4 minute read

HUDDLE

Good Morning, Readers!

July is National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month. Each year in the United States, approximately 2,600 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,400 babies are born with a cleft lip.

As a former pediatric nurse, I’ve seen first hand how complex and sometimes life-threatening craniofacial abnormalities can be.

Learn more about the risk factors and how to care for these special patients.

Today's Top Beats

❤️ “Krystal-Clear”
⚙️ Nursing Innovation

🕸️ Spider Bites

HANDOFF

Vaccine Updates at CDC

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met last week and voted on several changes to federal vaccine policy. The biggest news was their vote to recommend only single-dose flu vaccines, those that do not contain the preservative thimerosal. Though less than 5% of U.S. flu shots had the preservative last season, experts worry the change could limit flu vaccine supplies. See how medical professionals and organizations are responding to all the committee’s decisions.

“Krystal-Clear” Thinking Saves a Life

Nurses Krystal David and Brittney Berry were working the same shift at Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital earlier this year when David noted her colleague becoming suddenly lethargic—and then her face starting to droop. Immediately recognizing the signs of a stroke, David called a stroke code, and Berry received tenecteplase to break up the clot. Not only did David receive a Life Saver award, a new Krystal Clear Award for “Krystal-clear thinking” has been named after her.

Wisconsin Court Halts Nurses’ Collective Bargaining

In a blow to a nurse’s union in Madison, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled last week that UW Health does not have to engage in collective bargaining with the Service International Employees Union. The hospital had recognized the union to avoid a strike in 2022, the same year the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission said a law restricting collective bargaining did not apply to SIEU. Though disappointed, the union issued a statement that “we are not deterred.”

TODAY'S TOP VITAL

17%

That’s how much less likely Black patients are to receive buprenorphine or naltrexone to treat opioid use disorder. The percent for Latino patients isn’t much better.

NURSE ON-CALL

TECH TUESDAY WITH NURSE MANNY 

Talk It Out Before You Burn Out

Nursing isn’t just meds and monitors—it’s navigating the emotional minefields of scared patients, furious families, and fragile trust. That kind of communication? It’s clinical and emotional labor. Enter Adaptive-VP, a virtual patient trainer powered by AI that reacts to how we talk—calm tones, empathy, even that classic AIDET charm.

Unlike robotic roleplay, Adaptive-VP gets moody on purpose. Fumble the convo? Your patient escalates. Use clear, empathetic de-escalation? They soften. It’s training that adapts in real time—without risking real-world blowups.

Hospitals push scripts like AIDET for a reason: communication affects safety, outcomes, and burnout. But how often do we get to rehearse it under pressure, minus the public meltdown? That’s where this tech shines.

Before your next patient hits you with, “I know the director,” or, “I want a different nurse”—maybe talk it out with Adaptive-VP first. Emotional readiness is clinical readiness.

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TODAY IN THE CHART

SUPPLY ROOM

Red, White, and Ready

This classic patriotic sweater is the perfect addition to your 'fit for the upcoming holiday weekend.

BREAK ROOM

Nursing Materialists?

Everyone has been raving about Materialists, the new romance film starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal. Watch what happens if you bring the cast to the nursing unit. Share this with your fellow hopeless romantics!

DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS

Summer is upon us, which means the many-legged critters are out in full force! Do you think you can effectively manage a patient with a spider bite? Take this quiz to find out! 🕷️

YOUR BEAT. YOUR VOICE. OUR FUTURE.