“It’s not just hospital workers,’’ the email said. A GHN reader was responding to stories about hospital workers who are unvaccinated, which we co-published with WebMD and Medscape. (Here’s a link) The emailer told me that he was having trouble finding a home health care company with workers who had been vaccinated against COVID-19. His…
By Brenda Goodman and Andy Miller Brenda Goodman is a senior news writer for WebMD. Andy Miller is editor and CEO of Georgia Health News. This is the first of a series. Tim Oswalt had been in a Fort Worth, Texas, hospital for over a month, receiving treatment for a grapefruit-sized tumor in his chest…
One sign of the severity of Georgia’s nurse shortage can be seen in the bonuses offered to experienced RNs to join a hospital workforce. Some health systems in the state are paying bonuses of more than $10,000 to attract nurses. And Piedmont Healthcare, which is rapidly becoming Georgia’s biggest health system, said it has offered bonuses…
By Judi Kanne and Andy Miller The COVID-19 pandemic has showcased the heroic sacrifices and day-to-day service of nurses in an unprecedented way. With their tireless work in mind, the Georgia Nurses Association (GNA) is planning to launch a Nurses Hall of Fame this fall, with about 10 inaugural members inducted. Some will be honored…
The problems abound: Medical supply vendors are upping their prices, and there are occasional shortages of COVID-19 test equipment. But Georgia hospital CEOs told Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday that their biggest challenge amid the pandemic is finding enough staff to treat people stricken by COVID and also take care of other patients. There are…
As a travel nurse, Denise Robinson of Atlanta takes assignments on a temporary basis in hospitals in Georgia and elsewhere. This year she traveled to New York to work at a hospital during the height of the city’s COVID-19 crisis. The workplace hazards she faced – the risk of infection in a virus hot spot —…
The departure of the state Board of Nursing’s executive director has stunned nurse leaders in Georgia, who told GHN that he did “a great job’’ in that position. Jim Cleghorn served in the role for 10 years. He was also president of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs…
Dozens of metro Atlanta restaurants have temporarily closed in recent months after employees tested positive for the coronavirus. They include the Varsity, a historic fast food restaurant in Midtown Atlanta, which has since reopened. At the popular Ponce City Market in Atlanta, six retail establishments or tenants closed at least temporarily after employees were infected,…
By Max Blau Story updated A group of nurses at a Georgia hospital have filed a lawsuit accusing their CEO of what they call a “COVID-19 coverup” involving the improper collection of test samples to reduce positive test results for the virus and downplay its spread. Nurses employed or formerly employed at Landmark Hospital of Athens, a 42-bed long-term…
By Andi Clements and Andy Miller Dr. Robert Price’s routine of going to work and coming home used to be drama-free and pretty ordinary. Price, an emergency physician at Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, would leave through the front door of his house, and he would return hours later to be greeted by hugs from…