PARADIGM BYTES
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
August 8, 2008
PARADIGM DEFINED:
1) an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype.2) a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations, and the experiments performed in support of them, are formulated.
Our website...... http://paradigm97.blogspot.com/
MISSION STATEMENT
We believe that nurses need each other for support during the "lean and mean" days to help survive them. We offer research results and other ideas to enrich the nursing experience.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Please drop in . the Paradigm97 chatroom is always there....door open, lights on, waiting for you to come in. Check your Buddy List.....and invite your friends in for a little chat. Let me know if you want others involved. PARADIGM97
***~~~***~~~***~~~***
SNIPPETS
Overweight and Obesity in nurses, advanced practice nurses, and nurse educators ( A summary)
Purpose: To quantify the incidence of overweight and obesity in nursing professionals and assess nurses’ knowledge of obesity and associated health risks.
Data sources: A mailed survey to 4980 randomly selected registered nurses from one state in each of six geographic regions. Response rate was 15.5% (n = 760). Descriptive statistics were calculated for continuous variables; categorical variables were summarized with frequency counts.
Results: The grand mean body mass index (BMI) of nurses surveyed was 27.2. Almost 54% were overweight or obese. Fifty-three percent of these nurses report that they are overweight but lack the motivation to make lifestyle changes. Forty percent are unable to lose weight despite healthy diet and exercise habits. Only 26% of respondents use BMI to make clinical judgments of overweight and obesity. Although 93% of nurses acknowledge that overweight and obesity are diagnoses requiring intervention, 76% do not pursue the topic with overweight and obese patients.
Discussion: Many nurses provide weight-related health information to the public. These data suggest that they may benefit from continuing education on obesity and its risks. Because 76% of nurses do not pursue the topic of obesity with patients, they may benefit from education on pursuing sensitive topics during a professional encounter. Nurse practitioners may play a key role in the education of both patients and registered nurses....
Reference: Miller SK et al. - The grand mean body mass index (BMI) of nurses surveyed was 27.2. Almost 54% were overweight or obese. Fifty-three percent of these nurses report that they are overweight but lack the motivation to make lifestyle changes. Forty percent are unable to lose weight despite healthy diet and exercise habits. Only 26% of respondents use BMI to make clinical judgments of overweight and obesity. Although 93% of nurses acknowledge that overweight and obesity are diagnoses requiring intervention, 76% do not pursue the topic with overweight and obese patients. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-7599.2008.00319.x
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
FROM A MEMBER
I would appreciate your help with spreading the word about the opportunities. Bender Consulting has a deep commitment to employing people with disabilities. I did a radio interview with Joyce Bender, the founder, on her radio show "Disability Matters". I have been working with Bender for quite a while in
an effort to find more positions for nurses with disabilities. Donna
Bender Consulting is actively recruiting nurses with disabilities for Telephone Triage Positions
Immediate need for nurses in IN, CA, GA, CT, OH, TN , St. Louis and Denver area (positions are available in other states as well). Applicant must have a current RN license with no restrictions and be willing
to work 40 hrs/week at the job site. Excellent telephone/voice skills needed. Starting salary is 30,000 – 45,000 with full benefits paid by the employer.
Nurses need to call Brandon Kazmierczak at (412) 446-4451.
_BKazmierczak@benderconsult.com_ (mailto:BKazmierczak@benderconsult.com)
_www.benderconsult.com_ (http://www.benderconsult.com )
Donna Maheady, Ed.D., ARNP (561) 627-9872, (561) 776-9254 (Fax), (561) 776-9442 (TTY)
Founder and President (http://www.exceptionalnurse.com/ ) Donations accepted with "Exceptional" thanks! Author of Nursing Students with Disabilities Change the Course, winner of the AJN 2004 Book of the Year Award, available at _www.epbookstore.com_ (http://www.eplibrary.com/) and Leave No Nurse Behind: Nurses Working with disAbilities available at _www.iuniverse.com_ (http://www.iuniverse.com/) .
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
INTERESTING READING
Please remember that the REUTERS articles are usually good for only 30 days
ABSTRACT This quasi-experimental study aimed to identify the impact of a promotion programme on hand hygiene practices and its effect on nosocomial infection rates in a neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital in Thailand. The study populations were 26 nursing personnel. After implementing a hand hygiene promotion programme, compliance with hand hygiene among nursing personnel improved significantly from 6.3% before the programme to 81.2% 7 months after the programme. Compliance rate did not correlate with the intensity of patient care. Nosocomial infection rate did not decrease after the intervention, probably because of the multifactorial nature of infections. All participants agreed that promotion programme implemented in this project motivated them to practise better hand hygiene. This study indicated that multiple approaches and persistent encouragement are key factors leading to a sustained high level of appropriate hand hygiene practices among nursing personnel.
http://www.mdlinx.com/NurseLinx/newsl-article.cfm/2338330/?user_id=157159&email=rnfrankie@aol.com&news_id=414&subspec_id=59
*****************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... The smallest island with country status is Pitcairn in Polynesia,
at just 1.75 sq. miles/4,53 sq. km.
*****************
Workplace Safety and Needlestick Injuries Are Top Concerns for Nurses News release from the American Nurses Association
http://www.nursingworld.org /FunctionalMenuCategories/MediaResources/PressReleases/
2008PR/WorkplaceSafetyTopConcerns.aspx
****************
LONDON (Reuters 6/24) - Study shows benefits of "sunshine vitamin. People with a vitamin D deficiency are as much as twice as likely to die compared to people whose blood contains higher amounts of the so-called sunshine vitamin, Austrian researchers said on Monday.
Their study -- the latest to suggest a health benefit from the vitamin -- showed death rates from any cause as well as from heart-related problems varied greatly depending on vitamin D.
"This is the first association study that shows vitamin D affects mortality regardless of the reason for death," said Harald Dobnig, an internist and endocrinologist at the University of Graz in Austria who led the study.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSL2324003720080624?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
***************
Staff grocery store makes a difference at nursing home One weekend a couple of years ago, Barry Berman 's children were coming home from college. In preparation for their visit, his wife asked him to pick up extra boxes of cereal at the store on his way home. Unsure of what to buy, Berman grabbed six boxes and went to the checkout. When the bill came to $35, he couldn't believe it. This experience made Berman realize that buying something as basic as cereal might be a struggle for many employees at the Chelsea (MA) Jewish Nursing Home, where he has served as administrator for 30 years. "If an employee is making $18 an hour, [he or she] would have to work two hours to pay for the cereal I had just bought," he says. http://www.cltcmag.com/content_detail.cfm?content_id=214100
*****************
Wisconsin sets up wound care certification program The state of Wisconsin announced the development of a collaborative effort between multiple organizations to certify 200 of the state's registered nurses (RNs) in long-term care to become certified pressure ulcer specialists, according to a state Department of Health and Family Service press release. RNs will be able to sign up for week-long certification courses beginning in the fall. The cost will be $1000 per RN—the rest of the cost, calculated to be $2,500, is covered by the multiple organizations sponsoring this initiative. http://tinyurl.com/6hs2a3 (I really wish this were nationwide)
****************
Evaluation of Online Education About Diabetes Management in the School Setting ABSTRACT: There are a variety of initiatives to provide education to improve the quality of care for children with diabetes in the school setting. This study piloted and evaluated an online continuing education program for school nurses about diabetes management for children in schools using current practice principles. The evaluation determined if objectives of the program were met, if participants believed the education provided would enhance their ability to manage children with diabetes, and participants' opinions about the online delivery method. Nineteen participants were recruited from among school nurses unable to attend statewide face-to-face diabetes workshops. The majority reported that the objectives were met, and 91% reported the education would enhance their ability to manage students with diabetes. Whereas 33% preferred online continuing education, 17% preferred face-to-face education, and 50% were unsure. Because of the increasing prevalence of diabetes in children, it is important that school nurses have access to continuing education that provides current principles for diabetes management for children. The method of delivery should be determined by the learner's learning style preferences. http://www.mdlinx.com/NurseLinx/newsl-article.cfm/2297839/?user_id=157159&email=rnfrankie@aol.com&news_id=414&subspec_id=59
***************************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... Cats have 30 vertebrae (humans have 33 vertebrae during early development; 26 after the sacral and coccygeal regions fuse).
***************************
Stem Cells Might Treat Tough Fractures June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Adult stem cell transplants can help improve healing of fractures, a finding that may lead to new treatments for the 10 percent to 20 percent of people whose broken bones fail to mend, say researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Adult stems cells are specialized cells that can regenerate damaged tissue, but many patients lack sufficient numbers of these cells, which means they can't heal properly, the researchers explained.
The UNC team used adult stem cells to heal fractures of the tibia in mice. The bone marrow-derived stem cells were engineered to express insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which help bones grow in strength and size. The transplanted stem cells migrated to the site of the fracture and improved healing by increasing the bone and cartilage that bridged the break. ... http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/Stem+Cells+Might+Treat+Tough+Fractures.html?nlcid=pa06-25-2008 ********************
New Weapon for Fibromyalgia Only One Other Drug Cleared for This Common Condition The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has just approved an antidepressant to treat fibromyalgia.(cymbalta) Only one other drug, an anticonvulsant, has been specifically approved for this common chronic pain condition. Sometimes doctors prescribe other medications, such as painkillers or sleeping pills. The many other treatment options include exercise, nutrition, massage, heat and biofeedback. Learn more about fibromyalgia and its treatment, and the benefits and risks of antidepressants. And get advice from the Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Pain Issues Support message boards. http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/Cymbalta+Approved+for+Fibromyalgia.html?nlcid=pa06-25-2008
**********************
(Reuters 7/8 ) - Cancer Death drop tied to Education Levels Declines in death rates from the four leading types of cancer in the United States since the early 1990s have been driven largely by progress among college-educated men and women, researchers said on Tuesday.
