BOOKS
Bird M. Reducing Cognitive Bias: A Guide for the Perplexed. 2014.
Organizations and individuals often struggle to become more reliable and efficient. They may be impeded by a lack of vision, lack of a consistent culture, ethical variation, and other forms of dissidence. This book helps us understand that many decisions, errors, and irrational judgments are the result of cognitive bias. In fact, for health care providers, it may help explain how medical errors occur.
Cognitive bias may also impede the process of searching for evidence-based practice models, as it allows individuals to succumb to the tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms one's own preconceptions. In addition, individuals may discredit information that does not support their views.
Bird helps us understand how to put aside our own bias and move forward to improve workflow, reduce error, and become more productive. Chapters entitled The Status-Quo Bias and The Zero Risk Bias helped me develop strategies to overcome these behaviors in my coworkers and in my own work. This book is a helpful and insightful guide for those who are committed to health care improvement science.
BLOGS
Rethinking Sedation, Delirium, and Mobility for ICU Patients
http://www.ihi.org/communities/blogs/_layouts/ihi/community/blog/itemview.aspx?L
Last modified by Kimberly Mitchell on Thursday, April 23, 2015
"Seeing ventilated patients up and walking inspired us all. How could it be that this was the exception, not the rule," thought Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Director Kelly McCutcheon Adams on a recent visit to Intermountain Healthcare. Kelly blogs about her experience when she was fortunate to lead an IHI "live case study" visit.
The blog emulates passion for IHI's work on preventing complications for ICU patients.
This experience led to the creation of IHI's Rethinking Critical Care seminar, which was offered 5 times between 2011 and 2013. The exciting work from those seminars inspired the group to write a case study paper in the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. The experience of 5 organizations is described in Rethinking Critical Care: Decreasing Sedation, Increasing Delirium Monitoring, and Increasing Patient Mobility.
The article is coauthored by an interprofessional group and provides models and tools for replication of this wonderful work!
Access the article at the Institute of Healthcare Improvement publication site at http://www.ihi.org/resources/Pages/Publications/RethinkingCriticalCare.aspx.
Bassett R, McCutcheon Adams K, Danesh V, et al. Rethinking critical care: decreasing sedation, increasing delirium monitoring, and increasing patient mobility. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2015;41(2):62-74
Taking Hold of My Dreams
April 14, 2015
Tiffany M. Montgomery, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM
Ready, Set, Write: 5 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer
http://takingholdofmydreams.blogspot.com
This nurse blogger shares what she has learned as she completes her PhD program. She acknowledges that writing is hard, and she compares writing to her new activity-running.
Her advice is uplifting and simple. Approach running as you would other challenging activities[horizontal ellipsis] get a coach, have a plan, pace yourself! This is important advice from a busy professional, who may inspire the writer within you!
Web Sites
The Scholar's Voice
http://www.thescholarsvoice.com/writing-coach
Karen Roush, PhD, RN
This is an essential Web site for all professionals who struggle with the task of writing. Karen Roush brings extensive experience as a writer, teacher, and nurse to The Scholar's Voice. She has numerous publications, including books, health-related articles in scholarly journals, essays, and poetry. She is currently the clinical managing editor of the American Journal of Nursing and has many professional publications. Karen knows the work of writing is hard but offers many avenues that may help students and professional navigate the writing and publication process.
Through The Scholar's Voice, you may connect with Karen to schedule workshops or writer's retreats or simply use some of her valuable tips and resources.
The mission of The Scholar's Voice is to strengthen nursing's voice through increased dissemination of nurses' work. This is accomplished through manuscript review, 3-day retreats devoted to writing and peer review or private mentorship, and one-on-one consultations.