Stable nurse staffing improves quality (Healthcare Finance News)
A recent study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI) suggests that rural hospitals may be able to ensure more high-quality care to their patients if they are able to maintain a lower nurse turnover rate and better practice environments. http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/stable-nurse-staffing-improves-quality?topic=05,19,24
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Deadly CRE Infection Spreading Fast in Hospitals (HealthLeaders Media)
The term “CRE” was barely a blip on most hospitals’ radar before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted the emerging infection, carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae, in its “Vital Signs” report in March. http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/QUA-291756/Deadly-CRE-Infection-Spreading-Fast-in-Hospitals
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Labor’s Plan B (American Prospect)
Collective bargaining may just be a thing of the past, so what are unions hoping will take its place? http://prospect.org/article/labors-plan-b?utm_source=Daily+Digest&utm_campaign=5f45eaf34b-DD_5_14_135_14_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e4428ba350-5f45eaf34b-10721750
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Readmission Penalties Could Hinder Hospitals in Some Areas
Some health care experts in California and across the nation are concerned that smaller hospitals serving low-income communities might be the most affected by federal penalties designed to curb readmission rates for Medicare beneficiaries, KPCC’s “KPCC News” reports (Schoch, “KPCC News,” KPCC, 5/12). http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2013/5/13/readmission-penalties-could-hinder-hospitals-in-some-areas.aspx#ixzz2THdypKoq
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Magnet hospitals have lower death rates (Healthcare Finance News)
Better outcomes at magnet hospitals could be due to nursing investments. http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/magnet-hospitals-have-lower-death-rates?topic=05,19,24
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Nurses Uniquely Suited To Be Care Coordinators (Health Leaders Media)
A lot of the care coordination job is about understanding a continuum of care that a patient will go through,” she says, and nurses certainly do. But even beyond the clinical understanding and expertise that’s required of the job, care coordinators who come from nursing backgrounds can draw on and transfer other skills that they used when they were bedside nurses. http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/NRS-291668/Nurses-Uniquely-Suited-To-Be-Care-Coordinators
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Hand-washing key to preventing infections in hospitals and clinics (UN agency)
Hundreds of millions of infections could be prevented if health-care professionals, patients and their families, wash their hands with alcohol-based rub or soap and water before and after touching patients and their surroundings, the United Nations health agency today said marking Hand Hygiene Day. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44830&Cr=health&Cr1=
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At least seven states considering nurse-to-patient ratios (Kaiser Health News)
Nurses in seven states are pushing for legislation that would require hospitals to comply with nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. http://www.advisory.com/Daily-Briefing/2013/04/25/Nurses-mount-state-by-state-campaigns-for-staffing-laws
Nurses Fighting State By State For Minimum Staffing Laws (Kaiser Health News)
How many nurses does it take to run a hospital? Legislatures in at least seven states and the District of Columbia are trying to answer that question as they debate bills that would require hospitals to have a minimum number of nurses on staff at all times. http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2013/April/24/nurse-staffing-laws.aspx
Nurse understaffing impacts quality of care, leads to increased infections (Healthcare Finance News)
Two recent studies on nurse understaffing and nurse fatigue have revealed that these two prominent issues negatively impact the quality of care delivery, patient and employee satisfaction and operational costs in hospitals. http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/nurse-understaffing-impacts-quality-care-leads-increased-infections?topic=05,19,24
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Calif. Health Care Providers Brace for Surge in Patient Population (California Healthline)
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Health care leaders in various California regions are preparing for a surge in new patients when the Affordable Care Act expands health insurance coverage in 2014. Under the ACA, California will expand access to Medi-Cal — the state’s Medicaid program — and establish an online health insurance exchange (Sisson, U-T San Diego, 11/26). The exchange — named Covered California — primarily will serve individuals and small businesses. http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2012/11/27/calif-health-care-providers-brace-for-surge-in-patient-population.aspx#ixzz2DRq3Euf7
