| News for the nursing profession
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The news reported in ANA SmartBrief does not necessarily reflect the official opinion of ANA. Some links in ANA SmartBrief are time-sensitive, and may move or expire over time.
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- RN staffing levels can affect readmissions, study finds
Hospitals using more non-overtime registered nurses reduced the risk of patient readmissions because the RNs had more time to teach patients how to manage their health conditions after discharge, according to a study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The report in the journal Health Services Research also found hospitals that had higher levels of RN overtime had poorer discharge outcomes and more ED visits in the 30 days after discharge. Center for Advancing Health/Health Behavior News Service
(4/26)      
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- Following heart attack guidelines improves care, study finds
A Swedish study in the Journal of the American Medical Association of more than 61,000 patients found improvements in rates of statin prescriptions, post-heart attack angioplasty and heart attack deaths from 1996 to 2007 -- the period during which new guidelines for heart attack treatment were introduced. However, the lead researcher said there were disparities in the adoption of the guidelines among hospitals, which another expert said reflects the situation in the U.S. Reuters
(4/26)
- 25% of caregivers are depressed, survey says
Twenty-five percent of people who provide care for ill or elderly loved ones reported experiencing depression, according to a 400-respondent survey commissioned by Caring.com. Researchers learned that 77% of caregivers were worried about the financial effect of their duties and one-third spent more than 30 hours per week in their caregiving role. Reuters
(4/26)
- Limited mobility may raise risk for cognitive problems
A study with a five-year follow-up found that seniors whose "life space" was confined to their homes were almost twice as likely as those who traveled to suffer Alzheimer's disease, while those who were limited to their driveway or front yard had an increased risk of mild cognitive disorder. Researchers, whose study appears in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, said the findings do not show causation but raise questions about the impact of isolation. U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News
(4/26)
| Trends & Technologies | | |
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- Hospitals launch "quiet campaigns" to reduce noise
Noise is a problem for patients trying to heal and staff trying to pay attention to monitor alerts, so hospitals are coming up with ways to quiet things down, including eliminating intercom paging, redesigning nurse stations, installing flooring and wall covers that absorb noise and dimming lights at night as a reminder to tone down the volume. The Healthcare Acoustics Research Team also is studying changes to reduce decibel levels in hospitals. Chicago Tribune
(4/24)
- Simple interventions reduce sepsis deaths 40%
Nine San Francisco area hospitals saw death rates from sepsis drop 40% on average by educating clinicians on recognizing the problem, increasing screening for infections and treating patients with antibiotics sooner. The two-year University of California, San Francisco, program was low-tech and based on common sense but gave hospitals leeway to tailor interventions to their staff and patient needs. San Francisco Chronicle
(4/21)
- Hospitals go high-tech to remind staff to wash hands
Hospitals are getting more high-tech in monitoring whether staff are washing hands to reduce infections, moving away from the standard "secret shopper" method of patrolling units. The HyGreen system detects alcohol from gels and soaps and buzzes staff through badges to remind them to wash their hands, while nGage uses switches on gel dispensers to track usage and RFID sensors in badges to detect when people are near a sink. American Medical News (subscription required)
(4/25)
| Work-Life Balance | | |
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- Patient navigators gain popularity
 More health plans and physicians are hiring patient navigators or care managers, who are likely to be registered nurses, to help patients comply with medical regimens, manage chronic diseases and stay healthy in an effort to reduce hospital readmissions. Providers faced with reimbursement cuts due to readmissions are rethinking their ideas about disease management, experts say, but there isn't a lot of data yet on which patient navigator programs are cost-effective. HealthLeaders Media
(4/26)
| From the Patient's View | | |
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- Low health literacy is tied to more hospitalizations, deaths
Researchers followed about 1,500 heart failure patients for 1.2 years and found that almost 18% of those with low health literacy died, compared with 6% of those with adequate health literacy. The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association also found that about 31% of patients with low health literacy were hospitalized, compared with about 23% of those whose literacy was adequate. HealthDay News
(4/26)
- Study: More minorities would deplete resources to live longer
Eighty percent of blacks said they would spend all their resources to prolong life, compared with 72% of Asians, 69% of Hispanics and 54% of whites, according to a study of 4,214 patients with lung or colon cancer. The study in the journal Cancer also found that younger patients and those with more social support or fewer dependents were among the groups that would use more of their resources to live longer. Orlando Sentinel (Fla.)
(4/26)
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
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Interested in learning more about advertising in ANA SmartBrief? Contact Aaron Kern at (202) 407-7813 or akern@smartbrief.com.
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| Legislative Policy & Regulatory News | | |
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- Seniors lack knowledge of Medicare's free preventive benefits
The health care law gives Medicare beneficiaries access to more than a dozen tests and preventive services free of charge, but many seniors -- and even some providers -- aren't aware of the benefits. The AMA created a guide for its members, and some practices are using office checklists and contacting patients who haven't come in for covered items, such as an annual wellness exam. The Washington Post
(4/25)
| ANA News | | |
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Visit the new ANA online continuing education website
The ANA has launched its new online continuing education website, ANANurseCE.org. It's the resource to help you satisfy your professional learning requirements. The new format provides for a more flexible and trackable learning experience. ANANurseCE.org offers the widest range of topics available -- many that you won't get from any other online source. You can trust the ANA to develop and offer only the highest quality content for your learning needs. Now you can enjoy an improved experience as you search for and take courses on a wide variety of topics. Access ANANurseCE.org now.
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ANA Immunity Award -- Recognizing immunization leadership
Know a registered nurse who demonstrates a strong commitment to increasing immunization levels through education and advocacy? Nominate her or him for the "ANA Immunity Award" as part of the American Nurses Association's Bringing Immunity to Every Community project. Winners are announced the 10th of every month -- visit www.anaimmunize.org/immunityaward to learn more and fill out a nomination!
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 | Economic systems are not value-free columns of numbers based on rules of reason, but ways of expressing what varying societies believe is important."
--Gloria Steinem,
American journalist and women's rights advocate
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