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February 26, 2013

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Critical Care Update

Tracheostomy collar speeds ventilator weaning, study says
A study in JAMA found using a tracheostomy collar to help patients on a ventilator transition to unassisted breathing is a faster weaning process than gradual reductions in pressure support. Researchers said using a tracheostomy collar gives a "clear view of the patient's respiratory capabilities" while ventilator assistance may impede the ability to assess patient readiness. MedWire News (U.K.) (2/26)

Wash. state bills would change infection reporting law
Bills in the Washington Legislature would amend the state's law requiring hospitals to publicly report infection rates to align it with federal infection reporting standards. However, the Consumers Union claims the changes would limit the information available to consumers. The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) (2/25)

9 Tips to Bring Order to Hospital Communications Chaos
With the amount of information today's healthcare technology generates, communications have become intricate webs of guesswork, unknown mobile devices, confusing schedules, and just too many systems going beep. In this paper you'll find nine tips to cope with this chaos and give it the order your patients and staff so desperately need. Read white paper.

Medicine in the News

100 hospitals gain recognition for excellence in care
Truven Health Analytics researchers assessed 2,922 short-term, acute-care, and nonfederal hospitals across the U.S., and came up with the 100 leading hospitals based on overall organizational performance. The 10 performance areas measured included patient safety, mortality, complications and readmissions. Seventeen of the 100 hospitals also received the Everest Award for demonstrating the greatest improvement rate over five years. Nurse.com (2/25)

Without funding, panel to address provider shortage can't convene
Despite an expected increase in demand for medical care under the Affordable Care Act, the 15-member panel created to address the problem has never met due to a lack of funding. President Barack Obama has repeatedly requested funding for the National Health Care Workforce Commission, but Congress has yet to approve it. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (2/24)

Trends and Technology

More men are joining U.S. nursing workforce
The proportion of male registered nurses more than tripled, from 2.7% in 1970 to 9.6% in 2011, according to a U.S. Census Bureau study. "A predicted shortage has led to recruiting and retraining efforts to increase the pool of nurses," sociologist and report author Liana Christin Landivar said. USA Today (2/26)

Residents' restricted work hours don't mean better quality
A survey in the New England Journal of Medicine showed 73% of residency program supervisors said medical residents whose work hours were restricted under new rules were less ready for more senior responsibilities, while 65% said the restricted schedules had harmed resident education. Just 6% of respondents indicated the changes were associated with improved patient safety and health care quality. Kaiser Health News/Capsules blog (2/22)

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Shared joys make a friend, not shared sufferings."

--Friedrich Nietzsche,
German philosopher

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