The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, was the latest to illustrate how a person's health can be closely tied to socioeconomic factors such as education and income level.Declines in death rates from the four leading types of cancer in the United States since the early 1990s have been driven largely by progress among college-educated men and women, researchers said on Tuesday.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0830394220080708?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
**************
Human genome changes with age WASHINGTON (AFP) - Individual human genomes change throughout a person's life influenced by environmental or nutritional factors which may explain why illnesses such as cancer come with age, a study said Tuesday. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that the so-called epigenetic marks on the sequence of a person's DNA modify over the course of their life and the extent of such changes is similar among family members.
"We're beginning to see that epigenetics stands at the center of modern medicine because epigenetic changes, unlike DNA sequence which is the same in every cell, can occur as a result of dietary and other environmental exposure," said Andrew Feinberg, professor of molecular biology and genetics at the university.... http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080624/hl_afp/healthusgenome_080624200559
***************************
Internet-based care aids blood pressure control NEW YORK (Reuters 6/24 ) - Advice and medications delivered via the internet, along with home blood pressure (BP) monitoring, lets people with high blood pressure get their condition under control, researchers have report in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association.
Dr. Beverly B. Green, at the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues tested whether high blood pressure could be managed over the Internet without the need for visits to a doctor.
"Our demographic was middle-aged, working people for whom Web-based care is particularly convenient, particularly for reporting BP numbers and simple or structured communications," Green told Reuters Health.... http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080624/hl_nm/blood_pressure_control_dc
************************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... The highest point in Pennsylvania is lower than the lowest point in Colorado.
************************
The Los Angeles poetry magazine RATTLE has placed a remarkable "Tribute to Nurses" in its Winter 2007 issue. The 45-page tribute includes only work by nurses: 24 poems and four essays. The essays discuss the relation between nursing and poetry, and how the writer has come to pursue both. Calling this material a "tribute" almost does it a disservice.... http://www.nursingadvocacy.org/media/books/rattle.html
**************************
New Safety standards set for baby formula and nuts GENEVA (Reuters 7/1) - Diplomats in Geneva have agreed new limits for bacteria in baby formula and natural toxins in nuts, setting safety standards to apply for internationally shipped food, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday. At a meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint body of the WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), officials also set benchmarks for producing gluten-free foods.
Peter Ben Embarek, a scientist in the WHO's food safety division, said the adoption of the "landmark" code of hygienic practices for powdered formula could reduce contamination from two bacteria that can cause severe illness and death in babies.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSL0166682420080701?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
****************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... It's estimated that at any one time amount 0.7% of the world's population is drunk.
**********************
(Reuters 7/8/08) - Keeping a food diary -- a detailed account of what you eat and drink and the calories it packs -- is a powerful tool in helping people lose weight, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. The study involving 1,685 middle-aged men and women over six months found those who kept such a diary just about every day lost about twice as much weight as those who did not.
The findings buttressed earlier research that endorsed the value of food diaries in helping people lose weight. Companies including Weight Watchers International Inc use food diaries in their weight-loss programs.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0741885020080708?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*************************
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Teen pregnancies rose in the United States for the first time since 1991, the National Institutes of Health reported Friday.The new data also show that eighth-graders smoke less, according to the report "America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2008."
The report comes after a spate of high-profile teen pregnancies: that of 17-year-old TV star Jamie Lynn Spears, who recently gave birth to a daughter, as well as the pregnancies of numerous students at Gloucester High School in Massachusetts.
Federal health experts said they don't know why the teen pregnancy numbers went up from 2005 to 2006, and that not enough data have been collected to say whether it's a trend.
"It may be a blip in the data, and it may come down," Edward J. Sondik, Director of the National Center for Health Statistics in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said.... http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/07/10/teen.pregnancy/index.html
***********************
ACLU urges Congress to define medical privacy as patient control of electronic health records The American Civil Liberties Union today urges the House Energy and Commerce Committee to require patient control of medical records and compensation for privacy breaches to be a part of the standards set for converting to electronic patient records.... http://www.news-medical.net/?id=40219
**********************
Many Women Struggle with Uncontrolled blood Pressure (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one in three Americans suffers from high blood pressure -- more than 73 million adults.But half of them -- women -- face unique challenges in controlling their blood pressure.
For instance, women with high blood pressure are more likely to be obese and have high cholesterol levels. They're also less likely than men to meet target goals for their blood pressure. And they're also less likely than men to receive medications such as aspirin, blood pressure-lowering drugs or cholesterol-lowering drugs, compared to men, recent research found.... (http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20080716/hl_hsn/manywomenstrugglewithuncontrolled
August 8, 2008
PARADIGM DEFINED:
1) an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype.2) a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations, and the experiments performed in support of them, are formulated.
Our website...... http://paradigm97.blogspot.com/
MISSION STATEMENT
We believe that nurses need each other for support during the "lean and mean" days to help survive them. We offer research results and other ideas to enrich the nursing experience.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Please drop in . the Paradigm97 chatroom is always there....door open, lights on, waiting for you to come in. Check your Buddy List.....and invite your friends in for a little chat. Let me know if you want others involved. PARADIGM97
***~~~***~~~***~~~***
SNIPPETS
Overweight and Obesity in nurses, advanced practice nurses, and nurse educators ( A summary)
Purpose: To quantify the incidence of overweight and obesity in nursing professionals and assess nurses’ knowledge of obesity and associated health risks.
Data sources: A mailed survey to 4980 randomly selected registered nurses from one state in each of six geographic regions. Response rate was 15.5% (n = 760). Descriptive statistics were calculated for continuous variables; categorical variables were summarized with frequency counts.
Results: The grand mean body mass index (BMI) of nurses surveyed was 27.2. Almost 54% were overweight or obese. Fifty-three percent of these nurses report that they are overweight but lack the motivation to make lifestyle changes. Forty percent are unable to lose weight despite healthy diet and exercise habits. Only 26% of respondents use BMI to make clinical judgments of overweight and obesity. Although 93% of nurses acknowledge that overweight and obesity are diagnoses requiring intervention, 76% do not pursue the topic with overweight and obese patients.
Discussion: Many nurses provide weight-related health information to the public. These data suggest that they may benefit from continuing education on obesity and its risks. Because 76% of nurses do not pursue the topic of obesity with patients, they may benefit from education on pursuing sensitive topics during a professional encounter. Nurse practitioners may play a key role in the education of both patients and registered nurses....
Reference: Miller SK et al. - The grand mean body mass index (BMI) of nurses surveyed was 27.2. Almost 54% were overweight or obese. Fifty-three percent of these nurses report that they are overweight but lack the motivation to make lifestyle changes. Forty percent are unable to lose weight despite healthy diet and exercise habits. Only 26% of respondents use BMI to make clinical judgments of overweight and obesity. Although 93% of nurses acknowledge that overweight and obesity are diagnoses requiring intervention, 76% do not pursue the topic with overweight and obese patients. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-7599.2008.00319.x
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
FROM A MEMBER
I would appreciate your help with spreading the word about the opportunities. Bender Consulting has a deep commitment to employing people with disabilities. I did a radio interview with Joyce Bender, the founder, on her radio show "Disability Matters". I have been working with Bender for quite a while in
an effort to find more positions for nurses with disabilities. Donna
Bender Consulting is actively recruiting nurses with disabilities for Telephone Triage Positions
Immediate need for nurses in IN, CA, GA, CT, OH, TN , St. Louis and Denver area (positions are available in other states as well). Applicant must have a current RN license with no restrictions and be willing
to work 40 hrs/week at the job site. Excellent telephone/voice skills needed. Starting salary is 30,000 – 45,000 with full benefits paid by the employer.
Nurses need to call Brandon Kazmierczak at (412) 446-4451.
_BKazmierczak@benderconsult.com_ (mailto:BKazmierczak@benderconsult.com)
_www.benderconsult.com_ (http://www.benderconsult.com )
Donna Maheady, Ed.D., ARNP (561) 627-9872, (561) 776-9254 (Fax), (561) 776-9442 (TTY)
Founder and President (http://www.exceptionalnurse.com/ ) Donations accepted with "Exceptional" thanks! Author of Nursing Students with Disabilities Change the Course, winner of the AJN 2004 Book of the Year Award, available at _www.epbookstore.com_ (http://www.eplibrary.com/) and Leave No Nurse Behind: Nurses Working with disAbilities available at _www.iuniverse.com_ (http://www.iuniverse.com/) .
