(This is a weird Snippet...but an interesting one--- I am old enuf to remember being told to mix the orange powder into the white margarine to make it look like butter! )
Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it?
DO YOU KNOW.. The difference between margarine and butter?
Both have the same amount of calories. Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams; compared to 5 grams for margarine. Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter,
according to a recent Harvard Medical Study. Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods. Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and only because they are added!
Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods. Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years .
And now, for Margarine.. Very High in Trans fatty acids. Triples risk of coronary heart disease. Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)
Increases the risk of cancers up to five times.. Lowers quality of breast milk. Decreases immune response.
Decreases insulin response.
And here's the most disturbing fact.... HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!
Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC... and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT
These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).
You can try this yourself: Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:
* no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)
* it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value ; nothing will grow on it. Even those
teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic . Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
December 2011 PARADIGM BYTES
PARADIGM BYTES
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
December 12, 2011
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/ Please copy, paste, and bookmark it.
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.
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SNIPPETS
(I saw this on a list-serve, and wanted to share) It is great being a nurse (at least most days) , isn't it?
Dear Sugar,
In March 2004, my daughter Emily died 4 days after she was born, because of an overworked labor and delivery team and their errors,
plural – one of those “all the holes in the Swiss cheese lined up” stories. During her life she was in a lot of pain. She could not hear, see,
move or swallow her own saliva. After we made the terrible decision to take her off life support she fought for her life for 12 hours. I cannot
honestly say this is a story where she taught me to live better or anything like that. The death of a child is only a tragedy. And yet, there was a
nurse in the NICU who stubbornly, stoically, referred to my husband and I – first-time parents – as mum and dad; who told us we had better
change her diaper, even when she was dying, and critiqued our technique. Who invited us to give her her first and last bath. Who told us we
were good parents. Who made the unthinkable and abnormal into two parents caring for their child.
What she didn’t know is that we had been trying to have a child for 8 years. And the reason it had taken that long is that my uterus was
scarred from childhood abuse. And that I had learned never to expect a helping hand, and then had done therapy to overcome that, and then
had been so terribly let down by our L&D team. I would have lain down and given up, I think, had that nurse not reached out to me with the
exact right words at the exact right time.
Eighteen months later we had my son, now 6. This year we welcomed our second son. Our family still is missing my little girl, but it feels complete. I am incredibly, joyfully, happy. It is amazing the difference it makes sometimes when someone just reaches into the heart of your experience and names it, and sits there with you in it. Jenn
To see this in context of where/why it was written:
http://therumpus.net/2011/11/dear-sugar-the-rumpus-advice-column-90-94-ways-of-saying-thank-you/
The contributor wrote: "This is the best advice column I have ever read".
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Surprising Health Woes of Getting Older Aging is a fact of life, and with it come certain senior health issues. Many people worry about cognitive decline and weaker bones, but there are other, lesser-known concerns, too. That’s why it’s important for everyone to do what they can to encourage healthy aging.
“The rate at which we experience change tends to be quite individual, often based on lifestyle choices, genetics, and environmental factors,” explains Evelyn Fitzwater, DSN, RN, associate director of the Center for Aging With Dignity at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing. The sequence of change, however, is similar for all of us. Here are some of the more surprising health effects you should expect.
A Change in Taste
One of the many senior health problems not often discussed is a decline in taste buds. We are each born with approximately 9,000 taste buds, but that number starts to decrease between the ages 40 and 50 in women and 50 and 60 in men. The result is that people need greater taste stimulation to experience the four flavors of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Salty and sweet tastes tend to be lost first, with bitter and sour following along behind. Experts aren’t exactly sure what causes this, though some think it is related to disease, smoking, and environmental exposures.
Multitasking Challenges
In a world where we expect even our phones to juggle duties — make a call, surf the Web, provide GPS directions! — it might seem inefficient to turn all your focus on one thing. But as you get older, you may find yourself having to do just that. “Multitasking is a complex cognitive task that relies on a number of our brain’s functions, including attention, executive functions, and working memory, among others,” says Jena Kravitz, PsyD, a clinical neuropsychologist at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. “At a basic level, the ability to multitask relies on how quickly and efficiently our brain can switch between tasks while blocking out distraction and maintaining focus.” It’s important to be aware, though, that this difficulty is usually a result of natural healthy aging and is not necessarily indicative of serious cognitive decline.
Drier Skin
Even with healthy aging, skin becomes thinner, less elastic, and more wrinkle-prone. It also may be drier than it used to be. With less oil and fewer sweat glands than in younger years, skin is not as well moisturized and protected, which can cause itching and cracking. You should be able to soothe the dryness with a rich moisturizing cream or ointment. However, sometimes dry skin is a symptom of a thyroid problem or an illness such as diabetes or kidney disease, so check with your doctor if the condition does not improve.
Visual Disturbances
Senior health problems can include a variety of issues with the eyes and eyesight, including cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. “According to research, by the time we turn 60, our pupils decrease to about one-third their normal size,” Fitzwater says. “The pupil of the eye also becomes less responsive to changes in light, making it difficult to see in the dark. And the lens of the eye gradually thickens and yellows.” These changes may result in difficulty noticing detail and a reduction in peripheral vision. Seeing your eye doctor regularly is essential to maintaining your vision as you age.
Difficulty Finding Words
Another aspect of senior health is difficulty finding the right word during conversations, a situation some people begin to experience in their forties or fifties. “Our brain retrieves words in a similar manner as it retrieves memories,” Kravitz says. “As we get older, some people’s retrieval mechanisms become slower, and this can manifest in a noticeable change in word-finding.”
Balance Issues
One obstacle to healthy aging can be problems with balance. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one in three adults over age 65 falls each year. In many cases, an issue with the inner ear is the culprit, though the brain, heart, or even certain medications could also be the cause. If you’re experiencing this, see your doctor for an evaluation.
Decreased Sense of Smell
As with taste, your sense of smell can decrease after age 60, even if you're aging in a healthy way. While a number of reasons could be behind this, a declining sense of smell linked to aging is called presbyosmia. This type of sensory loss cannot be prevented. However, in some cases, a decreased sense of smell is not a result of aging but a side effect of medications, so check with your doctor to make sure this isn’t the case.
Slower Processing Speeds and Delayed Reflexes
Though the ability to remember should not be significantly different in in someone who is healthy and aging, you may find that you process information more slowly as you get older. Don’t be alarmed, though: It's not necessarily an indication of serious cognitive decline. “Processing speed, or the rate at which we process new information, is susceptible to age-related changes, and most older adults do report a slowing down,” Kravitz says. “This is most often observed in older adults who drive and is almost always the cause of fender-benders or minor accidents with the mailbox while backing out of the driveway.”
http://www.everydayhealth.com/senior-health-pictures/surprising-health-woes-of-getting-older.aspx?xid=aol_eh-senior_1_2011121_&aolcat=HLT&ncid=webmail7#/slide-9
(Ain't Life Grand?)
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INTERESTING READING
Please remember that the REUTERS articles usually good for only 30 days
Price of heart failure ---Low income raises HF risk The odds of suffering heart failure appear to be higher in seniors with a low income, even among those with a college or higher education, according to research presented last week at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2011 in Orlando. "As far as the risk of developing heart failure is concerned, lower education may not matter if a person is able to maintain a high income in later years," said Ali Ahmed, MD, MPH, senior researcher and the director of the Geriatric Heart Failure Clinics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Birmingham VA Medical Center.
The researchers said the study is the first to link low income with an increased risk of heart failure in Medicare-eligible community-dwelling older men and women.
The researchers said they were surprised by the influence of income on heart failure risk in a population where nearly everyone has health insurance that provides care for major heart failure risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease. Although both poorer and well-off people benefit from the Medicare program, there may be certain differences that expose the poor to suboptimal care for major heart failure risk factors.
http://news.nurse.com/article/20111128/NATIONAL01/311280004
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Survey: U.S. doctors disagree on pregnancy start (Reuters) - Most U.S. doctors believe pregnancy starts when the sperm fertilizes the egg, a survey shows, contradicting the position of a key medical group with a view that could potentially affect U.S. policy and laws regarding contraception and research.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), the leading organization for this field of medicine, defines pregnancy as beginning when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus, roughly a week after fertilization.
"People say that the medical profession has settled on this," said Farr Curlin, senior author of the study, which appeared in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a professor at the University of Chicago. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/18/us-pregnancy-idUSTRE7AH0FD20111118?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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FDA Revokes Approval of Avastin for Breast Cancer Drug isn't safe or effective for women with metastatic disease, agency says
FRIDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Saying the risks outweigh the benefits in patients with advanced breast cancer, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said on Friday that the agency has rescinded its approval of the cancer drug Avastin for that use.
Avastin (bevacizumab), however, will remain available for treating some types of colon, lung, kidney and brain cancer.
"Today, I am revoking the FDA's approval of the breast cancer indication for Avastin after concluding that the drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for that use," Hamburg said during a late morning press conference. ... http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=659083
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New Stent Type Has Rare But Potentially Serious Problem, FDA Investigates The FDA says it is working with drug-eluting stent makers to better understand what makes the devices shrink or become deformed on rare occasions. A drug-eluting stent is a scaffold placed into narrowed, diseased peripheral or coronary arteries; it releases a medication to block cell proliferation, which helps prevent eventual reclogging of the blood vessel. The DES (drug-eluting stent) is placed during an angioplasty procedure. ... http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/237999.php
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HIV numbers hit new high as AIDS drugs save lives (Reuters) - More people than ever are living with the AIDS virus but this is largely due to better access to drugs that keep HIV patients alive and well for many years, the United Nations AIDS program (UNAIDS) said on Monday.
In its annual report on the pandemic, UNAIDS said the number of people dying of the disease fell to 1.8 million in 2010, down from a peak of 2.2 million in the mid-2000s. ,,, http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/21/us-aids-global-unaids-idUSTRE7AK0KX20111121?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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HIV/AIDS Update - Tentative approval of lamivudine/nevirapine/zidovudine 150 /200 /300 mg fixed-dose combination On Novermber 18, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted tentative approval for a triple-drug fixed-dose combination tablet containing lamivudine, nevirapine, and zidovudine, 150 mg/200 mg/300 mg, indicated for use in combination with other antiretrovirals for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. The tablet is manufactured by Hetero Labs Limited of Hyderabad, India.
"Tentative approval" means that FDA has concluded that a drug product has met all required quality, safety and efficacy standards, but is not eligible for marketing in the U.S. because of existing patent protections. Tentative approval does, however, make the product eligible for purchase outside the United States under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program.
These products were reviewed under expedited review provisions for PEPFAR under the FDA guidance titled Fixed Dose Combinations, Co-Packaged Drug Products, and Single-Entity Versions of Previously approved Antiretrovirals for the Treatment of HIV, to facilitate submission of such applications to FDA.
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FDA approves first drug to treat a rare bone marrow disease The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Jakafi (ruxolitinib), the first drug approved to specifically treat patients with the bone marrow disease myelofibrosis.
Myelofibrosis is a disease in which the bone marrow is replaced by scar tissue resulting in blood cells being made in organs such as the liver and the spleen. This disease is marked by an enlarged spleen, anemia, decreased white blood cells and platelets, and myelofibrosis-related symptoms.
Symptoms include fatigue, abdominal discomfort, pain under the ribs, feeling full (satiety), muscle and bone pain, itching, and night sweats.
Jakafi, a pill taken two times a day, inhibits enzymes called JAK 1 and 2 (Janus Associated Kinase) that are involved in regulating blood and immunological functioning. Myelofibrosis is associated with the deregulation of JAK 1 and 2. ...
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm280102.htm
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Left Atrial Size Is a Potent Predictor of Mortality in Mitral Regurgitation Due to Flail Leaflets Left atrium (LA) enlargement is common in organic mitral regurgitation (MR) and is an emerging prognostic indicator. However, outcome implications of LA enlargement have not been analyzed in the context of routine clinical practice and in a multicenter study. ...
http://circimaging.ahajournals.org/content/4/5/473.full?WT.mc_id=EMxj02x20111125xL1
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Role of Elevated Heart Rate in the Development of Cardiovascular Disease in Hypertension That elevated heart rate (HR) is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in healthy people as well as in patients with cardiac diseases is supported by numerous epidemiological association studies.1–4 Increased HR has been recognized as a negative prognostic factor independent of many other clinical parameters that can influence the HR, including physical activity scores, left ventricular function, or use of β-blockers. Thus, HR appears to satisfy all epidemiological criteria for being considered as a true risk factor, and its predictive value for cardiovascular disease appeared to be as strong as that of most important cardiovascular risk factors. ... http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/58/5/745.full?WT.mc_id=EMxj02x20111125xL1
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Residual Cardiovascular Risk Despite Optimal LDL Cholesterol Reduction with Statins: The Evidence, Etiology, and Therapeutic Challenges This review captures the existence, cause, and treatment challenges of residual cardiovascular risk (CVR) after aggressive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction. Scientific evidence implicates low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and high triglycerides (TG) in the CVR observed after LDL-C lowering. However, the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) lipid trial with fenofibrate, the Investigation of Lipid Level Management to Understand its Impact in Atherosclerotic Events (ILLUMINATE) study with torcetrapib, and the recently terminated Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome with Low HDL Cholesterol/High Triglyceride and Impact on Global Health Outcomes (AIM-HIGH) study with niacin, do not clearly attribute risk reduction value to HDL-C/TG modulation. The optimum approach to long-term lipid-modifying therapies for CVR reduction remains uncertain. ... http://www.springerlink.com/content/807x653260054775/ ; (PDF available)
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RANDOM FACT: The best estimates available suggest that the total volume of gold ever mined up to the end of 2006 was approximately 158,000 tones, of which around 65% has been mined since 1950.
RANDOM FACT: An oyster takes ten years to produce a pearl that is about the size of a pea.
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14 Little-Known Causes of Osteoporosis Although osteoporosis is often considered an older woman’s problem, many younger adults put themselves at risk for weakened bones and fractures without even realizing it.
“Osteoporosis is silent, so you don’t know you have it until you have a fracture,” explains Erin LeBlanc, MD, MPH, an investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore., who has done extensive research on women’s health and osteoporosis. And that means you may also not realize you’re increasing your risk — unless you know what factors contribute to the condition.
While osteoporosis has some well-known risk factors — such as a low-calcium diet, inactivity, and your genes — these other triggers may surprise you. ...
http://www.everydayhealth.com/osteoporosis/little-known-causes-of-osteoporosis.aspx?xid=aol_eh-osteo_1_20111205_&aolcat=HLT&ncid=webmail13
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Steering a course towards advanced nurse practitioner: a critical care perspective
Aim: This article is a report of a study of the experiences of expert critical care nurses in their transition to the role of advanced nurse practitioner within an intensive care unit (ICU) setting.
Background: The advanced nurse practitioner role was developed to support the ICU team and to undertake many of the roles traditionally associated with junior medical staff in this specialized area. The impetus for this study therefore was generated from the need to explore the role development experiences of trainee advanced nurse practitioners to inform future developments and practice.
Methods: This study used grounded theory methodology to conduct and analyse data from 25 participants. The data were collected between March 2010 and August 2010, using interview format. Data collection and analysis was conducted simultaneously using methods associated with grounded theory, theoretical sampling and the constant comparative method. ... http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1478-5153.2011.00448.x/abstract
(To get the full PDF : http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1478-5153.2011.00448.x/full )
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How Nurses Can Increase Their Earning Potential
By Megan M. Krischke, contributor
October 14, 2011 - The tenuous state of the U.S. economy has caused many nurses to take a hard look at their personal financial stability and find ways to maximize their earning power. One solution is personal professional development--acquiring advanced skill sets, meeting qualifications for specialty certifications and earning advanced degrees. Nurses can also use skills they already possess as the foundation for building a business that is an extension of their nursing experience.
Nan Brown, RN, BSN, and Lil Bogdan, RN, BSN, believe nurses are particularly gifted with the skills required to increase their earning power and achieve their dreams. Brown and Bogdan are co-founders of the L’Athene line of natural skin care products, once carried exclusively by Nordstom’s department stores and now also sold in spas and physicians’ offices.
