Using Your Cell Phone in the Mercy Library OR How to Set up WiFi Calling

The computer lab in the Mercy Library is nestled deep within the hospital with tons of concrete between it and the blue sky of the outside world.  Although it's a great place to wait out storms, it is not a good place for cell phone service.

If you are working in the computer lab at The Mercy Library, and need to receive a Duo Code from AIT on your phone to verify your identity ...

Don't despair! Here's the workaround:

1) On your cell phone, go into settings and turn on WiFi.

> Use the AH-AIA if you are an associate, or the Guest Wireless.

2) On your phone, turn on WiFi Calling.

Here's a handy (and short) video that explains what to do for iPhone and Android phones:

Library Access Issues Resolved for Legacy WFHC/WIGLE

The recent access issues experienced by the legacy WFHC/WIGLE region to our Ascension Wisconsin Library subscribed resources has been resolved.

If you previously had trouble accessing Clinical Key, Ovid ejournals or other AW Library resources while on site, please try again.  You should be able to get through to fulltext now.    

Sincere apologies for the inconvenience.  We know you depend on these resources for patient care.  

Thank you for your patience while we worked to troubleshoot and get it fixed.

Special Thank You to the WIGLE Associates who let me know there was a problem, and worked with us to share screens and troubleshoot with the vendor.  We could not have done it without you!

If you are still running into access issues with any of our AW Library resources, contact your Ascension Wisconsin Librarian: Michele Matucheski.  

Articles of Interest for Nursing - August 2025

Unfortunately, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins is no longer offering Nurses Choice / Recommended Reading.  Because this has been so popular with our AW nurses, I'm going to try to pick "articles-of-interest" from our Top Nursing Journals from the past few weeks. 

Suggest a Nursing Article:  If you read a great nursing article recently and want to share it here with your Ascension WI colleagues, contact Michele.Matucheski@ascension.org to have it included in a future ed. 

Kowalski K. The Future of Questions. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2025 Jul;56(7):267-269. doi: 10.3928/00220124-20250611-04. Epub 2025 Jul 1. PMID: 40591790.  Link to Article.

Foulk K, Latina A, Sanderson L. A retrospective review of fall prevention practices: Evolving strategies and sustaining change. Nursing. 2025 Aug 1;55(8):43-49. doi: 10.1097/NSG.0000000000000241. Epub 2025 Jul 21. PMID: 40685538.  Link to Article.

Online resources for National Immunization Awareness Month. Nursing. 2022 Aug 1;52(8):62. doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000839840.27685.03. PMID: 35866864.  Link to Article.

Bolen KL, Denn M, Duckworth K, Woodward J, Dennis CR. Building an Effective and Sustainable Alert Reduction Program. Comput Inform Nurs. 2025 Mar 31. doi: 10.1097/CIN.0000000000001299. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40164071.  Link to Article.

Mudallal RH, Al-Modallal HM, Al Hassan NF. The Impact of Nursing Information Literacy and Nursing Informatics Competency on Attitudes Toward Evidence-Based Practice. Comput Inform Nurs. 2025 Mar 5. doi: 10.1097/CIN.0000000000001272. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40043298.  Link to Article.

Bernhardt JM, Samost M. Transferable nursing skills that support nurse leader development. Nurs Manage. 2025 Aug 1;56(7):44-50. doi: 10.1097/nmg.0000000000000278. Epub 2025 Jul 31. PMID: 40730367.  Link to Article.

McClendon P, Espejel L, McGraw M. Healing circles: A practice of authentic connection and a path for nurse leaders. Nurs Manage. 2025 Aug 1;56(7):51-54. doi: 10.1097/nmg.0000000000000279. Epub 2025 Jul 31. PMID: 40730361.  Link to Article.

Dağcı M, Öztekin SD, Yeşiltaş S. Managing Sounds in the Operating Room: Improving Patient Care Using Active and Passive Noise Control. Orthop Nurs. 2025 Jul-Aug 01;44(4):225-230. doi: 10.1097/NOR.0000000000001109. Epub 2025 Jul 18. PMID: 40700762.  Link to Article.

