Hospitals are finding new ways to provide maternal care amid OB-GYN unit closures and growing research about maternal care deficiencies.

In a sudden move, the Visiting Nurse Association of Staten Island ended operations, laying off its nursing and selling its assets after over 100 years in service, SILive.com reported Sept. 27.

Starting Oct. 1, a new North Carolina law will require hospitals to have an armed law enforcement officer in emergency departments, The Carolina Journal reported Sept. 26. 

In recent years, debates over scopes of practice and titles have intensified among associations representing physicians, advanced practice providers and other healthcare professionals.

Nurse teams around the world are facing burnout and shortage — straining care delivery, and posing a meaningful challenge to health system margins. An often-ignored but pivotal driver of the problem is provider scheduling. Building shift schedules is extremely time-consuming, and often inefficiently or inequitably allocates already-stretched nurse teams.

A study of 237 New York and Illinois hospitals found nurse staffing levels, Magnet designations and other factors were associated with lower COVID-19 death rates.  

A third of healthcare workers reported symptoms of PTSD related to the pandemic, but nurse aides and other lower-paid healthcare workers said they have been unable to get help for their conditions, KFF Health News reported Sept. 25.

A recent study found 4 in 5 pregnant women will have iron deficiency by their third trimester.

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans may be living with undiagnosed iron deficiency, a condition linked to fatigue, brain fog and concentration difficulties, according to a Sept. 24 report published by the Jama Network. 

A new report from the CDC based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey revealed that 40.3% of U.S adults were classified as obese from August 2021 to August 2023. 

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the number of nurses employed in the U.S. is now approaching five million. So many nurses would probably not choose to enter the profession if they knew it might negatively affect their well-being.

Hospitals are working to implement new guidelines and federal initiations to address rising rates of preeclampsia, KFF Health News reported Sept. 25.

How Stryker’s technology elevates patient safety Patient safety is a top priority in healthcare, and one of the biggest challenges hospitals face is preventing falls. These accidents can lead to longer hospital stays and even serious injury.1 While traditional methods—like keeping a close eye on patients and encouraging safe movement—are still crucial, there’s more to be done.

The Problem According to the American Medical Association (AMA) Journal of Ethics, United States healthcare facilities produce approximately 3,500 tons of plastic waste every day, 91% of which will never be recycled, predominantly ending up in either landfills or the environment1.

As healthcare costs continue to climb, hospitals are under increasing pressure to find innovative ways to maintain financial stability while delivering high-quality care. Virtual nursing has emerged as a powerful tool, offering a model that enhances patient care and combats never-ending cost increases.

Nurse practitioners employed by New York state have sued the agency that oversees their salary structure, alleging they are being underpaid based on gender, the Times Union reported Sept. 23.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a rare, mosquito-borne viral illness called Eastern equine encephalitis an imminent public health threat, The New York Times reported Sept. 23.

On Sept. 24, U.S. News & World Report released its ranking of the nation's best Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. 

A CDC advisory committee has been working to update an influential set of infection control guidelines since August 2023. Over the past year, the agency has faced growing pressure from clinicians, who have criticized early versions of the updated guidance for putting surgical masks on par with N95s.

Nurse turnover and vacancy rates have declined since their pandemic-era peaks but remain elevated, according to data from the "2024 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report."