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Researchers at a large children's hospital found that nurses who were comfortable working with dying children and their families were also nurses who reported high levels of hopefulness.
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Time is running out for hospices to prepare for the new Medicare conditions of participation (CPs), and experts say the best strategy is to make quality improvement changes now and not wait until sometime in 2008 when it will become the law.
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There were 2,070 errors involving use of anticoagulants in EDs from August 1998 through 2006 reported to the United States Pharmacopeia's database. Of these, 88 harmed patients.
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If you're unaware that a patient has alcohol in their system, you could give a medication that could seriously harm that patient, warns Paula Beaulieu, RN, BSN, director of emergency services at South Shore Hospital in South Weymouth, MA.
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If lumbar punctures are not successful, there can be needless discomfort, antibiotic use, and hospitalization for your patient, says Lise E. Nigrovic, MD, MPH, and attending ED physician at Children's Hospital Boston.
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A patient came to an ED with unstable angina and chest pain and was given aspirin, Plavix (clopidogrel bisulfate), and Fragmin (dalteparin). An hour later the patient received Retavase (reteplase), and a heparin infusion was started based on a protocol for treatment of acute myocardial infarction, but the patient's previous dose of Fragmin was overlooked. The patient hemorrhaged and later died.
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You probably would not suspect that a patient complaining of skin irritation or dizziness had overdosed on a vitamin, but this is something you may soon see in your ED.
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An 8-year-old boy came into the ED Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, IL, swinging his arms at objects that were apparent only to him and saying nonsensical things. At first, nurses suspected a psychiatric disorder, but after determining that the patient had an elevated temperature, a further work-up revealed a diagnosis of encephalitis...
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Your next patient is a young mother of three who is looking for long-term, effective contraception. She says she is not ready to consider tubal sterilization. What methods can you offer her?
