Nursing LiteThe trouble with nursing jargon When I was working in the ED, an elderly gentleman came in with an apparent upper respiratory infection. I asked if he had
a cough and he said No. Then I asked if he was raising anything. "Hamsters, but I'm trying to get rid of them," the patient
replied.
Cindy Brown, RN
Gloucester, MA
One Nurse's Suggestions On Ways To Reduce The Nursing Shortage
As a nurse for more than 20 years, I've seen nurses' responsibilities and education increase with little compensation, respect,
or appreciation in return. As a result, nurses have been leaving the profession and there's now a severe shortage. To retain experienced nurses and encourage new nurses to enter the profession, I offer the following suggestions:
- Pay nurses commensurate with their years of experience and the advanced skills that they possess.
- Reward nurses who've worked overtime with a free sick day.
- Provide scrubs to nurses if the institution requires them to wear a certain color.
- Offer staff members discounts on things like vacation travel and dinners at local restaurants to help them enjoy their time
off.
Nurses don't expect their jobs to be perfect, but they should be able to look forward to coming to work instead of wondering
how bad their day is going to be or how much they probably won't get done.
TERRY STANTON, RN
Sent via e-mail
Poorly Done Study Shouldn't Stop Patients From Taking Vitamin E I was disappointed with the review of "High Doses Of Vitamin E: Patients Should Think Twice" (Clinical Highlights, January).
To do a meta-analysis, you must compare like studies. This meta-analysis compared "apples and oranges."
The conclusion that high-dose vitamin E increases all-cause mortality is simply not supported. Also, synthetic vitamin E was
used, mostly in combination with other supplements. This would make it difficult, if not impossible, to conclude that vitamin
E was the agent that caused the increase in mortality.
This poorly executed study should not deter people from supplementation with natural vitamin E.
MERRILY A. KUHN, RN, PhD
Sent via e-mail
A State Surveyor Clarifies An RN's Responsibility For LPN-DON In "Is This Staff Nurse Responsible For Her DON's Actions?" (Advice of Counsel, December 2004), a reader wondered whether
her license covered an LPN who was filling in as a full-time DON. Marlene Garvis correctly responded that the RN would not
be liable for the actions of the LPN, as long as the RN wasn't involved in DON functions.
As a state surveyor, I would like to point out that the Code of Federal Regulations requires a facility to designate an RN—not
an LPN—to function as a DON on a full-time basis, or 40 hours per week. In my state, Wyoming, an LPN who serves in this capacity
is in direct violation of the Nurse Practice Act.
The facility can function without a full-time DON if it obtains a waiver approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
and issued by the state. But that is rare.
MARLENE SCHUMAN
Sent via e-mail
Best Practice Principles Are Based On Research In "Readers Speak Out: Are Nursing Schools Really Failing Us?" (Mail Box, November 2004), Mr. Legg states, "I can't recall
any patient ever asking me if I knew APA format well enough to care for them." That may be true, but I'm certain that his
patients have appreciated the evidence-based-practice principles that were clearly communicated to nursing personnel, so that
their nursing care was based on the results of patient-centered research, not just on tradition.
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