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PARADIGM BYTES
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
January 10, 2017
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
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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SNIPPET
Unless you have a special circumstance, you probably wear shoes inside your house.
But several scientific studies suggest why that’s a bad idea — and the reasons are pretty gross.
Though some bacteria is good for us, if you’ve ever gotten a stomach virus, you’ll know that other kinds of bacteria are not.
A study done by the University of Arizona found an average of 421,000 different bacteria on shoes. Coliforms, a bacterial indicator of the level of sanitation of foods and water (and universally present in feces), were detected on the bottoms of 96% of shoes.
In addition, E. coli was detected on 27% of the shoes, along with seven other kinds of bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, which can cause urinary tract infection, and Serratia ficaria, which can cause respiratory infections.
“We walk through things like bird droppings, dog waste and germs on public restroom floors, all of which are sources for E coli,” says Kelly Reynolds, Ph.D., a microbiologist and professor at the University of Arizona.
Researchers then wanted to know about the transfer of bacteria from shoes to uncontaminated home floors. They discovered that the transfer of bacteria from shoes to home floors ranged from 90% to 99%.
Though some bacteria is good for us, if you’ve ever gotten a stomach virus, you’ll know that other kinds of bacteria are not.
A study done by the University of Arizona found an average of 421,000 different bacteria on shoes. Coliforms, a bacterial indicator of the level of sanitation of foods and water (and universally present in feces), were detected on the bottoms of 96% of shoes.
In addition, E. coli was detected on 27% of the shoes, along with seven other kinds of bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, which can cause urinary tract infection, and Serratia ficaria, which can cause respiratory infections.
“We walk through things like bird droppings, dog waste and germs on public restroom floors, all of which are sources for E coli,” says Kelly Reynolds, Ph.D., a microbiologist and professor at the University of Arizona.
Researchers then wanted to know about the transfer of bacteria from shoes to uncontaminated home floors. They discovered that the transfer of bacteria from shoes to home floors ranged from 90% to 99%.
Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist and professor at the University of Arizona commented, “The common occurrence (96%) of coliform and E. coli bacteria on the outside of the shoes indicates frequent contact with fecal material, which most likely originates from floors in public restrooms or contact with animal fecal material outdoors. Our study also indicated that bacteria can be tracked by shoes over a long distance into your home or personal space after the shoes were contaminated with bacteria.”
Public restroom floors have been found to contain around two million bacteria per square inch, though the average toilet seat contains only about 50 per square inch. (Wonder how many bacteria are flushed onto the walls of the stalls and/or home bathrooms).
Another study done by the Battelle Memorial institute found that toxins from treating your lawn can easily be tracked into the house. Additionally, a study from Baylor University found that people who live near asphalt roads sealed with coal tar have an increased risk of cancer from toxins, and these toxins can be tracked in by your shoes.
Dr. Reynolds commented, “Think about rain water in the street. It can have gasoline in it and chemicals, and those get on your shoes and can be brought into your home.” However, though she cautions about the dangers of kinds of toxins, you would most likely have to be exposed many times over the course of your life in order to get sick.
The solution
In the University of Arizona study, researchers found that washing shoes with detergent in the washing machine reduced the presence of bacteria by 90% or more. In addition, you should also clean your floors and carpets using a disinfecting carpet cleaner — such as a steam cleaner.
But in order to avoid all the hassle and keep your house clean, the experts say it’s best to leave your shoes at the door whenever possible.
FROM MARLENE AND FRANKIE
Paradigm 97 Celebrates its Golden Birthday
Paradigm97 is celebrating its Golden Birthday! We are 20 years old on January 20th 2017.
