8 Reasons Why Good Bedside Manner is More Important Than Ever

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good bedside manner

Demonstrating good bedside manner is a crucial skill for any healthcare professional. It encompasses qualities such as empathy, compassion, active listening, and effective communication skills. 

While good bedside manner has always been important, it is even more so in today’s healthcare landscape. Below, we discuss why good bedside manner is so important.

1. Patient-Centered Care

A study from Healthgrades and Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) found that over 52% of patients  indicated that they wanted their doctor to have at least one of the following qualities: compassion, comfort, patience, personality and bedside manner.

Similarly, studies show that a good bedside manner has a considerable impact on patient health. With a growing focus on patient-centered care, healthcare providers must prioritize the experience and satisfaction of their patients. 

A good bedside manner can play a crucial role in creating a positive and comforting atmosphere for patients, making them feel valued and involved in their own care. It helps build trust and improves overall patient experience and retention.

2. Emotional Support

Patients today can be dealing with high levels of stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. Whether they are facing a challenging diagnosis or undergoing treatment, emotional support is vital. 

Healthcare professionals with excellent bedside manner can provide the necessary empathy and compassion to ease their patients’ emotional burden.  This helps in fostering a sense of comfort and understanding.

3. Enhanced Communication

Effective communication is essential for ensuring that patients feel informed, understood, and involved in their healthcare decisions. When demonstrating a good bedside manner, this can  play a significant role in clear and open communication between healthcare providers and patients. 

This helps healthcare professionals explain complex medical information in a way that patients can understand, while also encouraging patients to ask questions and share their concerns.

4. Building Trust

Trust is the foundation of any successful doctor-patient relationship. A healthcare professional with good bedside manner can establish trust by actively listening, demonstrating empathy, and showing genuine care for their patients’ well-being. 

Patients are more likely to follow through with treatment plans and advice from a trusted provider.

5. Patient Satisfaction and Compliance

A positive bedside manner can also improve patient compliance with treatment plans, medication regimens, and follow-up appointments. Patients who feel heard, respected and supported are more likely to actively participate in their own care, leading to better outcomes.

6. Stress Reduction

A visit to the doctor or a hospital can be stressful for patients and their families. A healthcare provider with pleasing bedside manner can help alleviate some of that stress by creating a calm and comforting environment. 

The ability to empathize and provide emotional support can significantly reduce the anxiety that patients may experience during medical procedures and/or consultations.

7. Physician Well-Being

A good bedside manner is not only beneficial to patients but it also contributes to the well-being of healthcare providers. A positive doctor-patient relationship and the ability to provide compassionate care can enhance job satisfaction for healthcare professionals. 

It reminds them of the importance and impact of their work, leading to a more fulfilling career in the medical field.

8. Getting Patients Acquainted with Medical Devices

 Over the years, medical technology has made leaps and bounds, and continues to improve every day. For facilities that use advance medical equipment (like ours), it may be strange for patients to undergo care they aren’t familiar with.  

In these situations, it’s vital for their trusted healthcare professional to have empathy and clearly communicate the use of the technologies when necessary. 

Luckily, our CPR devices are easy to use and explain, providing patient ease of mind.  They also give physicians the ability to focus on other aspects of the resuscitation effort. Additionally, they work for patients of all ages and sizes.

Our CPR machines have contributed to helping people all over the country (and other countries), and we’re honored that these users have shared their stories with us. 

Hearing these stories drives our confidence that our devices work in a variety of healthcare situations, and contribute to saving lives.

Reach Out Today to Learn More About Using Our Devices in Your Healthcare Facility

Our medical equipment is a fantastic solution for hospitals, classrooms, research and development, and more. 

They’re easy to use, provide endless benefits, and continue to improve constantly. To learn more, contact us today.

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Automated CPR vs. Manual CPR During Patient Transport

mechanical cpr vs manual cpr

CPR is a life-saving tool that people have been training and using for years. For a long time, many have performed this procedure manually with their hands; sometimes using varied compression rhythms.

Nowadays, there’s a debate between manual CPR vs mechanical CPR, since new and improved medical technology now offers a safer, easier, and more effective way to provide CPR.

Keep reading to understand the benefits of automated CPR and its advantages over manual CPR.

