News bulletin 22 April

on 22 April

 

Welcome to the College of Nurses – News Update.
No. 248 22 April 2015


From NZ media this week

Hutt educator takes palliative care practices to India
For Raelee Jensen, offering what help she can in India is such a meaningful role that she has devoted what times she has been able to over the last 12 years as a volunteer. 
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/hutt-news/67831681/hutt-educator-takes-palliative-care-practices-to-india

Teen died after post-surgery monitoring stopped
A nurse faces a possible discliplinary hearing over her care of a 15-year-old boy who died while recovering from surgery done at the Greymouth's public hospital.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=11435617

Wellington Hospital alarmed by spate of patients gone 'nuts' on fake acid
Police and medical authorities are warning about a new LSD-like drug that can turn users so violent it takes four or five people to subdue them.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/67867839/Wellington-Hospital-alarmed-by-spate-of-patients-gone-nuts-on-fake-acid

No privacy breaches since patient record sharing introduced
Nearly 500 instances of Canterbury health professionals accessing patient medical records have been reviewed since the country's first online health database was launched, but all were found to be legitimate queries.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/67802440/no-privacy-breaches-since-patient-record-sharing-introduced

No free GP visits for all children - Government
The Government will not be paying for all primary aged children to attend the doctor for free, documents have revealed
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=11435942

From International media this week

Lawmaker Pushes Bill Allowing Nurses to Prescribe Schedule II Drugs
It takes a while to see a doctor when you go to the emergency room, and it could take just as long to be released.
"Now, they are having to wait on the doctor to be able to do those prescriptions. It means that the checkout is less efficient. It is going to take longer, which means higher stress on the patient,” Kat Hinson with the Texas Nurses Association said.
http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/politics/2015/04/15/lawmaker-pushes-bill-allowing-nurses-to-prescribe-.html

Bill to allow tougher sanctions for nurses stalls
COLUMBIA - A bill that would allow a nurse's license to be revoked if the nurse misreads a doctor's order and causes a medication error is done for the year.
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/politics/2015/04/16/bill-allow-tougher-sanctions-nurses-stalls/25874067/

Nurse-led innovations at 42 hospitals nationwide improve patient outcomes, save more than $28 million annually
 Results of American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ leadership and innovation training program underscore influence of direct care nurses
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — April 14, 2015  —  Critical care nurses at 42 hospitals nationwide developed patient care initiatives that substantially improved clinical outcomes while demonstrating anticipated financial savings of more than $28 million annually.
http://www.aacn.org/wd/publishing/content/pressroom/pressreleases/2015/apr/csi-academy-overview.content?menu=AboutUs

NY nurses push legislature for staffing ratio limits
Hundreds of nurses from around New York state have come to the Capitol to urge lawmakers to require hospitals to meet minimum staffing requirements.
Members of the New York State Nurses Association say Tuesday that limiting how many patients a nurse can handle at once would improve patient outcomes, prevent burnout and ultimately reduce overall medical costs.
http://www.uticaod.com/article/20150421/NEWS/150429802/1994/NEWS

Cancer

Cancer patient survival rates on the rise in New Zealand
Patients diagnosed with cancer are fighting off the silent killer with more success than those in the past.
But ultimately it is the type of cancer that determines how long and how effectively a patient can beat the disease.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/67784104/cancer-patient-survival-rates-on-the-rise-in-new-zealand

DHBs and PHOs

Waikato DHB restructure: coming soon
A restructure will take place at the Waikato District Health Board soon, with the organisation's boss expected to go public with the details  in the next few weeks.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/67790625/waikato-dhb-restructure-coming-soon

Southern DHB expects $42m deficit
The Southern District Health Board expects its financial deficit to blow out to more than $40 million next year, according to a leaked report.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/271450/southern-dhb-expects-$42m-deficit

Public health

Vaccination warning ahead of potential whooping cough epidemic
Parents are being warned to vaccinate themselves and their children ahead of a potential whooping cough epidemic.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11435156

Pediatrician stresses need for whooping cough vaccinations
Medical experts are warning parents to immunise themselves and their children ahead of a potential pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak predicted in the next two years, but a Waikato pediatrician says the disease will never be eradicated because "there are too many reservoirs for infection".
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/67878698/pediatrician-stresses-need-for-whooping-cough-vaccinations

Social health

Nelson group works to identify child abuse and neglect
A group of chatting over coffee has led to an innovative approach to protect vulnerable children, including sending a Nelson teacher to prison.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/67714181/nelson-group-works-to-identify-child-abuse-and-neglect

Obesity

Govt takes aim at childhood obesity
As a government programme aimed at honing the waistlines of chubby children kicks off, leading health experts are questioning whether it will be enough to stem the rising tide of obesity and
related illnesses.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/67809440/govt-takes-aim-at-childhood-obesity

Is government being gutless over obesity inititive?
Originally aired on Nine To Noon, Friday 17 April 2015
The government is rolling out a plan to tackle obesity and other health problems. But public health experts are skeptical about whether it will work. Otago University Associate Professor of Public Health, Nick Wilson.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/20175107/is-government-being-gutless-over-obesity-inititive

Obese people fall into six distinct categories - study
Obese people fall into six distinct categories, a study suggests, leading scientists to call for a new style of bespoke treatment rather than a "one size fits all" approach to tackling the epidemic.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11435478

Work and management

4 areas of focus for preventing bullying in the OR
Members of the 2012 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellows program have developed a free toolkit to help stop and prevent bullying in the operating room among perioperative team members.
http://bit.ly/1EscPIS

Articles of interest

Meet the cancer patient in Room 52: His name is Joseph, but call him Joe
Hooked up to machines and a breathing tube, Joseph Mox, 55, can’t talk to the doctors and nurses bustling around a Johns Hopkins intensive care unit. But they know he likes to be called Joe, enjoys “NCIS” and relied on his Catholic faith through bouts of colon and esophageal cancer. And they jokingly ask him for a good deal on brakes because they know he used to manage a truck-parts company.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/effort-to-reduce-harm-in-hospitals-centers-on-seeing-patient-as-a-person/2015/04/08/13c7a814-da16-11e4-b3f2-607bd612aeac_story.html

Online resources

RESOURCES: Additions to our high-risk medicine poster series
We’ve added warfarin and opioids to our series of posters on reducing harm from high-risk medicines. These contain key messages and advice for health professionals who prescribe or administer these medicines.
http://www.open.hqsc.govt.nz/medication/publications-and-resources/

From the Ministry of Health

New Infographic and Report Now Available...
The Ministry of Health has now released a new infographic and report - 'Understanding excess body weight: New Zealand Health Survey'.
http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/understanding-excess-body-weight-new-zealand-health-survey

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 Tuesday 21 April 2015

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