We have many of the original members still with us and as many new nurses have continued to join us through the years we now number in the many hundreds. Many of you newer members don’t know how we started so I thought that on this special anniversary I could reminisce a bit and perhaps remind everyone of our beginnings. In the fall of 1996 RNFrankie and I met in an online chatroom. As the internet phenomenon grew, e-mail, chatrooms and instant messaging became the social media of that era. Frankie and I began communicating regularly and decided we would like to have a f orum for nurses in which we could meet, share, and unite ( and probably commiserate at times!) So Paradigm97 happened on January 20th, 1997. Anyone could go online and form a chatroom. So we did. We met other nurses online, some we already were friends with and so our initial charter membership was formed with about 10 or 12 of us. We would get together in our chatroom, have conversation and learn from each other. We formed a communication “tree” as we grew and several members were in charge of informing the others about what was going on, when we would meet, topics, etc. Everyone recruited others and soon we had members from almost every state, and even one in England. We grew so fast that we abandoned the communication tree and decided we needed a regular newsletter sent to everyone. I started writing a weekly Newsletter that I e-mailed to all the members every Sunday evening. Soon we had over 400 members. We had a wonderful private membership list that was updated and sent to everyone quarterly. We had a team who divided it up and kept the info up to date… ie: e-mail names, first names only, state, and area of practice. This enabled members to reach others who shared their area of practice. Many friendships were forged. We did acquire some prominent names within the membership. Frankie and I never dreamed we would grow like this. We had the Paradigm97 chatroom for years. Who here can remember the parties we had there? Who remembers the fruitcake that we sank in the pool and yet it resurfaced at every Christmas party? After the meetings, we reminded the last one there to “close the door and turn out the lights.” There was an online “buddy list” available then and as we put our members on it, we could see if they were online and invite them via instant message to the chatroom. We could place a link into the instant message for them to quickly reach the chatroom. ( We even had periodic “staff meetings” in a chatroom to keep everything organized.) We had regular set days and times for chatroom meetings and we had many “guest speakers” from various areas in the health field including doctors, therapists, pharmacists, nurses from all areas of practice and others who would come in and “tell” us about their specialty and then have a Q & A session. All of this scheduling was published in the Newsletter, but members also frequently opened the chatroom and gathered there as they wished. It was so much fun to go there and then just when you thought you were doomed to be there alone, suddenly another member would come in and join you! I wrote this weekly Newsletter for about 4 years, but between working full time and the growing membership I found it really difficult to keep up. By this time we had 850 members. In 2001 or thereabouts, Frankie took over the publication of the newsletter. Soon she created a website and started publishing it there monthly, doing such a good job all these years. Our membership is still in the hundreds and professionals are still joining. We are unable to publish a member list any more...we grew too big. The advances in nursing in the last 20 years continue to amaze us. There have been great and awesome changes, and yet some things never change. I will always be so proud of my (our) profession. Frankie and I remain close friends but we have never met. We have both been retired from nursing for quite a while now. We both have children and grandchildren. I have 18 grands and 2 great-grands. We stay in touch with some of the original members and have remained friends with them all these years. We have all shared so much that we are a family. I wish the best for all of you in our profession and in your personal lives, and I would be so pleased to hear from you. These past 20 years have been a great ride.
We have many of the original members still with us and as many new nurses have continued to join us through the years we now number in the many hundreds. Many of you newer members don’t know how we started so I thought that on this special anniversary I could reminisce a bit and perhaps remind everyone of our beginnings. In the fall of 1996 RNFrankie and I met in an online chatroom. As the internet phenomenon grew, e-mail, chatrooms and instant messaging became the social media of that era. Frankie and I began communicating regularly and decided we would like to have a f orum for nurses in which we could meet, share, and unite ( and probably commiserate at times!) So Paradigm97 happened on January 20th, 1997. Anyone could go online and form a chatroom. So we did. We met other nurses online, some we already were friends with and so our initial charter membership was formed with about 10 or 12 of us. We would get together in our chatroom, have conversation and learn from each other. We formed a communication “tree” as we grew and several members were in charge of informing the others about what was going on, when we would meet, topics, etc. Everyone recruited others and soon we had members from almost every state, and even one in England. We grew so fast that we abandoned the communication tree and decided we needed a regular newsletter sent to everyone. I started writing a weekly Newsletter that I e-mailed to all the members every Sunday evening. Soon we had over 400 members. We had a wonderful private membership list that was updated and sent to everyone quarterly. We had a team who divided it up and kept the info up to date… ie: e-mail names, first names only, state, and area of practice. This enabled members to reach others who shared their area of practice. Many friendships were forged. We did acquire some prominent names within the membership. Frankie and I never dreamed we would grow like this. We had the Paradigm97 