AJN’s April issue is now available on our Web site. Here’s a selection of what not to miss.
Mechanical prophylactic devices such as intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices, are applied, maintained, and monitored exclusively by nursing personnel. In this month’s original research article, “The Application of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Devices for Thrombophylaxis,” the authors observed frequent misapplications of ordered IPC devices, and highlighted the need to study the consequences of such errors. This article is open access and can earn you 2.3 continuing education (CE) credits.
Over the past decade, the incidence of acute kidney injury requiring dialysis has risen sharply in the U.S., with associated death more than doubling. “Preventing and Responding to Acute Kidney Injury” makes the case that by identifying the signs and symptoms of acute kidney injury in its early stages, nurses may be able to help reduce the severity of injury and improve outcomes. This article is open access and can earn you 2.6 CE credits. You can also listen to a podcast interview with the author.
Lateral violence is a term used to describe what happens when a person acts in a verbally, emotionally, or physically abusive way toward someone else of a similar status or level of authority. As has been noted more than once before, RNs sometimes commit lateral violence against other staff members. “‘Crucial Conversations’ in the Workplace,” the second article in our leadership series, offers nurse managers a framework for discussing and resolving incidents of lateral violence.
Even in mental illness, there can be mental health—a notion tackled this month in Our Mental Health Matters article, “Where’s the ‘Health’ in Mental Health?” This article provides an overview of what it means to be mentally healthy and describes the major components of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the primary source of diagnosing mental disorders in the Unites States. A podcast interview with the author is also available.
And, as you may have noticed from our cover this month, we are focusing on sustainable health care environments. For more on this topic, read “Greening the ‘Proclamation for Change’: Healing Through Sustainable Health Care Environments,” which includes a list of valuable resources for those interested in helping to transform their facilities. Look out for a blog post on Monday that will include a podcast interview with the authors of this article.
There is plenty more in this issue, including an update on the Affordable Care Act and the implications for nurses, so stop by and have a look. Tell us what you think on Facebook, or here on our blog.
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