Professional development: Cockpit view clears credentialing terminology turbulence
Comparing healthcare to aviation is a long-standing tradition, especially when discussing safety systems like checklists. However, the similarities extend beyond protocols. Just as flying a paper airplane differs vastly from piloting a jumbo jet, so too does earning a certificate of attendance differ from achieving professional certification. Parallels like these…
Survey: Nursing school enrollment grows but PhD programs continue decline
Editor's Note The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)’s AACN’s 2024-2025 Enrollment and Graduations survey shows undergraduate and graduate nursing programs saw enrollment gains in 2024, with a 4.9% increase in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program enrollment, along with a 1.6% gain in RN-to-BSN programs following five…
Winning gamification strategies enhance nursing staff education
Nursing teams can find strength in diversity, but educating a team with a range of backgrounds and experience levels can be challenging. Some respond well to traditional lectures and presentations, while others may gravitate toward more collaborative or hands-on approaches. Making education a game has emerged as one of the…
Certification options abound for infection preventionists
Patient safety and regulatory compliance demand thoroughly vetting those tasked with preventing healthcare-associated infections. But which certification is the right fit? Those who are new to infection control have a wide range of options for verifying their newly acquired expertise. More seasoned infection preventionists (IPs) also have a number of…
Commentary: Technology no substitute for cadaver-based medical education
Editor's Note Although cadaver-based education is far from perfect, medical schools should reconsider eliminating these programs for surgeons and other professionals, first-year medical student Nadir Al Saidi argues in a March 31 commentary in Stat. “The weight of an actual body beneath your inexperienced hands is as real a preparation…
E-learning builds surgical tech talent pool for small, rural hospitals
CEO Karen Franco, MBA, spent years struggling to fill surgical technologist (ST) positions at Pacific Surgery Center in Poulsbo, Washington, due to a lack of viable training options. Nearly 1,400 miles away, Deb Braly, RN, a nurse educator in the surgery department of San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center in…
Medical school diversity declines after Supreme Court ruling
Editor's Note The Supreme Court’s 2023 decision limiting race in college admissions has triggered an overzealous response from many medical schools, leading to a sharp decline in enrollment for underrepresented groups, according to an article published January 23 in STAT. As detailed in the article, Legal advisors have pushed schools…
Surgical legislation advocacy focuses on safety, access
“Surgeons are the only people trained to provide surgery—life-saving care," says Carrie Zlatos, chief of legislative and political affairs at the American College of Surgeons (ACS). "They are an essential element of a community-based healthcare system. Regardless of where you live, everyone should have access to full quality surgical care.”…
Educational program enhances perioperative nurses' knowledge on pressure injury prevention
Editor's Note A study led by researchers at Yeshiva University showed an educational intervention program significantly improved perioperative nurses’ understanding of pressure-injury prevention, with the benefits lasting for at least six months following the training. Results were published August 23 in Applied Nursing Research. Conducted among 354 nurses from 11…
Study: High-paying medical specialty disparity persists as more women pursue surgical professions
Editor's Note Although women are underrepresented in high-compensation medical specialties, new research shows a significant increase in female applicants and matriculants to surgical specialties specifically. Published September 30 in JAMA Network, the study found that the proportion of women entering high-compensation surgical specialties rose from 28.8% to 42.4%. In contrast,…
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