New Legislative Column in OJIN
3/31/05
The latest legislative column appearing in the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (OJIN), by guest contributor, Hong Tao, and column editor, Greer Glazer, discusses obesity from a political and policy perspective. This column considers policy changes that may decrease health-related and economic costs associated with obesity and reviews predominant opinions that influence current arguments around policy development. Read column...
ANA Receives Response Regarding Rumsfeld Letter
3/30/05
ANA has received a response to its Feb. 3, 2005, letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld supporting further investigation into possible actions of health care professionals in the abuse of detainees at U.S. detention and interrogation facilities. More...
Interested in Becoming a Head Start Reviewer?
3/29/05
Danya International, Inc. (Danya), is a health communications and technology company currently responsible for managing the Head Start Monitoring Support contract. Head Start programs are federally funded early childhood education programs that also provide health and other social services for children and families enrolled in the program. Head Start programs around the country are required to be reviewed every 3 years to ensure that they are following the national Head Start Standards.
To qualify as a reviewer, consultants must go through an application and screening process. The monitoring review teams are configured to closely match the rich cultural and ethnic backgrounds represented in communities served by Head Start across the Nation. Therefore, a special emphasis is placed on recruiting reviewers who can bring their familiarity with minority cultures and ethnicities to the review process. Although previous Head Start experience is preferred, it is not required to become a reviewer. In addition, if you have experience monitoring other federally funded programs you are encouraged to apply. Reviewers receive an honorarium and expense reimbursement.
If you are interested in becoming a Head Start reviewer, go to www.headstartreviews.com, for further information on the required qualifications for Head Start reviewers.
ANA Opposes Mandatory Reporting of Minors' Sexual Activity
3/28/05
ANA, along with the Kansas State Nurses Association and numerous other associations of physicians, psychiatrists and pediatricians, has filed a "friend of the court" brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, to help reverse an earlier decision by a Kansas district court that health care professionals must report to state officials when they learn that patients or clients under the age of 16 have engaged in any sexual activity-even if it is consensual and not abusive nor injurious.
The brief outlines ANA's concerns that the mandatory reporting decision, if allowed to stand, will undermine the understanding of confidentiality between a health care provider and adolescent patients. Studies of adolescents demonstrate that those who mistrust their health care provider's confidentiality are less likely to discuss substance abuse, mental health issues and sexual behaviors. And without full information from a patient, a health care provider may not be able to make an accurate diagnosis or deliver appropriate care.
Furthermore, adolescents are likely to postpone seeking treatment if they suspect their relationships with their health care providers are not confidential. Such delays could contribute to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or low birth weights and other health problems in infants born to teen mothers.
One particularly disturbing statistic: according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2002, 59 percent of single, sexually active young women under the age of 18 who were using the services of family planning clinics said they would either stop using all heath services, stop using specific health services or delay testing or treatment for HIV or other STDs if their parents knew they were seeking contraceptives. Further, only 1% of these young women said they would stop having sexual intercourse after ceasing to seek these services from clinics with parental notification policies.
The Attorney General of the State of Kansas has interpreted the current statute to mean that "injury as a result of sexual abuse should be inferred as a matter of law whenever sexual intercourse, whether voluntary, as occurred," but in its brief ANA expressed the concern that such an interpretation removes all professional discretion from health care providers.
Caring and Cultural Diversity Headline Holistic Nurses Conference
3/25/05
The American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) will celebrate a quarter of a century of holistic nursing community at its 25th annual conference, "Holism and Diversity: A Paradigm of Caring" - June 16-19, 2005 at the Hilton Valley Forge, King of Prussia, PA.
Caring and diversity have become increasingly important in healthcare and nurses are playing a critical role in this arena. Nurses, students and others from all healthcare, educational, entrepreneurial and administrative settings are encouraged to attend the conference. Participants can register for individual pre-conference workshops, a one-day session or the entire conference. Walk-in registrations are welcome. Workshop descriptions, schedules and registration are available at www.ahna.org/events/2005.html.
American Nurses Association Statement on the Terri Schiavo Case
3/24/05
The Terri Schiavo case raises complex and emotional issues about the end of life. The American Nurses Association (ANA) recognizes the difficulty of the situation, however, ANA has consistently upheld the right of patients, or if the patient is incapacitated, the right of the designated surrogate, to decide whether to submit to or continue medical treatment. More...