“Nurses are great communicators, they know how to be flexible and wear many hats, they manage time and people, they implement and complete tasks and they are extremely resourceful. We have said many times that the skills we already had as nurses contributed greatly to our financial success,” stated Brown. ... http://www.nursezone.com/Nursing-News-Events/more-features/How-Nurses-Can-Increase-Their-Earning-Potential_38066.aspx
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United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast
Abstract
Registered nurses (RNs) play a critical role in health care delivery. With an aging US population, health care demand is growing at an unprecedented pace. Using projected changes in population size and age, the authors developed demand and supply models to forecast the RN job shortage in each of the 50 states. Letter grades were assigned based on projected RN job shortage ratios. The number of states receiving a grade of “D” or “F” for their RN shortage ratio will increase from 5 in 2009 to 30 by 2030, for a total national deficit of 918 232 (725 619 - 1 112 112) RN jobs. There will be significant RN workforce shortages throughout the country in 2030; the western region will have the largest shortage ratio of 389 RN jobs per 100 000. Increased efforts to understand shortage dynamics are warranted. ...
http://ajm.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/11/18/1062860611416634.abstract
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Antibiotics overprescribed for children: study (Reuters) - Pediatricians in the United States write more than 10 million unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions every year for conditions such as the flu and asthma, contributing to potentially dangerous drug resistance, a study said.
Researchers looked at a nationally representative sample of almost 65,000 outpatient visits by children under 18 during 2006 to 2008, with findings reported in the journal Pediatrics.
In total, doctors prescribed an antibiotic at one in every five visits, with most dispensed for children with respiratory ailments such as sinus infections and pneumonia.
Some of those infections were caused by bacteria, warranting antibiotics. But almost one-quarter of all antibiotic prescriptions were given to children with respiratory conditions that probably or definitely do not call for antibiotics, such as bronchitis, the flu, asthma and allergies. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/08/us-prescriptions-children-idUSTRE7A747G20111108?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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RANDOM FACT: Tomatoes first grew as wild, cherry-size berries in the South American Andes, but the fruit, as we know it today,
was developed in Mexico where it was known as tomatil and traveled to Europe by boat with the returning conquistadors.
Bonus Fact: A tomato is 94% water.
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Heartburn Trigger Foods Heartburn and Foods: Dos and Don'ts Heartburn can be triggered by a number of specific foods.
Learn simple changes you can make in your diet to avoid the burn.
Common causes of heartburn include being overweight, being pregnant, or having GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). But what you eat and how even how you eat can also trigger heartburn, or acid reflux. A number of different foods and beverages can cause heartburn by aggravating the tissues that line the esophagus or by affecting the ability of the lower esophageal sphincter to close properly and keep acids in the stomach. ...
http://www.everydayhealth.com/digestive-health-pictures/heartburn-and-foods-dos-and-donts.aspx?xid=aol_eh-digest_4_20111205_&aolcat=AHD&ncid=webmail7#/slide-1
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FDA Hepatitis Update - CLIA waiver expands availability of rapid blood test for antibodies to the hepatitis C Virus (HCV) On November 28, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration granted a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) waiver for the first rapid blood test for HCV, the OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test, manufactured by OraSure Technologies, Inc. in Bethlehem, PA.
The OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test is used in clinical settings to test individuals at risk for infection with HCV and individuals who have signs or symptoms associated with hepatitis.
The CLIA waiver will broaden access to the test by permitting more widespread distribution and use of the OraQuick HCV Test to nontraditional laboratory sites, including physicians' offices, health department clinics and other freestanding counseling and testing sites. The broader availability and easier access to this test may contribute to a higher rate of detection for this disease.
OraQuick is a test strip that is read visually and does not require an instrument for diagnosis. Its 20-minute response time allows decentralized testing of HCV enabling the patient to be referred immediately for further testing.
The test qualifies for the CLIA waiver based on data submitted to FDA that demonstrated that the test is simple, accurate, and reasonably free of harm. fda@service.govdelivery.com
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Migraines may raise depression risk: study (Reuters Health) -
People who get painful migraine headaches may be at a higher risk for developing clinical depression, suggests a new study from Canada.
The research, published in the journal Headache, also hints that the relationship may go both ways, and people with clinical depression could have a higher risk of developing migraines, but that finding could have been due to chance, the researchers say.
Nonetheless, lead author Geeta Modgill, who was at the University of Calgary while conducting the work, told Reuters Health that migraine and depression sufferers should know the signs of both ailments since each might be at a higher risk for the other condition. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/24/us-health-migraines-idUSTRE7AN1U420111124?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Aspirin not worth risks for healthy women: study (Reuters Health) - Aspirin is a bad bargain for healthy women trying to stave off heart attacks or strokes, although it's commonly used for that purpose, according to Dutch researchers.
In a new report, they say 50 women will need to take the medication for 10 years for just one to be helped -- and that's assuming they are at high risk to begin with.
"There are very few women who actually benefit," said Dr. Jannick Dorresteijn of University Medical Center Utrecht in The Netherlands. "If you don't want to treat 49 patients for nothing to benefit one, you shouldn't treat anyone with aspirin."
The new study adds to a long-standing controversy over aspirin, one of the world's most widely used drugs.
Doctors agree it's worth taking for people who've already had a heart attack or a stroke, but they are less certain when it comes to so-called primary prevention. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/25/us-health-aspirin-idUSTRE7AN1TM20111125?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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ERs often skip tests for young kids with fever (Reuters Health) - Babies and toddlers who arrive at the ER with an unexplained fever often receive no kind of diagnostic test to get at the source of the high temperature, a new study finds.
Whether that's a bad or good thing is not clear, according to the researchers.
But in some cases, the study found, ER doctors prescribe antibiotics without testing to confirm whether or not the child has a bacterial infection. And that could potentially lead to antibiotic overuse. ... http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/23/us-er-fever-idUSTRE7AM2R320111123?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Safety data favors less-invasive weight-loss surgery (Reuters Health) - Minimally-invasive weight-loss procedures seem to be safer than open bariatric surgery, according to researchers who analyzed past studies comparing the two methods.
The new report suggests that so-called laparoscopic surgery carries an 80 to 90 percent lower risk of infections and hernias, but that just as many people getting both procedures need the operation repeated. The risk of death from either appears to be low, researchers added.
"Within the surgical field it's been almost accepted to a degree that laparoscopic is the way to go," said Jennifer Reoch, a nursing graduate student at McGill University in Montreal, who led the new research. "Our study was to kind of give a little more weight to that decision." ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/23/us-weightloss-surgery-idUSTRE7AM2RX20111123?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth11
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(We know that 4 gr of Tylenol is the most one should take a day....not sure to what this person is referring "staggered overdose)
Dangers Of Staggered Overdose Of Acetaminophen (Tylenol, Paracetamol)
Repeatedly taking marginally too much paracetamol (acetaminophen, Tylenol) over time can cause a dangerous overdose that is hard to detect and can lead to death, because patients usually don't report an overdose when they visit the hospital, rather that they feel unwell. Clinicians need to be able to detect these cases rapidly so that they can provide prompt and effective treatment, as these patients are in greater danger compared with those who have taken a single overdose. ... http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/238220.php
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Thank you, Barbara (BACello):
Immunization of Health-Care Personnel: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)*
This report updates the previously published summary of recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP) and the Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) for vaccinating health-care
personnel (HCP) in the United States. This report summarizes all current ACIP recommendations for vaccination of HCP
and does not contain any new recommendations or policies. The recommendations provided in this report apply, but are
not limited, to HCP in acute-care hospitals; long-term-care facilities (e.g., nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities);
physician's offices; rehabilitation centers; urgent care centers, and outpatient clinics as well as to persons who
provide home health care and emergency medical services. (full text) ...
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr6007a1.htm?s_cid=rr6007a1_e&source=govdelivery
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RANDOM FACT: A desire path is one that was stomped out away from the original path or walkway; usually to make a short cut.
These are found a lot on college campuses.
Bonus Fact: A lunule refers to the white-shaded crescent peeking out on the bottom of your finger nail. (did you remember this?)
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Cholesterol drugs safe, even after a decade of use
(Reuters) - Cholesterol-lowering drugs continue to produce benefits without any serious safety problems, such as increased cancer risk, even after more than a decade of use, researchers said Wednesday.
The finding from a large British clinical study following patients for 11 years provides reassurance for people at risk of heart attacks who are typically prescribed such medicines indefinitely.
So-called statin drugs are not without side effects. They can cause nausea, muscle pain, and occasional kidney and liver damage.
But long-term follow-up in the 20,000-patient Heart Protection Study (HPS) found no evidence that statins increased the risk of non-vascular mortality or made patients more likely to develop cancer. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/23/us-cholesterol-idUSTRE7AM00Q20111123?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Coronary Artery Calcium Progression: An Important Clinical Measurement?
A Review of Published Reports
Baseline coronary artery calcification (CAC) accurately identifies coronary atherosclerosis and might improve prediction of future cardiac events. Serial assessment of CAC scores has been proposed for monitoring atherosclerosis progression and for assessing the effectiveness of medical therapies aimed at reducing cardiac risk. However, whether knowledge of progression of CAC scores over time further improves risk prediction is unclear. Several trials relating medical therapies to CAC progression have been performed without any formal guidelines on the definition of CAC progression and how it is best quantified. ... http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/content/short/56/20/1613?rss=1
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Aspirin for primary prevention of vascular events in women: individualized prediction of treatment effects (study)
Aims To identify women who benefit from aspirin 100 mg on alternate days for primary prevention of vascular events by using treatment effect prediction based on individual patient characteristics.
Methods and results Randomized controlled trial data from the Women's Health Study were used to predict treatment effects for individual women in terms of absolute risk reduction for major cardiovascular events (i.e. myocardial infarction, stroke, or cardiovascular death). ...
http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/11/16/eurheartj.ehr423.abstract
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Studies suggest that these three fab fluids may keep hunger at bay, reduce calorie intake, and keep the pounds from creeping on:
Skim milk: In a study, the people who drank about 20 ounces of skim milk at breakfast ate way less at lunch compared with the people who had fruit juice with their morning meals. The researchers think the proteins in skim milk -- whey and casein -- may help make skim milk quite the filler-upper. (Related: Not a milk drinker? Fill up on this popular high-protein breakfast food instead.)
Olive oil: This Mediterranean staple is loaded with a hunger-curbing compound called oleic acid. This monounsaturated fat stimulates the small intestine to make another fatlike substance that sends "full" signals from the stomach to the brain. Other foods high in oleic acid include sunflower seeds, canola oil, safflower oil, almonds, and avocados. (Related: Find out why corn oil may be a bad choice for you.)
Water: Numerous studies suggest that folks who drink ample water feel fuller and eat far fewer calories throughout the day compared with people who don't drink enough agua. Water drinkers are also less likely to indulge in sweetened drinks like soda, calorie-laden coffee drinks, and sugary sports drinks. And in yet another study, drinking 16 ounces of water before each meal helped dieters lose more weight -- and lose it faster -- than dieters who didn't drink water before meals.
http://www.realage.com/health-tips/3-liquids-to-suppress-your-appetite-naturally?eid=1010640918&memberid=4687812
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HUMOR SECTION
While my wife and I were shopping at a mall, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by. My eyes involuntarily followed her.
Without looking up from the item she was examining, my wife asked, "Was that worth the trouble you're in?"
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Here is a very simple little test comprised of four questions to determine the level of your intellect. Your replies must be spontaneous and immediate, with no deliberating or wasting time... And no cheating!
1: You are competing in a race and overtake the runner lying in second place. In which position are you now?
Answer: If you answered that you're now coming first then you're completely wrong. You overtook the second runner and took their place, therefore you're coming second. For the next question try not to be so dim.
2: If you overtake the last runner, what position are you now in?
Answer: If you answered second-last, once again you're completely wrong. Think about it. How can you over take the person coming last? If you're behind them then they can't be last. The answer is impossible! It would appear that thinking is not one of your strong points.
Anyway, here's another to try, don't take any notes or use a calculator, and remember your replies must be instantaneous. Take heart!
3: Take 1000. Add 40. Add another 1000. Add 30. 1000 again. Plus 20. Plus 1000. And plus 10. What is the total?
Answer: 5000? Wrong again! The correct answer is 4100. Try again with a good calculator. Today is clearly not your day. Although you should manage to get the last question right...
4: Marie's father has five daughters: 1. Chacha 2. Cheche 3. Chichi 4. Chocho Question: What is the fifth daughter's name? Think quickly... you'll find the answer below.
Answer: Chuchu? WRONG! It's obviously Marie! Read the question again.
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CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise..........
Go to www.sharedgovernance.org for access to a just released, free continuing education module about shared governance, written by Robert Hess, Forum’s founder, and Diana Swihart, Forum advisory board member. Please follow me on Twitter as DrRobertHess.
Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS
www.nurse.com for CNE offerings.
Free CEs http://www.myfreece.com/welcome.asp
https://nursing.advanceweb.com/CE/TestCenter/Main.aspx
This site was sent in by FNPMSN@aol.com (Cindy) http://cmepain.com/ !
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WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to:RNFrankie@AOL.com.
This information has recently been updated and is now available:
Draft Guidance for Industry: Use of Nucleic Acid Tests on Pooled and Individual Samples from Donors of Whole Blood and Blood Components, including Source Plasma, to Reduce the Risk of Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus (PDF - 168KB)
Posted: 11/29/2011
This website is the FDA's Enforcement site....all the foodstuffs that have had to be recalled due to contamination.
(Listeria, for one). http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/EnforcementReports/ucm281022.htm
This is an excellent nursing site, check it out: http://nursingpub.com/
Back issues of the ISMP newsletter are available at: http://www.ismp.org/Newsletters/nursing/backissues.asp.
Robert Hess, RN, PhD, FAAN (856) 424-4270 (610) 805-8635 (cell) Founder, Forum for Shared Governance
info@sharedgovernance.org www.sharedgovernance.org
Decubqueen's website: www.accu-ruler.com
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.nationalnurse3.blogspot.com/
The Nursing Site http://thenursingsite.com .
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.snopes.com
http://www.solutionsoutsidethebox.net/ Raconte's website
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3
National Do Not Call Registry
If you're buying a used car, it is recommended having a mechanic inspect it first. And screen the car's VIN through the free database at carfax.com/flood
Rozalfaro's website: http://www.alfaroteachsmart.com/articles.htm
Metric conversion calculators and tables for metric conversions
http://www.metric-conversions.org/
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MEDICAL RECALLS
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CareFusion EnVe Ventilators Recall Class: Class I
CareFusion has identified potential defects associated with the EnVe Ventilator model 19250-001 that can interrupt ventilation to the patient.
The issues include: a potential delay in resuming ventilation after reconnection; a potential automatic reset; and a potential for disconnection during transport. Failure to adequately ventilate may lead to hypoxia or hypercarbia, which may result in serious neurological injury or death. ... http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/RecallsCorrectionsRemovals/ListofRecalls/ucm278634.htm
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Draeger Medical Inc., Infinity Acute Care System Monitoring Solution (M540) Catalog number MS25510
All serial numbers are affected by this recall.
This product was manufactured from March 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011 and distributed only to the Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, Illinois) from July 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011.
Use: This product is a networked solution system used to monitor a patient’s vital signs and therapy, control alarms, review Web-based diagnostic images, and access patient records. The number of monitored vital signs can be increased or decreased based on the patient’s needs.
The weight-based drug dosage calculation may indicate incorrect recommended values, including a drug dosage up to ten times the indicated dosage. Additionally, there may be a 5-10 second delay between the electrocardiogram and blood pressure curves (waveforms) at the Infinity Central Station. This product may cause serious adverse health consequences, including death. ...
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/RecallsCorrectionsRemovals/ListofRecalls/ucm282461.htm
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CooperVision AVAIRA AQUAFORM Sphere Soft Contact Lenses Class 1 Recall The unintended presence of a silicone oil residue on AVAIRA Sphere soft contact lenses. Symptoms may range from hazy, blurry vision, discomfort to eye injuries requiring medical treatment.
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/RecallsCorrectionsRemovals/ListofRecalls/ucm282733.htm
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NURSING HINTS CORNER
Squeezing for strength Here is a quick way to check the strength of a patient's handgrip Roll up a blood pressure cuff, pump it up slightly and have the patient squeeze it while measuring the millimeters of mercury. Do the same thing with his other hand. The reading for the dominant hand may be higher by 10 to 20 mm HG. This technique can help detect the slightest neurologic change, saving the patient from potential problems. Dorothy M. Kellogg, RN
Used with permission from 1,001 Nursing Tips & Timesavers, Third Edition, 1997, p.120, Springhouse Corporation/www.springnetcom. ;
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ADVERTISEMENTS from the members
(contact me with your ad)
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/.
