This study examined the differences between nurses' (N = 3,337) scores on organizational support, workload, satisfaction, and intent to stay between Magnet, Magnet-aspiring, and non-Magnet hospitals. The study was conducted using the Individual Workload Perception Scale, a valid and reliable tool with 32 Likert scale items, with nurses from 11 states, 15 institutions, and 292 diverse units. Results indicate that nurses at Magnet hospitals had significantly better scores on all subscales. Furthermore, nurses from Magnet-aspiring hospitals had better scores than did nurses from non-Magnet facilities. Conclusions of the study indicate that the Magnet program is meeting its intended goal: to provide a professional practice environment for staff nurses. Nurse executives may consider using the Individual Workload Perception Scale as a way to assess their organization's culture as it relates to professional practice of the registered nurse.

Increased health care utilization and charges reported in obese adults are also present in obese children. Most children with obesity had not been diagnosed as having obesity in this administrative data set.

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The authors outline specific ways to support registered nurses by using staffing metrics that factor in unit activity as well as supporting the Baby Boomer nurse, both physically and psychosocially.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are medically complex, require multiple medications for treatments of their various comorbidities, and cost the healthcare system billions of dollars each year. These patients are at risk of drug-related problems (DRPs) that may lead to increased morbidity, mortality, and cost to the healthcare system. Review of the literature demonstrates that pharmaceutical care provided by pharmacists improves ESRD patient care. Pharmacist review of ESRD patients' medication profiles and medical records has shown to be beneficial in identifying and resolving DRPs. Economic analysis suggests that for every $1 spent on pharmaceutical care, the healthcare system saves an estimated $3.98. Provision of pharmaceutical care by pharmacists should be consdiered for all ESRD patients.

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Among nonelderly adult Medicaid beneficiaries with schizophrenia, treatment with clozapine instead of antipsychotic polypharmacy was associated with reduced disease-specific emergency department use and with reduced disease-specific and all-cause health care costs.

BackgroundFor patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), previous research identified key disease sequelae as important cost drivers and suggested that among users of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) in 2004, DMDs represented 73% of the total cost of care. More recent studies were limited to incident disease/treatment and/or excluded DMDs from cost estimates. To support contemporary pharmacoeconomic analyses, the present study was conducted to provide updated information about MS-related costs and cost drivers including DMDs.MethodsFor each of 2 years, 2006 and 2011, commercially insured, continuously eligible patients with ≥ 1 medical claim diagnosis of MS were sampled. MS-related charges were based on medical claims with MS diagnosis plus medical/pharmacy claims for DMDs. 2006 charges were adjusted to 2011 $ using the medical care component of the consumer price index (CPI). Subgroups of patients using DMDs (interferon [IFN] beta-1a intramuscular or subcutaneous, IFN beta-1b, glatiramer, natalizumab) in 2011 were identified. By-group differences were tested with bivariate statistics.ResultsMean (standard deviation [SD]) age of 15,902 sample patients in 2011 was 47.6 (11.8) years, 76% female. Mean [SD] MS charges ($26,520 [$38,478] overall) were significantly (P < 0.001) higher for patients with common disease sequelae: malaise/fatigue (n = 2,235; $39,948 [$48,435]), paresthesia (n = 1,566; $33,648 [$45,273]), depression (n = 1,255; $42,831 [$51,693]), and abnormality of gait (n = 1,196; $48,361 [$55,472]). From 2006 to 2011, CPI-adjusted MS charges increased by 60%. Among patients treated with a single DMD in 2011, inpatient care was 6% of charges (range = 4%-8%; P = 0.155); outpatient care was 19% (range = 14%-20% except for natalizumab [29%]; P < 0.001); and DMDs were 75% (range = 67%-81%; P < 0.001).ConclusionsCommon MS sequelae remain important cost drivers. Although MS treatment costs are increasing, the proportion of MS charges due to DMDs in 2011 is similar to that reported in 2004.