Monday, March 9, 2009

March 2009


PARADIGM BYTES
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
March 8, 2009

PARADIGM DEFINED:
1) an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype.2) a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations, and the experiments performed in support of them, are formulated.Our website...... http://paradigm97.blogspot.com/
MISSION STATEMENT
We believe that nurses need each other for support during the "lean and mean" days to help survive them. We offer research results and other ideas to enrich the nursing experience.

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SNIPPETS

Please see Genevieve's article

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MEDICAL NEWS
(Reuters 3/5) -Scientists remove cancer genes from stem cells - Scientists have taken another important step toward using ordinary skin cells that are made to behave like embryonic stem cells to find treatments for conditions like Parkinson's disease.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5247ZV20090306?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100

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FROM THE MEMBERS

(Submitted by Laregis....her publication. Congratulations !)

Getting Ready for Medicare enrollment A Step-byStep Guide to Get Your Clinic Prepared

by Laura Regis, RN 02/26/2009
So you want to open a dialysis facility and have no idea where to start to apply for Medicare reimbursement of services? You are not alone. What seems like only a small portion of the planning process for opening a clinic is a most important part that requires pre-planning your business structure, and also requires accuracy of reporting the information on the correct forms. The large application form is about 50 pages long and is used for multiple purposes. There is no form solely for the first-time applicant, and attempting to decode the verbiage can be challenging at best. ...
http://www.renalbusiness.com/articles/medicare-enrollment.html
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This was sent in by Birdijo (Cary) who writes:

A friend of mine has started a new website to bring attention to the issue of domestic violence in the US, violence unsilenced. She is an awesome writer and a terrific human being. Please take a moment to check the site out and pass it on. It just went live today, but I think it is going to help an awful lot of people as time goes on http://violenceunsilenced.com



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INTERESTING READING

Please remember that the REUTERS articles are usually good for 30 days.

(Reuters 3/5) - Two studies published on Thursday provide evidence that common viruses may cause childhood diabetes, paving the way for potential vaccines against the life-threatening condition, researchers said.One team showed that enteroviruses -- which normally cause colds, vomiting or diarrhea -- were found frequently in the pancreases of young people who had recently died from type 1 diabetes, sometimes called juvenile diabetes, but not in healthy samples.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5246GM20090305?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Here is an Excellent hint: Cut Your Electric Bill in Half Unplug items you are not using. Even if they are off they are still pulling current. This cost savings will add up to more than you think. If you don't want to continually be unplugging items, invest in a Smart Strip (different than a standard power strip). It does not allow your items to pull electric current when off. You will probably cut your electric bill in half.
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A tangy treat that's good for your bladder... Here’s a diet "do" that may help keep your bladder cancer-free. Start your day with some yogurt. Later, have some more for a snack. Compared with their peers who never ate yogurt, people in a study who ate two or more servings daily had almost a 40 percent lower risk of bladder cancer. Talk about an anti-ager! ...
http://www.realage.com/ct/eat-smart/food-and-nutrition/tip/8254
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Why Nursee Don't Get Enough Credit ...Nurses perform much of the patient care that TV shows attribute to the much more glamorous profession of doctor. It is an age-old problem, the clash of cultures and tug of war over credit between two professions working in close quarters toward an identical goal. But "Saving Lives" by Sandy Summers and Harry Jacobs Summers: has a serious point, that the devaluation of nursing—both by overlooking nurses' contributions to positive outcomes for patients, and more subtly by emphasizing their devotion, compassion and self-sacrifice over their lifesaving skills—discourages students from the field and contributes to a critical nursing shortage.... http://www.newsweek.com/id/187004
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Doing the Right Thing ... Moral Distress February 6, 2009 -- Today the New York Times ran a remarkably astute "Doctor and Patient" piece in which Pauline W. Chen, M.D., explained the problem of "moral distress," when nurses and physicians feel that they cannot do what is right for patients because of the "competing demands" of the health system that surrounds them....
http://www.truthaboutnursing.org/news/2009/feb/06_nyt.html
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RANDOM FACT The inventor of Vaseline ate a spoonful of the stuff every morning!
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Blood Thinner, Heartburn Drugs May Be Risky After Heart Attack Patients taking Plavix, PPIs have 25 percent increased chance of death, rehospitalization.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=624675
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(Reuters 2/18) Doctors test new way to regulate warfarin dose A new system for predicting the proper dose of the blood thinner warfarin could help doctors do a better job of preventing dangerous blood clots and serious bleeding, researchers reported on Wednesday.
Some patients needed more than twice the weekly dose than others did, the study showed, and the new test better predicted who needed more and who needed less.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51H7DF20090218?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Aluminum, silica in water affect Alzheimer's risk NEW YORK (Reuters 3/4) - Higher levels of aluminum in drinking water appear to increase people's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, whereas higher levels of silica appear to decrease the risk, according to French investigators.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52361D20090304?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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FDA approves Ferring Pharmaceuticals' degarelix (generic name) for treatment of advanced prostate cancer FDA's approval of injectable degarelix (trade name pending) for treatment of advanced prostate cancer, saying it's the first new drug approved for prostate cancer in several years. . By day 14, 99% of those receiving degarelix had achieved lower levels of testosterone, compared with 14% of those receiving leuprolide. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/134153.php
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RANDOM TIDBIT - The Aflac Duck: Art director Eric David was trying to come up with an idea for a campaign when he realized that the company's name sounds quite similar to a duck's quack.
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HB 219 which will require that a bitter substance be put in antifreeze, preventing accidental or purposeful death to humans, and HB 429, which will protect pets as well as the family members in domestic violence cases, both passed out of subcommittee favorably. To see the full language on these bills, you can go to www.legis.ga.gov and put in the bill numbers.
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Undermining to Underpinning... Some nurses prey upon new nurses because that is the only approach to teaching they are familiar with. Some of the rationales these experienced staff members use to justify their unsupportive behaviors include, "its survival of the fittest"; "they need tough love"; "this will make you a better nurse"; and the classic, "I went through it when I was orienting, so."
http://nursing.advanceweb.com/Editorial/Content/Editorial.aspx?CC=1949
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SYDNEY, Australia—A combination of two blood-pressure-lowering drugs reduces the risk of kidney disease by about 20 percent for type 2 diabetics, according to a study in the April 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).The analysis was based on the randomized ADVANCE study that included 11,140 patients with type 2 diabetes.... http://www.renalbusiness.com/hotnews/drug-combo-reduces-kidney-disease-risk-in-dia.html
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PHILADELPHIA—Obese people who drink fructose-sweetened beverages with meals have an increased rise of triglycerides following the meal, according to new research from the Monell Chemical Senses Center.In the study, published online by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers studied 17 obese men and women; each was admitted two times to the Clinical and Translational Research Center at the ... http://www.renalbusiness.com/hotnews/fructose-sweetened-drinks-increase-non-fastin.html
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LOL Who thinks of these??? RANDOM FACT If you unfolded your brain, it would cover an ironing board.
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Second team finds a natural super flu fighter (Reuters 2/26) - An antibody being developed by a Dutch drug company chokes off both seasonal flu and the H5N1 avian flu virus and might offer a way to develop better treatments and vaccines, researchers reported on Thursday....
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51P6M220090226?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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RANDOM TIDBIT
The California Raisins: Frustration led to the famous Claymation icons. In 1987,
a copywriter at Foote, Cone & Belding was working on the California Raisin Advisory Board campaign and said, "We have tried everything but dancing raisins singing 'I Heard it Through the Grapevine.'" The idea was pitched to the client, and the sale of raisins increased by 20 percent!
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Study of "spit" offers insight to human health - Bacteria found in people's spit does not vary much around the world, a surprising finding that could provide insights into how diet and cultural factors affect human health, researchers said on Thursday....
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51P7QC20090227?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Research reveals some of Alzheimer's secrets (Reuters 2/26) - Scientists are unraveling some of the mechanisms behind the plaques in the brain that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, offering new leads for drugs to treat the fatal brain-wasting disease.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51P6F420090226?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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The Journal of School Nursing (JOSN) provides a forum for advancing the specialty of school nursing, contributing to knowledge development about school nursing practice, and promoting the professional growth of school nurses. Published bi-monthly, peer-reviewed and featuring original research articles, it is indexed in MEDLINE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature, PsychINFO, and Scopus. It is the official journal of the National Association of School Nurses. (www.nasn.org)
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This was sent in by BAcello (Barbara)........ I hadn't considered this aspect !

