Welcome to the College of Nurses – News Update.
No. 143, Wednesday 6 March 2013
From NZ media this week
Nurses consulting on prescribing rights
Proposals to allow appropriately qualified registered nurses to prescribe are designed to make it easier for patients to obtain the medicines they need.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1302/S00099/nurses-consulting-on-prescribing-rights.htm
Nurses say change will add to stress
Changes to New Zealand's immigration policy could put pressure on Christchurch's already stretched mental health services.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8373585/Nurses-say-change-will-add-to-stress
Doctors and nurses warn PM over trade talks
More than 400 members of New Zealand’s medical community have signed a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to be vigilant that our future health is not negotiated away under the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).
http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/doctors-and-nurses-warn-pm-over-trade-talks/5/148979
Focus on health targets 'not the answer to a healthy population'
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is concerned that Government health targets plus demands to cut millions of dollars from their budgets is forcing DHBs to narrow their focus and sideline health equity for the populations they serve.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/focus-health-targets-not-answer-healthy-population/5/148961
Medical messages lost in translation
Doctors relying on Google Translate to communicate with migrant patients is causing misunderstandings over vital medical instructions, a Christchurch health liaison worker says
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8376669/Medical-messages-lost-in-translation
Privacy Concerns A Bigger Barrier To NZ Teens Accessing Health Care Than Overseas
Perceived lack of confidentiality is an important barrier to young people accessing health care services in New Zealand, says a new study published in the March issue of the Journal of Primary Health Care.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1302/S00094/privacy-concern-bigger-barrier-to-nz-teens-accessing-health.htm
Health targets deliver more operations
Health Minister Tony Ryall congratulated health professionals for providing New Zealanders with over 78,000 elective operations and exceeding the government’s national health target.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/health-targets-deliver-more-operations/5/148564
Private clinic scans cut waiting lists
Doctor says taxpayer-funded programme having a major impact in poorer areas.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868225
Doctor fears sabotage of plans
A Kaitaia GP says anonymous attempts are being made to derail his plans to bring health care to children in the most remote parts of the Far North.
http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/news/doctor-fears-sabotage-of-plans/1773495/
Editorial: A&E targets lift efficiency but should never rule
Targets can be a tricky matter, and not just for those who must meet them. They can be of little use if they are not well defined and the figures associated with them present an incomplete picture.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10868987
DHB specific
How your hospital rates
Waikato refuses to compromise treatment to meet Government's six-hour deadline.Waikato, Capital and Coast are the worst-performing DHBs in the country when it comes to the Government's push for emergency department waits shorter than six hours.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10868034
Waikato ED: NZ's slowest
Health bosses are vowing to get their act together after Waikato Hospital emergency department was ranked New Zealand's least efficient.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/8355419/Waikato-ED-NZs-slowest
Waikato DHB Nurse Launches Youth Suicide Awareness Campaign
Appalled by New Zealand’s “tragically high” youth suicide rate, Waikato DHB registered nurse Kahui Neho is geared up to raise some decibels for a good cause.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1302/S00090/waikato-dhb-nurse-launches-youth-suicide-awareness-campaign.htm
Doctors go global
Doctors could soon treat suspected stroke patients at Palmerston North Hospital via the internet - from more than 18,000km away.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/8374372/Doctors-go-global
U-turn on hospital review meeting
The region's health bosses have done a U-turn and will attend a public meeting to discuss a possible reduction of services at Wairau Hospital in Blenheim.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/8362831/U-turn-on-hospital-review-meeting
Hospital may face downgrade
Wairau Hospital in Blenheim is a fantastic hospital and needs someone to fight for it, Labour's new health spokeswoman Annette King says.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/8356850/Hospital-may-face-downgrade
WDHB introduces new medication administration safety net
The Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) has introduced a new syringe pump software system which senior clinical staff say will make drug administration safer for patients and staff.