chatroom for years. Who here can remember the parties we had there? Who remembers the fruitcake that we sank in the pool and yet it resurfaced at every Christmas party? After the meetings, we reminded the last one there to “close the door and turn out the lights.” There was an online “buddy list” available then and as we put our members on it, we could see if they were online and invite them via instant message to the chatroom. We could place a link into the instant message for them to quickly reach the chatroom. ( We even had periodic “staff meetings” in a chatroom to keep everything organized.) We had regular set days and times for chatroom meetings and we had many “guest speakers” from various areas in the health field including doctors, therapists, pharmacists, nurses from all areas of practice and others who would come in and “tell” us about their specialty and then have a Q & A session. All of this scheduling was published in the Newsletter, but members also frequently opened the chatroom and gathered there as they wished. It was so much fun to go there and then just when you thought you were doomed to be there alone, suddenly another member would come in and join you! I wrote this weekly Newsletter for about 4 years, but between working full time and the growing membership I found it really difficult to keep up. By this time we had 850 members. In 2001 or thereabouts, Frankie took over the publication of the newsletter. Soon she created a website and started publishing it there monthly, doing such a good job all these years. Our membership is still in the hundreds and professionals are still joining. We are unable to publish a member list any more...we grew too big. The advances in nursing in the last 20 years continue to amaze us. There have been great and awesome changes, and yet some things never change. I will always be so proud of my (our) profession. Frankie and I remain close friends but we have never met. We have both been retired from nursing for quite a while now. We both have children and grandchildren. I have 18 grands and 2 great-grands. We stay in touch with some of the original members and have remained friends with them all these years. We have all shared so much that we are a family. I wish the best for all of you in our profession and in your personal lives, and I would be so pleased to hear from you. These past 20 years have been a great ride.
Frankie, now it is your turn to tell us your memories.
MarGerlach@aol.com (Marlene)
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Dear friends and colleagues:
It has been a great pleasure and honor to have been the Editor/Publisher of PARADIGM BYTES these past 17 years. I have learned so very much just in selecting the articles for the Newsletter; I hope you have found pertinent and educational articles in each issue.... at least I tried to find the articles that would be of interest for each area of nursing.
We have such great members......many of them published; many are nationally recognized. It has been so very interesting to meet many of you in person.
What I have found when meeting you members, is that you all don't think of yourselves as special. I have also discovered that nurses undergo some horrific experiences such as cancer (among many other challenging problems), but do not complain about their tough life...they just go on with their work as if nothing is troubling them. I admire and respect my fellow nurses so very much.
As you have read in the December notice, Raconte@AOL.com AKA Genevieve, will be the next Publisher/Editor beginning in February 2017. I will still remain a member and even occasionally, contribute articles. As far as I am concerned, we never should stop learning, don't you agree?
If you are wondering why I am "stepping down", it is due to several reasons. First, most of you know I have had some very serious medical problems including the quadruple CABG. During that period of almost two months, I didn't publish a Newsletter. Secondly, I am now 80 years old. I really don't want Paradigm 97 to stop....leaving you members "adrift " so to speak. Finally, I need to get much more active...increasing my walking, etc. Staying alive is kinda important.
Please welcome Genevieve and support her in her new role as Editor/Publisher of PARADIGM BYTES Newsletter. I certainly welcome her .
Please, also, stay in touch with me........I do treasure your friendships.
Love,
Frankie
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FROM THE MEMBERS
This is a lovely note from Marlene (MarGerlach). Thank you:
Frankie, I understand that it is a bittersweet process in giving up publishing the Newsletter, but I know you will find it is also a great weight lifted from your shoulders. The passing of an era, I guess. The knowledge that you did such a good job for all those years and the pleasure of ensuring that it will continue will outweigh the melancholia you feel. Bless you for all the work you have done for so long. Enjoy your "retirement."
Love,
Marlene
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This article is from Roz (Rozalfaro@AOL.com). Thank you, Roz
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The following is from Kathy Quan's blog in which she writes about her Book review. She writes:
Book Review: The Joy of Nursing Reclaiming Our Nobility
It's no surprise the book was a finalist for the 2016 USA Best Book Award. It's a must read for anyone considering a career in nursing. Adams doesn't mince words as she shares stories of her real world challenges and triumphs in the nursing profession. "To be a nurse you have to be tough, and you have to be gentle." She tells it like it is, and also leads the reader to see the silver lining and understand the calling to be a nurse and to truly make a difference in lives everyday.... "
http://www.thenursingsiteblog.com/2016/12/book-review-joy-of-nursing-reclaiming.html
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INTERESTING READING
Please remember that the REUTERS articles usually good for only 30 days
Many women get double mastectomy when only one breast has tumors
(Reuters Health) - Women with cancer in one breast may opt to have both breasts removed even though a double mastectomy isn’t always linked to better survival odds, a recent study suggests.
