Emergence of COVID-19 and Patterns of Early Transmission in an Appalachian Sub-Region.

Background: In mid-March 2020, very few cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in the Central Blue Ridge Region, an area in Appalachia that includes 47 jurisdictions across northeast Tennessee, western North Carolina, and southwest Virginia. Authors described the emergence of cases and outbreaks in the region between March 18 and June 11, 2020.

Methods: Data were collected from the health department websites of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia beginning in mid-March for an ongoing set of COVID-19 monitoring projects, including a newsletter for local healthcare providers and a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) dashboard.

A model for initiating change in the dialysis setting using an implementation plan.

Change has become a constant in the workplace. Although the staff may resist change and feel it is happening too quickly, leading change is a critical component for nurse leaders. It is important for the registered nurse to take the lead and guide the staff through the process.

A model for initiating change in the dialysis setting.

Implementing a significant change in an organization is one of the most challenging endeavors that faces a manager. If the change involves the establishment of new paradigms that will replace the existing ways of doing business, the challenge is particularly daunting. Change theory is a process that can be used to facilitate change in an organization.