Challenges with Manual CPR

While more valuable than not doing anything, there are significant disadvantages to manual CPR, such as:

  • Manual CPR can be difficult to administer well, and is more difficult if a patient is being transported, whether in an ambulance or between different areas of the hospital. 
  • When a patient is being transported in an ambulance, it is quite difficult to deliver effective manual CPR.  Additionally, it can be dangerous for the provider to perform CPR while in a moving vehicle.  
  • It is virtually impossible to perform manual CPR while the patient is being transported down a flight of stairs.
  • Many EMS professionals cover rural areas or experience longer transport times due to heavy traffic in metro areas.  They may not be able to provide the patient with consistent and effective manual CPR during the longer transport times. 

Benefits of Automated CPR

Since ensuring patient and first responder safety is a priority during transport, the use of automatic CPR devices provides a safer, higher-quality alternative for providers who transport cardiac arrest patients.

Automated CPR devices allow for consistent, uninterrupted compressions that are more effective than manual CPR. In addition, automated CPR ensures consistency of compressions which is unmatched by typical manual CPR.

Many of our customers have found that using our Automated CPR devices, whether it’s  our Life-Stat or Thumper,  is safe and effective when patient transport poses a unique set of challenges and dangers:

  • Extended travel times due to long-distances in rural areas or traffic congestion in cities
  • Moving a patient down stairs where manual CPR is all but impossible
  • In a helicopter or air rescue where providers must be secured
  • When an extra set of hands are needed to assist all patient needs or with multiple patients

Read: How the Life Stat Automated CPR Device Saved a North Carolina’s Woman Life

Read: Life-Stat CPR Device Saves Man’s Life After Being Clinically Dead

How Our CPR Devices Provide Safe Patient Care

Our automatic CPR devices are designed to deliver prolonged and consistent compressions. This allows medical professionals to focus on other areas of patient care 

The devices are lightweight, easy to use, and allow rescuers to be more safely positioned and less susceptible to personal injury.

Patients can easily be transported, even at an incline/decline, and our Life-Stat and Thumper will continue to perform without interruption. 

Our customers have been vocal about how our CPR devices have helped them:

“The Life-Stat is 100% reliable. You can count on the device working every single time you pull it out of the bag. It is rugged and built so sturdy and it is virtually indestructible. Another very important feature is that it works on the available oxygen supply that every ambulance requires. If you need to ventilate your patient you have immediate access to 100% oxygen. And there are no springs, batteries or settings to worry about.”

– Randy Price, Paramedic

See The Advantages the Thumper and Life-Stat CPR Devices Provide

Interested in learning more about manual CPR vs mechanical CPR, or more information about the automated CPR devices available from Michigan Instruments? Contact us today to learn more, or request a quote.

You can also download our Automated CPR Brochure for prehospital providers.

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The Crisis of Overcrowded Emergency Rooms: How to Navigate Until a Solution is Found

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emergency room crowding

Emergency rooms (ERs) are designed to provide immediate medical attention to patients in emergency situations. However, the demand for emergency medical services continues to increase, leading to emergency room crowding all over the country. 

This has resulted in very long wait times and possible delayed treatment. In fact, a recent study found that over 90% of US emergency departments report overcrowding to be a problem, and nearly 40% reported that overcrowding occurs daily.

Below, we discuss how to navigate and manage overcrowded ERs until a national solution is found.

What Causes Overcrowded Emergency Rooms?

In order to assess possible solutions to the issue of overcrowded emergency rooms, we need to understand the causes.

The overcrowding of emergency rooms is caused by various factors, such as:

  • Utilizing the ER as a primary care provider: Many people use the ER as their primary care provider because they either don’t have access to primary care physicians or aren’t able to afford one.
  • Aging population: As the population ages, the demand for emergency medical services increases.
  • Chronic diseases: The effects of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, may require more frequent emergency room visits.
  • Mental health services: Patients that experience mental health issues often use the emergency room as an attempt to get immediate help.  

Effects of Overcrowded Emergency Rooms

Overcrowded ERs can have significant effects on patient care, including, but not limited to:

  • Longer wait times: Patients may wait a long time before receiving medical attention.  In some cases, this can delay treatment and patients may experience pain for a long time.
  • Increased risk of medical errors: When Emergency Rooms are overwhelmed, medical staff may be rushing or reacting quickly.  This can lead to the possibility of medical errors.
  • Reduced quality of care: Overcrowding can lead to medical staff not being able to offer enough time to provide higher quality care before they have to move on to the next patient.