Nursing Shortage: 1 in 5 quits within first year, study shows ... That turnover rate is a major contributor to the nation's growing shortage of nurses.... http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-02-15-nursing-shortage_N.htm?csp=34
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LOS ANGELES – Low-fat, low-carb or high-protein? The kind of diet doesn't matter, scientists say. All that really counts is cutting calories and sticking with it, according to a federal study that followed people for two years. However, participants had trouble staying with a single approach that long and the weight loss was modest for most....
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090226/ap_on_he_me/med_dueling_diets;_ylt=
Apu6ZRa9EF2JPTM1A7i1w.PVJRIF
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This is just interesting stuff:

The smallest bones in the human body are the stapes, incus, and malleus bones,
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In Czechhoslovakia, there is a church that has a chandelier made of human bones.
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Humans are born with 300 bones in their body, however when a person reaches adulthood they only have 206 bones. This occurs because many of them join together to make a single bone. (as we know)
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The chances of getting a cavity is higher if candy is eaten slowly throughout the day compared to eating it all at once and then brushing your teeth.
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Adult human bones account for 14% of the body's total. **************
Ten things you can quit cleaning....Right Now !
http://home.ivillage.com/cleanandorganize/0,,bbtbbpsw,00.html?nlcid=wh02-24-2009 **************
Can you rub out blood pressure problems? Finally. An indulgence that may actually be good for you. What is it, you ask? A long, deep massage. When people with sore muscles received a deep-tissue massage, both their systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) numbers dropped several points. ... http://www.realage.com/ct/tips/8188
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Osteoarthritis of the Hip Osteoarthritis may affect one or both hips and can cause pain, stiffness, and severe disability. Hip pain is felt mostly when the hip has to bear weight. The pain is felt mainly in the front of the groin, but sometimes around the side and front of the thigh and the buttock. Sometimes the pain radiates down to the knee. In affected hip joints, the range of motion is reduced and painful. ... http://www.realage.com/health_guides/Osteoarthritis/topics/topicsContent.asp?topic=11
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(I have problems with the online learning...need interaction with prof and fellow students) Gerkin K et al.-- Despite the education challenges faced by healthcare institutions, the use of online technology (eLearning) to demonstate competency for practicing nurses in the acute care environment has only recently been explored. The authors discuss the implementation of an online-based nursing education competency. The results demonstrate that the use of the eLearning format provides both a satisfactory and effective learning medium. The study provides support for the use of online learning in the healthcare setting.... http://www.mdlinx.com/NurseLinx/newsl-article.cfm/2583859/ZZ5603146585149290157159/?news_id=399&subspec_id=44

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This is the section for Humor........nothing "came to mind" so, I am submitting these medical facts instead.

In 1628, William Harvey publishes An Anatomical Study of the Motion of the Heart and of the Blood in Animals, describing how blood is pumped throughout the body by the heart, and then returns to the heart and recirculates. The book is very controversial but becomes the basis for modern research on the heart and blood vessels.
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In 1747, James Lind , a Scottish naval surgeon, discovers that citrus fruits prevent scurvy. He publishes his Treatise of the Scurvy in 1754, identifying the cure for this common and dangerous disease of sailors, although it takes another 40 years before an official Admiralty order dictates the supply of lemon juice to ships.
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In 1842, American surgeon Crawford W. Long uses Ether as a general anesthetic during surgery but does not publish his results. Credit goes to dentist William Morton.
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In 1867, Joseph Lister publishes Antiseptic Principle of the Practice of Surgery, one of the most important developments in medicine. Lister was convinced of the need for cleanliness in the operating room, a revolutionary idea at the time. He develops antiseptic surgical methods, using carbolic acid to clean wounds and surgical instruments. The immediate success of his methods leads to general adoption. In one hospital that adopts his methods, deaths from infection decrease from nearly 60% to just 4%.
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In 1901, Austrian-American Karl Landsteiner describes blood compatibility and rejection developing the ABO system of blood typing. This system classifies the bloods of human beings into A, B, AB, and O groups. Landsteiner receives the 1930 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for this discovery.
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In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick at Cambridge University describe the structure of the DNA molecule. Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin at King's College in London are also studying DNA. (Wilkins in fact shares Franklin's data with Watson and Crick without her knowledge.) Watson, Crick, and Wilkins share the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1962 (Franklin had died and the Nobel Prize only goes to living recipients). ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~

CEU and CME SITES
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise.........IF you have a favorite CEU/CME site, please share !
Send your links to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com

Free CEs http://www.myfreece.com/welcome.asp

https://nursing.advanceweb.com/CE/TestCenter/Main.aspx

Can either pay $8 / course OR pay $26.99 for a year for all the CE courses you want to take
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www.nurse.com Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS .
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For a Healthy Environment, Nurses and Hospi… CE489
Pulseless Electrical Activity: Where is the… CE497
Critical Blood Loss Demands Fluid Resuscita… CE490
Aspiration: Preventing a Deadly Complicatio… CE491

http://www.nurse.com
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WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to:RNFrankie@AOL.com.

