NursingFile.com http://nursingfile.com Nursing Manual Thu, 03 May 2012 08:22:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Nursingfilehttp://feedburner.google.com Safe Exercise for Pregnancy http://nursingfile.com/nurses-notes/maternal-and-child-health-nursing/safe-exercise-for-pregnancy.html http://nursingfile.com/nurses-notes/maternal-and-child-health-nursing/safe-exercise-for-pregnancy.html#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 08:20:54 +0000 admin http://nursingfile.com/?p=538 In the past, pregnant women would consider exercises a no-no, they fear that this may interrupt and alter the normal processes of their pregnancy and might risk their life and their baby’s. This belief is rather obsolete and should be left behind history books. Exercise for pregnant women does wonders and is very advisable.

The thing is, during pregnancy, women indeed are in a more sensitive and critical state, therefore, caution and vigilance must be observed during exercise. There are also cases of complicated pregnancy so a professional medical help regarding exercise should be pursued. Generally, exercise during pregnancy shouldn’t be eliminated unless indicated.
Exercise is very beneficial for it reduces pregnancy related discomforts, heightens mood and prepares the woman’s body for childbirth, for it strengthens muscles and could ease the delivery. It also helps the woman get back in shape after childbirth. Ideally, these exercises won’t stress or strain you but just to keep you healthy and fit for childbirth.

There are safe exercises that pregnant women could perform during pregnancy.

• Stretching
Just like any exercise classes, one should start through stretching. It warms up the body and awakens sedentary muscles. It also prepares the pregnant woman before trying any other exercise.

• Walking exercises
The most simple and most accessible exercise for pregnant women would be walking. This cardio activity doesn’t warrant a total stretch for the joints or muscles, it just keeps the body conditioned and relaxed. Usually, supportive shoes are worn to facilitate comfort and ease. Nowadays, walkathon for pregnant women are conducted to promote wellness.

• Low-impact aerobics
Aerobics require classes where women would have fixed schedules and routines. Therefore, the regularity and the continuous exercise would condition the body and prepare it for delivery.

• Dancing
Dancing classes for pregnant women can keep you heart pumping (provides a healthy and active circulatory system). This is easily accessible, in the comforts of your own home, you can start dancing, just remember not to push it too hard.

• Swimming exercises
Basketball players use water to strengthen their leg muscles, so they would usually go for water exercise, swimming might just be the best exercise for pregnant women, it avoids stress on the joints but still keeps you on the cardio, targeting most of the body’s large muscle groups.

• Yoga
Flexible, toned, balanced, that’s what yoga could provide. Aside from the exercise, you get to feel relaxed, stress free and revitalized.

• Bicycling
Using a bike may sound risky, but with a use of a stationary bike, then risk for falls and injuries lessens. Bicycling would support the pregnant woman’s weight and relieves the strain off the body.
Remember that before engaging in any exercise, make sure they are tolerable. It is also advisable not to overexert. Consulting the doctor would be very helpful in planning what exercise fits best. Stop exercising if there are incidences of vaginal bleeding, nausea, dizziness, or contractions.

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]]> http://nursingfile.com/nurses-notes/maternal-and-child-health-nursing/safe-exercise-for-pregnancy.html/feed 0 Purpose of Nursing Informatics http://nursingfile.com/nursing-informatics/purpose-of-nursing-informatics.html http://nursingfile.com/nursing-informatics/purpose-of-nursing-informatics.html#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:28:21 +0000 admin http://nursingfile.com/?p=537 With the advent of technology, the typical nurse’s notes have been mode from the traditional script style to a computerized entry form. The nurses nowadays will just enter their password before and after entering pertinent data and findings from the patient in an electronic record. This advancement has a lot to do with information. That is why nursing informatics came about at this era. This is the emerging field that almost each nurse of this time must have in touch in order to grasp the changes around the working environment more.

A nurse must be able to withstand those changes of time as they deliver safe and effective means of care. Nursing informatics is a field in nursing now recognized to combine the advent of computer science and its application to speed up the transmission of information in order to assist the organization and management of patient’s data. Even in textbooks and nursing curriculum, nursing informatics has been known to have a separate subtitle among other titles. The fundamental purpose of nursing informatics is to allow the data to serve as information in order to increase knowledge. It is really a challenge for older nurses to adapt to these changes. However, this is a positive change as nurses can readily respond to emergency situation when the machines they use can generate and keep data better than before.

