About Amy M. Collins, managing editor

Managing editor, American Journal of Nursing

AJN’s October Issue: Reducing VAP, Decreasing Patient Agitation, Bedbugs, Helping Transgender Kids, More

AJN1013.Cover.OnlineAJN‘s October issue is now available on our Web site. Here’s a selection of what not to miss.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common hospital-acquired infections and a leading cause of death in ICUs. The authors of “Mouth Care to Reduce Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia” discuss the importance of oral care in infection control and offer an evidence-based, step-by-step guide to providing optimal mouth care for intubated patients. You can earn 2.3 CE credits with this article. If you’re reading AJN on your iPad, you can listen to a podcast interview with the author by clicking on the podcast icon on the first page of the article. The podcast is also available on our Web site.

The stress of hospitalization can lead to anxiety or agitation, especially in patients with psychiatric or cognitive disorders, putting them at increased risk for falls and self-harm. “Decreasing Patient Agitation Using Individualized Therapeutic Activities” describes a nurse-led quality improvement project that reduced agitation in patients suffering from cognitive impairment, delirium, and other behavior-altering conditions who were receiving continuous observation on a nonpsychiatric unit. Earn 2.4 CE credits by reading this article and taking the test that follows. Don’t miss the podcast interview with the author (click on the podcast icon on the first page of the article if you’re using your iPad, or visit our podcasts […]

2016-11-21T13:06:27-05:00September 30th, 2013|Nursing|0 Comments
Read More

AJN’s September Issue: Care of Incarcerated Pregnant Women, Gun Violence, Pressure Ulcer Guidelines, More

AJN0913.Cover.OnlineAJN‘’s September issue is now available on our Web site. Here’s a selection of what not to miss.

Loneliness may be linked to multiple chronic illnesses, decline in positive health practices, and increased risk of death, as described in this  month’s original research article, “Loneliness and Quality of Life in Chronically Ill Rural Older Adults.” Data from the pilot study described in the article suggest that nurses’ assessment and management of loneliness in this population is vital. You can earn 2.5 CE credits with this article. If you’re reading AJN on your iPad, you can listen to a podcast interview with the author by clicking on the podcast icon on the first page of the article. The podcast is also available on our Web site.

In 2004, only 54% of incarcerated pregnant women received some type of pregnancy care, and the quality of that care varied widely. Pregnant women in prisons face other risks, such as poor nutrition and heavy workloads, and often are required to be shackled during labor, despite laws to the contrary. These practices, as well as implications for nursing practice, policy, and research, are discussed in this month’s CE feature, “Care of Pregnant Women in the Criminal Justice System.” Earn 2.5 CE credits by reading this article and taking the test […]

2016-11-21T13:06:41-05:00September 3rd, 2013|Nursing|0 Comments
Read More

College Students: Have Fun, But Stay Safe

Drink Photo by andlun1, via Flickr.

By Amy M. Collins, editor

This weekend I was lounging at the community pool where I live when an elderly woman next to me received a call on her cell phone and had a loud, animated conversation with her granddaughter, who seemingly had just started college.

“So, have you been partying? Gone to any bars?” the hip granny asked, resulting in a chuckle from me. I couldn’t imagine my grandmother asking me such questions way back when I started college—she was more apt to ask if I was going to church. Before hanging up, the granny gave what I thought was some very good (and realistic) advice: “Stay safe. If you go out, stay in a pack. And if you decide to drink, watch your intake and keep your drink close to you; don’t leave it on a counter where someone can mess with it.” […]

2016-11-21T13:06:43-05:00August 26th, 2013|Nursing|0 Comments
Read More

AJN’s August Issue: Positive Deviance, Vital Sign Alert Systems, Using Focus Groups, Teaching Nursing Abroad, More

AJN0813.Cover.OnlineAJN‘s August issue is now available on our Web site. Here’s a selection of what not to miss.

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken in order to serve the greater good. This month’s CE feature “Exploring the Concept and Use of Positive Deviance in Nursing” aims to increase our understanding of positive deviance (“an intentional act of breaking the rules in order to serve the greater good”) within the context of nursing practice. You can earn 2.5 CE credits with this article. If you’re reading AJN on your iPad, you can listen to a podcast interview with the author by clicking on the podcast icon on the first page of the article. The podcast is also available on our Web site.

The early warning signs of deterioration that patients often exhibit several hours before cardiopulmonary arrest often go unrecognized by nurses. “Developing a Vital Sign Alert System“ describes an automated vital sign alert system that was designed to enhance patient monitoring without increasing the nurse’s workload. Earn 2.4 CE credits by reading this article and taking the test that follows it.

“Using Focus Groups to Inform Innovative Approaches to Care,” an article in our Professional Development department, uses case studies to describe how nurses can use patient focus groups for gathering qualitative data that can advance patient advocacy.

And if you are interested in what’s going on in the nursing world in other countries, read this month’s […]

2016-11-21T13:06:52-05:00July 29th, 2013|nursing perspective|0 Comments
Read More

AJN’s July Issue: Caring for Veterans, Managing IBS, Reducing Readmission Rates, More

AJN0713.Cover.OnlineAJN’s July issue is now available on our Web site. Here’s a selection of what not to miss.

On our cover this month, U.S. Air Force first lieutenant Georganne Hassell is photographed during a presence patrol in Qalat City in southern Afghanistan. According to a 2011 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs report, America’s Women Veterans: Military Service History and VA Benefit Utilization Statistics, by 2035, women will make up 15% of all living U.S. veterans. For more on the health issues of women troops and women veterans, see this month’s editorial.

And for an overview of how to recognize and assess veterans’ unique health care issues, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma, chronic pain, and traumatic brain injury, see our continuing education (CE) feature “Enhancing Veteran-Centered Care: A Guide for Nurses in Non-VA Settings.” This article, which also lists useful resources offering tools, educational materials, and veteran services, can earn you 3.1 CE credits. 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.

The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is estimated to be around 5% to 10% in North American, and it is diagnosed more often in people under the age of 50. No single drug effectively relieves all IBS symptoms. “Managing […]

2016-11-21T13:07:07-05:00June 28th, 2013|nursing perspective|0 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