How to Manage a Crowded ER

While various solutions are being proposed to address the national crisis of overloaded ERs, hospitals can both manage and navigate the situation in the meantime using the following solutions:

1. Offer Options to “Non-Emergency” Patients 

A lot of the time, ERs get congested with patients who may not require immediate attention. 

To combat this issue, consider implementing a system where your staff kindly asks those patients to either wait until patients with urgent needs have been helped, or refer them to other facilities such as a nearby or on-site urgent care clinic.

It may be difficult to defer the patient that does not require emergency treatment, or delay treatment, but in reality, emergency rooms are built for true, life-threatening emergencies.

2. Communicate With Other ER Staff

Another solution is perhaps one of the most important aspects of any successful workplace: concise, clear communication. 

This is especially important in environments like an ER where time is valuable. The staff is moving quickly, and everyone involved has to think fast while also providing the best care.

Concise communication with nurses, clerical staff, and other doctors can assist with treating ER patients in a more efficient way. If there is poor communication in your emergency department, assess the situation to create a more productive system.

3. Smart Time Management

Consider the way your staff manages their time. For example, how are you spending time during periods when the ER is slow? While it may be smart to play catch-up during these times, don’t forget that it’s also vital for your staff to take care of themselves.

When they get a break, encourage them to sit down, have a snack, hydrate, or just relax.

During a slower time, it may also be beneficial to review both a patient’s history and previously gathered information. Some patients shouldn’t be seen without reviewing any history and/or notes that may have been recorded.  Your medical staff should be aware of this information before they are treated.   

4. Utilize Smart Medical Equipment That Acts Quickly and Efficiently

Working in a fast-paced environment like an Emergency Room is very physically demanding, and requires a lot of long and strenuous hours. 

Investing in equipment for your department helps your staff…

  • Reduce the physical strain on their bodies
  • Maintain their energy longer; thus having the physical and mental capacity to give patients better care, faster.

We provide superior medical devices that can assist your ER staff in emergency scenarios – our automated CPR machines. Our Life-Stat and Thumper CPR devices are lightweight and easy to use when patients are in cardiac arrest. 

They offer many advantages in an emergency room setting including quick set-up, the option to include ventilation with chest compressions, and most importantly, hands-free operation. That way, emergency physicians have the ability to focus on other life-saving measures.

There’s a reason why so many healthcare facilities across the country (and the world) use our devices. They’re a tried and true, one-of-a-kind solution during cardiac arrest; they help calm the situation and add an “extra set of hands.”

Learn More About How Our Devices Can Assist With Emergency Room Crowding

If your hospital is burdened with the stress of emergency room crowding and limited time and resources with the patients, take action with our revolutionary devices that will save your staff time and energy.

Our dedicated team has developed and maintained life-saving and research driven devices for over seven decades now, with no plans to stop anytime soon. Contact us today to request a free quote or learn more about our devices!

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How to Provide Your EMTs with Continuous Education

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importance of continuing education ems

This year, May 21st – May 27th is National EMS Week. This week is dedicated to celebrating EMS employees and the important part they play in our nation’s communities to help save lives.

In light of this annual event, we would like to acknowledge the importance of proper education and technology for your EMTs. 

Below are the different ways to provide your EMTs with continuous education, and all the benefits that they provide. 

1. Understand Why Continuing Education is Important

All EMS organizations should offer continuing education within their facility, or in partnership with other healthcare organizations. However, continuing education for EMTs offers more benefits than just filling a requirement to maintain certifications. 

There are several benefits to providing your EMTs with education indefinitely, such as:

More Effective and Efficient Treatment

Keeping up with the latest medical information and technology allows EMS teams to provide better treatment for their patients. 

New practices and technologies (like ours) can save emergency medical professionals time by treating patients with methods that may not have been previously available.

Reduced Risk

Continuing education also reduces liability risk from malpractice or wrongful death. Failure to be consistent with education can result in incorrect treatment, misdiagnosis, or other life-threatening mistakes.

Networking Opportunities

In-person education programs, such as classes and conferences, allow EMS administrators to build connections and grow their network. Forming relationships in the industry can open new career paths, and create opportunities for shared knowledge.

2. Explain the Importance of Learning from Others

No matter what role you play or how long you may have been performing your job,  you should never assume there isn’t more to learn—especially in healthcare. Healthcare professionals should always be willing to learn new information or gain new perspectives from others. 

