Ultimate Nurse Blog

Computerized patient records have been hailed as a major cost-cutter, and are a big part of the Affordable Care Act. Industry experts have estimated savings of as much as 80 billion dollars a year, according to the RAND corporation. More and more hospitals are switching to computerized records (known also as Electronic Medical Records and Electronic Health Records) in advance of the 2014 deadline. However, a new study has found that while the computerized patient records save money in some…
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Nurses may soon have to learn a new set of practice guidelines when it comes to all their patients. The Endocrine Society has issued new clinical practice guidelines concerning inpatient monitoring of blood glucose levels. Whether or not patients have been diagnosed as diabetics, patients admitted to a facility should receive blood glucose monitoring as long as they are not receiving intensive nursing care. The January 2012 issues of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism published the new standards. Citing…
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The Jackson Sun has a story about a retired African-American nurse who was one of the very first people to desegregate the Jackson General Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee. Vernice Dixon, 93, was in her 30’s when she decided to quit her job as a dishwasher and try to become a nurse. In 1952, she became part of a small group of minority nurses — patients were still segregated at that time, and some of the white patients didn’t want anyone…
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Patients who have lost significant amounts of weight, especially for health reasons, need a stronger support system than someone who simply lost five pounds for swimsuit season. Often a little cheating or relaxation of the new diet habits causes a quick backslide to old habits, which can lead patients back to their starting point with a few extra pounds tacked onto their middle. By helping patients identify possible weight gain triggers, nurses can provide a strong foundation of support to…
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