In Our Own Words

Financial Fallout Coming to Healthcare Too?

Stocks, bonds, and savings -- those are the 3 big words being used by CNN News analysts today. The Stock Market plunged into a downward spiral earlier this week. Wall Street executives’ actions are being evaluated, as are their salaries. I must admit that I went to the bank earlier today just to see if all my financial assets were still there. They were!

Is the same fallout going to occur with healthcare institutions? The highest paid Hospital CEO in New York City is Herbert Pardes , with a yearly salary of 5.4 million dollars as of 2006, according to New York Presbyterian Medical Center. Next come the other major institutional CEOs at Mount Sinai and Sloan-Kettering.

Is the same financial fallout going to occur within the healthcare system as investments in new patient care centers, equipment, and personnel are made?

Anyone frightened about the events of this week? Will our jobs be affected?

Disorientation

“There is snow outside the kitchen door. It covers the deck in white sheets, unbroken except for the occasional paw print, and it cascades off the steps in thick, soft layers onto the pine trees in our backyard.” So begins the plight of a first year medical resident in upstate New York. Right away, I was reminded of my own backyard in upstate NY -- the massive snow in the winter and the pine trees that are next to our own house. Shoveling snow often preoccupies our time during long winters!

The journey described by the author  took me through his first day as an intern with the help of nurses during an on-call shift. He never would have made it without the assistance and knowledge of nurses. Ahhh -- how these young interns depend on us so much.  Some realize it immediately, others don’t realize it until their first medical error arises, and still others never realize the value of nurses during their entire residency (or their entire medical careers!).

Do you remember your first interaction with green, wide-eyed interns? Share your story with us! (Please alter any names and other identifying characteristics.)

Made in China

I just finished reading the book by Sara Bongiorni titled “A Year Without "Made in China": One Family's True Life Adventure in the Global Economy.”    The 227-page book describes how a family survived without buying “Made in China “labeled imports for an entire year -- 365 days. The author and her family decided to forgo Chinese factory made sneakers, sunglasses, nails, sheets, household goods, and more. The memoir is wildly humorous, but got me thinking about our economy, especially since watching the Beijing Olympic Games.

How much of the healthcare supplies we use – IV bags, supplies etc, are “Made in China” today?? Anyone ever wonder if they have seen "Made in China" labels on health equipment that we use on a daily basis? I never thought that a global issue like this would hit home. I began scrounging around within my own apartment for items that held the label “Made in China.” My forks did. My flower pots did. My towels held the same label. All "Made in China."

What next? Healthcare systems owned by China?

It’s Pulp Fiction Week at Change of Shift

You won't want to miss this edition of Change of Shift!

Joint Commission Rallies Against Nurse Bullying

I am in total surprise that the Joint Commission has decided to focus on nurse harassment and bullying, along with lateral violence in the workplace. We all know that it exists. But, is it the role of a national agency that accredits hospitals and care standards to address this ongoing, worsening problem? Is the Joint Commission going to create a standard of some sort? Will it really be effective in stopping lateral nurse violence? I don’t think so.

I do think  practicing nurses need to reassess  behavior towards our colleagues. We each are responsible for ourselves. If we can’t act compassionately to ourselves and colleagues, how can we be compassionate to our patients? And what about the role of nursing administrators in enforcing policies against discrimination, harassment, and lateral violence within staffs and units?

Should punitive disciplinary actions be taken against those nurses participating in lateral nurse harassment or violence? Should they be allowed to continue working as nurses? What are your thoughts?

The Joint Commission Sentinal Event Alert
Behaviors That Undermine a Culture of Safety