The very first Nursing Informatics Conference in United States in 1971 has been a successful one in launching this young field of science. The term is used to describe the parts and functions of the computer systems.

Nursing informatics exist literally due to computers. Nowadays there are many types of computers from its memory capacity to its sizes – the options are very varied. It is therefore just fitting to know some of the most common things that a nurse in informatics uses. At this time, these are the computer system that nurses use:

1. Management Information System – This is a designated department that facilitates the organization and application of data used to manage an organization or department. For instance, upon entering the hospital, the admitting section will enter the personal data of the patient to their computer. This computer is actually a centralized one. It means that the information about the patient can be seen in the emergency room, laboratory as well as to the other units that has something to do with the patient. Anything that they have done such as purchases of medications and laboratory results are reflected in a record intended for the single patient. The MIS serves as a way to prevent duplication of data of patients and keeps up the flow of patients especially those old patients.

2. Hospital Information System – It is system catered to the types of data needed to manage client care activities and health care organizations. The personnel in these areas enter the data needed to allow management of billing. The Management Information System and the Hospital Information System actually works hand in hand.

Purpose of Nursing Informatics:

1. For Nursing Education – Through nursing informatics, nursing students can retrieve literature. Computers have significantly present huge amounts of data and catalogues which can search systematically. The tedious job of organizing literature was greatly reduced with computer systems.  Users can access statistics from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, get census and even the current mortality and morbidity of a certain type of disease or group of population in just one click.

2. Computer- Assisted Learning – Nursing students can enjoy learning the basic nursing care through software programs. Programs may cover topics from drug dosage administration to ethical decision making. Programs have been intended to certify the aptitude of nursing students about electrocardiogram and other important nursing activities that is important in the real work set-up.

3. Distance Learning – Through nursing informatics, online degrees in nursing and continued professional education have been a trend. Teachers can now reach a wider group of students. Homework or assignments can be sent via the internet without even facing the educators or meeting them in personal.  The physical distance between the educator and the student is now shortened.

4. Documentation of Client Status and medical records – Nursing informatics can make the impossible organization of huge records possible. Research about past medical illness and management are easier since a computer keep the records and the researcher will just get proper access to that information.

Nursing informatics has a numerous positive outcomes in delivering care to patients. However the issue of ethics and confidentiality is still an issue to be pondered. More and more ways are developed daily to protect the information being entered in these systems.

Image courtesy of nursetogether.com

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]]> http://nursingfile.com/nursing-informatics/purpose-of-nursing-informatics.html/feed 0 Nursing Employment Still In-Demand http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/nursing-employment-still-in-demand.html http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/nursing-employment-still-in-demand.html#comments Wed, 25 Apr 2012 06:08:37 +0000 admin http://nursingfile.com/?p=535 Declared Statistics

Career opportunities for registered nurses are expected to grow by about 23% in 2006 and 2016. This prediction was declared by the Department of Labor of the United States with around 587,000 new job openings. This is great news for nurses who have been waiting all these years to land to a health care job. Partly, the demands for RN employment are driven by the increasing members of the aging population. But the Unites States Department of Labor discussed how their research showed that there won’t be enough nurses to fill in these positions, specifically the licensed ones.

More Nursing Opportunities Needed

As mentioned earlier, job vacancies for RN’s are gradually increasing in 2006 to 2016. This situation seems to revolve around these reasons:

  • Increase of the elderly population. Everyone gets old and baby boomers are now reaching retirement age. People in this age bracket tend to become more dependent in other in fulfilling some services such as those that concerns the hygiene and health. This is the first and foremost reason why services of health care professionals especially nurses are more than needed than ever.
  • Present employed nurses are nearing retirement. The average age of currently working nurses is 42.5. This means that they will be retiring soon enough and needs younger licensed nurses to fill in their positions.
  • Increase in overall population. Logically speaking, population growth means more services such as those which are related to health care. This means bigger employment opportunities for nurses too.
  • Declining enrollment in nursing schools. It’s not a secret to everyone that nursing students are now decreasing in number. This means lesser competition in filling in future nursing positions.
  • Increasing rate of RN turnover rate. With the limited force of nurses hired nowadays, most of them are taking additional patient assignment and responsibilities. This makes employed RN’s quite their jobs early. Statistics shows that the turner rate for RNs is quite high. This is also associated with the shifting and scheduling which more often is unpredictable.
  • Faculties are more needed in nursing schools. Especially in US, nursing schools are in need of more staff to educate students to become good nurses too. Another thing is the age of current faculty members which is about 62.5 in average. This means soon enough they will be retiring and more positions will be opened.