School Nursing links:
The Role of the School Nurse in Providing School Health Services: Council on School Health
Ethics and the HPV Vaccine: Considerations for School Nurses
The Number of Students Sent Home by School Nurses Compared to Unlicensed Personnel
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

Click here: Dismantling the Arguments of the Hospital Industry Against a Minimum Safe Standard of Care

These were sent in by BAcello (Barbara):
QIS Surveyor Training Manual http://www.aging.state.ks.us/Manuals/QISManual.htm Resident Functional Capacity Screen Manualhttp://www.agingkansas.org/ProviderInfo/forms/RFCSManualJuly08.pdf Resident Functional Capacity Screen Formhttp://www.agingkansas.org/ProviderInfo/forms/ResidentFunctionalCapacityScreen.pdf Restorative and peer-shared tools for ADLshttp://www.kfmc.org/providers/nh/tools/adl/index.html
Click here: Internal and External Urinary Catheters: A Primer for Clinical Practice Ostomy Wound Management

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.snopes.com

Stimulus Watch ....this website gives a breakdown in the planned projects per state. Check your state out!
http://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/by_state
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http://www.solutionsoutsidethebox.net/

the National Nurse's new website: http://nationalnurse.org/

Any time you want to check a rumor ... this is the link:
http://www.snopes.com/


This site has passed the Snopes.com test
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3

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MEDICAL RECALLS

FDA notified healthcare professionals that manufacturers of metoclopramide, a drug used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, must add a boxed warning to their drug labels about the risk of its long-term or high-dose use. Chronic use of metoclopramide has been linked to tardive dyskinesia, even after the drugs are no longer taken. These symptoms are rarely reversible and there is no known treatment. Metoclopramide is available in a variety of formulations including tablets, syrups and injections. Names of metoclopramide-containing products include Reglan Tablets, Reglan Oral Disintegrating Tablets, Metoclopramide Oral Solution, and Reglan Injection. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2009/safety09.htm#Metoclopramide
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FDA issued a Public Health Advisory to notify healthcare professionals of three confirmed, and one possible report of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare brain infection, in patients using the psoriasis drug Raptiva.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2009/safety09.htm#Raptiva

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NURSING HINTS CORNER

Don't forget to document When you teach your patient about his/her medications during administration times, make sure to document this as formal patient teaching. Initially assess his/her familiarity with the medication and give him/her a basic explanation of the drug's action. During subsequent administrations, further assess and reinforce his/her understanding of the drug, remembering to document this as well. Karen Teves Frazier, RN
(this is so important...and always feels like it is consuming too much time to do--- but if you do this as you assess the patient, you have accomplished both without expending valuable time.)

Used with permission from 1,001 Nursing Tips & Timesavers, Third Edition, 1997, p. 21, 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. By using the following code: Paradigm10 , you will get 10% off of their first order. ( I have ordered through Gerry...and it was very satisfactory. )
Visit us at http://www.accu-ruler.com/.

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NEW MEMBERS
No new members this issue
Please send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com
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NOTICE:
I attempt to send newsletters to your current email addresses on file and if the newsletters are rejected THREE consecutive times, I must then delete the email address until you contact me with an updated email address; I have no way to reach you without a correct email address....You could always send me your Home number.......lol So please send me your new name/address, ok? RNFrankie@AOL.com
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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) ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
DISCLAIMER: The intent of this PARADIGM BYTES Newsletter is to provide communication and information for our members. Please research the hyperlinks and information provided by our members. The articles and web sites are not personally endorsed by the editors, nor do the articles necessarily reflect the staff's views.~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"Medicine, the only profession that labors incessantly to destroy the reason for its own existence." James Bryce.

Eleanor Roosevelt and Helen Keller are my favorites for QADs

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by everyexperience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.
You must do the thing which you think you cannotdo.”

Eleanor Roosevelt



Hope to see you online.....

RNFrankie@AOL.com

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Paradigm Bytes


PARADIGM BYTES
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
February 8, 2009

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.
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

The ANA has this as Nurses Bill of Rights:
1. Nurses have the right to practice in a manner that fulfills their obligations to society and to those who receive nursing care.
2. Nurses have the right to practice in environments that allow them to act in accordance with professional standards and legally authorized scopes of practice.
3. Nurses have the right to a work environment that supports and facilitates ethical practice, in accordance with the Code of Ethics for Nurses and its interpretive statements.
4. Nurses have the right to freely and openly advocate for themselves and their patients, without fear of retribution.
5. Nurses have the right to fair compensation for their work, consistent with their knowledge, experience and professional responsibilities.
6. Nurses have the right to a work environment that is safe for themselves and their patients.
7. Nurses have the right to negotiate the conditions of their employment, either as individuals or collectively, in all practice settings.
Another web site (non ANA) added these as an adjunct:
A few they forgot:
8. Nurses have the right not to be abused in any form by physicians, pharmacists, administrators or nursing directors. Any abuse that occurs should be delt with in a professional and inpartial manner by the nurse's employer.
9. Nurses have the right not to be exploited and abused by being floated to areas of practice that they are not familiar with.
10. Nurses have the right to refuse any assignment that they feel is unsafe. Such as when a nurse is assigned a patient load he/she feels is unsafe. A nurse is assigned to work in an area of nursing in which he/she is not familiar. A nurse knows that equipment/supplies are inadequate or not available.
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FROM THE MEMBERS

ExceptionalNurse.com is pleased to offer a calendar for 2009. Each month showcases a nurse or nursing student with a disability. You can preview the calendar on the home page of ExceptionalNurse.com.

