Latino Group Providing Equitable Access to Lifesaving Vaccines
More than 200,000 individuals in Sonoma County, Calif., are now considered fully vaccinated, but many more will need to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity. Among those still unvaccinated include some in the county’s Latino population. “Vaccine science is complicated...
Leading with Heart: How Nursing Background Benefits COO
Nurses understand what it takes to give safe, quality care that is service-oriented. That is why nurses bring a wealth of clinical understanding to the chief executives. Hamila Kownacki, R.N., MSHA and chief operating officer at Sutter’s California Pacific Medical...
Nurse Offers Compassion, Dash of Fairy Magic
Experienced nurses know sometimes healthcare has less to do with medicine and more to do with caring and kindness. Recently, one radiation oncology nurse took special care of a young patient whose cancer had progressed and who was no longer a candidate for...
Editor’s Picks
Doc Talks FDA’s Move to Ban Menthol in Cigarettes
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced it will ban both menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars within the coming year. As smoking is the leading cause of premature, preventable death in America, this is “a positive step,” says Vinayak Jha, M.D., a...
Nurse Leader Trio Earns Awards from CA Association
Three incredible nurse leaders were recently recognized by the Sacramento Sierra Chapter of the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) for: Leading the evacuation of a hospital ahead of raging wildfire—twice! Re-establishing a nursing leadership...
Health Systems Recognized as Top-Performing for Quality
Annual health system rankings are based on clinical outcomes, operational efficiency and patient experience data. IBM Watson Health recently announced its 2021 Fortune Media/IBM Watson Health Top Health Systems award winners, recognizing Sutter Health and Sutter...
Community Groups Address Vaccine Hesitancy
James Douglas, 66, of Sacramento, admits he is one of those most at-risk for COVID-19. The resident of Globe Mills, an affordable apartment complex for seniors, took precautions by limiting his outings and wearing masks. He acknowledges that still came at a...
Dive Deeper
Specialists Perform First-Ever Valve Implant on LVAD Patient
A 58-year-old San Francisco man whose failing heart is being kept beating by a mechanical pump known as a left ventricular assist device is thought to be the first LVAD patient in the world to have his mitral valve replaced without having open-heart surgery. The...
Nurse Channels ‘Inner Warrior,’ Meets Steph
By Clayton Warren When Intensive Care Unit nurse Shelby Delaney shared a photo of herself one year ago wearing Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors jersey under her scrubs, she had no idea that she would become an inspiration to so many of her fellow co-workers as...
Breaking Down the Data on Breastfeeding
While childbirth can be romanticized as a “natural” experience, in reality it's often surprisingly complex and unpredictable. Breastfeeding frequently follows suit. Many new mothers struggle to produce milk right away. A baby may not know how to latch or suck at...
COVID Vaccines Appear Safe for Pregnant Moms
A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, indicates that Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines appear to be safe for pregnant women. CDC researchers tracked the health of more than 35,000 pregnant...
Closer Look
How to Book Your COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment
Vaccine Appointment Booked? Here’s What to Expect.
Honoring Aptly Named ‘Year of the Nurse’