In the News

Men in Nursing Occupations - According to Random Samplings, on February 25th, 2013 In 2011, there were 330,000 men employed as nurses in the United States – about 9 percent of all nurses. As the need for nurses expanded during the Civil War along with a shortage of men to provide nursing care, women were allowed to fill the gap. As such, men’s representation in nursing experienced significant decline in the 1900s. However, men’s representation in nursing has been growing since the 1970s. Schools are now actively pursuing higher male enrollment in their nursing programs. The relatively high wages and expanding job opportunities makes this field attractive, offering stability even during recessions.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE


Shortage of health IT workers hits home with physicians - According to amednews.com, on March 25th, 2013 Evidence is mounting that the health information technology work force shortage predicted several years ago is happening and that it’s affecting physician practices, even though many don’t have in-house IT staff. As hospitals scramble to meet their staffing needs, they are hiring professionals from boutique consulting practices and bringing them in-house, said John Edwards, director of PwC’s Health Industries Advisory Practice. Physician practices can use some of the same remedies that hospitals can employ to combat the shortage, Edwards said.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



Telemedicine bill moves to full Senate - According to GreenvilleOnline.com, on April 19th, 2013 The Senate Medical Affairs Committee unanimously approved a telemedicine bill Thursday and sent it to the full Senate. The bill, S.290, provides a framework for a large-scale telemedicine test run. It requires the state employee health plan -- but not all insurance plans -- to reimburse doctors for diagnosis or treatment of patients in another location using interactive audio, video, or data communications starting in January 2014.
That means if a child at a physician's office in Spartanburg has a serious heart problem, the physician can consult with one of the pediatric heart experts at MUSC in Charleston via teleconference, and the state health insurance will pay for the service.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News

 

Generational Diversity: Implications for Nurse Staffing - According to Advance for Nurses on April 5th, 2013 The healthcare environment and the nursing workplace has become more complex than ever and is increasingly dependent upon contributions from each team member to ensure that patients receive the care they require in an efficient and cost effective manner. Generational diversity is apparent as there are currently four generations in the workplace: the traditionalists (aka: the greatest generation/silent generation/veterans), baby boomers (aka: boomers), Generation X (aka: X'ers) and the millennials (aka: Generation Y, Y'ers, echo boomers). This staffing situation is not unique to nursing, or even to healthcare, and it is present in all industries. That span of six decades includes a very diverse group of people, all with different attitudes, expectations, morals, beliefs, values, desires and life experiences. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE


America's Fastest Growing Job Pays Poorly - According to Yahoo Finance, on March 11th, 2013 Meet home health care aides. These nearly 2 million workers do everything from prepare meals and clean homes, to bathe and change bedpans for elderly and disabled patients. But even though there are plenty of job opportunities, many of these people make the same wage as teenagers flipping burgers or selling clothes at the mall. The average hourly wage is just $9.70 an hour, according to the Labor Department. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE


Interprofessional Education-Reflecting Upon the Past, Scanning the Future - According to the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, on March 1st, 2013 Dr. Scott Reeves has witnessed an impressive expansion in the use of interprofessional education (IPE) across the globe.From countries geographically spread as far apart as Japan, Sweden, Australia, the U.K. and Canada, he has seen a range of impressive IPE activities during this time period (e.g. online learning, teamwork simulation, IPE competencies). For colleagues based in the U.S., it has also been encouraging to be experiencing a renaissance of interest in IPE with the leadership of the Macy Foundation, the growth of funding, recent IPE workshops at the Institute of Medicine and a newly forming National Center.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News

North Charleston nursing grad struggles to find work in changing healthcare industry - According to the Post and Courier, April 8 2013, Report after report suggests that jobs in the health care industry are booming. However, nurses with two-year degrees are being passed over for those with four-year degrees. Marilyn Schaffner, the chief nursing officer at the Medical University of South Carolina’s Medical Center, said close to 60 percent of nurses at the hospital there have bachelor’s degrees. The Future of Nursing Initiative by the Institute of Medicine recommends that 80 percent of all registered nurses should have bachelor’s degrees by 2020.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE


Grants bring needed doctors to rural South Carolina - According to the Post and Courier, March 30th 2013, Just one doctor serves as many as 10,000 people in some rural parts of South Carolina. Most rural communities in South Carolina can't attract doctors if they try. Wade Lamb knew from the moment he began studying medicine that he would return to his rural home here in the heart of Pee Dee farming country to open his medical practice. Lamb received a lot of help to make sure that happened. Lake City Community Hospital offered to pay off his medical tuition and books if he returned to practice.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE


Nurses for poor mothers linked to healthy births in SC - According to The State, April 3 2013, When Brittany Rogers of Greenville found out she was pregnant, she was terrified. Now, because of a program called Nurse Family Partnership that provides low-income women in their first pregnancies with home visits from registered nurses, Rogers’ confidence in motherhood has grown. Available in limited areas of the state since 2008, the partnership’s goal is to reduce premature and low-weight births and costly stays in neo-natal intensive care units, specifically among first-time mothers who qualify for Medicaid – the joint federal and state health insurance program for the poor and disabled.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE