Lippincott Williams & Wilkins launched a new journal, Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal, in the summer of 2006. This journal is a resource dedicated to the high-level issues that experienced clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, educators, and other advanced practice clinicians face in emergency care. Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal is a peer-reviewed journal with articles containing evidence-based material that can be applied to daily practice. For subscription information, log on to http://www.lww.com/nursing.
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations announced the approval of an infection control standard that requires accredited organizations to offer influence vaccinations to staff with close patient contact. The stand will become an accreditation requirement beginning January 1, 2007, for the Critical Access Hospital, Hospital, and Long Term Care accreditation programs. For more information, log on to http://www.jointcommission.org/.
Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company launched a new program, The Caregiver Initiative. This national campaign is designed to call attention to the vital role that family caregivers now play, to help them maintain their own health and well-being while they care for others, and to prepare all Americans to better recognize and accept the responsibilities of caregiving that may well affect them personally as our society ages. This initiative features a comprehensive online resource and virtual community designed specifically for caregivers. More information can be found at http://www.strengthforcaring.com.
A new study from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations finds that hospitals ranked as the "best" for heart care by U.S. News & World Report are, in fact, among hundreds of hospitals across the country where patients can receive care that measures up to or exceeds the care provided in those facilities, as determined by measuring performance for specific evidence-based care programs. The study was published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, August 8, 2006, and can be found at http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/114/6/558.
The American Diabetes Association and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations are collaborating to recognize hospital inpatient diabetes program that meet national quality standards and raise the quality of care provided to patients with diabetes. Based on the American Diabetes Association's clinical practice guidelines, the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has developed an Advanced Inpatient Diabetes Care Certification Program that will provide the first nationwide certification program for inpatient diabetes care. For more information, please contact [email protected].