Nursing News

Midwifery Regulators from eighteen European countries have met in London to discuss ways in which they can collaborate to enhance the safety of women and babies across the EU. Hosted by the NMC on Friday 22 May, the event was the first of its kind to bring together regulators of midwives from across the continent.

 In the medical nursing unit of Stanford Hospital & Clinics in Palo Alto, California, the hallways weren't as quiet as they were supposed to be. The culprit turned out to be linen supply closet doors. Designed to close quietly, they were actually banging shut at night and keeping patients awake.

Black women are nearly three times as likely as white women to have a vitamin D deficiency, which is linked with an increased risk of the vaginal infection bacterial vaginosis, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Nutrition, the New York Times reports.

The New York Times on Sunday examined maternal mortality in Tanzania, in the opening of a three-part series on maternal mortality in Africa. According to the Tanzanian Ministry of Health, the country has a maternal death rate of 578 per 100,000 births, though the World Health Organization puts the count at 950 maternal deaths per 100,000 births.

A Senior Lecturer from Canterbury Christ Church University has been awarded Fellowship of the Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM) at a ceremony on Thursday 14th May. Richard Hayward, a Senior Lecturer in Nursing and Applied Clinical Studies at the University, has been recognised for his contribution to healthcare management in a ceremony that took place at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Savoy Place, London.

The Excellence in Oncology Awards (EinO) 2009 are now open for entry. The Awards, now in their fourth year, recognise and reward best practice in oncology management, education and patient care throughout the UK. Winners will be announced at a prestigious dinner on 6 October 2009 during the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference.

A short, preoperative team briefing prior to cardiac surgery - where each person on the team speaks - improves communication and reduces errors and costs, according to a pilot study conducted at Mayo Clinic. Mayo researchers believe this is the first such study to use real-time observations to measure the effect of preoperative briefings on specific disruptions to surgery.

The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) praises Representative Allyson Schwartz and nearly 100 cosponsors of The Preserving Patient Access to Primary Care Act for their leadership in health care reform. This legislation, which will increase the number of primary care providers and improve patient access to primary care services, is a critical step if we truly are to reform our health care delivery system.

 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of $1.79 billion to ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS continue to have access to life-saving health care and medications. The grants are funded through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which helps more than 529,000 individuals every year obtain the care and services they need to live longer, healthier lives.

President Barack Obama announced on May 15, 2009, that he has appointed Dr. Thomas Frieden, currently commissioner of the New York City Health Department, as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).