Blakeney Receives U.S. Public Health Service Award
3/23/05
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ANA President Barbara Blakeney was presented with the U.S. Public Health Service Chief Nurse Officer Award by Rear Admiral Officer Mary Pat Couig on March 9, 2005.
The award was presented in recognition of her outstanding contributions to nursing. |
Rubella No Longer Major Public Health Threat in the United States
3/23/05
Once a major source of childhood illness and birth defects, the rubella virus has been eradicated in the U.S. due to effective immunization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. Reported cases of rubella have fallen steadily since the development of a rubella vaccine in 1969. Today, more than 95% of the nation's children are vaccinated against the virus, also known as German measles, by the time they enter school.
Despite the elimination of rubella in the U.S., the CDC said continued vaccination is critical since the disease is still active in other countries and can be brought in by travelers. The CDC recommends that the rubella vaccine be given to children as part of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, the first dose of which is to be given to children between 12 and 15 months; a second dose is usually given to children before they enter kindergarten or first grade. Read press release at www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r050321.htm.
ANA RN No Harm Training
3/22/05
The American Nurses Association and American Nurses Foundation invites you to the upcoming RN No Harm Train the Trainer program 'Environmental Health, Contaminated Air, Food and Water: Nursing Practice Issues' coming to Ann Arbor from April 15- April 17th at the Vitosha Guest Haus in Ann Arbor. Learn about environmental health and how it relates to the nursing profession, especially for nurses in the area.
Through a Beldon Fund grant, ANA will be providing a train the trainer program to build the capacity of nurses with environmental health competencies as well as nursing involvement in advocacy. Dr. Linda Strodtman from the University of Michigan School of Nursing will be providing a lecture 'Nursing Advocacy: Precedents in Nursing'. Dr. Barbara Sattler from the University of Maryland, School of Nursing and Susan Wilburn with the ANA, ICN and WHO will be presenting parts of the program as well as Charlotte Brody, co-founder and co-director of Health Care Without Harm and director of Commonweal.
Please contact Rebecca Clouse at rclouse@ana.org or Marjorie Buchanan at mbuchana@ana.org for an application and agenda.
As there are limited spaces, please reply to the application as soon as possible if you are interested. Once accepted, there is no charge for the seminar. Breakfast and lunch will be included.
Inhalant Use is Associated with Other Substance Use and Delinquency
3/21/05
A new report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) finds inhalant use by 12- and 13-year-olds to be a marker for future drug use and delinquent behavior.
The report, Inhalant Use and Delinquent Behaviors among Young Adolescents, citing 2002 and 2003 data, shows youths ages 12 or 13 who used inhalants were six times as likely to have stolen or tried to steal items worth more than $50. The data also show that 35 percent of persons ages 18-49 who initiated inhalant use at age 13 or younger were classified with dependence on or abuse of alcohol or an illicit drug in the past year. This contrasts with 10.1 percent of persons who had never used inhalants.
SAMHSA's data is available at www.oas.samhsa.gov.
ANA Applauds Introduction of Nurse Staffing Bill in U.S. House Of Representatives
3/18/05
ANA commends the introduction of federal bipartisan legislation that will ensure adequate registered nurse (RN) staffing in health care facilities, a step that will protect nurses and patients from possible harmful ramifications caused by unsafe staffing practices while also helping to stem a growing nationwide nursing shortage. The bill, the Quality Nursing Care Act of 2005 (H.R. 1372), was introduced March 17 in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Lois Capps (D-CA) and Robert Simmons (R-CT). More...
Medicaid Victory in Senate
3/18/05
On March 17, the Senate approved (52-49) a bipartisan amendment to protect the Medicaid Program from severe cuts.
ANA strongly opposed the cuts and supported the amendment, sponsored by Sens. Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), which removed $15 billion in Medicaid cuts from the FY 2006 Budget Resolution and calls for the formation of a Bipartisan Medicaid Commission to study reforms to the program.
Medicaid covers one out of 3 births; 70 percent of all nursing home residents; 8 million disabled people; and a total of more than 50 million Americans. The proposed cuts would have been a devastating blow to our nation's safety net.
More information is available at www.anapoliticalpower.org.