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NEW MEMBERS
Please send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com
WELCOME TO:
Christina.Roskilly@live.com (Christina) December 7, 2011
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NOTICE:
I attempt to send newsletters to your 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 or, instead, send me your new name/address, okay? RNFrankie@AOL.com
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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
We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated
in the hands of a few, but we can't have both.
--Louis Brandeis,
Supreme Court Justice from 1916--1939
Drop me a line..... Frankie RNFrankie@AOL.com
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
December 12, 2011
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/ Please copy, paste, and bookmark it.
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.
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SNIPPETS
(I saw this on a list-serve, and wanted to share) It is great being a nurse (at least most days) , isn't it?
Dear Sugar,
In March 2004, my daughter Emily died 4 days after she was born, because of an overworked labor and delivery team and their errors,
plural – one of those “all the holes in the Swiss cheese lined up” stories. During her life she was in a lot of pain. She could not hear, see,
move or swallow her own saliva. After we made the terrible decision to take her off life support she fought for her life for 12 hours. I cannot
honestly say this is a story where she taught me to live better or anything like that. The death of a child is only a tragedy. And yet, there was a
nurse in the NICU who stubbornly, stoically, referred to my husband and I – first-time parents – as mum and dad; who told us we had better
change her diaper, even when she was dying, and critiqued our technique. Who invited us to give her her first and last bath. Who told us we
were good parents. Who made the unthinkable and abnormal into two parents caring for their child.
What she didn’t know is that we had been trying to have a child for 8 years. And the reason it had taken that long is that my uterus was
scarred from childhood abuse. And that I had learned never to expect a helping hand, and then had done therapy to overcome that, and then
had been so terribly let down by our L&D team. I would have lain down and given up, I think, had that nurse not reached out to me with the
exact right words at the exact right time.
Eighteen months later we had my son, now 6. This year we welcomed our second son. Our family still is missing my little girl, but it feels complete. I am incredibly, joyfully, happy. It is amazing the difference it makes sometimes when someone just reaches into the heart of your experience and names it, and sits there with you in it. Jenn
To see this in context of where/why it was written:
http://therumpus.net/2011/11/dear-sugar-the-rumpus-advice-column-90-94-ways-of-saying-thank-you/
The contributor wrote: "This is the best advice column I have ever read".
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Surprising Health Woes of Getting Older Aging is a fact of life, and with it come certain senior health issues. Many people worry about cognitive decline and weaker bones, but there are other, lesser-known concerns, too. That’s why it’s important for everyone to do what they can to encourage healthy aging.
“The rate at which we experience change tends to be quite individual, often based on lifestyle choices, genetics, and environmental factors,” explains Evelyn Fitzwater, DSN, RN, associate director of the Center for Aging With Dignity at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing. The sequence of change, however, is similar for all of us. Here are some of the more surprising health effects you should expect.
A Change in Taste
One of the many senior health problems not often discussed is a decline in taste buds. We are each born with approximately 9,000 taste buds, but that number starts to decrease between the ages 40 and 50 in women and 50 and 60 in men. The result is that people need greater taste stimulation to experience the four flavors of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Salty and sweet tastes tend to be lost first, with bitter and sour following along behind. Experts aren’t exactly sure what causes this, though some think it is related to disease, smoking, and environmental exposures.
Multitasking Challenges
In a world where we expect even our phones to juggle duties — make a call, surf the Web, provide GPS directions! — it might seem inefficient to turn all your focus on one thing. But as you get older, you may find yourself having to do just that. “Multitasking is a complex cognitive task that relies on a number of our brain’s functions, including attention, executive functions, and working memory, among others,” says Jena Kravitz, PsyD, a clinical neuropsychologist at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. “At a basic level, the ability to multitask relies on how quickly and efficiently our brain can switch between tasks while blocking out distraction and maintaining focus.” It’s important to be aware, though, that this difficulty is usually a result of natural healthy aging and is not necessarily indicative of serious cognitive decline.
Drier Skin
Even with healthy aging, skin becomes thinner, less elastic, and more wrinkle-prone. It also may be drier than it used to be. With less oil and fewer sweat glands than in younger years, skin is not as well moisturized and protected, which can cause itching and cracking. You should be able to soothe the dryness with a rich moisturizing cream or ointment. However, sometimes dry skin is a symptom of a thyroid problem or an illness such as diabetes or kidney disease, so check with your doctor if the condition does not improve.
Visual Disturbances
Senior health problems can include a variety of issues with the eyes and eyesight, including cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. “According to research, by the time we turn 60, our pupils decrease to about one-third their normal size,” Fitzwater says. “The pupil of the eye also becomes less responsive to changes in light, making it difficult to see in the dark. And the lens of the eye gradually thickens and yellows.” These changes may result in difficulty noticing detail and a reduction in peripheral vision. Seeing your eye doctor regularly is essential to maintaining your vision as you age.
Difficulty Finding Words
Another aspect of senior health is difficulty finding the right word during conversations, a situation some people begin to experience in their forties or fifties. “Our brain retrieves words in a similar manner as it retrieves memories,” Kravitz says. “As we get older, some people’s retrieval mechanisms become slower, and this can manifest in a noticeable change in word-finding.”
Balance Issues
One obstacle to healthy aging can be problems with balance. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one in three adults over age 65 falls each year. In many cases, an issue with the inner ear is the culprit, though the brain, heart, or even certain medications could also be the cause. If you’re experiencing this, see your doctor for an evaluation.
Decreased Sense of Smell
As with taste, your sense of smell can decrease after age 60, even if you're aging in a healthy way. While a number of reasons could be behind this, a declining sense of smell linked to aging is called presbyosmia. This type of sensory loss cannot be prevented. However, in some cases, a decreased sense of smell is not a result of aging but a side effect of medications, so check with your doctor to make sure this isn’t the case.
Slower Processing Speeds and Delayed Reflexes
Though the ability to remember should not be significantly different in in someone who is healthy and aging, you may find that you process information more slowly as you get older. Don’t be alarmed, though: It's not necessarily an indication of serious cognitive decline. “Processing speed, or the rate at which we process new information, is susceptible to age-related changes, and most older adults do report a slowing down,” Kravitz says. “This is most often observed in older adults who drive and is almost always the cause of fender-benders or minor accidents with the mailbox while backing out of the driveway.”
http://www.everydayhealth.com/senior-health-pictures/surprising-health-woes-of-getting-older.aspx?xid=aol_eh-senior_1_2011121_&aolcat=HLT&ncid=webmail7#/slide-9
(Ain't Life Grand?)
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INTERESTING READING
Please remember that the REUTERS articles usually good for only 30 days
Price of heart failure ---Low income raises HF risk The odds of suffering heart failure appear to be higher in seniors with a low income, even among those with a college or higher education, according to research presented last week at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2011 in Orlando. "As far as the risk of developing heart failure is concerned, lower education may not matter if a person is able to maintain a high income in later years," said Ali Ahmed, MD, MPH, senior researcher and the director of the Geriatric Heart Failure Clinics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Birmingham VA Medical Center.
The researchers said the study is the first to link low income with an increased risk of heart failure in Medicare-eligible community-dwelling older men and women.
The researchers said they were surprised by the influence of income on heart failure risk in a population where nearly everyone has health insurance that provides care for major heart failure risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease. Although both poorer and well-off people benefit from the Medicare program, there may be certain differences that expose the poor to suboptimal care for major heart failure risk factors.
http://news.nurse.com/article/20111128/NATIONAL01/311280004
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Survey: U.S. doctors disagree on pregnancy start (Reuters) - Most U.S. doctors believe pregnancy starts when the sperm fertilizes the egg, a survey shows, contradicting the position of a key medical group with a view that could potentially affect U.S. policy and laws regarding contraception and research.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), the leading organization for this field of medicine, defines pregnancy as beginning when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus, roughly a week after fertilization.
"People say that the medical profession has settled on this," said Farr Curlin, senior author of the study, which appeared in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a professor at the University of Chicago. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/18/us-pregnancy-idUSTRE7AH0FD20111118?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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FDA Revokes Approval of Avastin for Breast Cancer Drug isn't safe or effective for women with metastatic disease, agency says
FRIDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Saying the risks outweigh the benefits in patients with advanced breast cancer, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said on Friday that the agency has rescinded its approval of the cancer drug Avastin for that use.
Avastin (bevacizumab), however, will remain available for treating some types of colon, lung, kidney and brain cancer.
"Today, I am revoking the FDA's approval of the breast cancer indication for Avastin after concluding that the drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for that use," Hamburg said during a late morning press conference. ... http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=659083
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New Stent Type Has Rare But Potentially Serious Problem, FDA Investigates The FDA says it is working with drug-eluting stent makers to better understand what makes the devices shrink or become deformed on rare occasions. A drug-eluting stent is a scaffold placed into narrowed, diseased peripheral or coronary arteries; it releases a medication to block cell proliferation, which helps prevent eventual reclogging of the blood vessel. The DES (drug-eluting stent) is placed during an angioplasty procedure. ... http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/237999.php
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HIV numbers hit new high as AIDS drugs save lives (Reuters) - More people than ever are living with the AIDS virus but this is largely due to better access to drugs that keep HIV patients alive and well for many years, the United Nations AIDS program (UNAIDS) said on Monday.
In its annual report on the pandemic, UNAIDS said the number of people dying of the disease fell to 1.8 million in 2010, down from a peak of 2.2 million in the mid-2000s. ,,, http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/21/us-aids-global-unaids-idUSTRE7AK0KX20111121?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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HIV/AIDS Update - Tentative approval of lamivudine/nevirapine/zidovudine 150 /200 /300 mg fixed-dose combination On Novermber 18, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted tentative approval for a triple-drug fixed-dose combination tablet containing lamivudine, nevirapine, and zidovudine, 150 mg/200 mg/300 mg, indicated for use in combination with other antiretrovirals for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. The tablet is manufactured by Hetero Labs Limited of Hyderabad, India.
"Tentative approval" means that FDA has concluded that a drug product has met all required quality, safety and efficacy standards, but is not eligible for marketing in the U.S. because of existing patent protections. Tentative approval does, however, make the product eligible for purchase outside the United States under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program.
These products were reviewed under expedited review provisions for PEPFAR under the FDA guidance titled Fixed Dose Combinations, Co-Packaged Drug Products, and Single-Entity Versions of Previously approved Antiretrovirals for the Treatment of HIV, to facilitate submission of such applications to FDA.
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FDA approves first drug to treat a rare bone marrow disease The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Jakafi (ruxolitinib), the first drug approved to specifically treat patients with the bone marrow disease myelofibrosis.
Myelofibrosis is a disease in which the bone marrow is replaced by scar tissue resulting in blood cells being made in organs such as the liver and the spleen. This disease is marked by an enlarged spleen, anemia, decreased white blood cells and platelets, and myelofibrosis-related symptoms.
Symptoms include fatigue, abdominal discomfort, pain under the ribs, feeling full (satiety), muscle and bone pain, itching, and night sweats.
Jakafi, a pill taken two times a day, inhibits enzymes called JAK 1 and 2 (Janus Associated Kinase) that are involved in regulating blood and immunological functioning. Myelofibrosis is associated with the deregulation of JAK 1 and 2. ...
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm280102.htm
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Left Atrial Size Is a Potent Predictor of Mortality in Mitral Regurgitation Due to Flail Leaflets Left atrium (LA) enlargement is common in organic mitral regurgitation (MR) and is an emerging prognostic indicator. However, outcome implications of LA enlargement have not been analyzed in the context of routine clinical practice and in a multicenter study. ...
http://circimaging.ahajournals.org/content/4/5/473.full?WT.mc_id=EMxj02x20111125xL1
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Role of Elevated Heart Rate in the Development of Cardiovascular Disease in Hypertension That elevated heart rate (HR) is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in healthy people as well as in patients with cardiac diseases is supported by numerous epidemiological association studies.1–4 Increased HR has been recognized as a negative prognostic factor independent of many other clinical parameters that can influence the HR, including physical activity scores, left ventricular function, or use of β-blockers. Thus, HR appears to satisfy all epidemiological criteria for being considered as a true risk factor, and its predictive value for cardiovascular disease appeared to be as strong as that of most important cardiovascular risk factors. ... http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/58/5/745.full?WT.mc_id=EMxj02x20111125xL1
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Residual Cardiovascular Risk Despite Optimal LDL Cholesterol Reduction with Statins: The Evidence, Etiology, and Therapeutic Challenges This review captures the existence, cause, and treatment challenges of residual cardiovascular risk (CVR) after aggressive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction. Scientific evidence implicates low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and high triglycerides (TG) in the CVR observed after LDL-C lowering. However, the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) lipid trial with fenofibrate, the Investigation of Lipid Level Management to Understand its Impact in Atherosclerotic Events (ILLUMINATE) study with torcetrapib, and the recently terminated Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome with Low HDL Cholesterol/High Triglyceride and Impact on Global Health Outcomes (AIM-HIGH) study with niacin, do not clearly attribute risk reduction value to HDL-C/TG modulation. The optimum approach to long-term lipid-modifying therapies for CVR reduction remains uncertain. ... http://www.springerlink.com/content/807x653260054775/ ; (PDF available)
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RANDOM FACT: The best estimates available suggest that the total volume of gold ever mined up to the end of 2006 was approximately 158,000 tones, of which around 65% has been mined since 1950.
RANDOM FACT: An oyster takes ten years to produce a pearl that is about the size of a pea.
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14 Little-Known Causes of Osteoporosis Although osteoporosis is often considered an older woman’s problem, many younger adults put themselves at risk for weakened bones and fractures without even realizing it.
“Osteoporosis is silent, so you don’t know you have it until you have a fracture,” explains Erin LeBlanc, MD, MPH, an investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore., who has done extensive research on women’s health and osteoporosis. And that means you may also not realize you’re increasing your risk — unless you know what factors contribute to the condition.
While osteoporosis has some well-known risk factors — such as a low-calcium diet, inactivity, and your genes — these other triggers may surprise you. ...
http://www.everydayhealth.com/osteoporosis/little-known-causes-of-osteoporosis.aspx?xid=aol_eh-osteo_1_20111205_&aolcat=HLT&ncid=webmail13
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Steering a course towards advanced nurse practitioner: a critical care perspective
Aim: This article is a report of a study of the experiences of expert critical care nurses in their transition to the role of advanced nurse practitioner within an intensive care unit (ICU) setting.
Background: The advanced nurse practitioner role was developed to support the ICU team and to undertake many of the roles traditionally associated with junior medical staff in this specialized area. The impetus for this study therefore was generated from the need to explore the role development experiences of trainee advanced nurse practitioners to inform future developments and practice.
Methods: This study used grounded theory methodology to conduct and analyse data from 25 participants. The data were collected between March 2010 and August 2010, using interview format. Data collection and analysis was conducted simultaneously using methods associated with grounded theory, theoretical sampling and the constant comparative method. ... http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1478-5153.2011.00448.x/abstract
(To get the full PDF : http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1478-5153.2011.00448.x/full )
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How Nurses Can Increase Their Earning Potential
By Megan M. Krischke, contributor
October 14, 2011 - The tenuous state of the U.S. economy has caused many nurses to take a hard look at their personal financial stability and find ways to maximize their earning power. One solution is personal professional development--acquiring advanced skill sets, meeting qualifications for specialty certifications and earning advanced degrees. Nurses can also use skills they already possess as the foundation for building a business that is an extension of their nursing experience.
Nan Brown, RN, BSN, and Lil Bogdan, RN, BSN, believe nurses are particularly gifted with the skills required to increase their earning power and achieve their dreams. Brown and Bogdan are co-founders of the L’Athene line of natural skin care products, once carried exclusively by Nordstom’s department stores and now also sold in spas and physicians’ offices.