Solutions to Nursing Shortage

Based on the shortage of workers in this field, experts have proposed solutions. Although fixing this issue in health care employment may need more solutions, certain changes such the items listed below will help in changing the course of the employment.

Proposed solutions:

  1. Modifying nursing programs and curriculum. Nurses know well how hard the nursing program is. With those piles of reading books and tiring hospital duties individuals tend to steer clear from getting involved with the program if not for the promised demands of the job.
  2. More job openings and increase the security of the job. Lesser students are enrolling in nursing programs due to the fact that this degree covers a limited range of working opportunities. In addition, most jobs offered are just part-time positions which further disappoint others from getting hook with nursing.
  3. Reverse bidding. The idea of reverse bidding goes like this. The nurse fills in some details over the internet and opens the shifts vacant through a web-based system. The registered nurse gets a job with regards to the filled in details of qualifications.
  4. Increase salary. Okay, I don’t have to stress more on this part since everyone knows how nurses are working too hard yet are paid very low. No one would ever want to go through four years of study and find out that a free community service is waiting for you at the end.

Image courtesy of levenklare.org

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]]> http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/nursing-employment-still-in-demand.html/feed 0 Nursing Interventions for Interstitial Cystitis http://nursingfile.com/nursing-care-plan/nursing-interventions/nursing-interventions-for-interstitial-cystitis.html http://nursingfile.com/nursing-care-plan/nursing-interventions/nursing-interventions-for-interstitial-cystitis.html#comments Tue, 20 Mar 2012 06:37:20 +0000 admin http://nursingfile.com/?p=532 Interstitial cystitis, often mistaken for bladder pain syndrome or urinary tract infection, needs interventions that start with comprehensive patient teaching about the continuous nature of the condition as well as accurate assessments of the condition, prognoses, and likely reactions to the interventions. Continuous reassurance along with emotional and physical support is vital as the diagnostic assessment goes on and therapies are being done. Rarely will patients who have interstitial cystitis achieve complete, instant, and long-lasting reaction to any specific intervention. They should be guided wholly about the non-existence of universally efficient interventions. Most of the time, referral to the Interstitial Cystitis Association, especially if to a nearby chapter, could be very helpful in giving a continuing system of support for the person.

Preferably, in clinical practice, interstitial cystitis treatment ought to begin with the most conservative, least costly, and most reversible intervention. Typically, this includes dietary as well as fluid management, stress and time controlling, and behavioural adjustment. Then, interventions are provided in a progressive manner, each time getting more invasive until there is symptomatic relief achieved. Initial treatment level could also be affected by clinical opinion, considering the seriousness of the symptoms presented and factors that are specific to the patient.

Behavioural Therapy

After every intervention, the patient is assessed for reaction. Sad to say, interventions, most of the time, are given in a random fashion, mixing a lot of different treatments before really assessing the reaction of the patient to each. This kind of approach is, at times, propelled by unrealistic demands of the patient and expectations about the success of the interventions. It should be emphasized that patients should receive broad guidance about the nature as well as the prognosis of their condition and the probable reactions to therapy. This is very important, and the counselling ought to be started before actually going on the invasive interventions which have not revealed any benefit that could be achieved. Treatments like biofeedback, pelvic floor rehabilitation, as well as bladder training programs, among other behavioural measures are great starting interventions and actually have been used by some who have seen some successful outcomes. Dietary measures have also been tried. Some foods are found to aggravate symptoms like alcohol, coffee, vinegar, tomatoes, chocolate, spicy foods, and particular vegetables and fruits. Patients are advised to avoid such food. Patients write down on a dietary journal what they usually have and these are modified in order to prevent exacerbations. About 3-6 months length of behavioural therapy is necessary before moving in to more invasive or costly interventions.

