July/August 2020 Issue of Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control
ON THE COVER
Viewpoint: Hospital leadership is a bigger threat to nurses than COVID-19
The lack of support from hospital leadership is more dangerous for nurses working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic than the virus itself, a nurse wrote in an opinion piece for STAT News.
Where are the 32 'straight-A' Leapfrog hospitals?
The Leapfrog Group released its spring 2020 Hospital Safety Grades April 30, assigning "A" through "F" letter grades to more than 2,600 acute care hospitals for patient safety performance.
AdventHealth CMO Dr. Omayra Mansfield on creating joy amid COVID-19
Omayra Mansfield, MD, was having a particularly hard day amid the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Driving home from work, the despair overwhelmed her, so she paused and decided when she got home, she would create a moment of joy by jumping into her pool fully clothed to surprise her children.
What it takes to be a clinical leader during the pandemic: key insights from CNO Lisa Oldham
Lisa Oldham, CNO and Vice President of Patient Care Services at Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown, N.Y., has tenure in nurse leadership and witnessed how the Covid-19 pandemic brought her teams of nurses together during a time of critical need.
Lingering COVID-19 symptoms stump physicians
Some COVID-19 patients continue to experience symptoms of the disease weeks and months after being diagnosed, particularly in cases where the disease does not become severe enough to require hospital admission, and physicians are trying to figure out why, NBC News reports.
Behind every RN is a nurse manager: 4 tips for these leaders during the pandemic
The nurse manager role is challenging on a normal day, let alone during a pandemic when leading a newly created unit with a team of employees reassigned from other parts of a hospital that is flooded with gravely ill COVID-19 patients.
6 ways hospitals can prepare for another COVID-19 wave
The pandemic's first wave, which is still hitting hard in some areas, has provided valuable lessons for hospitals to refine their processes and improve preparedness if another wave occurs, according to ProPublica.
COVID-19 will circulate for decades, experts predict
COVID-19 will likely persist for decades, even after a vaccine is created and widely disseminated, experts told The Washington Post.
8 ways to boost vaccination rates amid the pandemic
The CDC is calling on clinicians to help boost U.S. vaccination rates for flu and other diseases, which have dropped during the pandemic, according to the American Medical Association.
Moving toward a 'new normal': How hospitals are convincing patients it's safe to come back
Toward the end of April and in May, states lifted restrictions on healthcare operations in place since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, hospitals are faced with the challenge of encouraging patients to seek care in places they previously were told to avoid and making sure they feel safe when doing so.
How to drive compassion in the patient experience: 4 insights on 'never events' from CareMount Medical's Kevin Conroy
From patient communication gaps to questioning their perceptions of care, hospitals and health systems should consider eliminating various "never events" to enhance their overall patient experience, according to Kevin Conroy, chief population health officer of CareMount Medical.
The nation’s most, least patient-recommended hospitals
The following hospitals were the top patient-recommended hospitals in the country, according to updated HCAHPS scores. Pennsylvania had four highly recommended hospitals, more than any other state.
Racial disparities & COVID-19: Why it matters in healthcare
Racial disparities in the U.S. affect every aspect of life, including healthcare. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals of color have been disproportionately affected by the virus. Below are eight key findings revealing the connection between race and healthcare.
27 nurses share their best tips for self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic
As the pandemic rages on, the nurse community is at the forefront of the crisis, putting their physical and mental health at risk.
INFECTION CONTROL
Why COVID-19 may complicate fight against antibiotic resistance
Many medical leaders have reported widespread antibiotic use for COVID-19 patients at their hospitals, which may contribute to rising rates of antibiotic resistance, according to the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy in Minneapolis.
WHO official clarifies comments on asymptomatic spread of COVID-19
A top World Health Organization official backpedaled on comments she made that transmission of the new coronavirus by infected but asymptomatic people is "very rare," The New York Times reports.
71% of Americans would likely get COVID-19 vaccine, survey finds
Nearly three-fourths of Americans said they would get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Positive COVID-19 tests after recovery can be a 'red herring,' expert says
Testing people multiple times after they've recovered from COVID-19 may not be a useful practice, as these tests can be a "red herring," Michael Osterholm, PhD, a public health expert told STAT News.
Vaccinations fall; CDC warns of possible measles outbreak
Routine vaccinations for young children in the U.S. dropped after a national emergency was declared March 13 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially exposing vulnerable individuals to measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published May 18.
