News tagged with 'Nurses and Assistants'

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a new report that highlights key factors on why it is so difficult for hospitals to recruit and retain registered nurses. RNs are the biggest group of health care providers employed by the VA’s health care system.

The nursing care industry continues to face dangerous staffing shortages, says a new survey conducted by a nationwide healthcare organization. AFT Healthcare, a division of the American Federation of Teachers, sampled 601 hospital nurses, half of whom said the nursing industry's serious staffing problem was getting wo

A severe nursing shortage in the United States contributes to an estimated 20,000 hospital deaths each year, says a new study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. As part of their analysis, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania surveyed 10,000 nurses at nearly 170 hospitals

Several patients at an Oklahoma hospital contracted hepatitis C after a nurse reused hypodermic needles. James C. Hill, a nurse-anesthetist at Norman Regional Hospital outside of Oklahoma City, admitted to reusing needles on hundreds of patients from December 2001 through August 19 of this year. Six patients have con

A new report released yesterday by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) reveals that a nationwide lack of nurses may have contributed to 25 percent of recorded deaths and injuries in hospitals since 1996. In its study, the Commission examined 1,609 reports of patient deaths and inj

Nurses throughout the State of Florida are concerned. Research indicates that many Florida hospitals are understaffed. The shortage is forcing nurses to take on higher caseloads, which can result in diminished care for patients. But a group of 5,000 nurses and other health care professionals is fighting back. The ca

A report published in this month's issue of the American Journal of Critical Care reveals that fewer nurses in intensive care units (ICU) may lead to more patient complications and higher hospital costs. The study, conducted by Dr. Justin B. Dimick and colleagues from Johns Hopkins University, collected data from 569

Florida's health care industry is facing its worst nursing shortage in over ten years, according to a recent study by The Florida Hospital Association. The Association reported that Florida hospitals have a nursing vacancy rate of 16 percent. Over 8,400 nursing jobs were reported unfilled in 2000, up four percent fro

Congressional observers say that a legislative solution to the Nation's nursing crisis is at least a few years away. Congress had been considering nursing legislation, yet the Attack on America has forced congressional attention elsewhere. At present, Federal assistance on the nursing front likely will not be conside

A respiratory therapist working at Glendale Adventist Medical Center in Glendale, California recently confessed to killing between 40 and 50 elderly patients. The therapist administered large doses of muscle-relaxants that caused patients to suffer respiratory arrest. At one point, Saldivar is said to have called him

In an investigation conducted by the Chicago Tribune, researchers found that under trained and overworked nurses abound in the U.S. healthcare system. It comes then as no surprise that serious medical errors committed by these nurses are occurring with increasing frequency. The investigation found that since 1995 at

It is a good time to graduate from nursing school. Hospitals and doctors' offices are aggressively competing for registered nurses with some offering signing bonuses, child care and other perks. The low supply of nurses is occurring as demand for their services is reaching an all time high. With the 78 million baby

With an increasing number of school children suffering from medical ailments, school nurses are dispensing more and more drugs. A nationwide survey of school nurses revealed that at least half had made medication errors over the past year. The nursing errors in administering medication included missed doses, overdose