NICU Awareness Month and Advocacy for Compassionate Care

A mom holding her baby in the NICU.

Despite the number of babies and families who spend their time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), NICU awareness remains fairly low. This makes initiatives like NICU Awareness Month all the more essential. The NICU is a special place, filled with tiny toes, flashing lights, beeping alarms and quiet whispers.  It’s a place for … Read more

What to Know About Skin Integrity in Hospitals

Close of an IV with nurse administering

Whether it’s placing an IV-line, checking vitals or administering life-saving treatment: patient care begins with the skin. Preventing and saving skin from reactions, tears and antimicrobial burns is much easier than treating them, yet many healthcare professionals find themselves having to choose between compromising skin integrity and providing patients with the treatment they need. Sometimes … Read more

Skin Problems with Cancer Treatment

patient skin health

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is often a life changing event. For many patients with cancer, the focus is understandably on fighting the disease, however many newly diagnosed patients aren’t aware that managing the side effects of cancer treatment can be one of the biggest challenges they face. While cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, … Read more

IV Dressing Types: Acrylic vs. Silicone

Despite the prevalence of intravenous (IV) therapy, not enough attention is given to the securement technique and IV dressings used, including the host of complications that can occur all based upon which IV dressing was applied.  Not all IV dressings are made equal, and the choice of dressing, including factors such as acrylic vs. silicone, … Read more

What is Patient Centered Care?

A frontline nurse practicing patient centered care with the patient and their family members.

If you’ve worked in healthcare in the past few years, you know that patient centered care has taken center stage when it comes to both the discussions and innovations around the quality and provision of healthcare. However, with recent pressures and demands on the system and healthcare professionals themselves – including the rise of healthcare … Read more

How Frontline Nurses can Advocate for Patient Safety

Patient advocacy meeting to discuss new infection prevention control measures.

Bedside nursing not only involves delivering care like taking vital signs, running IV-lines and administering medications, it also involves becoming a patient advocate – speaking up for the unique needs and safety of your patients.  However, while patient advocacy has been embraced by many organizations and healthcare teams, it’s often limited in practice.  There are … Read more

Code Burnout: Confronting Healthcare Provider Burnout and Turnover

A close up picture of a nurse crying due to healthcare provider burnout.

Healthcare providers are expected to be there when we need them most, but burnout in healthcare is now at critical levels, threatening access to timely, safe and compassionate care.   The healthcare system is overburdened, experiencing heightened levels of demand while healthcare providers are exiting at unprecedented levels – even mid-shift.  Patients have begun to feel … Read more

Helping Children with Congenital Heart Conditions Stay Free and Clear from Surgical Site Infections

An incision scar that has healed on a baby. The baby had received pediatric congenital heart surgery and did not have a surgical site infection.

When a parent is planning for their child’s upcoming surgery, post-operative care and complications like surgical site infections aren’t often top of mind – getting through the operation is the top concern. But, after a child is wheeled back through the operating room doors, a new set of challenges and treatment begins.  After surgery comes … Read more

Compassion Tech and Patient Centered Care

Treating an infant with compassion tech by Covalon

Today, our capacity for empathy and compassion doesn’t just begin in our hearts and minds and end at our fingertips. It now extends to the technology that we hold in our hands.  In healthcare, the vast majority of hospitals now prioritize patient and family centered care: an approach to healthcare that places patients and families … Read more