Implementing a Virtual Discharge Nurse Pilot: Utilizing the Pathway to Excellence® Framework.

Objective: The virtual nurse (VN) pilot was developed to assist bedside nurses in administrative tasks, including discharges and education, from a remote location.

Background: Bedside nurse vacancies have increased, leading to a shortage of resources for the care team and less time for nurses to provide hands-on care to patients.

Methods: A survey showed 77% of nurses spend more than 3 hours per shift on admissions, discharges, and patient education.

Characterization of in vitro biofilm-associated pneumococcal phase variants of a clinically relevant serotype 3 clone.

An increasing proportion of children with acute otitis media due to Streptococcus pneumoniae have serotype 3 infections since licensure of the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. These serotype 3 strains are genetically related by molecular subtyping. During otitis media with effusion and recurrent otitis media, biofilms commonly develop.