The nation's infant mortality rate dropped last year after two years of hovering at a late-pandemic plateau. Some experts think one reason for the drop could be a vaccination campaign against RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, which is a common cause of cold-like symptoms that can be dangerous for infants. The infant mortality national rate dropped to about 5.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024, according to the CDC. That's down from about 5.6 per 1,000 live births, where it had been the previous two years.
As Republicans in Congress debate ways to cut Medicaid so they can fund tax breaks, Democrats are pushing them in a different direction: cut excess spending in Medicare Advantage instead.
President Donald Trump's new pick for surgeon general — wellness influencer Casey Means — is already the target of MAGA vitriol, underscoring a split inside the president's base over the future of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" movement. Trump's decision to select Means came just hours after news broke about his decision to withdraw Janette Nesheiwat, a former Fox News contributor, for the post.
Sam Howard, guided into nursing by his mother, now leads as a flight nurse in Sikeston, Missouri, blending clinical expertise with compassion in high-pressure, life-saving situations.
Some it seems like are born knowing what career they will go into while others ask for advice from those who know them the most on what they should go pursue. In the instance of Sam Howard of Chaffee, he had the advice and push from his mother when going to college.
This Nurses Week, New Mexico’s nursing community has a new reason to celebrate.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently signed HB 178 into law – a significant update to the state’s Nursing Practice Act that expands opportunities for nurses and strengthens the profession’s ability to serve communities across the state.
The legislation, which took several years to pass, was shaped through sustained advocacy from nurses, educators and professional organizations, including the New Mexico Nurses Association. Among them was Barbara Damron, PhD, LHD, MSN, RN, FAAN, a longtime nurse leader and professor at The University of New Mexico College of Nursing, who supported the bill through multiple legislative sessions.
The Oklahoma House of Representatives this week recognized House Resolution 1028, which honors May 6 through May 12 as National Nurses Week.
Authored by Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, and coauthored by Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, the resolution highlights the important role nurses play in delivering high-quality, compassionate care to patients across the state and nation.