St. Joseph RNs publish in Journal for Nurse Practitioners

Congratulations to Deidra Bonner, MSN, RN and Beth Winokur, PhD, RN, CEN, on their newly published article on keratoconus. SJO employees have access to the full article through Burlew Medical Library. Contact library staff for more details.

The eyes have it: A review of keratoconus, the nurse practitioner perspective.
Bonner, D. & Winokur, E.J.
The Journal for Nurse Practitioners
2017; 13(8) 532-7

Abstract
Keratoconus, a chronic, progressive ocular disease, is characterized by thinning and protrusion of the cornea. Etiology is not wholly understood; however, associations with heredity and environmental factors have been established. Keratoconic patients present with irregular astigmatism, diminishing visual acuity, and a continuous need to have prescriptive changes to spectacles and contact lenses. Keratoconus is a principal indicator for corneal transplantation. It affects both sexes and all races, beginning in adolescence. Nurse practitioners are uniquely positioned to interrupt the preventable contributors to keratoconus through assessment, prompt referral, and treatment of the physiologic and environmental factors linked to development and advancement.

St. Joseph RNs publish in Journal of Emergency Nursing

Congratulations to Andrea Pallares, RN and Beth Winokur, PhD, RN, CEN, on their newly published article on the recognition of West Nile Encephalitis. SJO employees have access to the full article through Burlew Medical Library. Contact library staff for more details.
J Emerg Nurs. 2017 Jul 13. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2017.06.003. [Epub ahead of print]
West Nile Encephalitis in the Emergency Department: Prevalence and Recognition.
Pallares AC, Winokur EJ.

St. Joseph RNs publish in JEN: Journal of Emergency Nursing

Congratulations to Beth Winokur, PhD, RN, CEN, Jeannine Loucks, MSN, RN-BC, PMH and Dana Rutledge, PhD, RN for their newly published article on psychiatric education for nurses at St. Joseph Hospital. SJO employees have access to the full article through Burlew Medical Library. Contact library staff for more details.

Effect of Concentrated Psychiatric Education on Perceived Competence to Care for Behavioral Health Patients.
Winokur EJ, Loucks J, Rutledge DN

Abstract Increasing numbers of behavioral patients are presenting to emergency departments, where competency of staff to care for this group is unknown. METHODS: This pre-post study measured the effects of a 7-hour conference on perceived competency of nurses and allied health professionals to care for behavioral health (BH) patients, as measured by the 23-item Behavioral Health Care Competency (BHCC) survey. RESULTS: Of 102 participants, most were emergency nurses (72%), acute care nurses and case managers (20%), and allied health personnel (trauma technicians and paramedics) (8%). Before the conference, participants had moderate average perceived competency in caring for BH patients. BHCC scores differed significantly by job category, with emergency nurses scoring higher than did nonemergency nurses and allied health personnel. Overall competence of participants increased significantly after the conference. The effect size, as reflected by partial eta squared, was 0.265. Significant increases in scores from before to after the conference occurred for the total BHCC and 2 competencies: practice/intervention and resource adequacy. DISCUSSION: This study provides needed research demonstrating improved perceived competency of nurses and allied health professionals to care for BH patients in emergency departments after brief concentrated education. Improvements occurred despite the fact that participants had initial baseline competencies that were higher than those of general hospital nurses from a historical sample.