Oral Medication

Oral medications ought to be regarded only after the above conservative interventions have not been successful. The duration for each medication is variable. The following drugs are often prescribed:

  • Oral pentosan polysulfate sodium
  • Hydroxyzine
  • Amitriptyline
  • Anticholinergics (oxybutynin, tolterodine)
  • Cyclosporine A
  • Elmiron

Oral therapy should be used with as much precaution since there are some side effects that could be unpleasant to the patient or could exacerbate the condition.

 

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]]> http://nursingfile.com/nursing-care-plan/nursing-interventions/nursing-interventions-for-interstitial-cystitis.html/feed 0 Hospital Requires Blood Glucose Test http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/hospitals-requires-test-for-blood-glucose-levels.html http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/hospitals-requires-test-for-blood-glucose-levels.html#comments Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:18:16 +0000 admin http://nursingfile.com/?p=529 Hyperglycemia, one of the most common and serious health problems among hospitalized clients, increases an individual’s risk to life-threatening complications. This condition affects even non-diabetic hospitalized clients. Characterized with a high blood sugar level, this health problem affects around 32 to 38% of inpatient individuals in community hospitals based on an observational study. Advancement of the measures that will control serum glucose (blood sugar) levels will definitely lower client mortality from hospital complications in both general medicine and surgical departments.

A new clinical practice guidelines (CPG) was released recently by the Endocrine Society. The set of standards will be release to provide safe and practical recommendations on achieving a healthy glycemic goal for clients cared for in non-critical areas. CPG offered a protocol on checking the blood sugar levels of all clients, regardless of being treated with diabetes or not. The set of standard of would go public on February 2012 on the issue: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), a publication of The Endocrine Society. The CPG by then will be officially called ‘Management of Hyperglycemia in Hospitalized Patients in Non-Critical Care Setting: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline.’

The key person in writing the CPG, Guillermo Umpierrez, MD explained how hyperglycemia has been linked to prolonged hospital stay. The guideline recommends experts to promote the goal of decreasing mortality from complications of hyperglycemia in non-critical care settings which includes the following recommendations:

  1. Clients with non-critical illness glycemic targets should be given a pre-meal glucose target of less than 140 mg/dl. The rate of random blood glucose should also be less than 180 mg/dl.
  2. On admission, clients with high blood sugar levels and those who are receiving nutrition via intravenous or feeding tubes, with or without diabetes history, needs to receive bedside glucose test.
  3. Diabetic clients receiving regular insulin at home are to be given scheduled insulin administered subcutaneously throughout the hospital stay.
  4. Surgical clients with Type 1 and 2 diabetes are to be given a continuous insulin infusion (IV) or with bolus insulin when necessary subcutaneously. This prevents episodes of hyperglycemia during the perioperative period.
  5. One to two hours before discontinuing the continuous insulin infusion (IV), patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes should be given subcutaneous insulin therapy. This provides a smooth transition to insulin discontinuation.

Detailed explanation about the causes and impacts of hyperglycemia are found on various resources online. The Endocrine Society also affiliated with The Hormone Foundation to provide better public education on CPG guide. Furthermore the patient guide which can be found online, enumerates expert recommendations on treatment options.

Image courtesy of glucoseglucose.com

 

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]]> http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/hospitals-requires-test-for-blood-glucose-levels.html/feed 0 Nursing Home’s Focus: Rehabilitation http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/nursing-homes-focus-rehabilitation.html http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/nursing-homes-focus-rehabilitation.html#comments Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:38:53 +0000 admin http://nursingfile.com/?p=528 Soon to rise on Springfield’s west side is a nursing home with a 75-bed capacity. This facility will concentrate more on short-term rehabilitation while providing the services as well as hospitality a fashionable hotel. This statement was from the developers of the projects.

Brian Levinson, partner of Platinum Healthcare, stated that this is for those whose independence is dominant during the ceremonial groundbreaking for the facility called The Bridge Care Suites, which is said to be well worth $12.9 million.

He stated that the facility has cutting-edge care model which is expected to magnet adults who are 50 years and older who require intense rehabilitative therapy as they are getting better from conditions which range from heart problems, hip/knee replacements to falls, strokes, and sports injuries.

A lot of these people, at least for those in the Springfield locality, are at the moment recovering at their homes and are receiving home health care services or are going to outpatient rehab centers, continued Levinson. They are not so attracted to the idea of traditional nursing homes which mainly house patients who have chronic conditions, he stated.