This also includes helping them acknowledge the value of feedback, and doing self-assessments to better understand their strengths and weaknesses.

3. Be Open to Multiple Teaching Techniques

While all of your EMTs should remain open to learning new things, they might not have the same preferred learning styles or methods. 

Some learn best in a classroom-like environment, while others may prefer educational apps, medical devices, academic journals, or mentors. Keep your options open when looking for educational opportunities for your staff.

The National Association of EMS Educators offers many options for educating EMS Professionals. This is just one of the many ways to find resources that you can use to craft an educational plan for your EMTs.

4. Select Your Best Personnel for QI Leadership

In order to have an effective quality improvement (QI) program, it is understood that providers want to do a better job of providing patient care. If your QI program is successful, it will help your EMTs recognize opportunities within their patient care and encourage them to make proper corrections.

If your QI program is less successful, you may have the wrong leader and might consider making a change to ensure more effective leadership.  

Enlist the help of your best and most qualified clinicians to do QI. Teach them about good culture, statistical process control, normal and special cause variation, and other improvement science concepts that drive them to improve care and be better leaders for the team.

5. Commit to Communication

One of the key reasons why things can go wrong in healthcare organizations is a lack of communication.  There is a failure to communicate issues, questions or changes that would benefit the team. 

When discovering concerns and/or opportunities to improve, it’s vital to share them with your staff. Encourage your team to practice continuous communication no matter what. 

An operation without communication is a recipe for disaster. In an environment where everyone is working collaboratively to save lives, all aspects of communication—including addressing errors, offering constructive feedback, and updating staff on changes in practices—are of utmost importance for a successful operation.

6. Provide Your Team With Michigan Instruments’ Medical Devices

Medical technology has been known to be an avenue for effective education for many healthcare professionals—especially those who practice emergency services. 

For example, our lung simulators can provide helpful training and practice for EMTs. They are fully adjustable and provide a dynamic response to therapy that accurately demonstrates how the human pulmonary system works. 

In addition, we offer outstanding medical equipment, such as our automated CPR machines. These help EMS teams to be more efficient and effective.  

Our Life-Stat and Thumper CPR devices support a quick and simple transition from manual to automated CPR with minimal interruption to compressions. 

The Hands-Free operation of our devices and the option to automatically ventilate the patient along with chest compressions gives the EMS team more time to focus on other life-saving activities. 

While very cost effective and easy to operate, these devices also can perform CPR on larger patients compared to other competing devices.

Learn More About How Our Devices Benefit Emergency Medical Practices

The importance of continuing education for your EMS team cannot be emphasized enough. However, our devices can grant your team new opportunities for both continuing education and effective patient care. 

In honor of National EMS Week, contact us today for more information about why thousands of medical professionals all over the world choose Michigan Instruments.

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4 Ways for Rural Hospitals to Gain Funding for Medical Technology

funding for rural hospitals

Medical technology is constantly evolving, providing more efficient and accurate ways to diagnose and treat patients. However, purchasing these devices and gaining funding for rural hospitals is challenging, as they often have more limited budgets and resources. 

Below are a few strategies we found for gaining funding for medical technology purchases.

How to Gain Funding for Rural Hospitals

1. Grants

Applying for a grant is one of the most common ways to gain funding. There are many organizations that offer grants specifically for healthcare technology, such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Additionally, there may be state and local grants available that can help offset the cost of technology purchases.

It’s important to thoroughly research and understand the eligibility requirements, as well as the application process for each grant.  You would also want to confirm the amount of funding that is available. 

Many grants require a detailed project plan and budget, so it may be helpful to work with a grant writer or consultant to ensure a successful application.

2. Loans

Loans are another option for funding medical technology purchases. Many banks and financial institutions offer loans specifically for healthcare providers, with competitive interest rates and flexible repayment options.

Before applying for a loan, you should have a clear understanding of the hospital’s financial situation and budget. It may also be helpful to have a detailed plan for how the technology will be utilized and how it will generate revenue for the hospital.

3. Fundraising

Fundraising can be a creative and effective way to gain funding. This can include hosting events such as charity auctions, benefit concerts, or golf tournaments. 

Additionally, many hospitals have had success with crowdfunding campaigns, which allow individuals to donate directly to the hospital’s technology fund.