See Also: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/nov/26/tp-health-overhaul-could-mean-crowds-some-leaders/
Tracking ACA Implementation in California (CHCF)
This guide tracks the California implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), whose provisions touch on most aspects of the health care system, including cost, quality, and access. It describes the law’s requirements for public and private coverage and breaks each into implementation objectives — some complete, others underway, and some not yet begun. The law requires, with few exceptions, that people obtain health insurance, and it provides new structures and supports to help them do so. Today about 1 in 5 nonelderly Californians is uninsured. This ratio is expected to fall to 1 in 10 by 2016 because of the ACA. Those who obtain health insurance should gain not only financial security, but also improved access to care, and through it, better health outcomes. http://www.chcf.org/tracking-aca#ixzz2DSf3eOhv
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Labor defeats anti-union initiative in California (MercuryNews.com)
California voters reaffirmed their support for unions in defeating a provision that would have banned the way labor traditionally raises money to fund political activity. The defeat of Proposition 32 became clear early Wednesday. With 75 percent of precincts reporting, Californians voted 55 percent against the measure, compared to 45 percent in support. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_21946823/labor-defeats-anti-union-initiative-california
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United States: Unions Promote State Workplace Anti-Bullying Bills (Mondaq)
To commemorate Freedom From Workplace Bullies Week, presidents of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) spoke in favor of legislation targeting workplace bullying. During the press conference sponsored by the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI), WBI Director Gary Namie called for unions to support the Healthy Workplace Bill (HWB), a measure that has been introduced in 21 states since 2003, according to the organization. http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/202754/employee+rights+labour+relations/Unions+Promote+State+Workplace+AntiBullying+Bills
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Report Finds California Among States With Best Hospitals (California Healthline)
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
California is among the states that scored highest for hospital care related to conditions and treatments commonly linked to mortality, according to a report released by Healthgrades, USA Today reports. http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2012/10/23/report-finds-california-among-states-with-best-hospitals.aspx#ixzz2A9SpPl1e
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Soap, Swabs Slash Infection Rates by 44% (HealthLeaders Media)
John Commins, for HealthLeaders Media, October 19, 2012
A study conducted at 43 HCA-affiliated community hospitals saw bloodstream infections, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), drop by 44% when all ICU patients were subjected to daily “universal decolonization” using antimicrobial soap and nasal swabs. http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/print/COM-285617/Soap-Swabs-Slash-Infection-Rates-by-44
See Study Here: https://idsa.confex.com/idsa/2012/webprogram/Paper36049.html
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From the Los Angeles Times:
An alert nurse’s quick action saves the columnist’s life and opens his eyes to his medical team’s dedication and compassion.
A note of gratitude to nurses
The significance of my brush with death didn’t sink in at first, probably because being alive keeps you pretty busy.
The full story can be viewed at: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/01/local/la-me-0902-lopez-nurses-20120901
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12:29 PM Eastern – Thursday, September 13, 2012
This video is short, but its impression is lasting #the-healthcare-law
What would it mean for everyday people if Mitt Romney were elected president and went on to repeal the Affordable Care Act?
The Turner family of Ohio would lose.
The Turners were just an average Ohio family–until their world was turned upside down by a doctor’s diagnosis that their 9-month old son Travis was suffering from a rare form of cancer.
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The American Prospect
If Labor Dies, What’s Next?
September 13, 2012
The only way unions can regain their strength and provide a counterweight to corporate power is
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The American Prospect
What Does Labor Need to Do to Survive?
September 13, 2012
Harold Meyerson talks to four movement leaders about the future of unions in America.
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More nurses for hospital patients: Impact on quality questionable
September 12, 2012 by Stephanie Stephens in Health
Passage of a bill in 1999 requiring minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in California hospitals increased the number of nurses but resulted in mixed quality of care, according to a new study in the journal Health Services Research.