PATIENT SAFETY
8 COVID-19-related diagnostic errors to know
The COVID-19 pandemic could increase the risk of diagnostic errors due to staffing shortages, chaotic work environments and high levels of clinician stress and fatigue, two healthcare quality experts wrote in an article published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
10% drop in ER volume significantly cuts patient death rates, study finds
If hospitals are able to lower the number of emergency room patients by just 10 percent, it could significantly lower patients' risk of death, a study published in the Journal of Health Economics found.
NCH Healthcare drops lawsuit against Leapfrog over 'D' grade
Naples, Fla.-based NCH Healthcare System plans to drop its lawsuit against the Leapfrog Group, according to Fox affiliate WFTX-TV.
Moving toward a 'new normal': How hospitals are convincing patients it's safe to come back
Toward the end of April and in May, states lifted restrictions on healthcare operations in place since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, hospitals are faced with the challenge of encouraging patients to seek care in places they previously were told to avoid and making sure they feel safe when doing so.
Mayo, Cleveland Clinic CEOs: Delayed care deaths may mirror COVID-19 toll
More than 100,000 Americans have died from COVID-19. The CEOs of Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic wrote in a June 9 op-ed in The New York Times that it's likely the death toll is the same for people who've avoided the hospital for fear of contracting the novel virus.
PATIENT & CAREGIVER EXPERIENCE
'This virus has ruined my life': COVID-19 can last months
Thousands of young, previously healthy people with mild COVID-19 cases have had symptoms persist for several months, according to The Atlantic.
5 ways to safeguard clinician well-being amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Healthcare workers will be the ones to bear the brunt of the long-term physical and mental effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and there needs to be a comprehensive strategy to protect their well-being during and after the pandemic, three physicians wrote in a perspective piece published by The New England Journal of Medicine.
Most Americans say they'll continue self-care after pandemic, survey shows
Most U.S. adults (80 percent) said they will keep practicing self-care regularly after the pandemic ends, a new survey shows.
How to drive compassion in the patient experience: 4 insights on 'never events' from CareMount Medical's Kevin Conroy
From patient communication gaps to questioning their perceptions of care, hospitals and health systems should consider eliminating various "never events" to enhance their overall patient experience, according to Kevin Conroy, chief population health officer of CareMount Medical.
Fewer people 'very concerned' about going to hospital, physician office
Fewer Americans are concerned about exposure to COVID-19 while making a necessary medical visit, according to Gallup poll results.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT
Look to physicians' experience with related surgeries when credentialing for rare procedures, study suggests
New research suggests surgical experience with related procedures could help when setting volume standards for relatively rare operations, and adjusting credentials based on volume could ensure better patient outcomes, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.
Scientists find 3 biomarkers that help predict death from COVID-19
Researchers have identified three biomarkers that can be measured in the blood to help clinicians predict which COVID-19 patients may die, a new study shows.
1 in 5 COVID-19 patients in NYC hospitals were critically ill: 5 things to know about them
About 22 percent of COVID-19 patients admitted to two New York City hospitals were critically ill, and nearly all had at least one chronic illness, a new study shows.
Racial disparities & COVID-19: Why it matters in healthcare
Racial disparities in the U.S. affect every aspect of life, including healthcare. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals of color have been disproportionately affected by the virus. Below are eight key findings revealing the connection between race and healthcare.
How COVID-19 is changing hospitals' population health strategies
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged hospitals to develop new approaches to managing patient populations. To effectively manage population health, organizations must balance keeping people in their communities healthy and caring for patients infected with the illness, all amid worsening care disparities and social determinants of health.
NURSING SPOTLIGHT
The backbone of healthcare: 3 CNOs on what COVID-19 has taught us about nursing
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the crucial role nurses play in the U.S. healthcare system, bringing a spirit of strength, ingenuity and courage to their work.
3 nurses on the most misunderstood notions about their profession
Three nurses discuss what people tend to misunderstand most often about the profession.
Nurses say changing guidelines, unsafe conditions are pushing them to quit
Some front-line nurses have decided to quit their jobs, citing inadequate protection against the novel coronavirus and fear for their safety, along with that of their families, according to NBC News.
84% of nurses haven't been tested for COVID-19 & 5 other survey findings
Only a small portion of nurses nationwide have been tested for COVID-19, according to a survey from National Nurses United.
National initiative offers nurses mental health tools to cope with pandemic
The American Nurses Association's philanthropic arm has launched a national well-being initiative designed specifically for nurses to help them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.