Medication Safety | The College Network

Nurses in the News: Safe Staffing Legislation Brought to Congress

Thursday, May 23, 2013 by Abby Nieten

In an effort to improve safety for patients and working conditions for nurses, the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act of 2013 was introduced in Congress on April 30, 2013. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) Safe Staffing fact sheet, nursing budget cuts and an increasing nursing shortage have led to unsafe nurse staffing decisions in many hospitals. Nurses are working with less help for longer hours and caring for sicker patients, which ANA believes "compromises care and contributes to the nursing shortage by creating an environment that drives nurses from the bedside."

The RN Safe Staffing Act was formulated with input from ANA, and it has sponsors from both major political parties. If the bill passes, hospitals will be required to form committees that will create nurse staffing plans by unit, taking into consideration number and condition of patients on the unit, experience of the RNs, availability of backup staff members, and technology resources. Among other things, the bill will also ensure that nurses aren't forced to work on units for which they don't have the appropriate education and experience.

According to ANA, focusing on safe staffing of hospital nursing units will help keep patients safe, retain experienced nurses, and cut costs. When nurse staffing levels are appropriate and balanced, patient outcomes improve. In fact, ANA says that "higher staffing levels by experienced RNs are linked to lower rates of patient falls, infections, medication errors, and even death." Appropriate nurse staffing levels also provide nurses with a more positive work environment, which encourages them to stick around.

Seven states have already enacted safe nurse staffing legislation at the state level (i.e., Connecticut, Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington), but a federal bill will push the issue forward. To read the American Nurses Association's full press release about the RN Safe Staffing Act, click here.

Are You a Nurse Preceptor Looking To Earn CNE Contact Hours?

Wednesday, January 30, 2013 by Tracia Fernkas

Many states require nurses to obtain continuing education contact hours to help meet their licensure requirements. A nurse might also decide to earn CNE contact hours because they are interested in keeping their skills up-to-date to provide better patient care. Regardless of why you make the decision to pursue more education; you will gain more knowledge, higher competency and the ability to make more informed decisions.

The College Network® offers several online continuing education courses for busy nurses, and we are accredited as a continuing nursing education provider by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s COA. You can gain valuable skills and earn 2.5 contact hours for each course listed below:

This year, The College Network is awarding contact hours for those attending the American Academy for Preceptor Advancement (AAPA) 2013 conference in Miami starting on February 22^nd. “Crossing Bridges in Preceptoring: Specialization and Certification” at the Baptist Hospital of Miami will bring healthcare professionals from across the country to present informative lectures on preceptoring and the value it holds in today’s healthcare settings.

The AAPA would like to encourage all nurse preceptors to attend. The conference is open to the public, and you don't have to be an AAPA member to attend. If you are interested in registering for this unique event, you can visit the AAPA website for more information.

"It's Not Just That Nursing Is Becoming a Broader Field; it's Becoming Deeper, Too"

Monday, April 2, 2012 by Charles Fox

“It's not just that nursing is becoming a broader field; it's becoming deeper, too.” That is a line from a recent article written by Charles Tiffin, PhD, Provost of Capella University. It certainly provides an opportunity for reflection on what nursing is in 2012 and beyond, and what it means to be a nurse. As contemporary data surfaces and contemporary healthcare evolves, societal notions of what a nurse is evolve in turn.

As Tiffin explains,

"Today's nurses aren't just caring for the sick; they're changing our very notion of modern medicine and health care delivery. Nurses are giving TED talks, publishing scientific research, developing mobile medical applications, and actively addressing health care policy. They're collaborating with their colleagues, from social workers and oncologists to hospital administrators and public safety personnel. The field is growing, and so are opportunities for nurse practitioners, DNP and PhD nurses, nurse educators, nurse-anesthetists, and nurse researchers."

I wanted to share those quotes with readers of The College Network Nursing Blog to inspire some deeper thought about the state of nursing, its place in our society, and the role of nurses. I encourage our readers to check out the entire article.

