New data shows that more nurses are pursuing higher levels of education
Nurse Watch is compiled in conjunction with the AHA’s American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) and highlights articles of interest to nurse leaders, nursing professionals and other health care leaders. For more about AONE, visit aone.org.
Nurse saves man at church with seconds left of his life
Florida nurse Angie Lorigen was at church last week when she heard a cry for help in another pew: a man had lost consciousness. Lorigen rushed to his side and realized he didn’t have a pulse. With help, she moved him to the floor, and began chest compressions until paramedics arrived. They rushed him to the hospital, where he recovered, Bay News 9 reports.
Doctors said the man’s heart had stopped and he was moments from dying, but the chest compressions saved him just in time.
"God put us at the right spot, at the right time with the right people," his wife Louise said.
Nurses need ongoing CPR training
Nurses should regularly undergo cardiopulmonary resuscitation training to keep skills fresh in case of cardiac arrest, as CPR skills can deteriorate within three to six months, HealthLeaders reports.
To combat this, the American Heart Association developed a self-directed, simulation-based performance and quality improvement program called Resuscitation Quality Improvement, in which participants practice hands-on CPR for 10 minutes every 90 days on a manikin that provides real-time feedback. Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus maintains two manikin carts that rotate through the hospital and are available 24 hours a day, keeping about 2,000 staff members regularly working on their CPR skills.
Nurses are becoming more educated — in droves
More nurses are pursuing higher levels of education, says the Campaign for Action. In 2017, almost 50 percent of all U.S.-educated, first-time National Council Licensure Exam takers had a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, according to the Campaign’s data. This is up from 40 percent in 2010, according to a 2010 report from the Future of Nursing goals. And, more nurses graduated from RN-to-BSN programs. In 2017, nearly 63,000 nurses graduated from RN-to-BSN programs, up 180 percent from the 22,500 nurses who did so in 2010.
Additionally, enrollment in Doctor of Nursing practice programs continues to grow significantly, as well as the number of nurses who serve on boards. Read more about this and other indications of growing nurse leadership here.