November 02, 2012 (Press-News.org) Patients in Arizona hospitals may face danger from an unexpected source, a new study shows. According to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing's Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, nurse burnout results in higher infection rates among patients.
The study surveyed over 7,000 hospital nurses, finding that more than one-third experienced high burnout levels associated with their jobs. The nurses responded to questions that measured emotional exhaustion, determined whether they found a sense of accomplishment in their work and assessed depersonalization on the job.
When exhausted nurses had to care for too many patients, the infection rate rose at their hospitals. Each nurse surveyed was responsible for an average of 5.7 patients and when nursing workload increased by just one patient per nurse, infections acquired in the hospital went up at the rate of one infection for every 1,000 patients.
Looking at the data another way, when the percentage of nurses who reported a high burnout level in a hospital went up, infections also went up. A 10-percent increase in the proportion of nurses who were seriously burned out was associated with about two additional surgical-site infections for every 1,000 patients. Urinary infections caused by catheter use also increased by about one infection per 1,000 patients.
A researcher suggested that being overworked meant a nurse was less likely to follow rigorous protocols for infection control. Distracted by another patient needing help, a nurse might overlook a procedure when changing a surgical dressing, for example. A hurried nurse could fail to carry through with careful hand washing, a fundamental safeguard against infection.
Across the country and from hospital to hospital, nurse patient loads vary and no comprehensive system exists that keeps track of staffing nationwide. In some hospitals, a nurse in intensive care has two patients and in some, like those in this study, the average patient load is greater than five.
The cost of nurse burnout, measured by treatment costs for the added infections, is high. Treating a catheter-associated urinary infection costs an average of $749 to $832. For surgical-site infections, the average cost can be $11,087 to $29,443. The researchers projected savings of $41 million a year if the hospitals in the study could cut the nurse burnout rate to 10 percent.
Whatever the cause, acquiring an infection in the hospital can be serious and expensive. Anyone who experiences a hospital-related infection in Arizona should pursue compensation and would benefit from a consultation with an experienced Arizona medical malpractice attorney. A lawyer can help patients recover not only medical expenses, but possibly also payment for lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Article provided by Law Offices of Raymond J. Slomski, P.C.
Visit us at www.slomskilaw.com
The Consequences of Overworking Nurses Can Be Serious
Over one-third of nurses may suffer from burnout, which results in a higher rate of post-surgical and urinary infections among their patients.
2012-11-02
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Crowdfunding May Increase the Likelihood of Fraud
2012-11-02
On April 5, 2012, President Obama amended the federal securities laws when he signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act). The purpose of the JOBS Act is to help small businesses raise money in a bad economy. The provisions amended are referred to as the "crowdfunding" amendments and experts opine these amendments may increase the likelihood of securities fraud.
What is Crowdfunding?
Essentially, the JOBS Act will allow companies to engage in early-stage funding through previously prohibited public solicitations and without making certain onerous ...
The Spy Who Divorced Me
2012-11-02
Almost everyone is addicted to technology -- cellphones, tablets and many other computer-based devices. However, the next time you communicate over an electronic medium, know that someone may be recording your statements.
For example, one woman thought that her email, instant messaging and phone conversations were private and confined to the walls of her own home. Instead, a video camera tracked her movements, a microphone in the wall recorded sounds and sophisticated computer technology copied her emails and online conversations.
The secret recordings continued in ...
Presidential Directive Expands Whistleblower Protections
2012-11-02
President Obama has issued an administrative directive that will, for the first time, provide protection to intelligence agency employees for whistleblowing. Generally, federal employees have a legal right to "blow the whistle" on their employers or governmental agencies when employees are aware of wrongdoing. Most federal employees are protected from retaliation for blowing the whistle under the federal Whistleblower Protection Act.
A new bill, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, has been making its way through Congress to expand whistleblower protections ...
Fifth Hearing on Securing the Future of SSDI
2012-11-02
The House Committee on Ways and Means held its fifth and last hearing on Securing the Future of the Social Security Disability Insurance Program. These hearings explored options for meeting the challenges that the Social Security Disability Insurance program (SSDI) faces today. The final hearing focused on the options available to meet fiscal as well as structural issues, with a strong focus on how to increase employment among disabled individuals.
Among those that testified were some who believed the program should be changed dramatically, some who cautioned not to ...
US Department of Justice to Focus on Banks' Money-Laundering Controls
2012-11-02
Nowadays, money laundering in the U.S. and internationally is often related to terroristic activity and illegal drug transactions. Now that the worst part of the financial-institution crisis seems to have passed, government regulators are turning their attention again to more traditional matters like oversight of the banking system's compliance with anti-money-laundering laws, regulations and requirements.
The federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has historically enforced money-laundering safeguards against banks, but the agency was criticized this past ...