If you are creative, crafty or financially challenged... you can download the pdf and make one for your office or you can purchase a hard copy of the calendar for $20.00 plus shipping and handling. Payment can be made through Amazon.com on ExceptionalNurse.com.

Proceeds of the sale of the calendar will benefit the Exceptional Nurse scholarship fund for nursing students with disabilities. Thanks in advance for your support....and feel free to share!

Have a great year, Donna Maheady

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The following was sent in by MarGerlach (Marlene) relating to the article about venipuncture safety in the January Paradigm Bytes Newsletter. She writes::

" I can surely relate to this. When I had my colon resection in 1993, I did fine, although was hospitalized 9 days back then. I was home a few days, developed an ileus and had to go back in for 3 more days. My sister-in-law drove me back to the hospital that morning and in the ER a nurse started an IV in my radial nerve area, just above my right wrist. WOW! I about jumped off the cart. I had an electric shock to beat them all, all the way up to my shoulder. I shouted, ""take it out, take it out!" and she did, immediately, I apologized for my reaction, I was a bit embarrassed, but it was soooo terribly intense. She felt bad, proceeded to go in at another area and I was fine. But that was a horrendous experience, worse than you would think just talking about it. That taught me to be very careful if using that site for starting an IV after that".
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Please note the following message from Sandy Summers........ use this link to order the "Saving Lives" book.. http://www.truthaboutnursing.org

The Center for Nursing Advocacy announces the publication (2/3/09) of Sandy's new book: "Saving Lives: Why the Media's Portrayal of Nurses Puts Us All at Risk". With striking examples and an irreverent style, the book explores nursing stereotypes from TV shows to the news media, and it explains how these images affect real-life decisions about nursing. The book also offers a comprehensive plan to help everyone improve nurses' image--and public health. Saving Lives has already won high praise from many leaders in nursing and the media. Order your copy of Saving Lives from the Center now! For each copy you order from us, your donation will allow us to send an additional copy of the book to an influential member of the media who needs to know what Saving Lives shows: how many media products damage public understanding of nursing.
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INTERESTING READING

Please remember that the REUTERS articles are usually good for 30 days.

Do Shoes Matter? A story of shoes in the Neonatal intensive Care Unit... Faced with an increase in foot-related absences and complaints of foot pain by staff, a nurse manager sought help from the nursing research department staff to help find answers to this problem. The authors discuss how replacing the shoes that the nurses wore to a walker-style shoe was able to improve not only the foot pain but also the unit's health as well.... http://www.jonajournal.com/pt/re/jona/abstract.00005110-200901000-00001.htm;jsessionid=JTGFBVYfzy1nFZQr31fyPzVfKXhJhDwftfCdm2GCTP31Q7tpgkJV!1321082991!181195629!8091!-1
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(Reuters 1/8) - The craze for touch-screen gadgets, sparked by Apple Inc's popular iPhone, is raising worries that a whole generation of consumer electronics will be out of the reach of the blind. Motown icon Stevie Wonder and other advocates came to the world's biggest gadget fest, the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, to convince vendors to consider the needs of the blind... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5080T320090109?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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RANDOM FACT... There are more than 10 million bricks in the Empire State Building!
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Feeling Like a Nurse: A Study Purpose: To explore the essential meaning of being a nurse. Design: Nine registered nurses were each asked to write a story of a time when they felt like a nurse. Analysis was informed by Heideggerian hermeneutic philosophy, seeking to reveal the phenomenon of "feeling like a nurse." http://jhn.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/26/4/243
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Postnatal depression can be treated, prevented: studies Many women struggling with the post-baby blues may expect only a hug or a couple of pills, but in new studies published on Friday, doctors say counselling can not only treat this risky condition but prevent it, too.... http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090116/hl_afp/healthdiseasementaldepressionpostnatal
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RANDOM FACT... There are 18 different animal shapes in the Animal Crackers cookie zoo!
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A routine childhood vaccine used to prevent several common types of infections has helped cut the rate of a deadly form of meningitis by 30 percent in children and adults, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday, suggesting even the unvaccinated are benefiting from the shot. They said the vaccine Prevnar made by Wyeth significantly reduced cases of meningitis caused by pneumococcal bacteria strains covered by the vaccine.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE50D7XI20090114?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100 (Reuters 1/14) -
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A new device may help doctors decide the best way to use artery-clearing stents, reducing serious risks and unnecessary followup procedures by 28 percent, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.... (Reuters 1/14) http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE50E04V20090115?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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A study of more than 1 million Danish women found severe stress can raise the risk of premature delivery in a subsequent pregnancy. Researchers say women who become pregnant within six months of experiencing the death or serious illness of a loved were 16% more likely to have a preterm birth. If the stress involved one of their children, the odds of preterm delivery increased by 23%.... (Reuters (12/17) http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4BG5JJ20081217

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RANDOM FACT... A Boeing 747 airliner holds 57,285 gallons of fuel!
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Scientists find way to remove lead from blood... - South Korean scientists may have found a way to remove dangerous heavy metals such as lead from blood by using specially designed magnetic receptors.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE50F3D120090116?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
HONG KONG (Reuters 1/16)
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I truly believe it is up to nurses to really educate diabetics no matter how long they have had diabetes. So many of them have severe holes in their knowledge (one guy had been a diabetic for 30 years.......and knew next to nothing about his disease despite amputations) !

