HUDDLE

Good Morning, Readers! 

A few months back at an event, I met a very impressive nurse entrepreneur, Sara Well, founder of DropStat, an AI-powered workforce automation platform. We got a chance to interview her about her organization and path from bedside nurse to founder of a multi-million dollar organization. Read the interview below! 

Today's Top Beats

🤢 So Many Recalls 

🧠 Brain Stimulation for TBI Patients

🎁 Gifting Investments 

Photo by Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

HANDOFF

So Many Recalls

From baby formula to dog food, product recalls—like last week’s Quaker Chewy granola bars—have more than doubled since 2018. The FDA has issued more than 1,000 recalls, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued more than 1,500 in that time, jumping from 280 total recalls in 2018 to 603 in 2022. Child safety drives the most CPSC recalls. At the FDA, 64% are food and drinks, usually due to allergens, and 22% are medications. 

A Feel Good Story

Neonatal nurse practitioner Mackenzie Denich had always wanted to be a mom, but it didn’t seem to be in the cards. Then Denich’s mother learned from a couple at church that their pregnant daughter would not be able to care for her child. After the girl’s birth, she was admitted to Children’s Nebraska NICU for several medical issues, and Denich fell in love. The young mother asked Denich to adopt her, and Denich legally adopted little Athena on July 14.

What the Nurses Said

Most nurses report being happy with their career choice, but the pandemic had a significant negative impact on job satisfaction for many of them, and issues like administrative and work politics, inadequate pay, and poor work-life balance take a toll. Those are some findings from Medscape’s 2023 Nurse Career Satisfaction Report, based on a poll of 7,303 NPs, RNs, LPNs, CRNAs and NMs. Other issues addressed include abuse from patients, physicians, or management, sexual harassment, and cutbacks. 

TODAY IN THE CHART

TODAY'S TOP VITAL

34

The number of legal abortions—all for medical emergencies—that were performed in Texas in the first six months of 2023. 

PRN

TECH TUESDAY WITH NURSE MANNY

Brain Stimulation for TBI Patients

We nurses know all too well the long-term disabilities facing many patients after traumatic brain injury (TBI). But an early-stage study offers a glimmer of hope that one day, we may be able to do more to help TBI survivors regain cognitive function.

The study tested a form of mild electrical brain stimulation intended to activate networks that control attention, decision-making, and mental flexibility. Participants had struggled with the disabling effects of moderate-severe TBI for years. Yet, after three months of stimulation, all patients showed significant improvement in tests of executive function. Family members reported real-life cognitive gains, too.

Though small, the study suggests this therapy could restore brain activity damaged after TBI one day. As nurses, few understand better than we do the immense challenges facing TBI patients. While more research is still needed, these tentative findings imply that currently lifelong disabilities may not be permanent—welcome news for struggling patients. As this work continues, nurses should stay apprised of potential new treatment options that could radically improve TBI outcomes and the quality of nursing care.

PRN

FINANCIAL VITALS WITH NURSEMONEYDATE™

Gifting Investments

Meet Nurse Maria, who’s redefining gift-giving by investing in her child’s future.

• Gifting Index Funds: Maria selects diversified index funds for her child. She purchases these funds using a custodial brokerage account in her child’s name. This approach provides a stable financial asset and is a practical tool for her child to learn about long-term investing.

• Contributions to a 529 Plan: Shifting away from traditional toys, Maria contributes to a 529 college savings plan for her child. This allows relatives like aunts and uncles to join in building a fund for future educational expenses.

• High-Yield Savings Account: Maria opens a high-yield savings account in her child’s name, depositing funds that can steadily grow. This simple, low-risk strategy is an excellent introduction to saving and earning interest.

Maria’s choice of investment gifts provides financial value and instills crucial lessons in financial literacy and saving. Like Nurse Maria, let’s invest in our loved ones’ futures, gifting them a foundation for lasting financial security.

DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS

Check back with us tomorrow for more great content from Tara at Debriefing the Front Lines!

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