When planning a fundraising event or campaign, have a clear message and goal. It may also be helpful to work with a professional fundraiser or event planner to ensure that the campaign runs smoothly and gets you your desired results.

4. Partnerships

Partnering with other healthcare providers or organizations in your community can be a valuable way to gain funding as well. This can be done by forming partnerships with larger hospitals or medical systems, which can provide access to additional resources and funding opportunities. 

Additionally, partnerships with medical technology companies may provide access to discounted or donated equipment.

When forming partnerships, it’s important to understand the terms and responsibilities of each party involved. Consider working with a lawyer or consultant to ensure that your agreement is successful.

How Our Automated CPR Devices Offer Some Relief

Our CPR device is the most cost-effective device available, which can be very beneficial to those facilities that are reliant on outside sources for funding.

For over 55 years, we’ve taken pride in our automated CPR machines that provide high-quality, uninterrupted CPR. Our Life-Stat and Thumper automatic CPR machines provide external chest compressions, giving your patient the best chance for survival.

Below, read some of our customers testimonials from rural areas:

Gadsden County EMS

Gadsden County EMS in Florida is a customer of ours that has found success with our machines in a rural setting:

“We obtained a State of Florida Department of Health rural matching grant that allowed us to purchase six LIFE-STAT 1008 CPR units,” they said. “We handle over 8,000 calls a year in a rural area of Florida and frequently find ourselves running cardiac and respiratory arrest calls with limited manpower. We decided to make the purchase because of its ease of operation and its ability to be utilized as a ventilator and serve as an extra resource to us on emergency scenes.”

University of Alabama EMS

Additionally, Glen Davis, the Regional EMS Director at the University of Alabama, states that his department uses the Life-Stat to provide emergency services to rural areas. 

“The Life-Stat is really the cheapest way to add staff at a minimum per usage cost. This is very important in these tough economic times and we will look at adding more Life-Stat units as our budget allows.”

Johnston Fire Department in Farmdale, Ohio

The Johnston Fire Department used funds from a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to purchase two Life-Stat devices. One of these devices helped save Leonard Osborn, a Farmdale man who went into cardiac arrest and didn’t have a heartbeat for 16 minutes.

Learn More About How Our Machines Can Benefit Your Hospital

Michigan Instruments is devoted to providing technology to healthcare organizations at an affordable price. We offer our unique and revolutionary machinery. Contact us today to learn more about our equipment and how you can make it part of your organization.

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Top Tips For Patient Attraction And Retention In Your Hospital

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After doing extensive research, we’ve found the top tips to help you to attract and retain patients.

Perhaps the two most important factors in the longevity of your hospital’s success are attracting new patients and retaining ones for future medical procedures they need. 

Patient satisfaction is what drives hospitals forward in funding, reputation, and much more—therefore, it’s important to know how to keep them satisfied. This practice is complex, but when executed properly, can result in great success for your hospital.

Keep reading to learn about some tips we found for attracting and retaining patients.

Tips to Attract Patients

Marketing hospitals requires brand-building and sales support, but there’s more to it than that. Making positive connections is the key factor.

Here are some tips for making those connections:

1. Know Your Niche

Consumers have several choices when it comes to products and services, including hospitals. Understanding the distinctions among different types of healthcare facilities can help you address them more effectively. 

2. Learn What Patients Want

When a patient chooses a healthcare provider, they have a lot to consider. Therefore, it takes time to make the decision. 

Listen to your patients and what they’re looking for. This is a sure way to draw in new patients, and keep your current ones happy.

3. Consider Your Online Presence

Social media and website upkeep is one of the most important factors for marketing any service. 

Top Patient Retention Strategies

Did you know that there’s a 60-70% chance that an existing patient will continue visiting a healthcare provider after their first appointment?

Patient loyalty indicates trust that has been built throughout their visits. Additionally, they’re more likely to consider recommendations or other valuable services, therefore contributing to a stronger reputation. 

There are many patient retention strategies. Here are a few:

1. Deliver Excellent Service

Like any other business, good service is not just recommended—it’s essential.

2. Show Your Patients You Care

Patients deserve a healthcare professional that truly cares about them. 

All patients are different and require different needs, so take the time to explain why you believe your chosen plan meets those needs. 

3. Ask For Feedback

Requesting feedback from your patients is a great way to better your services. Use the responses to assess which areas your facility is doing well in, and which areas you need to improve in.