Diabetes in 2007 cost the U.S. $218 billion in direct medical care and indirect costs, such as lost productivity, according to a report released on Tuesday, the AP/Raleigh News & Observer reports. ...
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_hpolicy_recent_rep.cfm?dr_cat=3&show=yes&dr_DateTime=18-Nov-08#55620
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A simple checklist can save billions for hospitals Scrawl on the patient with a permanent marker to show where the surgeon should cut. Ask the person's name to make sure you have the right patient. Count sponges to make sure you didn't leave any inside the body. (as all nurses must do)--- Doctors worldwide who followed a checklist of steps like these cut the death rate from surgery almost in half ... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28662096/ (duh)
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RANDOM FACT... Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep him cool! He changed it every 2 innings!
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Two Keys to Eating Better: Getting more goodness into your meals could be as easy as these two steps: Plan ahead, and eat at the dinner table....
http://www.realage.com/ct/eat-smart/food-and-nutrition/tip/7916
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Women's Death Rate Higher from Severe Heart Attack: Undertreatment at the hospital may be a contributing cause, study suggests Women who suffer the most severe form of heart attack are twice as likely as men to die in the hospital, a new study finds.... http://www.nursingknowledge.org/Portal/main.aspx?PageId=56&channelid=2&ContentID=91266%20%20&utm_source=medsurg[11709]&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SpecialtyNewsletters
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Nurses treat the Triad The trauma triad of death has a lot in common with the Bermuda Triangle: Once you get caught within its vortex, your chances of rescue and survival are bleak....
http://include.nurse.com/article/20090112/NATIONAL02/101120091/
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RANDOM FACT... The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases. **************
Horray for Hollywood ! ...past images of fictional nurses in film might be viewed as a public relations disaster for the profession. But new evidence is offering a glimmer of hope for improving the often stereotypical and inaccurate images of nurses that have long been portrayed on TV and the silver screen... http://include.nurse.com/article/20090112/NATIONAL02/101120088
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Nursing Innovations: ... Cases in Point In fact, nurses can already point to dozens of remarkably effective initiatives they’ve spearheaded to improve the quality and, concomitantly, the scope, equity, efficiency and economy of American health care. Consider these nurse-driven programs and their results: http://www.hhnmag.com/hhnmag_app/jsp/articledisplay.jsp?dcrpath=HHNMAG/Article/data/01JAN2009/090113HHN_Online_Weber&domain=HHNMAG
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RANDOM FACT... There are 40,000 New York City cab drivers, who
collectively drive more than a million miles each day ****************
I'm including this because I found two large charges on my Chase Account that had appeared-- and they were not charges by me ! Don't Forget To Check Your Bills Make sure you check over all of your bills in case you are overcharged or billed for something you weren't suppose to be billed for.
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RANDOM FACT: Did you know that a snail only has one foot? A snail moves with a series of muscular contractions like waves that pass along the bottom of the foot. To help it to move, the snail produces a trail of slime from a gland under its mouth. You can often see these slime trails on paths, plant pots and even on windows.
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FDA: Peanut processor knew of salmonella problem The Peanut Corp. of America, linked to the salmonella outbreak that has sickened hundreds and killed as many as eight, found salmonella in internal tests 12 times in 2007 and 2008 but sold the products anyway, according to the FDA. Federal inves-tigators also announced they had found four strains of salmonella at the facility. The Washington Post
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Thanks to MarGerlach (Marlene) for this one:
Cutting Edge medicine: News segment highlighting cell regeneration and the future of growing organs and This video describes the advancements in use of cord blood stem cells as a ...
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=regenerative+medicine&aq=f
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Feel Stronger with this Mineral Been feeling like a wet dishrag lately? Could be you’re low on magnesium. Magnesium is a multitasking mineral, and one of its jobs is to power up our muscles. Unfortunately, many of us don’t get enough of it -- especially as we get older. Adequate magnesium intake is (400 to 500 milligrams per day)... http://www.realage.com/ct/tips/7964
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Internal and External Urinary Catheters: A Primer for Clinical Practice Internal and external urinary catheters are used to manage urinary incontinence and incomplete bladder emptying. Bladder dysfunction cause determines whether short- or long-term catheter use is required which, in turn, deter-mines whether an indwelling, intermittent, or external catheter should be used. The method of catheterization is based on the underlying bladder condition, the goals of treatment, and gender appro-priateness... http://www.o-wm.com/content/internal-and-external-urinary-catheters-a-primer-clinical-practice

~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~ HUMOR SECTION
Question of the day:


"How many files can my laptop hold before it gets too heavy for me to carry?"
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CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise.........IF you have a favorite CEU/CME site, please share !
Send your links to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com

Free CEs http://www.myfreece.com/welcome.asp

https://nursing.advanceweb.com/CE/TestCenter/Main.aspx

Can either pay $8 / course OR pay $26.99 for a year for all the CE courses you want to take
.
www.nurse.com Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS .
^^^^^^^^
For a Healthy Environment, Nurses and Hospi… CE489
Pulseless Electrical Activity: Where is the… CE497
Critical Blood Loss Demands Fluid Resuscita… CE490
Aspiration: Preventing a Deadly Complicatio… CE491
http://www.nurse.com
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WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links.
Please send them to:RNFrankie@AOL.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

Click here: Dismantling the Arguments of the Hospital Industry Against a Minimum Safe Standard of Care

These were sent in by BAcello (Barbara):
QIS Surveyor Training Manual http://www.aging.state.ks.us/Manuals/QISManual.htm Resident Functional Capacity Screen Manualhttp://www.agingkansas.org/ProviderInfo/forms/RFCSManualJuly08.pdf Resident Functional Capacity Screen Formhttp://www.agingkansas.org/ProviderInfo/forms/ResidentFunctionalCapacityScreen.pdf Restorative and peer-shared tools for ADLs
Any time you want to check a rumor ... this is the link:
http://www.snopes.com/

This is fun! See if you can place the state:
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/states_experiment_drag-drop_Intermed_State15s_500.html

This site has passed the Snopes.com test
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3

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*
MEDICAL RECALLS
*
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Innohep (tinzaparin sodium injection) Celgene has issued a ... notice suggesting that Innohep may increase the risk for death, compared to unfractionated heparin when used to treat elderly patients with renal insufficiency. It recommended consideration of alternatives to Innohep when treating these patients for deep vein thrombosis with or without pulmonary embolism. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Innohep
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FDA issued a public health advisory about potentially serious hazards of using topical anesthetics, for relieving pain from mammography and other medical tests and conditions. FDA is concerned about the potential for these products to cause serious, life-threatening adverse effects, such as irregular heartbeat, seizures, breathing difficulties, coma and even death, when applied to a large area of skin or when the area of application is covered. ... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2009/safety09.htm#Anesthetics
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FDA notified consumers not to take Venom HYPERDRIVE 3.0, a product sold as a dietary supplement but containing sibutramine, an undeclared drug product and a controlled substance with risks for abuse or addiction. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2009/safety09.htm#Venom
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ETHEX Corporation has expanded two previous 2008 recalls to include over 60 generic drug products recalled to wholesalers, and two generic drug products, Hydromorphone HCl and Metoprolol Succinate, recalled to retailer level. These generic products may have been manufactured under conditions that did not sufficiently comply with current Good Manufacturing Practices. Some of these products have had specific lots recalled ... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2009/safety09.htm#Ethex