OSHA Cites Contractor in Connection With Deadly New York Crane Accident
2012-11-02
New York City's skyline is defined by its skyscrapers. For decades, builders in New York have consistently outdone themselves by constructing buildings that reach heights previously thought unattainable. You can hardly walk down the street in the Big Apple without encountering wide-eyed tourists marveling at these pillars in the sky - although often to the chagrin of many hurried New Yorkers who share the sidewalks with these casual observers.
These model marvels do not come without costs however. The construction of New York skyscrapers is a complex, and often dangerous, ...
Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents Deadly for Los Angeles Residents
2012-11-02
After driving down the streets of Los Angeles, it comes as no surprise that they are particularly dangerous for both pedestrians and bicyclists. A study recently released by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute has revealed that Los Angeles' roads are some of the most dangerous in the country for people traveling by foot and by bike.
According to the study, approximately 33 percent of people killed in traffic accidents in Los Angeles are pedestrians. While this rate seems high on its own, it is particularly shocking when compared to the national ...
Minnesota Workers' Compensation: Legal Steps After Denial of Benefits
2012-11-02
Workers who suffer injuries on the job in Minnesota often have plenty of questions about how to file a workers' comp claim. From reporting an injury to an employer to learning about a workers' right to medical treatment, a Minnesota workers' comp lawyer can explain all of the preliminary legal issues and help a client understand how to maximize work injury benefits.
If a worker learns that his or her application for benefits has been denied, a workers' compensation attorney can explain everything from legal timelines for appeal to a client's prospects for success. Because ...
Independent Contractor Misclassification Affects Eligibility for Work Comp Benefits
2012-11-02
After being injured on the job, the last thing you want to hear is that you are not covered for workers' compensation benefits. Many workers in Minnesota find themselves in such situations, though, when their employers consider them to be independent contractors rather than employees. At times, employers are inaccurate in their assessments, however, and improperly classify employees as independent contractors. When that is the case, it is critical for the worker to be aware of his or her rights to ensure proper classification and coverage for workers' compensation.
Independent ...
How Does the IRS Determine Responsibility for Unpaid Payroll Taxes?
2012-11-02
The Internal Revenue Code is notoriously complex, particularly for rules governing business taxes. It is easy for business owners to run afoul of the IRS when trying to calculate and pay its payroll taxes.
All employers are required collect and withhold income and social security taxes from their employees' paychecks. See IRC Sections 3101 and 3102 (Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes), 3401-3406 (income taxes). The employers are also required to file quarterly reports of taxes withheld (IRS Form 941) and to make federal tax deposits (FTDs).
Civil penalties ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Researchers reveal role of zeolite zcid site accessibility in syngas conversion
Gender gap in teenage depression is twice as large in London than in Tokyo, new study finds
Coffee-making robot breaks new ground for AI machines
Protecting crops: Researchers open up new avenue to combat a widespread plant virus
UCLA discovers first stroke rehabilitation drug to repair brain damage
Only around 1 in 10 common non-surgical and non-invasive treatments for back pain effective
Installing safety nets on Golden Gate Bridge linked to 73% decline in suicides
Increasing fruit, fiber, dairy and caffeine linked to lower risk of tinnitus
Does BMI become useless as we age?
Rice statistician earns $1 million CPRIT award to advance AI-powered precision medicine for prostate cancer
Whose air quality are we monitoring?
Team Hope rides (again) for cancer research at the Tour de Scottsdale
Researchers find missing link in autoimmune disorder
‘Democratizing chemical analysis’: FSU chemists use machine learning and robotics to identify chemical compositions from images
Leveraging data science for disease prediction in the fight against rheumatoid arthritis
Kennedy Krieger screening model improves early autism diagnosis for underserved communities
Blood pressure patterns during pregnancy predict later hypertension risk, study finds
Latest Alzheimer’s drug shown less effective in females than males
Moffitt study finds vaccine may improve breast cancer treatment outcomes
Adoption of international auditing standards leads to better financial reporting
Internal displacement in Syria used to reshape the country’s political and social landscape, new study shows
Building a safer future: Rice researcher works to strengthen Haiti’s earthquake resilience
Diverging views of democracy fuel support for authoritarian politicians, Notre Dame study shows
Bacteria invade brain after implanting medical devices
New platform lets anyone rapidly prototype large, sturdy interactive structures
Non-genetic theories of cancer address inconsistencies in current paradigm
Food and non-alcoholic drink products in Mexico were substantially reformulated to be healthier following the 2020 introduction of warning labels identifying products with excessive content of calorie
Conservation efforts are bringing species back from the brink, even as overall biodiversity falls
Conservation efforts analysis reveals which actions are most helpful for endangered species status
JSCAI special issue explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence in interventional cardiology
[Press-News.org] The Consequences of Overworking Nurses Can Be SeriousOver one-third of nurses may suffer from burnout, which results in a higher rate of post-surgical and urinary infections among their patients.