The Bridge Care Suites is anticipated to be functioning by January 2013 located at 3089 Jacksonville Road. This facility will primarily provide services to those who are covered by Medicare as well as private health insurance for stays that are short-lived. The facility shall also accept Medicaid patients, said Levinson.

Platinum and Mainstreet Property Group is behind this facility. They are a real-estate development company based in Skokie from suburban Indianapolis. Platinum shall hold the nursing-home license as well as manage the facility.

The structure’s constructions will produce around 375 jobs, based on Platinum. The general contractor shall be Walsh Construction. Also, around 150 people shall be taken on by Bridge Care Suites the moment it starts to function, Levinson said.

Almost every room is a private one. The facility shall also have a café, a business center, home-like furnishings and wireless Internet, Levinson continued.

Bridge Care Suites “hospitality” care shall cost Platinum beyond what conventional nursing-home models do, however, Levinson said that Platinum anticipates to gain profit. Platinum also manages Springfield’s Capitol Care Center.

Bridge Care Suites, according to Levinson, belongs to a much particular niche which at the moment is not being served.

The patient population at Capitol Care, 555 W. Carpenter is not projected to go down when the fresh facility starts to function, he stated.

Mike Houston, Mayor of Springfield, stated at a ceremony held Tuesday that being a senior citizen, he is happy to see Springfield’s Bridge Care Suites, yet he hopes that he will never have to use it.

The mayor said it will definitely have a huge impact on the economy.

The site is five acres and is located just a couple of blocks from the Orthopedic Center of Illinois, Physicians Group Associates, Gailey Eye Clinic, and  Memorial Health System’s Koke Mill Medical Center.

Houston said that they are really producing a west side medical location in Springfield

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]]> http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/nursing-homes-focus-rehabilitation.html/feed 1 Drug Addicted Nurse Allowed to Work by the State http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/drug-addicted-nurse-allowed-to-work-by-the-state.html http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/drug-addicted-nurse-allowed-to-work-by-the-state.html#comments Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:37:56 +0000 admin http://nursingfile.com/?p=527 The state was aware that nurse Jerold L. Mullins has been taking drugs from hospitals and other employers he had, yet he was never given any type of punishment from state regulators.

For about 15 years, Mullins has jeopardized patient safety and well-being by providing care for them even though he was high on drugs. He took these drugs at the time he was on duty as a nurse anesthetist, based on a consent order which was just made known to the public by the Minnesota Board of Nursing.

Mullins’ addiction had turned so menacing that while he was on duty, he gave more than the required drugs needed for the patients because this would entail there will be more for him to reroute, based on state records.

The report also showed that people told him his patients were much calmer as opposed to everybody else’s patients. It is unclear where Mullins was employed because the report did not make known any of them. 59-year-old Mullins lives in Princeton.

Mullins’ inappropriate behavior weren’t fully examined by state regulators until the year 2010, when he informed the board voluntarily regarding his past drug abuse, work problems, and ongoing efforts to get treatment in license renewal forms.

Mullins’ is on his third trip to a treatment sponsor which is backed by the state via the Health Professionals Services Program. This program flaunts itself as being another method to board discipline. Under the state regulation, health practitioners as well as their employers should report drug abuse to the program or their licensing board, based on the HPSP’s website.

Several go for HPSP for the reason that it is non-disciplinary and supportive, based on a quote from Monica Feider, who supervises the program. Feider did not give back a call for remark Tuesday.

Executive director of the Board of Nursing Shirley Brekken stated that it is indeed a concern that Mullins was not reported to the board previously. Mullins has reported to the board when he was asked. It is significant that the board get details so as to have an investigation and be able to take action.

As soon as the board learned of Mullins’ issues, it reexamined his cased as well as revoked his license. But he can always reapply for his license in five years’ time provided he can submit proof for being drug-free for a course of 24 consecutive months, based on the final consent order last October.

 

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]]> http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/drug-addicted-nurse-allowed-to-work-by-the-state.html/feed 0 Nursing Interventions for Stable Angina http://nursingfile.com/nursing-care-plan/nursing-interventions/nursing-interventions-for-stable-angina.html http://nursingfile.com/nursing-care-plan/nursing-interventions/nursing-interventions-for-stable-angina.html#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:01:53 +0000 admin http://nursingfile.com/?p=525 Stable angina is a common situation in the emergency department. It may be described to be asudden chest pain in which there are patterns that can be observed. Physiologically, the chest pain occurs when the heart pumps more blood due to more oxygen demand. Among both sexes, men and women have equal chances of experiencing stable angina.