Researchers analyzed survey data from women with early-stage cancer in one breast and found 17 percent had both breasts surgically removed as part of treatment.
“For most women with breast cancer, who do not have an inherited genetic mutation that predisposes them to a high risk of cancer formation, the risk of developing a second breast cancer in the other breast is actually quite low,” said lead study author Dr. Reshma Jagsi of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
“Removing the other breast is an extremely aggressive approach with little benefit for most women with breast cancer,” Jagsi added by email. “Yet most women tell us that they pursue this option for peace of mind; to me, this suggests that at least some women have not been fully informed.” ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-breastcancer-mastectomy-decisi-idUSKBN14G1O4?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202016-12-28&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
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For Kids With Kidney Disease, Race May Play Role in Outcomes
THURSDAY, Dec. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Black children are about one-third more likely to die from kidney failure than white children, and access to kidney transplants may be a crucial factor explaining the discrepancy, a new study suggests.
Dr. Elaine Ku, of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues tracked the health of more than 12,000 black, Hispanic and white children who had chronic kidney failure. All had been treated for kidney disease with either dialysis or transplants between 1995 and 2011.
The investigators followed the kids' health until 2012 for a median of 7 years.
Over the follow-up period, 1,600 of the children died. Black children were 36 percent more likely than white children to die, the findings showed.
The researchers said that they believe this difference mostly has to do with limited access to kidney transplants.
However, Hispanic children were less likely to die than white children even though they also had less access to transplants, the study authors noted.
"We believe it is critically important to understand differences in transplantation and death by race so that changes can be made to either the allocation of donated organs or current practices in the treatment of kidney disease in children to eliminate the differences that we observed," Ku said in a news release from the American Society of Nephrology.
The study was published online Dec. 29 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_162794.html
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Exclusive: CDC considers lowering threshold level for lead exposure
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering lowering its threshold for elevated childhood blood lead levels by 30 percent, a shift that could help health practitioners identify more children afflicted by the heavy metal.
Since 2012, the CDC, which sets public health standards for exposure to lead, has used a blood lead threshold of 5 micrograms per deciliter for children under age 6. While no level of lead exposure is safe for children, those who test at or above that level warrant a public health response, the agency says.
Based on new data from a national health survey, the CDC may lower its reference level to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter in the coming months, according to six people briefed by the agency. The measure will come up for discussion at a CDC meeting January 17 in Atlanta.
But the step, which has been under consideration for months, could prove controversial. One concern: Lowering the threshold could drain sparse resources from the public health response to children who need the most help – those with far higher lead levels.
The CDC did not respond to a request for comment. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-lead-cdc-idUSKBN14J160?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202017-01-02&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
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RANDOM FACTS:
Kellogg's corn flakes and graham crackers were originally developed to curb sexual urges (What ?).
Soy milk doesn't need to be refrigerated until after it's opened. Supermarkets sell it out of the refrigerated section to make it seem more like cow's milk.
Egypt's Great Pyramid weighs an estimate 6,648,000 tons.
Passion purpura is the medical term for a hickey.
Aprosexia is the inability to concentrate.
Chewing gum can help improve one's memory.
Istanbul, Turkey is the only city in the world located on two continents.
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Weight loss surgery tied to lasting digestive issues
A common weight loss surgery is associated with long-term gastrointestinal problems and food intolerance, a recent study suggests.
Researchers examined data on 249 extremely obese patients who had what’s known as laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, which reduces the stomach to a small pouch about the size of an egg.
Researchers examined data on 249 extremely obese patients who had what’s known as laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, which reduces the stomach to a small pouch about the size of an egg.
Two years after surgery, these patients had lost about 31 percent of their total body weight on average. But compared to the control group of 295 obese people who didn’t have operations, the gastric bypass patients were far more likely to experience indigestion and an inability to tolerate multiple foods.
“It was already known from previous studies that the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass might aggravate gastrointestinal symptoms after surgery,” said lead study author Dr. Thomas Boerlage of MC Slotervaart in Amsterdam. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-digestion-weightloss-surgery-idUSKBN14H1IK?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202016-12-29&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
Most women neglect strength training, but those who do it have lower risks of serious diseases
When it comes toexercise, the aerobic kind steals all the glory. All of the fun ways to sweat can help you get the government-
recommended 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week, like swimming, volleyball, brisk walking—anything that speeds up your
blood flow and breath.
