Get on over to the VAWnet blog for a great post on an important question: How do I know that the statistics I’m using are credible? While this doesn’t speak to one of the main ways *we* use stats (in court), it provides excellent guidance on evaluating research, and the information applies nonetheless. Please distribute widely.
Like so many of you, I make my living on the road. There is no shortage of work to be done out there, and I am blessed to be invited to places I might not ever see otherwise. I have made some truly lasting friendships from this life on the road; I met my partner in this manner, as well. I tell you this because I love what I do, and the way I get to do it. That being said, there are also some things I have learned about a life on the road, and not all of them are pretty. Here now, my latest 10 Things list: Truisms From the Road.
The CDC is hosting a webinar Friday, November 4th at 2pm ET, The CDC’s Response to Injury: Update for Partners from the Division of Injury Response. The session will focus on traumatic brain injury, terrorism and disaster response. Register for the session here.
Speaking of the IOM, if you were in Montreal, you heard a lot about the IOM report, The Future of Nursing. Specifically, the issue of the BSN as entry into practice. There’s going to be a lot of debate about this in our circles over the coming months, so my advice to everyone is, start by educating yourself. No need to read the entire (672 page) report, although you certainly can. But it would certainly be a good idea to read the 4 page Report Brief (PDF), which does a nice job of encapsulating the core issues. And then, think about where you fall out on this issue, understanding that being proactive will always be the better course over being reactive.
The Essence of Nursing: Forensic Nursing is now available on the IAFN Youtube channel. We had the screening here in Montreal last night…what a powerful documentary to be able to use with your community and with funders to help understand the scope and the nuances of the work we do. You can find it in 3 parts after the jump…
We were talking health policy at dinner last night, and the subject of health care reform came up. Our very plugged in lobbyist mentioned that the Kaiser Family Foundation had created a cartoon that explains the issue beautifully (a la Schoolhouse Rocks). I’m on my iPad today so I can’t actually embed it, but to view the cartoon, you can check out the site. You can also read the transcript (PDF). Having a basic handle on the issue will serve us all well, as we look for more healthcare dollars to support the work of forensic clinicians.
I am heading to Montreal this morning for one of the highlights of my year: the IAFN Annual Scientific Assembly. I hope to see many of you there. Please come find me and let me know you’re a reader (along with suggestions and comments, since feedback for ways to improve the site is always welcome). For those of you not able to make it, I will try and tweet updates from the Assembly as much as possible. I encourage others to do so, as well. If you do, please include #IAFN and #FHO in your tweet.
Looking forward to a week with so many friends. And looking forward to meeting more FHO readers in person, something I’m fortunate enough to be able to do just about everywhere I go–but nowhere more so than at the Assembly.
(BTW, looking for transportation options to the Hyatt once you arrive in Montreal? Find it after the jump.)
At last, a concise beginner’s primer on using social media in healthcare. For those of you who are hesitant to wade into social media, or aren’t sure about the different types of social media available, this is a good place to start. It also contains a brief section on the medical ethics of social media, which is appropriate for any level of user.
As a former Advisory Board member of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (and now a proud member of the PCAR family) I am loving the news of their inclusion in the 2011 edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves. Can’t wait to get a copy of my own!
I’m on the road today (natch), and this marks my 1st attempt at blogging via my iPad. So we’ll keep this short and I will leave you with this head-scratcher. Discuss.
http://cjonline.com/news/2011-10-04/council-discusses-domestic-battery-prosecution#.To3aZqN5mK1
Have you heard about The Bully Project?
Check out the site, and specifically, their bullying resource page for more information. Can’t wait to see this…with my preteen girlchild.
Facebook privacy issues come up here regularly because 1.) it impacts our patients; and 2.) it impacts those of us who provide expert testimony. An interesting post on what the issues are with the newest Facebook changes. It’s a bit techy, but it’s worth reading, and I would definitely advise you follow the links to some of the other posts mentioned.
(Hat tip #NSVRC)
Statement by the President on the Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Today, the discriminatory law known as ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is finally and formally repealed. As of today, patriotic Americans in uniform will no longer have to lie about who they are in order to serve the country they love. As of today, our armed forces will no longer lose the extraordinary skills and combat experience of so many gay and lesbian service members. And today, as Commander in Chief, I want those who were discharged under this law to know that your country deeply values your service.
I was proud to sign the Repeal Act into law last December because I knew that it would enhance our national security, increase our military readiness, and bring us closer to the principles of equality and fairness that define us as Americans. Today’s achievement is a tribute to all the patriots who fought and marched for change; to Members of Congress, from both parties, who voted for repeal; to our civilian and military leaders who ensured a smooth transition; and to the professionalism of our men and women in uniform who showed that they were ready to move forward together, as one team, to meet the missions we ask of them.
For more than two centuries, we have worked to extend America’s promise to all our citizens. Our armed forces have been both a mirror and a catalyst of that progress, and our troops, including gays and lesbians, have given their lives to defend the freedoms and liberties that we cherish as Americans. Today, every American can be proud that we have taken another great step toward keeping our military the finest in the world and toward fulfilling our nation’s founding ideals.
Just a quick post as I toss my suitcase in the house and prepare to turn around and head to Baltimore for the final day of NSAC (with a newly acquired cold–ugh). For those of you who love yourselves some stats, the US Bureau of Justice Statistics just released the 2010 numbers for criminal victimization. Great for grant proposals, etc…
So have you checked out the trailer for the new forensic nursing documentary that will be shown at the Annual Scientific Assembly next month in Montreal? No? Here you go, then. You’re welcome.
The US Department of Health and Human Services is hosting a webinar, The Repercussions of Bullying on Girls’ Futures (PDF). The session will be held on September 20th, 2pm ET. For those of you who cannot attend the live session, it will be recorded and archived, available for review here after September 22nd.
From the brilliant folks at StoryCorps
I’m wrapping up some work this weekend, and preparing to travel (naturally) tomorrow to Maxwell AFB, but this table, published here, seemed like a worthy post to commemorate the date. There are multiple resources on how to help children remember 9/11 that may be worth checking out:
Congratulations, Heather Ploeger: you are the winner of the Child Fatality Review giveaway. Please contact me at your earliest convenience so we can get you your book. And thanks to everyone’s responses–I’m sure they were very helpful for he folks over at STM Learning.
It is a spectacularly dreary day here in DC, and the rain just doesn’t want to end. So I am looking for all things motivating this morning, because there is significant appeal to crawling back into my giant white cloud of a bed and spending the day working in my pajamas. As is so often the case, a morning dose of TED seems to be doing the trick.