The December issue of AJN is now live. Here are some articles we’d like to bring to your attention.

CE: Original Research: Does Certification in Vascular Access Matter? An Analysis of the PICC1 Survey

Although certification by an accredited agency is often a practice prerequisite in health care, it is not required of vascular access specialists who insert peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). The authors of this study explored whether and how certified and noncertified PICC inserters differ regarding their practices and views about PICC use.

CE: Pressure Injuries Caused by Medical Devices and Other Objects: A Clinical Update

A review of the etiology, identification, and prevention of pressure injuries caused by medical and other devices, plus highlights from the current National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel clinical guidelines.

Supporting Family Caregivers: No Longer Home Alone: Teaching Family Caregivers to Assist Safely with Mobility

Information nurses can use to educate family caregivers on mobility issues, including a tear sheet of key points and links to instructional videos. This is the first article in a new series published in collaboration with the AARP Public Policy Institute.

Cultivating Quality: A Nurse-Led Ultrasound-Enhanced Vascular Access Preservation Program

How one institution reduced its catheter failure rate and use of nonessential peripherally inserted central catheters by initiating a practice change involving an ultrasound-guided insertion technique.

There’s much more in our December issue, including:

  • An AJN Reports on how parental incarceration affects children
  • An Emerging Infections column on antibiotic resistance
  • A book review of An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back by Elisabeth Rosenthal

Click here to browse the table of contents and explore the issue on our website.

A note on the cover:

On this month’s cover, a family caregiver offers assistance as her family member uses a walker to stand up from a chair. It’s a familiar scene in homes across the country: there are nearly 40 million family caregivers in the United States, according to a 2015 study by the AARP Public Policy Institute, a majority of whom assist with at least one activity of daily living. The most common of these is helping a family member get in and out of bed or a chair.