Less appealing is the other, more neglected kind: strength-training. While about half of Americans meet the goals for aerobic exercise, only 20% do the recommended muscle-strengthening activities that work major muscle groups. Women, especially, tend to shy away from it.
But they neglect it at their own peril. Strength-training significantly lowers the risk for type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, finds a new studypublished in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. ...
http://time.com/4618826/strength-training-fitness-workout/
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U.S. melanoma rates keep rising
Reuters Health) - - The number of diagnosed melanoma cases and related deaths in the U.S. has been steadily climbing for at least two decades despite widespread prevention efforts, a recent study suggests.
Researchers now estimate that one in 54 Americans will develop invasive melanoma – the rarest and deadliest type of skin cancer – in their lifetime. That’s up from a 2009 estimate of one in 58.
“Physicians have improved their ability to identify melanomas in the past 30 years . . . but this alone likely does not explain the increased number of melanomas,” said study coauthor Dr. Alex Glazer, a physician based in New York City who is affiliated with the National Society for Cutaneous Medicine.
“Despite public health measures and warnings people still get a high level of UV exposure from the sun and tanning beds which is likely contributing to the increased incidence,” Glazer added by email. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-melanoma-trends-idUSKBN14I220?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202016-12-30&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
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RN Med Errors Common, Especially in Medical-Surgical Units, ICUs
The most common drug class associated with registered nurse (RN) medication errors (ME) was cardiovascular drugs. These errors accounted for 24.7% of such preventable errors, although the bulk of such human error did not harm patients. Within the cardiovascular drug class, 11.3% of MEs in the hospital setting were associated with anticoagulants, according to a study published online December 3 and in the February 2017 issue of Applied Nursing Research.
The most common drug class associated with registered nurse (RN) medication errors (ME) was cardiovascular drugs. These errors accounted for 24.7% of such preventable errors, although the bulk of such human error did not harm patients. Within the cardiovascular drug class, 11.3% of MEs in the hospital setting were associated with anticoagulants, according to a study published online December 3 and in the February 2017 issue of Applied Nursing Research.
"ME cases occurred most frequently in medical-surgical units (35.0%), followed by [intensive care unit (ICU)] (14.7%) and Intermediate Care (13.3%). Further, 65% of errors reached the patients without harm and 14% of errors were identified before reaching the patients. Approximately 10% of MEs reached the patients with harm," study lead author Maki Muroi, RN, from the School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, and colleagues write. ...
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/873778
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A Dirty Little Secret: Hand-Washing Spotty Among Day Care Staffers
THURSDAY, Dec. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Too few child care workers follow hand-washing guidelines, a new study suggests.
University of Arkansas researchers used video cameras to record the hand-washing habits of adults at an early childhood center in the state.
Overall, only 22 percent of the adults followed proper hand-washing procedures before and/or after tasks such as wiping noses, emptying garbage cans, preparing food, and changing diapers, the study found.
Hand-washing rates were 30 percent among caregivers, 11 percent among paraprofessional aides and just 4 percent among parents at the facility, according to the study.
The study results were published in the December issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
"Hand-washing is an important component of reducing illness transmission among children in early childhood centers, especially for the adults in charge of their care," said study lead author Jennifer Henk, an assistant professor of human environmental sciences at the university. ...
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_162323.html
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Obstetricians balk at FDA warning on anesthesia in pregnant women
(Reuters Health) - - Repeated or lengthy use of general anesthetic and sedation drugs in infants, toddlers and pregnant women in their third trimester might damage children’s developing brains, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned this month.
Upset that the warning about pregnant women was based solely on animal studies, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG, shot back its objection.
“ACOG is unaware of data on pregnant women that support the FDA’s claims,” the group said in a practice advisory to its members. “These warnings may cause patients and providers to inappropriately reject the use of these medically indicated drugs.”
Dr. Chris Zahn, vice president of practice activity for ACOG, said that the nonprofit, which represents physicians who care for women, and the FDA have had a close working relationship and in the past have discussed similar warnings before they were announced. But the warning about pregnant women and anesthesia was different. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-pregnancy-anesthesia-idUSKBN14I243?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202016-12-30&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
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Babies shouldn't drink unscreened donor breast milk, doctors warn
Donor breast milk that's screened, pasteurized and distributed through milk banks can protect preemies against serious illness, but donated milk bought online or obtained from friends can actually make babies sick, say U.S. pediatricians.
