nurse

The distribution of healthcare workers continues to be quite uneven across the U.S., according to a new report from The Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS) at the University at Albany's School of Public Health. The report, which used data from 2004, found that New Hampshire had the highest number of nurses per capita in the U.S., at 1,283 per 100,000 residents, while California, in contrast, has only 588 nurses per 100,000. Researchers also noted that only 5 percent of the nation's …

Sure, there are nursing jobs open everywhere. But that's because the industry treats nurses so badly, not because there's not enough nurses to go around, writes one 20-year nursing veteran. Just eliminate mandatory overtime, take nurse input on patient care issues seriously and maintain a decent nurse to patient ratio, and you'll be amazed at how much easier it is to recruit and retain nursing professionals, the writer says. And the benefits of doing so go well beyond morale. After all, …

According to a study conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), despite a nursing shortage, nursing schools rejected more than 41,000 qualified applicants in last year--8,000 more than in 2004. The rejections were due to an insufficient number of teaching staff: An estimated 7.9 percent nurse teaching positions are vacant this year. This is a serious problem for the …

A new study has concluded that patients' take on a hospital is most influenced by the staff's ability to address their concerns and complaints, an area in which there is definitely room for improvement, researchers said. The study, by healthcare satisfaction measurement consultant Press Ganey, surveyed 2.2 million hospital patients nationwide. It identified several factors that have an impact on how patients feel about their hospital visit, including the staff's effort to include them in …

The personal and medical information of 28,000 Beaumont Hospital Home Care patients was compromised when a nurse left a laptop containing the data in her unlocked car. Her car was stolen but fortunately the laptop has been recovered and none of the sensitive information seems to have been viewed. But in light of last week's massive HCA data loss and a Veterans Affairs loss back in May, many …

South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, NY has invested $5 million in building 22 two-bedroom apartments to offer to nurses at below-market rates. The hospital hopes the strategy will attract scarce nurses who might otherwise be frightened off by the area's extremely high housing costs. On Long Island, the nurse vacancy rate is almost 10 percent, compared with an average of 8 percent nationwide, according to figures from HANYS. The apartments are expected to appeal especially to …

This home follow-up stuff really works! A Montana patient who's at the top of the heart transplant list because of congestive heart failure has stayed out of the hospital since January. A nurse checks in on him daily by phone, as part of a CMS demonstration project, and he answers a few standard questions by pressing the touch-tone pad on his phone. The information goes directly to her computer so she can monitor fluctuations in his condition. If she catches a change, like a few pounds of …

On Friday, 600 nurses at New Jersey's Englewood Hospital went on strike over proposed changes to their pension plans. Though the hospital and nurses have negotiated on a number of issues, one has been a major sticking point: The hospital wants the nurse's retirement in a 401(k)-type plan instead of giving them monthly pension payments. The nurses are unhappy with that plan and have refused to accept it.

The strike is only the most recent in a series of pitched battles between …

Some hospitals are taking steps to prevent errors and miscommunication during patient "hand-offs" by attempting to improve communication during shift changes. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement is pressing a "military style" communication strategy known as SBAR--which stands for Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation. SBAR promotes a structured approach to improving communication, encouraging nurses on departing shifts to share key information. Kaiser Permanente, among …

Government experts will soon be giving doctors Michelin-guide style ratings, the London Times reports. The Royal College of General Practitioners is helping to develop a plan that will see three member teams descend on doctors' offices throughout the country. Review teams will include one doctor, one nurse, an office manager and a patient representative. Some healthcare reformers have suggested implementing a similar plan in the U.S., arguing that existing quality measures are …