Chambers SP, Slack SM, Carlson ML, Masching KJ, Rysavy MA. Optimizing Nurses' Time: Reducing Assessment Frequency in General Care. Am J Nurs. 2025 Aug 1;125(8):50-54. doi: 10.1097/AJN.0000000000000128. Epub 2025 Jul 24. PMID: 40702629.  Link to Article.

Colombo K.  Superbugs: The nurse's role in antimicrobial stewardship.  Nursing Made Incredibly Easy!  2025 July/August  23(4):16-24.    Link to Article.

Stathis C.    Nurse's guide to accurate blood pressure positioning.  Nursing Made Incredibly Easy!  2025 July/August  23(4):45-48.    Link to Article.

* These articles are licensed for Ascension Wisconsin, and not otherwise free-on-the-internet.

Ascension Wisconsin Library Services

* Questions about access, contact your Ascension Wisconsin Librarians: 

 Michele Matucheski        Kellee Selden

AORN Guidelines+: Ascension Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

 

[The following is text from a flier approved and provided by Ascension Nursing's Clinical Professional Development Dept.  See the original Flier.] 

Q: Can you share the slides from the recorded informational demo? 

A: Yes, click this link to access the demo presentation slides. 

Q: Can these resources be utilized for associates outside of the perioperative area? 

A: Yes! AORN CineMed Video Library and eGuidelines Plus can be used by any Ascension associate in the perioperative, procedural area, and beyond if applicable. 

Q: Who can access and take the periop 101 & 202 AORN courses on myLearning? 

A: Anyone can access these courses, however, they should only be completed by associates with manager/educator approval and if it is required for their position. 

Q: Can an admin assign specific CineMed videos to staff through mylearning? 

A: At this time, we do not have that capability, but are working with AORN for a solution. 

Q: If I have a nurse who is new to a specialty area, but not a new hire, would you recommend taking the periop 202 course for that specialty? 

A: Yes. 

Q: Why do I not see the AORN preparing for the scrub role course in myLearning? 

A: The scrub role course will open up once the orientation has launched. 

Q: Is there a way to track periop 101 completion progress in myLearning? 

A: At this time, you will only be able to see if an associate has completed the entire program. We are working on a solution. 

Q: In myLearning there is a periop care for the non RN: individual course and a student course. What is the difference between the two? 

A: The student course is an abbreviated course and appropriate for a student, while the individual course is much more in depth. 

Q: How to I download and open eGuideline Plus document since it is a Microsoft Word document? 

A: When opening a Microsoft document, a Google Workspace pop-up window will appear asking "open with." Select Google doc and the document will convert and become viewable. 

Q: If staff want to complete education for CEs, do they complete them through myLearning or do they have to sign up with AORN. If they have to sign up, do they have to pay? 

A: Yes, they will complete them in myLearning within the AORN CineMed Video Library. They do not have to sign up or pay on the AORN website. 

Q: Are there copyright issues to use any of the documents that are downloaded, edited, or presented? 

A: As long as “AORN” is cited as the source, using information from these resources is permitted. Refer to this myLearning Copyright course. 

Q: Are the videos downloadable? 

A: No.

Additional Questions? Contact Nursing@Ascension.org

AORN Resources Now Available across Ascension

[The following is text from a flier approved and provided by Ascension Nursing's Clinical Professional Development Dept.  See the original Flier.] 

Ascension now has enterprise-wide access to three key educational resources from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN): 

• Peri-op new hire courses
• eGuidelines Plus 
• and CineMed video library

Overview of new resources and how to access them 

● AORN eGuidelines Plus offers:

• 24/7 access to AORN Guidelines
• 300+ illustrated, step-by-step guides
• audit and gap analysis tools
• customizable templates
• and links to surgical procedure and surgical device instruction videos. 

• eGuidelines Plus can be found on the Ascension Nursing Intranet:
1. Navigate to the Ascension Nursing Intranet page. 
2. Hover over ‘Regulatory, nursing quality…’ and select ‘Library resources and services for nursing’ from the dropdown menu.
3. The link to AORN eGuidelines Plus is located in the list of databases. 

●  AORN CineMed video library is a comprehensive video platform offering continuing education for the entire surgical team. It features over 40 in-depth courses and more than 90 instructional videos to support all surgical associates. 