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
INTERESTING READING
Please remember that the REUTERS articles are usually good for only 30 days
ABSTRACT This quasi-experimental study aimed to identify the impact of a promotion programme on hand hygiene practices and its effect on nosocomial infection rates in a neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital in Thailand. The study populations were 26 nursing personnel. After implementing a hand hygiene promotion programme, compliance with hand hygiene among nursing personnel improved significantly from 6.3% before the programme to 81.2% 7 months after the programme. Compliance rate did not correlate with the intensity of patient care. Nosocomial infection rate did not decrease after the intervention, probably because of the multifactorial nature of infections. All participants agreed that promotion programme implemented in this project motivated them to practise better hand hygiene. This study indicated that multiple approaches and persistent encouragement are key factors leading to a sustained high level of appropriate hand hygiene practices among nursing personnel.
http://www.mdlinx.com/NurseLinx/newsl-article.cfm/2338330/?user_id=157159&email=rnfrankie@aol.com&news_id=414&subspec_id=59
*****************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... The smallest island with country status is Pitcairn in Polynesia,
at just 1.75 sq. miles/4,53 sq. km.
*****************
Workplace Safety and Needlestick Injuries Are Top Concerns for Nurses News release from the American Nurses Association
http://www.nursingworld.org /FunctionalMenuCategories/MediaResources/PressReleases/
2008PR/WorkplaceSafetyTopConcerns.aspx
****************
LONDON (Reuters 6/24) - Study shows benefits of "sunshine vitamin. People with a vitamin D deficiency are as much as twice as likely to die compared to people whose blood contains higher amounts of the so-called sunshine vitamin, Austrian researchers said on Monday.
Their study -- the latest to suggest a health benefit from the vitamin -- showed death rates from any cause as well as from heart-related problems varied greatly depending on vitamin D.
"This is the first association study that shows vitamin D affects mortality regardless of the reason for death," said Harald Dobnig, an internist and endocrinologist at the University of Graz in Austria who led the study.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSL2324003720080624?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
***************
Staff grocery store makes a difference at nursing home One weekend a couple of years ago, Barry Berman 's children were coming home from college. In preparation for their visit, his wife asked him to pick up extra boxes of cereal at the store on his way home. Unsure of what to buy, Berman grabbed six boxes and went to the checkout. When the bill came to $35, he couldn't believe it. This experience made Berman realize that buying something as basic as cereal might be a struggle for many employees at the Chelsea (MA) Jewish Nursing Home, where he has served as administrator for 30 years. "If an employee is making $18 an hour, [he or she] would have to work two hours to pay for the cereal I had just bought," he says. http://www.cltcmag.com/content_detail.cfm?content_id=214100
*****************
Wisconsin sets up wound care certification program The state of Wisconsin announced the development of a collaborative effort between multiple organizations to certify 200 of the state's registered nurses (RNs) in long-term care to become certified pressure ulcer specialists, according to a state Department of Health and Family Service press release. RNs will be able to sign up for week-long certification courses beginning in the fall. The cost will be $1000 per RN—the rest of the cost, calculated to be $2,500, is covered by the multiple organizations sponsoring this initiative. http://tinyurl.com/6hs2a3 (I really wish this were nationwide)
****************
Evaluation of Online Education About Diabetes Management in the School Setting ABSTRACT: There are a variety of initiatives to provide education to improve the quality of care for children with diabetes in the school setting. This study piloted and evaluated an online continuing education program for school nurses about diabetes management for children in schools using current practice principles. The evaluation determined if objectives of the program were met, if participants believed the education provided would enhance their ability to manage children with diabetes, and participants' opinions about the online delivery method. Nineteen participants were recruited from among school nurses unable to attend statewide face-to-face diabetes workshops. The majority reported that the objectives were met, and 91% reported the education would enhance their ability to manage students with diabetes. Whereas 33% preferred online continuing education, 17% preferred face-to-face education, and 50% were unsure. Because of the increasing prevalence of diabetes in children, it is important that school nurses have access to continuing education that provides current principles for diabetes management for children. The method of delivery should be determined by the learner's learning style preferences. http://www.mdlinx.com/NurseLinx/newsl-article.cfm/2297839/?user_id=157159&email=rnfrankie@aol.com&news_id=414&subspec_id=59
***************************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... Cats have 30 vertebrae (humans have 33 vertebrae during early development; 26 after the sacral and coccygeal regions fuse).
***************************
Stem Cells Might Treat Tough Fractures June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Adult stem cell transplants can help improve healing of fractures, a finding that may lead to new treatments for the 10 percent to 20 percent of people whose broken bones fail to mend, say researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Adult stems cells are specialized cells that can regenerate damaged tissue, but many patients lack sufficient numbers of these cells, which means they can't heal properly, the researchers explained.
The UNC team used adult stem cells to heal fractures of the tibia in mice. The bone marrow-derived stem cells were engineered to express insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which help bones grow in strength and size. The transplanted stem cells migrated to the site of the fracture and improved healing by increasing the bone and cartilage that bridged the break. ... http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/Stem+Cells+Might+Treat+Tough+Fractures.html?nlcid=pa06-25-2008 ********************
New Weapon for Fibromyalgia Only One Other Drug Cleared for This Common Condition The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has just approved an antidepressant to treat fibromyalgia.(cymbalta) Only one other drug, an anticonvulsant, has been specifically approved for this common chronic pain condition. Sometimes doctors prescribe other medications, such as painkillers or sleeping pills. The many other treatment options include exercise, nutrition, massage, heat and biofeedback. Learn more about fibromyalgia and its treatment, and the benefits and risks of antidepressants. And get advice from the Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Pain Issues Support message boards. http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/Cymbalta+Approved+for+Fibromyalgia.html?nlcid=pa06-25-2008
**********************
(Reuters 7/8 ) - Cancer Death drop tied to Education Levels Declines in death rates from the four leading types of cancer in the United States since the early 1990s have been driven largely by progress among college-educated men and women, researchers said on Tuesday.
The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, was the latest to illustrate how a person's health can be closely tied to socioeconomic factors such as education and income level.Declines in death rates from the four leading types of cancer in the United States since the early 1990s have been driven largely by progress among college-educated men and women, researchers said on Tuesday.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0830394220080708?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
**************
Human genome changes with age WASHINGTON (AFP) - Individual human genomes change throughout a person's life influenced by environmental or nutritional factors which may explain why illnesses such as cancer come with age, a study said Tuesday. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that the so-called epigenetic marks on the sequence of a person's DNA modify over the course of their life and the extent of such changes is similar among family members.
"We're beginning to see that epigenetics stands at the center of modern medicine because epigenetic changes, unlike DNA sequence which is the same in every cell, can occur as a result of dietary and other environmental exposure," said Andrew Feinberg, professor of molecular biology and genetics at the university.... http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080624/hl_afp/healthusgenome_080624200559
***************************
Internet-based care aids blood pressure control NEW YORK (Reuters 6/24 ) - Advice and medications delivered via the internet, along with home blood pressure (BP) monitoring, lets people with high blood pressure get their condition under control, researchers have report in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association.
Dr. Beverly B. Green, at the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues tested whether high blood pressure could be managed over the Internet without the need for visits to a doctor.
"Our demographic was middle-aged, working people for whom Web-based care is particularly convenient, particularly for reporting BP numbers and simple or structured communications," Green told Reuters Health.... http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080624/hl_nm/blood_pressure_control_dc
************************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... The highest point in Pennsylvania is lower than the lowest point in Colorado.
************************
The Los Angeles poetry magazine RATTLE has placed a remarkable "Tribute to Nurses" in its Winter 2007 issue. The 45-page tribute includes only work by nurses: 24 poems and four essays. The essays discuss the relation between nursing and poetry, and how the writer has come to pursue both. Calling this material a "tribute" almost does it a disservice.... http://www.nursingadvocacy.org/media/books/rattle.html
**************************
New Safety standards set for baby formula and nuts GENEVA (Reuters 7/1) - Diplomats in Geneva have agreed new limits for bacteria in baby formula and natural toxins in nuts, setting safety standards to apply for internationally shipped food, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday. At a meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint body of the WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), officials also set benchmarks for producing gluten-free foods.
Peter Ben Embarek, a scientist in the WHO's food safety division, said the adoption of the "landmark" code of hygienic practices for powdered formula could reduce contamination from two bacteria that can cause severe illness and death in babies.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSL0166682420080701?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
****************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... It's estimated that at any one time amount 0.7% of the world's population is drunk.
**********************
(Reuters 7/8/08) - Keeping a food diary -- a detailed account of what you eat and drink and the calories it packs -- is a powerful tool in helping people lose weight, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. The study involving 1,685 middle-aged men and women over six months found those who kept such a diary just about every day lost about twice as much weight as those who did not.
The findings buttressed earlier research that endorsed the value of food diaries in helping people lose weight. Companies including Weight Watchers International Inc use food diaries in their weight-loss programs.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0741885020080708?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*************************
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Teen pregnancies rose in the United States for the first time since 1991, the National Institutes of Health reported Friday.The new data also show that eighth-graders smoke less, according to the report "America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2008."
The report comes after a spate of high-profile teen pregnancies: that of 17-year-old TV star Jamie Lynn Spears, who recently gave birth to a daughter, as well as the pregnancies of numerous students at Gloucester High School in Massachusetts.
Federal health experts said they don't know why the teen pregnancy numbers went up from 2005 to 2006, and that not enough data have been collected to say whether it's a trend.