Stable angina as a sign can be very helpful in evaluating patients who have the tendency to have a heart attack. Chest pain as complained by patients must also be screened out in order to point out on what it is the true state. Some chest pain is due to a pulmonary infection, embolism that blocks a lung artery or narrowing of arteries. Psychological factors may also start chest pain as presenting sign panic attacks.

A successful evaluation whether a patient has suffered a stable angina is a good step in helping the patient to function on a moderate level of activity. He or she can function properly without reaching the maximum activity level thereby preventing future episodes of angina and eventually heart problems.

Characteristics of a stable angina:

  1. Onset is predictable
  2. The pain can be relieved with rest
  3. Glyceryl trinitrate is sometimes used in order to relieve chest pain
  4. The pain can be described to be reaching up to the jaw, shoulders and chest

Diagnostic Methods:

  1. The patient must undergo electrocardiography in order to trace the electrical impulse of the heart.
  2. Evaluation of the pain elicit so that it will be the determining factor of the severity of thecoronary heart disease.

Nursing Management:

  1. Assist the patient to explore his feelings when the pain affects his daily functioning, mood as well as his lifestyle.
  2. Encourage the patient to take medications prescribed such as beta-blockers which is considered as the drug of choice for the initial therapy. There is another part of treatment that involves aspirin. This must be well observed as it entitles the patient to a long-term therapy.
  3. Explore the feelings as well as knowledge of the patient about stable angina. Clear out some of the misconceptions about this as early as possible.
  4. Allow the folks of the patient to know about the information as well as set up a plan of action that will save the life of the patient whenever stable angina attacks.
  5. Assist the patient as well as the family when surgical intervention is needed. A surgical revascularisation will be done in order to pave way normal blood circulation to the heart. Secure the consent as well as the full acceptance of the operation before the patient is sedated.
  6. Assist as well as refer community services that would help the patient adjust after the surgery.

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]]> http://nursingfile.com/nursing-care-plan/nursing-interventions/nursing-interventions-for-stable-angina.html/feed 0 Nursing Facility Steers Black Nurses from the Homes of White Clients http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/nursing-facility-steers-black-nurses-from-the-homes-of-white-clients.html http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/nursing-facility-steers-black-nurses-from-the-homes-of-white-clients.html#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:42:18 +0000 admin http://nursingfile.com/?p=523 One company that offers in-home nursing services got accused of driving black nurses away from white clients’ home.

Previous staffers at Accord Services stated that the agency would describe some nurses as being too ethnic, too black, too ghetto or too old when it comes to choosing to send them to a house, based on a federal lawsuit.

The lawsuit said that defendants purposely held discriminations to applicants and employees alike who are black, which includes African Americans and Africans, and were more in favor of employees and applicants who are Caucasian and Hispanic. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages.

The four plaintiffs explained that the negative stereotyping of blacks produced a working place that is leaking with hostility towards blacks.

But a company’s spokesman said that the plaintiffs are just discontented previous employees who were either fired or had resigned.

Freddy Allen, administrator, said to Channel 2 Action News that he has read the allegation which he finds totally untrue. He noted that the agency has black nurses who have been employed in Accord Services for nearly ten years.

The plaintiffs included Tracee Goldman, Erika Arnold, Christine Muchene, and Debra Trawick, who assert disobedience of the U.S. Civil Rights Act.

Arnold, former human resources manager, said in the lawsuit that statements can be heard which ranged from a nurse can’t be used due to being too ghetto or that a client wouldn’t prefer foreigners or that black women are not skilled professionals. Arnold was taken on by the company in June 2007 and was fired back in April 2009.

Also a previous HR staffer, Goodman, who has worked at the company from October 2006 and December 2008, had the same allegations in the suit of 63 pages.

Prior to putting someone in a particular position, Goodman said questions like what color or what age were asked first. Goodman confirmed applications and made background checks.

Race-based comments, said Goodman, were usually made at staffing meetings, in which Accord would convey inclination to employ white and Hispanic applicants for nurse’s aide and nurse positions.

