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Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, announced the launch of its second annual Mosby’s Nursing Suite “Superheroes of Nursing” contest, aimed at recognizing the work and dedication of individual nursing professionals. The contest officially opened for 2012 applicants during Nurses Week (May 6-12), and calls for applicants who fit into four categories – The Validators, The Achievers, The Educators, and The Protectors, to battle the villainous Obstructo.

Clearly, Judy McHugh’s continuing quest for quality improvement, spawned by a patient incident early in her nursing career, is what drives her. Judy is the recipient of one of four Mosby's Superheroes of Nursing Awards announced at the 2011 ANCC National Magnet Conference®. She was named “The Validator” for her ability to lead the way to quality, excellence, and accreditation.

Ron Oman’s life has not always been easy. He credits his mentors for guidance in staying on the right path. There was Sister Rose, a Catholic nun, who took Ron under her wing when he was a teenager. Another mentor always encouraged him to keep going, regardless of any difficulties. 

Clearly, he took her advice to heart. Today he is a highly skilled and well-respected clinical educator at Grays Harbor Community Hospital, an acute-care facility in rural Aberdeen, Washington. 

When you get to know Amy Richardson, RN, CEN, you quickly learn that her motivation and perseverance is what has enabled her to demonstrate such an exemplary level of nursing skill. Amy is the recipient of one of four Mosby Superheroes of Nursing Awards announced at the 2011 ANCC National Magnet Conference®. Her award was as “The Achiever,” the nurse whose seemingly endless knowledge and skill allows her to deftly tackle task after task. 

When April Morris, RNC, BSN, began her nursing career 19 years ago, she found her niche and never left it. “I fell in love with neonatal nursing in nursing school, and I still love it,” she explains. She started out as a staff nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge and eventually advanced to charge nurse, a position she’s held for the past 13 years.

April certainly fits the bill of The Protector, someone who is strong in skills and steadfast in spirit. She is a highly skilled nursing professional who tries to make everyone feel safe in pursuit of outstanding care.

In a well-publicized case, a nurse at Seattle Children’s Hospital mistakenly administered 10 times the prescribed dose of calcium chloride to an eight-month-old baby. The baby died. The nurse immediately reported the error, the only serious medical error she made in her 24-year career. She was escorted from the hospital, placed on administrative leave, and eventually fired. Seven months later, she committed suicide. The incident left many nurses wondering, “Could this happen to me?”

Telemedicine isn’t a new concept. It’s been around for more than 25 years. Basically, it’s the ability to use electronic communications to exchange medical information from one site to another. What’s new is that more than 200 hospitals are now using telemedicine―primarily in intensive care units, but also in emergency departments, postanesthesia care units, critical access facilities, and long-term acute care hospitals―to provide a second set of eyes that can ultimately improve patient care.

Pain is a complex process that involves an unpleasant sensation that may be caused either by actual or potential tissue damage. Essentially, it is whatever the person who is experiencing it says it is. Pain can be chronic or acute, mild to severe, and of sudden or slow onset. Acute pain is usually experienced for a limited time and confined to one area. In most cases, it is a warning of injury.

As air travel becomes more common and more passengers take to the skies, medical emergencies are occurring more frequently in flight. Crew members are trained to handle some common medical problems and, in some instances, they can receive medical advice from physicians on the ground. But these options are no substitute for having a licensed medical professional on board. Could you be asked to lend assistance on your next flight?

The disruptive doctor has become almost a cliché: the hot-tempered egomaniac who flies off the handle, berating nurses or other coworkers further down the hospital pecking order for their incompetence. Like most clichés, this one unfortunately has some basis in fact. Several studies make this phenomenon disturbingly clear: Disruptive physician behavior is an issue that is too important to ignore.