Continuing education is more convenient than ever

Thursday, January 26, 2012 by Tracia Fernkas

For those of you who are established in your career, the idea of continuing your education can be something that you might not see the importance of pursuing. You have experience and years on the job. But, did you know that 31 states require registered nurses to obtain continuing education in order to keep their license current. You can click here to see a full state list.

Did you also know that The College Network offers accredited continuing nursing education contact hours to help meet those licensing requirements? Continuing nursing education will enable you to increase your knowledge base, achieve ongoing competence and stay current with the rapidly changing health care industry.

We currently offer three courses:

You will earn 2.5 contact hours per course completed that will count towards your state requirement. And, as with all of our courses, you can complete these online, at your convenience. So, call us today at (800) 39-LEARN to find out more about how we can help you stay up-to-date with your education. We're focused on you, so you can focus on your patients.

Commitment to You and Your Patients

Sunday, September 4, 2011 by Landon Jones

The roads may be different but the answer is always the same, you all wanted to become nurses to help people and provide quality healthcare. The College Network has always understood that and that's why we exist. The road to becoming a nurse is a road not easily traveled, and continuing your education while maintaining a job isn't as easy as it was to type. This is why we offer nursing programs that can be completed online and at your own pace. Our commitment to you has grown as well. As of Tuesday August 31st we began offering 2.5 continuing nursing education (CNEs) contact hours with the launch of three courses.

The three courses are: Ethics in Nursing, Medication Safety, and Patients Rights. Are you excited right now? I know I was when I heard this news.

I'm excited because for the past three days, I've been talking with nurses who have been able to see first-hand how committed we are to not only offering degrees from top universities but also how committed we are to the patients that they care for. Whether you work as a home care nurse, nursing home aide, or work in a hospital we want to make sure that your priority to your patients becomes our priority also.

Landon, Appointment Coordinator

Exciting News: CNE Courses Now Available!

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 by Lindsay Schmitt

THE COLLEGE NETWORK IS NOW OFFERING ANCC ACCREDITED CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION

The College Network has officially begun offering three continuing education courses for nurses that provide valuable contact hours upon successful completion.

Indianapolis, Ind. – Aug 31, 2011 – The College Network is accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to offer continuing education courses for nurses. Available today at http://collegenetwork.com/nursingCNE, these courses include Ethics in Nursing, Medication Safety and Patient Rights. Upon completion of each course, nurses will receive 2.5 continuing education contact hours.

Developing continuing nursing education courses was a natural progression for The College Network, which has provided distance learning and education support for nurses for nearly 20 years. The courses developed will allow nurses to increase their knowledge in specific areas, understand issues emerging within the rapidly changing healthcare industry, and retain licensure in the 33 states that require specific numbers of contact hours each year.

“The topics of the first continuing education courses launched by The College Network were chosen because they address some of the key issues facing nurses today,” said Gary Eyler, Chief Executive Officer at The College Network. “They are designed to be convenient and flexible so nurses can participate but also continue to maintain their current work/life balance, which reinforces our commitment to providing quality education to all nurses.”

The College Network plans to continue developing continuing education courses for nurses at all levels of their careers. Future topics may include courses on preventing infections and effective confrontation skills.

The College Network offers Continuing Nursing Education

Friday, July 29, 2011 by Melissa Gardiner

The College Network is now an approved ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center) Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) provider!

If you aren't familiar with CNE, they are courses designed to offer contact hours for nurses. CNE is required in 33 states for LPNs and RNs to maintain their license. In order to be a CNE provider, you must be accredited.

Because of this accreditation, we can now offer even more opportunities with our distance nursing programs. The College Network will begin by offering three courses: Medication Safety, Patient Rights and Ethics in Nursing. Upon completion, each course will be worth 2.5 contact hours.

ANCC accredited programs are recognized by most state licensing boards for CNE requirements, provide a high standard of excellence and quality in the CNE program and demonstrate commitment to high quality nursing practice.

