The American Journal of Nursing has awarded its 2005 AJN Book of the Year Award to "Nursing Management: Principles and Practice." The editor of the textbook is Mary Gullatte, RN, MN, ANP, AOCN, FAAMA, Emory University's director of nursing, oncology and transplant services.

Described by the AJN as an "outstanding resource," the book is the first publication by the Oncology Nursing Society's Publishing Division to receive such an honor.

"The AJN Book of the Year competition is the nursing profession's premier review of the best books related to nursing and health care, and the announcement of the awards is an eagerly anticipated event each year," said Diana Mason, AJN editor in chief. "The books chosen represent the highest standard of excellence in writing and publishing."

Gullatte's text provides an in-depth review of general and oncology nursing management principles to guide the practice and development of nurse leaders and managers.

BEST PLACE TO WORK: For the first time, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is among Fortune magazine's list of 100 Best Companies to Work For. It's the only pediatric hospital on the list. In 2004, Children's created an "employee promise,"
based on four areas that employees identified as most important to them: total rewards, work-life balance, mutual
respect and learning. The promise was credited for helping to create a better working environment.

Children's also was cited for its flexible scheduling, an employee concierge service, telecommuting alternatives, a wellness program that encourages healthy lifestyles and unique education programs for pregnant employees and/or their spouses.

"We work hard to be attentive to the needs of all employees and support the variety of personal and professional goals they have," said Linda Matzigkeit, senior vice president of human resources. "We know our employees are the most important part of our team and that, ultimately, we are helping our patients and their families by taking care of their most valuable resource, their caregivers."

NEW NURSING POST: MCG Health Inc. has named Sharon Vincent to the position of director of nursing professional practice. She will be responsible for coordinating the health system's application for the Magnet Recognition Program. Magnet designation is the highest level of recognition given by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This designation affirms to the community that the facility has met or exceeded a standard of excellence.

Vincent holds a doctoral degree in leadership and education from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and a master's degree in medical-surgical and education from the Medical College of Georgia.

WOUND-CARE EXCELLENCE: Dr. Greg Schlegel, program director of the Wound Treatment Center at Gwinnett Medical Center, has earned the Certified Wound Care Specialist designation from the American Academy of Wound Management, a national interdisciplinary certifying board for health care professionals involved in wound care.

Team member Brenda Smith, RN, has earned the designation of Certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse, a certification held by an elite group of specialty nurses.

Marlene Fincher, RN, CWCN, COCN, received Gwinnett Hospital System's Clinical Excellence for Education Award. Chosen by peers, the winner of the award is someone who excels as a preceptor, mentor and patient educator. Every staff member at the Gwinnett Medical Center's Wound Treatment Center has earned certifications in wound care.

NURSE INVENTOR: La Monica Reynolds, RN, BSN, of Innovative Visions Unlimited, has invented a medical product being used in Atlanta and California. The TRAC-LINE is a small plastic piece with six individual holders that secures an IV line in each groove. It can hold regular IV and pressure tubing and attaches to the side of a hospital bed with a Velcro strap.

In an emergency situation, the TRAC-LINE will help a nurse quickly identify the IV line that will be compatible with certain medications, reducing errors and increasing patient safety. For more information, call 888-833-3263.

CONFERENCE ON DEMENTIA: Researchers and health professionals from Emory University and the community will meet to discuss the latest diagnosis, research and treatments for dementias during the annual Virginia Lee Franklin Conference. The conference will be held Feb. 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Select in Decatur.

The event is sponsored by Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and is co-sponsored by Wesley Woods Geriatric Hospital/Emory Healthcare, Emory's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

Costs are $15 for students, $30 for Emory faculty and staff, and $40 for the public through Feb. 17. Tickets are $50 and $60 at the door (space permitting). To register, call Di Shelburne at 404-727-8421.

IMMUNIZATION STUDY: Annual flu vaccination rates for health care workers are typically less than 45 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A new project led by the Emory Vaccine Center and the Southeastern Center for Emerging Biologic Threats is seeking to increase vaccine coverage among health care workers in metro Atlanta hospitals and to serve as a model for other areas of the country.

The project is one of five funded by the Chiron Foundation to promote public awareness and education about immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases. Influenza accounts for about 36,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations in an average year.

Begun late last year, the Emory project surveyed directors of employee health programs and directors of infection control at 12 metro-Atlanta hospitals. The goal was to understand current policies of vaccination of health care workers.

"By studying multiple institutions in one community, we hope to improve vaccine coverage in all the facilities by documenting which policies seemed to be the most effective," said Julie Gazmararian, Ph.D., MPH, project director and associate research professor in the Emory Center on Health Outcomes and Quality in the Rollins School of Public Health.