Happy King County summer. . . hope yours is going well!
Stay tuned for more information about upcoming fall events - continuing education for nurses, offering credits or Certificates of Completion that meet the continuing competency requirement for license renewal in Washington. The KCNA Program Committee has identified some timely topics for nurses and staff will plan events in the coming months.
--- The Staff of KCNA
Sue Vermeulen and Rose Williamson
P.S. To become a part of the world's largest, longest running study of health and wellness, the Nurses' Health Study, check out the first article below.
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News2Use is published monthly for KCNA members and other nurses throughout King County. To comment or submit content, email [email protected].
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Nurses' Health Study recruiting new participants
From the dangers of tobacco and trans-fats to the benefits of physical activity and whole grains, much of what we know about health today was learned from the Nurses' Health Study.
It's the world's largest, longest running study of health and wellness.
Now researchers are recruiting 100,000 additional participants and expanding the study to include both female and male RNs, LPNs and nursing students who live in the U.S. or Canada. More than 38,000 have signed up; recruitment will be open until the goal of 100,000 is reached. To participate, join online and complete the study's surveys on a secure website.
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Researchers develop device to rapidly detect
sepsis
from drop of blood
A team of researchers has developed a small, portable device to aid clinicians in early detection of sepsis. The experimental device requires just a drop of blood to measure white blood cell count, among other metrics, and rapidly assess a patient's immune response to sepsis. Researchers tested the device using blood samples from hospital patients and found the device's results had a strong correlation to traditional sepsis tests. The research team is working to add new measurements to the device's blood analysis process to provide an even fuller picture of patients' immune responses. Sepsis is a life-threatening problem that can become deadly quickly, so a bedside monitor would allow clinicians to treat it sooner with better accuracy. Read the article here.
Drug cocktail could lower rates of sepsis shock, death
A drug cocktail comprised of commonly available drugs may be effective in mitigating progressive organ dysfunction and lowering the mortality rate of severe sepsis and septic shock, according to a study
published in CHEST. Current patients treated with the cocktail of vitamin C, corticosteroids and thiamine (vitamin B) were compared with those treated for sepsis in the ICU prior to the protocol being put in place. The study showed 40 percent of patients in the control group died as compared to 9 percent in the drug cocktail treatment group. Additionally, the cocktail reduced the mean duration of vasopressor use by nearly half. Click here for details.
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CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION
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Substance Use Disorder Conference in October
The Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission and Washington Health Professional Services invite you to attend a Substance Use Disorder Conference - Friday, October 13 at the Crown Plaza Airport Hotel in Seattle. The program will address the roles and responsibilities that healthcare professionals and organizations share regarding the abuse of opioids and other addictive drugs.
Register before September 1 and pay $100; after that date the registration fee will be $125. Find more information on the conference website.
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NURSING and PROFESSIONAL NEWS
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Is nursing profession still viewed as "unmanly"?
As traditionally male factory work dries up, the fastest growing jobs in America are those often held by women (including nursing). While 20 million men had no paid work in 2015 (and seven million had stopped looking), jobs in the health care sector sit open; health care had the largest gap between vacancies and hires of any jobs sector as of April 2017.
It may be that notions of masculinity die hard - in both men and women - and these types of jobs may be viewed as demeaning or unmanly. Or the issue may be more complicated. Read more here.
First step to eliminating nurse bullying, burnout in hospitals
Far too often, the hospital environment is not conducive to nurses' needs and fails to promote resilience and engagement, according to Mary Jo Assi, DNP, who recently joined Press Ganey from the American Nurses Association. Some of the biggest issues in nursing, including recruitment, retention, burnout and bullying, can be addressed by creating a healthy work environment, she says. The healthy environment includes characteristics such as sound staffing levels, schedules that allow for proper rest, leadership support and shared decision-making (to name a few). To full article includes greater detail about creating this type of environment; read it here.
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Surge in infection at children's hospitals
Research published in the March
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
is the first known effort to comprehensively examine multi drug- resistant infections among children with Enterobacteriaceae infections. Researchers found a 700-percent surge in infections caused by this family of bacteria. The antibiotic-resistant infections are linked to longer hospital stays and potentially greater risk of death.
"There is a clear and alarming upswing throughout this country of antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in kids and teens," according to the lead author. "This makes it harder to effectively treat our patients' infections. The problem is compounded because there are fewer antibiotics approved for young people than adults to begin with. Health care providers have to make sure we only prescribe antibiotics when they're really needed. It's also essential to stop using antibiotics in healthy agricultural animals." Read more.
