Hello fellow Nurse, this is your weekly handoff. Some quick and dirty nursing news that’s worth sharing. Enjoy!

Something from the future

Way back several newsletters ago, we first heard of the idea of AI being used to combat nursing shortages. This article discusses this same concept in Israel. If we thought that nursing shortages in the states was brutal, it is even worse in Israel. The article states that “While the OECD average is 9.4 per 1,000, Israeli hospitals and clinics have only five nurses per 1,000 people on average – a slight increase from the reported 4.7 in 2010, but still far below the average.”. However, this article dives more into the ethical issues that using AI could present. The biggest concern being that they will lack empathy and that human touch that is so beneficial from nurses… duh. Can you imagine having a relative pass away or finding out horrible medical news, and not having the comfort of a REAL nurse there? My guess would these robots would be there to assist nurses in tasks, but who knows? Even so, would nurses have even more patients, and therefore less time than before to make that human connection with patients? What are your thoughts? Call me old school, but the more I hear about it, the more I don’t like the idea.

Something good to report

This research is huge progress towards giving the best care to ALL patients. A forensic nurse researcher has developed a new way to detect bruises in patients with darker skin tones. I do have to pause and giggle at the research methods though- they are a bit unorthodox. She shot people with a paint ball gun to create these bruises to study. Can you imagine signing up for a case study and end up getting lined up and shot at with a paintball gun? Anyways, this nurse’s research led to identifying different light sources to identify these bruises. She discovered that using violet and blue light with yellow goggles improves the ability to see these bruises. This will be huge in detecting assault in the ER more quickly, helping to work towards equity in care within these populations. All thanks to this nurse. I’d volunteer to be shot with a paint ball gun for that cause.

Something for the ladies

An over the counter birth control is expected to arrive on shelves in early 2024. This pill will be progesterone only- Dosing is not mentioned which makes me nervous, as it isn’t always one size fits all. While not needing a script, Dani Lynch, a pharmacist, states that she will likely still keep it behind the counter. This will be in hopes that customers, younger teens especially, will have to ask for it and therefore have to have a discussion about it. While it is great that teens no longer have to ask guardians to get their needed birth control, I worry about just what Lynch discussed- the education portion. Part of the benefit of meeting with a physician or nurse about birth control is the education portion. How will Opill work to ensure it’s consumers are using it safely and correctly? It is not to be confused with plan B. However, the benefits of easier access to birth control will be huge progress for people with lack of access to healthcare. Do the risks outweigh the benefits?

Something from a Subscriber

How to Pronounce

Names have been omitted in this story to protect the identity of all involved in this hilarious tale.

I was charge nurse on the Oncology Unit and I needed a death certificate signed. I paged a medical resident who had graduated from a medical school in the Middle East and quickly realized that what is said is not always what is heard … anyway, I said “will you pronounce for me?” … He shoved his name ID badge in my face and said his name …

”no, would you pronounce a patient for me “ I said. and he says

“Certainly, what would you like for me to call him?” he said.

“Dead .. we’ll start with that “

I realized then that he had never done that before so I explained in the simplest terms possible what he needed to do. So we go to the patient’s room .. he knocked on the door and yelled out the patient’s name .. I said “he’s NOT going to answer you “ … we became friends as I talked him through the process and we called one another his name from that point on. The most difficult part for me was not to laugh but the entire nurses station was rolling on the floor with tears streaming down their faces. Shortly after that, I was voted Teacher of the Year by the staff.

By: A teacher of the year nurse

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