Most Clicked ANA SmartBrief Stories
1. Evidence-based intervention reduces restraint use at nursing homes
ANA SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
An evidence-based practice guideline used to develop a multicomponent intervention reduced the use of patient restraints at nursing homes in Germany, University of Hamburg researchers reported. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, said the intervention included group sessions for nurses, extra training for key nursing staff, and support materials for staff, residents, relatives and guardians. Medscape (free registration) (05/23)
2. Obama's re-election campaign gains support from nurses
ANA SmartBrief | May 25, 2012
The ANA has endorsed the re-election bid of President Barack Obama. Measures taken by the Obama administration to improve the country's health care system "have been ANA’s priorities for more than two decades. ANA remains committed to supporting President Obama's efforts to fully implement and fund the Affordable Care Act," ANA President Karen Daley said. Nurse.com (05/24)
3. Calcium supplements could raise heart risks, study says
ANA SmartBrief | May 25, 2012
People who regularly took calcium supplements had an 86% increased risk of a heart attack compared with people who did not take supplements, University of Zurich researchers reported in the journal Heart. They also found that a moderately high intake of calcium from food sources may reduce the risk of heart attack. Extra calcium had no effect on reducing stroke risk, according to the study. HealthDay News (05/24)
4. TeamHealth offers 5 ways to reduce hospital readmissions
ANA SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
Five key concepts from TeamHealth for reducing hospital readmission rates include recognizing problems that lead to return visits, avoiding communication breakdowns among caregivers and reconciling errors in EHRs. Dr. Jasen Gundersen said post-acute care management is important in reducing readmissions, along with educating patients, family and caregivers. BeckersHospitalReview.com (05/21)
5. CDC: Fewer diabetes patients die of heart disease, stroke
ANA SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
The risk of heart disease- and stroke-related deaths declined 40% and the overall mortality rate fell 23% in patients with diabetes from 1997 to 2006, CDC researchers reported in Diabetes Care. Diabetes patients were more likely to be obese but less likely to smoke and more likely to be physically active than in the past. Reuters (05/22) WebMD (05/22)
6. High vitamin D levels curb mortality in metabolic syndrome patients
ANA SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
Patients with metabolic syndrome who attained optimal vitamin D levels were 66% less likely to die of heart disease and had a 75% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with those who had severe deficiencies in vitamin D, researchers reported in Diabetes Care. NutraIngredients (05/22)
7. Obesity may increase risk of aggressive thyroid cancer
ANA SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
A study of 443 thyroid cancer patients who underwent thyroidectomy revealed that those who were obese or morbidly obese at the time of diagnosis had more aggressive tumor types than others and were more likely to be at an advanced stage at diagnosis. The findings appear in Online First by Archives of Surgery. DailyRx.com (05/23)
8. Incidence of kidney stones in U.S. roughly doubles since 1994
ANA SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
Data from the CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey revealed that the prevalence of kidney stones nearly doubled in 16 years. One person in 20 had the condition in 1994, and in 2010 the rate had reached 1 in 11. Researchers found that individuals with obesity, diabetes or gout had a greater risk of kidney stones. The findings appear in the journal European Urology. MyHealthNewsDaily.com (05/25)
9. Study: Better communication improves patient safety
ANA SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
A HealthGrades study revealed hospitals whose patient ratings for communication between physicians and nurses were at the top 10% appeared to be less prone to medical errors than those rated in the bottom 10%, suggesting that better communication boosts patient safety and satisfaction. BeckersHospitalReview.com (05/22)
10. C-section delivery doubles risk of childhood obesity, data show
ANA SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
Data from records of 1,255 mother and child pairs in eastern Massachusetts showed that babies born via Caesarean section were twice as likely to be obese at age 3 as vaginally born babies. The study appears in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. Washington Post, The (05/23) Google (05/24)
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