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NURSING HINTS CORNER
A Clear Chaser: To hasten vomiting after administering a dose of ipecac syrup, offer the patient a clear soft drink such as ginger ale or 7-Up. The soft drink is more palatable than the warm water that is usually given, and the carbonation makes the patient feel full. A word of caution, though: The soft drink produces results quickly-- so be prepared ! Grace Redheffer, RN, BSN
Used with permission from 1,001 Nursing Tips & Timesavers, Third Edition, 1997, p. 51, 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. By using the following code: Paradigm10 , you will get 10% off of their first order. ( I have ordered through Gerry...and it was a very satisfactory deal. )
Visit us at http://www.accu-ruler.com/.
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NEW MEMBERS
No new members this issuePlease send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
NOTICE:
I attempt to send newsletters to your current email addresses on file and if the newsletters are rejected THREE consecutive times, I must then delete the email address until you contact me with an updated email address; I have no way to reach you without a correct email address....You could always send me your Home number.......lol So please send me your new name/address, ok? RNFrankie@AOL.com
NEW ADDRESS:

mle1675@gmail.com (Mary)

OLD: ssummers@nursingadvocacy.org NEW: ssummers@truthaboutnursing.org (Sandy)

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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) ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
DISCLAIMER: The intent of this PARADIGM BYTES Newsletter is to provide communication and information for our members. Please research the hyperlinks and information provided by our members. The articles and web sites are not personally endorsed by the editors, nor do the articles necessarily reflect the staff's views.~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"Until we stop harming all other living things, we are still savages."
Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931)

and, from Gingermax (Sandy), this quote:

Some people speak from experience;
others, from experience, don't speak.

Anonymous




Hope to see you online..... Frankie

RNFrankie@AOL.com

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

January 2009 Newsletter


PARADIGM BYTES
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
January 11, 2009

On our birthday January 20, 2009, we will be 12 years old !
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.
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

Nerve Injuries During Venipuncture by Sue Masoorli, RN

What is the procedure if the patient- during venipuncture- states that it felt like an electric shock went down the arm? This feeling of shock is a classic symptom when a needle point contacts a nerve. This could result in a permanent nerve injury and perhaps a malpractice charge involving the nurse… and this is not uncommon.

Two nerves which are most often injured during venipuncture are the radial and median nerves. The radial passes along the thumb side of the arm from the shoulder down into the wrist area close to the cephalic vein; the cephalic vein is preferred in most instances. This distal three inches of the radial nerve, JUST above the thumb, is the area most injured during IV procedures.

The median nerve, the largest nerve in the arm, runs inside the antecubital fossa, passes through the forearm into the palm of the hand. When blood is being drawn from the antecubital fossa or when inserting peripheral IVs, this nerve could accidentally be contacted and injured. Also, insertion of IV catheters into the superficial veins of the inner aspect of the wrist above the palm can result in serious injury to the median nerve and carpal tunnel syndrome.

If the patient complains of a feeling of electric shock as the needle is being inserted, the appropriate intervention is to remove the needle immediately causing only minimal damage.and prevents permanent injury. However, if the nurse continues with the procedure, a permanent , progressive, and painful disability resulting in reflex sympathetic dystrophy or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) can result.

The patient’s symptoms can include: hypersensitivity to temp changes, a mottled and cold hand/ forearm, excessive nail and hair growth, and the inability to lift heavy objects. CRPS is diagnosed by nerve conduction studies and the patients’ history. Treatments can include long-term pain control with narcotics, multiple nerve blocks, implanted morphine pumps, TENS units, splints, and/or casts.

The Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice* can be used in court to determine if a nurse delivered appropriate infusion care to the patient. The standards state: “site selection should avoid areas of joint flexion”. The wrist and antecubital fossa are areas of joint flexion and insertion of peripheral IV catheters into these areas can result in the decision that there was a deviation from the standard of practice.

Also, nerve compression injuries can occur when an infiltration of a large amount of IV fluid enters the tissues creating compartment syndrome. The length of which determines the amount of nerve damage. If, when the patient complains of tingling, the infusion is not stopped, a fasciotomy is required to relieve the pressure and a second surgical procedure required to close the wound.

Nerve injury related to venipuncture is one of the most common areas of nursing malpractice and one in which the nurse is considered the primary defendant.

Therefore, anytime the patient complains of tingling or “electric shock” during venipuncture or IV infusion……..the infusion must be stopped immediately.

Reference: Nursing Spectrum, September 20, 2004 FL, p. 14.

* Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice 2000 11/12 (5).


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FROM THE MEMBERS

JudiZYDECO@AOL.com (judi) just informed me that she has achieved Master of Science Health Administration , Congratulations, Judi........very well done !
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The Center for Nursing Advocacy announces the publication (2/3/09) of Sandy's new book: Saving Lives: Why the Media's Portrayal of Nurses Puts Us All at Risk. With striking examples and an irreverent style, the book explores nursing stereotypes from TV shows to the news media, and it explains how these images affect real-life decisions about nursing. The book also offers a comprehensive plan to help everyone improve nurses' image--and public health. Saving Lives has already won high praise from many leaders in nursing and the media. Order your copy of Saving Lives from the Center now! For each copy you order from us, your donation will allow us to send an additional copy of the book to an influential member of the media who needs to know what Saving Lives shows: how many media products damage public understanding of nursing. ssummers@nursingadvocacy.org

This is my donation to this section:
LEO GERARD America's Choice
From sea to shining sea, America is suffering with an avoidable condition she brought on herself, like a hangover. She did it by choosing over the past 30 years to establish an economy that worshiped avarice. Now America must decide whether to continue basing her economy on the destructive policies of deregulation, de-unionization, globalization and privatization or to construct a new financial system focused on industry and profit shared by the workers who produce it.
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INTERESTING READING

