HUDDLE

Good Morning, Readers!

I’ve participated in the Nurses Health Study 3 (NHS3) since I was in nursing school. The study is committed to researching topics affecting nurses health, such as shift work, chemical exposures, and fertility.

They just released insights from the study - Does when we fall asleep increase our risk for type 2 diabetes? Will females who consume energy drinks before they get pregnant have a higher risk of gestational hypertension?

The nursing profession is demanding, and it’s imperative that we participate in research to learn how our shifts impact our lives beyond the bedside. If you’re interested in participating, find out more here. Are you an NHS3 participant already? Tell me your thoughts on this study here.

Today's Top Beats

🛑 “Stop the Bleed”
🔬 Female Chronic Condition Research
😰 Feeling Overwhelmed?

HANDOFF

Kids Learn How to “Stop the Bleed”

Eight years ago, nurse Kate Carleton, shaken by the tragic Sandy Hook school shooting, started teaching bleeding control techniques to students at her children’s school. With help from her Sutter Roseville Medical Center colleagues, Carleton’s program, based on the “Stop the Bleed” initiative, has since trained over 10,000 students in skills like applying direct pressure, wound packing, and using tourniquets, with content tailored to different age groups. Emphasizing safety and practical application, the program prepares children for various emergencies, not just those involving gun violence.

Rural Maternal Units Disappearing

Rural Iowa, like other rural areas of the US, faces widespread closures of labor and delivery units, with over 41 Iowa hospitals ending such services since 2000. This trend arises from fewer births, staffing challenges, and financial issues, forcing pregnant women to travel long distances for care. Despite this, some hospitals, like Mahaska Health in Oskaloosa, maintain their units by recruiting staff and drawing patients from multiple counties, highlighting the broader challenges of sustaining healthcare in rural areas.

More Research Needed on Chronic Conditions in Women 

There’s much we don’t know about chronic conditions affecting women, such as endometriosis, pelvic floor disorders, and migraines, the National Academies reported, adding that this discrepancy impedes diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The report calls on the NIH and other agencies to pursue women-focused research efforts along various avenues: diagnostic tools, female-specific factors influencing disease, biology of disease in women, the root causes of simultaneous multiple chronic conditions, the impact of chronic conditions, experiences and disparities that may be linked to chronic conditions, and inequalities in women’s health care.

TOGETHER WITH JOHNSON & JOHNSON

Top 5 Things to Know about the NurseHack4Health Pitch-A-Thon

Do you know about the upcoming NurseHack4Health Pitch-A-Thon? Here are the top five things to know:

🤔 What: The free Pitch-A-Thon event gives your team a chance to use technology, creativity, and experience to take apart a problem, fix it, and build it better for a thriving workforce and healthier workplace.

🙋‍♀️ Who: The Pitch-A-Thon is open to any and all interdisciplinary teams backed by a 501c3 or equivalent non-profit health system (or one that will partner with a fiscal sponsor).

📆 When: Pitch-A-Thon applications are due August 2nd. 

❓ Why: Your team can solve that long standing problem at work you’ve all lived with for years, with the chance to receive up to $150,000 in grant funding to make your pitch a reality.

⭐️ How: Never pitched before? Not a problem. Pitch-A-Thon coaches will help you build your pitch through their innovation academy workshops, so you don’t have to figure it all out yourself.

Gather your team and apply now to throw your hat in the ring and take nursing to the next level!

The NurseHack4Health Pitch-A-Thon is presented by Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, & SONSIEL and sponsored by ALL IN Wellbeing First for Healthcare and J & J Foundation.

TODAY'S TOP VITAL

4,295

The number of maternal deaths—those occurring while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination—recorded in the United States between 2018 and 2022. This results in a maternal mortality rate of 23.2 deaths per 100,000 live births. Click here to see how the rate varies between states. 

ASSESSMENT

PRN

THE BREAK ROOM WITH SELF-CARE CATALYST

Conquering Overstimulation

Feeling overwhelmed? Overstimulated? Here are some reminders…

You don’t have to have it all figured out right now.  What is step one? If you have a lot on your plate, multitasking isn't your friend. Triage your life and break bigger challenges into smaller chunks.  Start small, celebrate your wins and build momentum!

It's ok to retreat to an environment that helps you focus if you feel like you’re spiraling. Ask for what you need. Maybe it means you go to the bathroom and linger for an extra minute. Or maybe take a break and go sit in your car or sit under a tree. You can only operate beyond your limits for so long. Listen to the signals your body and mind are sending you to avoid burning out.

Set clear boundaries with your work and use a going home ritual to transition to home time and leave work at work. You need space and rest. 

Did you miss our last newsletter? Click here.

SUPPLY ROOM

Massage Away

This two-in-one massage ball is great for sore hands and feet after a long shift. It's small enough to take on-the-go and has a coordinating app, too!

BREAK ROOM

Rare Conditions

Conjoined twins is a rare medical condition that occurs once in every 50,000 pregnancies. Have you ever wondered what it takes to separate them? Watch these two surgeons explain how they successfully performed this complicated procedure.

DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS

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