In the New York Times (7/6) “Well” blog, Pauline W. Chen, MD, writes that despite the physical demands of nursing, “there are few work-based resources for nurses who are ill or depressed. Few hospitals have preventive programs that mandate, for example, safe patient lifting practices or policies that support nurses who may be temporarily disabled.” Meanwhile, “nurse managers often have little training in how to handle nurses with health problems, and many staff nurses themselves are unaware of how they might recognize and help a colleague whose work is impaired by illness.”

Related Links:

— “When It’s the Nurse Who Needs Looking After, “Pauline W. Chen, M.D., The New York Times, July 5, 2012.

In continuing coverage, the NPR (7/6) website posted audio of a “Morning Edition” story noting that a “Veterans Affairs hospital in Milwaukee has begun recruiting for additional mental health” professionals. The recruitment is “part of a nationwide” VA “effort to bring on about 1,600 new psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers to reduce wait times for treatment.” NPR notes that VA “says it will be aggressive in recruiting candidates for the new mental health positions and hopes to have most on board within six months.”

Official To Senators: VA Is Hiring More Mental Health Professionals. American Medical News (7/6, Fiegl) reports, “Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Patty Murray (D, Wash.) has introduced legislation that would require more oversight of federal suicide prevention programs” and that “would expand mental health coverage to family members of servicemen and women to help them cope with deployments.” Murray’s “committee held a June 27 hearing to discuss the Mental Health Access to Continued Care and Enhancement of Support Services and several other pieces of legislation. The VA has taken steps to improve access, said Madhulika Agarwal, MD, MPH, the VA deputy undersecretary for health policy and services,” who noted that VA has launched an initiative to hire more mental health professionals.

Related Links:

— “VA Hospital Recruits Mental Health Providers, “Erin Toner, NPR, July 5, 2012.

MedWire (7/6, Cowen) reports, “Suicidal behavior is common among young people with bipolar disorder (BD), with around one in five attempting to take their own lives,” according to a study published online in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The 413-patient study also revealed that “increased depression severity and a family history of depression are the most significant predictors for suicide attempts in young people with the mood disorder.”

Related Links:

— “Suicide attempts common in young bipolar patients, “Mark Cowen, MedWire News, July 5, 2012.

HealthDay (7/4, Dallas) reported, “Students with visible disabilities and those receiving special education services for behavioral problems are at greater risk of being bullied and of bullying others,” according to a study published June 27 in the Journal of School Psychology. In the study of “more than 800 special-ed and general-ed students between the ages of nine and 16 from nine different schools,” researchers found that “not only were special-ed students at greater risk for being bullied or bullying others,” but also that “students with visible or more obvious disabilities, such as language or hearing impairments or mild mental handicaps, were victimized most often.”

Related Links:

— “Special-Ed Students at Greater Risk of Bullying, Being Bullied: Study, “Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay, July 3, 2012.

The Washington Post (7/5, Kliff) “Wonkblog” reports, “Health care spending for 14- to 18-year-olds has grown faster than any other age group with private coverage.” The blog post explains that according to a report from the Health Care Cost Institute, one of the factors driving up health spending for teenagers is “the increased use of mental health services. In 2010, the average teenager was prescribed 1.2 central nervous system drugs, which treat conditions like depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.”

Related Links:

— “Maybe we should blame teenagers for our health spending problems, “Sarah Kliff, The Washington Post, July 3, 2012.