Patient Safety (Page 2)

On:
In: Activism, Essentia, Hospitals, Patient Safety

Late last year, nurses in North Dakota and northern Minnesota learned of a plan from Essentia Health to pursue acquisition talks with CHI/Common Spirit Health Care. The plan was for Essentia Health to acquire 14 facilities and take over management and services they provide to mainly rural communities across northern Minnesota and North Dakota.

From the start, MNA members were concerned about the implications this deal would have on patient care in many critical access facilities. Nurses were familiar with the past dealings of Essentia in Moose Lake, taking over the small community hospital and immediately shuttering services and sending patients to the system hub in Duluth.
… Read more about: Nurses celebrate a win as CHI/Essentia merger falls through  »

On:
In: COVID-19, Home, Member Blog, Patient Safety, Patient Safety Standards, PPE

By Todd Trigg, CRNA

MNA Steward

A few days ago, I was out to do my bi-weekly run for essentials. I had my lists, my route planned, my homemade cloth mask, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes to wipe things down. I was ready. I started by going to my local membership warehouse. Once there, I notice a majority of people wearing cloth masks and practicing good social distancing. I saw a few with N95 masks on, and I wondered where they got them and why they choose to wear this mask since it has become such a sacred, very limited, and treasured item to healthcare providers.
… Read more about: Save the N95s for Those Who Need Them  »

On:
In: COVID-19, Home, Member Blog, Patient Safety, PPE

By Megan Chao Smith, RN

MNA Member

 

As a nurse, I am in fear for my life, and feel like I am the only one taking my safety into account. I am less frightened about contracting the virus as I am shaken by the prospect of entrusting my safety to the current, irresponsible thinking and policies of my employer. In the face of a callous disregard for nurse safety, I am forced to weigh self-preservation with the real needs of patients in a time of national crisis. I have to choose between serving my oath, which risks my life and family’s health, and leaving my job and co-workers.
… Read more about: Who’s Got My Back?  »

On:
In: Education, Home, Nursing Practice, Patient Safety

By Kristina Maki, MS RN CNE

MNA Nurse Educator

 

Retention studies show that CPR skills deteriorate quickly after training. Most of the research shows, without consistent use of the skills, there is a significant decline after just three months. Even if a nurse still has a valid BLS certification card, it might be beneficial to refresh your competency. Still, MNA members have expressed concern about several healthcare facilities moving away from the standardized American Heart Association courses such as Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Instead, hospitals are moving to facility-created versions.
… Read more about: You Asked for It… And Now You’ve Got It!  »

On:
In: Home, Hospitals, Nurse education, Nurses, Patient Safety

By Jackie Russell, RN JD

MNA Nursing Practice and Regulatory Affairs Specialist

 

My middle-aged male patient worked a labor job. He came to our ED Triage from work wearing jeans and work boots. He was active. He had no significant health history but also chest pain. Because he didn’t have a cardiac history, was otherwise healthy, bright and chatty, he was placed on a monitor in a trauma room for further evaluation. I remember he said he was under stress at work, but I didn’t pry and we talked about other, benign things. Funny how we remember apparently insignificant details about our patients.
… Read more about: The More You Know and the Deskilling of Nursing Practice  »

nurse workplace violence

On:
In: Bargaining, Home, Legislative Policy, Nurse education, Patient Safety, Politics, Unions, Women, Workplace violence prevention

By Jackie Russell, RN JD

Nursing Practice and Regulatory Affairs Specialist

 

On the CDC website there is a Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses Course (CDC Course No. WB2908–NIOSH Pub. No. 2013-155). It’s free. It’s interactive. (here’s the link to attend:  https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/violence/training_nurses.html) It’s designed to “help healthcare workers better understand the scope and nature of violence in the workplace.” And it hasn’t been updated since 2016 (last reviewed, 2017).

If you take the course, you will learn the definition, types, and prevalence of violence; workplace violence consequences; risk factors for type II and III violence; prevention strategies for organizations; prevention strategies for nurses; and a post event response.
… Read more about: What Is Workplace Violence Prevention?  »

On:
In: Action, Day On the Hill, Nurses, Patient Safety, Politics, Standards of Care, Workplace violence prevention

By Diane McLaughlin, RN

Commission of Active Retired Nurses & Government Affairs Commissioner

 

It is so inspiring to see about 100 MNA nurses from all over Minnesota come together and speak up for patients with our legislators at the Capitol during the annual Day on the Hill this year.

The Feb. 11-12 event was as rewarding and inspiring as ever.

After an evening of socializing and training, we met with our own representatives and senators to use our voices as citizen lobbyists to talk about the issues impacting our patients and our profession.

I met with Rep.
… Read more about: One Word for MNA’s Nurses Day on the Hill: Phenomenal  »

On:
In: Guns, Home, Member Blog, Minnesota Nurses Association, Nurses, Patient Safety, Workplace violence prevention

 

 

By  Jean Forman, RN

Chair, Government Affairs Commission

and Diane McLaughlin, RN

Government Affairs Commissioner

 

(Editor’s Note:  The following is the recommendation of the members of the Government Affairs Commission on a proposal that has not been adopted by the MNA Board or Membership.)

 

The MNA Convention is coming up quickly, October 6-8 in Minneapolis. We have so much important work to accomplish! We are writing as elected members of the Commission on Governmental Affairs (GAC) to gain your support for an important addition to MNA’s legislative platform regarding gun violence prevention and protection.
… Read more about: Support Our Platform on Gun Safety  »

On:
In: Home, Hospitals, Patient Safety

By Rick Fuentes

MNA Communications Specialist

 

There’s an old joke, “what’s the definition of a conservative?  A liberal who got mugged.  What’s the definition of a liberal?  A conservative who lost his job.”  More true than funny, it shows us how we cling to our political beliefs until something happens to us.  Case in point, this country music guitarist who has publicly admitted he was wrong on gun ownership.  He’s not alone.  We get sick, we want good healthcare.  We have kids, we want good schools.  We experience a shooting, we want gun control.  Conversely, when we don’t experience a shooting, we look the other way.
… Read more about: Making Sense of the Nonsensical  »

nurse protest

On:
In: Home, Member Blog, Nurse education, Nurses, overtime, Patient Safety, Patient Safety Standards

By Diane Scott

MNA Member

 

It was a beautiful fall day. The oak trees were breathtaking. That was outside… Inside the hospital, chaos ensued. We were short staffed. Yep, plain-old short-staffing, once again.

The charge nurse asked the nurses working their eight-hour day shifts to stay and also work the evening shift. All five of these nurses said no. They were too tired, and, in their professional judgment, it would be unsafe for their patients. Then, the nurse manager approached one of those nurses and said, “you have to stay or I am going to report you for abandoning your patients.” The nurse said, “but, but…,” put her head down, got teary-eyed, and called home to tell her kids she would be home about midnight.
… Read more about: BOOM! (Bunch of Outrageous Malarkey)  »