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Patient safety project reduces infections by 40 percent, saves $34M
Healthcare Finance News September 12, 2012 | Kelsey Brimmer, Associate Editor
According to Pronovost, the CUSP toolkit helps doctors, nurses and other members of the clinical team understand how to identify safety problems and gives them the tools to tackle problems that threaten the safety of their patients. It includes …
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Unit-based patient safety cuts blood infections by 40%
In what it calls the largest national effort to stop central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) cut infections by 40 percent in intensive care units in a four-year project that could become the national model for patient safety.
Read more:
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Workforce analysts look at the nursing profession
For many nurses, today’s workforce situation seems all too familiar.
Overworked and Exhausted: How to Alleviate Nursing Resources Through Employee Engagement and Recognition
Written by Cynthia Hanna, RN, Clinical Director, BerylHealth | September 06, 2012
The registered nursing workforce is the top occupation in terms of job growth through 2020, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nurses. By then the number of employed nurses needed will grow to 3.45 million, a 26 percent increase within the decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is great news for job opportunities, but with an already large shortage of resources and increased demand, will many nurses “check-out” of the hospital if all of these slots aren’t progressively filled?
Presently, it comes as no surprise and is no secret that nurses are overworked, heightening concern for systems that are moving towards pay for performance and results-driven reimbursement. Patient satisfaction, reportable quality indicators and reducing readmissions are top priorities for hospital and healthcare organizations. These priorities, coupled with more acutely ill patients, make the task of delivering quality care harder for nurses to achieve — let alone achieve upon exhaustion.
Better patient satisfaction comes from hospital staff
September 5, 2012 | By Karen Cheung-Larivee
Published on FierceHealthcare (http://www.fiercehealthcare.com)
The biggest key to patient satisfaction isn’t a fancy hospital lobby or high-tech equipment; it’s the staff, according to a survey released yesterday by J.D. Power and Associates.
When the marketing and research firm looked at the inpatient and outpatient hospital experience, it found that “patient satisfaction is most influenced by human factors,” more so than facility upgrades or equipment.
Panel to distribute safe patient handling standards
Many experts agree such a culture change is necessary to reduce injuries to healthcare workers and patients, the ANA noted.
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Flu Shot for Nurses Should be Voluntary, head of B.C.’s Union States
Globe and Mail Published Monday Sept. 2, 2012
As president of the British Columbia Nurses’ Union, Debra McPherson is the public face of a labour group that represents about 32,000 nurses and health-care workers across the province.
Currently, she is part of a team that is negotiating with the Health Employers Association of B.C. for a contract to replace one that expired March 31, 2012. She’s also spoken out about a recent announcement that health-care workers who come into contact with patients during flu season will be required to get a flu shot or wear a mask.
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Nurses catch more medication mistakes in supportive hospitals
August 30, 2012 | By Karen Cheung-Larivee
The people who are most likely to catch the medication errors are registered nurses, according to a study in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship.
The study, funded by the philanthropic Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, found that when nurses take steps to intervene in the medication process, they are more likely to catch would-be errors before they reach the patient. On average, a U.S. hospital patient is subjected to at least one medication error per day, leading to more than 7,000 inpatient deaths every year.
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Better Environments for Nurses Mean Fewer Medication Errors
Interdisciplinary Study Affirms Vital Role of Nurses in Ensuring Patient Safety; Focuses on Work Environment Factors That Improve Health and Fiscal Outcomes
Published: Aug 29, 2012
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Abuse in the workplace: How to recognize It and what to do about It
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Massachusetts bars mandatory overtime for nurses
CCH® PAYROLL — 8/24/12
Massachusetts law includes a provision barring mandatory overtime for nurses. The provision is part of a larger measure that is intended to improve the quality of health care and reduce costs through increased transparency, efficiency and innovation.
The law prohibits hospitals from requiring mandatory overtime except in the case of an emergency situation where the safety of the patient requires its use and when there is no reasonable alternative. A nurse can not be allowed to work more than 16 consecutive hours worked in a 24 hour period. In the event a nurse works 16 consecutive hours, that nurse must be given at least eight consecutive hours of off-duty time immediately after the worked overtime. The law would not impact collective bargaining agreements.
