Midwest Nursing SmartBrief

Reading this on a mobile device? Try our optimized mobile version here: http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/dvuSCfbwocenuexNvBfl

February 28, 2012

News for and about nurses in the Midwest

Health Law, Policy and Regulation in the Midwest

Mo. adjusts spend-down calculations in Medicaid
Some Missouri Medicaid beneficiaries may pay higher out-of-pocket costs because the state is correcting an error in how it credits spend-down income. The provision allows people with incomes slightly higher than Medicaid limits to qualify by paying the state monthly or by showing that excess income was spent on medical care. St. Louis Post-Dispatch/The Associated Press (2/26)

Mich. bill would let community colleges offer bachelor's in nursing
The Michigan House has approved and the Senate is considering legislation to allow the state's community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees in several fields, including nursing. Supporters say the change would help more nursing students get affordable degrees, but critics, including Michigan's 15 public universities, argue it essentially could create 28 more public universities and strain resources. Detroit Free Press (2/27)

Nursing and Medical Science

Mo. study finds remote monitoring ineffective in diabetes
A study by a University of Missouri nurse and physician found no significant improvements in blood glucose and blood pressure levels in diabetes and hypertension patients who underwent a protocol-based remote monitoring program, compared with those who manually recorded their readings in a diary. The study also found problems with electronic health record integration and reimbursement. CardiovascularBusiness.com (2/23)

Hospital nurses find charting problem with patient room design
Cloquet Community Memorial Hospital in Minnesota will change how patient charting is done in its new rooms after nurses, who have a say in the design, found a glitch. Registered nurse Tom Gauthier, director of inpatient services, said a charting station needs to be by the bedside, not outside patient rooms, which was the original plan. Duluth News Tribune (Minn.) (2/25)

Health Care News

VA's Tele-ICU backs up bedside nurses at smaller hospitals
Tele-ICU center nurse Katie McQuillan at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis monitors 35 patients at six VA hospitals in the Midwest and elsewhere, providing updates, advice and important backup for smaller facilities. Matthew Byrne, an assistant professor of nursing at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, says bedside nurses can be threatened by a tele-ICU at first but "start to become believers" if it saves lives. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.) (2/26)

Medical tattoos act as emergency alerts, supporters say
Medical tattoos that spell out a person's medical conditions or allergies are not commonplace, but supporters say they can be helpful for first responders and health care professionals. Missouri law and the American Medical Association do not address medical tattoos, but supporters say they do not break as medical bracelets can. WNEM-TV (Saginaw, Mich.)/The Associated Press (2/27)

MONA News

Coming Together in Advanced Practice Nursing Conference
REGISTER NOW for the upcoming 22nd Annual Coming Together in Advanced Practice Nursing Conference scheduled for April 12 to 13 at the Holiday Inn Select in Columbia, Mo. Find the conference brochure here. We offer a convenient online registration method through the MONA website by clicking here, Online Registration Form. Please feel free to share this activity information with your colleagues. If you have any questions not addressed within the brochure, please contact the MONA office at (573) 636-4623. We hope that you will be able to join us in April!

Learn more about MONA ->

MONA Website | Career Center | Member Benefits | Contact Us

SmartQuote

Every time you are not practicing someone else is."

--Boris Becker,
German tennis player

Subscriber Tools

Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy

Advertise

Sales Account Director: Aaron Kern (202) 407-7866

Read more at SmartBrief.com
A powerful website for SmartBrief readers including:
Industry Home Readers' Choice Search Archive Get this RSS Feed Download a SmartBrief Mobile app today


	Recent Midwest Nursing SmartBrief Issues: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 Tuesday, February 14, 2012 Tuesday, February 07, 2012 Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Tuesday, January 24, 2012			Lead Editor: Tom Parks Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004