Patient deterioration, which refers to the worsening of a patient’s condition during a hospital stay, has become a growing concern and affects as many as one in six inpatient admissions.
Monday, August 10, 2020

'Though much about COVID-19 remains a mystery, one thing is certain: It can turn deadly in a heartbeat, and the smart beds turned out to be a lifesaver in many cases where the hospital was able to identify deteriorating cases faster using the beds.' – Nancy Riffel, MSA, BSN, RN, patient services manager for Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw, Michigan.

 

Did you know 2020 was designated as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife by The World Health Organization?  Yet, at the rate things are going, 2020 is more likely to be remembered as the year of COVID-19.

And for this reason, it's more necessary than ever to celebrate the work nurses do, particularly the innovative solutions they have created to provide safe patient care during the pandemic. In this week's feature story, Nancy Riffel, MSA, BSN, RN, patient services manager for Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw, Michigan talks about how nurses are creatively working to prevent patient deterioration with tools like smart beds with continuous monitoring

I'd also like to announce a big change for me this year. After five years, as a senior editor here at HealthLeaders, I will be moving on to a new opportunity. I've been accepted into an elementary teacher residency program and will begin working with students and a mentor teacher (in a remote classroom at first) this week. I've really enjoyed connecting with all of you in the nursing community over the years and am proud of what nurses do. I'm happy to continue to connect with all of you through LinkedIn, so don't be strangers.

 

Also, in this issue:
 

Smart Beds Show Promise for COVID Patients
Patient deterioration, which refers to the worsening of a patient’s condition during a hospital stay, has become a growing concern and affects as many as one in six inpatient admissions.
 
 
Nobody Accurately Tracks Healthcare Workers Lost to COVID-19. So She Stays Up At Night Cataloging the Dead.
Anesthesiologist Claire Rezba started tracking lost health workers almost instinctively. Researchers and industry professionals say the lack of good official data on these deaths is "scandalous" and is putting lives in danger.
Coronavirus Pandemic Bares U.S. Healthcare Flaws, Points to Improvements
The pandemic has highlighted problems that have plagued U.S. healthcare for decades.
John Muir Health CFO on Addressing Financial Stability Among Second COVID Surge
Chris Pass says that he expects provider M&A activity in California will increase because of the pandemic, adding that some independent hospitals will have to look for a buyer.
RWJBarnabas Executive Views Social Determinants as Catalyst for Change
The coronavirus pandemic created challenges and opportunities for change as Paul Alexander, MD, MPH, took the reins as chief transformation officer at the New Jersey health system.
 
 

Must Reads

Nurses protest across nation
MyNewsLA.com
COVID-19 nursing: A profound honor and oh, so hard. 'We can't see where it will slow down.'
Idaho Statesman
Arkansas Department of Health will assign nurses to schools
KNWA
Nurses' pleas spur U.S. pledge to tap 44 million-mask stockpile
Bloomberg
 

That's all for this issue. It has been a pleasure connecting with all of you during my five years at HealthLeaders, but my time here has come to an end, and I'm on to new adventures. Please feel free to send a welcome email to Son Hoang who will be taking over for me. I know he'd appreciate any stories ideas, thoughts, or advice from you. You can reach him at shoang@blr.com.
 

Jennifer Thew, RN
Senior Editor, Nursing