Free Downloadable Alcohol Screening Kit Available for Health Care Providers
3/18/05
Clinicians are urged to participate in the 7th annual National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD), a program that offers health care providers the chance to educate patients about alcohol's impact on health and to screen their patients for alcohol problems. Held nationally on April 7, 2005, the theme of the NASD program is "Alcohol and Health: Where Do You Draw the Line?". Interested providers may download an NASD kit, which includes the one-page NASD screening form, a validated screening tool that addresses the full range of alcohol use disorders, from at-risk drinking to dependence.
The NASD 2004 primary care downloadable kit includes the updated NIAAA/NIH guide, Helping Patients with Alcohol Problems: A Health Practitioner's Guide; suggestions for implementation, a poster for the office, and materials to educate patients about the effects of alcohol on overall health, a message relevant to anyone who drinks.
To access this free downloadable program, go to www.NationalAlcoholScreeningDay.org/careprov/primary_alc.htm.
Nurse-Physician Communication: Enhancement Strategies
3/17/05
How information is communicated among physicians and other members of the healthcare team is as important as what is communicated. Research has shown that where communication is poor-particularly between the RN and the physician-everyone is affected, from patients to families to other staff. Healthcare errors, readmissions, and even death, can result from poor communication. This 60-minute program highlights research on the relationship between communication and safety and quality of care; components of effective communication; and basic tenets incorporated in the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Team Training (GITT) -- a program designed to improve the care of elders by enhancing the interdisciplinary training of health professions students and professionals.
Go to www.NursingCenter.com/AJNolderadults to access the webcast anytime beginning 3/21/05.
ANA Participates in CDC Research Agenda Development Public Participation Meeting
3/16/05
On March 8, 2005, the ANA participated in a public participation meeting organized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Crystal City, VA. The purpose of the meeting was to obtain stakeholder input as CDC develops its first-ever agency-wide research agenda. The research agenda is intended to be the primary vehicle for helping CDC achieve its Health Protection Goals, respond to new threats or emergencies, address public health priorities, and promote innovation. Following four regional public participation meetings throughout the U.S., a draft research agenda will be published in the Federal Register for public comment. Release of a final research agenda is scheduled for late summer 2005. Among the priority public health issues advocated for by ANA were research on occupational injury and illness, environmental health, public health workforce, and health disparities. Information on the CDC-wide research agenda can be found at www.cdc.gov/od/ophr/cdcra.htm. For more information, contact Butch de Castro at Bdecastro@ana.org.
ANA Mourns Nurse Leaders
3/15/05
The nursing community recently lost two prominent members in the deaths of Edith "Pat" Lewis, who died Feb. 25, and Nell J. Watts, RN, MSN, FAAN, who died Feb. 28. Lewis, trained as a psychiatric nurse, was a former editor of the American Journal of Nursing, Nursing Research and Nursing Outlook. A member of ANA for over 65 years, she was elected to the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) in 1977 and served as chair of its public relations committee and co-developer of its first book on Magnet hospitals. She was active throughout her career and well into her retirement in her community and in the Connecticut Nurses Association. Among the honors awarded her were the Distinguished Alumna Award from Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University; honorary life membership in the Teachers College Nursing Educational Alumni Association; the NLN Centennial Award; and the Diamond Jubilee Award from the Connecticut Nurses Association for "distinguished service to the nursing profession."
Also an AAN fellow, Nell J. Watts was executive officer of Sigma Theta Tau International, the honor society for nursing. Under her direction, Sigma Theta Tau increased six-fold and opened its first chapters outside North America. An inspired fundraiser for nursing scholarships, Watts also spearheaded important initiatives within the society, such as its first scholarly journal, an online library and the International Center for Nursing Scholarship. She received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, including Indiana Nurse of the Year; the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Indiana University School of Nursing, where she also received an honorary doctorate; and the Maes-MacInnes Award from New York University for her contributions and impact on the nursing profession. In 1993, Indianapolis celebrated "Nell J. Watts Day."
Safe Patient Handling and Movement Conference
3/15/05
This year's conference, co-provided by the ANA, Tampa Veterans Hospital Patient Safety Center of Inquiry, and the University of South Florida, was held in St. Pete Beach, Florida. Participants were provided with sessions focusing on lessons learned, best practices, and cutting-edge research findings related to safe patient handling and movement.