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Nurses: Collective Bargaining Saves Lives
Targeted News Service
LANSING, Mich., Aug. 16
“Staffing is always the first issue that nurses bring up in negotiations, because without adequate staffing, we cannot provide the safe, appropriate care that every patient needs,” said Tammy Parsons, a registered nurse at Sparrow Hospital. “The ratios we negotiated with Sparrow are an example of how collective bargaining benefits everyone. Nurses have more time to provide the skilled care that patients need, and the hospital is receiving more opportunities and recognition for improved patient care.”
For example, each additional patient that a nurse has to take care of increases the patient’s likelihood of dying within 30 days of admission by 7 percent, according to a 2002 Journal of the American Medical Association report.
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Report looks at primary care models that redefine nursing roles
AHA News Now – August 14, 2012
A new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation looks at innovative models that redefine nursing roles to address primary care challenges. Implemented in Nebraska, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Vermont, the District of Columbia and Veterans Administration, the models emphasize care coordination, interprofessional teams and information technology. Some of the models include payment reforms or remove barriers to allow nurses to practice to the full extent of their training. The report is part of an RWJF series on implementing the 2010 Institute of Medicine report on “The Future of Nursing.”
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Family can help patients get well
Wednesday August 15, 2012 5:45 AM
If you’ve ever experienced the hospitalization of a family member, you know it can be an overwhelming experience. You’re worried and anxious about his or her illness or injury. But, the most important thing you can do is be an active advocate for your loved one.
Dr. Steven G. Gabbe is senior vice president for health sciences at Ohio State University and chief executive officer at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center.
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White House townhall highlights how Obamacare has improved seniors’ health
By Linda Bock, RN, member of 1199SEIU UHE
4:01 PM Eastern – Monday, June 11, 2012
Today, the White House held a townhall on seniors’ health. Caregivers, practitioners and other supporters, including HHS Secretary Sebelius, came together for a dialogue on the benefits of the healthcare law for seniors.
As a nurse who provides care to seniors at a community-based clinic, I can tell you what a tremendous impact the healthcare law has had on my patients. Before the law the patients I saw rationed medicine and struggled with out-of-pocket expenses. Those without insurance came in for medical care after suffering a stroke and heart attack; and their quality of life was negatively impacted. -Read Article-
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Reform law means coverage for many young adults, study finds
Modern Healthcare
By Jessica Zigmond
Posted: June 8, 2012 – 12:15 pm ET
A new Commonwealth Fund study found that millions more young adult Americans have access to health insurance because a provision in the healthcare reform law allows them to stay on their parents’ health plans. -Read article-
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Nurses, Hospitals Win with Transition Programs
Health Leaders Media
Alexandra Wilson Pecci, for HealthLeaders Media , June 5, 2012
As the competition for jobs gets stiffer, additional education can also give newly minted RNs an edge in the job hunt by helping them make the leap from the classroom to the bedside. -Read article-
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Report: Health sector job growth ‘bright spot’ in economy
AHA News Now – June 4, 2012
Private-sector health care employment grew by 33,000 jobs in May to a record 10.8% share of total employment, according to report released Friday by the Altarum Institute Center for Sustainable Health Spending. Over the past 12 months, health care employment grew by 2.4%, twice the rate of non-health employment, with hospitals adding the largest number of jobs (92,900), the report adds. “Since the start of the recession in December 2007, the health sector has added 1.2 million jobs for a cumulative growth of 9.5%, while non-health employment has fallen by 6.2 million jobs for a cumulative decline of 5.0%,” the report states.
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Should Psychiatric Nursing Stations be Opened or Closed?
