Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R G Vaughan.
Keeping track of nursing resources consumed by each hospital inpatient does not have to be a cumbersome process. The authors present an inexpensive, straightforward approach to generate management information on nursing acuity by DRG, payor, hospital service, or physician.
A method by which nursing managers can determine the acuity level of their hospitals' patients, relative to other hospitals, is proposed. Without this information, it is difficult to justify higher staffing needs based on a sicker patient population than other hospitals.
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The authors estimate that hospitals spend $15,000,000 yearly on nurse staffing studies. Unfortunately, much of this annual investment is used to reinvent the wheel. Therefore, this article recommends standardizing the terminology and some of the basic principles for patient classification (the basis of nurse staffing systems) so that directors of nursing can better assess their organizations and make meaningful comparisons with other institutions. This article is adapted from a presentation at the annual meeting of the Hospital Management Systems Society, Tucson, Arizona, February 15, 1979.
The design of motor cycle helmets has been changing over the years and at the present time there are two basic types in popular use: "full-face" and "jet" helmets. Both helmet types give good protection to the brain, but, one would think, different degrees of facial protection. A special study of traffic crashes has indicated that full-face helmets provide significantly greater protection against facial injury than do jet helmets. The study also indicated that the wearers of full-face helmets have no greater risk of involvement in road traffic crashes than do the wearers of jet helemts. It is suggested that the use of full-face helmets should be encouraged and consideration given to the revision of helmet standards to require the provision of facial protection.