Hospitals have long been penalized for high rates of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and as Certified Legal Nurse Consultants know, HAIs can have serious, long-term consequences for patients. Hospital-acquired infections have been estimated to cause up to $30 billion in annual medical costs.
It should come as no surprise to any Certified Legal Nurse Consultant or nurse working an RN job in a hospital that a recent Gallup Poll once again determined that nursing is the most trusted profession.
The next time you go to the grocery store, drugstore or warehouse club take a look at the healthcare services being offered. You may or may not be surprised to see that there’s a doctor or a nurse practitioner present and that your favorite drugstore or grocery store is now in the healthcare business.
Moody’s Investors Service issued a negative 2015 outlook for not-for-profit (NFP) healthcare organizations. Moody’s predicts that hospital revenue will remain weak and operating expenses will increase. In 2014 Modern Healthcare reported that revenues were up for NFP facilities, but that those gains were offset by operating costs associated with the increased number of sicker patients. In essence, hospitals are handling more with less.
Baby powder is safe for babies… and if it’s safe for babies it must be safe for adults – at least that’s what we’ve all been led to believe. After all, your grandmother used it on your mother, your mother used it on you and you’ve used it on your babies. But a products liability case alleges that using baby powder containing talc for feminine hygiene purposes can cause the development of ovarian cancer.
I was recently contacted regarding a federal lawsuit alleging that Houston Methodist deducted 30 minutes each shift for breaks whether the nurses took them in whole, in part or not at all. There are more than 20 similar lawsuits throughout the U.S.
Over the past few weeks I have received emails and private messages from registered nurses throughout the U.S. asking me about their rights to refuse to treat an Ebola patient at their RN job. I have also been on national television with Stuart Varney of Varney Co. to bring attention to this very issue.
The Dallas hospital involved in the Thomas Eric Duncan case settled for an undisclosed amount before a lawsuit was even filed. By doing so the hospital avoided a costly legal battle as well as the potential for a lot of negative publicity regarding race and lack of insurance.
It’s been 41 days since Thomas Eric Duncan presented as the first Ebola patient to be diagnosed (and misdiagnosed) on American soil. I’ve been on national TV four times to address hospital preparedness for Ebola and I am in deep gratitude to the 500 registered nurses throughout the U.S. who took your time to share what you know about the state of hospital preparedness.
I’ve been asked to go back on “The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson” on FOX NEWS today due to the fourth Ebola patient diagnosed in the U.S. They want to know if the 3.1 million RNs are any better protected today than they were four weeks ago.
*The opinions and statements made by Vickie Milazzo, the founder of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc. are based on her experiences and expertise, should not be applied beyond the specific context provided, and do not guaranty or project actual results. Vickie Milazzo is no longer involved in the operations or management of the business, but is involved as an independent education consultant.
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