Editor's Note The Joint Commission on July 15 issued “Quick Safety 50 Developing resilience to combat nurse burnout.” Research indicates that resilience does more than prevent burnout, it fosters resources to combat workplace challenges. Resilience has several components, including: The ability to adapt in the face of adversity or significant…

Read More

Editor's Note US hospitals added 11,200 jobs in June to a seasonally adjusted 5,244,900, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported July 5. That’s up 105,500 more employees than a year ago. Overall, healthcare employment has increased 402,800 in the past year. The overall unemployment rate is 3.8%.

Read More

Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration on June 21 identified the recall by Teleflex Medical (Wayne, Pennsylvania) of the Hudson RCI Sheridan and Sheridan Endotracheal Tubes as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of the risk of the Sheridan connector disconnecting from the breathing circuit.…

Read More

Editor's Note Leaders who sponsor other people in the workplace (ie, have a protégé) experience career benefits in the form of promotions or stretch assignments, the June 17 Harvard Business Review reports. A survey conducted for the book, “The Sponsor Effect: How to Be a Better Leader by Investing in…

Read More

Psychologists and social scientists developed the concept of emotional intelligence decades ago, and research since then has supported it as a key component of leadership success. “Thirty plus years’ worth of research shows that having leadership skills is not enough to be an effective leader,” says Kandi Wiens, EdD, MBA.…

Read More

The trust bestowed upon the nursing profession by the public is a privilege and requires professional accountability for continual practice enhancement. Research finds that efforts to improve the culture of the perioperative work environment consistently lead to better teamwork and communication among staff. These enhancements will positively impact the safety…

Read More

Editor's Note In this study from the Columbia University School of Nursing, New York City, researchers found that nurse understaffing is associated with increased risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Using data from 2007 to 2012 in a large urban hospital system: 15% of patient days had one shift understaffed (defined…

Read More

Editor's Note US hospitals added 4,200 jobs in February to a seasonally adjusted 5,212,700, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on March 8. That’s up 103,200 more employees than a year ago. Overall, healthcare employment has increased 361,100 in the past year. The overall unemployment rate declined by 0.2% in…

Read More

Communication breakdowns in the perioperative environment are a factor in 70% of events that adversely affect patients. Sometimes those breakdowns occur because OR staff are reluctant to voice their concerns in an environment that is hierarchical and intimidating. However, when an organization adopts patient safety first (PSF) initiatives, adverse outcomes…

Read More

Editor's Note Pierced earring holes can be a source of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) via cross-transmission of bacteria from the holes to nurses’ fingers, this study finds. For this analysis, earlobes and fingers of 200 nurses (128 with pierced ears and 72 unpierced) working at a university hospital in Japan…

Read More