Key Investments to Make in Your Hospital To Attract Patients

There are a couple investments you could make that will increase your chances of attracting new patients to your hospital. Here are some ideas:

1. Invest In Comfort

One thing patients and their loved ones look for when searching for new healthcare is comfort, both before and during the visit. Consider modernizing your waiting room with new TVs, more comfortable chairs, or vending machines.

2. Invest In Your Employees

Employees are the ones directly providing care and services to patients. Listen to them, address their concerns, and treat them with the utmost respect, because their concerns often affect the safety of all employees and patients. 

3. Invest In Education And Research

As you know, healthcare is a field that is constantly evolving with new techniques, guidelines, and protocols. 

Continuing education is necessary to broaden the skills of your staff and better equip them to solve problems, which increases productivity, lowers fatigue, and positive patient outcomes. In addition to training, there must be a demonstration of competency and classes to refresh the minds of your staff. 

Our Devices Can Help The Success Of Your Hospital

Education and relief among employees can be the key to drawing in new patients, or improving the satisfaction of your current patients. 

Our Lung Simulators could be your first step to the education and training your organization needs. Additionally, our automated CPR devices give caregivers a little extra relief, ensuring the best possible care for your patients. Contact us today for more information!

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Key Strategies to Retain and Recruit Healthcare Staff

employee retention strategies in healthcare

According to a current report from Nursing Solutions Inc., the  average hospital turnover rate stands at 25.9%—an increase of 6.4% from the previous year. As you know, finding the best employee retention strategies in healthcare is vital in today’s day and age.

If you’re having a hard time finding new employees or getting your current ones to stay—you’re not alone. Healthcare facilities around the country are having the same issue. While it may seem impossible to overcome, there are steps you can take now to improve your facilities turnover rate by this time next year. 

Below, we highlight some of the best strategies for retention and recruiting of healthcare workers.

1. Create A Healthy and Functional Workplace Environment

The environment of your workplace can make or break an employee’s desire to work there. A toxic workplace can lead to a stressful environment and a possible mental health decline of employees. Employees leave and may even tell others to avoid employment within that organization.

Creating and demonstrating positive values in a workplace is a tried-and-true way to form a healthy work space.  Positive company values guide the right strategy and expected behavior, while forming a “team” dynamic. 

Teams will become more efficient and successful; which is vital as the average nurse can expect at least three 12-hour shifts per week.

2. Consider Updating Your Onboarding Process

The onboarding process is the first impression you’ll give to new employees about your facility. All organizations should give new employees the best possible onboarding process for the first few weeks to make them feel comfortable and want to stay. 

This should include training about their responsibilities, education about the organization’s history and core values, and continuous support. This process is ongoing, so it’s important to employ the best ways for execution to maintain a higher employee retention rate. 

3. Review Compensation And Benefits Packages

Wage can be a major contributing factor to turnover rates. Many healthcare workers are finding higher salaries in travel-centered positions. If you’re finding that your employees are leaving quickly or accepting other job offers, it may be time to review your facility’s compensation and benefits structure. 

Organizations should also make it a regular practice to review the current industry trends in their state. 

4. Understand Why Healthcare Workers Quit

To have a better idea of what employees look for in a workplace, it can be very beneficial to understand why healthcare workers have quit their jobs, especially in the last few years. 

Below are some of the most common reasons why healthcare workers quit:

Desire For Career Advancement

While working in the same position for a long period of time with no changes to responsibility or wages, employees may want a change. It doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something wrong with their current position—however, reviewing duties, wages and benefits may offer the employee opportunities to further their career.

The best way to handle this issue is to make your employee feel valued in their position.  This might include giving them more recognition and praise and discussing their future opportunities for growth.

Scheduling Concerns

Healthcare requires demanding schedules.  Some of the schedule demands consistently drive employees away. Scheduling issues include shift swapping, over and/or under scheduling, no-show workers, lack of time off/vacation, and unexpected overtime. All these and more can cause frustration within your employees. 

The best way to overcome scheduling concerns is to review the processes for creating schedules and see what can be improved. Remember; it can never hurt to ask employees for feedback!

Strained Relationships with Supervisors

Managing a team can be stressful, regardless of how solid the team is.  When the stress is not properly managed or helped, it can lead to arguments and a poor attitude in the workplace. 

