Lower patient-to-nurse ratios tied to better patient survival
Editor's Note This study from the UK found that a patient-to-nurse ratio of no more than six patients per nurse on medical wards was associated with 20% lower patient mortality than when each nurse was responsible for at least 10 patients. Results also showed a 17% reduction in mortality with…
FDA: Cook recalls Central Venous Catheters and Pressure Monitoring Sets and Trays
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on February 11 announced that Cook Medical (Bloomington, Indiana) initiated a recall of 360 specific lots of Single Lumen Central Venous Catheters and Pressure Monitoring Sets and Trays because of the potential for catheter tip fracture or separation. The products were distributed…
EHR associated with fewer in-hospital adverse events
Editor's Note Pneumonia, cardiovascular, and surgery patients whose treatments were entered into a fully electronic health record (EHR) were between 17% and 30% less likely to experience in-hospital adverse events, this study finds. Among the findings: Pneumonia patients had 35% lower odds of adverse drug events, 34% lower odds of…
Robotically assisted hysterectomy patients more likely to need follow-up care
Editor's Note Women who had robotically assisted hysterectomies were 24% to 32% more likely to return to the hospital for follow-up care, including readmission, emergency department care, or an outpatient department procedure, finds this study. Common reasons for follow-up care included: surgical complications hospital-acquired infections postoperative pain pulmonary embolisms digestive…
Joint Commission: Surgical errors top 2015 sentinel events
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on February 9 posted sentinel event-related data reported from accredited organizations. The top five types of sentinel events reported in 2015 were: Unintended retention of a foreign body (116 events) Wrong-patient, wrong-site, wrong-procedure (111 events) Falls (95 events) Suicide (95 events) Op/postop complication (76 events).…
Johns Hopkins approved for first HIV-positive organ transplants
Editor's Note Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, is the first and only center in the US to be approved by the United Network for Organ Sharing to perform HIV-positive to HIV-positive organ transplants. The hospital will be the first in the nation to do an HIV-positive to HIV-positive kidney transplant and…
PSH initiative demonstrates measurable impact on quality, costs
Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists and Premiere on February 9 announced results from the first phase of the Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) learning collaborative. The collaborative included 44 healthcare organizations that piloted and evaluated the PSH model from July 2014 through November 2015. Many members of the collaborative…
Healthcare adds 37,000 jobs in January
Editor's Note The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported February 5 that healthcare businesses added about 37,000 jobs in January, nearly a fourth of the overall 151,000 jobs added. The highest gains came from hospitals, which added 23,700 jobs, followed by ambulatory centers, which added 10,700 jobs. Healthcare has added 470,000…
Emotional intelligence correlates with transformational leadership in nurse managers
Editor's Note In this study, emotional leadership in nurse managers was significantly, positively correlated with transformational leadership and outcome measures of extra-effort, effectiveness, and satisfaction. In addition, emotional leadership was significantly, negatively correlated with laissez-faire leadership. A positive relationship also was found between transformational leadership and nurse managers with advanced…
Patient cost-sharing, insurance plans linked to postop readmissions
Editor's Note Increased patient cost-sharing among privately insured, nonelderly patients was associated with lower odds of readmission after abdominal surgery in this study. A $1,284 increase in patient out-of-pocket payments during admission for surgery was associated with a 19% decrease in the odds of 7-day readmission and a 17% decrease…
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