"It may be a blip in the data, and it may come down," Edward J. Sondik, Director of the National Center for Health Statistics in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said.... http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/07/10/teen.pregnancy/index.html
***********************
ACLU urges Congress to define medical privacy as patient control of electronic health records The American Civil Liberties Union today urges the House Energy and Commerce Committee to require patient control of medical records and compensation for privacy breaches to be a part of the standards set for converting to electronic patient records.... http://www.news-medical.net/?id=40219
**********************
Many Women Struggle with Uncontrolled blood Pressure (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one in three Americans suffers from high blood pressure -- more than 73 million adults.But half of them -- women -- face unique challenges in controlling their blood pressure.
For instance, women with high blood pressure are more likely to be obese and have high cholesterol levels. They're also less likely than men to meet target goals for their blood pressure. And they're also less likely than men to receive medications such as aspirin, blood pressure-lowering drugs or cholesterol-lowering drugs, compared to men, recent research found.... (http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20080716/hl_hsn/manywomenstrugglewithuncontrolled
bloodpressure)
***********************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... A pound of potato chips costs 200 times more than a pound of potatoes.
*************************
(Please note the previous item about teenage pregnancies lol )
Risky Sexual Behaviors Decreasing Among U.S. Teens THURSDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- In the past 17 years, there has been an overall decrease in risky sexual behaviors among U.S. teens, a new government study shows.
The rates of having sexual intercourse or multiple sex partners have been dropping, while the use of condoms has been increasing, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.
However, the rates of risky sexual behaviors among some groups, including blacks and Hispanic students, hasn't changed since the 1990s, according to this week's issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Progress has been made in the last 17 years in decreasing kids' risk for HIV- and STD-related infections," said study co-author Laura Kann, chief of CDC's Surveillance and Evaluation Research Branch in the Division of Adolescent School Health. "However, despite the positive changes, many students still engage in HIV- and STD-related risk behaviors." ... http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2008/07/31/hscout618020.html
*********************
Announcement From the National Nurse Organization - We are pleased to announce yesterday’s publication of “Nurses and the Public Say It Is Time for Change” Here is the direct link for those of you who subscribe to Medscape. http://cmsprepub.medscape.com/viewarticle/576695 This article is likely to reach several hundred thousand nurses who may not be familiar with the Office of the National Nurse initiative. Please share it with your political leaders to assure nurse-led prevention is a priority that is included in their healthcare platforms. Also, please be sure to vote in the Medscape poll, asking whether an Office of the National Nurse, similar to the Surgeon General’s position should be developed, and add your a comment of your own. ... www.nationalnurse.org
***********************
Viagra May Boost Female Libido in Some Cases (HealthDay News) -- The drug that turned around the sex lives of many older men has proven in a small trial to also help women on antidepressants who experience sexual dysfunction. The eight-week study found that Viagra, also known as sildenafil, helped women achieve orgasm.
"In this study population, sildenafil treatment of sexual dysfunction in women taking SRIs was associated with a reduction in adverse sexual effects," the study's authors wrote. Results of the study are in the July 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The lead author of the study, Dr. H. George Nurnberg, of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, in Albuquerque, declined to be interviewed for this article.
Selective and nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Effexor, comprise up to 90 percent of the 180 million antidepressant prescriptions filled in the United States each year, according to the study. But while these medications are very effective at treating clinical depression, one of their known drawbacks are sexual side effects .... http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/viagra-may-boost-female-libido-in-some-cases.html?nlcid=wh07-29-2008
*************************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... Oak trees do not have acorns until they are fifty years old or older.
**************************
NEW YORK (Reuters 7/14) - Scientists have found evidence that a mutation in a gene called CALHM1 that results in abnormal calcium signaling influences the risk of Alzheimer's disease, a devastating neurodegenerative disease that affects nearly 18 million people in the world.
"CALHM1 is an attractive new drug target," Dr. Fabien Campagne from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, told Reuters Health. "The design of drugs that activate CALHM1 could have a beneficial effect in patients who do not have the polymorphism (mutation), as well as in patients who carry the polymorphism."
The CALHM1 mutation is associated with the late-onset form of Alzheimer's disease. This form of the disease affects people age 65 and older and represents about 90 percent of Alzheimer's cases. The rarer early-onset inherited form of the disease affects people from about age 30 to 65.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL16744020080714?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
****************************
NEW YORK (Reuters 7/11) - Children adopted from overseas may harbor tuberculosis infection even if they test negative for TB upon arriving on US soil, a new report warns. "It's important to get that repeat tuberculosis skin test done so you don't miss those children with TB infection that could go on to develop disease," Dr. Mary Allen Staat of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center told Reuters Health.
People with latent (dormant) TB infection, she explained, are not sick and are not contagious, and treatment with a nine-month course of isoniazid will usually clear the infection. But once infection progresses to active disease, a person may become ill and can spread the disease to others. At this point, treatment is much more complex, requiring as many as four drugs.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children adopted from countries where TB is endemic be tested soon after they arrive in the US, and suggests that children who test negative be retested later on if they are malnourished, Staat and her team point out in an article in Pediatrics this month. However, they also point out that no specific evidence justifying this recommendation has been published.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL16726820080711?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
***************************
NEW YORK (Reuters 7/11) - Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG will suspend its HIV research because none of its pending medicines represent significant improvement over existing drugs, a company spokeswoman said on Friday.
"Research scientists currently working in HIV will be reassigned to other activities," Linda Dyson, a spokeswoman in Roche's U.S. office in New Jersey, said in an e-mail.
Dyson confirmed an e-mail sent on Wednesday to some activists informing them of the decision. In that e-mail, the company said it "decided to refocus our resources within virology on diseases in which we can deliver substantial improvements over existing medications."
The company said in the e-mail to some activists that it initially had been excited about the potential for drugs in pre-clinical testing, but it has "concluded that none would provide a true incremental benefit for patients compared to medicines currently on the market."
Roche said it would continue to support its molecular diagnostic tests and drugs already on the market, including the fusion-inhibitor Fuzeon.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1135940720080711?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*****************************
MOSCOW (Reuters 7/14) - Dozens of partygoers at an outdoor rave near Moscow last week have lost partial vision after a laser light show burned their retinas, Russian health officials said on Monday. Moscow city health department officials confirmed 12 cases of laser-blindness at the Central Ophthalmological Clinic, and daily newspaper Kommersant said another 17 were registered at City Hospital 32 in the centre of the capital.
Attendees at the July 5 Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Moscow, began seeking medical help days after the show, complaining of eye and vision problems, health officials told Reuters. "They all have retinal burns,... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSL1452972520080714?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*************************
Does Intestinal Resection affect the Absorption of Essential Vitamins, Minerals, and Bile Salts? An Overview of the Literature. Geraldine M. Lambert, RN, DBA, CWOCN
As the number of persons living long lives following ostomy and bowel resection surgery increases, so do their questions about the effect of surgery on chronic conditions commonly associated with aging. The literature was reviewed to evaluate current evidence about the effect of bowel resection on the absorption of vitamins and minerals and related health concerns such as osteoporosis, gallstones, and renal calculi. Present knowledge about the process of vitamin and mineral absorption in the intestine and clinical study results suggest that chronic inflammation and corticosteroid use may adversely affect absorption. In general, a history of bowel resection does not appear to increase the risk of developing osteoporosis, gallstones, or renal calculi and the body can adjust to losing significant sections of intestine. Strategies to help prevent the majority of long-term complications should be encouraged, including monitoring hydration and transit time, consuming low-digestible carbohydrates, and avoiding processed foods as well as agents with chelating properties. KEYWORDS: ostomy, nutrient absorption, osteoporosis, gallstones http://www.o-wm.com/article/8891
******************
Total Contact Casting as Part of an Adaptive Care Approach: A Case Study Karen Farid, RN, MA, CWON, CNS/ET; Mark Farid, MA, CO, BCP; and Claire M. Andrews, PhD, CNM, FAAN
Although total contact casting provides pressure relief and a moist wound-healing modality that allows patients to resume mobility while the wound is healing, it is not as widely used as it should be, in part because Board-certified pedorthists with relevant skills are scarce. As a result, clinicians may not appreciate the positive impact total contact casting has on the patient’s overall condition. This case study of a 75-year-old woman with a potentially life-threatening diabetic foot ulcer offers a comprehensive picture of pervasive physiological changes in a context of challenging comorbidities. This multifaceted case is presented against a backdrop of Sister Callista Roy’s nursing theory of adaptation and a total patient care approach to illustrate the cascading effects of diabetes on the patient’s well-being, as well as to show that total contact casting is not only an effective intervention in the management of the patient’s diabetic foot ulcer, but also a way to improve the patient’s overall condition by maximizing the benefits of mobility. KEYWORDS: total contact casting, Charcot foot, adaptational theory http://www.o-wm.com/article/8892
**************************
The Essentials of HIV: A Review for Nurses Journal of Infusion Nursing 07/28/08 Petroll A et al. - This article describes epidemiologic trends in HIV and reviews HIV transmission, testing, and treatment. It also discusses the risk of HIV transmission to healthcare workers from occupational exposures and reviews the principles of postexposure prophylaxis used to reduce the likelihood of HIV transmission in appropriate circumstances.... Full Text available at:
. http://www.journalofinfusionnursing.com/pt/re/jinfusionnurse/abstract.00129804-200807000-00009.htm;jsessionid=LJdV0vjLHGCDcG2v9lMhWqx9yZsZZn3hL7mYhyqGNPyH8prvTSdn!932896411!181195628!8091!-1
************************
CHICAGO (Reuters 7/21) - Drug restores speech in Alzheimer's; experts worry Alzheimer's patients given a popular rheumatoid arthritis drug showed seemingly dramatic improvements in a small study, but some doctors worried that the early findings will raise premature hopes in patients and their families.
