VOLUNTEER FOR TSUNAMI EMERGENCY

Project Hope, an international health education and humanitarian assistance organization, is seeking nurse volunteers to help tsunami victims in the most seriously damaged areas of South Asia. Volunteers will serve a minimum 30-day rotation up to a maximum of 90 days. Project HOPE will be responsible for all travel, visas, relevant vaccinations and accommodations. Visit the Project HOPE Web site for more information, www.projecthope.org/employment/volunteerstsunami.htm.

COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK, APRIL 30-MAY 8

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a diverse group of national organizations will sponsor the third Cover the Uninsured Week April 30-May 8. The national event will feature nonpartisan town hall discussions about specific proposals for making healthcare more affordable and stable for all Americans, including the 45 million uninsured. Current legislative proposals will be discussed, as well as the pros and cons of different market-based approaches to covering the uninsured, including the growth of new high-deductible health plans. The discussions are intended to help inform the nation’s leaders, including elected officials, about the effect of policy proposals on all Americans, but most especially those who struggle to pay for benefits or rely on public programs for healthcare. For more information, visit http://covertheuninsuredweek.org.

RADIOLOGIC PROGRAMS’ ENROLLMENT SLOWS

Student enrollment in radiologic science programs is strong but the rate of increase has eased off in the past year, according to a study by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists.
The study estimated that about 15,700 first-year students were enrolled in radiography programs in fall 2004, up 6.9 percent from the year before. Last year’s increase represents a slowdown from the double-digit enrollment jumps experienced in 2002, when student numbers grew by 20.5 percent, and in 2003, when the number of first-year students increased by 11.5 percent. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that 72,000 additional radiographers will be needed between 2002 and 2012.

NURSES TOP HONESTY AND ETHICS POLL

Once again, nurses come out on top of Gallup’s annual survey on the honesty and ethical standards of various professions. Except for one year, nurses have held the No. 1 spot since they were added to the survey in 1999. The nurses lost out to firefighters in 2001, shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but were right back on top the following year. This year, nearly 80 percent of Americans rated nurses “very high” or “high” for honesty and ethics. Pharmacists came in a close second, followed by military officers. Lawyers and car salesmen were at the bottom of the list.

COST OF WORKPLACE INJURIES ON THE RISE

The cost of serious workplace injuries—injuries that cause workers to miss six or more days of work—grew faster than inflation at a time when the number of such accidents fell, according to the latest Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index. The top three injury causes (overexertion, falls on same level and bodily reaction) cost employers about $25 billion a year. The survey also noted these steps to preventing workplace injuries: identifying injuries that drive workers’ compensation costs; prioritizing injuries that should be addressed; setting clear targets for reducing each injury; putting in place the tactics and training that will prevent these injuries; regularly tracking performance; and updating the plan.