From the Editor
Hi folks! Things are hopping at the NIFA office and, of course, in the world of surgery.
Just as we were putting the final touches on this newsletter this week, we received word about a just-released Colorado study showing that, despite efforts to eliminate wrong-site or wrong-patient surgery,
it is still occurring far too often. (Occurring even once would be too often, but you know what I mean.) Read the news report here. A good reminder why checklists and taking “time out for every patient, every time,” are so important.
We hope you enjoy this month’s issue.
Name: Carolina StoneCredentials: RNFA
Student Status: Graduated from NIFA’s RNFA program July 2009
City and State: Dallas, TX
Current Job: RNFA, Medical City Hospital, DallasPath to Becoming an RNFA: I decided to become a nurse at the request of my father. I graduated from the University of Santo Tomas (Manila, Philippines) with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. I emigrated to the United States in the mid ’80s, obtained my RN license, and have been working since. My husband and I have two children in college and one in private high school. I took the RNFA course in November 2008 in Dallas and I started my internship with Dr. Brenda Draper (plastic surgeon) and Dr. Christopher Bell (bariatric/general surgery) in March. I finished the course on July 16 and started working as an RNFA on July 17, the following day. It has been a pleasant and fulfilling experience.
Perioperative Nurses Week 2010 takes as its theme, “The Freedom to Speak Out.” AORN wants nurses worldwide to feel empowered to speak up and speak out in support of patient safety in the OR.
Click here and scroll down to see AORN’s List of Top Ten Ideas to Celebrate PNW.
Hospitals and clinics struggle with the issue of nurse turnover, weighing the costs and benefits of retaining nurses against the costs and benefits of bringing in new, sometimes less experienced nurses at lower pay rates.
In The Costs and Benefits of Nurse Turnover: A Business Case for Nurse Retention, from the Sept. 07 issue of the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, authors Cheryl Bland Jones, RN, PhD, FAAN, and Michael Gates, RN, PhD, tackle the issue and lay some groundwork toward determining the economic value of nursing.
From now through mid-November, please pardon the noise when you call us! We’re building six new offices at our Centennial, CO, headquarters. Last weekend some of the Education Department came in to see their new digs:
From left: John Kekos, Nancy Kekos, Eric Johnson, Dave Schubert, Candace Connelly, Dan McGrath and Doug Collier. At front: Alyra.
Notice a new face in the left column (and above, just behind and to the right of Alyra)? Candace Connelly has joined the NIFA staff and will be at the helm of the NIFA Hot Line. She will happily answer your questions or direct you to the person you need to talk to.
Many thanks and “Ciao for now” to Emily Haas, who has been talking to many of you as our Hot Line staff person for the past several years. We will miss Emily (and
India, her faithful bring-your-dog-to-work Fridays buddy).
Emily is now attending nursing school full-time. We wish Emily and India the