Nursing Blog

by: Ben Escomm Some of you may have heard that afib is common, comes with age, and is harmless. Not necessarily true. Clots can form in the heart from atrial fibrillation which can lead to a stroke. Afib may start as happening only every so often, but it usually leads to more episodes, which may lead to a more permanent episode (i.e. occurring all the time). The irregularity in the heart rate can cause you to be symptomatic. And there are some studies that are looking at a link between afib and heart failure. So atrial fibrillation is not something to take lightly and it should be managed by your doctor. No doubt, if your doctor has diagnosed you with atrial fibrillation, then he or she has already started you on some drug treatment. The most common would be a blood thinner to prevent a clot from forming in the heart and thus reducing the potential for a stroke. When a patient is in atrial fibrillation, their heart is very irregular and sometimes can race at a rate of between 100 and 1

The question "profession or not" has never been satisfactorily answered, not least because the definition of 'profession' is not exactly a fixed item. However, some aspects of the definition might be considered 'core items'. A profession has a unique body of knowledge and values - and a perspective to go with it. A profession has controlled entry to the group eg registration A profession demonstrates a high degree of autonomous practice. A profession has its own disciplinary system. A profession enjoys the Recognition and Respect of the wider community. 1. Nursing DOES have a unique body of knowledge and values, but all too often adopts the medical perspective over its own; most acadamic nurses these days don't try very hard to inject new nurses with any values other than the medical model (Yes, there are exceptions!). In that sense, nursing can only ever be a 'profession allied to medicine', not a true profession in its own right. 2.

Team Management of Patients With Heart Failure A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the Cardiovascular Nursing Council of the American Heart Association Kathleen L. Grady, PhD, RN; Kathleen Dracup, DNSc, RN; Gemma Kennedy, PhD, RN; Debra K. Moser, DNSc, RN; Mariann Piano, PhD, RN; Lynne Warner Stevenson, MD; James B. Young, MD Key Words: AHA Scientific Statement • heart failure • prevention Heart failure is estimated to affect 4 to 5 million Americans, with 550 000 new cases reported annually.1 In the past 3 decades, both the incidence and prevalence of heart failure have increased.1 2 3 Factors that have contributed to this increase are the aging US population and improved survival rates in patients with cardiovascular disease due to advancements in diagnostic techniques and medical and surgical therapies.2 4 5 6 Heart failure is a chronic, progressive disease that is characterized by frequent hospital admissions and ultimately high mortality rates. Because of its high medica

Proper breathing allows air to enter all areas of the lungs. This increases your chest movement, and strengthens the muscles used for breathing and coughing. These breathing exercises will help to decrease your rate of breathing, pain, and risk for lung infections. You may find it helpful to do these exercises in front of a mirror so you can watch how you are breathing. Breathe in deeply and do the exercises slowly for the best benefit. Do each breathing exercise 5-10 times, three times each day. Breathe in through your nose. Purse your lips like you are going to blow a Whistle or blow out a candle. Breathe out slowly through pursed lips. Lie flat on your back. Place a book on top of your stomach or lay your hands there. Take a breath in through your nose and feel the book or your hands rise. Slowly let the air out through your nose and feel the book or your hands lower. Your breaths should be easy and without effort. Sit in a chair or stand up straight. Place both hands on the middle

The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain and stiffness in the joints. The pain usually increases after exercise. Rheumatoid arthritis is often called the 'cooked food disease'. lt usually develops gradually over several months, with persistent pain and stiffness in one or more joints. Ultimately the whole body is affected. Symptoms include anemia, colitis, constipation, deformed hands and feet. Cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis :- Structural changes in the articular cartilage in the joints. Osteoarthritis results from structural changes in the articular cartilage in the joints, usually those which are weight-bearing, such as the spine and knees. Hormonal imbalance, physical and emotional stress. Rheumatoid arthritis is due to an inflammation of the synovium or lining of the joints. This is accompanied by swelling and eventually leads to deformity. The condition may be caused by hormonal imbalance, physical and emotional stress, infection, severe fright, shock, and

What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - Its term used to describe the range of disorders that arise in children after exposure to alcohol during pregnancy. They are entirely avoidable and the most common preventable cause of birth defects and brain damage in children. The disorders in order of most to least severe are: (1) Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) (2) Partial fetal alcohol syndrome (pFAS) (3) Alcohol related neurodevelopmental disorders (ARND) (4) Alcohol related birth defects (ARBD) The more alcohol a pregnant woman drinks, the higher the risk of damage to herself and to the developing baby because of alcohol crosses the placenta and produces the same blood alcohol level in the fetal circulation. Before few days ago, I read one article about health care tips in which described that, Alcohol can damage fetal development is during the first trimester, specifically between three and six weeks, this is the time when organs are forming. It can also increases the risk of miscarriage, st

