and Miles developed a study to "examine predictors for central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) and causative microorganisms." The findings described in their article, "Predictors of Central Vascular Access Device Bloodstream Infections in Patients with Acute Leukemia and Neutropenia: A Retrospective Case-Control Chart Review" indicated a lack of clinical documentation specifically regarding nutritional intake and central vascular access device (CVAD) care and management. Patients with acute leukemia represent a population that is significantly vulnerable to bloodstream infections. Performance and documentation of CVAD care and management are essential, as is documentation of all aspects of clinical nutrition, to ensure the health care team is comprehensively apprised of the contextual condition of the patient.
"Assessment of the Value of a Carriage System to Organize and Elevate Intravenous Tubing," authored by Hartman et al, describes research conducted to examine the value of a novel carriage system that organizes and elevates medical and intravenous tubing. The authors endeavored to meet the safety needs of both patients and clinicians; tubing systems that drape on the floor pose a number of safety risks, including falls, catheter dislodgment, and increased risk of infection due to contamination. Utilizing a validated survey, these researchers were able to gather device usage data based on 3 involvement factors for clinicians: personal relevance, attitude, and importance. This work not only demonstrates the creative work of health care professionals but reinforces the essential practice of obtaining feedback from the end user, which is critical to successful implementation for new patient care products.
Schora et al share the findings from their study, "Positive and Neutral Needleless Connectors: A Comparative Study of Central-line Associated Bloodstream Infection, Occlusion, and Bacterial Contamination of Connector Lumen." The authors' "primary aim for the study was to determine whether the use of a positive displacement connector would reduce central-line associated bloodstream infection with and without use of an alcohol disinfecting cap. The secondary aims of the study were to determine if the positive displacement connector would (1) provide an equivalent low level catheter hub colonization with bacterial pathogens and (2) decrease the rate of lumen occlusion." This article adds to the wealth of information on the topic of needleless connectors and their mechanisms of function, which has been widely discussed in the literature.
Santos-Costa et al present "Nursing Practices and Sensitive Outcomes Related to Peripheral Intravenous Catheterization in Portugal: A Scoping Review." A typical scoping review seeks to map the key concepts in an area of research and portray the types of evidence and main sources as well. The authors' aim for this work was to map the studies conducted in Portugal on peripheral intravenous catheterization. As such, authors were able to include 26 studies in this review. You will enjoy reading this comprehensive presentation of key concepts and types of evidence.
Before I close, I would like to revisit National Nurses Month and the celebration and recognition of nurses who have contributed so greatly to our profession. This year, I have chosen to recognize Cynthia Saver, MS, RN. Cynthia has an exceptional background in publishing, is the editor of and contributor to Anatomy of Writing for Publication for Nurses, and she helped launch American Nurse Journal, the official journal of the American Nurses Association, and served as its editorial director for 15 years. Her many years dedicated to helping nurses publish their work is commendable! Thank you, Cynthia, for your exemplary contributions to the profession of nursing. For those who are planning to prepare manuscripts in the future, I highly recommend the Infusion Nurses Society's webinar, You Can Write! Anatomy of Writing for Publication,3 presented on March 15, 2023, by Cynthia Saver, MS, RN.
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