http://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/un-doctored/2013/february-2013/27/wdhb-introduces-new-medication-administration-safety-net.aspx
North Shore Hospital Sets Historic Infection Control Record
Waitemata DHB is leading the way in a life-saving revolution that has seen it set a historic record in infection control.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1303/S00019/north-shore-hospital-sets-historic-infection-control-record.htm Social health
Funding shortfall forces charities to take on children's health care
Charities have started providing bandages and dressings for children with skin infections in poor parts of Northland and South Auckland because government funding is not enough to meet the need.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10868023
Going into schools to catch illness that gets overlooked
Health services in Northland and Manukau are pioneering school-based treatment for children, but they are exposing big gaps in health coverage, particularly rheumatic fever, and highlighting housing issues.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868021
Christchurch next priority
The KidsCan charity says an "epidemic" of poverty-related illnesses makes earthquake-damaged eastern suburbs of Christchurch its next priority for school-based health services.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868026
The hidden costs of homelessness
Hospitals are discharging homeless patients on to the streets, including those admitted with serious illnesses or addiction.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/8369665/The-hidden-costs-of-homelessness
Public health
Pre-diabetes numbers 'alarming'
University blood sampling shows grimmer future for those leaning towards disorder
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10868428
Spread of diabetes 'smouldering fire'
The "silent and smouldering" diabetes epidemic will claim tens of thousands of Kiwi lives and cripple New Zealand's health sector within a decade unless urgent action is taken, Christchurch experts fear.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/8376331/Spread-of-diabetes-smouldering-fire
'Patch protection' in diabetes advice
The prime minister's chief science adviser says his ''gut feel'' is that not enough is being done to tackle obesity and diabetes
http://www.odt.co.nz/campus/university-otago/247908/patch-protection-diabetes-advice
$40 a pack to hit 'smokefree' goal
Study finds hefty price rise would make 75 per cent of NZ's 650,000 smokers give up
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868973
Maori teens binge-drink 'incredibly heavily'
Maori high school pupils binge-drink "incredibly heavily", though they drink less frequently than non-Maori, a new study says.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/8373814/Maori-teens-binge-drink-incredibly-heavily
Plea for free chickenpox immunisation
Doctors are calling on the Government to provide free vaccines for chickenpox and rotovirus, after some children have nearly died in hospital from severe bouts of the highly contagious bugs.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/8386232/Plea-for-free-chickenpox-immunisation
Call for free kids' flu jabs
Illness putting hundreds of under-5s in hospital, says Ministry of Health
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868853
Is the flu vaccine worth the effort?
Health authorities are looking to extend free flu vaccinations to all preschoolers. We investigate whether the flu jab works - and whether it is worth the millions of dollars the taxpayer spends subsidising it
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868799
Mental health
$100k for mental health social media fund
The Government has allocated $100,000 to make use of social media to improve youth mental health.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868371 International media
Study: Checklists help surgical teams stay on point
Surgical teams using checklists have markedly better performances during crises than others, with clinicians about 75% less likely to miss key life-saving steps in care, according to a study.
http://news.nurse.com/article/20130117/NATIONAL02/101210028
Report: More men entering nursing profession
More men are pursuing nursing careers, according to a new study. The proportion of male registered nurses has more than tripled from 1970 to 2011, the study finds.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/25/men-nursing-occupatins/1947243/
USI, local hospitals launch new training model for nursing students
EVANSVILLE — When University of Southern Indiana nursing students Kristen Cleek and Korrine Boyer did their clinical training at local hospitals last fall, the experience had some limitations.