The study, reported on Sunday in the journal BioMed Central BMC Neurology, involved 12 patients who had greatly improved language recall shortly after treatment with Enbrel, or etanercept, an anti-inflammatory drug co-marketed by Amgen and Wyeth.
"We often see verbal effects within a few minutes of the first dose," said Dr. Edward Tobinick, director of the Institute for Neurological Research, a private medical group inc., in Los Angeles, who led the study.Alzheimer's patients given a popular rheumatoid arthritis drug showed seemingly dramatic improvements in a small study, but some doctors worried that the early findings will raise premature hopes in patients and their families.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN2033413820080721?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
**********************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT...A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glsss to the top.
*******************
CHICAGO (Reuters 7/14) - People age 75 or older recover just as well as younger patients from knee or hip replacements to correct the ravages of arthritis, researchers said on Monday. The finding adds to a growing body of evidence that age is not a barrier to such surgery, though the investigators found that many patients are not well-informed about this. The poor, they said, are often shut out... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1443018220080714?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*************************
Hand-washing kits help train staff to do a thorough job University Community Hospital in Tampa is using Medline's new portable Hand Washing Competency Validation Kit to help train staff to wash their hands properly. The kit uses a fluorescent marker with a waterless sanitizer: Staff clean their hands then put them under a black light to see if they missed any spots. Nurse.com (7/14) http://include.nurse.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080714/FL02/107140030
*******************
Comparison of Forearm and Upper Arm: Automatic, Noninvasive Blood Pressures in College Students Internet Journal of Advanced Nursing Practice, 07/22/08 Schell KA et al. - Despite placing the forearm and upper arm at heart level and using the proper sized BP cuff, forearm BP was not interchangeable with upper arm BP in college students. This finding suggests that differences found in upper arm and forearm BPs in earlier studies were not due to older age, obesity, or poor health status. These findings suggest that further research is needed to identify predictors of significant forearm-upper arm BP differences so that advanced practice nurses and other practitioners can correctly interpret forearm BPs. Free full text @
http://www.mdlinx.com/NurseLinx/newsl-article.cfm/2335396/?user_id=157159&email=rnfrankie@aol.com&news_id=399&subspec_id=44
***********************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... By recycling just one glass bottle, the amount of energy that is being saved is enough to light a 100 watt bulb for four hours.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
HUMOR SECTION
***********************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... A pound of potato chips costs 200 times more than a pound of potatoes.
*************************
(Please note the previous item about teenage pregnancies lol )
Risky Sexual Behaviors Decreasing Among U.S. Teens THURSDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- In the past 17 years, there has been an overall decrease in risky sexual behaviors among U.S. teens, a new government study shows.
The rates of having sexual intercourse or multiple sex partners have been dropping, while the use of condoms has been increasing, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.
However, the rates of risky sexual behaviors among some groups, including blacks and Hispanic students, hasn't changed since the 1990s, according to this week's issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Progress has been made in the last 17 years in decreasing kids' risk for HIV- and STD-related infections," said study co-author Laura Kann, chief of CDC's Surveillance and Evaluation Research Branch in the Division of Adolescent School Health. "However, despite the positive changes, many students still engage in HIV- and STD-related risk behaviors." ... http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2008/07/31/hscout618020.html
*********************
Announcement From the National Nurse Organization - We are pleased to announce yesterday’s publication of “Nurses and the Public Say It Is Time for Change” Here is the direct link for those of you who subscribe to Medscape. http://cmsprepub.medscape.com/viewarticle/576695 This article is likely to reach several hundred thousand nurses who may not be familiar with the Office of the National Nurse initiative. Please share it with your political leaders to assure nurse-led prevention is a priority that is included in their healthcare platforms. Also, please be sure to vote in the Medscape poll, asking whether an Office of the National Nurse, similar to the Surgeon General’s position should be developed, and add your a comment of your own. ... www.nationalnurse.org
***********************
Viagra May Boost Female Libido in Some Cases (HealthDay News) -- The drug that turned around the sex lives of many older men has proven in a small trial to also help women on antidepressants who experience sexual dysfunction. The eight-week study found that Viagra, also known as sildenafil, helped women achieve orgasm.
"In this study population, sildenafil treatment of sexual dysfunction in women taking SRIs was associated with a reduction in adverse sexual effects," the study's authors wrote. Results of the study are in the July 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The lead author of the study, Dr. H. George Nurnberg, of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, in Albuquerque, declined to be interviewed for this article.
Selective and nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Effexor, comprise up to 90 percent of the 180 million antidepressant prescriptions filled in the United States each year, according to the study. But while these medications are very effective at treating clinical depression, one of their known drawbacks are sexual side effects .... http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/viagra-may-boost-female-libido-in-some-cases.html?nlcid=wh07-29-2008
*************************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... Oak trees do not have acorns until they are fifty years old or older.
**************************
NEW YORK (Reuters 7/14) - Scientists have found evidence that a mutation in a gene called CALHM1 that results in abnormal calcium signaling influences the risk of Alzheimer's disease, a devastating neurodegenerative disease that affects nearly 18 million people in the world.
"CALHM1 is an attractive new drug target," Dr. Fabien Campagne from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, told Reuters Health. "The design of drugs that activate CALHM1 could have a beneficial effect in patients who do not have the polymorphism (mutation), as well as in patients who carry the polymorphism."
The CALHM1 mutation is associated with the late-onset form of Alzheimer's disease. This form of the disease affects people age 65 and older and represents about 90 percent of Alzheimer's cases. The rarer early-onset inherited form of the disease affects people from about age 30 to 65.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL16744020080714?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
****************************
NEW YORK (Reuters 7/11) - Children adopted from overseas may harbor tuberculosis infection even if they test negative for TB upon arriving on US soil, a new report warns. "It's important to get that repeat tuberculosis skin test done so you don't miss those children with TB infection that could go on to develop disease," Dr. Mary Allen Staat of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center told Reuters Health.
People with latent (dormant) TB infection, she explained, are not sick and are not contagious, and treatment with a nine-month course of isoniazid will usually clear the infection. But once infection progresses to active disease, a person may become ill and can spread the disease to others. At this point, treatment is much more complex, requiring as many as four drugs.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children adopted from countries where TB is endemic be tested soon after they arrive in the US, and suggests that children who test negative be retested later on if they are malnourished, Staat and her team point out in an article in Pediatrics this month. However, they also point out that no specific evidence justifying this recommendation has been published.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL16726820080711?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
***************************
NEW YORK (Reuters 7/11) - Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG will suspend its HIV research because none of its pending medicines represent significant improvement over existing drugs, a company spokeswoman said on Friday.
"Research scientists currently working in HIV will be reassigned to other activities," Linda Dyson, a spokeswoman in Roche's U.S. office in New Jersey, said in an e-mail.
Dyson confirmed an e-mail sent on Wednesday to some activists informing them of the decision. In that e-mail, the company said it "decided to refocus our resources within virology on diseases in which we can deliver substantial improvements over existing medications."
The company said in the e-mail to some activists that it initially had been excited about the potential for drugs in pre-clinical testing, but it has "concluded that none would provide a true incremental benefit for patients compared to medicines currently on the market."
Roche said it would continue to support its molecular diagnostic tests and drugs already on the market, including the fusion-inhibitor Fuzeon.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1135940720080711?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*****************************
MOSCOW (Reuters 7/14) - Dozens of partygoers at an outdoor rave near Moscow last week have lost partial vision after a laser light show burned their retinas, Russian health officials said on Monday. Moscow city health department officials confirmed 12 cases of laser-blindness at the Central Ophthalmological Clinic, and daily newspaper Kommersant said another 17 were registered at City Hospital 32 in the centre of the capital.
