This rapid test can be a big help in clinics where diagnosis of a drug-resistant strain while someone is still there on the first visit enables proper treatment right away.  This can be a powerful tool as well in third world countries where patients may not be diagnosed and treated before the disease has spread. 

The World Health Organization will meet with experts to review results of studies of this test and plan steps for moving forward.  Cepheid, a California-based diagnostics company; the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey, and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, a Swiss-based non-profit group supported by the Gates Foundation collaborated with the United State government to develop this test.  The study of the test is available online at: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0907847

Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation is part of a multiyear comparative study of professional education in the United States called the Preparation for the Professions Program (PPP) at The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The project was funded by Carnegie and The Atlantic Philanthropies.  This book  identifies the most effective practices for teaching nursing and persuasively argues that nursing education must be remade. The authors call for radical advances in the pathways to nursing licensure and a radical new understanding of the curriculum.

The Carnegie National Nursing Education Study examined three dimensions of nursing education and formation: 1) the learning of theory and scientific methods; 2) the mastery of skillful practice; and 3) the formation of professional identity and agency.  

KEY OBSERVATIONS OR FINDINGS
A major finding from the study is that today’s nurses are undereducated for the demands of practice. Previous researchers worried about the education-¬practice gap; that is, the ability of practice settings to adopt and reflect what was being taught in academic institutions. Now, according to the authors, the tables are turned: nurse administrators worry about the practice¬-education gap, as it becomes harder for nursing education to keep pace with the rapid changes driven by research and new technologies.

Three other key findings informed the authors’ recommendations. These include:
1.  U.S. nursing programs are very effective in forming professional identity and ethical comportment.
2.  Clinical practice assignments provide powerful learning experiences, especially in programs where educators integrate clinical and classroom teaching.
3.  U.S. nursing programs are not effective in teaching nursing science, natural sciences, social sciences, technology and the humanities.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAMS
The authors suggest that nursing educators make four shifts in their thinking about teaching and in their approaches to fostering student learning.  These shifts in thinking are:

1.  From a focus on covering decontextualized knowledge to an emphasis on teaching for a sense of salience, situated cognition and action in particular situations.
2.  From a sharp separation of clinical and classroom teaching to an integration of the two.
3.  From an emphasis on critical thinking to an emphasis on clinical reasoning and multiple ways of thinking.
4.  From an emphasis on socialization and role-taking to an emphasis on formation.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY CHANGE
Resulting from the study are a set of specific policy recommendations. These will require that the entire nursing profession work together to transform nursing education.  These recommendations include those around entry to practice, student population and student experience, faculty development, and national oversight of performance assessments for licensure.

The rule also proposes treating billing companies, customer service contractors and other businesses the same as physicians, hospitals and insurers, which would subject them to fines and penalties if they violate privacy regulations. Earlier this year, HHS significantly increased the maximum penalty for HIPAA violations, to $50,000 per violation and $1.5 million annually.

The proposed rule would also:

• Grant individuals greater access to their personal data;
• Limit certain personal information disclosures to health plans; and
• Strengthen the federal Office for Civil Rights’ regulatory power over HIPAA’s privacy and security provisions

The proposed changes were mandated by the HITECH Act, which was included in the economic stimulus package and designed to encourage hospitals and physicians to adopt electronic health records.  The draft rule is open for public comment for 60 days, beginning July 14.  Instructions for submitting comments are included as part of the proposed rule.

 Resources for Nurses Responding to Disasters

Did you know that there is a good resource for dealing with emergency situations available on the Washington State Department of Health Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response website?   This website is available at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/phepr/pheprlho.htm. Here you can find a toolkit for emergency communications and an emergency resource guide as well as fact sheets for the general public.  You can download the emergency resource guide at:  http://www.doh.wa.gov/phepr/handbook/hbk_pdf/EmerRes08.pdf.  This website also includes other resources for planners, schools, nurses, first responders, healthcare and laboratory personnel, and hospitals.  

Washington Health Volunteers in Emergencies (WHAVE) 

If you are not already registered for the Washington Health Volunteers in Emergencies (WAHVE) to assist in the case of a disaster or emergency, you may want to sign up.  WAHVE is open for licensed healthcare professionals only.  To explore this opportunity, go to the WAHVE website for information.  http://www.doh.wa.gov/phepr/wahve/nextWAHVE.htm.

Please see the updated guidance: http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/scholarship/guidance/eligibility.htm.

Nurse Practitioners are eligible for the NHSC Scholarship if they are pursuing a master’s degree, or post-master’s certificate, accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, leading to national certification as a Nurse Practitioner specializing in adult, family, geriatrics, pediatrics, psychiatric, or women’s health by either the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Nurses House is a nurse-managed, non-profit organization dedicated to helping registered nurses in need.  The organization offers short-term financial assistance to nurses in need as a result of illness, injury, or disability.  Funds are available to pay for basics such as food, a car payment, or health insurance.  The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) is one of the supporters of Nurses House.