Good Therapy.org May 25, 2012
Psychiatric nurses who work at inpatient mental health facilities interact with many different types of clients. Some may be relatively subdued and withdrawn while others may be more outgoing. Facilities designed to address the needs of the severely mentally incapacitated treat individuals with extreme cognitive and behavioral problems, and constant supervision and precaution are necessary to ensure the safety of both the clinicians and the clients. Nursing stations within these facilities are designed to provide maximum accessibility and supervision while also providing safety and security to the staff members. Some stations are designed with glass barriers and locked doors and others are built with no walls or windows, allowing both the staff members and clients open access. -Read more-
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Federal agencies issue recommendation to prevent needlestick injuries
AHA News Now – May 30, 2012
The Food and Drug Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration today recommended health care professionals in surgical settings use blunt-tip needles when clinically appropriate to suture muscle and fibrous tissue to help prevent needlestick injuries. -Read more-
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Job Killer? Try Bottom Line Booster: Workplace Safety Inspections Save Money …
Scientific American (blog)
May 24, 2012
Costly safety upgrades, nitpicky government inspection and resulting fines are often blamed as being bad for business. But a new study shows that when government job-safety inspectors make a surprise visit, they actually enable companies to save money—and jobs—for years to come. -Read more-
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Why Obamacare is important for women’s health
1:25 PM Eastern – Wednesday, May 16, 2012
By DIAN PALMER, RN, NATIONAL NURSE ALLIANCE CHAIR & PRESIDENT OF SEIU HEALTHCARE WISCONSIN
This week is Women’s Health Week, and thanks to the Affordable Care Act, women will be leading longer, healthier lives because they now have access to critical services like maternity care and preventive checkups. Women’s health is critical to our economy, family and community because they are mothers, senators, sisters, CEOs, aunts, nurses, wives and friends.
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LOCAL NURSES HONORED AT SECOND ANNUAL NOTABLE NURSES AWARDS
BYLINE: States News Service
May 11, 2012 Friday
The following information was released by California State Senator Bill Emmerson:
In recognition of National Nurses Week, Senator Bill Emmerson along with Assemblyman Brian Nestande and Assemblyman Jeff Miller honored nurses throughout Riverside County for their commitment to serving others at the Second Annual Notable Nurses Awards.
Three of the Hospitals are represented by SEIU!
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Secretary Sebelius Statement in Honor of National Nurses Week 2012
May 4, 2012
During National Nurses Week, we recognize the tremendous contributions that nurses make to keeping America healthy. As passionate advocates, leaders and innovators for better health, America’s nurses have demonstrated their commitment to meeting the public’s health care needs.
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Cut Down on Infections to Reduce Readmissions
By kcheung
Created May 7 2012 – 11:29am
Cutting down on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) could reduce readmissions, according to a study [1] published in the June issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
-Read more- healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) could reduce readmissions
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May 3, 2012 Thursday
CA HOSPITALS, UNION AGREE TO COLLABORATE ON POLICY, WORKFORCE EFFORTS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON, DC
The following information was released by the American Hospital Association (AHA):
The California Hospital Association and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers – West yesterday announced an agreement to collaborate on efforts to improve health care quality and safety, lower costs, reduce chronic disease and address workforce issues.
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CEO Pay Grew 127 Times Faster Than Worker Pay Over Last 30 Years: Study
The Huffington Post | By Bonnie Kavoussi Posted: 05/ 2/2012
American CEOs saw their pay spike 15 percent last year, after a 28 percent pay rise the year before, according to a report by GMI Ratings cited by The Guardian. Meanwhile, workers saw their inflation-adjusted wages fall 2 percent in 2011, according to the Labor Department. -Read more-
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Omaha World-Herald Friday March 2, 2012
Tougher Penalities Proposed for Assaults on Nurses & other staff
About 1300 assaults of nurses, nurse aides, clerical staff and other health professionals occur every day nationally, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. That and similar stories helped push passage in the Nebraska …Read more: Tougher penalties for nurse assaults
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New York Times, Wednesday, February 29, 2012
A Civil Right to Unionize
By RICHARD D. KAHLENBERG and MOSHE Z. MARVIT
FROM the 1940s to the 1970s, organized labor helped build a middle-class democracy in the United States. …Read more: A Civi Right to Organize