Attendees at the July 5 Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Moscow, began seeking medical help days after the show, complaining of eye and vision problems, health officials told Reuters. "They all have retinal burns,... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSL1452972520080714?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*************************
Does Intestinal Resection affect the Absorption of Essential Vitamins, Minerals, and Bile Salts? An Overview of the Literature. Geraldine M. Lambert, RN, DBA, CWOCN
As the number of persons living long lives following ostomy and bowel resection surgery increases, so do their questions about the effect of surgery on chronic conditions commonly associated with aging. The literature was reviewed to evaluate current evidence about the effect of bowel resection on the absorption of vitamins and minerals and related health concerns such as osteoporosis, gallstones, and renal calculi. Present knowledge about the process of vitamin and mineral absorption in the intestine and clinical study results suggest that chronic inflammation and corticosteroid use may adversely affect absorption. In general, a history of bowel resection does not appear to increase the risk of developing osteoporosis, gallstones, or renal calculi and the body can adjust to losing significant sections of intestine. Strategies to help prevent the majority of long-term complications should be encouraged, including monitoring hydration and transit time, consuming low-digestible carbohydrates, and avoiding processed foods as well as agents with chelating properties. KEYWORDS: ostomy, nutrient absorption, osteoporosis, gallstones http://www.o-wm.com/article/8891
******************
Total Contact Casting as Part of an Adaptive Care Approach: A Case Study Karen Farid, RN, MA, CWON, CNS/ET; Mark Farid, MA, CO, BCP; and Claire M. Andrews, PhD, CNM, FAAN
Although total contact casting provides pressure relief and a moist wound-healing modality that allows patients to resume mobility while the wound is healing, it is not as widely used as it should be, in part because Board-certified pedorthists with relevant skills are scarce. As a result, clinicians may not appreciate the positive impact total contact casting has on the patient’s overall condition. This case study of a 75-year-old woman with a potentially life-threatening diabetic foot ulcer offers a comprehensive picture of pervasive physiological changes in a context of challenging comorbidities. This multifaceted case is presented against a backdrop of Sister Callista Roy’s nursing theory of adaptation and a total patient care approach to illustrate the cascading effects of diabetes on the patient’s well-being, as well as to show that total contact casting is not only an effective intervention in the management of the patient’s diabetic foot ulcer, but also a way to improve the patient’s overall condition by maximizing the benefits of mobility. KEYWORDS: total contact casting, Charcot foot, adaptational theory http://www.o-wm.com/article/8892
**************************
The Essentials of HIV: A Review for Nurses Journal of Infusion Nursing 07/28/08 Petroll A et al. - This article describes epidemiologic trends in HIV and reviews HIV transmission, testing, and treatment. It also discusses the risk of HIV transmission to healthcare workers from occupational exposures and reviews the principles of postexposure prophylaxis used to reduce the likelihood of HIV transmission in appropriate circumstances.... Full Text available at:
. http://www.journalofinfusionnursing.com/pt/re/jinfusionnurse/abstract.00129804-200807000-00009.htm;jsessionid=LJdV0vjLHGCDcG2v9lMhWqx9yZsZZn3hL7mYhyqGNPyH8prvTSdn!932896411!181195628!8091!-1
************************
CHICAGO (Reuters 7/21) - Drug restores speech in Alzheimer's; experts worry Alzheimer's patients given a popular rheumatoid arthritis drug showed seemingly dramatic improvements in a small study, but some doctors worried that the early findings will raise premature hopes in patients and their families.
The study, reported on Sunday in the journal BioMed Central BMC Neurology, involved 12 patients who had greatly improved language recall shortly after treatment with Enbrel, or etanercept, an anti-inflammatory drug co-marketed by Amgen and Wyeth.
"We often see verbal effects within a few minutes of the first dose," said Dr. Edward Tobinick, director of the Institute for Neurological Research, a private medical group inc., in Los Angeles, who led the study.Alzheimer's patients given a popular rheumatoid arthritis drug showed seemingly dramatic improvements in a small study, but some doctors worried that the early findings will raise premature hopes in patients and their families.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN2033413820080721?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
**********************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT...A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glsss to the top.
*******************
CHICAGO (Reuters 7/14) - People age 75 or older recover just as well as younger patients from knee or hip replacements to correct the ravages of arthritis, researchers said on Monday. The finding adds to a growing body of evidence that age is not a barrier to such surgery, though the investigators found that many patients are not well-informed about this. The poor, they said, are often shut out... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1443018220080714?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*************************
Hand-washing kits help train staff to do a thorough job University Community Hospital in Tampa is using Medline's new portable Hand Washing Competency Validation Kit to help train staff to wash their hands properly. The kit uses a fluorescent marker with a waterless sanitizer: Staff clean their hands then put them under a black light to see if they missed any spots. Nurse.com (7/14) http://include.nurse.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080714/FL02/107140030
*******************
Comparison of Forearm and Upper Arm: Automatic, Noninvasive Blood Pressures in College Students Internet Journal of Advanced Nursing Practice, 07/22/08 Schell KA et al. - Despite placing the forearm and upper arm at heart level and using the proper sized BP cuff, forearm BP was not interchangeable with upper arm BP in college students. This finding suggests that differences found in upper arm and forearm BPs in earlier studies were not due to older age, obesity, or poor health status. These findings suggest that further research is needed to identify predictors of significant forearm-upper arm BP differences so that advanced practice nurses and other practitioners can correctly interpret forearm BPs. Free full text @
http://www.mdlinx.com/NurseLinx/newsl-article.cfm/2335396/?user_id=157159&email=rnfrankie@aol.com&news_id=399&subspec_id=44
***********************
TODAY'S RANDOM FACT... By recycling just one glass bottle, the amount of energy that is being saved is enough to light a 100 watt bulb for four hours.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
HUMOR SECTION
These are from a book called Disorder in the American courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters that had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.
ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?
WITNESS: No, I just lie there.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?
_________________________________________________ _________
ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
__________________________________ ________________________
ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Were you present when y our picture was taken?
WITNESS: Are you shittin' me?
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Uh.... I was gettin' laid!
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS: Are you kiddin' me? Your Honor, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it?
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Guess.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney? WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you like to rephrase that?
_________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.
_________________________________________ __________________
ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!
_________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Huh....are you qualified to ask that question?
____________________________ _____________________________
And the best for last:
ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY : So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise..........
http://www.snopes.com/
www.nurse.com Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS CE481 ·1.0 hr
A Perfect Match: Preventing Blood Incompatibility Errors http://www.nurse.com/ce/CE481
Heart failure: Managing systolic dysfunction (1 contact hour) Sherilyn A. Serdahl, RN, MS, CNP
The effective management of systolic dysfunction includes medication, lifestyle changes, and comprehensive patient education.
Pheochromocytoma: A rare tumor in adults and children (1 contact hour) Eden Tsegay, RN, MS, FNP-C; Grace Anyango, RN, MS, FNP-C; Sharon L. Van Sell, RN, EdD, PAHM; and Marilyn Miller-Anderson, RN, C, PhD This rare, life-threatening tumor requires quick recognition and intervention, including aggressive preoperative treatment to reduce mortality.
ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?
WITNESS: No, I just lie there.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?
_________________________________________________ _________
ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
__________________________________ ________________________
ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Were you present when y our picture was taken?
WITNESS: Are you shittin' me?
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Uh.... I was gettin' laid!
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS: Are you kiddin' me? Your Honor, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it?
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Guess.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney? WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you like to rephrase that?
_________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.
_________________________________________ __________________
ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!
_________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Huh....are you qualified to ask that question?
____________________________ _____________________________
And the best for last:
ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY : So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise..........
http://www.snopes.com/
www.nurse.com Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS CE481 ·1.0 hr
A Perfect Match: Preventing Blood Incompatibility Errors http://www.nurse.com/ce/CE481
Heart failure: Managing systolic dysfunction (1 contact hour) Sherilyn A. Serdahl, RN, MS, CNP
The effective management of systolic dysfunction includes medication, lifestyle changes, and comprehensive patient education.
Pheochromocytoma: A rare tumor in adults and children (1 contact hour) Eden Tsegay, RN, MS, FNP-C; Grace Anyango, RN, MS, FNP-C; Sharon L. Van Sell, RN, EdD, PAHM; and Marilyn Miller-Anderson, RN, C, PhD This rare, life-threatening tumor requires quick recognition and intervention, including aggressive preoperative treatment to reduce mortality.
The danger next door: Methamphetamine (1 contact hour) Jason Clark, RN, CEN, PHRN
Crystal, glass, crank, ice, Tina. Patients who abuse methamphetamine add another dimension to nursing care. Here's making sure you're up to the challenge.
Beyond discharge: Impairment after critical illness (1 contact hour) Nancy Gruber, RN, BSN
Through assessment and education, we can help ensure that these problems are recognized, addressed, and perhaps averted.
12 months of unlimited CE from RN for a flat rate of $29.95!
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to: RNFrankie@AOL.com .
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.snopes.com/
the National Nurse's new website: http://nationalnurse.org/
American Medical Directors Association Delirium and acute problematic behavior in the long-term care setting. This updates a previously published guideline summary.
http://www.guideline.gov:80/summary/summary.aspx?view_id=1&doc_id=12379
Diabetes management in the long-term care setting. This updates a previously published guideline summary. http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?view_id=1&doc_id=12382
Pressure ulcers in the long-term care setting. This updates a previously published guideline summary.
http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?view_id=1&doc_id=12381
New Screening Tool for Dementia Checklist Gauges Ability of Older Adults to Perform Everyday Tasks Researchers have developed a quick and easy screening tool called Everyday Cognition (ECog), which can reveal changes in older adults' basic mental abilities over time based on information provided by the person's adult children, family members, or friends. By asking simple, but revealing questions relating to everyday life, the test can help doctors distinguish between adults with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20080702/new-screening-tool-for-dementia
*******************************************************
********************************************
*
MEDICAL RECALLS
*
*******************************************
******************************************************
FDA notified healthcare professionals that a BOXED WARNING and Medication Guide are to be added to the prescribing information to strengthen existing warnings about the increased risk of developing tendinitis and tendon rupture in patients taking fluoroquinolones for systemic use.
This risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture is further increased in those over age 60, in kidney, heart, and lung transplant recipients, and with use of concomitant steroid therapy. Physicians should advise patients, at the first sign of tendon pain, swelling, or inflammation, to stop taking the fluoroquinolone, to avoid exercise and use of the affected area, and to promptly contact their doctor about changing to a non-fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drug. Selection of a fluoroquinolone for the treatment or prevention of an infection should be limited to those conditions that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Fluoroquinolone
********************
Amgen and FDA informed healthcare professionals of modifications to certain sections of the Boxed Warnings, Indications and Usage, and Dosage and Administration sections of prescribing information for Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (ESAs). The changes clarify the FDA-approved conditions for use of ESAs in patients with cancer and revise directions for dosing to state the hemoglobin level at which treatment with an ESA should be initiated. Additional revisions to prescribing information that ESAs are not intended for use in patients receiving myelosuppressive therapy when the expected outcome is cure and when to initiate and discontinue ESA dosing will be forthcoming. FDA continues to encourage healthcare professionals to discuss with their patients before starting or continuing therapy with ESAs, the benefits of treatment with ESAs and the potential and demonstrated risks of ESAs for thrombovascular events, shortened time to tumor progression or recurrence, and shortened survival time.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#ESA2
**********************
EG Labs, LLC, notified consumers and healthcare professionals not to buy or use Viapro 375mg Capsules because one lot of the product was found to contain a potentially harmful undeclared ingredient, thio-methisosildenafil, an analog of sildenafil, a FDA approved product used to treat erectile dysfunction in men to enhance sexual performance. The undeclared ingredient may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take products containing nitrates. Consumers who have this product should discontinue using it and consult their healthcare professional if they experience any problems that may be related to taking Viapro. ... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Viapro
***********************
Genentech informed healthcare professionals that an increased number of complaints were received regarding damaged and broken vials of Herceptin 440 mg and BWFI (bacteriostatic water for injection) diluent. The affected vials are NDC# 50242-0134-68, List # 15534. There is a risk that damaged vials may lead to a loss in sterility, which can cause infections in patients.
Healthcare professionals should inspect cartons of the product for signs of leakage, cracks and other damage to the vials, observe the vials during reconstitution, and check for loss of vacuum in the vials. See the manufacturer's letter for specific details and recommendations, including instructions in the event a compromised vial is discovered.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Herceptin
********************
Levitronix CentriMag Extracorporeal Blood Pumping System: CentriMag Primary Console (with v200 Application Software) Levitronix and FDA notified healthcare professionals of a Class 1 recall of the Levitronix CentriMag Extracorporeal Blood Pumping System and Primary & Backup Consoles manufactured by Levitronix, GmbH, Zurich, Switzerland and distributed from January, 2001 through March, 2008. The Blood Pumping System is used to provide short-term extracorporeal circulatory support during cardiac and other types of surgeries. This device temporarily replaces the function of the heart and lungs in order to maintain the appropriate circulation of blood and oxygen levels in the body during the surgical procedure. A July 24, 2008 Levitronix device correction letter informed physicians not to use Valleylab Force FX-C or SSE2L electrosurgery devices with the CentriMag Blood Pumping System because use may result in stoppage of the pump and may cause serious injury or death. This recall action is an interim fix while the firm further investigates the source of the problem.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#CentriMag
******************
Genentech, Inc. informed healthcare professionals of reports of several cases of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA) in patients with solid tumors receiving Avastin in combination with sunitinib malate. Avastin is not approved for use in combination with sunitinib malate and this combination is not recommended. Twenty-five patients were enrolled in a Phase I dose-escalation study combining Avastin and sunitinib malate. The study consisted of 3 cohorts using a fixed dose of Avastin at 10mg/kg/IV every 2 weeks and escalating doses of sunitinib that included 25, 37.5, and 50 mg orally daily given in a 4 weeks on/ 2 weeks off schedule. Five of 12 patients at the highest sunitinib dose level exhibited laboratory findings consistent with MAHA. Two of these cases were considered severe with evidence of thrombocytopenia, anemia, reticulocytosis, reductions in serum haptoglobin, schistocytes on peripheral smear, modest increases in serum creatinine levels, and severe hypertension, reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome, and proteinuria. The findings in these two cases were reversible within three weeks upon discontinuation of both drugs without additional interventions. Healthcare professionals should report cases of MAHA or any serious adverse events suspected to be associated with the use of Avastin. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Avastin
*************************
Roxane Laboratories, Inc. informed healthcare professionals of the recall of two lots of Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Suspension, USP, 15 g/60 mL Unit dose bottles (NDC 0054-0165-51; lot 856396A Exp April 2010, and lot 856693A Exp May 2010), a product used to treat hyperkalemia. A sample of one of the affected lots tested positive for a strain of yeast, which could potentially affect immunocompromised patients. Symptoms of a yeast infection range from thrush, skin rash, and blood infections. If patients develop an infection they should consult their physician. Pharmacists should determine if any of the referenced product has been dispensed and retrieve it. Additionally, pharmacists and wholesalers of the product should discontinue distribution and use of the referenced lots immediately and contact the manufacturer regarding returning the product. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#SPSS
***********************
FDA informed healthcare professionals of the possibility that x-rays used during CT examinations may cause some implanted and external electronic medical devices to malfunction. Most patients with electronic medical devices undergo CT scans without any adverse consequences. However, the Agency has received a small number of reports of adverse events in which CT scans may have interfered with electronic medical devices, including pacemakers, defibrillators, neurostimulators, and implanted or externally worn drug infusion pumps. FDA is continuing to investigate the issue and is working with the manufacturer to raise awareness in the healthcare community. See the FDA Public Health Notification for a description of adverse event reports and recommendations regarding reducing the potential risk to patients. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#ElectronicMedical
Crystal, glass, crank, ice, Tina. Patients who abuse methamphetamine add another dimension to nursing care. Here's making sure you're up to the challenge.
Beyond discharge: Impairment after critical illness (1 contact hour) Nancy Gruber, RN, BSN
Through assessment and education, we can help ensure that these problems are recognized, addressed, and perhaps averted.
12 months of unlimited CE from RN for a flat rate of $29.95!
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to: RNFrankie@AOL.com .
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.snopes.com/
the National Nurse's new website: http://nationalnurse.org/
American Medical Directors Association Delirium and acute problematic behavior in the long-term care setting. This updates a previously published guideline summary.
http://www.guideline.gov:80/summary/summary.aspx?view_id=1&doc_id=12379
Diabetes management in the long-term care setting. This updates a previously published guideline summary. http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?view_id=1&doc_id=12382
Pressure ulcers in the long-term care setting. This updates a previously published guideline summary.
http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?view_id=1&doc_id=12381
New Screening Tool for Dementia Checklist Gauges Ability of Older Adults to Perform Everyday Tasks Researchers have developed a quick and easy screening tool called Everyday Cognition (ECog), which can reveal changes in older adults' basic mental abilities over time based on information provided by the person's adult children, family members, or friends. By asking simple, but revealing questions relating to everyday life, the test can help doctors distinguish between adults with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20080702/new-screening-tool-for-dementia
*******************************************************
********************************************
*
MEDICAL RECALLS
*
*******************************************
******************************************************
FDA notified healthcare professionals that a BOXED WARNING and Medication Guide are to be added to the prescribing information to strengthen existing warnings about the increased risk of developing tendinitis and tendon rupture in patients taking fluoroquinolones for systemic use.
This risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture is further increased in those over age 60, in kidney, heart, and lung transplant recipients, and with use of concomitant steroid therapy. Physicians should advise patients, at the first sign of tendon pain, swelling, or inflammation, to stop taking the fluoroquinolone, to avoid exercise and use of the affected area, and to promptly contact their doctor about changing to a non-fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drug. Selection of a fluoroquinolone for the treatment or prevention of an infection should be limited to those conditions that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Fluoroquinolone
********************
Amgen and FDA informed healthcare professionals of modifications to certain sections of the Boxed Warnings, Indications and Usage, and Dosage and Administration sections of prescribing information for Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (ESAs). The changes clarify the FDA-approved conditions for use of ESAs in patients with cancer and revise directions for dosing to state the hemoglobin level at which treatment with an ESA should be initiated. Additional revisions to prescribing information that ESAs are not intended for use in patients receiving myelosuppressive therapy when the expected outcome is cure and when to initiate and discontinue ESA dosing will be forthcoming. FDA continues to encourage healthcare professionals to discuss with their patients before starting or continuing therapy with ESAs, the benefits of treatment with ESAs and the potential and demonstrated risks of ESAs for thrombovascular events, shortened time to tumor progression or recurrence, and shortened survival time.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#ESA2
**********************
EG Labs, LLC, notified consumers and healthcare professionals not to buy or use Viapro 375mg Capsules because one lot of the product was found to contain a potentially harmful undeclared ingredient, thio-methisosildenafil, an analog of sildenafil, a FDA approved product used to treat erectile dysfunction in men to enhance sexual performance. The undeclared ingredient may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take products containing nitrates. Consumers who have this product should discontinue using it and consult their healthcare professional if they experience any problems that may be related to taking Viapro. ... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Viapro
***********************
Genentech informed healthcare professionals that an increased number of complaints were received regarding damaged and broken vials of Herceptin 440 mg and BWFI (bacteriostatic water for injection) diluent. The affected vials are NDC# 50242-0134-68, List # 15534. There is a risk that damaged vials may lead to a loss in sterility, which can cause infections in patients.