For information about applying for help, go to: http://nurseshouse.org/apply_for_help.html or contact WSNA at 206-575-7979 if you need assistance in obtaining the application information.

1. 45 hours of Continuing Education
2. National Certification
3. 45 Hours of Nursing Education (could be completion of a Commission-approved Nurse Refresher Course, or a facility-based Preceptorship, Residency program, or education inservice)
4. At least 45 hours of Active participation including meeting attendance in professional nursing or employer-sponsored organizations or committees.
5. Minimum of 3 credits of advanced education toward an advanced degree in any field. At an accredited college or university.
6. Completion of a nursing research project as principal investigator, co-investigator, or project director.
7. Submitting or publishing a healthcare article, book chapter or other scholarly work.
8. Minimum of one hour of presentation time on a healthcare or system-related topic.

A copy of supporting documents for these requirements must be stored in a safe place and readily accessible to you.  You may be directed by NCQAC to submit these documents.

This model can be reviewed at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Professions/Nursing/Rules.htm.   The minutes of the workshop are also available on the website.   Additional rules writing workshops were held on:  April 20-23, 2010; May 13, 2010; and June 3-4, 2010 with the final rules writing scheduled for September, 2010.   If you were unable to attend the workshops, you can submit draft language or suggestions to terry.west@doh.wa.gov.

As part of this continuing competency effort, the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA)  is developing online Continuing Nursing Education.  The Washington State Nurses Association Continuing Education Provider Program (OH-231, 9-1-2012) is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Ohio Nurses Association (OBN-001-91), an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. A record of courses taken online as well as those taken in classroom or other settings will be maintained by WSNA and available as part of the documentation required by NCQAC.

The key findings indicate that an overwhelming majority of opinion leaders say nurses should have more influence. However, the survey finds that opinion leaders also view nurses as one of the most trusted sources of health information, but see nurses as having less influence on health care reform than government, insurance and pharmaceutical executives and others.

Other key findings from the new Gallup survey:

Opinion leaders identified the top barriers to nurses’ increased influence and leadership as not being perceived as important decision makers (69%) or revenue generators (68%) compared with doctors; nurses’ focus on primary rather than preventive care (62%); and nursing not having a single voice in speaking on national issues (56%). 

Attached please find a summary of survey results in their entirety.

rwjf-gallup-poll-january_2010

STATE OF WASHINGTON

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Olympia, Washington 98504

DATE:           September 23, 2009

TO:             All health care practitioners with prescriptive and dispensing authority

FROM:   Susan Teil Boyer, Executive Director, Washington State Board of Pharmacy

SUBJECT:        Tamper-Resistant Prescription Pads or Paper

A new law will go into effect July 1, 2010 that requires the use of tamper-resistant pads or paper for prescriptions.

Earlier this year, Governor Gregoire signed House Bill 2014 to help improve patient safety. This law amends the pharmacy practice act, chapter 18.64 RCW. It requires all prescriptions written in Washington to be on tamper-resistant pads or paper. This requirement will reduce forged and altered prescriptions, and deter drug abuse. Physicians and pharmacists supported the bill.

Who Must Comply?
All physicians and other practitioners who have prescriptive and dispensing authority must comply with this law.

How Must They Comply?
Beginning July 1, 2010, all prescriptions must be written on tamper resistant paper approved by the Board of Pharmacy.

Pharmacists may not dispense a written prescription unless it is written on an approved prescription paper. A pharmacist may provide emergency medications in compliance with federal and state laws and rules, and any applicable health care plan restrictions and procedures.

Approved paper will have a seal of approval issued by the Washington State Board of Pharmacy. These pads or paper will have one or more industry-recognized features to prevent: 

• Unauthorized copying of a completed or blank prescription form;
• The erasure or modification of information written on the prescription form by the practitioner; and
• The use of counterfeit prescription forms.

Are There Exceptions?
Yes, tamper-resistant prescription pads or paper is not required when: 

• Prescriptions are transmitted to the pharmacy electronically, by telephone, or by facsimile. 

Note: If a hard copy of an electronic prescription is printed and given directly to the patient or patient’s designee, the manually-signed hard copy prescription must be on approved tamper-resistant paper. 

• Prescriptions are written for patients in hospitals, residential nursing homes, inpatient or residents of a metal health facilities, and correctional facilities. In these cases, the order or prescription must be given directly to the pharmacy and the patient or patient’s designee cannot have the opportunity to handle the written order or prescription.

The board is developing a review/approval process for vendors of tamper-resistant prescription pads or paper. In mid-December 2009, a list of vendors who supply board-approved tamper-resistant paper or pad will be made available on the Board of Pharmacy’s website at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Professions/Pharmacy/default.htm. For questions, please contact Doreen Beebe, Board of Pharmacy Program Manager, at 360.236.4834 or by email at wsbop@doh.wa.gov.

To read full article, go to:
http://www.nursezone.com/Nursing-News-Events/more-news.aspx?ID=18693