Tag: COVID-19

COVID-19 hospitalization costs outpaced medical inflation

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Editor's Note The cost of COVID-19 hospital admissions increased at more than 5 times the rate of overall medical inflation as fewer patients died from the virus. The new study findings appeared in JAMA Network Open on January 3. The 26-percent increase in average costs to provide inpatient care occurred…

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By: Brita Belli
January 9, 2024
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How the “tripledemic” impacts pediatric ED care

Editor's Note According to a new study from the University of Michigan, a surge in multiple respiratory viruses was associated with different pediatric acute care across emergency departments (EDs) across the state. The findings appeared in JAMA Network Open on December 7. The study used data from more than 2.7…

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By: Brita Belli
January 3, 2024
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Fresno, California hospitals struggle to meet demand

Editor's Note Hospitals in Fresno County, California are operating over capacity by 20% to 40% due to a sharp rise in respiratory diseases such as flu, COVID-19 and RSV, according to a December 18 press release from the Fresno County Department of Public Health. In addition to straining resources, the…

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By: Brita Belli
December 22, 2023
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CDC issues advisory on low COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccination rates

Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sounding the alarm regarding low vaccination rates for COVID-19 and flu for all adults, as well as low RSV vaccination rates for adults 60 and older. According to the December 14 announcement, study data show anti-virals are also being…

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By: Brita Belli
December 22, 2023
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Taking a hands-on approach: A day in the OR manager role

Kim Rosencrans, RN, BSN, has worked as a surgical nurse in a number of successively more senior roles over the past 20 plus years—and she has retained a hands-on approach, even as an OR manager in the Surgery Department at Trinity Health in North Dakota, one of the nation’s largest…

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By: Brita Belli
December 20, 2023
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Social distancing outperforms closing borders in preventing virus spread

Editor’s Note Social distancing was more effective than closing borders in preventing the spread of COVID-19, according to a study published in Cell December 14. Conducted by Scripps Research, the study examined the efficacy of various mandates—including stay-at-home measures, social distancing, and travel restrictions— in preventing local and regional transmission…

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By: Brita Belli
December 15, 2023
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Meditation during COVID-19 led to significant benefits for frontline nurses

Editor's Note According to a new study, transcendental meditation significantly benefitted the mental health and well-being of frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings were published in the Journal of Nursing Administration on December 11.  Transcendental Meditation, or TM, involves sitting with the eyes closed for 20 minutes to…

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By: Brita Belli
December 11, 2023
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Study examines infection precautions during pandemic based on healthcare roles

Editor's Note A first-of-its-kind study examined a range of different professional healthcare roles during the pandemic and how they complied with precaution guidelines around infection prevention. The study, published in the American Journal of Infection Control on December 6, found statistically significant differences between job roles.  The researchers conducted a…

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By: Brita Belli
December 7, 2023
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Navigating the ‘tripledemic’: Flu, RSV, and COVID-19 in the OR

The healthcare sector has begun grappling with a repeat challenge this fall and winter: the simultaneous surge of three significant respiratory diseases—flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 among both children and adults. When these diseases collide, they constitute what experts have termed a “tripledemic,” which poses a significant strain…

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By: Tra Vu, PhD
November 17, 2023
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Fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine saved lives of rheumatic disease patients

Editor's Note Receiving a fourth dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine recommended for patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, was found to have saved lives and reduced hospitalizations among that patient population. The findings were published in the journal The Lancet Rheumatology on November 15. The researchers used…

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By: Brita Belli
November 15, 2023
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