From NZ media this week
National Government's 'Efficiency Drive' Cuts Into Front-Line Delivery
STATE OF IT (Updated): While State Services Minister Tony Ryall says there are now more public servants working in the front-line, cuts to supporting staff are eroding their ability to deliver safe essential services.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1103/S00298/state-of-it-efficiency-drive-cuts-into-front-line-delivery.htm
Nearly-2000-state-sector-jobs-gone-as-more-face-axe/
LATEST: Nearly 2000 jobs have been cut from the core public service in the past two years, as the Government signals further state sector cuts.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4824463/Nearly-2000-state-sector-jobs-gone-as-more-face-axe/
GP patient safety issue identified
There is an urgent need to address patient safety issues in general practice, University of Otago researcher and general practitioner Dr Katharine Wallis says.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/153892/gp-patient-safety-issue-identified
Nurse deregistered for professional misconduct
The Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal has recommended a former Dunedin Hospital nurse be struck off the register for falsifying patient records, failing to recheck abnormal test results and asking another nurse to "accumulate" medication for his wife.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10716229
NZNO Welcomes Expansion of Bonding Scheme
NZNO has welcomed the expansion of the voluntary bonding scheme for nursing and other health graduates to include mental health and aged care. Minister of Health Tony Ryall this week announced that graduates wanting to join the scheme would get priority if they chose to work in either of these specialties.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1103/S00282/nzno-welcomes-expansion-of-bonding-scheme.htm
Nurses dislike 'gatekeeping'
New Zealand Nurses Organisation members are not happy about acting as emergency department gatekeepers at Lakes District Hospital in Frankton
http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/queenstown/154084/nurses-dislike-gatekeeping
National-prostate-screening-rejected
A parliamentary inquiry into prostate cancer screening will not be recommending a national screening programme despite pressure from cancer survivors to do so.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/4839744/National-prostate-screening-rejected
Doctors-nurses-in-health-gun
THE ABILITY of health professionals to cope with the emotional demands of their jobs is under the spotlight with doctors being warned about burnout and a little-known study that shows New Zealand nurses have a higher than normal risk of suicide.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/4841544/Doctors-nurses-in-health-gun
From international media sources
More nurses don't improve patient outcomes at safety net hospitals
While higher nurse staffing levels are often
associated with improved patient outcomes, that is not the case at "safety net" hospitals that provide care to low-income, uninsured and vulnerable populations. Despite having similar staffing levels, safety net hospitals experienced worse patient outcomes than other hospitals, according to a study published in the April 2011 issue of
Medical Care.
http://bit.ly/igDu5G
Vascular Nurses Help Patients Manage Chronic, Dangerous Disease
They may have a high degree of independence, evaluating risk factors, treating wounds and educating and for these mostly elderly patients, who may be a risk for heart attack or stroke. Their work can also help ease patients' pain and prevent amputation.
http://www.startribune.com/jobs/healthcare/118542184.html
Minister warned over loss of nurse leaders
The NHS is “haemorrhaging” nurse leaders due to government targets on management cuts in the run up to the transition to GP consortia, ministers have been warned.
http://www.nursingtimes.net/5028105.article?referrer=e10
Nurse education cuts risk from government plans
Government plans to put NHS trusts in charge of nurse education and training decisions carry a high risk of prompting training cuts, the Royal College of Nursing has warned.
http://www.nursingtimes.net/5028074.article?referrer=e10
Nurses fear cut in face to face time with patients
Community psychiatric nurses fear the introduction of personal health budgets will cut the amount of face to face time they spend with patients, a survey has revealed.
http://www.nursingtimes.net/5027604.article?referrer=e26
'Powerful evidence' of growing role of specialist nurses revealed
Powerful evidence” of the growing role of specialist nurses in the NHS has been demonstrated by figures showing the number of outpatients they treat is rising by more than 100,000 a year.
http://www.nursingtimes.net/5027698.article?referrer=e26
Classroom Clickers Ease Transition for Nursing Students
Instructors at the Gwynedd-Mercy College Frances M. Maguire School of Nursing in Gwynedd Valley, Pa., are seeing positive results from the use of classroom response systems. Not only do the devices, commonly called clickers, help freshmen in all disciplines make the difficult transition from high school to college, but they also provide benefits especially useful to nursing students.
http://news.nurse.com/article/20110321/PA02/303210013
NHS nurse numbers fall, official figures show
Years of continuing growth in the number of registered nurses in the NHS has come to an end with the workforce now beginning to shrink, official figures show.
http://www.nursingtimes.net/5027656.article?referrer=e5
Grow a Culture of Safety
As the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Web page on developing a culture of safety states, “... an organization can improve upon safety only when leaders are visibly committed to change and when they enable staff to openly share safety information.” Nurse leaders are in a position to set their facilities’ quality standards and foster a culture of safety. It’s a mindset that starts at the management level but must permeate the nursing staff’s work philosophy to be effective. And it’s a culture that promotes action as opposed to passiveness, both as teams and individuals.