Review with your managers/supervisors their responsibilities, while supporting them with proper resources.  Pay attention to patterns, and know when it’s time to make a change.

Burnout and Stress

Finally, the most common reason healthcare workers quit their jobs—stress.

It’s no secret that healthcare facilities are stressful in nature. The workload and physical and mental exhaustion can be challenging. However, there are ways to encourage your workers to minimize their stress.

This could include creating a positive work environment, offering longer or more breaks during longer shifts to rest, hydrate, or check-in with friends and family.

Giving An Extra Set of Hands Is One of The Best Employee Retention Strategies in Healthcare

Another option to reduce stress and fatigue among your healthcare staff—hands-free automated CPR devices. 

Never forget to remind your team that they’re performing a crucial role for their community, and thank them for their dedication to their practice!

For any questions or concerns regarding our hands-free automated CPR devices, feel free to contact us directly!

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Save Lives and Retain Your Staff: The Top 4 Benefits of Automated CPR for Hospitals

to avoid fatigue in cpr

For some, winter means enjoying the holidays, participating in snow sports, and spending time with family and friends. However, winter also means an increase in 911 calls and emergency room visits due to illness, hazardous road conditions, shoveling snow, frostbite/hypothermia, as well as skiing and snowboarding. To avoid fatigue in CPR for your staff, you need a different solution. 

When accidents and illness strike, hospitals and emergency rooms are flooded with patient inflow. How can automated CPR help ERs and hospitals manage this flow and save lives?

How to Avoid Fatigue in CPR: Automated CPR in Hospitals

During cardiac arrest, it’s crucial to secure high-quality chest compression through the entire event.  However, it can be a challenge to maintain quality, consistent CPR to a cardiac arrest patient manually. 

Automated CPR devices deliver uninterrupted, consistent chest compressions for as long as it takes.  With this, healthcare providers can focus on other aspects of patient care, such as figuring out the underlying cause of the arrest. 

4 Benefits of Automated CPR in Hospitals 

How would your hospital benefit from Michigan Instruments’ automated CPR devices? 

1. Easy to Use; Quick Conversion

Michigan Instruments’ mechanical CPR devices are simple to use and allow a quick transition from manual to automated CPR with minimal interruption to compressions.  Minimizing this “hands-off” time during cardiac arrest can be a critical factor to a successful outcome. 

2. Better Cerebral Perfusion

Our mechanical CPR devices deliver consistent chest compressions to a depth and at a velocity that can improve blood flow to the brain. Furthermore, the compression depth can be customized to each patient.

When used as directed, our devices deliver a compression depth that is 20% of the A-P diameter of the chest, in accordance with AHA guidelines calling for a compression depth of at least 2 inches. 

3. Extended CPR

Manual CPR is physically challenging, but mechanical CPR offers uninterrupted and consistent chest compressions for as long as it takes. 

All you will need is a connection to an oxygen source with no concern about running out of battery if the code is extended. 

4. Accommodates Larger Patients 

A patient’s size should never determine the quality of care they receive. 

Both the Thumper and Life-Stat models accommodate larger patient sizes than any other automated CPR device on the market—both can adjust to a sternum height up to 14.5” and a chest width up to 22”.

To Avoid Fatigue in CPR, Improve Results with Automated CPR

Say goodbye to the physical fatigue of manual CPR by implementing automated CPR in your hospital. Our devices provide an “extra set of hands” and allow your team work on other aspects of the patient’s care, limit staff injury from the physical demands of manual CPR, and increase your patients’ chance of survival. 

The Life-Stat and Thumper offer the best value in the market today with a low acquisition cost and a very low ongoing cost of ownership. Request a quote today!

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User Story: How Life-Stat Helps The University of Alabama Assist Rural Communities

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automatic cpr device

There are many reasons why the Life-Stat is the best automatic CPR device the industry has to offer. We take pride in its several unique qualities that make it suitable for adults of nearly any size and even the elderly. 

Glen Davis, the Regional EMS Director at the University of Alabama, states that his department uses the Life-Stat to provide emergency services to rural areas—a true testament to its life-saving capabilities.

Practicality Without Compromising Quality

“One of the things I really like about the Life-Stat is the ventilation component that other mechanical CPR units don’t provide,” said Davis. “The performance and reliability are exceptional and performance is way above expectations. It provides high-quality CPR.”

