Lateral violence among nurses

There is a great discussion at allnurses.com regarding the age-old issue of "nurses eating their young". It is amazing to me that for all the compassion nurses have for patients and being ranked as the most ethical profession, nurses have no reservations turning on each other. Disclaimer: Not all nurses are guilty of this behavior; but not all nurses will intervene or stop one nurse from harassing another either. And lately it seems that there is a renewed emphasis on lateral violence and healthy work environments by many nursing organizations which aim to raise awareness and empower nurses to not tolerate such behavior (a great effort and much needed topic for discussion). But I have to ask will this ritual ever end?

Tall Stan - Part 1

The new AACN theme introduced Tall Stan - this is my Stan sporting palm tree scrubs!

Stand Tall means to recognize the unique and indispensable role nurses play. Recognize it, understand it, articulate it, own it, accept responsibility for it, and celebrate it.
Stand Tall — be proud of what you do.
Stand Tall — speak up.
Stand Tall — together we can do more.
Stand Tall — own the outcomes of your work.
Stand Tall — enjoy what you do.

-AACN

Stan working on evidence-based practices!

Nurses, keep talking

Poor communication between healthcare providers including nurses and physicians has been linked to various types of patient safety events. As a patient advocate it is important that nurses ‘speak up’ for their patients and convey critical information accurately and timely. During a typical patient admission, many different units may care for a patient transferring care from one clinical unit to another. Continuity of care depends on the communication of various medical information, plan of care and response to treatments to ensure safe and appropriate care; providing information in a concise manner is important in reducing the risk of errors. Communication problems frequently lead to serious safety events which makes it a high-risk process.

What is good communication? Clear, accurate communication that conveys the patient’s clinical story and ensures the appropriate treatment and care for that patient.

What is meant by hand-off communication? Hand-off is the process of communicating patient information from one care provider to another. Examples include: nurse to nurse shift report, between levels of care, nurses and physicians, care management staff and other care providers, and care providers to patient/family.

Strategies for good communication:
¬ Use clear language – avoid slang terms
¬ Limit interruptions
¬ Standardize routine reports, such as shift to shift or unit to unit, such as SBAR technique
¬ Use tools and technology as available – standardized report tools such as the trip ticket and
Kardex, electronic charting and portable phones
¬ Provide an opportunity for the receiver to ask questions
¬ Repeat back information such as orders or diagnostic results

Keeping patients safe involves more than keeping patients free from physical or
psychological harm but communicating important information in a way that promotes
optimal outcomes.

For more information check out these links:

http://www.nursezone.com/nursing-news-events/more-features/SBAR-Improves-Communication-in-Patient-Handoffs_21756.aspx

http://www.psnet.ahrq.gov/primer.aspx?primerID=9