Healthcare professionals should inspect cartons of the product for signs of leakage, cracks and other damage to the vials, observe the vials during reconstitution, and check for loss of vacuum in the vials. See the manufacturer's letter for specific details and recommendations, including instructions in the event a compromised vial is discovered.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Herceptin
********************
Levitronix CentriMag Extracorporeal Blood Pumping System: CentriMag Primary Console (with v200 Application Software) Levitronix and FDA notified healthcare professionals of a Class 1 recall of the Levitronix CentriMag Extracorporeal Blood Pumping System and Primary & Backup Consoles manufactured by Levitronix, GmbH, Zurich, Switzerland and distributed from January, 2001 through March, 2008. The Blood Pumping System is used to provide short-term extracorporeal circulatory support during cardiac and other types of surgeries. This device temporarily replaces the function of the heart and lungs in order to maintain the appropriate circulation of blood and oxygen levels in the body during the surgical procedure. A July 24, 2008 Levitronix device correction letter informed physicians not to use Valleylab Force FX-C or SSE2L electrosurgery devices with the CentriMag Blood Pumping System because use may result in stoppage of the pump and may cause serious injury or death. This recall action is an interim fix while the firm further investigates the source of the problem.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#CentriMag
******************
Genentech, Inc. informed healthcare professionals of reports of several cases of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA) in patients with solid tumors receiving Avastin in combination with sunitinib malate. Avastin is not approved for use in combination with sunitinib malate and this combination is not recommended. Twenty-five patients were enrolled in a Phase I dose-escalation study combining Avastin and sunitinib malate. The study consisted of 3 cohorts using a fixed dose of Avastin at 10mg/kg/IV every 2 weeks and escalating doses of sunitinib that included 25, 37.5, and 50 mg orally daily given in a 4 weeks on/ 2 weeks off schedule. Five of 12 patients at the highest sunitinib dose level exhibited laboratory findings consistent with MAHA. Two of these cases were considered severe with evidence of thrombocytopenia, anemia, reticulocytosis, reductions in serum haptoglobin, schistocytes on peripheral smear, modest increases in serum creatinine levels, and severe hypertension, reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome, and proteinuria. The findings in these two cases were reversible within three weeks upon discontinuation of both drugs without additional interventions. Healthcare professionals should report cases of MAHA or any serious adverse events suspected to be associated with the use of Avastin. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Avastin
*************************
Roxane Laboratories, Inc. informed healthcare professionals of the recall of two lots of Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Suspension, USP, 15 g/60 mL Unit dose bottles (NDC 0054-0165-51; lot 856396A Exp April 2010, and lot 856693A Exp May 2010), a product used to treat hyperkalemia. A sample of one of the affected lots tested positive for a strain of yeast, which could potentially affect immunocompromised patients. Symptoms of a yeast infection range from thrush, skin rash, and blood infections. If patients develop an infection they should consult their physician. Pharmacists should determine if any of the referenced product has been dispensed and retrieve it. Additionally, pharmacists and wholesalers of the product should discontinue distribution and use of the referenced lots immediately and contact the manufacturer regarding returning the product. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#SPSS
***********************
FDA informed healthcare professionals of the possibility that x-rays used during CT examinations may cause some implanted and external electronic medical devices to malfunction. Most patients with electronic medical devices undergo CT scans without any adverse consequences. However, the Agency has received a small number of reports of adverse events in which CT scans may have interfered with electronic medical devices, including pacemakers, defibrillators, neurostimulators, and implanted or externally worn drug infusion pumps. FDA is continuing to investigate the issue and is working with the manufacturer to raise awareness in the healthcare community. See the FDA Public Health Notification for a description of adverse event reports and recommendations regarding reducing the potential risk to patients. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#ElectronicMedical
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
NURSING HINTS CORNER
No more numb tongues
When treating a patient's sore throat with an anesthetic antiseptic like chloraseptic, you can easily get some of the spray on the patient's tongue. then the patient's throat may feel better, but he has the discomfort of a numb tongue.
To prevent a numb tongue, invert the bowl of a teaspoon over the patient's tongue and then spray his throat. The spoon not only protects his tongue from the spray, but also depresses the tongue so you can see the area of the throat that is red and sore. Linda Barker, RN
Used with permission from 1,001 Nursing Tips & Timesavers, Third Edition, 1997, p. 60,
Springhouse Corporation/www.springnetcom .
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
ADVERTISEMENTS
from the members
This ad is from Decubqueen (Gerry)..........Accu-RulerAccurate wound measurement designed by nurses, for nurses. Now carrying wound care and first-aid supplies at prices you can afford.Visit us at http://www.accu-ruler.com/ .
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
This ad is from: GShort @AOL.com (Gwen) These are great little cakes ! http://www.delightfulgreetingcakes.com/worldsgreatest.php
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
This ad is from Wendie (The Inservice guru)
The eLifeCard can save your life when seconds count! Carry this life-saving card in your wallet in case of emergency at home, at work, at school, traveling, or on vacation! NEW online estate planning system membership makes it possible for you to buy, upload, change and securely store your health care directive, allergies and medication lists, emergency contacts, and more. Exceptional package of other benefits. Give yourself and your family the gift of peace of mind. For FREE information, email name & phone number. All responses kept confidential and answered promptly.
Wendie Howland, CEO Miracle Group TFN Affiliate #10136
508-564-9556 (office) 915-990-1367 (fax)
whowland1@mac.com www.thefoundationnetwork.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
NEW MEMBERS
No new members this issue
Please send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
NOTICE:
I attempt to send newsletters to your current email addresses on file and if the newsletters are rejected THREE consecutive times, I must then delete the email address until you contact me with an updated email address; I have no way to reach you without a correct email address....You could always send me your Home number.......lol So please send me your new name/address, ok? RNFrankie@AOL.com
OLD ADDRESS: mharris555@cs.com
NEW ADDRESS: mharris555@comcast.net
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
EDITORIAL STAFF:
GingerMyst @AOL.com (Anne), GALLO RN @AOL.com (Sue), HSears9868 @AOL.com (Bonnie), Laregis @AOL.com (Laura), Mrwrn @AOL.com (Miriam), and Schulthe @AOL.com (Susan)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
PARADIGM 97 CO-FOUNDERS:
MarGerlach@AOL.com (Marlene) and RNFrankie@AOL.com (Frankie)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
DISCLAIMER: The intent of this PARADIGM BYTES Newsletter is to provide communication and information for our members. Please research the hyperlinks and information provided by our members. The articles and web sites are not personally endorsed by the editors, nor do the articles necessarily reflect the staff's views.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“For we who nurse, our nursing is something which,
unless we are making progress every year, every month, every
week, we are going back. No system shall endure which does not march.”
Florence Nightingale
Hope to see you online..... Frankie
(RNFrankie@AOL.com)
NURSING HINTS CORNER
No more numb tongues
When treating a patient's sore throat with an anesthetic antiseptic like chloraseptic, you can easily get some of the spray on the patient's tongue. then the patient's throat may feel better, but he has the discomfort of a numb tongue.
To prevent a numb tongue, invert the bowl of a teaspoon over the patient's tongue and then spray his throat. The spoon not only protects his tongue from the spray, but also depresses the tongue so you can see the area of the throat that is red and sore. Linda Barker, RN
Used with permission from 1,001 Nursing Tips & Timesavers, Third Edition, 1997, p. 60,
Springhouse Corporation/www.springnetcom .
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
ADVERTISEMENTS
from the members
This ad is from Decubqueen (Gerry)..........Accu-RulerAccurate wound measurement designed by nurses, for nurses. Now carrying wound care and first-aid supplies at prices you can afford.Visit us at http://www.accu-ruler.com/ .
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
This ad is from: GShort @AOL.com (Gwen) These are great little cakes ! http://www.delightfulgreetingcakes.com/worldsgreatest.php
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
This ad is from Wendie (The Inservice guru)
The eLifeCard can save your life when seconds count! Carry this life-saving card in your wallet in case of emergency at home, at work, at school, traveling, or on vacation! NEW online estate planning system membership makes it possible for you to buy, upload, change and securely store your health care directive, allergies and medication lists, emergency contacts, and more. Exceptional package of other benefits. Give yourself and your family the gift of peace of mind. For FREE information, email name & phone number. All responses kept confidential and answered promptly.
Wendie Howland, CEO Miracle Group TFN Affiliate #10136
508-564-9556 (office) 915-990-1367 (fax)
whowland1@mac.com www.thefoundationnetwork.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
NEW MEMBERS
No new members this issue
Please send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
NOTICE:
I attempt to send newsletters to your current email addresses on file and if the newsletters are rejected THREE consecutive times, I must then delete the email address until you contact me with an updated email address; I have no way to reach you without a correct email address....You could always send me your Home number.......lol So please send me your new name/address, ok? RNFrankie@AOL.com
OLD ADDRESS: mharris555@cs.com
NEW ADDRESS: mharris555@comcast.net
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EDITORIAL STAFF:
GingerMyst @AOL.com (Anne), GALLO RN @AOL.com (Sue), HSears9868 @AOL.com (Bonnie), Laregis @AOL.com (Laura), Mrwrn @AOL.com (Miriam), and Schulthe @AOL.com (Susan)
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PARADIGM 97 CO-FOUNDERS:
MarGerlach@AOL.com (Marlene) and RNFrankie@AOL.com (Frankie)
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DISCLAIMER: The intent of this PARADIGM BYTES Newsletter is to provide communication and information for our members. Please research the hyperlinks and information provided by our members. The articles and web sites are not personally endorsed by the editors, nor do the articles necessarily reflect the staff's views.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“For we who nurse, our nursing is something which,
unless we are making progress every year, every month, every
week, we are going back. No system shall endure which does not march.”
Florence Nightingale
Hope to see you online..... Frankie
(RNFrankie@AOL.com)