In its first policy statement on donor human milk, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises against using internet-based or informal human milk sharing. These sources of human milk carry the risk of bacterial or viral contamination, or exposure to medications, drugs, herbs or other substances. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-breastmilk-aap-idUSKBN1492IG?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202016-12-21&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
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New guideline follows research showing that waiting 30 to 60 seconds boosts iron levels throughout 1st year
The new guideline is a change from 2012, when ACOG expressed uncertainty about the value of delaying clamping. The group now says research suggests healthy infants can benefit from getting more blood from the placenta through the umbilical cord.
"While there are various recommendations regarding optimal timing for delayed umbilical cord clamping, there has been increased evidence that shows that the practice in and of itself has clear health benefits for both preterm and term infants," Dr. Maria Mascola, lead author of the guidelines, said in an ACOG news release. ...
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_162667.html
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Pregnancy changes the brain for as long as two years
For the first time, scientists have found evidence of specific and long-lasting changes in the brains of pregnant women. The changes were measured in brain areas that are responsible for social cognition and the ability to understand the thoughts and intentions of others, suggesting that they may intensify maternal bonding with a newborn.
The neuroimaging study, conducted in Spain, was prospective, looking at the brains of 25 first-time mothers before and after pregnancy, and again two years after the women gave birth. ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/12/19/pregnancy-changes-the-brain-for-as-long-as-two-years/?utm_term=.f14125c65dc2&wpisrc=nl_sb_smartbrief
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RANDOM FACT: In 1939, a five-year-old girl successfully gave birth to a six pound baby boy. (YIKES)
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While in Youngstown, Ohio , it's against the law to run out of gas.
Every time you lick a stamp, you're consuming 1/10 of a calorie.
67% of dog owners buy holiday gifts for their pets.
If every star in the Milky Way was a grain of salt, they would fill an Olympic sized swimming pool.
In 1830, the average American was consuming 1.7 bottles of hard liquor per week.
The lethal dose of caffeine for humans is ten grams, or about 100 cups of coffee consumed in four hours.
Despite common belief, your heart does not stop when you sneeze.
While the best and primary source for essential nutrients is a diet with a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods, up to 9 out of 10 Americans fall short in getting key nutrients from food alone (Vitamins A (50%), C (40%), D (90%), E (90%) and Calcium (50%)). Learn how supplementation may help close the nutrient gap and offer nutritional support. Read more...
CFEN is comprised of Bayer, DSM, Pfizer and Pharmavite.
CFEN is comprised of Bayer, DSM, Pfizer and Pharmavite.
1: Fulgoni et al. Foods, Fortificants, and Supplements: Where Do Americans Get Their Nutrients? The Journal of Nutrition. 2011.
http://www.mdedge.com/jfponline/article/112559/vitamin-and-mineral-intake-inadequate-most-americans-what-should-we-advise
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Cured Meats Could Aggravate Asthma, study suggests
TUESDAY, Dec. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Regularly eating cured meats such as ham and salami might aggravate asthma, researchers report.
Looking at close to 1,000 people with the respiratory disease, French researchers found that those who ate the most processed and cured meats were 76 percent more likely to see their asthma symptoms worsen over time compared to those who ate the least.
These symptoms include trouble breathing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, according to the report.
Cured meats are high in chemicals called nitrites to keep them from spoiling. These meats have been linked to a higher risk of other chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In addition, they were recently classified as carcinogenic, or cancer-causing, by the World Health Organization (WHO), said the study's lead researcher, Dr. Zhen Li. ...
https://consumer.healthday.com/respiratory-and-allergy-information-2/asthma-news-47/cured-meats-could-aggravate-asthma-study-suggests-718020.html
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QUIZ
Which of the following meets the requirements of organ dysfunction for severe sepsis?a. An acute lung injury with Pao2/Fio2 < 250 mm Hg with pneumonia as infection source.
b. An acute lung injury with Pao2/Fio2 < 250 mm Hg without pneumonia as infection source.
c. A normal lactate level.d. A reduced lactate level.
Answer at end of Newsletter
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Guinea trial shows 'historic' success for Ebola vaccine
A vaccine developed by Merck is the first shown to be highly effective in preventing human infection with Ebola, according to final results from a clinical trial.
Among 5,837 people who received the rVSV-EBOV vaccine in the trial in Guinea in 2015, no Ebola cases were recorded 10 days or more after vaccination, signaling 100 percent protection.
