A study in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health found that adults 65 and older reported an average of 6.2 symptoms over a two-week period, with the most common being back pain, joint pain and insomnia. Most symptoms persisted for more than two weeks, and over-the-counter medications and a wait-and-see approach were the most common management strategies.

Vanderbilt's BSN to DNP is offered in 13 advanced practice specialties. Learn from where you live with a hybrid format that combines online and hands-on learning. Reach your highest career goals with the support of expert faculty dedicated to your success and stand out as a leader in just 8 full-time semesters.

The US nursing shortage is exacerbated by a decline in nursing faculty, with 8.8% of full-time nurse faculty positions vacant as of 2022-23. This shortage forced nursing programs to turn away 65,766 applicants. "Every year, nursing faculty are being forced to do more with less while we expect them to continue to provide a high-quality nursing education," registered nurse Dana K. Plank writes.

Causes: An aging faculty, lower pay in the classroom than in clinical practice, and a decline in post-graduate nursing program enrollment are among factors behind the need for more nurse faculty.

Los Angeles General Medical Center's transition to a Magnet-designated hospital has significantly improved nurse retention. The hospital's retention rate for nurses two years post-graduation increased from 35% to 91%, and the turnover rate dropped from 22% to below 10% since 2021. Chief Nursing Officer Nancy Blake attributes the success to a culture shift toward servant leadership and shared governance, empowering nurses and addressing their needs through healthy work standards. "We report to the staff, and our job is to eliminate all the barriers and to listen to them," Blake says.

A study found that nearly one-third of families with children diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia experience significant financial hardship during standard chemotherapy. The study, presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, found that 30% of families reported material hardship and 31.5% reported income loss of 25% or more during two years of treatment.

A study in the journal Nutrients found that alternate-day fasting over four weeks led to significant reductions in body and fat mass but also reduced muscle mass. The study involved 37 men with an average BMI of 26. Researchers found that whey protein supplements did not prevent muscle loss.

Human botulism immune globulin, or BabyBIG, has been essential in treating infants affected by a botulism outbreak linked to ByHeart infant formula, which has made at least 39 infants in 18 states ill. Made from the blood plasma of scientists and other volunteers, BabyBIG has treated more than 3,700 children worldwide since 2003.

Universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns is "one of the great success stories" in public health, said American Nurses Association President  Jennifer Mensik Kennedy. "Nurses have witnessed firsthand the power of prevention. As the most trusted profession, we have both an ethical and professional obligation to advocate for evidence-based immunization practices that protect the most vulnerable. Especially newborns, who depend on us to keep them safe," Mensik Kennedy said.

Insurance agent Jason Fine says he is helping dozens of clients undo Affordable Care Act health plan switches that were made without their consent. The Government Accountability Office reports that fraud involving unauthorized plan changes and enrollments remains an issue for the Affordable Care Act, despite new CMS rules. The CMS fielded more than 275,000 complaints about unauthorized ACA enrollments and plan switches in 2024, and the GAO estimates that about 1.5% of ACA enrollments are fraudulent. Congress is divided about how to address the matter.

Medicare is set to implement a 15% reduction in payments for nearly 800 laboratory tests at the end of January. The reductions are intended to align Medicare reimbursements with commercial rates.