A white office manager, Trawick, who functioned at Accord from June and August 2009, stated that the company was open to discussion on the preferences of clients for white or younger nurse’s aides and nurses.

Trawick recalled statements such as “You have to staff him with a WG, he does not want a black person” or “She can’t be used because she lacks a tooth and she is too ghetto” during meetings.

Certified nurse’s aide, Muchene, who is a Kenyan, stated that she applied to Accord first in 2007 and each year she was told that her application is still active, and she would be contacted should a position be available. She stated that not a single call was made to her even after she saw that postings for vacancies would be filled later.

While Trawick was still office manager, she said when she asked regarding Muchene’s application, the company would tell her they favored younger or non-African applicants.

Muchene is a permanent U.S. resident. She filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It gave her a “notice of right to sue”.

However, Allen dismissed such claims. He told Channel 2 that every allegation was made by a couple of discontented employees who were either fired or had resigned.

Also black himself, Allen said that if a likely client asks for a nurse or a different race, such request was denied and that the client is referred somewhere else.

A lawyer for the plaintiffs states that the group would like a jury come to a decision for monetary damages.

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]]> http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/nursing-facility-steers-black-nurses-from-the-homes-of-white-clients.html/feed 0 Low Medicaid Reimbursement Rates in Iowa http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/low-medicaid-reimbursement-rates-in-iowa.html http://nursingfile.com/nursing-news/low-medicaid-reimbursement-rates-in-iowa.html#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:33:03 +0000 admin http://nursingfile.com/?p=522 In Mason City, low reimbursement rates for several assisted living centers in Iowa is pushing people who are not in need of 24-hour care into care centers that are more expensive, said a state health care official to North Iowa caregivers, seniors and care center officials.

Executive director Steve Ackerson of the Iowa Health Care Association and Iowa Center for Assisted Living said to a group consisting of 45 area care center officials along with employees in Mason City that if nothing is done about cost containment, patients with low acuity shall go into nursing homes.

Ackerson tackled on various long-term care problems during a legislative forum at Good Shepherd Health Center. He went on to say that assisted living is a chief emphasis of his efforts in advocacy this year. He said the theme is care, and not cut.

Financially supporting home as well as community based amenities such as assisted living lets people stay there, he stated. It is less expensive for that state, and it is what people want as well.

However, in Iowa, Medicaid reimbursement is almost non-existed for residents in assisted living facilities.

Director of assisted living Jean Palmer at Good Shepherd Health Care Inc. pointed to statistics given by Ackerson that just 5% of the residents of Iowa’s assisted living facilities are on Medicaid. The rest are privately paying.

This is because of the low Medicaid reimbursement rate, said Palmer.

She said that in most nursing homes, the Department of Human Resources has to pay more in order to keep them there.

Director Mike Svejda of Good Shepherd Health Center Inc. stated that living in a nursing home was twice to thrice more expensive as opposed to assisted living.

Svejda went on to say that the state has to use the assisted living program more and this is through paying the assisted living program more in order for it to be more affordable for those people who have low earnings.

One way to do so is by putting in more money into the Home and Community Based Services waiver program in order to enable a lot more people to stay in assisted living, recommended Svejda.

In an associated issue, Palmer reported that those persons who are in assisted living who get benefits from the Veterans Administration are now obliged by the state to take away those benefits from the total that they get from the HCBS waiver.

Palmer stated that it acted as a disservice to the nation’s veterans.

Still another area that raised concern was the shortage of collaboration between the Department of Human Services and the Department of Inspections and Appeals in keeping an eye on the state’s long-term care facilities. Palmer said that they need to report to both bodies.

Ackerson stated that among the aims of his advocacy groups is to bring together DIA required reporting and DHS incident reporting so that assisted living facilities would be able to finish a single reporting process that would please the two bodies and decrease unneeded repetition of documentation efforts.

State Senator Amanda Ragan of D-Mason City stated that one of the key matters she got from Ackerson’s report is the fact that Iowa is performing a great job of working with a lot of seniors which is not an easy feat.

But according to Ragan, what is an alarming fact is the federal effect of the decrease in reimbursement for both Medicaid and Medicare, and that it is affecting the most vulnerable group of people, the elderly.

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