ANA Applauds Funding for Nursing Education Programs in President's Budget
The American Nurses Association (ANA) today commended President Bush for recognizing the need to fund programs to enhance the recruitment and retention of nurses, as outlined in his proposed fiscal year (FY) 2005 budget that was submitted to Congress on Feb. 2. American Nurses Association

Florida hospital tries filling nurse slots online
Wellington Regional Medical Center is testing a new Web-based software that might take the sting out of the nursing shortage. Palm Beach Post

Best and worst media portrayals of nursing for 2003
The Center for Nursing Advocacy has issued its list of the best and worst media portrayals of nursing during 2003. The list highlights a variety of depictions of nursing--from television to the print media, from fiction to news, and from Milwaukee to Malaysia--that the Center believes deserve recognition, for better or worse. The Center For Nursing Advocacy

Iowa Nursing Shortage Expected to Worsen
Students are packing into Iowa's nursing schools like never before, but health-care leaders worry that the bulge in enrollment is too small to make up for a looming nurse shortage. The Des Moines Register

Foreign Nurses Decry Hurdles to Jobs in the US
Some foreign nurses, nurse recruiters, immigration experts and hospitals say the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools has delayed or fumbled the applications of an unknown number of qualified immigrants. The Philadelphia Inquirer

Miami Nurses Vote to Unionize
Angered by reduced vacation, sick pay and other issues, nurses at Miami's Pan American Hospital have taken a stand in favor of unionization. Miami Herald

Hospitals auction nursing shifts online
Nurses pick hours and pay by bidding on shifts over the Internet -- a kind of employment auction that some hospitals are using to ease a growing nursing shortage. Boston Globe

Hospitals rush to meet nurse rules
Hospitals in California's Bay Area say they are struggling to comply with a new state law that requires them to meet ratios between the number of registered nurses and patients as of Jan. 1. San Francisco Business Times

Hospital uses philanthropy to woo nurses
In an attempt to keep more of its 800 nurses, the Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Md., has turned to a relatively new tool in the nationwide struggle to stave off nursing shortages: philanthropy - Baltimore Sun

Robot with a Nurse's 'Face'
Don’t look for robots to replace nurses anytime soon, but one Alabama hospital is testing whether the machines could eventually be used to help alleviate the nursing shortage. NurseZone.com

FDA Bar Code Rule Expected Soon
In coming months, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to require medication sold to hospitals to carry bar codes to help prevent medication errors. AMN Healthcare

Nurse Staffing Bill Introduced In U.S. House
The American Nurses Association (ANA) commended the introduction of federal legislation that will ensure adequate registered nurse (RN) staffing in health care facilities, a step that takes into account the recommendations of recent reports and the public outcry of health care consumers and nurses over unsafe staffing practices in the United States. The bill, the Quality Nursing Care Act of 2004 (H.R. 3656), was introduced Dec. 8 by U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) ... ANA Press Release

Nursing School Enrollments Up 15.9%
Enrollments in entry-level baccalaureate programs in nursing rose by 15.9% in fall 2003, according to initial results released Dec. 1 by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The increase comes after an 8.1% increase in 2002 and a 3.7% increase in 2001, which reversed a six-year period of drops in enrollment. However, the growth is not expected to be sufficient enough to solve the nation's current shortage of registered nurses, which will reach peak proportions over the next 10 years as the bulk of the nation's nurses begin to retire. In addition, a critical shortage of nursing school faculty and resources is preventing many nursing schools from accommodating the increased number of applicants. For details on the AACN announcement, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/NewsReleases/enrl03.htm

Nurses again top list of most ethical professionals
Nurses again topped Gallup's annual survey on the honesty and ethics of various professions. In the Nov. 14-to-16 CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, Americans were asked to rate the honesty and ethical standards of people in 23 different professions as very high, high, average, low, or very low. As in four out of the five times they have been included in the poll, nurses rank higher than any other profession, with 83% of respondents saying the honesty and ethical standards of nurses are "very high" or "high" Doctors and veterinarians placed second at 68%, followed by pharmacists at 67%. For more information, go to Gallup Polls

Sickout leaves hospital short
Christ Hospital scrambled to move nurses around Thursday and had to reschedule some surgeries after half the nurses in a post-surgery recovery unit called in sick in an apparent job protest. The Cincinnati Enquirer

Allied Health Professions Week Allied Health Professions Week, November 2-8, 2003, promotes collaboration among allied health professionals and celebrates the contributions they make to the health care industry. HPN Website.