Please remember that the REUTERS articles are usually good for only 30 days only
Bitter Fruit for Better Weight Loss
Are the rumors true? Could grapefruit -- touted for years as a weight loss wonder -- actually work? Possibly. In one 12-week study, obese people who ate half a grapefruit before each of three daily meals shed more pounds than their counterparts did.
http://www.realage.com/ct/eat-smart/food-and-nutrition/tip/7868
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RANDOM FACT...
The polar bears live only in the Arctic at the North Pole and penguins live only
in the Antarctic at the South Pole .
*************
Think that you don’t have to worry about your blood sugar if you’re diabetes-free? . New research suggests that your blood sugar levels may shorten your lifespan, even if you haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes.... http://www.realage.com/ct/tips/7883
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Are you a Facebook member? If you are, you may be interested in knowing that there is now a group called The National Nurse Campaign. We urge you to join this group and share it with others who may be interested in learning more about the Office of the National Nurse initiative.
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Don't forward chain emails. Many chain emails are sent by professional spammers who use the chain to harvest working addresses. Once you forward on a chain email, the spammer has confirmation that you exist—and you'll get a lot more unwanted mail where that came from. http://cdn.rsys1.net/ig.rsys1.net/responsysimages/tne/__RS_CP__/trendsetter_sept08_top5.html
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More Than Half of U.S. Chronically Ill Adults Skip Needed Care Due to Costs

You can read the article by Commonwealth Fund Senior Vice President Cathy Schoen and coauthors at http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.28.1.w1.
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(Reuters 12/14) - Researchers have identified six new gene mutations linked to obesity and said on Sunday they point to ways the brain and nervous system control eating and metabolism.... Study finds six new gene mutations linked to obesity
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(Reuters 12/17) -Promising New Drug for Melanomoa In an early-stage trial involving patients with melanoma that had spread to other sites in the body, a biological drug dubbed ipilimumab was generally well tolerated and showed signs of attacking the malignancy, researchers report.
"Ipilimumab can induce both clinically relevant responses and long-term stable disease," lead investigator Dr. Jeffrey Weber told Reuters Health....
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4BG6YC20081217?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Evidenced-based Nursing: Aim. To provide a critical analysis of key concepts associated with evidence-based nursing (EBN) to substantiate an operational definition for nurses to use in practice.
Background. Despite the plethora of literature surrounding what evidence-based nursing is and is not and how it differs from its cousins, evidence-based medicine and evidence-based practice, nurses still struggle to get evidence into practice. Several reasons for this have been reported, for example, a lack of understanding about what evidence-based nursing means or time to engage with and apply the evidence into practice.
Design. An in-depth critical review and synthesis of literature was undertaken. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121561180/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
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RANDOM FACT... The 57 on Heinz ketchup bottle represents the
number of ingredients in the sauce.
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The impact of a good practice manual on professional practice associated with psychotropic PRN in acute mental health wards: An exploratory study As required or pro re nata (PRN) psychotropic medicines are frequently used in acute mental health wards. PRN is known to contribute to polypharmacy and high doses of antipsychotic medication. Few studies have attempted to improve clinician's use of these potentially harmful drugs.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T7T-4S035DC-1&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F31%2F2008&_rdoc=3&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%235067%232008%23999549989%23697037%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=5067&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=19&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_
urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=941e9f21f0d2f9334e11c1ed520cadc5
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(Reuters 12/16) - Real-world colonoscopy benefit seen more limited Screening for colorectal cancer by colonoscopy seems to prevent about two-thirds of deaths from colon cancer, rather than 90 percent as has been widely claimed, a study indicates....
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4BF6LJ20081216?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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(Reuters12/15) - Certain breast cancer survivors who load up on fruits and vegetables, eating far more than current U.S. guidelines, can slash their risk the tumors will come back by nearly a third, according to a U.S. study released on Monday.... Fruits, veggies slash breast cancer risk: U.S. study
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(Reuters 12/13) - A screening schedule that alternates between a breast MRI and a mammogram every six months may do a better job of spotting early cancers in high-risk women than an annual exam, U.S. researchers said on Saturday....
Rotating breast cancer tests helps high-risk women
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The federal government has launched a simple five-star system that gives an overall rating on the quality of nursing homes. The ratings are available on Medicare's Web site - at www.medicare.gov/NHCompare - and are based on information that has been available from the site for several years. http://www.jsonline.com/features/health/36419899.html
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(REUTERS 12/16) Women who want to stop smoking may face more troublesome withdrawal symptoms and need different interventions than men but can be successful if they find the right help, Mayo Clinic experts say... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4BF61I20081216
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U.S. researchers say HIV can travel through a woman's healthy genital skin and infect immune cells in just four hours. The discovery of this new transmission method contradicts the long-held belief that the vaginal tract lining was an effective barrier to HIV during sex. http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20081217/hl_hsn/hivcanpenetrateawomanshealthygenitalskin;_
ylt=AvNqdV4CwoYQSXB1.GwuKey3j7AB

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RANDOM FACT...Two-thirds of the world's eggplant is grown in New Jersey.
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(Reuters 12/15) - U.S. scientists have developed a tiny sensor that can detect small amounts of cancer-causing toxins or trace the effectiveness of cancer drugs inside living cells.... Nanotech sensor detects toxins in living cells
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Aspiration: Preventing a Deadly Complication in Vulnerable Populations The purpose of this module is to educate nurses about how to identify patients at high risk for aspiration and how to protect patients from aspirating.
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TalkLight Quiets Bayhealth Med-Surg Unit On a quest to provide a more restful setting for patients to recuperate and a calmer workplace for staff, the 1A medical-surgical unit at Bayhealth Medical Center's Kent General Hospital in Dover, Del., installed the TalkLight, a sound-level meter that looks like a traffic light.
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FDA alerted consumers nationwide not to purchase or consume more than 25 different products marketed for weight loss because they contain undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients that may put consumers' health at risk.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Weight
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Six diet trends you should never try

