Welcome to the College of Nurses – News Update.
No. 137, Wednesday 23 January 2013
From NZ media this week
A day in Wellington Hospital's ICU
On average, 1600 people are admitted to Wellington Hospital's intensive care unit each year. While the doctors and nurses deal with patients needing life-saving care, about 90 per cent survive and are later moved to a general ward. Bronwyn Torrie discovered it's not all doom and gloom, even though life often hangs in the balance for these patients.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/8198327/A-day-in-Wellington-Hospitals-ICU
Male nurse's tales cut close to home
Drunks presenting at the emergency department, stampeding nudes, phantom pregnancies and hospital politics are described in vivid detail in a tell-all book by a former nurse at Southland Hospital, which has been published in Britain.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/8197368/Male-nurses-tales-cut-close-to-home
Smartphone skin cancer apps raise concerns
Smartphone apps designed to detect skin cancer have been shown to be unreliable and could fool people into thinking a cancerous mole is benign, says new research published today.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/8188996/Smartphone-skin-cancer-apps-raise-concerns
Son's ordeal was our fault, say parents
A boy who almost died of tetanus before Christmas is home and on the mend, but his parents are desperate for others to vaccinate their children after they did not
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10860122
Wetting beds a big issue after quakes
Bedwetting in unsettled Christchurch children is becoming a serious health issue, concerning health professionals.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/8201565/Wetting-beds-a-big-issue-after-quakes
Mentally ill clogging up emergency 111 number
Mentally ill people making nuisance calls to the emergency 111 number as well as people claiming to be suicidal cost police at least $2.7 million in 12 months.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8201580/Mentally-ill-clogging-up-emergency-111-number
Cost of slip, slop, slap prohibitive
The cost of sunscreen is not helping New Zealand's fight against skin cancer, with consumers baulking at the high price of quality brands.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/8202060/Cost-of-slip-slop-slap-prohibitive
Health board to pay up over staff wage error
A district health board is facing a bill of more than $100,000 after underpaying some staff for the past six years.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10860393
University of Otago study prompts renewed call to action on sugar
A study commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) into what is known about the effects of sugar recommends that cutting down on the sweet additive should be part of a global strategy to tackle the obesity epidemic
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1301/S00026/otago-study-prompts-renewed-call-to-action-on-sugar.htm
Public health
Kiwis warned about deadly norovirus strain
Kiwis are being urged to take health precautions to prevent infection from a deadly strain of norovirus, which is spreading across Europe and North America and has also reached New Zealand.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10859468
Deadly disease keeps its grip
An outbreak of whooping cough that struck nearly 6000 people last year - including two children who died - shows no signs of abating.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8192605/Deadly-disease-keeps-its-grip/
Hefty kids a growing trend
Young children joining weight-loss schemes but experts believe it's no solution.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10859649
Depression in Rural Communities a Concern
With a disproportionate number of suicides in the rural sector, Federated Farmers is calling for a proactive approach to solve the problem.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1301/S00028/depression-in-rural-communities-a-concern.htm
Farmers 'more vulnerable' to suicide
Farmers are opening up about depression after evidence shows they are more vulnerable to suicide than city people.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/farming/8193213/Farmers-more-vulnerable-to-suicide
Dismay at tooth decay in kids
Toddlers as young as two years old are having all their teeth removed and hospitals are struggling to keep up with dental surgery as sugary drinks take a huge toll on children's teeth.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/8199941/Dismay-at-tooth-decay-in-kids
DHB specific
Wairau Hospital surgery cut on table
The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board is reviewing what surgery should be offered at Wairau Hospital in Blenheim.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8189733/Wairau-Hospital-surgery-cut-on-table
Spending doubles in two years
The Southern District Health Board has more than doubled its spending on communications and public relations in the past two years
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/242767/spending-doubles-two-years
Gore leads nation in adopting healthcare robots
Gore will this week become the first place in New Zealand to employ Disney-like robots to help humans with their health.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10860599
International media
Nurse-led recycling initiative reduces OR waste at Hackensack
Going a step beyond placing recycling bins in waiting rooms and other common areas, Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center has reduced solid waste from ORs by 34% since instituting a nurse-led recycling program in April 2012, according to a news release.