“Nurses are great communicators, they know how to be flexible and wear many hats, they manage time and people, they implement and complete tasks and they are extremely resourceful. We have said many times that the skills we already had as nurses contributed greatly to our financial success,” stated Brown. ... http://www.nursezone.com/Nursing-News-Events/more-features/How-Nurses-Can-Increase-Their-Earning-Potential_38066.aspx
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United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast
Abstract
Registered nurses (RNs) play a critical role in health care delivery. With an aging US population, health care demand is growing at an unprecedented pace. Using projected changes in population size and age, the authors developed demand and supply models to forecast the RN job shortage in each of the 50 states. Letter grades were assigned based on projected RN job shortage ratios. The number of states receiving a grade of “D” or “F” for their RN shortage ratio will increase from 5 in 2009 to 30 by 2030, for a total national deficit of 918 232 (725 619 - 1 112 112) RN jobs. There will be significant RN workforce shortages throughout the country in 2030; the western region will have the largest shortage ratio of 389 RN jobs per 100 000. Increased efforts to understand shortage dynamics are warranted. ...
http://ajm.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/11/18/1062860611416634.abstract
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Antibiotics overprescribed for children: study (Reuters) - Pediatricians in the United States write more than 10 million unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions every year for conditions such as the flu and asthma, contributing to potentially dangerous drug resistance, a study said.
Researchers looked at a nationally representative sample of almost 65,000 outpatient visits by children under 18 during 2006 to 2008, with findings reported in the journal Pediatrics.
In total, doctors prescribed an antibiotic at one in every five visits, with most dispensed for children with respiratory ailments such as sinus infections and pneumonia.
Some of those infections were caused by bacteria, warranting antibiotics. But almost one-quarter of all antibiotic prescriptions were given to children with respiratory conditions that probably or definitely do not call for antibiotics, such as bronchitis, the flu, asthma and allergies. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/08/us-prescriptions-children-idUSTRE7A747G20111108?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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RANDOM FACT: Tomatoes first grew as wild, cherry-size berries in the South American Andes, but the fruit, as we know it today,
was developed in Mexico where it was known as tomatil and traveled to Europe by boat with the returning conquistadors.
Bonus Fact: A tomato is 94% water.
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Heartburn Trigger Foods Heartburn and Foods: Dos and Don'ts Heartburn can be triggered by a number of specific foods.
Learn simple changes you can make in your diet to avoid the burn.
Common causes of heartburn include being overweight, being pregnant, or having GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). But what you eat and how even how you eat can also trigger heartburn, or acid reflux. A number of different foods and beverages can cause heartburn by aggravating the tissues that line the esophagus or by affecting the ability of the lower esophageal sphincter to close properly and keep acids in the stomach. ...
http://www.everydayhealth.com/digestive-health-pictures/heartburn-and-foods-dos-and-donts.aspx?xid=aol_eh-digest_4_20111205_&aolcat=AHD&ncid=webmail7#/slide-1
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FDA Hepatitis Update - CLIA waiver expands availability of rapid blood test for antibodies to the hepatitis C Virus (HCV) On November 28, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration granted a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) waiver for the first rapid blood test for HCV, the OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test, manufactured by OraSure Technologies, Inc. in Bethlehem, PA.
The OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test is used in clinical settings to test individuals at risk for infection with HCV and individuals who have signs or symptoms associated with hepatitis.
The CLIA waiver will broaden access to the test by permitting more widespread distribution and use of the OraQuick HCV Test to nontraditional laboratory sites, including physicians' offices, health department clinics and other freestanding counseling and testing sites. The broader availability and easier access to this test may contribute to a higher rate of detection for this disease.
OraQuick is a test strip that is read visually and does not require an instrument for diagnosis. Its 20-minute response time allows decentralized testing of HCV enabling the patient to be referred immediately for further testing.
The test qualifies for the CLIA waiver based on data submitted to FDA that demonstrated that the test is simple, accurate, and reasonably free of harm. fda@service.govdelivery.com
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Migraines may raise depression risk: study (Reuters Health) -
People who get painful migraine headaches may be at a higher risk for developing clinical depression, suggests a new study from Canada.
The research, published in the journal Headache, also hints that the relationship may go both ways, and people with clinical depression could have a higher risk of developing migraines, but that finding could have been due to chance, the researchers say.
Nonetheless, lead author Geeta Modgill, who was at the University of Calgary while conducting the work, told Reuters Health that migraine and depression sufferers should know the signs of both ailments since each might be at a higher risk for the other condition. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/24/us-health-migraines-idUSTRE7AN1U420111124?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Aspirin not worth risks for healthy women: study (Reuters Health) - Aspirin is a bad bargain for healthy women trying to stave off heart attacks or strokes, although it's commonly used for that purpose, according to Dutch researchers.
In a new report, they say 50 women will need to take the medication for 10 years for just one to be helped -- and that's assuming they are at high risk to begin with.
"There are very few women who actually benefit," said Dr. Jannick Dorresteijn of University Medical Center Utrecht in The Netherlands. "If you don't want to treat 49 patients for nothing to benefit one, you shouldn't treat anyone with aspirin."
The new study adds to a long-standing controversy over aspirin, one of the world's most widely used drugs.
Doctors agree it's worth taking for people who've already had a heart attack or a stroke, but they are less certain when it comes to so-called primary prevention. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/25/us-health-aspirin-idUSTRE7AN1TM20111125?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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ERs often skip tests for young kids with fever (Reuters Health) - Babies and toddlers who arrive at the ER with an unexplained fever often receive no kind of diagnostic test to get at the source of the high temperature, a new study finds.
Whether that's a bad or good thing is not clear, according to the researchers.
But in some cases, the study found, ER doctors prescribe antibiotics without testing to confirm whether or not the child has a bacterial infection. And that could potentially lead to antibiotic overuse. ... http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/23/us-er-fever-idUSTRE7AM2R320111123?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Safety data favors less-invasive weight-loss surgery (Reuters Health) - Minimally-invasive weight-loss procedures seem to be safer than open bariatric surgery, according to researchers who analyzed past studies comparing the two methods.
The new report suggests that so-called laparoscopic surgery carries an 80 to 90 percent lower risk of infections and hernias, but that just as many people getting both procedures need the operation repeated. The risk of death from either appears to be low, researchers added.
"Within the surgical field it's been almost accepted to a degree that laparoscopic is the way to go," said Jennifer Reoch, a nursing graduate student at McGill University in Montreal, who led the new research. "Our study was to kind of give a little more weight to that decision." ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/23/us-weightloss-surgery-idUSTRE7AM2RX20111123?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth11
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(We know that 4 gr of Tylenol is the most one should take a day....not sure to what this person is referring "staggered overdose)
Dangers Of Staggered Overdose Of Acetaminophen (Tylenol, Paracetamol)
Repeatedly taking marginally too much paracetamol (acetaminophen, Tylenol) over time can cause a dangerous overdose that is hard to detect and can lead to death, because patients usually don't report an overdose when they visit the hospital, rather that they feel unwell. Clinicians need to be able to detect these cases rapidly so that they can provide prompt and effective treatment, as these patients are in greater danger compared with those who have taken a single overdose. ... http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/238220.php
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Thank you, Barbara (BACello):
Immunization of Health-Care Personnel: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)*
This report updates the previously published summary of recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP) and the Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) for vaccinating health-care
personnel (HCP) in the United States. This report summarizes all current ACIP recommendations for vaccination of HCP
and does not contain any new recommendations or policies. The recommendations provided in this report apply, but are
not limited, to HCP in acute-care hospitals; long-term-care facilities (e.g., nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities);
physician's offices; rehabilitation centers; urgent care centers, and outpatient clinics as well as to persons who
provide home health care and emergency medical services. (full text) ...
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr6007a1.htm?s_cid=rr6007a1_e&source=govdelivery
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RANDOM FACT: A desire path is one that was stomped out away from the original path or walkway; usually to make a short cut.
These are found a lot on college campuses.
Bonus Fact: A lunule refers to the white-shaded crescent peeking out on the bottom of your finger nail. (did you remember this?)
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Cholesterol drugs safe, even after a decade of use
(Reuters) - Cholesterol-lowering drugs continue to produce benefits without any serious safety problems, such as increased cancer risk, even after more than a decade of use, researchers said Wednesday.
The finding from a large British clinical study following patients for 11 years provides reassurance for people at risk of heart attacks who are typically prescribed such medicines indefinitely.
So-called statin drugs are not without side effects. They can cause nausea, muscle pain, and occasional kidney and liver damage.
But long-term follow-up in the 20,000-patient Heart Protection Study (HPS) found no evidence that statins increased the risk of non-vascular mortality or made patients more likely to develop cancer. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/23/us-cholesterol-idUSTRE7AM00Q20111123?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Coronary Artery Calcium Progression: An Important Clinical Measurement?
A Review of Published Reports
Baseline coronary artery calcification (CAC) accurately identifies coronary atherosclerosis and might improve prediction of future cardiac events. Serial assessment of CAC scores has been proposed for monitoring atherosclerosis progression and for assessing the effectiveness of medical therapies aimed at reducing cardiac risk. However, whether knowledge of progression of CAC scores over time further improves risk prediction is unclear. Several trials relating medical therapies to CAC progression have been performed without any formal guidelines on the definition of CAC progression and how it is best quantified. ... http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/content/short/56/20/1613?rss=1
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Aspirin for primary prevention of vascular events in women: individualized prediction of treatment effects (study)
Aims To identify women who benefit from aspirin 100 mg on alternate days for primary prevention of vascular events by using treatment effect prediction based on individual patient characteristics.
Methods and results Randomized controlled trial data from the Women's Health Study were used to predict treatment effects for individual women in terms of absolute risk reduction for major cardiovascular events (i.e. myocardial infarction, stroke, or cardiovascular death). ...
http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/11/16/eurheartj.ehr423.abstract
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Studies suggest that these three fab fluids may keep hunger at bay, reduce calorie intake, and keep the pounds from creeping on:
Skim milk: In a study, the people who drank about 20 ounces of skim milk at breakfast ate way less at lunch compared with the people who had fruit juice with their morning meals. The researchers think the proteins in skim milk -- whey and casein -- may help make skim milk quite the filler-upper. (Related: Not a milk drinker? Fill up on this popular high-protein breakfast food instead.)
Olive oil: This Mediterranean staple is loaded with a hunger-curbing compound called oleic acid. This monounsaturated fat stimulates the small intestine to make another fatlike substance that sends "full" signals from the stomach to the brain. Other foods high in oleic acid include sunflower seeds, canola oil, safflower oil, almonds, and avocados. (Related: Find out why corn oil may be a bad choice for you.)
Water: Numerous studies suggest that folks who drink ample water feel fuller and eat far fewer calories throughout the day compared with people who don't drink enough agua. Water drinkers are also less likely to indulge in sweetened drinks like soda, calorie-laden coffee drinks, and sugary sports drinks. And in yet another study, drinking 16 ounces of water before each meal helped dieters lose more weight -- and lose it faster -- than dieters who didn't drink water before meals.
http://www.realage.com/health-tips/3-liquids-to-suppress-your-appetite-naturally?eid=1010640918&memberid=4687812
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HUMOR SECTION
While my wife and I were shopping at a mall, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by. My eyes involuntarily followed her.
Without looking up from the item she was examining, my wife asked, "Was that worth the trouble you're in?"
****
Here is a very simple little test comprised of four questions to determine the level of your intellect. Your replies must be spontaneous and immediate, with no deliberating or wasting time... And no cheating!
1: You are competing in a race and overtake the runner lying in second place. In which position are you now?
Answer: If you answered that you're now coming first then you're completely wrong. You overtook the second runner and took their place, therefore you're coming second. For the next question try not to be so dim.
2: If you overtake the last runner, what position are you now in?
Answer: If you answered second-last, once again you're completely wrong. Think about it. How can you over take the person coming last? If you're behind them then they can't be last. The answer is impossible! It would appear that thinking is not one of your strong points.
Anyway, here's another to try, don't take any notes or use a calculator, and remember your replies must be instantaneous. Take heart!
3: Take 1000. Add 40. Add another 1000. Add 30. 1000 again. Plus 20. Plus 1000. And plus 10. What is the total?
Answer: 5000? Wrong again! The correct answer is 4100. Try again with a good calculator. Today is clearly not your day. Although you should manage to get the last question right...
4: Marie's father has five daughters: 1. Chacha 2. Cheche 3. Chichi 4. Chocho Question: What is the fifth daughter's name? Think quickly... you'll find the answer below.
Answer: Chuchu? WRONG! It's obviously Marie! Read the question again.
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CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise..........
Go to www.sharedgovernance.org for access to a just released, free continuing education module about shared governance, written by Robert Hess, Forum’s founder, and Diana Swihart, Forum advisory board member. Please follow me on Twitter as DrRobertHess.
Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS
www.nurse.com for CNE offerings.
Free CEs http://www.myfreece.com/welcome.asp
https://nursing.advanceweb.com/CE/TestCenter/Main.aspx
This site was sent in by FNPMSN@aol.com (Cindy) http://cmepain.com/ !
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WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to:RNFrankie@AOL.com.
This information has recently been updated and is now available:
Draft Guidance for Industry: Use of Nucleic Acid Tests on Pooled and Individual Samples from Donors of Whole Blood and Blood Components, including Source Plasma, to Reduce the Risk of Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus (PDF - 168KB)
Posted: 11/29/2011
This website is the FDA's Enforcement site....all the foodstuffs that have had to be recalled due to contamination.
(Listeria, for one). http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/EnforcementReports/ucm281022.htm
This is an excellent nursing site, check it out: http://nursingpub.com/
Back issues of the ISMP newsletter are available at: http://www.ismp.org/Newsletters/nursing/backissues.asp.
Robert Hess, RN, PhD, FAAN (856) 424-4270 (610) 805-8635 (cell) Founder, Forum for Shared Governance
info@sharedgovernance.org www.sharedgovernance.org
Decubqueen's website: www.accu-ruler.com
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.nationalnurse3.blogspot.com/
The Nursing Site http://thenursingsite.com .
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.snopes.com
http://www.solutionsoutsidethebox.net/ Raconte's website
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3
National Do Not Call Registry
If you're buying a used car, it is recommended having a mechanic inspect it first. And screen the car's VIN through the free database at carfax.com/flood
Rozalfaro's website: http://www.alfaroteachsmart.com/articles.htm
Metric conversion calculators and tables for metric conversions
http://www.metric-conversions.org/
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*
MEDICAL RECALLS
*
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CareFusion EnVe Ventilators Recall Class: Class I
CareFusion has identified potential defects associated with the EnVe Ventilator model 19250-001 that can interrupt ventilation to the patient.
The issues include: a potential delay in resuming ventilation after reconnection; a potential automatic reset; and a potential for disconnection during transport. Failure to adequately ventilate may lead to hypoxia or hypercarbia, which may result in serious neurological injury or death. ... http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/RecallsCorrectionsRemovals/ListofRecalls/ucm278634.htm
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Draeger Medical Inc., Infinity Acute Care System Monitoring Solution (M540) Catalog number MS25510
All serial numbers are affected by this recall.
This product was manufactured from March 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011 and distributed only to the Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, Illinois) from July 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011.
Use: This product is a networked solution system used to monitor a patient’s vital signs and therapy, control alarms, review Web-based diagnostic images, and access patient records. The number of monitored vital signs can be increased or decreased based on the patient’s needs.
The weight-based drug dosage calculation may indicate incorrect recommended values, including a drug dosage up to ten times the indicated dosage. Additionally, there may be a 5-10 second delay between the electrocardiogram and blood pressure curves (waveforms) at the Infinity Central Station. This product may cause serious adverse health consequences, including death. ...
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/RecallsCorrectionsRemovals/ListofRecalls/ucm282461.htm
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CooperVision AVAIRA AQUAFORM Sphere Soft Contact Lenses Class 1 Recall The unintended presence of a silicone oil residue on AVAIRA Sphere soft contact lenses. Symptoms may range from hazy, blurry vision, discomfort to eye injuries requiring medical treatment.
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/RecallsCorrectionsRemovals/ListofRecalls/ucm282733.htm
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NURSING HINTS CORNER
Squeezing for strength Here is a quick way to check the strength of a patient's handgrip Roll up a blood pressure cuff, pump it up slightly and have the patient squeeze it while measuring the millimeters of mercury. Do the same thing with his other hand. The reading for the dominant hand may be higher by 10 to 20 mm HG. This technique can help detect the slightest neurologic change, saving the patient from potential problems. Dorothy M. Kellogg, RN
Used with permission from 1,001 Nursing Tips & Timesavers, Third Edition, 1997, p.120, Springhouse Corporation/www.springnetcom. ;
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ADVERTISEMENTS from the members
(contact me with your ad)
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/.
