Honoring Hispanic Heritage: And Other Recommended Reading from AJN’s October Issue

The October issue of AJN is now live.

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, AJN’s October cover features Wings That Remember, Wings That Resist, a work by artist Daniel Suárez-Baquero, PhD, MSN, BSN-RN, and graphic designer Nelson Martinez. Suárez-Baquero says that the image—a resplendent quetzal in flight—is a reflection on “migration, resilience, and freedom.” Read more here.

This month’s issue celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month. As noted by Tina Loarte-Rodriguez in her guest editorial, “The legacy of Hispanic and Latine nurses is one of courage, compassion, and an unwavering pursuit of justicia in health. Nursing must embody the equity it champions: by reckoning with racism, fostering healing within our profession, and elevating diverse nurse leaders who reflect and serve our communities.”

To that end, this special issue features:

2025-09-25T12:58:59-04:00September 25th, 2025|Nursing|0 Comments
Read More

AJN’s September Issue: Bariatric Surgery, Biomarkers, Mobile Technology for Nurses, More

AJN’s September issue is now available on our Web site. Here’s a selection of what not to miss, including two continuing education (CE) articles, which you can access for free.

It’s no surprise that obesity and overweight are on the rise in this country, and nurses will likely find themselves caring for patients who have undergone bariatric surgery at some point in their career. “Outcomes and Complications after Bariatric Surgery” reviews the five most common procedures, outcomes and complications of surgery, and pre- and postoperative patient care. This CE article is open access and can earn you 2.5 CE credits.

Nearly 40% of all surgeries in the United States are performed on adults ages 65 and older. A common complication of surgery in this population is postoperative delirium, which is associated with extended lengths of stay, higher patient care costs, increased morbidity, and greater risk of death. “Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients” evaluates risk factors for postoperative delirium in elderly patients and examines potential intervention strategies. This CE article is open access and can earn you 2.5 CE credits.

Smartphones, e-readers, and tablets are everywhere, including at the bedside. In “Tablet Technology for Nurses,” Megen Duffy provides a guided tour of the potential uses and pitfalls of mobile technology for nurses—plus a comparison of the iPad and Kindle Fire.

Whether to predict, diagnose, or monitor disease, biomarkers are useful in every step of patient care. “Biomarkers: […]

2016-11-21T13:09:24-05:00August 31st, 2012|Nursing|0 Comments
Read More

Caring for Patients Who Have Bariatric Surgery

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Image courtesy of Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.

By Sylvia Foley, AJN senior editor

People who are obese (BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater) are prone to a laundry list of ills. They’re not only at greater risk for diseases such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and osteoarthritis—they’re also more apt to experience discrimination and psychological abuse, and to suffer from anxiety and depression. Many have repeatedly tried to lose weight through diet, exercise, psychotherapy, and pharmacotherapy, to no avail. Until recently, there was little else providers could offer them.

But bariatric surgery, known to be an effective treatment for obesity and obesity-related comorbidities, is becoming an increasingly common option. In 1998, only about 13,000 bariatric procedures were performed in the United States; by 2007 that figure had jumped to 200,000, and it continues to rise. With prevalence rates for overweight and obesity also at record highs in this country, more nurses will likely find themselves caring for patients who have undergone such procedures.

In this month’s CE, “Outcomes and Complications after Bariatric Surgery,” authors Lauren Gagnon and Emily Karwacki Sheff explain the two main types of bariatric surgery and outline five of the most common procedures in the United States: 

2017-07-27T14:52:43-04:00August 30th, 2012|Nursing|1 Comment
Read More

Health Care Reform Must Target Hospitals, Physicians Who Push Expensive Treatments Over Prevention

But the cost of the hospitalization alone for an uncomplicated bariatric surgery is now about $28,000. That goes up to over $38,000 if complications arise—and almost $70,000 if the patient has to be readmitted. Now, what if a patient decides he'd like to go to a nutritionist every week for several years to gradually lose the weight and change his eating habits permanently? Let's say that the cost of seeing a nutritionist is $100 per visit—that's just over $15,000, but who's paying to put up signs advertising a hospital's nutritional service for weight loss ?

2016-11-21T13:22:38-05:00September 10th, 2009|health care policy|3 Comments
Read More

Comment ground rules

1. Please be respectful.
2. We moderate all comments.

Content disclaimer

Views expressed on the blog are solely those of the authors or persons quoted. They do not necessarily reflect AJN’s views or those of Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Go to Top