Empty Hospital Beds...

I have been thinking about the new changes under the Affordable Care Act and how it would work effectively not only for health care professionals, clinics, and hospitals but also for the patients. I came across this article at the NY Times Health Provider Strives to Keep Hospital Beds Empty , about a system in Chicago that is attempting efforts to improve health care outcomes without increased health care costs. I am particularly interested in the ways that they are looking to coordinate care for the patients who have statistically shown to have higher health-related costs associated with care. I truly do not believe that there is going to be a perfect system in moving forward, but I am hopeful that organizations are looking into creative ways in keeping patient care as priority, while managing health care costs . What do you think about the efforts of this organization?

Who's the Blame? Lawmakers say FDA fell short in policing pharmacy

I was reading a recent article about the meningitis outbreak back in September which is classified as one of the deadliest medication-related outbreaks. It looks like the problem may be multi-faceted in Lawmakers say FDA fell short in policing pharmacy. The one thing I didn't see in the article is the anticipated plan in moving forward, now that we know what we know; are are we just going to keep pointing the finger? I personally think in moving forward that there should be agency standards in place that will protect the people, and alert lawmakers of problems faced that compromise public safety. What do you think the solution(s) should be?

What Parents Should Never Forget: After the Boston Marathon Explosions

I saw this article After the Boston Marathon explosions, what parents should do first . Check it out as it may help parents deal with the recent event that is all too sad and still very shocking. God bless us all and especially those directly affected by the Boston explosions.

Violence: Are We Safe Anywhere?

Week after week, news and social media headliners highlight gruesome stories of violence. We are all vulnerable, as it is unpredictable when and where it will occur next and no place is immune. My question becomes how can Americans advance technologically in so many areas and lose greatly in our ability to create safe living environments for our children and ourselves? Now I am not oblivious to the fact that violence exists, as it has always been a part of our history, but it appears that this is different. In my reality American is at war with severe mental illness, but instead of being armed with the appropriate tools to address the complexity of the issue, it appears that we only focus long enough to support victims affected, then we move on to address more tangible solutions (i.e school safety, lock down procedures, etc). America has got to become passionate about regaining the safety of our country within our own borders, in my opinion one way to do so is by being held and holding Congress accountable to making mental illness a health care priority. In the meantime, headliners about violence will continue to post and the threat to the well-being of all will remain evident until frustrations become so strong we confront this reality and look at realistic solutions and resources that will be target the mental health crisis. What do you think is the reason for the increase in violent attacks in America?

 

 

Second Amendment vs. Doctors and Nurses???

I continue to see/hear so much talk about gun rights, whether it is on social media, in the news, at the beauty salon…it is definitely a HOT topic. I just read an article regarding gun violence from a nursing standpoint. After reading, I looked at the comments section as it was a great article to me; I was shocked at the responses, as they were highly focused on good ole 2^nd amendment. I even saw a few comments stating that “doctors and nurses kill more people in the country in a year than guns” which was quite appalling. My first thought was “how did healthcare professionals get into the politics of gun control from that angle,” the author was just attempting to show the humanitarian side of gun violence. Then human nature kicked in and I had a plethora of thoughts, like “can’t find a better argument than to attempt to demean the frontline healthcare workers that care for those who are injured regardless of the source?” “How ungrateful to the work of healthcare professionals!”  Then I thought about what really matters, and that left me with this “physicians and nurses do what we do, not because of the laws or the politics, we do it because we genuinely care about people. People with or without guns we care for all the same, but our hope is prevention to unnecessary suffering, we see it all too often firsthand because we are at the bedside…and that is all.”

 

 

Unsafe Healthcare Practices: Who Will Speak Up?

I was reading the news about a situation that is alleged that a doctor was practicing in ways that was detrimential and harmful to patients. When I read further, it appears that the doctor is not alone as he worked in a clinic with other healthcare workers. This lead me to wonder, what happens when healthcare professionals and other office staff persons see practices that are questionable or wrong. Why aren't we speaking up and exposing the situations at hand before someone gets hurt, or worst dies. I have found in similar cases such as this, many times the reasons given were that in a sense people believed that they are helping the doctor and/or the patients. It is not uncommon, however, when things are in the open and the wrongdoing is evident, and that those who witnessed such acts become just as guilty that they are able to really understand why it was wrong.  I think as healthcare professions, we have to be willing to be uncomfortable when situations are compromising to the health and well-being of our patients or when they are just not the standards of care. I believe that the the cost spent in litigation is huge for the healthcare industry on cases such as this when the easier and more inexpensive remedy should have been to speak up against a harmful or unsafe practices of healthcare professionals. Wrong is wrong...right?...Who will speak up? Have you ever witnessed an unsafe healthcare practice?