Articles related to NURSING

Medication Prescribing Error: A Medical Malpractice Case with Tragic Consequences In an evolving healthcare ecosystem, the need for rigorous medication dosing protocols based on patient-specific conditions is underlined in a recent medical malpractice case involving a nurse practitioner and an unfortunate prescription error.

Discover a holistic perspective on advanced bladder and renal cell cancers management, encompassing everything from pathogenesis to adverse event mitigation. Let’s dive into the “Advanced Bladder and Renal Cell Cancers Management” webcast, released on April 30, 2023, offering valuable 1.00 ANCC contact hour, inclusive of 0.75 pharmacology hours. Presented by expert Mary W. Dunn, MSN, RN, OCN, NP-C from the University of North Carolina, this program targets oncology nurses, nurse navigators, advanced nursing providers, and nurses from other cancer-related subspecialties. It remains available until April 30, 2024, leaving ample time to gain this crucial knowledge. Primarily, this webcast zeroes in on bladder cancer (BC), a malignancy notorious for its high mortality rate, and renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a top-10 common cancer. Unfortunately, BC’s 5% survival rate for metastatic disease cases paints a grim picture. Luckily, hope emerges in the form of novel therapeutic agents for advanced, recurrent, and metastatic BC and RCC. Next, the program navigates through the pathogenesis of these cancers. Equipped with this knowledge, healthcare providers can better understand the intricacies of disease progression. As the treatment landscape rapidly evolves, so does the complexity in selection, sequencing, and adverse event (AE) management. Thus, the webcast outlines how to […]

Disheartening statistics reveal that suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States, with nurses appearing to be at a higher risk than the general population, particularly following the relentless strain of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given that our profession can struggle with addressing institutional problems such as inadequate personal protective equipment and enforced overtime, these stressors can intensify the psychological toll. Despite several studies investigating the stress experienced by nurses, we’re often encouraged to endure these pressures stoically, even amidst a pandemic. The stigma surrounding mental health and suicide within our ranks is not addressed as it should be, which is detrimental to our wellbeing as individuals and professionals. In comparison, physician suicide does not pose a higher risk than that of nurses or the general public. However, a turning point came with the tragic suicide of Dr. Lorna Breen, an Emergency Department physician, leading to the enactment of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act in 2022. This legislation established a national program designed to prevent suicide, reduce mental health stigma, and enhance resilience among health care professionals. The Act emphasizes the importance of seeking mental health support and demystifying the stigma associated with […]

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has laid a crucial foundation in understanding medical errors. In their transformative report, they found that systems failure is frequently the culprit behind medical errors. The report highlighted that medical errors account for 98,000 deaths per year, while up to 220,000 lives could be saved annually if we address these errors. Recognizing the importance of risk management, healthcare organizations are taking strides to pinpoint, assess, and control risk and potential liability exposure. Considering the pivotal role that nurses play in risk management daily, it’s crucial that you are well informed about common patient safety risks, the reasons for medical errors, and how to reduce risk. The primary aim of this course is to deepen your understanding as a nursing professional in acute care of risk management. The course also equips you with practical risk-reduction tools to minimize your exposure to professional liability. Once you have completed this course, you should be equipped to: Be at the forefront of reducing medical errors and enhancing patient safety. By expanding your knowledge and skills in risk management, you can make a significant difference in patient outcomes and the healthcare landscape as a whole.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has just disclosed an enlightening study titled, “Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Burnout & Stress Among U.S. Nurses.” The study provides a stark look at how the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the U.S. nursing workforce, leading to stress, burnout, and a disturbing decline in their numbers. The groundbreaking research has unveiled that approximately 100,000 registered nurses (RNs) exited the workforce during the pandemic, primarily due to stress, burnout, and retirements. A staggering 610,388 RNs reported plans to leave by 2027 for similar reasons. Particularly alarming is the high proportion of younger nurses, under 40 years of age, who share these intentions. In total, about one-fifth of RNs across the nation are predicted to depart the health care workforce. Moreover, the study revealed that 62% of nurses had to shoulder a heavier workload during the pandemic. A significant portion reported feeling emotionally drained, burned out, and even at the end of their tether. These feelings were notably more pronounced among nurses with 10 or fewer years of experience, leading to an overall 3.3% drop in the U.S. nursing workforce within the last two years. Licensed practical/vocational nurses, who […]

Nursing education has its foundations in the classroom, and the relationship between the nurse educator and the nursing student is a cornerstone of this educational process. At the heart of this relationship is ‘presence’, a practice where the caregiver gives full, attentive care to the patient, understanding their needs, desires, and fears. This ‘presence’ is key to the nursing profession and must be woven into teaching and learning. Reflective practices provide a strategy for nurse educators to instill ‘presence’ in nursing students, even in large class settings. These practices present various challenges such as unfamiliarity with alternative teaching methods, time constraints, and discomfort with new teaching approaches. To overcome these, a model has been developed, relying on proven theory development steps, such as concept analysis, model development, description, and evaluation. The model’s evaluation has been performed by an expert panel and nursing participants. Using an explorative and qualitative design, the model went through a two-step evaluation and refinement process. The expert panel used critical reflection to refine the model initially. Subsequently, participants evaluated the model empirically using participatory evaluation. The data was collected through online focus group interviews with nurse educators and virtual sessions with nursing students. Open coding was […]