In addition to plenary sessions, concurrent focus sessions included presentations on technology, facility-based education strategies, organizational strategies, cost/benefits related to no-lift programs, and partnerships between hospitals and nursing schools. Further, the conference closed with a panel of national and international nursing leaders - ANA President Barbara Blakeney, ICN President Christine Hancock, NLN President-Elect Dr. Antoinette Bargagliotti, AACN President Dr. Jean Bartels, AONE President Marilyn Bowcutt, VA Chief Nursing Officer Cathy Rick, and Dr. Marilyn Fingerhut of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Office of the Director. All provided their organizational perspective and pledge towards work to establish a national "no manual lift" policy in the U.S. Also, a post-conference session, attended by nursing faculty from 26 schools of nursing across the U.S., was held to initiate a pilot project to implement a safe patient handling curriulum module into fundamental nursing education. For more information, contact Butch de Castro at Bdecastro@ana.org.
Nurses: Many Roles, One Profession
National Nurses Week 2005 Highlights Contributions and Future of the Profession
3/14/05
The American Nurses Association (ANA) has announced the theme of National Nurses Week 2005, "Nurses: Many Roles One Profession." National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. More...
ANA Defends CRNA Autonomy
3/11/05
The Supreme Court of New Jersey has granted a petition by the New Jersey Association of Nurse Anesthetists (NJANA) to stay an appellate decision limiting the authority of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). The Court has agreed to hear arguments in the case. ANA has supported NJANA throughout its endeavors to have the decision overturned and will continue to work with the group to protect the practice of CRNAs.
The decision stems from regulations set by the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners (BME) that require all CRNAs administering anesthesia in an office setting to be directly supervised by an anesthesiologist or an anesthesia-qualified physician.
BMEs in many states have fought to obtain regulatory authority over CRNA practice, but their attempts have been rejected by state courts, concluding that such rules were unsupported by evidence or by consumer need.
In an amicus brief filed with the court, ANA argues that the decision "raises important and unresolved questions of public importance regarding the BME's authority in New Jersey to use delegated rulemaking authority to undermine the practice of nursing that is regulated by the BN [Board of Nursing]." ANA also is concerned about the BME's failure to consider available empirical data on the safety and efficacy of CRNA practice in the state.
The brief cites data from the National Practitioner Data Bank and the Health Integrity Protection Data Bank that demonstrate that over the past 13 years, nurse anesthetists were named in only 14 adverse incidents in New Jersey. The cases in question account for less than .01 percent of all CRNA cases reported in the United States and are substantially lower than those reported for New Jersey physicians and anesthesiologists.
Take Action: Medicaid in Jeopardy
Updated 3/17/05: Medicaid Victory in Senate
On March 17, the Senate approved (52-49) a bipartisan amendment to protect the Medicaid Program from severe cuts.
ANA strongly opposed the cuts and supported the amendment, sponsored by Sens. Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), which removed $15 billion in Medicaid cuts from the FY 2006 Budget Resolution and calls for the formation of a Bipartisan Medicaid Commission to study reforms to the program.
Medicaid covers one out of 3 births; 70 percent of all nursing home residents; 8 million disabled people; and a total of more than 50 million Americans. The proposed cuts would have been a devastating blow to our nation's safety net.
More information is available at www.anapoliticalpower.org.
Environmental Health Policy Primer is Available from CHE
3/10/05
The Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) is a nonpartisan partnership of individuals and organizations concerned with the role of the environment in human and ecosystem health. CHE seeks to raise the level of scientific and public dialogue about the role of environmental contaminants and other environmental factors in many of the common diseases, disorders and conditions of our time.
The new CHE primer "Our Health and the Health of the Environment: How Are They Connected? What Can We Do To Improve Both?" is available for free. Through the examples of asthma, learning disabilities and breast cancer, the primer explains what we are learning about the links between chronic illness, toxic chemicals and other environmental contaminants. The primer also gives examples of legislative and corporate policies aimed at improving our health and the health of the environment.
The primer may be downloaded from the CHE website at: www.cheforhealth.org/resources/partnerpolicy/cheprimer.html.
Reports Examine Flu Activity, Health Care Worker Vaccination Strategies
3/09/05
Making flu vaccination convenient and available at no cost can markedly increase the proportion of health care workers who receive the vaccine, based on studies in California and Minnesota reported by the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). According to the latest MMWR update, flu cases have been confirmed in all 50 states with widespread activity reported in 33 states the week ending February 19, 2005. U.S. flu activity typically peaks between December and March, and may climb yet this season, CDC said. To date, nine pediatric deaths have been associated with the flu this season, compared with 153 in the previous flu season. However, that number is expected to increase, as numerous flu outbreaks have been reported among school children and in long-term-care facilities, CDC said.