○ The AORN CineMed video library can be found on myLearning:

1. Navigate to myLearning and login. 
2. Type ‘AORN’ into the search box. 
3. Select ‘AORN CineMed Video Library Course’ and click ‘Start’ to choose a video course.

Clinical Key Content Updates - Summer 2025

The content of Clinical Key is constantly being updated.  Here are the  most recent highlights. Clinical Key Clinical Key Search Tips & Tutorials

ClinicalKey Content Updates: Summer 2025

ClinicalKey Content Update posts resume after delays in processing and delivery prevented them from moving forward last month.

Books Added – CK Global

• Anesthesia Secrets (Keech, Brian) 7th ed; ISBN: 9780443128226; Package/Collection: Anesthesiology; New edition (replaces 9780323640152); 

• Atlas of Abdominal Wall Reconstruction (Rosen, Michael) 3rd ed; ISBN: 9780443118500; Package/Collection: Surgery Extended; New edition (replaces 9780323374590); 

• Atlas of Interventional Pain Management (Waldman, Steven) 6th ed; ISBN: 9780443125669; Package/Collection: Pain Medicine; New edition (replaces 9780323654074); 

• Atlas of Orthoses and Assistive Devices (Murphy, Douglas) 6th ed; ISBN: 9780443121081; Package/Collection: Orthopedics Extended; New edition (replaces 9780323483230); 

• Ferri’s Clinical Advisor 2026 (Ferri, Fred) 28th ed; ISBN: 9780443117237; Package/Collection: Base Package; New edition (replaces 9780443117244); 

• Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology (Hall, John) 15th ed; ISBN: 9780443111013; Package/Collection: Medical Education Essentials; New edition (replaces 9780323597128); 

• Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases (Blaser, Martin) 10th ed; ISBN: 9780323934992; Package/Collection: Infectious Disease; New edition (replaces 9780323482554); 

• Mosby’s Dental Drug Reference (Jeske, Arthur) 14th ed; ISBN: 9780443125072; Package/Collection: Dentistry; New edition (replaces 9780323779364); 

• Pediatric Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease (Wyllie, Robert) 7th ed; ISBN: 9780443117602; Package/Collection: Gastroenterology & Hepatology; New edition (replaces 9780323672931); 

• Shackelford’s Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (Ahmad, Syed) 9th ed; ISBN: 9780443112966; Package/Collection: Surgery Extended; New edition (replaces 9780323402323); 

• Specialty Contact Lenses (Fadel, Daddi) 1st ed; ISBN: 9780323879293; Package/Collection: Ophthalmology; New to CK; 

Trouble with access? Try Remote Access to AW Library Resources via OpenAthens

Questions or comments, contact Your Ascension Wisconsin Librarians: 

 Michele Matucheski        Kellee Selden

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green - Interview on 99% Invisible   Podcast from 8 April 2025.

This is a fascinating interview with John Green about TB, "and how the world’s deadliest curable disease still thrives—and why everything, from [Taylor Swift] and cowboy hats to colonial borders, traces back to tuberculosis."

If you want to buy the book:

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

Art in Medicine - August 2025: Medieval Birthing Girdles

Birth Girdle

Early 15th Century, The British Library

Medieval Women in Their Own Words

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

  It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

Medieval Birth Girdles

Throughout history and across the globe, people have created talismans, good luck charms, and all manner of comforting items meant to help guide us through hard times. Often these talismans hold a spiritual meaning and are artfully crafted.  In the European Medieval period, religion proliferated every aspect of life and an industry sprouted up around the creation of such aides.

Recently an exhibit at The British Library entitled “Medieval Women in Their Own Words” highlighted the contributions of women throughout this era. One object on display is of note for the health humanities, a highly decorated and rare example of a birthing girdle. Used as protection during the Early 15th century extremely dangerous period of labor and delivery, such items were implemented in England prior to the Protestant Reformation and somewhat into the Modern era of the 16th century. However, a Medieval Women in Their Own Words recent analysis of one such girdle had shed light on just how the girdle was actually used.