More than 11,300 people died in West Africa's 2013-2016 epidemic of the virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever.
"When the next Ebola outbreak hits, we will not be defenceless," said Marie-Paule Kieny, a World Health Organization (WHO) assistant director-general and one of the lead researchers in the trial.
Merck's rVSV-EBOV has already been used in Sierra Leone to contain a flare-up there. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-ebola-vaccine-idUSKBN14B2JM?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202016-12-23&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
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TWO HINTS:
For a scorched pan: fill with water, add dish washing soap, and place a dryer sheet on top.
Let it sit for one hour. Pour all off, rinse, and voila Clean !
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Just learned this one: To find out about your toothpaste....look at the bottom of the tube.
You should see a colored stripe there.
A Black stripe: pure chemical
A red stripe: Natural and chemical
A blue stripe: Natural and medium chemical (what ever that means)
and best of all: A green stripe: totally natural
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More Than Half of Brazilian Women Avoid Pregnancy Due to Zika Fear
In excess of 1,800 cases of birth defects linked to the mosquito-borne virus have hit the country so far
Since the outbreak began in Brazil, there have been 1,845 confirmed cases of birth defects tied to the mosquito-borne virus. Many involve microcephaly, a malformation where babies are born with abnormally small heads and underdeveloped brains.
The new study was led by Debora Diniz, a professor at the University of Brasilia. Her team surveyed more than 2,000 Brazilian women, aged 18 to 39, in June of this year. ...
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_162693.html
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HINTS: Softening woolen garments: After washing and rinsing, you can refill your container, and add a generous quantity of regular hair conditioner (about 1 tablespoon for a hat, about 6 for a sweater). (Many bloggers say that it must be a regular hair conditioner, but again, I would say that at this point, this really isn’t rocket science or actually science of any kind. Unless you’re a chemist, and you’re weighing your fiber and conditioner, this is all pretty rough. I’m not sure that “formulated” hair conditioners are really all that chemically special. However, to be on the safe side, if you’re not sure, test the conditioner on a small bit of the fiber before dunking the whole thing.)
Add your wool item, swish it around gently, let it soak for 10 minutes or so.
Remove the item. Some knitters just blot and dry the item. Others rinse. I’d lean towards rinsing. Firstly, conditioner is formulated to be rinsed out and contains oils and sometimes colouring that will stain. Secondly, it usually has perfumes in it.
Blot and lay to dry as you do for washing, above.
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Drug Overdose Deaths Climb Dramatically in U.S.
TUESDAY, Dec. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Drug overdose deaths continue to surge in the United States, with most fatalities linked to the illicit use of prescription painkillers, new government statistics reveal.
Drug overdose deaths increased 23 percent between 2010 and 2014, with more than 47,000 Americans dying in 2014, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data released Tuesday shows.
But updated numbers from the CDC also show that more than 52,000 people died from a drug overdose in 2015, and just over 33,000 of those deaths (63 percent) involved a prescription or illicit opioid.
The CDC noted, in its national update released Dec. 16 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, that more than 300,000 Americans have lost their lives to an opioid overdose since 2000. ...
https://consumer.healthday.com/bone-and-joint-information-4/opioids-990/drug-overdose-deaths-climb-dramatically-in-u-s-717988.html
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High Pain tolerance Tied to 'Silent Heart Attack' risk
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- People who are less sensitive to pain may be at increased risk of having a "silent" heart attack, a new study hints.
Chest pain is one of the "classic" symptoms of a heart attack. But many people have so-called silent heart attacks, where they notice no obvious symptoms.
"Almost everyone knows what a heart attack is. When we hear about it, we think of chest pain and [emergency] medical care," said Dr. Andrea Ohrn, the lead researcher on the new study.
"But what's less known is, many people experience heart attacks without knowing it -- without ever receiving a diagnosis," said Ohrn, a fellow at the University of Tromso in Norway.
No one knows why that is. But the new findings suggest that pain tolerance might be a factor. ...
Human life expectancy has increased more in the last 50 years than in the previous 200,000 years of human existence.
Humans spend a third of their life sleeping. That's about 25 years.
Road traffic accidents kill more people around the world than malaria.
Tango originated in the brothels surrounding Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was meant to dramatize the relationship between a prostitute and her pimp.
The average woman's uterus expands up to five hundred times its normal size during pregnancy.
