Nursing work environments linked to value
Editor's Note Hospitals with better nursing work environments and above-average staffing levels were associated with better value (ie, lower mortality with similar costs), especially for higher risk patients, this study finds. The study included 25,752 elderly Medicare general surgery patients treated at 35 focal hospitals (mean nurse-to-bed ratio, 1.51) and…
RNs at Kaiser’s LA Medical Center on 7-day strike
Editor's Note RNs at Kaiser Permanente’s Los Angeles Medical Center began a 7-day strike on March 15, PR Newswire reports. The focus of the strike is on: improving staffing to protect patient care achieving economic gains to retain experienced RNs and increase recruitment of new RNs. The walkout affects 1,200…
Long work hours tied to higher risk of CVD
Editor's Note Working 46 hours per week or more increases the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), this study finds. Beginning at 46 hours, increasing work hours were progressively associated with increased risk of CVD (ie, angina, coronary disease, heart failure, heart attack, high blood pressure, or stroke). Compared to…
Nurse staffing, work environment linked to readmissions after total joints
Editor's Note Readmissions after total hip and knee replacements are associated with nurse staffing levels and poor nurse work environments, finds this study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia. The study analyzed data on more than 112,000 Medicare patients in nearly 500 hospitals. Adjusting for patient and…
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…
Managing disruptive behavior will remove bullies from the OR
Hundreds of nurse leaders filled the room for a presentation on dealing with difficult people during the annual OR Manager Conference in October 2015—a testament to the prevalence of bullies and disruptive behavior in the OR environment. “In early 2011, a Google search was run using the terms ‘nurse bullying’…
Editorial
Workplace violence reached a whole new level with the San Bernardino mass shooting earlier this month that left 14 dead just a week after three people died in a shooting at a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs. These incidents occurred for different reasons, but both cut short people’s lives…
Lower patient satisfaction associated with nurses educated abroad
Many countries, including the United States and United Kingdom, rely on nurses trained abroad during times of nursing shortages. However, little is known about how this practice affects quality of care and patient satisfaction. A new study examines whether patient satisfaction with nursing care in National Health Service hospitals in…
Active listening lowers stress, builds confidence
The use of storytelling and listening to staff stories can be a valuable tool to help OR managers understand and mitigate workplace challenges and incivility. These are the findings of a doctoral study by Patricia Littlejohn, MBA, RN, CNOR, director, neurosciences and program development, Regional Medical Center, San Jose, California.…
Professional peer review compels staff to improve performance and quality--Part 1
The most successful perioperative services leaders are those who have built excellent teams that balance individual responsibility and accountability with respect for all team members, regardless of the roles they play. To create that culture, OR leaders must model the behavior and attitudes they expect from their staffs. One way…
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