Removing ICU sinks reduces colonization
with gram-negative bacteria
According to a recent study, "water-free" patient care and removal of sinks fro
m ICU patient rooms can reduce the number of ICU p
atients infected with gram-negative bacteria.
Multidrug-resistant gram-negative
bacilli have been found in tap water and concern is growing that these bacteria can colonize in plumbing and cause outbreaks among imm
unocompromised patients. These bacteria include Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Shigella, and the Enterobacteriaceae family.
More information here.
Vaccination studies employ simulated model
Researchers have created a simulated flu outbreak to measure how targeting certain populations for vaccination can benefit society at large. After high-risk individuals, immunizing children and the elderly will have the greatest overall benefit when there are limited vaccine resources. When vaccine supplies are limited, public health officials are often required to prioritize which populations have the greatest need for immediate immunization. Official recommendations for how this assessment process should be carried out are often lacking or confusing. To study the question, Virginia Tech researchers developed a "synthetic population" that moves and mixes with others much like a real community. The research team provides a framework that can be used to study different vaccine priority orders and different outcome metrics. Click
here for more information.
Multiple recurring
C. diff infections jump 189% in 11 years
Multiple recurring
Clostridium difficile
infections increased exponentially between 2001 and 2012, according to research
published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers analyzed a nationwide commercial health insurance database, including more than 40 million patients in private health plans. C. diff infections were considered multiple recurrent when physicians treated the patients with three courses of antibiotics with little time between treatments.
The study shows the incidence of multiple recurring C. diff infections increased by 189 percent over the study period, whereas the incidence of C. diff infections rose by about 43 percent.
The patient characteristics for multiple recurring C. diff infections include:
● Being older
● Being female
● Exposure to certain medications prior to contracting C. diff
Read the full article here.
Flu vaccine patch proves effective in early trials
A dissolving, microneedle vaccine delivery system can safely produce robust immune responses to influenza, according to a phase 1 clinical trial.
Emory University researchers divided participants into: vaccination with microneedle patch administered by a healthcare provider; self-administered vaccination with microneedle patch; intramuscular vaccine injection; and a placebo group. All participants who received a vaccine demonstrated comparable antibody responses. The microneedle patch (whether administered by HCP or self-adlministered) was well tolerated with few adverse reactions. Click here for more information.
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Attention clinicians: Syphilis again on the rise
Rates of syphilis are climbing in many communities across the U.S., and even rates of congenital syphilis are surging. Healthcare providers can help address these increases, but must first be aware the trend and have the necessary tools for prevention and treatment. The Centers for Disease Control has developed a whiteboard video to highlight the rowing syphilis burden, testing recommendations and three steps HCPs can take to protect patients. Access this resource here.
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March of Dimes seeks funding proposals
The March of Dimes in Washington is seeking funding proposals for:
● Group Prenatal Care
● Pregnancy Intention Assessment and Support QI
● Smoking Cessation Program training
For an application, contact Kasey Rivas, Maternal & Child Health Director by email or phone 206/452-6631. Proposals due by September 1, 2017.
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Recognize heatstroke when you see (or feel) it
Take note! According to the CDC, more than 600 Americans (on average) die each year from complications related to extreme heat - more than tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, lightning or any other weather event combined. Without emergency treatment, heatstroke can lead to death; seeking medical treatment is an absolute must. Symptoms include body temperature over 104 degrees, altered mental state, nausea, vomiting, flushed skin, rapid breathing and racing heart rate. More information about heatstroke - as well as information comparing the symptoms of heatstroke with those of stroke (CVA) - is available here.
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| AND NOW FOR A WORD FROM YOUR HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY |
You're just the "type" to help
save lives!
Every two seconds in the U.S., someone needs blood. No matter what your blood type is, you can help!
With schools on summer break and family vacations, Bloodworks Northwest expects to see a 20% decrease in blood donations,yet the NEED for blood never takes a vacation.
Can you roll up your sleeve to save lives? Make an appointment to donate today:
* Find a convenient location here.
* Check eligibility here.
(Questions? Contact a specialist here or phone 206/292-2543.)
July 28 is World Hepatitis Day
At the 69th World Health Assembly in Geneva, 194 governments adopted WHO's Global Strategy on Viral Hepatitis, which calls for the elimination of hepatitis B and C by 2030. The community responded by launching NOhep, the first ever global movement to eliminate viral hepatitis. If you're involved in any way with patients and hepatitis, visit here to see how you can recognize World Hepatitis Day.
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