A man's beard grows fastest when he anticipates sex.
Everyone has an unique smell. Identical twins smell so alike that most times, only trained dogs can tell the difference.
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HUMOR SECTION
Wife texts husband on a cold winter morning:
"Windows frozen, won't open."
Husband texts back: " Gently pour some lukewarm
water over it and then gently tap edges with hammer."
Wife texts back 10 minutes later: "Computer really
messed up now.'
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Friends- Please be careful
Yesterday, I went to a Christmas party. Had a few beers, followed by a few cocktails, followed by a few shots... I still had the sense to know that I was over the limit. that's when I decided to do what I had never done before; I took a cab home.
Sure enough, there was a police road block on the way home, and since it was a cab, they waved it past. I arrived home safely and without incident.
This was both a great relief and a surprise because I had never driven a cab before. I don't even know when I got the cab, and now that it is in my garage, I don't know what to do with it.
CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise..........Go to www.sharedgovernance.org for access to a 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 Dr Robert Hess. info@sharedgovernance.orgwww.sharedgovernance.org
Please follow me on Twitter as Dr Robert Hess. info@sharedgovernance.orgwww.sharedgovernance.org
Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS
www.nurse.com for CNE offerings.
www.nurse.com for CNE offerings.
Free CEs http://www.myfreece.com/welcome.asp
|
CNE Center (These are all new as of December issue)
Urgent care for stroke patients: Timing is everything
Reducing readmissions in in COPD patients
Psychiatric assessment strategies for inpatients: Resources with a purpose
Reducing readmissions in in COPD patients
Psychiatric assessment strategies for inpatients: Resources with a purpose
Caring for patients with spinal cord injuriesNurses can help improve outcomes in severe sepsis
How to recognize, prevent, and troubleshoot mechanical complications of enteral feeding tubes
Secondary prevention of stroke
Managing delirium in hospitalized older adults
Preventing medication errors by empowering patients
Boost your confidence in caring for patients with insulin pumps
(American Nurse Today)
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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/
Decubqueen's website: www.accuruler.com.
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
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MEDICAL NOTICE
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| FDA approves new drug for advanced ovarian cancer - Drug Information |
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to Rubraca (rucaparib) to treat women with a certain type of ovarian cancer. Rubraca is approved for women with advanced ovarian cancer who have been treated with two or more chemotherapies and whose tumors have a specific gene mutation (deleterious BRCA) as identified by an FDA-approved companion diagnostic test.
BRCA genes are involved with repairing damaged DNA and normally work to prevent tumor development. However, mutations of these genes may lead to certain cancers, including ovarian cancers. Rubraca is a poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor that blocks an enzyme involved in repairing damaged DNA. By blocking this enzyme, DNA inside the cancerous cells with damaged BRCA genes may be less likely to be repaired, leading to cell death and possibly a slow-down or stoppage of tumor growth. Common side effects of Rubraca include nausea, fatigue, vomiting, low levels of red blood cells (anemia), abdominal pain, unusual taste sensation (dysgeusia), constipation, decreased appetite, diarrhea, low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) and trouble breathing (dyspnea). Rubraca is associated with serious risks, such as bone marrow problems (myelodysplastic syndrome), a type of cancer of the blood called acute myeloid leukemia and fetal harm.
For more information, please visit: Rubraca.
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from the members
This ad is from Decubqueen (Gerry)..........
Accuruler: Accurate wound measurement designed by nurses, for nurses. Now carrying wound care and first-aid supplies at prices you can afford.
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NEW MEMBERS
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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. So, be certain to let me know when you change your address. 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 have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another."
- Jonathan Swift
We have the greatest opportunity the world has ever seen, as long as we remain honest--
which will be as long as we can keep the attention of our people alive. If they once become
inattentive to public affairs, you and I, and congress and Assemblies, judges and
governors would all become wolves.
Thomas Jefferson
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Hope to hear from you..... Frankie
QUIZ ANSWER:
Correct answer: b. Patients with severe sepsis have organ dysfunction as indicated by acute lung injury with Pao2/Fio2 < 250 mm Hg without pneumonia as infection source, acute lung injury with Pao2/Fio2 < 200 mm Hg with pneumonia as infection source, and an elevated lactate level.
To learn more, read the continuing nursing education article Nurses can help improve outcomes in severe sepsis
To learn more, read the continuing nursing education article Nurses can help improve outcomes in severe sepsis