Read the report at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview
/mmwrhtml/mm5408a2.htm
Cutting-Edge Portfolio Credentialing Described in New ANA/ISONG Book
3/09/05
ANA has just released "Genetics Nursing Portfolios: A New Model for Credentialing," co-published with the International Society of Nurses in Genetics. This book describes the first time portfolios have been used instead of exams to credential nurses in a specialty. It contains extensive references, a glossary, a cross-referencing guide, case studies from sample portfolios, and a sample application and evaluator instructions.
Says Mary Smolenski, EdD, APRN, BC, FNP, FAANP, Director, Certification Services, American Nurses Credentialing Center, "This book pulls together for the first time everything you want to know about portfolios, including groundwork for establishing the credibility, reliability, and psychometric soundness of portfolios to measure competence. It shows educators, employers, and the public how to use portfolios to support evidence of continued competence."
Editor Rita Monsen, DSN, MPH, RN, FAAN, notes, "This book shows how to assemble a portfolio as a way for the nurse to keep a record of growth in professional expertise, continuing education, and clinical practice. The book also provides faculty, deans, and administrators with clinical pathways on managing the demonstration of competencies, expertise, and judgment skills. In addition, it compares traditional performance evaluation, such as exams, with portfolio descriptions of practice expertise."
"Today and in the past 15 years, nursing has trended toward specialization. With this trend, fewer numbers of highly specialized nurses seek recognition for their expertise. Developing an exam for every specialty can become cost and time prohibitive. This book provides a model for nursing and other professions that may require performance-based evaluations. Readers of all professions can benefit from understanding the preparation of the portfolio, its evaluation, and the outcome of performance quality described in this book."
To order, go to www.nursesbooks.org or call 1-800-637-0323. For educator review copies, go to fbennett@ana.org.
Free Child Development Kit from CDC for Health Care Workers
3/09/05
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with its national partners, will launch the "Learn the Signs. Act Early." campaign to help parents identify the important developmental milestones for young children. "Learn the Signs. Act Early." is designed to help parents recognize how young children should develop and the early warning signs of developmental disorders, including autism, mental retardation, and cerebral palsy.
CDC's campaign has been able to reach health care professionals by distributing information kits at more than a dozen national conferences. The resource kit, available in English and Spanish, contains a number of materials designed for providers to share with parents, including:
- Fact sheets on developmental milestones, screening, developmental disorders, and resources.
- Informational cards with milestones by age and a series of questions for the child's key health care professional.
- An 11" by 17" "Learn the Signs. Act Early." poster designed for an examination room.
Health care professional resource kits are available at:
www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/downloads_hcp.html or by calling 1-800-CDC-INFO.
ICN Releases First Series of Issue Papers on the Global Shortage of Registered Nurses
3/08/05
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has published the first series of commissioned Issue Papers, providing a unique, substantive and international analysis addressing the global shortage of registered nurses (RN). The first papers to be released are: International migration of nurses: trends and policy implications and Nurse retention and recruitment: developing a motivated workforce - two of the most important concerns in tackling the nursing shortage worldwide. The papers are available on the ICN Global Nursing Workforce Project Web site at www.icn.ch/global/#3.
Want to Learn More About Food-Safety?
Attend the Train-the-Trainer Workshop
3/07/05
The Food-Safe Schools Project of the American Nurses Foundation is seeking school nurse leaders to attend a Train-the-Trainer workshop in Atlanta, GA on April 30- May 1, 2005. This workshop is designed to prepare nurse leaders for replication at the state or local level of an educational program entitled "School Nurses Responding to the Challenges of Foodborne Illnesses." The deadline for applications to attend is March 12, 2005. Get the details...
National Nurses Week -"Celebrate Nursing" Awareness Bracelets
3/07/05
The PA State Nurses Association has announced that it would participate in a national promotion to build awareness for the nursing profession through the use of the very popular awareness bracelets during National Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2005.
Various nursing associations will be offering "Celebrate Nursing" awareness bracelets in an effort to educate the public on the important role registered nurses play in delivering quality healthcare. Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Nebraska, Montana, Colorado and Iowa are among the first state nursing associations kicking off the national campaign.
