There are few things I loathe more in the world than ice-breaking, “getting-to-know-you games.” The problem is, though, I’m exactly the kind of person who often needs an icebreaker to...
Nurses key in opioid pain management
By
Mary Gustafson
Nov 01, 2011
Nurses are uniquely qualified to help control the pain of institutionalized patients undergoing pain management with opioid analgesics, according to new recommendations from a nursing panel.
Most don’t prep for LTC outlays
By
Mary Gustafson
Feb 01, 2011
Sixty-five percent of Americans say they believe that long-term care planning is an important cost-saving action. But only 44% of them have started taking any steps to prepare for unanticipated costs,...
Study finds medical error reduction trigger
By
Mary Gustafson
Nov 02, 2012
Nurse managers who give verbal expectations about safety protocols or who offer constructive responses to admitted errors have lower overall error rates in their facilities, a Belgian study has found.
Disaster plans filled with holes, feds say
By
Mary Gustafson
Jun 05, 2012
While most U.S. nursing homes have adequate written plans for managing natural disasters, many have significant gaps in preparedness and response, a government report finds.
Study: Hearing loss could induce falls
By
Mary Gustafson
Apr 02, 2012
Skilled nursing facility operators eager to reduce resident falls might have a new tool in their kit: testing residents’ hearing.
Limiting overtime hours seen as good for RNs and patients
By
Mary Gustafson
Mar 01, 2012
State-mandated caps on registered nurses’ mandatory overtime have succeeded in reducing medical mistakes and decreasing turnover rates, a new study finds.
Study: Information, training can cut physical restraint use
By
Mary Gustafson
Jul 06, 2012
Interventions such as group training sessions and the provision of supportive materials for staff, residents and relatives can help nursing homes reduce dependence on physical restraints, a new study finds.
Study shows sickest people most dissatisfied with care
By
Mary Gustafson
Jul 06, 2012
Nursing home residents, who often have at least one or more chronic condition, are among the sickest individuals treated by the American healthcare system. This population’s high utilization rates...
Lack of geographic mobility among nurses hurts access
By
Mary Gustafson
Feb 01, 2012
Nurses’ lack of mobility — the relationship between where they received training and where they ultimately end up making their living — can lead to recruiting challenges, a study finds. This...