Nursing News and Research

Latest Nursing News and Research

Hartford credits NICHE with hospital's success in improving older patients' care

"On the Front Line of Change" was the theme of the 14th annual conference of NICHE, held last month in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference brought together hundreds of nurses, nursing administrators, educators and other healthcare professionals from across the US and Canada, whose shared passion and purpose is to improve the quality of care for hospitalized older adults.

2 May 2011

Penn State launches unique oral hygiene approach for dementia patients

Nurses who care for patients with dementia now have a tailored approach to dental hygiene for their charges, thanks to a pilot study by a team of nurses.

2 May 2011

Abnormal connections created by central nervous system linked to persistence of chronic pain

Chronic pain is an epidemic. One in four Americans suffers from chronic pain due to disease—including cancer and HIV—and the medications used to treat those diseases. One reason for the persistence of chronic pain may be that the patient's central nervous system creates abnormal connections or improves connections that shouldn't be strengthened, explains Susan G. Dorsey, PhD, RN, co-director of the School of Nursing's Center of Excellence in Disorders of Neuroregulatory Function.

30 Apr 2011

State news highlights: Texas Senate approves Medicaid savings bill

The Senate unanimously approved Sen. Jane Nelson's bill to find extensive cost savings in Texas' Medicaid program, the primary health care provider for children, the disabled and the very poor. ... The measure expands Medicaid managed care into South Texas, where it has long been carved out — expected to save the state $290 million over the biennium.

30 Apr 2011

Most nurses are chronically sleep deprived

Sleep has become a hot button topic in health care, at least when it comes to physicians. The fact that doctors-in-training don't get enough of it has resulted in regulations governing duty hours in resident training programs across the nation. In 2002, the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) reduced the number of hours that resident physicians can work to 80 hours per week.

30 Apr 2011

Michael Dell shows how information technology can improve efficiency, quality of care today

Michael Dell today shared his insights with healthcare executives on how information technology is being used to improve the efficiency and quality of care today and how IT can support future innovations in prevention, wellness and personalized medicine.

30 Apr 2011

New training program for nurses to prevent workplace violence

Most people think of hospitals as places for healing. But the threat of violence—which can take many forms—can be a daily reality for nurses and other health care workers, creating a compelling need to properly address the issue, says Kate McPhaul, PhD, MPH, RN, assistant professor and program director for the School of Nursing's Community/Public Health Nursing master's specialty.

30 Apr 2011

Study finds no significant disparities in nursing practice environment, patient safety culture

Since 1994, hospitals achieving Magnet status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center have boasted of nursing excellence, quality care, and innovations in nursing practice above that provided by hospitals not attaining the recognition.

30 Apr 2011

HIV/AIDS research in Africa

Nowhere in the world has the AIDS/HIV pandemic cut a greater swath of devastation than in sub-Saharan Africa, where two-thirds of all people infected with the virus reside. As Barbara Smith, PhD, RN, FAAN, discovered firsthand, no segment of society there has been left unscathed.

30 Apr 2011

AACN to recognize Elizabeth Bridges with Flame of Excellence Award

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses will present the Flame of Excellence Award to Elizabeth Bridges, RN, PhD, CCNS, FCCM, FAAN — colonel, U.S. Air Force Reserves, associate professor at the University of Washington School of Nursing and a clinical nurse researcher at the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle.

30 Apr 2011

AACN to honor 22 nurses nationwide with 2011 Circle of Excellence Award

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses will bestow the 2011 Circle of Excellence Award on 22 nurses nationwide at the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition, Chicago, April 30-May 5.

30 Apr 2011

Kindred Healthcare responds to CMS' proposed Medicare rule

Kindred Healthcare, Inc. today issued a response to the proposed rule issued late yesterday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding Medicare payment rates for skilled nursing facilities for fiscal year 2012.

30 Apr 2011

Uniformed Services University dean receives AACN-GE Pioneering Spirit Award

PhD, RN, FAAN, dean and professor, Graduate School of Nursing, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Md., the nation's federal health sciences university — will receive the GE Healthcare-AACN Pioneering Spirit Award.

30 Apr 2011

THCA expresses deep concern about CMS' proposed Medicare regulations

In the context of the unfolding Texas budget debate, the Texas Health Care Association today expressed deep concern about a proposed regulation just issued by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that could result in Medicare-funded nursing home care reductions of approximately $4 billion in 2012.

30 Apr 2011

UCSF nursing professor earns AACN-GE recognition for cardiac care

RN, PhD, FAAN, Lillian & Dudley Aldous Professor of Nursing Science, School of Nursing, University of California San Francisco — will receive the AACN-GE Healthcare Pioneering Spirit Award.

30 Apr 2011

AACN to recognize Janet Marvin with Marguerite Rodgers Kinney Award for a Distinguished Career

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses will present the Marguerite Rodgers Kinney Award for a Distinguished Career to Janet Marvin, RN, MN. She receives this Visionary Leadership Award for contributions to AACN's mission and vision at the 2011 National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition, Chicago, April 30-May 5.

30 Apr 2011

American Red Cross commits another $30M to support recovery efforts in Japan

The American Red Cross today committed another $30 million to the Japan earthquake and tsunami relief and recovery efforts, bringing the organization's total contribution to $133.5 million. The latest donation to the Japanese Red Cross followed a four-day visit to Japan by Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross.

30 Apr 2011