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NEW MEMBERS
Please send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com
WELCOME TO:
Christina.Roskilly@live.com (Christina) December 7, 2011
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NOTICE:
I attempt to send newsletters to your 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 or, instead, send me your new name/address, okay? RNFrankie@AOL.com
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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
We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated
in the hands of a few, but we can't have both.
--Louis Brandeis,
Supreme Court Justice from 1916--1939
Drop me a line..... Frankie RNFrankie@AOL.com
Sunday, November 13, 2011
fundraising for men's Health issues....please donate
(This arrived too late for the Newsletter, and must be for November, so now is a supplement to the November issue)
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif Please donate...
Bob Hess writes: Frankie – Is there any way you could support me in this charitable event? I was the top fundraiser with Gannett Healthcare Group last year, and I’m in the lead again this year. It’s fun for an excellent cause.
Thanks for anything. This is the email I’ve been sending out with the link to my donation page. The donations need to be made TO ME. Maybe you could do an email blast for me or something?
Bob
It's my birthday month, so it must be Movember. I’m making my annual charity fundraising appeal to colleagues.
When I was a doctoral student, I heard a lot about women's health, all well and good, and the money needed to fund research. When I asked about men's health, someone said, "No one cares." I know this was said jokingly, but I wondered.
For the second year in a row, much to the dismay of my wife, who doesn’t like hair on my face, I've decided to donate my face to raising awareness about cancers that affect men. Last year my friends, family, and colleagues donated thousands of dollars, and I was the top fundraiser in my company.
My commitment is the growth of a moustache for the entire month of Movember, which I know will generate conversation, controversy, and laughter. I grow a terrible moustache. If you visit my site
Anyway, I'm doing this because:
- 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in his lifetime
- 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.
- As a man who has been blindsided by his own prostate, this is a cause that I feel passionately about and I'm asking you to support my efforts by making a donation to support the great work of the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.
To help, Click this link http://us.movember.com/mospace/769148/ and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account. Please be sure to Donate to Me. Donations can also be mailed in; instructions can be found at http://us.movember.com/mospace/donations.
The money raised will help make a tangible difference to the lives of others, through the world's most promising prostate cancer research and LIVESTRONG's programs that support young adults and their families battling and surviving cancer. For more details on how the funds raised from previous campaigns have been used and the impact Movember is having please visit
http://us.movemberfoundation.com/research-and-programs/.
Thank you. You can follow my month-long journey on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Drroberthess.
Bob
Robert Hess, RN, PhD, FAAN
Executive Vice President, Global Programming
Office: 856-424-2046
Mobile: 610-805-8635
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif Please donate...
Bob Hess writes: Frankie – Is there any way you could support me in this charitable event? I was the top fundraiser with Gannett Healthcare Group last year, and I’m in the lead again this year. It’s fun for an excellent cause.
Thanks for anything. This is the email I’ve been sending out with the link to my donation page. The donations need to be made TO ME. Maybe you could do an email blast for me or something?
Bob
It's my birthday month, so it must be Movember. I’m making my annual charity fundraising appeal to colleagues.
When I was a doctoral student, I heard a lot about women's health, all well and good, and the money needed to fund research. When I asked about men's health, someone said, "No one cares." I know this was said jokingly, but I wondered.
For the second year in a row, much to the dismay of my wife, who doesn’t like hair on my face, I've decided to donate my face to raising awareness about cancers that affect men. Last year my friends, family, and colleagues donated thousands of dollars, and I was the top fundraiser in my company.
My commitment is the growth of a moustache for the entire month of Movember, which I know will generate conversation, controversy, and laughter. I grow a terrible moustache. If you visit my site
Anyway, I'm doing this because:
- 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in his lifetime
- 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.
- As a man who has been blindsided by his own prostate, this is a cause that I feel passionately about and I'm asking you to support my efforts by making a donation to support the great work of the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.
To help, Click this link http://us.movember.com/mospace/769148/ and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account. Please be sure to Donate to Me. Donations can also be mailed in; instructions can be found at http://us.movember.com/mospace/donations.
The money raised will help make a tangible difference to the lives of others, through the world's most promising prostate cancer research and LIVESTRONG's programs that support young adults and their families battling and surviving cancer. For more details on how the funds raised from previous campaigns have been used and the impact Movember is having please visit
http://us.movemberfoundation.com/research-and-programs/.
Thank you. You can follow my month-long journey on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Drroberthess.
Bob
Robert Hess, RN, PhD, FAAN
Executive Vice President, Global Programming
Office: 856-424-2046
Mobile: 610-805-8635
Friday, November 11, 2011
Paradigm Bytes November 12, 2011
PARADIGM BYTES
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
November 12, 2011
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/ Please copy, paste, and bookmark it.
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.
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SNIPPETS
FDA NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Nov. 8, 2011 Media Inquiries: Morgan Liscinsky, 301-796-0397, morgan.liscinsky@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
FDA launches website on safe disposal of used needles and other “sharps”
Improperly disposed sharps pose public health risks
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today launched a new website for patients and caregivers on the safe disposal of needles and other so-called “sharps” that are used at home, at work and while traveling.
The website will help people understand the public health risks created by improperly disposing of used sharps and how users should safely dispose of them.
Sharps is a term for medical devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture or cut the skin. Such medical devices include hypodermic needles and syringes used to administer medication; lancets or fingerstick devices to collect blood for testing; needle and tubing systems for infusing intravenous and subcutaneous medicines; and connection needles used for home hemodialysis.
After being used, many sharps end up in home and public trash cans or flushed down toilets. This kind of improper disposal puts people, such as sanitation workers, sewage treatment workers, janitors, housekeepers, family members and children at risk for needle stick injuries or infection with viruses such as Hepatitis B and C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
“Safe disposal of used needles and other sharps is a public health priority,” said Jeffrey Shuren, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “This website provides information about how to keep used sharps from ending up in places where they could harm people.”
With more diseases and conditions such as diabetes, cancer, allergies, arthritis and HIV being managed outside of hospitals and doctors’ offices, the number of sharps used in homes and work offices is increasing. In addition, pets are being treated in homes and livestock are being treated on farms, which are also contributing to the increased number of sharps outside of veterinary hospitals.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 3 billion needles and other sharps are used in homes in the United States each year.
Sharps disposal guidelines and programs vary by jurisdiction. For example, in 2008, California passed legislation banning throwing needles in household trash. Florida, New Jersey and New York have established community drop off programs at hospitals and other health care facilities. People using sharps at home or work or while traveling should check with their local trash removal services or health department to find out about disposal methods available in their area.
For the safe disposal of needles and other sharps used outside of the health care setting, the FDA recommends the following:
DO:
Immediately place used sharps in an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container to reduce the risk of needle-sticks, cuts or punctures from loose sharps. (A list of products and companies with FDA-cleared sharps disposal containers is available on the FDA website. Although the products on the list have received FDA clearance, all products may not be currently available on the market.)
If an FDA-cleared container is not available, some associations and community guidelines recommend using a heavy-duty plastic household container as an alternative. The container should be leak-resistant, remain upright during use and have a tight fitting, puncture-resistant lid, such as a plastic laundry detergent container.
Keep sharps and sharps disposal containers out of reach of children and pets.
Call your local trash or public health department in your phone book to find out about sharps disposal programs in your area.
Follow your community guidelines for getting rid of your sharps disposal container.
DO NOT:
Throw loose sharps into the trash.
Flush sharps down the toilet.
Put sharps in a recycling bin; they are not recyclable.
Try to remove, bend, break or recap sharps used by another person.
Attempt to remove a needle without a needle clipper device.
For more information:
Needles and Other Sharps (Safe Disposal Outside of Health Care Settings)
Improperly Discarded ‘Sharps’ Can Be Dangerous – Consumer Update
Sharps Flickr Slideshow
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FROM THE MEMBERS
This was sent in by BAcello (Barbara)...Thank you ! She writes: "
BAcello (Barbara) submitted the following ... She writes: Several months ago, a friend told me about the most incredible reference site I have ever seen. I have been using it since then to
ensure it is legitimate, not virus-laden, and most importantly, free. I am convinced that it is or I would not be sharing it. It has never come
up in my search engine results. I think it is part of the The National University Library System (NULS), but it is open & accessible.
This site has 70,000+ full text books. You can do a search without signing up for anything, but you have to jump through
some hoops to access the downloads. IMO it is well worth it:
1. Register for http://library.nu
2. Open a gmail account if you don't have one.
3. Register for ifile.it
4. If you have an ad blocker, turn it off or the links may not show up.
5. If your firewall blocks the site, put it on the firewall"approved list." (I have Trend Micro on one computer & it does try to block it.
The other computer uses Bit Defender & it does not block it.)
6. When you try to download a file, ignore the HUGE 'download' links at the top of the page. They download trash you don't want/need.
Scroll down about half to 3/4 of the way down & use the tiny ifile.it link in the center of the page.
7. Fiddle with your search terms. For example, I was looking for exam prep materials for nursing home administrator interns.
Using 'nursing home administrator' and 'nursing home' did not bring up much. However, I found hundreds of related LTC books listed
under 'nursing.' 'Long term care' will also bring up quite a bit.
The people who indexed it obviously don?t understand the health professions, but once you find the right search terms, you?ll find
current,evidence-based information. The other day, my husband was looking for a book that lists for $288 on amazon. We downloaded
it on library.nu for free. For that search we used the book title & it came right up.
You can also search by author name or ISBN.
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INTERESTING READING
Please remember that the REUTERS articles usually good for only 30 days
Nurse practitioners were 'Lone Rangers,' founder says (CNN) -- In rural Boulder County, Colorado, Loretta Ford felt as if she were an epidemiologist, a sanitation department and a health inspector -- but in title, she was a nurse. She and colleagues carried everything, including the baby scales, as they set up temporary clinics in churches, schools and wherever else they could.
In the 1940s and '50s, there was no one else taking care of these basic community needs except Ford and her fellow public health nurses. As she gained experience, Ford realized that more nurses should be able to have specialized training so they could make basic decisions on their own about the health status of patients.
Ford, 90, the co-founder of the nurse practitioner movement, is being inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame on Saturday in Seneca Falls, New York. Thanks in large part to her efforts, there are more than 140,000 nurse practitioners working in the United States today. Many can prescribe and diagnose as doctors can, but their nursing background emphasizes health promotion and patient empowerment. ... http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/30/health/living-well/loretta-ford-nurse-practitioner/
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Myth #1: Bulk coffee at the grocery store is the best product to buy.
Oxygen and bright light are the worst flavor busters for roasted beans. Unless the store is conscientious about selling fresh coffee, the storage tubes can get coated with coffee oils, which turn rancid, so be wary of bulk coffee from supermarket display bins. Your best bet to get the absolute freshest beans is to buy from a local roaster (or roast your own). At the grocery store, opt for coffee beans packaged by quality-conscious roasters and sold in sturdy, vacuum-sealed bags.
Myth #2: The best place to store your coffee is in the freezer or refrigerator.
Roasted beans are porous and readily take up moisture and food odors, so the refrigerator is one of the worst places to store coffee. Flavor experts strongly advise against ever freezing coffee, especially dark roasts. Optimally, buy a 5- to 7-day supply of fresh beans at a time and keep at room temperature in an airtight container.
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(Reuters Health) - They say "You are what you eat." Maybe it should also be, "You are where you live."
A new study has found that the affluence of your neighborhood is linked to your risk of obesity and diabetes. People living in a high-poverty area were more likely to be obese and more likely to have diabetes than those in a low-poverty census tract.
The researchers characterize the association as "modest but potentially important."
"The effects we see in the study are comparable to what you see from targeted lifestyle interventions or with providing people with medications to prevent the onset of diabetes," chief author Jens Ludwig of the University of Chicago told Reuters Health in a telephone interview. ... http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/19/us-diabetes-idUSTRE79I7NG20111019?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Obesity is not just a U.S. issue although Americans are still the fattest, a Gallup poll indicates.
The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which tracks obesity in America, Britain and Germany monthly, found Americans are in far worse shape than are Britons and Germans. Twenty-five percent of Americans are obese, compared with 20 percent of Britons and slightly more than 10 percent of Germans, the index indicated. ...
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/11/01/World-getting-more-obese-US-No-1/UPI-47441320165417/?spt=hs&or=hn
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Weighing Weight-Loss Programs THURSDAY, Nov. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A new British study finds that commercial weight-loss programs are more effective and less costly than primary care-based programs led by specially trained staff.
University of Birmingham researchers compared weight loss among obese and overweight women and men enrolled in commercial weight-loss programs that lasted 12 weeks (Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Rosemary Conley) or in primary care-based programs (group-based dietetics, general practice one-to-one counseling, pharmacy one-to-one counseling).
The study also included a control group of patients who were given 12 vouchers for free use of a local fitness center.
There were 740 people at the start of the study, and follow-up data were available for 658 of them at the end of the 12-week program and for 522 of them one year later. ... http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=658601 ; (I joined Weight Watchers and have lost 12 pounds so far. I consider them the best).
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Freezing of Gait in Parkinson Disease Is Associated With Impaired Conflict Resolution
Freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson disease (PD) may involve executive dysfunction. This study examined whether executive functioning and attention are more affected in patients with FOG compared with those without and determined whether these processes are influenced by anti-Parkinson medication.... http://nnr.sagepub.com/content/25/8/765.abstract?rss=1
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RANDOM FACT: 1) There is no physical way to determine the difference between an Africanized honey bee and the less harmful European bee - even a specialist must examine several bees together to differentiate.
RANDOM FACT: 2) The Sydney funnel-web spider is Australia's most dangerous arachnid, with a bite capable of causing death in as little as fifteen minutes.
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Are you eating these 7 superfoods? Though fall is in many ways the unofficial season of gluttony (we're looking at you, Halloween and Thanksgiving), it's also a great time of year for healthy eats. The ground is flush with nutrient-rich root veggies and the trees are full of the crisp, quintessentially-autumn fruit that's number three on our list, they're practically doubling over.
Maybe best of all, with the sticky summer months behind us, there's something that just feels right about cooking again -- throwing on a cozy sweater and whipping up a meal with some of the healthy ingredients autumn has to offer. ... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/17/7-fall-superfoods_n_1007886.html?ncid=webmail11
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Preemies Breathe Easier With Less Invasive Therapy
A minimally invasive way of helping premature babies breathe better reduced the need for mechanical ventilation, researchers said.
In a randomized clinical trial, delivering surfactant though a thin catheter in the first days after birth reduced the absolute risk of needing ventilation by about 18 percentage points, according to Egbert Herting, PhD, of the University of Lübeck in Lübeck, Germany, and colleagues.
Over their whole hospital stay, the absolute risk reduction was 40 percentage points in favor of the catheter-delivered surfactant, Herting said online in The Lancet. Surfactants markedly improve outcomes for pre-term babies with respiratory distress syndrome and are usually delivered via the endotracheal tube during mechanical ventilation, the authors noted. ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/28827?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g379846d0r&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com
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Long-Term Mammography Needed for Breast Cancer Survivors Regular surveillance mammography after breast cancer boosts survival and should be continued for at least a decade, a systematic review suggested.
Second cancers in the same or opposite breast occurred at a fairly constant rate over the first 10 years instead of being largely in the first two or three years as often thought, Clare Robertson, MSc, of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and colleagues found.
Mammographic follow-up to detect these tumors was associated with reduced all-cause mortality and breast cancer-specific mortality in the studies reviewed.
Because the analysis also presented favorable data regarding cost-effectiveness, the group argued online in Health Technology Assessment for routine surveillance mammography out to at least 10 years. (I have always held to the belief that one does not use the Bp cuff on the mastectomy side for 10 years--- anyone disagree?) ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/BreastCancer/28834?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g379846d0r&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com
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FDA clears first single use face mask for children
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the Kimberly-Clark Pediatric/Child Face Mask, designed to be worn in hospitals and health care facilities to help reduce the spread of airborne respiratory tract bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
The mask is designed to fit children ages 5 years to 12 years. Children do not breathe as forcefully as adults, particularly children with respiratory infections, so the face mask is less resistant to airflow than an adult mask.