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/feb/21/no-headline---usi-nursing/
Zimbabwe: Retention Schemes for Nurses Essential
Personnel training so costly that many institutions and nations shirk though they need the products thereof. Whole industries and public sectors have various training institutions as their fulcrum and once such institutions stop functioning properly the cycle is interrupted resulting in the supply chain drying up with negative consequences on service delivery.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201302280317.html
Woman dies after nurse refuses to do CPR
A dispatcher followed protocols when she pleaded with a nurse at an independent living facility to perform CPR on a woman who later died in California, county officials said Monday.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10869332
Work and management
Consider the perks of praising, thanking patients
We write a lot about how physicians can deal with the downsides of patient care, from rude behavior to outright deceit. We also spend a lot of time telling you how to treat your patients better and make their lives easier.
http://www.fiercepracticemanagement.com/story/consider-perks-praising-thanking-patients/2013-02-27
Articles of interest
Development of Training for Frontline Nurse Leaders: From Assessment to Results
Journal for Nurses in Professional Development -Featured Journal
February 2013
Volume 29 Number 1
Pages 16 - 18
Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC) is a 333-bed acute care nonprofit community-based hospital that provides healthcare services for Yuma, Arizona, and the surrounding community. The charge nurse role at this organization is entitled "resource coordinator" (RC). This leader is under the general guidance of the director (department manager). The RC's duties include "supervising, facilitating, coordinating, coaching, and managing, in conjunction with the care teams, the use of supplies, equipment, and human resources to achieve desired patient outcomes and to promote professional development" (YRMC, 2009, p. 1). Qualifications include registered nurse licensure and 2 years of nursing experience in an acute care setting.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/JournalArticle?Article_ID=1494539&Journal_ID=54029&Issue_ID=1494473
A Case Study Exploring the Current Issues Faced By Diploma-Prepared NursesJournal for Nurses in Professional Development -Featured Journal
February 2013
Volume 29 Number 1
Pages 30 – 34Nursing is a dynamic and rapidly progressing field. As the profession changes over time, it is vital to study how these transformations influence the workforce. In this study, the aim was to explore how diploma-prepared nurses are functioning in the acute care setting and how modifications in educational requirements and technological advancement have affected their nursing practice.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/JournalArticle?Article_ID=1494563&Journal_ID=54029&Issue_ID=1494473
Impact of Different Educational Methods on Nursing Knowledge and Satisfaction
Journal for Nurses in Professional Development
February 2013
Volume 29 Number 1
Pages 2 - 7
Despite the reality of high patient acuity, staffing challenges, and financial constraints, nurse educators must convey information to staff in an expeditious and effective manner. Determining which educational methods meet the staff's needs and learning preferences is a daily challenge for educators. This experimental study compared two different educational methods, lecture and poster presentation, examining nursing knowledge acquisition and retention as well as satisfaction with the educational method.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/JournalArticle?Article_ID=1507655&Journal_ID=54029&Issue_ID=1494473
Rubrics Role in Measuring Nursing Staff Competencies
Journal for Nurses in Professional Development
February 2013
Volume 29 Number 1
Pages 19 - 23
Rubrics are commonly used in academic settings but have not been widely adapted for nursing professional development. Hurdles for the implementation of rubrics in the clinical setting should be noted. However, the benefits for rubrics in replacing the more commonly seen skills checklist should motivate nursing professional development specialists in overcoming these challenges.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/JournalArticle?Article_ID=1494548&Journal_ID=54029&Issue_ID=1494473
The Theory of Interpersonal Relations Applied to the Preceptor–New Graduate Relationship
Journal for Nurses in Professional Development
January/February 2013
Volume 29 Number 1
Pages 24 - 29This article presents research results applying Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations to the preceptor-new graduate relationship and describes implications for successful transition. These results will help nursing professional development educators with more appropriate preparation and assignment of preceptors.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_article.asp?tid=1507754&Journal_ID=54029&Issue_ID=1494473
A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Factors Related to Critical Thinking in Nursing
Journal for Nurses in Professional Development
February 2013
Volume 29 Number 1