Nurses, Doctors Disagree on Role Nurses Should Play

Tuesday, October 5, 2010 by College Network

There was an article this morning on msnbc.com that talks about how a report done by the Institute of Medicine discusses how nurses should "take on a larger and more independent role in providing health care in America, something many doctors have repeatedly opposed, citing potential safety concerns. It calls for states and the federal government to remove barriers that restrict what care advanced practice nurses -- those with a master's degree -- provide and includes many examples of nurses taking on bigger responsibilities."

Part of the argument for this change in nurse's current responsbilities is to help with the additional multi-million Americans who are going to receive coverage thanks to the new health care law. "Experts predict that more physicians, nurses and other medical professionals will be needed to care for the 32 million additional Americans who will get coverage beginning in 2014 under the sweeping new health law. Nurses' groups say they can help ease a physician shortage. Last week, a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges said that in 2015, there will be a shortage of nearly 63,000 doctors across all specialties in America."

However, doctors argue that nurses don't have the same medical training and are therefore unqualified to perform the same tasks as doctors. "Doctors maintain that even with an advanced degree, these nurses do not have the same education that physicians get in medical school and residency programs and that patient safety could be compromised. They are also wary that their practices could see significant patient losses if the nurses were allowed to practice more independently."

But like it or not, changes are already happening across the country. "Colorado, for instance, recently became the 16th state to allow nurse anesthetists to work without a doctor's oversight. In Michigan, nurses are pushing for legislators there to allow advanced practice nurses to prescribe drugs. Other fights over scope of practice for registered nurses loom in Kentucky, North Caroline, Iowa and Minnesota."

The battle continues to wage and it will certainly be interesting to see how it plays out.

So tell me, how do you feel about about the topic? Would you be okay with an advanced practice nurse having the same role, or nearly the same role as a doctor?

The College Network offers several online nursing programs through leading universities to help nurses reach their goal of advanced education while they work. If you are interested in learning more about earning an inexpensive nursing degree such as LVN to BSN programs, accelerated RN to BSN, RN to MSN bridge program and online paramedic to RN program, contact The College Network at 1-800-395-1014 today.

Occupational Health Nursing

Sunday, August 22, 2010 by The College Network Web Team

An occupational health nurse is employed by a corporation or the government to oversee the health and safety of employees. This nurse will provide pre-employment medical exams and drug screenings, assess and treat employees who get sick or are injured at work, and provide counseling and support. After your accelerated nursing courses, you can work for a large corporation and be a part of the risk management team. This team would assess the workplace, identify health and safety problems and then advise the corporate managers how to improve the situation.

Another duty of the occupational health nurse is training of the supervisory staff in first aid and assessment of injured employees. A nurse with their ADN nursing degree will have the responsibility of managing employee health records and contacting employees if they need updating. This nurse might also work on a corporate team that will develop and manage emergency procedures for the corporation.

An Occupational health nurse that has accelerated RN to BSN may end up managing the occupational health staff or running an occupational health center, as well as moving into nurse training or health service management.

Are you a Occupational health nurse? Can you share with our readers a little bit about your job and what to expect if they are interested in being a Occupational health nurse?

Violence Towards ER Nurses Increases

Wednesday, August 11, 2010 by College Network

I read an article yesterday afternoon about how nurses who work in emergency rooms are being exposed to increasing violence--mostly from drug and alcohol-related incidents. According to the article, "Visits to ERs for drug- and alcohol-related incidents climbed from about 1.6 million in 2005 to nearly 2 million in 2008, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. From 2006 to 2008, the number of those visits resulting in violence jumped from 16,277 to 21,406, the agency said."

Sadly, these numbers probably don't surprise many nurses who are forced to deal with this level of violence on a daily basis. And those that are abused--physically or sexually--typically don't report the assault. Some nurses in New York are pushing for legislation to make it a felony to assault a nurse.

Still, other nurses in hospitals around the country are simply asking for more protection. "The American College of Emergency Physicians has recommended other safety measures, including 24-hour security guards, coded ID badges, bulletproof glass and 'panic buttons' for medical staff to push. Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital is among hospitals that have had success with metal detectors, confiscating 33 handguns, 1,324 knives, and 97 Mace sprays in the first six months of the program."