http://news.nurse.com/article/20130114/NY02/301210006
Patients avoided doctors during recession, study confirms
More health problems caused by patients forgoing preventive care
http://www.fiercepracticemanagement.com/story/patients-avoided-doctors-during-recession-study-confirms/2013-01-15
Nurses Union Wants Brakes Slammed on Job Cuts
The government in Queensland has been introducing cuts in jobs at various hospitals. Reacting to the move, the Queensland Nurses Union has sought a meeting with the authorities concerned in the government. But, their condition is that prior to the meeting, the government should order a freeze on the lay-offs.
http://topnews.net.nz/content/225825-nurses-union-wants-brakes-slammed-job-cuts
Irish nurses boycott low-pay new grad scheme
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has called on new graduates to boycott a new grad scheme which would pay nurses only 80 percent of the agreed salary rate.
http://www.nurseuncut.com.au/irish-nurses-boycott-low-pay-new-grad-scheme/
Surgery Checklists Help OR Teams in a Crisis, Study Finds
Important steps were missed when surgical teams relied on memory alone
http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=672576
Wisconsin nursing shortage shifting to advanced-practice
Rapid growth in the number of jobs being created for physician assistants and advanced-practice nurses is triggering a new round of recruitment challenges for Wisconsin hospitals, according to a study by the Wisconsin Hospital Association.
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/efraCcjgAFCfsMuuCidmiUCicNsZpN?format=standard
Province health vacancies for doctors, nurses ‘shocking’
THE Limpopo health department can fill barely one in five of its doctors posts and just one in three of its positions for nurses, according to research released on Wednesday by the South African Institute of Race Relations.
http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/health/2013/01/17/province-health-vacancies-for-doctors-nurses-shocking
Articles of interest
The Patient Experience and Health Outcomes
Matthew P. Manary, M.S.E., William Boulding, Ph.D., Richard Staelin, Ph.D., and Seth W. Glickman, M.D., M.B.A.December 26, 2012DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1211775Do patients' reports of their health care experiences reflect the quality of care? Despite the increasing role of such measures in research and policy, there's no consensus regarding their legitimacy in quality assessment.
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1211775
Team concepts: Leveraging technology to promote development
Nursing Management
January 2013
Volume 44 Number 1
Pages 12 - 14As organizations increasingly seek Magnet(R) recognition, professional development of nurses is becoming a primary focus.1 Peer review offers an opportunity for nurses to provide feedback about their colleagues, and it teaches nurses to give and receive constructive feedback. However, peer review is often misunderstood. Leaders confuse the review with the annual performance evaluation, nurses perceive peer feedback as a negative experience, and anonymous feedback makes the review a forum to complain about colleagues without fear of repercussion.2 The American Nurses Association (ANA) has advocated for peer evaluation since 1973, and it first published peer-review guidelines in 1988.3 Within the nursing profession, no one is better suited to evaluate and provide feedback on the performance of their peers than other professional nurses.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/Static-Pages/Team-concepts-Leveraging-technology-to-promote-dev?utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=NursingCenter%20eNews&utm_campaign=NC%20eNews:%20%20January%202013,%20Issue%201
Staffing Matters—Every ShiftAJN, American Journal of Nursing
December 2012
Volume 112 Number 12
Pages 22 – 27Overview: Data from the Military Nursing Outcomes Database (MilNOD) project demonstrate that inadequately staffed shifts can increase the likelihood of adverse events, such as falls with injury, medication errors, and needlestick injuries to nurses. Such evidence can be used to show that it takes not only the right number of nursing staff on every shift to ensure safe patient care, but also the right mix of expertise and experience. Based on findings from the MilNOD project, the authors present realistic scenarios of common dilemmas hospitals face in nurse staffing, illustrating the potential hazards for patients and nurses alike.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_article.asp?tid=1472831&Journal_ID=54030&Issue_ID=1471789&utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=EBP%20Insider&utm_campaign=EBP%20Insider:%20%20December%202012
Planning, Conducting, and Interpreting Prevalence and Incidence for the Wound Practitioner
Advances in Skin & Wound Care: The Journal for Prevention and Healing
January 2013
Volume 26 Number 1
Pages 35 - 42PURPOSE: To enhance the learner's competence with knowledge of planning, conducting, and interpreting prevalence and incidence for the wound practitioner.TARGET AUDIENCE: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_article.asp?tid=1487820&Journal_ID=54015&Issue_ID=1484711&utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=Wound%20Care%20Insider&utm_campaign=WCI%20eNews:%20%20January%202013
The near miss.
