Incident command structure using a daily management system and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Patient Notification Toolkit drives effective response to an infection control breach.

When breaches in infection control occur, it is imperative that organizations respond in a manner that is effective, efficient, and rebuilds trust with patients. Readers will learn how the incident command structure, daily management system, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Patient Notification Toolkit were used to drive an effective response to an infection control breach-resulting in 92% of affected patients completing the recommended testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus.

The Path to Advanced Practice Licensure for Clinical Nurse Specialists in Washington State.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to provide a review of the history and process to obtaining advanced practice licensure for clinical nurse specialists in Washington State. Before 2016, Washington State licensed certified nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and certified nurse anesthetists under the designation of an advanced registered nurse practitioner; however, the state did not recognize clinical nurse specialists as advanced practice nurses. The work to drive the rule change began in 2007. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT: The Washington Affiliate of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists used the Power Elite Theory to guide advocacy activities, building coalitions and support for the desired rule changes. OUTCOME: On January 8, 2016, the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission voted to amend the state's advanced practice rules, including clinical nurse specialists in the designation of an advanced practice nurse. Since the rule revision, clinical nurse specialists in Washington State have been granted advanced registered nurse practitioner licenses. CONCLUSIONS: Driving changes in state regulatory rules requires diligent advocacy, partnership, and a deep understanding of the state's rule-making processes. To be successful in changing rules, clinical nurse specialists must build strong partnerships with key influencers and understand the steps in practice required to make the desired changes.

Code Carnivals: resuscitating Code Blue training with accelerated learning.

Nurses in the hospital setting must be knowledgeable about resuscitation procedures and proficient in the delivery of care during an emergency. They must be ready to implement their knowledge and skills at a moment's notice. A common dilemma for many nurses is that cardiopulmonary emergencies (Code Blues) are infrequent occurrences. Therefore, how do nurses remain competent and confident in their implementation of emergency skills while having limited exposure to the equipment and minimal experience in emergency situations? A team of nurse educators at a regional medical center in Washington State applied adult learning theory and accelerated learning techniques to develop and present a series of learning activities to enhance the staff's familiarity with emergency equipment and procedures. The series began with a carnival venue that provided hands-on practice and review of emergency skills and was reinforced with subsequent random unannounced code drills led by both educators and charge nurses.

Lessons learned while conducting a clinical trial to facilitate evidence-based practice: the neophyte researcher experience.

Health care is incredibly complex. Now, more than ever, health care providers are being called on to deliver care that is based on evidence and is consistent with current professional knowledge. Educators often struggle to find time when staff are available to participate in scheduled education. The work of nursing staff is to provide patient care. This article describes the journey of neophyte researchers who conducted a clinical trial as a strategy to implement evidence-based practice. Although educational opportunities for the staff were included as part of the trial, there were also many challenges applicable to the neophyte researcher role. Those challenges included the participants' neophyte knowledge and perception of the research process, vendor relationships, data collection methods, staff perceptions, and the culture of the institution itself.

Barriers to research utilization among registered nurses practicing in a community hospital.

Researchers have explored the barriers to research utilization in practice, yet community hospitals have been largely omitted from these studies and the research-practice gap remains. The aim of this study was to identify the barriers to research utilization among registered nurses practicing in a community hospital. In January of 2006, 376 registered nurses working in a community hospital in Washington State were invited to complete the 29-item Barriers to Research Utilization Scale. Twenty-one percent participated in this descriptive study. Barriers reported include lack of authority to change patient care procedures, lack of time to read research, and lack of awareness of research. Organizational strategies that can be used by staff development professionals to influence research awareness and utilization are discussed.