Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1311160
39 NURSING SPOTLIGHT Nurses, CNAs made up 36% of healthcare workers hospitalized with COVID-19 this spring, CDC finds By Kelly Gooch M ore than a third of healthcare workers hospitalized with COVID-19 from March to May were in nursing-related positions, representing the highest proportion of healthcare workers in the hospital with the illness, according to a CDC analysis. Healthcare workers accounted for about 6 percent of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 from March through May, according to the analysis of hospitalization data, and 36.3 percent of those hospitalized healthcare workers were nurses or certified nursing assistants. e analysis, which examined 6,760 hospitaliza- tions across 13 states, including New York, Ohio and California, also found nearly 90 percent of healthcare workers hospitalized with COVID-19 from March through May had at least one under- lying medical condition, such as obesity. About 28 percent were admitted to an intensive care unit, 15.8 percent required invasive mechanical ventila- tion and 4.2 percent died during hospitalization. Healthcare workers "can have severe COVID-19-associated illness, highlighting the need for continued infection prevention and control in healthcare settings as well as communi- ty mitigation efforts to reduce transmission," the CDC said. e analysis does not indicate whether healthcare workers were exposed to COVID-19 in the work- place or community, and the CDC noted findings could represent an overestimate or underestimate of the proportion of healthcare workers among all adults hospitalized with COVID-19 from March through May, due to limited data. But the agency said it shows the need for community prevention efforts and infection prevention and control mea- sures at healthcare sites. n 8 best nursing schools for men By Erica Carbajal T he American Association for Men in Nursing recognized eight universities as the recipients of its 2020 Best Schools for Men in Nursing Awards. The winners were named at the AAMN's annual conference in October. Here are this year's winners: 1. Duke University School of Nursing (Durham, N.C.) 2. Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (Baltimore) 3. Lewis University College of Nursing and Health Sciences (Romeo- ville, Ill.) 4. Nebraska Methodist College (Omaha) 5. Rutgers University School of Nursing (Newark, N.J.) 6. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh School of Nursing 7. University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Nursing 8. Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (Nashville, Tenn.) AAMN awards winners based on their efforts to recruit men to their programs, support their education and recognize the unique contri- butions men bring to the nursing profession. The nursing school or college also must provide evidence that these efforts have translated into an increase in men applying and admitted to their programs. n Viewpoint: Why nurses make great lawmakers By Erica Carbajal N urses bring unique perspectives to the legislative process and have a role outside of the hospital, according to an op-ed writ- ten by Janice Phillips, PhD, RN, and published in The Hill. Nurses are increasingly showing up in the race for public office across local, state and federal levels, and more should hold office, wrote Dr. Phillips, director of nursing research and health equity at Chica- go-based Rush University Medical Center and an associate professor at Rush University College of Nursing. Dr. Phillips outlines several reasons that highlight why nurses are well-suited to hold office: • Nursing is the most trusted profession. A Gallup poll found nursing to be the most trusted and ethical profession for the last 18 consecutive years. • Nurses know how to advocate for public health. Nurses are passion- ate about their patients and consumers, which can translate well to advocating for constituents. • Nurses understand the value of adequate healthcare coverage and provisions for those with preexisting conditions. Nurses recognize the need to eliminate health disparities and the importance of greater access to healthcare. n