Gastritis, a condition that involves the irritation and inflammation of the stomach, afflicts millions of people. Any number of things causes it, from injury to bacteria. In that respect, it is akin to a headache: It can strike anyone, and it can be caused by a wide variety of factors both internal and external. It can be divided into 3 categories: (1) Erosive and hemorrhagic gastritis (2) Non erosive and nonspecific gastritis (3) Specific gastritis indicative of a disorder. Gastritis Symptoms:- (1) A burning pain similar to indigestion in your upper abdomen. (2) Nausea. A “sick-to-your-stomach” kind of feeling, which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting. (3) Loss of appetite. This tends to go along with nausea, but many gastritis patients find they have no appetite even when they’re not feeling nauseated. After a couple of mouthfuls they’re done. (4) Belching or bloating. This can simply be gas, but if it’s chronic or severe, it could be caused by gastritis. (5) Feeling particul

Your newborn baby is an amazing creature. The many reflexes he or she is born with help transition them to life and learn what they need to survive. Here are some of these reflexes to help you get to know your baby better: Moro Reflex: When you fail to support or hold the neck and head, the arms of your baby will thrust outward and then seem to embrace them selves as their fingers curl. This reflex disappears at about 2 months of age. It is also known as the startle reflex. Palmar Grasp: When you touch the palm of your baby's hand, the fingers will curl around and cling to your finger or an object. This is a good reflex to take advantage of with other children, to allow the baby to "hold" their hand. This reflex also makes it difficult to obtain handprints until it disappears at about 6 months. Plantar Grasp: This reflex occurs when you stroke the sole of your baby's foot, his toes will spread open and the foot will turn slightly inward. It is also known as the Babins

Whenever we are working on a particular assignment we should always keep a track of all our observation and keep note of every happening regarding the matter. Such types of notes are really helpful for both the experienced and fresher in any field; even sometimes the updated notes kept by any senior member can act as a knowledge enhancer for a new team member. So it is advisable for all of us to keep detail about our work schedule and prioritize them accordingly. Especially the people who are related with the service industry these type of habit of keeping notes of every detail about their appointments and daily work that can be really helpful in their profession. For example if the nurses can keep detail about their work schedule in a nurse report sheet that can help them in future for referring to a particular case. The report sheet in which different professional including the nursing staff keep a track about their work are just like a little note book that can be carried at any pla

The most important discovery of the last century – computer and the Internet – has made distance education reality. It also concerns online nursing courses, due to which obtaining an online nursing degree is no longer just a dream, but it may become real like never earlier. With the distance education an individual doesn’t have to wait long months in order to get enrolled into the generally accepted nursing schools. Let us study what are the most significant advantages of attending an online school. First of all, a person doesn’t Have to spend long hours on the classes, thus saving much time. Besides, you don’t have to spend your precious time on transportation and searching for free parking places. In addition, you will save much money on transportation and gasoline, as well as on studying as distance education is less expensive than that in the generally accepted colleges and schools. Finally, online programs suggest very flexible schedule that will allow you to spend more time with

Old age and health conditions will one day happen to aging parents and this is an unavoidable reality each concerned adult will confront. Being mindful of this, nursing homes in New Jersey really should come to mind since this supplies the required strategies to provide senior people the quality existence they ought to have. Have we talked about this yet? Talking things over is better before anybody all of a sudden decides to move into nursing homes. New Jersey families must sit back and talk about issues because this changes everything for both the parents and the children. Lots of aging parents would certainly like to obtain guarantees for visiting plans, taking care of the current house, and a lot more because these are facts in life. If speaking with your mother seems daunting, try getting support from your folk's friend or from a spiritual leader they believe in. For instance, maybe you can convince your mom or dad's best friend to drop by and talk about things or possibly

An initial step in detecting liver damage is a simple blood test to determine the presence of certain liver enzymes (proteins) in the blood. Under normal circumstances, these enzymes reside within the cells of the liver. But when the liver is injured for any reason, these enzymes are spilled into the blood stream. Enzymes are proteins that are present throughout the body, each with a unique function. Enzymes help to speed up (catalyze) routine and necessary chemical reactions in the body. Among the most sensitive and widely used liver enzymes are the aminotransferases. They include aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT). These enzymes are normally contained within liver cells. If the liver is injured or damaged, the liver cells spill these enzymes into the blood, raising the enzyme levels in the blood and signaling the liver disease. What are the aminotransferases? The aminotransferases catalyze chemical reactions in which an a