Violence against nurses is an ever-growing problem and nurses need to work together to make it understood that this violence will not be tolerated.

Do you have any suggestions as to how hospitals or even nurses themselves can help to combat this issue? Do you find yourself facing violent patients?

Within the next several weeks, The College Network will post a white paper discussing issues that nurses face and what can be done. For more information on violence against nurses, be sure to keep an eye out for Issues Nurses Face: And How to Overcome Them.

The College Network™ partners with established universities to offer associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs as well as professional certificates entirely through distance learning. Since 1992, we’ve helped hundreds of thousands of busy adults advance their education and training while maintaining a good work/life balance.

All of the programs offered through our partner universities are regionally accredited and accepted by institutions throughout the country. Upon completion of a degree program, students will receive the same university diploma they would have earned by attending classes on campus.

The College Network strives to provide high-quality education that can be completed conveniently and at an affordable price. Call us at 1-800-395-1014 or visit us at www.collegenetwork.com/blog for more information about the programs available.

Silence Kills: The Seven Crucial Conversations for Healthcare (part 2)

Tuesday, July 6, 2010 by VitalSmarts

Very Few Healthcare Professionals Speak Up

According to a national study VitalSmarts conducted with the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) called Silence Kills, healthcare workers’ failure to speak up poses a major threat to quality of care, patient safety, employee morale, productivity, and retention. Half of the nurses and four-fifths of the physicians surveyed in this study witnessed problems of mistakes, rules, violations, or incompetence. However, fewer than one in ten discussed their concerns with the coworker causing the problem. Not surprisingly, half say the concerns have persisted for a year or more, and a significant number report injurious consequences.

Check back soon for more information from David Maxfield regarding the Crucial Conversations from Healthcare, and continue reading this blog for information on The College Network and online education programs.

About David Maxfield
David Maxfield is coauthor of the New York Times bestseller, Influencer: The Power to Change Anything, and vice president of research for VitalSmarts. He is currently leading a series of consulting and research projects on the role crucial conversations play in medical errors, employee retention, and patient satisfaction. For additional information on how to master crucial conversations, visit the Crucial Skills blog at www.crucialskills.com.

Online Degrees for Paramedics - The College Network

Friday, May 28, 2010 by Jeannie Pennington

ATTENTION: PARAMEDICS
The College Network offers online programs for Paramedics:
Paramedic - RN
EMT to EMS Management
Fire Science -associate and bachelor

All programs offered by THE COLLEGE NETWORK include colleges and universities with regional accreditation and all nursing programs are fully accredited by the National League for Nursing.

In addition, THE COLLEGE NETWORK works in partnership with the NAEMT and the NLN, as well as the American Nurses Association.

"Training for an RN tends to focus more on patient education and the long-term treatment of illnesses and diseases. RNs also study the pathophysiology of diseases. One paramedic who completed his RN training while working full-time says, “The biggest difference is the paramedic saves the patient for the moment. A nurse continues that care, and then tries to teach the patient about how to deal with their medical issues for the rest of their life.”

"For a paramedic, the financial benefits of becoming an RN are tangible. A paramedic’s average base salary is around $38,000 per year, depending on the state and the number of years of experience. Most paramedics work between 45 and 60 hours a week with no consistent schedule. In contrast, an RN’s starting salary averages $55,000 per year and the hours are more predictable."

The Bachelor of Science in Health Science EMS Management prepares emergency medical service providers for management, educational and leadership roles as initial supervisors, mid-level managers and administrators.

"This program allows the student to develop a depth of knowledge in a growing discipline that is at the intersection of public health, public safety and healthcare. EMS encompasses emergency preparedness, incident management, deployment, disaster planning and response, special operations, illness and injury prevention, homeland security and leadership." (http://www.gwumc.edu/healthsci/programs/ems_bs/)

FIRE SCIENCE DEGREES provide the background and general education necessary to advance your career into a higher rank or supervisory level.

www.collegenetwork.com/pennington
jeannie.pennington@collegenetwork.com