Clark C. HealthLeaders Media. December 2012.
This article appears in the December 2012 issue of HealthLeaders magazine.
Reporting and analyzing every error that almost harmed a patient may be an expensive hassle. But for Paula Holbrook, RN, BHS, JD, CPHRM, associate director of risk management and clinical risk manager for the University of Kentucky Healthcare's A.B. Chandler Medical Center, it's just as valuable for preventing harm as reviewing those mistakes that did hurt patients.
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/MAG-287374/The-Near-Miss
Professional Development: Nurses on Boards
AJN, American Journal of Nursing
March 2012
Volume 112 Number 3
Pages 61 - 66Competencies required for leadership.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/Static-Pages/Professional-Development-Nurses-on-Boards?utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=NursingCenter%20eNews&utm_campaign=NC%20eNews:%20%20January%202013,%20Issue%201
Reports online
IDF Diabetes Atlas 2012
Source: International Diabetes Federation
From Update page: In 2012: More than 371 million people have diabetes.The number of people with diabetes is increasing in every country.Half of people with diabetes are undiagnosed.4.8 million people died due to diabetes.More than 471 billion USD were spent on healthcare for diabetes.The IDF Diabetes Atlas 2012 Update generates estimates using new studies that became available in the last year, and updated population estimates. New studies that were reviewed came from Saudi Arabia, Japan, Micronesia, Chile, Pakistan, Senegal, Myanmar, and other countries which add to the evidence of the growing burden of diabetes. The new estimates follow the same upward trajectory evidenced by previous editions of the Atlas, and add urgency to the need for effective prevention, treatment, and an end to silence and discrimination.
http://web.docuticker.com/go/docubase/69674
Professional development
2nd National Nursing Ethics Conference 2013
ANA is pleased to be a Gold Level Sponsor for the 2nd National Nursing Ethics Conference hosted by Ethics of Caring.
The theme of the March 21-22, 2013 conference is Cultivating Ethical Awareness: Moments of Truth. and registration is now open. The overall conference objective is to motivate and empower each participant with skills, courage and knowledge to speak confidently and be creative and steadfast while tackling ethical challenges.
http://nursingworld.org/HomepageCategory/NursingInsider/2nd-National-Nursing-Ethics-Conference-2013.html
Call for papers
Pimatisiwin Journal
Calling all Māori students, academics and health workers:
Pimatisiwin: A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health
Have you written a paper or assignment you are particularly proud of recently? Have you presented a paper at a conference or participated in a community health workshop? Would you be interested in sharing what you have learnt with an international audience? If so, Te Rau Matatini would like to support you to see your paper published in a highly respected international journal: Pimatisiwin: A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health.
This is an opportunity open to all Māori working or studying in the Māori community health sector. The parameters of "Māori community health" are broad, and we therefore invite all interested to contact the research team to discuss potential topics. Please download your personal invitation with all the key background information you need by clicking on the following link:
Call For Submissions. When you are ready, the formal submission guidelines can be downloaded from the following link:
Formal Submission Process.
The above information has been collated for the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc by Linda Stopforth, SNIPS and is provided on a weekly basis. It is current as at Wednesday 23 January 2013
If you have any feedback about content - what parts are most useful or what you would like added - please email admin@nurse.org.nz
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