AACN Takes Steps to Create Clinical Nurse Leader Role
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) on Oct. 24-25 convened its inaugural conference on the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL); a new nursing role being developed jointly by nurse educators and their practice partners. NurseZone.com

Don't Treat Swallowed Poison With Syrup of Ipecac
In a new policy statement, the AAP recommends that syrup of ipecac no longer be used routinely as a home treatment strategy. American Academy of Pediatrics

Substantial Changes Required in Nurses' Work Environment To Protect Patients From Health Care Errors
The work environment of nurses, the largest segment of the nation's health care work force, needs to be substantially transformed to better protect patients from health care errors ... Institute of Medicine of the National Academies

Nurses in Shrinking Supply
The Olympia, Wa., area is weathering the national nursing shortage, but hospital administrators and nursing educators say their efforts are merely holding the line. The Olympian

ANA and UAN File Brief With NLRB Regarding Definition of "Supervisor"
The American Nurses Association and its affiliate, United American Nurses, AFL-CIO, collaborated to file an amicus brief filed with the National Labor Relations Board regarding its review of the statutory definition of "supervisor." American Nurses Association

U.S. looking overseas to fill nurse shortage
Schools here unable to meet growing demand. Cincinnati Business Courier

Unionizing for respect
Nurses turn to unions at a key moment in health-care history. The Tennessean

Wireless Reality
Nurses using network for quicker hands-on care. Amarillo Globe-News

Predictable hours good medicine for nurses
Strategy helps Roper St. Francis, other companies fight nursing shortages. The Post and Courier

Normal Armpit Temperature Lower Than Thought
A thermometer under the arm is a convenient way to take child's temperature, but what's considered normal using this method might have to be revised. Reuters Health News

Large, Healthcare-Related Hepatitis Outbreaks Traced to Unsafe Injection Practices
Four recent large outbreaks of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) in outpatient settings in the U.S. could have been prevented by adherence to basic principles of aseptic technique, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Harkin Amendment Protecting Overtime Compensation Approved!
UPDATE (9/10/03): VICTORY FOR NURSES--HARKIN AMENDMENT PROTECTING OVERTIME COMPENSATION APPROVED! More information is available.

ANA Launches "Handle With Care" Ergonomic Campaign
Multi-pronged effort aimed at preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders through greater use of assistive equipment and patient-handling devices - ANA Press Release

ANA Applauds Federal Legislation to Mandate Safe Nurse-To-Patient Ratios
Sen. Inouye introduces bill to protect patients, hold hospitals accountable for RN staffing. Read the official ANA press release at the ANA website.

ANA Responds to Clairol Herbal Essence Use of Nurses in TV Advertisement
On May 1, ANA President Blakeney sent a letter to Clairol asking that it stop running a TV spot that features a nurse neglecting her patient while occupied with an Herbal Essence shampoo experience ... Read her actual letter at the ANA website.

New US Medical Privacy Rules Take Effect
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Patients will have the right to view and in certain cases restrict the sharing of their personal health information as the first federal safeguards for medical records take effect on Monday April 14th. Read entire article from Reuters.

National Nurses Week May 6-12th are the dates for the 2003 National Nurses Week celebration. Start planning now. Brochure, media kit and promotional items are available online.

Nurses Meet with President Bush
Nurses Meet with President Bush to discuss healthcare issues. Read entire article.

Panel Urges Revamp of Nursing Schools
The two-year programs at community colleges vary in quality and attrition rates. The advisory board suggests statewide standards ... Read entire article.

Study: Baby, Coated Aspirin Don't Thin Blood as Well
New but preliminary research indicates that baby aspirin and coated aspirin might not be enough to prevent strokes. Read entire article.

ANA Responds to Wall Street Journal Editorial
Health care organizations are awaiting answers regarding the smallpox vaccination plan. Read entire press release.

Nominate a Nurse in Cherokee Uniforms Contest
Cherokee Uniforms is sponsoring a contest to acknowledge the achievements of nurses. Anyone can nominate a nurse who has gone above and beyond to provide exceptional service, achieved great innovation, or made sacrifices to provide care. You can nominate a fellow nurse or other nonphysician health care professional in the 2003 Cherokee Inspired Comfort Award contest by visiting the Cherokee Web site and filling out the nomination form.

Mandatory Overtime Legislation Introduced in Congress
The American Nurses Association (ANA) today hailed the Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2003, a bill introduced by Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) and Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH) that would strictly limit the use of mandatory overtime for nurses. Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and John Kerry (D-MA) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. Read the full press release here.

ANA Commends Bush For Funding Nursing Education
The American Nurses Association (ANA) commends President Bush for recognizing the nursing shortage and the need to fund programs to enhance the recruitment and retention of nurses. Read the full press release here.

ANA Responds to TV Show's Portrayal of Male Nurses
ANA President Barbara Blakeney has sent a letter to the producer of NBC's Scrubs television comedy series regarding the Jan 30 episode's negative portrayal of male nurses and the nursing profession in general. Nurses are encouraged to send their comments to the show's producers via e-mail at scrubs@nbc.com ... Read her actual letter at the ANA website.

Nurse Reinvestment Act Funded
The American Nurses Association reports that the Nurse Reinvestment Act has been funded for $20 Million in the US Senate. What does this mean for nursing students? Read more about it at the ANA website.

 

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