It’s been awhile, but TheNursingSite.com is relaunching today after a moderate hiatus. Things just got out of hand and the Omicron variant hit my (vaccinated) household just after Christmas. Although I didn’t catch it, I was of course required to quarantine and work remotely while helping to get others back to health. It seemed impossible to catch up but finally there is light on the horizon. I feel compelled to jump back in at a time when the nursing profession has been overwhelmed and is struggling to hang on.
COVID FUNDING CRISIS
Just when we thought we had a handle on things we got hit with another COVID variant that seems to defy vaccinations. Holding our collective breath that another surge doesn’t burst on to the scene as the country tries to get back to a new “normal.” Looking like we will need another Booster at least by fall, but will the funds be there? Meanwhile, COVID funding ended March 22, 2022, and Congress needs a strong NUDGE to fund it again. Otherwise those without health insurance, and those whose health insurance chooses not to cover COVID testing and treatment measures, will be paying out of pocket. That’s just a HUGE blow and an insult pouring salt in the wounds already wrought by COVID.
Please help by Contacting Congress to plead with your Representative and Senators to reinstall this funding. There is hope that after striking a tentative deal, it will soon pass, but further nudging will help. ( NOTE: the scaled down $10 billion version will never be enough – we need to encourage Congress to Increase this to the $22.5B that President Biden asked for!)
You can find all of the necessary contact information online at Congress.gov. Leaving a message on their phone line is quite effective. It costs nothing. Please be sure to always state that you are a constituent in [YOUR] zip code and your are requesting your representative or senators to please vote YES on [the issue.] Teri Mills MSN, RN, CNE (@NurseTeriA) also made a great pitch outlining the reasons COVID Funding is necessary on The Thom Hartmann Program which is now available on You Tube.
If you have an interest in joining Nurses for America (formerly Nurses for Bide/Harris) please visit NursesforAmerica.net. And complete this form.
The RaDonda Vaught Medical Errors Case
There are a lot of rumors muddying the story about RaDonda Vaught and the medication error that caused the death of a patient at Vanderbilt. Where ever you stand on this case, there is a lot to learn and to refresh yourself on to protect your own license and well being. This case has many nurses concerned for the future of nursing. The nurse did commit several errors which she reported as expected, but the hospital committed several errors that it did not report. RaDonda did report the error and the BON in Tennessee issued findings. But Vanderbilt failed to report the death to CMS (the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid) and when CMS found out, RaDonda was once again in the middle of the controversy and has now been charged and found guilty and faces up to six years in prison. Is she being used as a scape goat? There are many lessons to be learned from this case. Lorie Brown RN MN JD, Nurse Attorney makes some excellent points in her You Tube video. and there is a petition for clemency at Change.org.
NursingCE.com has highlighted the need to enlighten nurses with their continuing education Professional Liability CE package. The package includes the Medical Errors Nursing CE course.
From Burnout to Balance A Nursing Resilience Journal
This is a wonderful journaling experience from Angela L Hosking MBA, MSN, RN, NE-BC. The book is comprised of many short prompts to help define your current state, quotes to live by , and a list of helpful nursing mantras. Then there is a weekly journaling assignment to help guide you with planing for emotional and physical goals for self care, managing fatigue, understanding your anxiety triggers. Next planning Me time and fun time. And then at the end of the week, reflecting on things such as the challenges, what you learned, what worked, how balanced you felt and what you can continue to do. Each month there is a similar exercise reflecting on a broader time span and at the end of the year reflecting back on 52 weeks of journaling. In her own words, Hosking writes, “to be a nurse means first to care for ourselves so that we can care for others. This journal was created for you to process your feelings, lighten your burden, and move from balance to burnout.” I love that this book provides specific short prompts to quickly focus your feelings and emotions and work to discover the things you need to let go of, the things that help you, and the things that are your enemy in finding peace and balance in your very stressful lives as nurses today. Self-care is something that was not taught in nursing school, but is so obviously missing. Treat yourself to finding better work-life balance and reducing the anxiety and stress that can consume you if it isn’t contained. Spend 20 minutes a week to take care of you.
See you soon….
Kathy