HUDDLE

Good Morning, Readers! 

Are there any nurses in our community who have experience working in detox? If so, I would love to take a few minutes of your time! I have some questions for you. Email me here.

Today's Top Beats

👶 Postpartum Home Nurses
🍴 Menu Calorie Counts

🩺 Alternatives to “Non-Compliant”

HANDOFF

A Conversation Cancer Survivors Want

Once a cancer survivor learns their body no longer has evidence of disease, many want to immediately start living life again—and that includes having sex. But doctors don’t often talk about sex after cancer, even though survivors want them to. Given the sexual side effects that some cancer treatments can cause, that needs to change, especially with cancer increasingly affecting younger adults. The Mass General Cancer Center Sexual Health Clinic has some resources for starting those conversations.

Home Nurses Benefit New Moms

Nurse home visiting programs during pregnancy can do more than make healthcare more convenient for first-time moms. These programs might actually reduce risk of domestic abuse and improve mothers’ mental health and children’s outcomes, according to a new study in BMJ Open. Researchers found a 16% increase in annual income, as well as fewer mental health problems and less intimate partner violence among patients receiving regular visits from public health nurses in the British Columbia program.

Do Calories on Menus Matter?

Including calorie counts on menus, as the FDA has required since 2018, has a small but measurable impact on helping people make healthier choices, found a new systematic review. Those using menus with calorie counts choose foods with 1.8% fewer calories compared to menus without calories. That may seem modest—shaving off just 18 calories from a 1,000-calorie meal—but cutting out just 24 calories a day would prevent the average 20 pounds that young English adults gain over 10 years.

TOGETHER WITH JOHNSON & JOHNSON

Preparing to Apply for the 2025 NurseHack4Health™ Pitch-A-Thon

If the 2024 NurseHack4Health Pitch-A-Thon had your innovative gears turning, you’re not alone! It’s hard not to be inspired by the nurse-led teams bringing groundbreaking solutions to healthcare.

If you’re ready to prepare to apply for the 2025 Pitch-A-Thon, here are a few things you can do to get started:

• Learn more about the Pitch-A-Thon. Research the Pitch-A-Thon, read articles and blog posts, or reach out to prior participants on LinkedIn to get their perspectives on participating. You can also view recordings of previous Pitch-A-Thons on NurseHack4Health’s YouTube channel.

• Enroll in the Innovation Academy. This three-part course provides you with the knowledge necessary to understand design thinking, craft a compelling pitch, and more. It’s an invaluable way to prepare yourself to participate in the Pitch-A-Thon! Participants who successfully complete the NurseHack4Health Innovation Academy will receive two contact hours. 

• Ready to get started? Gain experience by joining us for our inaugural NurseHack4Health Tech-A-Thon at HIMSS25 in Las Vegas on March 6th or during the AONL Inspiring Leaders Conference in Boston for our NurseHack4Health Innovation Sprint on March 30th. Participants will receive a playbook to bring back to their organization as a guide to implement the innovation and methods introduced. The playbook will position attendees to apply for various funding opportunities and include the next steps in applying to the NurseHack4Health Pitch-A-Thon for grant funding.

TODAY'S TOP VITAL

58 Million

The number of anesthetics administered each year in the U.S. by the 65,000 certified registered nurse anesthetists, compared to no anesthetics administered by RNs in Canada—but that might be about to change.

PRN

CARING COLLECTIVELY WITH TOGATHER

Managing “Non-Compliant” Patients

Have you ever labeled a patient "non-compliant"? I know I’m guilty of it. It’s a common term in healthcare, but it carries significant implications—especially for Black patients, who are 2.5 times more likely to be labeled this way. This bias erodes trust, widens health disparities, and leads to poorer outcomes.

Consider this:

• Language Matters: In one study, patient notes labeled as “difficult” caused diagnostic accuracy to drop compared to neutral descriptions—even when the symptoms were identical.

• Pain Bias: Another study showed medical trainees were less likely to prescribe pain medications when records included stigmatizing terms like “non-compliant.”

Let’s do better. Swap “non-compliant” for phrases that reflect barriers or patient preferences. Check out this guide for actionable alternatives.

As nurses, we can advocate for a shift in vocabulary that fosters trust and equity. Ask yourself: What’s really behind the behavior? Addressing root causes, not labels, changes lives.

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ASSESSMENT

SUPPLY ROOM

Just Keep Swimming 

You know that nurse you can always rely on to get a hard stick? They definitely need this badge reel!

BREAK ROOM

POV: You’re on the Bachelor

The newest season of “The Bachelor” is premiering January 27th and has more nurses joining the cast! If you need a laugh, watch this nurse influencer practice being a contestant on the show.

DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS

Share your unique link below 👇 via text, email, or snail mail and share it with your besties! The more friends you refer, the more swag you earn!

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