AJN0613.Cover.3rd.inddAJN’s June issue is now available on our Web site. Here’s a selection of what not to miss.

Fracking hazards. Though we’re moving into summer, our cover does not depict a jar of fresh, local honey. It is a photograph of Washington County, Pennsylvania, resident Jenny Smitzer, holding a jar of contaminated tap water that turned that color af­ter natural gas drilling began in 2005 above her farm. Even the best water filter jug can’t purify this. Eleven U.S. states currently engage in natural gas hydrofracking (“fracking”), and eight more are either considering or preparing for this method of gas drilling.

For an in-depth look at the potential health hazards caused by fracking, such as air pollution, working hazards, and water pollution, see our Environments and Health article, “Fracking, the Environment, and Health.” If you’re reading AJN on your iPad, you can listen to a podcast interview with the authors by clicking on the podcast icon on the first page of the article. The podcast is also available on our Web site.

Most teens get far less than the nine hours of sleep a night they require, which could affect their mental and physical health. An understanding of sleep physiology is essential to helping nurses better assess and manage sleep deprivation in teens. “Assessing Sleep in Adolescents Through a Better Understanding of Sleep Physiology” provides an overview of sleep physiology, describes sleep changes that occur during adolescence, and discusses the influence of these changes on adolescent health. This article can earn you 2.1 continuing education (CE) credits. A podcast interview with the author is also available on our Web site.

Seven steps to evidence-based practice (EBP) were described in AJN’s popular 12-part series, Evidence-Based Practice, Step by Step. In “Using Evidence-Based Practice to Reduce Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections,” a novice EBP mentor applied these steps in a quality improvement project aimed at reducing the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infection among adult patients. This article can earn you 2.4 CE credits.

Still haven’t taken the plunge into the world of social media? This month’s iNurse article, “Microblogging: Tumblr and Pinterest,” gives nurses some ideas about how they can express themselves and share information on two popular social media platforms.

There is plenty more in this issue, including strategies nurses can use to address patients with low health literacy and evidence-based interventions that may reduce risky sexual behavior in adolescents. Stop by and have a look, and tell us what you think on Facebook, or here on our blog.

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