Bracelets are expected to sell for $1.00 each and may be purchased online at www.panurses.org. All profits from the sale of "Celebrate Nursing" bracelets go to support each state's nursing association's efforts in advocating the profession at the local level.
Institute of Medicine Gustav O. Leinhard Award
3/04/05
"The Institute of Medicine is accepting nominations for the twentieth annual Gustav O. Leinhard Award. The award, a medal and $25,000, recognizes individuals for outstanding achievement in improving health care services in the US. Support for the award is provided by an endowment established by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Nominations must be post marked by April 30, 2005. Individuals nominated in the past may be resubmitted. Once all nominations have been received, the IOM Lienhard Award Committee will consider and make recommendations to the Institute of Medicine's Governing Council for the recipient award. The Lienhard Award will be presented at the IOM Annual Meeting on October 24, 2005. For more information, go to www.iom.edu/subpage.asp?id=5017.
NIH Grant: Researchers to Study Osteoporosis Prevention in Men
3/03/05
The National Institute of Aging, an arm of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has awarded researchers in Kent State's College of Nursing a $778,000 grant to study the effects of osteoporosis prevention techniques on men.
Osteoporosis, which causes bone loss and often results in fractures, pain and disability, affects more than 44 million U.S. men and women aged 50 and older. In 2002, men with osteoporosis and low bone mass totaled more than 14 million. This figure is expected to increase to more than 17 million in 2010 and in excess of 20 million in 2020, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Dr. Peggy Doheny, professor of nursing and an associated editor of The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (OJIN); Dr. Carol Sedlak, associate professor of nursing; and Dr. Patricia Estok, professor emeritus of nursing, will evaluate the effect of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) screening on osteoporosis preventing behaviors, such as exercise and nutrition, among men ages 50 and older.
Are You an ANF Scholar?
3/03/05
The American Nurses Foundation wants to know what former recipients of ANF Nursing Research Grants are doing today. ANF scholars are asked to take a few moments to fill out a brief survey which will enable ANF to update its records.
Go to the survey...
HHS Responds to 'Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day' Campaign Name Change Suggestion
3/02/05
The United States Department of Health & Human Services is open to considering a name change to the annual "Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day" campaign held on the third Tuesday of each September, according to a letter received by ANA Jan. 28.
In the letter, written by Garth N. Graham, acting deputy assistant secretary for Minority Health, to ANA President Barbara Blakeney, Graham noted, "Exploring a new name for our campaign might well be a valuable change that health care providers and our public and private partners can embrace for the good of the communities we serve." Graham further indicated that he has asked campaign working groups "to work diligently in exploring new names" for the 2005 campaign - "one that we can all be proud of for the betterment of the populations we serve."
Blakeney had joined the Center for Nursing Advocacy, a group dedicated to protecting the image of nurses and nursing, in writing to former HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson asking for a formal name change to the campaign.
Nutrition in Older Adults: Intervention and Assessment Can Help Curb the Growing Threat of Malnutrition
3/01/05
Most healthcare providers have heard of the MMSE (Mini Mental State Exam) but how many know of the MNA (Mini Nutritional Assessment), a three minute test that can assess your patient's nutritional status and risk for malnutrition (with a follow-up for more comprehensive assessment if indicated)?
It is estimated that 20 to 60 percent of older adults in home care, and 40 to 60 percent of hospitalized older adults, are malnourished or at risk for this problem. In long term care, the estimate is even higher: 40 to 85 percent. Where malnutrition exists, the risk for protracted recovery, complications, and increased cost of care are also present. Readers will find comprehensive information on the risk factors for poor nutrition, as well as steps to assess for the problem and a range of interventions to improve nutritional status. To read this and prior articles on the care of older adults go to: www.NursingCenter.com/AJNolderadults
CDC Issues Guidance on Public Reporting of Health Care-Associated Infections
3/01/05
A federal advisory panel has issued guidance for policymakers and others creating public reporting systems for health care-associated infections, noting insufficient evidence exists to recommend mandatory reporting. The guidance from the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends such systems use established public health surveillance methods, appropriate measures and infection control experts in their design; phase in the measures gradually; and provide regular, confidential feedback to health care providers so that they can improve their performance. Read press release at www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r050228.htm
Press Releases