“Children are not small adults,” said Susan Cummins, M.D., chief pediatric medical officer at FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “This pediatric face mask helps fill an unmet need for medical devices that are specifically designed for children’s unique anatomy and growing bodies.”...
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm273491.htm
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Fibroid Surgery May Up Birth Rates After Recurrent Miscarriage
Removing fibroids that distort the uterine cavity may improve live birth rates among women with recurrent miscarriage, researchers found.
Myomectomy was associated with a significant drop in mid-trimester loss rate (21.7% versus 0%, P<0.01), Sotirios Saravelos, MD, of the University of Sheffield in the U.K., and colleagues reported online in Human Reproduction.
"We would recommend offering hysteroscopic surgery to all women with a history of one or more mid-trimester pregnancy losses," Saravelos and colleagues wrote.
But women with fibroids not distorting the uterine cavity can achieve high live birth rates without intervention, they noted.
Uterine fibroids have been linked with spontaneous miscarriage, but no studies have assessed their role in recurrent miscarriage. ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/Fibroids/28835?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g379846d0r&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com ;
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Virus to blame for rise throat cancer (Reuters Health) - Cancer of the back of the mouth and throat is on the rise, primarily because of more cases stemming from a viral infection called human papillomavirus (HPV), researchers report in a new study.
The number of people who were diagnosed with HPV-related oral cancer in 2004 was triple the number diagnosed in 1988, due largely, researchers suspect, to changes in sexual behavior that have helped spread the virus. ... http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/03/us-throat-cancer-idUSTRE79266I20111003
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Vasopressin Injection USP, Multiple Dose Vials: Recall - Sub-Potency : American Regent, Inc. is conducting a nationwide voluntary recall of multiple lots of Vasopressin Injection, USP to the Retail/Hospital level. This product recall was initiated by American Regent, Inc. because some vials may not maintain potency throughout their shelf-life. Potential adverse events after administration of solutions that are below potency limits may include reduced effectiveness. See the company Press Release for a listing of affected lot numbers. The products were distributed to wholesalers and distributors nationwide.
BACKGROUND: Vasopressin Injection, USP is indicated for prevention and treatment of postoperative abdominal distention, in abdominal roentgenography to dispel interfering gas shadows, and in diabetes insipidus.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm266648.htm
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Strides gets USFDA approval for anti-bacterial injection NEW DELHI: Drug firm Strides Arcolab today said it has received the US health regulator's approval to market injectable Clindamycin USP, used in the treatment of bacterial infections, in the American market.
The product will be available in three single-dose vial sizes and in pharmacy bulk packaging, Strides Arcolab said in a statement.
"The product is expected to be launched in early 2012," it said, adding that the company received approval for its Clindamycin USP from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-10-03/news/30238517_1_strides-arcolab-usfda-approval-injectable-products
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RANDOM FACTS: In 2008, Houston ranked fourth for highest increase in the local technological innovation over the preceding 15 years, according to Forbes magazine.
Bonus Fact: American Lung Association rated the Houston's metropolitan area's ozone level as the 6th worst in the United States in 2006. (As you probably know, I am from Texas (El Paso), but lived in Houston area many years. I believe it is mostly due to Texas City's oil refineries).
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Safest Hospitals Have Higher Nursing Standards Facilities that win the "Magnet Hospital" designation for meeting high nursing standards were more likely to adopt safe patient care practices than their noncertified counterparts, researchers found.
In 2004 and 2006, Magnet hospitals had significantly higher composite safe practice scores than non-Magnet facilities, Jayani Jayawardhana, PhD, of the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga., and colleagues reported online in the Journal of Nursing Administration.
Magnet hospitals -- there are currently 383 of them across the U.S. -- are known for a quality work environment and high retention rates of nurses. The program, run by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, focuses on characteristics such as nursing autonomy, use of evidence-based care, job satisfaction, and other parameters. ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/HospitalBasedMedicine/Nursing/28830?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g379846d0r&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com
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RANDOM FACT: The human lungs contain over 300,000 million capillaries which, if they were laid end to end, would stretch 2400km (1500 miles).
BONUS FACT: Human bone is as strong as granite in supporting weight. A block of bone the size of a matchbox can support 9 tonnes � that is four times as much as concrete can support.
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Use of folic acid and vitamin supplementation among adults with depression and anxiety: a cross-sectional, population-based survey Evidence suggests that folate deficiency may be causatively linked to depressive symptoms. However, little is known on the status of use of folic acid and vitamin supplements among people with mental disorders. This study examined the prevalence and the likelihood of use of folic acid or vitamin supplements among adults with depression and anxiety in comparison to those without these conditions. (Research)
Methods
Using data from 46, 119 participants (aged ≥ 18 years) in the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, we estimated the adjusted prevalence and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for taking folic acid and vitamin supplements among those with ever diagnosed depression (n = 8, 019), ever diagnosed anxiety (n = 5, 546) or elevated depressive symptoms (n = 3, 978, defined as having a depression severity score of ≥ 10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 diagnostic algorithm). ... http://www.nutritionj.com/content/10/1/102
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Brain Takes Multiple Hits from Low B12 Levels Low levels of vitamin B12 may contribute to cognitive problems for older adults in more than one way, according to a cross-sectional study.
Markers of B12 insufficiency all predicted lower global cognitive scores over nearly five years of follow-up, Christine C. Tangney, PhD, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and colleagues found.
The mediating factors appeared to be white matter lesions and cerebral infarcts in association with the nonspecific marker homocysteine and brain atrophy for the vitamin B12-specific marker methylmalonic acid (MMA). ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/28740?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=join-the-conversation-B12&utm_source=WC&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com&eun=g379846d0r
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HINT: Did you know balloons make great ice packs for small injuries?
Fill a balloon or two to make a quick ice pack. Fill a balloon halfway with water - make sure you leave enough room for it to expand -
and tie a knot. Place it in the freezer to have ready whenever you need an ice pack!
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A problem of grand proportions It's tempting to read a silver lining into the otherwise dreary news that food prices are skyrocketing and appear on pace to post their largest annual increase since 1980.
Record high oil prices sent bicycle sales up 24 percent and gas-guzzling SUV sales down 35 percent in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. High electric bills have prompted more than one of us to don a sweater rather than crank the heat. And increased cigarette taxes are credited with reducing teen smoking, according to at least one anti-tobacco group.
Sometimes, in other words, we need our wallets to be our willpower. So will rising food costs be the answer to our nation's notorious portion control issues? ... http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sc-health-1102-portions-20111102,0,5894702.story ;
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Obesity more likely with Night Owls (HealthDay News) -- Going to bed early and waking up early may help teens stay thinner and more physically active than their night-owl peers, and this was the case even when both groups got the same amount of sleep, researchers say.
"The children who went to bed late and woke up late, and the children who went to bed early and woke up early got virtually the same amount of sleep in total," study co-author Carol Maher, a postdoctoral fellow with the University of South Australia, said in a news release from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. http://www.consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=657315
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Saw palmetto doesn't ease prostate symptoms: study (Reuters) - Saw palmetto, a plant extract sold as a natural boost to urinary health, doesn't improve the symptoms of enlarged prostate in middle-aged men, a U.S. study said.
Even at high dosages, men taking saw palmetto daily didn't report any more improvement in symptoms, such as needing to urinate frequently or urgently, than those taking a drug-free placebo pill, according to findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"Even pushing up to the highest dose ... we couldn't see a benefit greater than placebo," said Michael Barry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who led the study. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/03/us-prostate-idUSTRE7920BV20111003?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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MRI Safe for Most Patients With Cardiac Devices
Fewer than 1% of patients with implanted cardiac devices encountered device-related problems during MRI, suggesting the imaging technique can be used safely in selected patients with implanted devices, investigators reported.
In three of 438 patients (0.3%), MRI triggered back-up programming mode in implanted devices. Right ventricular sensing and atrial and ventricular lead impedance values declined immediately after MRI. Long-term follow-up revealed decreased right ventricular sensing and lead impedance, increased right ventricular capture, and reduced battery voltage. None of the changes required revision or replacement of an implanted device, as reported in the October issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Arrhythmias/28859?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g379846d0r&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com
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RANDOM FACT: A five-year-old English girl nearly died in 2009 after she had swallowed so much of her own hair that it became a rope-like structure that wrapped around her intestines - a condition known as Rapunzel Syndrome [The Rapunzel syndrome is an extremely rare intestinal condition in humans resulting from eating hair (trichophagia)].
Bonus Fact: Being unmarried can shorten a man's life by 10 years.
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9 Simple Ways to Lower Cholesterol If you’re one of the 100 million Americans with unhealthy cholesterol levels, heart-healthy lifestyle changes are one of the most important ways to lower your cholesterol levels and prevent them from progressing. Ivan V. Pacold, MD, a cardiology professor at Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago, says that “even if these changes don’t show up directly in your cholesterol numbers, they can be lowering your risk for heart disease.” So if you haven’t made the change to a heart-healthy lifestyle, here are nine ways to get started. ...
http://www.everydayhealth.com/high-cholesterol-pictures/simple-ways-to-lower-cholesterol.aspx?xid=aol_eh-cardio_1_20111107_&aolcat=ESR&ncid=webmail16#/slide-1 ;
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52 Little Changes for Big Weight Loss Results Ever wonder why McDonald’s color scheme is yellow and red? “We are naturally drawn to red, yellow and orange in our dining area or restaurants because psychologically it stimulates us to want to eat -- and eat a lot. Studies show if you put your food on blue plates it can cause you to eat less,” says Tamal Dodge, a certified yoga instructor in Santa Monica, Calif. and star of the “Element: Hatha & Flow Yoga for Beginners” DVD.
http://www.ivillage.com/52-little-changes-big-weight-loss-results/4-b-394731?nlcid=wh|11-08-2011|#394749
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RANDOM FACT: In 2005, a 57 year-old woman gave birth to her own granddaughter, a baby conceived with an egg donated by
her 27 year-old daughter.
RANDOM FACT: In 2006, a 41 year-old British woman married what she called "the love of my life": a male dolphin named Cindy. hmmm
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Feel like you are hungry all the time? 7 Tips For Controlling Your Appetite
If you just can't seem to stop those hunger pains throughout the day, it may have something to do with the amount of sleep you're getting.
When it comes to the math behind weight loss, it’s all about “calories in, calories out.” However, it’s not always that black and white. If you suffer from constant food cravings, it may not always be an issue of hunger. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to remedy the situation. If you're certain that you are eating as you should for your metabolic type and you still feel hungry all the time, use these tips to help curb your appetite. ...
http://www.everydayhealth.com/jillianmichaels/seven-ways-to-control-appetite.aspx?xid=aol_eh-fit_1_20111107_&aolcat=HLT&; ncid=webmail7#/slide-1
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Thank you Miriam (mrwrn@AOL.com) for this great article.Unfortunately the following is only a partial listing, but I will have more in the December newsletter......if you want the entire listing, write me !
Apples
Protects your heart, Prevents constipation
Blocks diarrhea, Improves lung capacity
Cushions joints
Apricots
Combats cancer,Controls blood pressure,
Saves your eyesight, Shields against Alzheimer's,
Slows aging process
Artichokes
Aids digestion, Lowers cholesterol
Protects your heart,Stabilizes blood sugar
Guards against liver disease
Avocados
Battles diabetes,Lowers cholesterol,
Helps stops strokes,Controls blood pressure
Smooths skin
Bananas
Protects your heart, Quiets a cough
Strengthens bones,Controls blood pressure
Blocks diarrhea
Beans
Prevents constipation,Helps hemorrhoids
Lowers cholesterol, Combats cancer
Stabilizes blood sugar
Beets
Controls blood pressure, Combats cancer
Strengthens bones, Protects your heart
Aids weight loss
Blueberries
Combats cancer, Protects your heart
Stabilizes blood sugar,Boosts memory
Prevents constipation
Broccoli
Strengthens bones, Saves eyesight
Combats cancer, Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
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HUMOR SECTION
A cardiologist died and was given an elaborate funeral. A huge heart covered in flowers stood behind the casket during the service.
Following the eulogy, the heart opened, and the casket was rolled inside. The the heart then closed, sealing the doctor in the beautiful heart forever. At that point, one of the mourners burst into laughter. When all eyes stared at him, he said, "I'm sorry, I was just thinking of my own funeral....I'm a gynecologist". The proctologist fainted!
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CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise..........
Go to www.sharedgovernance.org for access to a just released, free continuing education module about shared governance, written by Robert Hess, Forum’s founder, and Diana Swihart, Forum advisory board member. Please follow me on Twitter as DrRobertHess.
Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS
www.nurse.com for CNE offerings.
Free CEs http://www.myfreece.com/welcome.asp
https://nursing.advanceweb.com/CE/TestCenter/Main.aspx
This site was sent in by FNPMSN@aol.com (Cindy) http://cmepain.com/ !
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WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to:RNFrankie@AOL.com.
This is an excellent nursing site, check it out: http://nursingpub.com/
Back issues of the ISMP newsletter are available at: http://www.ismp.org/Newsletters/nursing/backissues.asp.
Robert Hess, RN, PhD, FAAN (856) 424-4270 (610) 805-8635 (cell) Founder, Forum for Shared Governance
info@sharedgovernance.org www.sharedgovernance.org
Decubqueen's website: www.accu-ruler.com
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.nationalnurse3.blogspot.com/
RNs launch a national safe staffing campaign http://www.1199seiu.org/media/magazine/sept_2007/safe_staffing.cfm
H.R. 2123, The Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2007
http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_2123.html
Board Supports Your Right to Refuse An Unsafe Assignment: Nurse Practice Act cites three conditions for patient abandonment http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4102/is_200408/ai_n9450263
The Nursing Site http://thenursingsite.com .
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.snopes.com
http://www.solutionsoutsidethebox.net/ Raconte's website
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3
National Do Not Call Registry
If you're buying a used car, it is recommended having a mechanic inspect it first. And screen the car's VIN through the free database at carfax.com/flood
(the following is presented for the final time...take note, please.) :
12 lead EKG Interpretation Part #1
http://nursingpub.com/12-lead-ekg-explained-part-1
12 Lead EKG Interpretation Part #2
http://nursingpub.com/12-lead-ekg-interpretation-part-2
12 Lead EKG Interpretation Part #3
http://nursingpub.com/12-lead-ekg-interpretation-part-3
This is a sampling of the offers on : Rozalfaro's website: http://www.alfaroteachsmart.com/articles.htm
Metric conversion calculators and tables for metric conversions
http://www.metric-conversions.org/
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MEDICAL RECALLS
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Recall of Blood Component Infusion Set (Product Code: 4C2223)
Blood Component Infusion Set 80 Micron Blood Component Filter Female Luer
Manufacturer: Fenwal, Inc. Lake Zurich, Illinois
Fenwal identified a labeling issue with the 4C2223 Blood Component Infusion Set in which the package label incorrectly states 80 Micron filter when the actual filter size is a standard blood filter of 170-260 micron in size. Fenwal is recommending that customers immediately discontinue the use of this product and return the product to Fenwal. http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/Recalls/ucm278069.htm
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FDA Hepatitis Update - Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a) new disposable autoinjector On September 29, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration approved a135 mcg/0.5ml and 180 mcg/0.5 ml disposable autoinjector (DAI) to administer Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a), an antiviral indicated for treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) by subcutaneous injection.
Pegasys continues to be available in a vial or prefilled syringe, and now also in a 135 mcg/0.5ml and 180 mcg/0.5 ml PEGASYS disposable autoinjector. The package insert and the Medication Guide have been updated to provide new information and instructions for use related to the disposable autoinjector.
Because the autoinjectors are designed to deliver the full content, autoinjectors should only be used for patients who need the full dose (180 or 135 mcg). If the required dose is not available in an autoinjector, prefilled syringes, or vials should be used to administer the required dose. The autoinjector is for subcutaneous administration only. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/103964s5204lbl.pdf
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Vasopressin Injection USP, Multiple Dose Vials: Recall - Sub-Potency: American Regent, Inc. is conducting a nationwide voluntary recall of multiple lots of Vasopressin Injection, USP to the Retail/Hospital level. This product recall was initiated by American Regent, Inc. because some vials may not maintain potency throughout their shelf-life. Potential adverse events after administration of solutions that are below potency limits may include reduced effectiveness. See the company Press Release for a listing of affected lot numbers. The products were distributed to wholesalers and distributors nationwide.