http://news.nurse.com/article/20110321/ML01/110323001
The evidence shows that physician assistants could help improve access to healthcare
Yesterday, Croakey kicked off a series examining
the potential of physician assistants to help improve access to health care, particularly for people in rural, remote and other underserved areas.Today,
Associate Professor Moira Sim, from the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Postgraduate Medicine at Edith Cowan University in Perth, explains why her university plans to introduce a PA program.
http://bit.ly/fJRtn7
Nurses face CPR ethical dilemmas
Nurses often face ethical dilemmas and anxiety about performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on patients over the age of 85, Norwegian researchers have warned.
http://www.nursingtimes.net/5028077.article?referrer=e26
Tool to assess patients' 'spiritual distress'
Swiss researchers have developed a “clinically acceptable” tool to assess whether older patients hospital are experiencing spiritual distress
http://www.nursingtimes.net/5028070.article?referrer=e26
‘On your bike’ order to community nurses
Community nurses to lose car allowances
http://www.nursingtimes.net/5028045.article?referrer=e26
Midwifery schools to close
HALF of Scotland’s midwifery schools are to shut as the Scottish Government slashes the number of training places by 45%.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/health/midwifery-schools-to-close-1.1093933
Federal judge orders hospital to recognize nurses' union
In a move that gives hope to hospital labor unions and promotes proper management/worker relations, a Federal judge has ruled that Avanti Health System must recognize and bargain with the union representing the registered nurses of Community Hospital in Huntington Park, Calif.
http://bit.ly/eY6T76
Public health
Food-security-key-to-wellbeing-study
New Zealanders who do not have enough access to nutritious and affordable food have higher levels of distress, a new study has found.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/wellbeing/4845863/Food-security-key-to-wellbeing-study
New Zealand Health Survey starts this week
The New Zealand Health Survey, which gets underway at the end of this week, will provide valuable information about New Zealanders? health and their use of health services.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1103/S00108/new-zealand-health-survey-starts-this-week.htm
Adolescents more at risk of death than children
Violence, car accidents and suicide are now the leading causes of adolescent deaths worldwide, trumping child mortality rates – and New Zealand teenagers are among those at risk.
Health and wellbeing
Rotating shift work may affect menstrual cycle
A study of more than 71,000 U.S. nurses found that those who had worked rotating shifts for a minimum of 20 months had a 23% higher risk of having irregular menstrual cycles compared with those who didn't work such shifts. Nurses who had the most rotating shifts were also more likely to have very short or very long menstrual cycles, the study in the journal Epidemiology found
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/01/us-shift-work-menstrual-cycle-idUSTRE7305C020110401
Work and Management
Learn from mistakes with constructive criticism
Skilled managers use criticism constructively to improve practice - and welcome it themselves from their teams
http://www.nursingtimes.net/5027797.article?referrer=e3
Websites of interest
Community Nurse Audiometrists Association (inc)
The Community Nurse Audiometrists Association Inc. represents the professional interests of Nurse Audiometrists. The Association provides a forum for discussion of hearing health issues, provides support and facilitates ongoing professional development. The Association is constantly reviewing standards for professional practice in audiometry nursing through the development of Clinical Competencies, guidelines for the maintenance of professional standards and Clinical Practice Guidelines.
http://www.cnaa.org.au/
Australian Practice Nurses Association
The Australian Practice Nurses Association (APNA) is the national professional association for nurses working in primary health care, including general practice. Established in 2001, APNA is governed by a Board of Directors and has the following vision - Respected members and leaders of multidisciplinary teams providing better health and quality of life for all Australians
http://www.apna.asn.au/
From the Ministry of Health
Uia Tonutia - Māori Disability Research Agenda
Date of publication (online): April 2011
Summary of publication
The Māori Disability Research Agenda aims to support research on Māori living with disability and their whānau/family.
It has three objectives:Building quality evidence. Capability development. Transfer of knowledge.Research priorities are identified to contribute to the achievement of whānau ora, more effective service delivery, and improved health and disability outcomes for Māori.
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/maori-disability-research-agenda-feb2011
New publications
Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust
Advances in medical, biomedical and health services research have reduced the level of uncertainty in clinical practice. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) complement this progress by establishing standards of care backed by strong scientific evidence. CPGs are statements that include recommendations intended to optimize patient care. These statements are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and costs of alternative care options.
Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust examines the current state of clinical practice guidelines and how they can be improved to enhance healthcare quality and patient outcomes.
http://bit.ly/fWjtbr
Follow Snips on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/@SnipsInfo will find us.The above information has been collated for the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc by Linda Stopforth, SNIPS and is provided on a weekly basis. It is current as at Wednesday 6 April 2011
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