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Vaginal Infections 'symptom Sorter' Launches To Help Women Get Diagnosed And Treated
Three quarters (75%) of women with BV (Bacterial Vaginosis) admit the condition has prevented them from getting intimate with their partner, according to a new survey by Balance ActivTM Vaginal Gel.1 Sufferers reveal BV affects their personal relationships more than any other aspect of their lives, with one in ten sufferers resorting to ending relationships as a result of the embarrassing symptoms.1
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British Veterinary Association Welcomes Challenges Set Out For Profession
The British Veterinary Association has welcomed the publication of Professor Lowe"s report "Unlocking Potential: a report on veterinary expertise in food animal production" aiming to tackle some of the concerns raised by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee inquiry into vets and veterinary services in 2003.
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Reducing Medical Residents' Hours Would Cost $2.5B Annually, Study Says
Implementing proposed reductions in the number of hours medical residents work could cost as much as $2.5 billion annually, according to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Baltimore Sun reports. The study follows an Institute of Medicine report that proposed reducing the maximum hours that residents can work without sleep from 30 to 16, increasing the number of days they must take off and improving their supervision (Desmon, Baltimore Sun, 5/21). In 2003, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education reduced the number of hours residents at teaching hospitals could work weekly from more than 100 hours to 80 hours. In the recent study, which was partially funded by IOM, researchers examined post-2003 literature on resident work hours and patient harm and evaluated it against additional labor costs. The authors concluded that the IOM recommendations "would be costly, and their effectiveness is unknown" (Shishkin, Wall Street Journal, 5/21). Teryl Nuckols, the lead author of the study, said that teaching hospitals would most likely need to hire more residents and experienced physicians to take care of patients, which would likely cost each teaching hospital $3.2 million annually (Baltimore Sun, 5/21). The study was accompanied by an NEJM editorial in which the authors "strongly disagree" with the IOM recommendations, claiming that reducing resident work hours "leads to an increase in the number of handoffs in care, and this increase outweighs the potential benefits of reducing residents" fatigue." The accreditation council said that more research is needed before it decides whether to adopt the IOM recommendations. The council"s decision will be announced in February 2010 (Wall Street Journal, 5/21).
Endocrinology

RCN Calls For EU Agreement On Sharps Injuries To Be Implemented Quickly

The Royal College of Nursing welcomed the signing of a joint agreement by European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers Association (HOSPEEM). This is an EU-wide agreement which the RCN has played a key role in bringing about to prevent one million medical sharps injuries per year. Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said: "Around half of nurses in the UK have been injured by a needle or sharp and we are delighted that the voice of our members has been heard in Europe on this issue. Nurses work in fear of needlestick injuries and, while the deal is welcome, we are concerned that it might take a number of years to be implemented in the UK. We are calling for speedy implementation of these measures in order to end the stress, trauma and serious medical consequences of these preventable accidents. It is vital that more people are not injured while we wait for safer practices to reach the workplace. "It is very clear - needle policies, training and investment in safer needles can help prevent these accidents from happening in the first place. Nurses must also receive proper support from their employers when they sustain an injury to prevent the feelings of stress and isolation that often accompany such trauma. By making these changes and safeguarding the health of all staff, we can improve patient care in the UK and throughout Europe." Notes In the UK, a small but significant number of healthcare workers have developed potentially life-threatening diseases. Since the late 1990s, 11 health staff have contracted hepatitis C from needle jabs and five HIV transmissions have also been confirmed. While the majority of needlestick injuries are not life threatening, the possibility of developing infectious diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV can cause immense distress, anxiety and anguish for nurses and other healthcare workers. Needlestick injury - the key facts An RCN survey of 4407 nurses, carried out in November 2008, found that: - Almost half of all nurses (48%) had been stuck by a needle or sharp that had previously been used on a patient; - Over half of nurses (52%) fear needlestick injuries either "a great deal" or "a fair amount"; - Nearly half (45%) of nurses reported they have not received training from their employer on safe needle use; - 95% of nurses consider that the availability of safer needle devices is either "essential" or "preferable", yet only a half report that they currently have access to any such device. The European Agency of Occupational Safety and Health estimates that one million needlestick injuries occur every year. As the largest occupational group of healthcare workers, nurses deliver the largest proportion of patient care and, not surprisingly, report the highest number of sharps and needlestick related injuries. Yet the majority of these injuries are preventable. The RCN made action on this issue a key point in the 2009 manifesto for the European elections - "The RCN calls on MEP candidates to ensure that the current negotiations between employers and trade unions to prevent needlestick injuries produces a Framework Agreement by autumn 2009. If it does not, then the European Parliament should demand EU legislation." Royal College of Nursing (RCN)


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