Catherine M. Radwan

 extends its gratitude and support to nurses everywhere, especially to pediatric nurses and nurse practitioners, as they work tirelessly and selflessly on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic to care for this nation’s children and their families. We thank you for your sacrifice and dedication.

We can’t hug you during these days of social distancing, but we can honor you and thank you for all that you do, especially at great personal cost.

Here, in the words of our own Editorial Advisory Board member and pediatric nurse practitioner Donna Hallas, PhD, CPNP, PCPNP-BC, is a heartfelt tribute to nurses everywhere:

“How many nurses say to a patient, “Let me take you on a magic carpet ride?” One might ask, why would a nurse say that to a patient? The patient is a child who may be receiving a painful treatment, or anxious about receiving a “shot.” Pediatric nurses, pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs), advance practice nurse practitioners (APRNs), and school nurses often communicate through imaginative play with children and adolescents to comfort them and help them cope with procedures that, we hope, will return them to health or simply keep them healthy.

It’s National Nurses Week/Month: a moment in time to recognize pediatric nurses and NPs for their commitment to our most precious patients that parents entrust to our expertise and loving compassionate care. As nurses and PNPs, we promise to remain committed to providing state-of-the-science, insightful, evidence-based care to all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults in our practices.

Nurses’ and PNPs’ commitment to our children has been ever so evident during this COVID-19 pandemic. Thank a nurse and PNP during May, which is National Nurses Week and Month, and throughout the year, as the World Health Organization has declared 2020 the international 

 -Donna Hallas, PhD, CPNP, PCPNP-BC, PMHS, FAANP

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It’s time to recognize a national treasure-nurses-during National Nurses Month. We can’t hug them during these days of social distancing, but we can honor them and thank them for all that they do, especially at great personal cost.

Celebrate a nurse today and every day!

As families under stay-at-home directives spend more time cleaning and disinfecting their homes to protect loved ones from COVID-19 infection, their children are finding ways to access these poisonous products and effect more calls to poison control centers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

 that such calls related to cleaning supplies and disinfectants have increased across the United States so far this year, rising 20.4% for the months from January through March 2020 when compared with the same time period in 2019.

Data was collected from the National Poison Data System (NPDS).

A high percentage of the calls to poison centers-35.7% of the total calls related to cleaning products and 46.9% of the calls regarding exposure to disinfectants-involved children aged younger than 5 years.

During January to March 2020, poison centers received 45,550 exposure calls related to products including bleach (28,158) and disinfectants (17,392), representing overall increases of 20.4% over January to March 2019 (37,822) and 16.4% over January to March 2018 (39,122), respectively. 

Temporal association of calls with current events

The CDC researchers say the temporal rise may be due to increasing parental attempts at sanitizing and disinfecting their home environments because of concerns over COVID-19. “Although a causal association cannot be demonstrated, the timing of these reported exposures corresponded to increased media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports of consumer shortages of cleaning and disinfection products, and the beginning of some local and state stay-at-home orders,” they write.

However, the CDC cautions that even in a year without widespread infectious disease, cleaning products pose a health hazard to children, and this includes “natural” cleaning products as well. Ingestion of these substances is the most common incidence reported to the poison control centers, followed by inhalation, dermal contact, and exposure to the eyes.

Parents should contact their Poison Control Center immediately (800-222-1222) if they suspect their child has ingested any cleaning product, medication, drugs, or chemicals. There are 55 poison control centers serving all 50 states with free, 24-hour professional advice and medical management. These centers are funded by federal, state, local governments, and private entities.

To prevent unnecessary chemical exposures to children in the home, the CDC advises parents to always read and follow directions on the product labels; only use water at room temperature for dilution (unless stated otherwise on the label); avoid mixing chemical products; wear eye and skin protection; ensure adequate ventilation; and store chemicals out of the reach of children.

1.    Chang A, Schnall AH, Law R, et al. Cleaning and disinfectant chemical exposures and temporal associations with COVID-19-National Poison Data System, United States, January 1, 2020-March 31, 2020. 

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6916e1.htm?s_cid=mm6916e1_w

Curious children are getting into their homes’ COVID-19 cleaning supplies and disinfectant products at an alarming rate, according to data from US Poison Control Centers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

COVID-19: Poison control centers report surge in accidental poisonings from cleaning products 

for the injuries sustained by nurses while they are performing their job duties. The facilities should be held accountable to these nurses to continue providing healthcare, benefits, and disability payments. If hospitals are held accountable for these expenses, they will do a better job at protecting the nurses from injury by implementing higher nurse-to-patient ratios or providing equipment that protects the nurses from injuries.

is very good at providing work at an acceptable level for your injury or disability. They recognize that your mind is as important as your physical ability and is of value to them.

for a center for independent living, and this facility is one of the best places to work if you are a nurse or employee with a disability. Hats off to Disabled Citizens Alliance for Independence in Viburnum, MO.

state guidelines for job-related injuries. The employer's workers compensation rating increases for all employee injuries. So, if an employer wants to keep costs under control, it needs to look at the work environment. Typically, employers don't assess the work environment for injuries, since they have had no training in this by safety personnel.

that does everything it can to keep our patients active and working not do more to help nurses continue to work if they are disabled? There are less strenuous areas these nurses can work in, but often these places are refused to them. Wake up, people, these are good resources going to waste. Turn nursing GREEN!

the hospital should do what is necessary to help rehabilitate the nurses.

Responding to RN's June 2009 cover story, RNs offer opinions on how hospitals should assist, or employ in different capacities, nurses who become injured or disabled on the job.

Catherine M. Radwan

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Celebrate a nurse today and every day!

COVID-19: Poison control centers report surge in accidental poisonings from cleaning products

Q&A: What should healthcare facilities do to accommodate injured or disabled nurses?