On Jan. 23, 2015, Jane McCurley, chief nursing officer at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, was awarded the 2014 Texas Organization of Nurse Executive (TONE) Excellence in Leadership Award. "It is a privilege to lead an outstanding group of professional nurses and staff at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center," McCurley said. "I am honored to have been chosen among the many exceptional nursing leaders who make a meaningful impact on our profession every day."

By Rachael Zimlich
Nurses have been voted the most honest and ethical profession for the 13th year straight in a new Gallup poll, earning 15 percentage points above any other profession.
SOURCE: HEALTHCARE TRAVELER

By Debra Wood, RN
With toasts made, decorations put away and New Year celebrations but a memory, it’s time to take a look at the nursing predictions for 2015. Fellow nurse leaders share 10 nursing predictions for the year ahead.
SOURCE: NURSEZONE

By Karen Bardossi
Pediatric trauma nurses are well-versed in practicing trauma-informed care to prevent or reduce posttraumatic stress in sick and injured children, but they could use more training in helping families cope, a new study reports.
SOURCE: CONTEMPORARY PEDIATRICS

By Rachael Zimlich
Nurses are frequently faced with ethical dilemmas in the workplace and now they have new guidance to help navigate stick situations. The American Nurses Association (ANA) has updated its code of ethics for the first time since 2001 and has dubbed 2015 as the "Year of Ethics."
SOURCE: HEALTHCARE TRAVELER

By Rachael Zimlich
The top health technology hazards are in the hands of nurses, according to a new report from the ECRI Institute. Out of the 10 top hazards identified in the report, nurses work directly with the top 5.
SOURCE: HEALTHCARE TRAVELER

The Power of Communication
The TONE Annual Conference is considered to be one of the best and most affordable opportunities for learning and sharing in Texas. Because the conference focuses on the unique opportunities and problems that we face every day, this event has earned a loyal following of participants. For more information please click on the "Learn More..." link below.

Congress should replace the flawed Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) for physician payment with a system that adequately reimburses physicians over the long haul, AHA President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock told a House health care panel on Jan. 22. But he said the AHA "cannot support any proposal to fix the physician payment problem at the expense of funding for services provided by other caregivers."
SOURCE: AHA NEWS

By Elise Viebeck
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is hoping to leverage the rising number of nurse practitioners to further shape policy debates in Washington, D.C., particularly amid the current doctor shortage.
SOURCE: THE HILL

Remember, you can access TONE benefits only if you keep your membership up to date. Now is the time to renew! TONE's Membership Year is September 1, 2014 – August 31, 2015.

The hospital field is broad and diverse, and each organization may bring its own solutions to the challenges presented in its community, says AHA Chairman Jonathan Perlin, M.D. But he says the field shares a unifying goal – pursuit of the Triple Aim in health care.
SOURCE: AHA NEWS

By Rich Umbdenstock
The ways in which people are choosing to gain access to health care are changing radically – and many hospitals are on the vanguard. To examine this trend, the American Hospital Association held a panel on "How Hospitals Are Adapting to a Changing Health Care Landscape" at the National Press Club
SOURCE: AHA STAT BLOG