“In the medieval era, medical problems that might be considered minor today—such as a breech birth, in which the infant’s feet, buttocks or both are positioned to be delivered before the head—could prove fatal for the mother and child, as Alixe Bovey wrote for the British Library in 2015. According to the Guardian, historians posit that childbirth was the main cause of death for English women between the late 5th and 11th centuries; the study notes that the neonatal mortality rate during this period was between 30 and 60 percent.” (Smithsonian)

With such a high mortality rate for both women and newborns, it is no wonder that for centuries patients, midwives and the religious authorities were desperate to find any way to prevent such outcomes. Where then did the practice of wrapping a girdle around a pregnant woman come from? Like so many aspects of the Medieval era, one needs only look to the Church for answers. In this case, the use of birth girdles stems from a connection to multiple female saints and Marian devotion, a practice of veneration of the Virgin Mary of this era. Specific imagery, colors, and excerpts from scripture used together in everyday items from this time period have their own field of study.

Such a lens can be applied to understanding the origins and development of this girdle.  “In ‘English Birthing Girdles: Devotions for Women in ‘Travell of Childe,’ Mary Morse examines the texts and images deployed of nine English birth girdles produced between the reigns of Richard II and Henry VIII. She sets out the perceived benefits of the objects; ‘In medieval England, women in labour wrapped birth girdles around their abdomens to protect themselves and their unborn children. These parchment or paper rolls replicated the “girdle relics” of the Virgin Mary and other saints loaned to queens and noblewomen, extending childbirth protection to women of all classes.’ The legendary relic of the Belt (or Girdle) of the Blessed Virgin Mary is today divided into three pieces, and is the only remaining relic of her earthly life. According to tradition, the belt was made out of camel hair by the Virgin Mary herself, and at her Assumption, she gave it to the Apostle Thomas.” (Ritual Protection Marks)

Lately, one extant birthing girdle went under the first thorough testing to ascertain if it had actually been worn during labor as well as during pregnancy. What researchers found was fascinating and included a possible lifespan for the tool as well as evidence of multiple uses.

“By gently rubbing the fragile girdle with an eraser, researchers were able to extract preserved proteins without damaging the parchment. Next, they compared their results with samples from a new piece of paper and an 18th century parchment. The girdle contained dozens of additional proteins. "There were traces of honey, milk, eggs, cereals, and legumes—and quite a bit more human proteins," Fiddyment says. Many of those, she adds, are specific to cervico-vaginal fluid, suggesting the birth girdle was used during labor itself, the researchers report today in Royal Society Open Science.” (Science.Org)

How birthing girdles may have been worn 

Drawing, 2021, Smithsonian

This specific girdle (labeled as Manuscript 632 in the above article) was dated to a creation around the late 15th Drawing century, and is comprised of sheepskin parchment. With such findings of human proteins, evidence suggests that the girdle was tied around the women who used it during the moment of childbirth.

As for the foods present, those are attributed to both dedicated diets of the patient as well as medical uses, honey being a common medicinal since ancient times. What can also be discovered from the scroll is how often it was touched, used, even clues as to how the parchment was folded and wrapped around the body.  "MS. 632's severe abrasions implies that it was often touched or kissed, and accords with widespread evidence of medieval votive practices, where an image was kissed or rubbed so frequently the image is worn and blurred [21].  Its narrow width (330.0 × 10.0 cm) suggests that it was intended to imitate an actual metal or cloth girdle that could be wrapped around a woman's body, with the strategic placement of particular prayers against her womb.” (Royal Society Publishing)

This birth girdle is rare. During the reign of Henry VIII the Dissolution of the Monasteries was enacted, the first wave of the Protestant Reformation in England. Such objects associated with Catholicism were appropriated by the crown and often destroyed. That same analysis which discovered the use of the girdle during labor also discovered the lifespan of this particular example, which abuts the Tudor dynasty which would make it illegal.

“The chronological window during which these proteins embedded on MS. 632 is cautiously suggested between 1475 and 1625. The birth girdle dates to the late fifteenth-century, at earliest, providing the first date. The end date is more difficult to determine. In sixteenth-century England, power fluctuated between Catholic and Protestant monarchs, each influencing birthing practices, including the use of birthing girdles [30]. Because birth girdles were targeted during the Dissolution, this girdle may have been quietly stored. If this is the case, the girdle's active years of use extend from roughly 1475 to 1536—only 60 years of use.” (Royal Society Publishing)

References:
Smithsonian Magazine
Royal Society Publishing
Science.Org
Ritual Protection Marks

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.