| | | | | | Profiles in Leadership: Mary K. Wakefield, PhD, RN, FAAN
| | | By
Patricia Stille Lederman
| | | Whenever-and wherever-health policy and politics intersect, you will find Mary K. Wakefield, PhD, RN, FAAN. "I have been involved in these issues for over two decades and there is not a year that I think is more pivotal than this one."
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| Making vendor choices
| | | By
Anne Baye Ericksen
| | | While the politicians recognize the absolute necessity to curb rising healthcare costs without hampering patient care, it is the people within the industry who try to strike that balance on a daily basis, beginning with staffing. As the nursing shortage continues, recruiting and retaining competent personnel demands more creativity from acute care executives than ever before. With some insiders noting that staffing represents at least one-third of a hospital's total administrative expenses, all options—overtime, float pool, per diem, and travelers—must be weighed care-fully as short- and long-term solutions. .
| | | Weighing your options
| | | By
Thomas Tennant
| | | As the November election nears, and as lines are drawn and positions are locked in, it is important to take the time to review where candidates stand on certain issues. Knowing what a presidential hopeful plans to implement when he takes his place in the Oval Office makes you more informed--and your vote more powerful.
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| | | | Examining HCSS Certification
| | | By
Patricia Stille Lederman
| | | A voluntary process, HCSS certification through JCAHO will involve compliance with set standards and performance measurement. Draft standards have been available for review on the Joint Commission's website since May, with opportunities for the public, staffing company and hospital representatives, healthcare professionals, and other interested individuals to respond. JCAHO continues to refine information gathered from its Advisory Council and Health Care Staffing Task Force, amidst strong opinion.
| | | Will the new overtime rules affect staffing patterns?
| | | By
Bobbi Harrison
| | | The Department of Labor's (DOL) FairPay Overtime Initiative went into effect on Monday, August 23, 2004. Though the definition of "blue collar worker" has been more clearly distinguished to afford security to first responders—such as police officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and licensed practical nurses (LPNs), regardless of experience, training, or pay level—it does not include a provision offering the same benefit to registered nurses (RNs). What does this mean for RNs and the facilities in which they practice?
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