BACKGROUND: Vasopressin Injection, USP is indicated for prevention and treatment of postoperative abdominal distention, in abdominal roentgenography to dispel interfering gas shadows, and in diabetes insipidus.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm266648.htm
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Recall of CareFusion EnVe Ventilator, model 19250-001. The affected products were manufactured between December 2010 and May 2011.
Use: The CareFusion EnVe Ventilator is a portable ventilator used to provide breathing assistance to pediatric and adult patients in hospital and medical transport settings.
Recalling Firm: CareFusion 203, Inc. 17400 Medina Road, Suite 100 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55447-1341
Reason for Recall: CareFusion has identified potential defects associated with the EnVe Ventilator model 19250-001 that can interrupt ventilation to the patient. The issues include: a potential delay in resuming ventilation after reconnection; a potential automatic reset; and a potential for disconnection during transport. Failure to adequately ventilate may lead to hypoxia or hypercarbia, which may result in serious neurological injury or death.
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/RecallsCorrectionsRemovals/ListofRecallsdefault.htm
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NURSING HINTS CORNER
Secured with Strips Instead of using tape to hold a NG tube in place, I use tincture of benzoin and Steri-Strips. I apply a small amount of benzoin across the bridge of the patient's nose. When it is dry, I wrap the Steri-Strip around the tube and place it over the patient's nose.
The strips not only adhere to the tube securely, but also look better than tape, so the patients appreciate them, too. Fran Ellis, RN
Used with permission from 1,001 Nursing Tips & Timesavers, Third Edition, 1997, p.150, Springhouse Corporation/www.springnetcom. ;
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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/.
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NEW MEMBERS
Please send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com
WELCOME TO:
engleharts@bellsouth.net (Kay) October 6, 2011
sandsfamily4@att.net (Becky) October 6, 2011
pumpkinann26@yahoo.com, (Audrey) October 12, 2011
Jb_cooke@yahoo.com (June) October 24, 2011
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NOTICE:
I attempt to send the notices to your email addresses on file and if the notices 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, okay? RNFrankie@AOL.com
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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
Learn to get in touch with silence within yourself,
and know that everything in this life has purpose.
There are no mistakes, no coincidences,
all events are blessings given to us to learn from.
--Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Hope to hear from you !..... Frankie
RNFrankie@AOL.com
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
November 12, 2011
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/ Please copy, paste, and bookmark it.
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.
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SNIPPETS
FDA NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Nov. 8, 2011 Media Inquiries: Morgan Liscinsky, 301-796-0397, morgan.liscinsky@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
FDA launches website on safe disposal of used needles and other “sharps”
Improperly disposed sharps pose public health risks
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today launched a new website for patients and caregivers on the safe disposal of needles and other so-called “sharps” that are used at home, at work and while traveling.
The website will help people understand the public health risks created by improperly disposing of used sharps and how users should safely dispose of them.
Sharps is a term for medical devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture or cut the skin. Such medical devices include hypodermic needles and syringes used to administer medication; lancets or fingerstick devices to collect blood for testing; needle and tubing systems for infusing intravenous and subcutaneous medicines; and connection needles used for home hemodialysis.
After being used, many sharps end up in home and public trash cans or flushed down toilets. This kind of improper disposal puts people, such as sanitation workers, sewage treatment workers, janitors, housekeepers, family members and children at risk for needle stick injuries or infection with viruses such as Hepatitis B and C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
“Safe disposal of used needles and other sharps is a public health priority,” said Jeffrey Shuren, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “This website provides information about how to keep used sharps from ending up in places where they could harm people.”
With more diseases and conditions such as diabetes, cancer, allergies, arthritis and HIV being managed outside of hospitals and doctors’ offices, the number of sharps used in homes and work offices is increasing. In addition, pets are being treated in homes and livestock are being treated on farms, which are also contributing to the increased number of sharps outside of veterinary hospitals.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 3 billion needles and other sharps are used in homes in the United States each year.
Sharps disposal guidelines and programs vary by jurisdiction. For example, in 2008, California passed legislation banning throwing needles in household trash. Florida, New Jersey and New York have established community drop off programs at hospitals and other health care facilities. People using sharps at home or work or while traveling should check with their local trash removal services or health department to find out about disposal methods available in their area.
For the safe disposal of needles and other sharps used outside of the health care setting, the FDA recommends the following:
DO:
Immediately place used sharps in an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container to reduce the risk of needle-sticks, cuts or punctures from loose sharps. (A list of products and companies with FDA-cleared sharps disposal containers is available on the FDA website. Although the products on the list have received FDA clearance, all products may not be currently available on the market.)
If an FDA-cleared container is not available, some associations and community guidelines recommend using a heavy-duty plastic household container as an alternative. The container should be leak-resistant, remain upright during use and have a tight fitting, puncture-resistant lid, such as a plastic laundry detergent container.
Keep sharps and sharps disposal containers out of reach of children and pets.
Call your local trash or public health department in your phone book to find out about sharps disposal programs in your area.
Follow your community guidelines for getting rid of your sharps disposal container.
DO NOT:
Throw loose sharps into the trash.
Flush sharps down the toilet.
Put sharps in a recycling bin; they are not recyclable.
Try to remove, bend, break or recap sharps used by another person.
Attempt to remove a needle without a needle clipper device.
For more information:
Needles and Other Sharps (Safe Disposal Outside of Health Care Settings)
Improperly Discarded ‘Sharps’ Can Be Dangerous – Consumer Update
Sharps Flickr Slideshow
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FROM THE MEMBERS
This was sent in by BAcello (Barbara)...Thank you ! She writes: "
BAcello (Barbara) submitted the following ... She writes: Several months ago, a friend told me about the most incredible reference site I have ever seen. I have been using it since then to
ensure it is legitimate, not virus-laden, and most importantly, free. I am convinced that it is or I would not be sharing it. It has never come
up in my search engine results. I think it is part of the The National University Library System (NULS), but it is open & accessible.
This site has 70,000+ full text books. You can do a search without signing up for anything, but you have to jump through
some hoops to access the downloads. IMO it is well worth it:
1. Register for http://library.nu
2. Open a gmail account if you don't have one.
3. Register for ifile.it
4. If you have an ad blocker, turn it off or the links may not show up.
5. If your firewall blocks the site, put it on the firewall"approved list." (I have Trend Micro on one computer & it does try to block it.
The other computer uses Bit Defender & it does not block it.)
6. When you try to download a file, ignore the HUGE 'download' links at the top of the page. They download trash you don't want/need.
Scroll down about half to 3/4 of the way down & use the tiny ifile.it link in the center of the page.
7. Fiddle with your search terms. For example, I was looking for exam prep materials for nursing home administrator interns.
Using 'nursing home administrator' and 'nursing home' did not bring up much. However, I found hundreds of related LTC books listed
under 'nursing.' 'Long term care' will also bring up quite a bit.
The people who indexed it obviously don?t understand the health professions, but once you find the right search terms, you?ll find
current,evidence-based information. The other day, my husband was looking for a book that lists for $288 on amazon. We downloaded
it on library.nu for free. For that search we used the book title & it came right up.
You can also search by author name or ISBN.
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INTERESTING READING
Please remember that the REUTERS articles usually good for only 30 days
Nurse practitioners were 'Lone Rangers,' founder says (CNN) -- In rural Boulder County, Colorado, Loretta Ford felt as if she were an epidemiologist, a sanitation department and a health inspector -- but in title, she was a nurse. She and colleagues carried everything, including the baby scales, as they set up temporary clinics in churches, schools and wherever else they could.
In the 1940s and '50s, there was no one else taking care of these basic community needs except Ford and her fellow public health nurses. As she gained experience, Ford realized that more nurses should be able to have specialized training so they could make basic decisions on their own about the health status of patients.
Ford, 90, the co-founder of the nurse practitioner movement, is being inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame on Saturday in Seneca Falls, New York. Thanks in large part to her efforts, there are more than 140,000 nurse practitioners working in the United States today. Many can prescribe and diagnose as doctors can, but their nursing background emphasizes health promotion and patient empowerment. ... http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/30/health/living-well/loretta-ford-nurse-practitioner/
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Myth #1: Bulk coffee at the grocery store is the best product to buy.
Oxygen and bright light are the worst flavor busters for roasted beans. Unless the store is conscientious about selling fresh coffee, the storage tubes can get coated with coffee oils, which turn rancid, so be wary of bulk coffee from supermarket display bins. Your best bet to get the absolute freshest beans is to buy from a local roaster (or roast your own). At the grocery store, opt for coffee beans packaged by quality-conscious roasters and sold in sturdy, vacuum-sealed bags.
Myth #2: The best place to store your coffee is in the freezer or refrigerator.
Roasted beans are porous and readily take up moisture and food odors, so the refrigerator is one of the worst places to store coffee. Flavor experts strongly advise against ever freezing coffee, especially dark roasts. Optimally, buy a 5- to 7-day supply of fresh beans at a time and keep at room temperature in an airtight container.
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(Reuters Health) - They say "You are what you eat." Maybe it should also be, "You are where you live."
A new study has found that the affluence of your neighborhood is linked to your risk of obesity and diabetes. People living in a high-poverty area were more likely to be obese and more likely to have diabetes than those in a low-poverty census tract.
The researchers characterize the association as "modest but potentially important."
"The effects we see in the study are comparable to what you see from targeted lifestyle interventions or with providing people with medications to prevent the onset of diabetes," chief author Jens Ludwig of the University of Chicago told Reuters Health in a telephone interview. ... http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/19/us-diabetes-idUSTRE79I7NG20111019?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Obesity is not just a U.S. issue although Americans are still the fattest, a Gallup poll indicates.
The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which tracks obesity in America, Britain and Germany monthly, found Americans are in far worse shape than are Britons and Germans. Twenty-five percent of Americans are obese, compared with 20 percent of Britons and slightly more than 10 percent of Germans, the index indicated. ...
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/11/01/World-getting-more-obese-US-No-1/UPI-47441320165417/?spt=hs&or=hn
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Weighing Weight-Loss Programs THURSDAY, Nov. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A new British study finds that commercial weight-loss programs are more effective and less costly than primary care-based programs led by specially trained staff.
University of Birmingham researchers compared weight loss among obese and overweight women and men enrolled in commercial weight-loss programs that lasted 12 weeks (Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Rosemary Conley) or in primary care-based programs (group-based dietetics, general practice one-to-one counseling, pharmacy one-to-one counseling).
The study also included a control group of patients who were given 12 vouchers for free use of a local fitness center.
There were 740 people at the start of the study, and follow-up data were available for 658 of them at the end of the 12-week program and for 522 of them one year later. ... http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=658601 ; (I joined Weight Watchers and have lost 12 pounds so far. I consider them the best).
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Freezing of Gait in Parkinson Disease Is Associated With Impaired Conflict Resolution
Freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson disease (PD) may involve executive dysfunction. This study examined whether executive functioning and attention are more affected in patients with FOG compared with those without and determined whether these processes are influenced by anti-Parkinson medication.... http://nnr.sagepub.com/content/25/8/765.abstract?rss=1
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RANDOM FACT: 1) There is no physical way to determine the difference between an Africanized honey bee and the less harmful European bee - even a specialist must examine several bees together to differentiate.
RANDOM FACT: 2) The Sydney funnel-web spider is Australia's most dangerous arachnid, with a bite capable of causing death in as little as fifteen minutes.
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Are you eating these 7 superfoods? Though fall is in many ways the unofficial season of gluttony (we're looking at you, Halloween and Thanksgiving), it's also a great time of year for healthy eats. The ground is flush with nutrient-rich root veggies and the trees are full of the crisp, quintessentially-autumn fruit that's number three on our list, they're practically doubling over.
Maybe best of all, with the sticky summer months behind us, there's something that just feels right about cooking again -- throwing on a cozy sweater and whipping up a meal with some of the healthy ingredients autumn has to offer. ... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/17/7-fall-superfoods_n_1007886.html?ncid=webmail11
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Preemies Breathe Easier With Less Invasive Therapy
A minimally invasive way of helping premature babies breathe better reduced the need for mechanical ventilation, researchers said.
In a randomized clinical trial, delivering surfactant though a thin catheter in the first days after birth reduced the absolute risk of needing ventilation by about 18 percentage points, according to Egbert Herting, PhD, of the University of Lübeck in Lübeck, Germany, and colleagues.
Over their whole hospital stay, the absolute risk reduction was 40 percentage points in favor of the catheter-delivered surfactant, Herting said online in The Lancet. Surfactants markedly improve outcomes for pre-term babies with respiratory distress syndrome and are usually delivered via the endotracheal tube during mechanical ventilation, the authors noted. ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/28827?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g379846d0r&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com
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Long-Term Mammography Needed for Breast Cancer Survivors Regular surveillance mammography after breast cancer boosts survival and should be continued for at least a decade, a systematic review suggested.
Second cancers in the same or opposite breast occurred at a fairly constant rate over the first 10 years instead of being largely in the first two or three years as often thought, Clare Robertson, MSc, of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and colleagues found.
Mammographic follow-up to detect these tumors was associated with reduced all-cause mortality and breast cancer-specific mortality in the studies reviewed.
Because the analysis also presented favorable data regarding cost-effectiveness, the group argued online in Health Technology Assessment for routine surveillance mammography out to at least 10 years. (I have always held to the belief that one does not use the Bp cuff on the mastectomy side for 10 years--- anyone disagree?) ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/BreastCancer/28834?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g379846d0r&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com
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FDA clears first single use face mask for children
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the Kimberly-Clark Pediatric/Child Face Mask, designed to be worn in hospitals and health care facilities to help reduce the spread of airborne respiratory tract bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
The mask is designed to fit children ages 5 years to 12 years. Children do not breathe as forcefully as adults, particularly children with respiratory infections, so the face mask is less resistant to airflow than an adult mask.
“Children are not small adults,” said Susan Cummins, M.D., chief pediatric medical officer at FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “This pediatric face mask helps fill an unmet need for medical devices that are specifically designed for children’s unique anatomy and growing bodies.”...
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm273491.htm
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Fibroid Surgery May Up Birth Rates After Recurrent Miscarriage
Removing fibroids that distort the uterine cavity may improve live birth rates among women with recurrent miscarriage, researchers found.
Myomectomy was associated with a significant drop in mid-trimester loss rate (21.7% versus 0%, P<0.01), Sotirios Saravelos, MD, of the University of Sheffield in the U.K., and colleagues reported online in Human Reproduction.
"We would recommend offering hysteroscopic surgery to all women with a history of one or more mid-trimester pregnancy losses," Saravelos and colleagues wrote.
But women with fibroids not distorting the uterine cavity can achieve high live birth rates without intervention, they noted.
Uterine fibroids have been linked with spontaneous miscarriage, but no studies have assessed their role in recurrent miscarriage. ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/Fibroids/28835?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g379846d0r&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com ;
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Virus to blame for rise throat cancer (Reuters Health) - Cancer of the back of the mouth and throat is on the rise, primarily because of more cases stemming from a viral infection called human papillomavirus (HPV), researchers report in a new study.
The number of people who were diagnosed with HPV-related oral cancer in 2004 was triple the number diagnosed in 1988, due largely, researchers suspect, to changes in sexual behavior that have helped spread the virus. ... http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/03/us-throat-cancer-idUSTRE79266I20111003
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Vasopressin Injection USP, Multiple Dose Vials: Recall - Sub-Potency : American Regent, Inc. is conducting a nationwide voluntary recall of multiple lots of Vasopressin Injection, USP to the Retail/Hospital level. This product recall was initiated by American Regent, Inc. because some vials may not maintain potency throughout their shelf-life. Potential adverse events after administration of solutions that are below potency limits may include reduced effectiveness. See the company Press Release for a listing of affected lot numbers. The products were distributed to wholesalers and distributors nationwide.
BACKGROUND: Vasopressin Injection, USP is indicated for prevention and treatment of postoperative abdominal distention, in abdominal roentgenography to dispel interfering gas shadows, and in diabetes insipidus.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm266648.htm
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Strides gets USFDA approval for anti-bacterial injection NEW DELHI: Drug firm Strides Arcolab today said it has received the US health regulator's approval to market injectable Clindamycin USP, used in the treatment of bacterial infections, in the American market.