<> the New Year, when the vast majority of Americans resolve to lose weight--but before you even think about starting a diet to drop pounds fast, I’ve compiled a list of the worst diets around so you won’t waste your time on them. This list isn’t just my opinion, either; I sought the help of registered dietitians who are members of the Weight Management Dietetic Practice group of the American Dietetic Association. Here are the nominees: http://eating.health.com/2008/12/11/5-diet-trends-you-should-never-try/?xid=hts081222&utm_source=health&utm_medium=email&utm_content=body-link-1&utm_campaign=hts081222-html&PromKey=XET
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Maybe they’re called "magical fruit" in children’s rhymes for a reason . . .Just not for the flatulence-producing reasons kids obsess about. What really makes beans magical is their potential effect on your waistline: Bean eaters weigh less on average than non-bean-imbibing folks do. ... http://www.realage.com/ct/tips/6493 To get help for the flatulence: Bean-zyme Anti-Gas Digestive Aid, 100 Tablets, Food Enzyme Dietary Supplement, ONLY $1.25 Shipping per Bottle, $6.95 per bottle. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CQY9EK?ie=UTF8&tag=ra%5Ftod%5Fsupmed-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000CQY9EK
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RANDOM FACT... Only 55% of all Americans know that the sun is a star.
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Sentinel Event: As health information technology (HIT) and “converging technologies”— —are increasingly adopted by health care organizations,1,2 users must be mindful of the safety risks and preventable adverse events that these implementations can create or perpetuate. Technology-related adverse events can be associated with all components of a comprehensive technology system and may involve errors of either commission or omission...
http://www.jointcommission.org/SentinelEvents/SentinelEventAlert/sea_42.htm
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Food Safety:
Avoid Food Poisoning and Prepare Clean Foods
http://www.aolhealth.com/health/foodborne-illness
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Critical Care Nurse Personality and Coping after a Critical Incident Critical care nurses frequently experience emotional, traumatic events that are physically and emotionally overwhelming. Such events are termed critical incidents. Critical incidents are commonly viewed as a difficult but realistic part of working in intensive care units, emergency departments, and other critical care areas. Critical care nurses repeatedly are left to deal with their personal emotions, thoughts, and vivid recollections of critical incidents without structured support or guidance. Many nurses develop critical incident stress with ineffective coping patterns that impair their critical thinking ability, performance, and overall well-being. If left unresolved, critical incident stress contributes to an increase in medication and treatment errors....
http://www.nursinglibrary.org/Portal/main.aspx?pageid=4024&pid=20429%20&utm_source=criticalcare[1909]&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SpecialtyNewsletters

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HUMOR SECTION

Johnny and his doctor
His pediatrician asked six-year-old Johnny, who watched a good many TV, adds, just to make conversation. Johnny, if you found a couple of dollars and had to spend them, what would you buy?”“A box of Tampax,” he replied without hesitation.“Tampax?” said the doctor. “What would you do with that?”“Well,” said Johnny, “I do not know exactly, but it’s sure worth two dollars.With tampax, it says on TV, you can go swimming, go horseback riding, and also go skating, any time you want to.”

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CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise.........
IF you have a favorite CEU/CME site, please share !
Send your links to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com

Free CEs http://www.myfreece.com/welcome.asp

https://nursing.advanceweb.com/CE/TestCenter/Main.aspx

Can either pay $8 / course OR pay $26.99 for a year for all the CE courses you want to take
.
www.nurse.com Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS .


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WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to:RNFrankie@AOL.com.

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.snopes.com

the National Nurse's new website: http://nationalnurse.org/
http://www.solutionsoutsidethebox.net/

This website (for registering the CELL PHONES) was sent in by Laregis@AOL.com (Laura) who sends in a prodigious amount of articles for the Newsletter. Thank you !
https://www.donotcall.gov/


Very interesting website on analyzing handwriting and finding those who lie:
http://www.aolhealth.com/healthy-living/handwriting-personality?icid=200100397x1212557405x1200829748
Any time you want to check a rumor (and please do before sending articles/stuff in)
This site has passed the Snopes.com test
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3


Food Safety: Avoid Food Poisoning and Prepare Clean Foods
http://www.aolhealth.com/health/foodborne-illness

The following are from BAcello
Tools on Clinical Topicshttp://www.kfmc.org/providers/nh/tools/index.html
Mobility Decline Materials and Resourceshttp://kfmc.org/providers/nh/tools/mobility/ Infection Control Jeopardyhttp://tinyurl.com/64ytgn APA Practice Guidelines plus related tools & resources (free download)http://www.psychiatryonline.com/pracGuide/pracGuideHome.aspx This site includes many areas of nursing.

http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/overactive-bladder?ice=nlpromo,overactive,vesicare

http://www.ihi.org/ihi Institute for Healthcare Improvement Organization

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MEDICAL RECALLS
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SunMed Greenline/D MacIntosh No. 3 Laryngoscope Blades Sun Med and FDA notified healthcare professionals of the Class 1 recall of Greenline/D MacIntosh No. 3 Laryngoscope Blades.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#GreenlineD
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Psoriasis Drug Safety Concerns The FDA announced a new black box warning and labeling change for efalizumab (Raptiva). Efalizumab is available as a once-weekly injection approved for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis treatment among adults who are also candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.

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NURSING HINTS CORNER
Measuring Drainage: To measure nasogastric drainage from newborns and small children quickly and accurately, place a mucus trap between the suction and the nasogastric tubing. You don't have to open the closed drainage system, just check the amount and tip the trap to empty it into the suction bottle. This will be especially helpful when you can't easily estimate a small volume. Wendy Dabney, RN

Used with permission from 1,001 Nursing Tips & Timesavers, Third Edition, 1997, p. 75 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. By using the following code: Paradigm10 , you will get 10% off of their first order. ( I have ordered through Gerry...and it was a very satisfactory deal. )
Visit us at http://www.accu-ruler.com/.

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NEW MEMBERS
No new members this issue Please send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com
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CHANGE OF ADDRESS:
NOTICE: I attempt to send newsletters to your current email addresses on file and if the newsletters are rejected THREE consecutive times, I must then delete the email address until you contact me with an updated email address; I have no way to reach you without a correct email address....You could always send me your Home number.......lol So please send me your new name/address, ok? RNFrankie@AOL.com
OLD ADDRESS: donald.edwards@mchsi.com

NEW ADDRESS: mle1675@gmail.com (Mary)

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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) ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
DISCLAIMER:
The intent of this PARADIGM BYTES Newsletter is to provide communication and information for our members. Please research the hyperlinks and information provided by our members. The articles and web sites are not personally endorsed by the editors, nor do the articles necessarily reflect the staff's views.~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I am a big believer in the 'mirror test.'
All that matters is if you can look in the mirror
and honestly tell the person you see there,
that you've done your best.
--John McKay

Hope to see you online..... Frankie
(RNFrankie@AOL.com)