Another convenient attribute of the Life-Stat is its flexibility. It can be used efficiently in confined spaces, including stairways. The device is lightweight—only 19.5 lbs. (8.8 kg)—making it easy for immediate use and it accommodates larger patients than other CPR devices available today.

This device is also affordable—that way, lives aren’t compromised in the name of saving money. 

“The Life-Stat is really the cheapest way to add staff at a minimum per usage cost. This is very important in these tough economic times and we will look at adding more Life-Stat units as our budget allows,” said Davis. 

A Device You Can Count On

Did you know that the Life-Stat provides CPR for as long as you need, so long as you have an oxygen source available? 

Its electronic control module allows users to switch from 30:2 to CCV mode, with no interruption to CPR.  The control module also has a pause/resume feature, allowing you to pause the device if an AED is needed. 

The sustainability of this device is also one of its most remarkable features. Davis says that the device’s track record of sustainability and life-span has far exceeded his expectations. 

“With most capital expenditures, you can get an average of 5 years of service,” he said. “We started using the Michigan Instruments equipment in 1978 and even though they have changed for the better over the years, the basic function has never changed.”

Additionally, the Life-Stat delivers uninterrupted CPR to patients in accordance with the latest AHA (American Heart Association) guidelines. 

“If you want to give your patients, who are in cardiac arrest, the best chance to survive and return to their families and normal productive life… then seriously look at adding the Life-Stat to your emergency team.”

Our Goal? To Keep Saving Lives with Life-Stat

Michigan Instruments’ automatic CPR device has helped save lives all around the world for over 55 years. It’s our goal to keep current with the guidelines while offering an affordable, reliable CPR device providing patients with their best chance at survival.

To learn more about the benefits of the Life-Stat, visit here or contact us today.

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Knowledge is Power: October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month

This sudden cardiac arrest awareness month, it’s important to remain aware of how dangerous (and common) sudden cardiac arrest is. Did you know that over 325,000 adult deaths occur per year due to sudden cardiac arrest, thus making it the largest cause of natural death in the United States?

Since October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Awareness month, it’s important to understand what SCA is, the warning signs, and how to respond in a SCA emergency.

Heart Attack vs. Sudden Cardiac Arrest

People often use heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest interchangeably to describe a cardiac emergency. However, it’s important to realize that they aren’t the same. 

A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is severely reduced or blocked. The block is usually due to a buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other substances in the heart arteries. If the blocked artery is not reopened quickly, the part of the heart will die. The longer a person goes without treatment, the greater the damage.

However, sudden cardiac arrest occurs suddenly and often without warning. It’s described as the abrupt loss of heart function, breathing, and consciousness. The condition is triggered from an electrical malfunction within the heart and causes an irregular heartbeat. This disrupts your heart’s pumping action and stops blood flow to your body.

What are the Warning Signs of SCA?

Sudden cardiac arrest  often occurs without warning. However, there may be warning signs, which include:

  • Chest discomfort
  • Shortness of breath
  • Weakness
  • Fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart (palpitations)

In the event of an immediate arrest – signs would include:

  • Sudden collapse
  • No pulse
  • No breathing
  • Loss of consciousness

What to Do in an SCA Event?

Time is critical when helping a victim, because within minutes  the lack of oxygen  can cause permanent damage to the brain. 

If you see someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest: 

  1. Call 911 
  2. Begin CPR, even if it is the hands only version.  Aim for a rate of 100 to 120 compressions and a depth of 2 inches.
  3. Use an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) if one is available. 

Manual CPR can be physically challenging for caregivers to give for any extended period of time. Fatigue can result in less-than-optimal CPR for patients within minutes. 

However, there is a solution— use of automated CPR machines have saved lives. Michigan Instruments automated CPR devices deliver consistent compressions for as long as needed, eliminating the risk of burnout and ensuring high quality care to the patient.

Be Aware This Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month

Time is critical for the effective treatment of sudden cardiac arrest. Life-saving medical attention within 4-6 minutes is necessary to help decrease the chance of brain damage or death.

For this Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, take the time to learn what to do during an SCA event. It can make all the difference in a life or death situation. 

Michigan Instruments’ automated CPR devices have been helping EMS professionals, doctors and nurses provide their patients with the quality care they deserve for decades. Learn more about our Life Stat and Thumper mechanical CPR devices, or contact one of our representatives to learn more!

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