The product will be available in three single-dose vial sizes and in pharmacy bulk packaging, Strides Arcolab said in a statement.
"The product is expected to be launched in early 2012," it said, adding that the company received approval for its Clindamycin USP from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-10-03/news/30238517_1_strides-arcolab-usfda-approval-injectable-products
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RANDOM FACTS: In 2008, Houston ranked fourth for highest increase in the local technological innovation over the preceding 15 years, according to Forbes magazine.
Bonus Fact: American Lung Association rated the Houston's metropolitan area's ozone level as the 6th worst in the United States in 2006. (As you probably know, I am from Texas (El Paso), but lived in Houston area many years. I believe it is mostly due to Texas City's oil refineries).
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Safest Hospitals Have Higher Nursing Standards Facilities that win the "Magnet Hospital" designation for meeting high nursing standards were more likely to adopt safe patient care practices than their noncertified counterparts, researchers found.
In 2004 and 2006, Magnet hospitals had significantly higher composite safe practice scores than non-Magnet facilities, Jayani Jayawardhana, PhD, of the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga., and colleagues reported online in the Journal of Nursing Administration.
Magnet hospitals -- there are currently 383 of them across the U.S. -- are known for a quality work environment and high retention rates of nurses. The program, run by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, focuses on characteristics such as nursing autonomy, use of evidence-based care, job satisfaction, and other parameters. ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/HospitalBasedMedicine/Nursing/28830?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g379846d0r&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com
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RANDOM FACT: The human lungs contain over 300,000 million capillaries which, if they were laid end to end, would stretch 2400km (1500 miles).
BONUS FACT: Human bone is as strong as granite in supporting weight. A block of bone the size of a matchbox can support 9 tonnes � that is four times as much as concrete can support.
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Use of folic acid and vitamin supplementation among adults with depression and anxiety: a cross-sectional, population-based survey Evidence suggests that folate deficiency may be causatively linked to depressive symptoms. However, little is known on the status of use of folic acid and vitamin supplements among people with mental disorders. This study examined the prevalence and the likelihood of use of folic acid or vitamin supplements among adults with depression and anxiety in comparison to those without these conditions. (Research)
Methods
Using data from 46, 119 participants (aged ≥ 18 years) in the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, we estimated the adjusted prevalence and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for taking folic acid and vitamin supplements among those with ever diagnosed depression (n = 8, 019), ever diagnosed anxiety (n = 5, 546) or elevated depressive symptoms (n = 3, 978, defined as having a depression severity score of ≥ 10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 diagnostic algorithm). ... http://www.nutritionj.com/content/10/1/102
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Brain Takes Multiple Hits from Low B12 Levels Low levels of vitamin B12 may contribute to cognitive problems for older adults in more than one way, according to a cross-sectional study.
Markers of B12 insufficiency all predicted lower global cognitive scores over nearly five years of follow-up, Christine C. Tangney, PhD, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and colleagues found.
The mediating factors appeared to be white matter lesions and cerebral infarcts in association with the nonspecific marker homocysteine and brain atrophy for the vitamin B12-specific marker methylmalonic acid (MMA). ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/28740?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=join-the-conversation-B12&utm_source=WC&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com&eun=g379846d0r
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HINT: Did you know balloons make great ice packs for small injuries?
Fill a balloon or two to make a quick ice pack. Fill a balloon halfway with water - make sure you leave enough room for it to expand -
and tie a knot. Place it in the freezer to have ready whenever you need an ice pack!
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A problem of grand proportions It's tempting to read a silver lining into the otherwise dreary news that food prices are skyrocketing and appear on pace to post their largest annual increase since 1980.
Record high oil prices sent bicycle sales up 24 percent and gas-guzzling SUV sales down 35 percent in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. High electric bills have prompted more than one of us to don a sweater rather than crank the heat. And increased cigarette taxes are credited with reducing teen smoking, according to at least one anti-tobacco group.
Sometimes, in other words, we need our wallets to be our willpower. So will rising food costs be the answer to our nation's notorious portion control issues? ... http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sc-health-1102-portions-20111102,0,5894702.story ;
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Obesity more likely with Night Owls (HealthDay News) -- Going to bed early and waking up early may help teens stay thinner and more physically active than their night-owl peers, and this was the case even when both groups got the same amount of sleep, researchers say.
"The children who went to bed late and woke up late, and the children who went to bed early and woke up early got virtually the same amount of sleep in total," study co-author Carol Maher, a postdoctoral fellow with the University of South Australia, said in a news release from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. http://www.consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=657315
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Saw palmetto doesn't ease prostate symptoms: study (Reuters) - Saw palmetto, a plant extract sold as a natural boost to urinary health, doesn't improve the symptoms of enlarged prostate in middle-aged men, a U.S. study said.
Even at high dosages, men taking saw palmetto daily didn't report any more improvement in symptoms, such as needing to urinate frequently or urgently, than those taking a drug-free placebo pill, according to findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"Even pushing up to the highest dose ... we couldn't see a benefit greater than placebo," said Michael Barry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who led the study. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/03/us-prostate-idUSTRE7920BV20111003?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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MRI Safe for Most Patients With Cardiac Devices
Fewer than 1% of patients with implanted cardiac devices encountered device-related problems during MRI, suggesting the imaging technique can be used safely in selected patients with implanted devices, investigators reported.
In three of 438 patients (0.3%), MRI triggered back-up programming mode in implanted devices. Right ventricular sensing and atrial and ventricular lead impedance values declined immediately after MRI. Long-term follow-up revealed decreased right ventricular sensing and lead impedance, increased right ventricular capture, and reduced battery voltage. None of the changes required revision or replacement of an implanted device, as reported in the October issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. ...
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Arrhythmias/28859?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g379846d0r&userid=379846&email=rnfrankie@aol.com
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RANDOM FACT: A five-year-old English girl nearly died in 2009 after she had swallowed so much of her own hair that it became a rope-like structure that wrapped around her intestines - a condition known as Rapunzel Syndrome [The Rapunzel syndrome is an extremely rare intestinal condition in humans resulting from eating hair (trichophagia)].
Bonus Fact: Being unmarried can shorten a man's life by 10 years.
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9 Simple Ways to Lower Cholesterol If you’re one of the 100 million Americans with unhealthy cholesterol levels, heart-healthy lifestyle changes are one of the most important ways to lower your cholesterol levels and prevent them from progressing. Ivan V. Pacold, MD, a cardiology professor at Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago, says that “even if these changes don’t show up directly in your cholesterol numbers, they can be lowering your risk for heart disease.” So if you haven’t made the change to a heart-healthy lifestyle, here are nine ways to get started. ...
http://www.everydayhealth.com/high-cholesterol-pictures/simple-ways-to-lower-cholesterol.aspx?xid=aol_eh-cardio_1_20111107_&aolcat=ESR&ncid=webmail16#/slide-1 ;
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52 Little Changes for Big Weight Loss Results Ever wonder why McDonald’s color scheme is yellow and red? “We are naturally drawn to red, yellow and orange in our dining area or restaurants because psychologically it stimulates us to want to eat -- and eat a lot. Studies show if you put your food on blue plates it can cause you to eat less,” says Tamal Dodge, a certified yoga instructor in Santa Monica, Calif. and star of the “Element: Hatha & Flow Yoga for Beginners” DVD.
http://www.ivillage.com/52-little-changes-big-weight-loss-results/4-b-394731?nlcid=wh|11-08-2011|#394749
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RANDOM FACT: In 2005, a 57 year-old woman gave birth to her own granddaughter, a baby conceived with an egg donated by
her 27 year-old daughter.
RANDOM FACT: In 2006, a 41 year-old British woman married what she called "the love of my life": a male dolphin named Cindy. hmmm
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Feel like you are hungry all the time? 7 Tips For Controlling Your Appetite
If you just can't seem to stop those hunger pains throughout the day, it may have something to do with the amount of sleep you're getting.
When it comes to the math behind weight loss, it’s all about “calories in, calories out.” However, it’s not always that black and white. If you suffer from constant food cravings, it may not always be an issue of hunger. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to remedy the situation. If you're certain that you are eating as you should for your metabolic type and you still feel hungry all the time, use these tips to help curb your appetite. ...
http://www.everydayhealth.com/jillianmichaels/seven-ways-to-control-appetite.aspx?xid=aol_eh-fit_1_20111107_&aolcat=HLT&; ncid=webmail7#/slide-1
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Thank you Miriam (mrwrn@AOL.com) for this great article.Unfortunately the following is only a partial listing, but I will have more in the December newsletter......if you want the entire listing, write me !
Apples
Protects your heart, Prevents constipation
Blocks diarrhea, Improves lung capacity
Cushions joints
Apricots
Combats cancer,Controls blood pressure,
Saves your eyesight, Shields against Alzheimer's,
Slows aging process
Artichokes
Aids digestion, Lowers cholesterol
Protects your heart,Stabilizes blood sugar
Guards against liver disease
Avocados
Battles diabetes,Lowers cholesterol,
Helps stops strokes,Controls blood pressure
Smooths skin
Bananas
Protects your heart, Quiets a cough
Strengthens bones,Controls blood pressure
Blocks diarrhea
Beans
Prevents constipation,Helps hemorrhoids
Lowers cholesterol, Combats cancer
Stabilizes blood sugar
Beets
Controls blood pressure, Combats cancer
Strengthens bones, Protects your heart
Aids weight loss
Blueberries
Combats cancer, Protects your heart
Stabilizes blood sugar,Boosts memory
Prevents constipation
Broccoli
Strengthens bones, Saves eyesight
Combats cancer, Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
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HUMOR SECTION
A cardiologist died and was given an elaborate funeral. A huge heart covered in flowers stood behind the casket during the service.
Following the eulogy, the heart opened, and the casket was rolled inside. The the heart then closed, sealing the doctor in the beautiful heart forever. At that point, one of the mourners burst into laughter. When all eyes stared at him, he said, "I'm sorry, I was just thinking of my own funeral....I'm a gynecologist". The proctologist fainted!
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CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise..........
Go to www.sharedgovernance.org for access to a just released, free continuing education module about shared governance, written by Robert Hess, Forum’s founder, and Diana Swihart, Forum advisory board member. Please follow me on Twitter as DrRobertHess.
Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS
www.nurse.com for CNE offerings.
Free CEs http://www.myfreece.com/welcome.asp
https://nursing.advanceweb.com/CE/TestCenter/Main.aspx
This site was sent in by FNPMSN@aol.com (Cindy) http://cmepain.com/ !
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WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to:RNFrankie@AOL.com.
This is an excellent nursing site, check it out: http://nursingpub.com/
Back issues of the ISMP newsletter are available at: http://www.ismp.org/Newsletters/nursing/backissues.asp.
Robert Hess, RN, PhD, FAAN (856) 424-4270 (610) 805-8635 (cell) Founder, Forum for Shared Governance
info@sharedgovernance.org www.sharedgovernance.org
Decubqueen's website: www.accu-ruler.com
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.nationalnurse3.blogspot.com/
RNs launch a national safe staffing campaign http://www.1199seiu.org/media/magazine/sept_2007/safe_staffing.cfm
H.R. 2123, The Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2007
http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_2123.html
Board Supports Your Right to Refuse An Unsafe Assignment: Nurse Practice Act cites three conditions for patient abandonment http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4102/is_200408/ai_n9450263
The Nursing Site http://thenursingsite.com .
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.snopes.com
http://www.solutionsoutsidethebox.net/ Raconte's website
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3
National Do Not Call Registry
If you're buying a used car, it is recommended having a mechanic inspect it first. And screen the car's VIN through the free database at carfax.com/flood
(the following is presented for the final time...take note, please.) :
12 lead EKG Interpretation Part #1
http://nursingpub.com/12-lead-ekg-explained-part-1
12 Lead EKG Interpretation Part #2
http://nursingpub.com/12-lead-ekg-interpretation-part-2
12 Lead EKG Interpretation Part #3
http://nursingpub.com/12-lead-ekg-interpretation-part-3
This is a sampling of the offers on : Rozalfaro's website: http://www.alfaroteachsmart.com/articles.htm
Metric conversion calculators and tables for metric conversions
http://www.metric-conversions.org/
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MEDICAL RECALLS
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Recall of Blood Component Infusion Set (Product Code: 4C2223)
Blood Component Infusion Set 80 Micron Blood Component Filter Female Luer
Manufacturer: Fenwal, Inc. Lake Zurich, Illinois
Fenwal identified a labeling issue with the 4C2223 Blood Component Infusion Set in which the package label incorrectly states 80 Micron filter when the actual filter size is a standard blood filter of 170-260 micron in size. Fenwal is recommending that customers immediately discontinue the use of this product and return the product to Fenwal. http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/Recalls/ucm278069.htm
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FDA Hepatitis Update - Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a) new disposable autoinjector On September 29, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration approved a135 mcg/0.5ml and 180 mcg/0.5 ml disposable autoinjector (DAI) to administer Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a), an antiviral indicated for treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) by subcutaneous injection.
Pegasys continues to be available in a vial or prefilled syringe, and now also in a 135 mcg/0.5ml and 180 mcg/0.5 ml PEGASYS disposable autoinjector. The package insert and the Medication Guide have been updated to provide new information and instructions for use related to the disposable autoinjector.
Because the autoinjectors are designed to deliver the full content, autoinjectors should only be used for patients who need the full dose (180 or 135 mcg). If the required dose is not available in an autoinjector, prefilled syringes, or vials should be used to administer the required dose. The autoinjector is for subcutaneous administration only. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/103964s5204lbl.pdf
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Vasopressin Injection USP, Multiple Dose Vials: Recall - Sub-Potency: American Regent, Inc. is conducting a nationwide voluntary recall of multiple lots of Vasopressin Injection, USP to the Retail/Hospital level. This product recall was initiated by American Regent, Inc. because some vials may not maintain potency throughout their shelf-life. Potential adverse events after administration of solutions that are below potency limits may include reduced effectiveness. See the company Press Release for a listing of affected lot numbers. The products were distributed to wholesalers and distributors nationwide.
BACKGROUND: Vasopressin Injection, USP is indicated for prevention and treatment of postoperative abdominal distention, in abdominal roentgenography to dispel interfering gas shadows, and in diabetes insipidus.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm266648.htm
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Recall of CareFusion EnVe Ventilator, model 19250-001. The affected products were manufactured between December 2010 and May 2011.
Use: The CareFusion EnVe Ventilator is a portable ventilator used to provide breathing assistance to pediatric and adult patients in hospital and medical transport settings.
Recalling Firm: CareFusion 203, Inc. 17400 Medina Road, Suite 100 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55447-1341
Reason for Recall: CareFusion has identified potential defects associated with the EnVe Ventilator model 19250-001 that can interrupt ventilation to the patient. The issues include: a potential delay in resuming ventilation after reconnection; a potential automatic reset; and a potential for disconnection during transport. Failure to adequately ventilate may lead to hypoxia or hypercarbia, which may result in serious neurological injury or death.
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/RecallsCorrectionsRemovals/ListofRecallsdefault.htm
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NURSING HINTS CORNER
Secured with Strips Instead of using tape to hold a NG tube in place, I use tincture of benzoin and Steri-Strips. I apply a small amount of benzoin across the bridge of the patient's nose. When it is dry, I wrap the Steri-Strip around the tube and place it over the patient's nose.
The strips not only adhere to the tube securely, but also look better than tape, so the patients appreciate them, too. Fran Ellis, RN
Used with permission from 1,001 Nursing Tips & Timesavers, Third Edition, 1997, p.150, Springhouse Corporation/www.springnetcom. ;
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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/.
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NEW MEMBERS
Please send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com
WELCOME TO:
engleharts@bellsouth.net (Kay) October 6, 2011
sandsfamily4@att.net (Becky) October 6, 2011
pumpkinann26@yahoo.com, (Audrey) October 12, 2011
Jb_cooke@yahoo.com (June) October 24, 2011
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NOTICE:
I attempt to send the notices to your email addresses on file and if the notices 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, okay? RNFrankie@AOL.com
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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
Learn to get in touch with silence within yourself,
and know that everything in this life has purpose.
There are no mistakes, no coincidences,
all events are blessings given to us to learn from.
--Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Hope to hear from you !..... Frankie
RNFrankie@AOL.com
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