Pages 8 - 15The purpose of this study was to examine critical thinking skills among registered nurses who work in a military hospital. Sixty-five nurses were administered the Health Sciences Reasoning Test to obtain scores in inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, interpretation, analysis, and evaluation skills. Results showed no significant association between critical thinking skills and years of experience; however, differences were identified among racial/ethnic groups. It is hoped that findings from this study create a platform for dialogue among staff development nurses who are best situated to develop strategies that address these issues.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/JournalArticle?Article_ID=1494478&Journal_ID=54029&Issue_ID=1494473
New publications online
Bibliographic Timeline of the Introduction of Cultural Safety into Nursing Education in New Zealand 1988 - 2012
Council releases Bibliographic timeline: The year 2012 marked twenty one years since the introduction of cultural safety into the nursing curricula. In recognition of this event the Council has produced a bibliographic timeline. A copy can be downloaded http://www.nursingcouncil.org.nz/download/313/timeline-cultural-safety-feb13.pdf
Ward rounds in medicine: Principles for best practice (PDF 1.8 MB)
Publication code: 004342
Publication date: 3 October 2012
Abstract:The Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Physicians are united in calling for ward rounds to be made the cornerstone of patient care. Medical ward rounds are complex clinical activities, critical to providing high-quality, safe care for patients in a timely, relevant manner. They have often been a neglected part of the planning and organisation of inpatient care. The current pressures of capacity and staffing levels mean that ward rounds happen while nurses, for example, are engaged in constant care delivery. The principles in the statement aim to address the common problems affecting the prominence of ward rounds and provide recommendations. Reinstating ward rounds will facilitate the delivery of compassionate care, enabling doctors and nurses to plan for care jointly.
http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/479329/004342.pdf
Safe staffing for older people's wards calculator (PDF 89.5 KB)
Publication code: 004 302
Publication date: 4 October 2012
Abstract:This calculator is a visual accompaniment to Safe staffing for older people’s wards: An RCN toolkit (004 301). It is a simple, practical way to explore nursing staff levels on older people’s wards, or wards where the large majority of patients are older people, and to determine whether they meet the RCN recommendations for safe care. These recommendations are set out in Safe staffing for older people’s ward: RCN full report and recommendations (004 280).
http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/479451/004302.pdf
Reports online
UK: Measuring Up: The Medical Profession's Prescription to the Nation's Obesity Crisis
Source: Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (UK)Obesity levels in the western world are reaching unprecedented proportions. There is now growing acknowledgement from policy makers and healthcare professionals that we are grappling with one of the biggest threats to public health in the 21st century.
The Academy report and 10 recommendations follow an inquiry conducted by the Academy Obesity Steering Group. The report is written from a whole UK perspective and we strongly believe that the recommendations are equally valid in all four home nations although precise delivery mechanisms may vary between countries.
http://web.docuticker.com/go/docubase/69814
From the Ministry of Health
Report on the Performance of General Practices in Whānau Ora Collectives
his is the first published* report on the performance of general practices in Whānau Ora collectives. It reports on results from the HealthStat software package, which collects an anonymous summary of patient health information from general practices in Whānau Ora collectives.
http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/report-performance-general-practices-whanau-ora-collectives
Audience Research: Delayers of Infant Immunisation
In November 2011, the new immunisation health target seeking to improve immunisation timeliness of young infants was introduced. The target is 95 percent of all eight-month-olds are fully immunised with three scheduled vaccinations at six weeks, three months and five months by December 2014.
http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/audience-research-delayers-infant-immunisation
Antenatal Screening for Down Syndrome and Other Conditions: Guidelines for health practitioners
These guidelines are to support best practice for health practitioners when advising pregnant women in New Zealand of the availability of antenatal screening for Down syndrome and other conditions.These guidelines will assist practitioners to discuss screening options in a nationally consistent and safe way, and provide women with information to make an informed decision about screening.
http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/antenatal-screening-down-syndrome-and-other-conditions-guidelines-health-practitioners
Online resources
4 awesome infection-prevention videos
From flash mobs to musical dream sequences, hospitals educate staff in fun and memorable ways
Hospitals are increasingly using social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to engage and market to patients. But savvy hospitals know that internal marketing and employee relations are just as important--especially when it comes to infection control
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/special-reports/4-awesome-infection-prevention-videos
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 March 2013
If you have any feedback about content - what parts are most useful or what you would like added - please email admin@nurse.org.nz
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