Experts say nurses should have more influence

Nurses should have a bigger role in health policy, planning and management, according to a Gallup survey of 1,500 U.S. opinion leaders. The survey for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation also showed 90% of respondents said nurses should have more influence over reducing medical errors and improving patient safety.

Medical groups offer doctor-patient-caregiver guidelines [PDF]

The American College of Physicians has published guidelines for physicians on developing patient-physician-caregiver relationships. The guidelines, developed in collaboration with 10 other medical societies, say physicians should recognize and validate the role of caregivers while protecting the rights of patients.

AHA identifies seven secrets to a long, healthy life

The American Heart Association says 50-year-olds who follow seven basic health guidelines—including eating a healthy diet, regular exercise and not smoking—could live another 40 years free of stroke and heart disease. The AHA offers an online quiz so people can see how close they are to the ideal and get tips for improving if they fall short.

Medicare helps beneficiaries understand level of care [PDF]

The Are you a Hospital Inpatient or Outpatient? report provides basic level of care information that can be shared with patients to assist them in understanding how level of care determinations affect Medicare reimbursement. The document uses common hospital scenarios to show the difference inpatient status and outpatient status and what that means to the patient’s wallet. The pamphlet also explains how level of care determination can affect the patient’s SNF coverage.

Study finds discharge planning doesn’t reduce readmissions

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine says improving publicly reported discharge planning measures will do little or nothing to reduce readmissions.

Silence isn’t golden—it’s destructive

Remaining silent is the worst kind of feedback a boss can give because it makes the employee feel intimidated, vulnerable and believing the worst, says Peter Bregman. “If you don’t know what to communicate, it’s OK to say that, so the other person isn’t left floundering,” he writes.

In praise of praise
Pay raises are scarce, but simple praise can be a powerful motivational tool in the workplace, as this article notes. “It’s probably the most powerful driver of performance known to mankind,” says consultant Bob Nelson. “Whether it’s an employee or a spouse, you get more of what you want when you praise someone.”

Why you need a strong ego
A strong ego helps you focus on goals and your own development instead of finding fault with others, Steve Pavlina writes. “It’s very easy to give our power away and use it to feed criticism of others. It’s much more challenging—but a lot more beneficial—to channel our power into creating what we desire,” he writes.