What Nursing Can Mean--New Followers Re-post

Health Care for the Future of the Aging Population-4

A plan for adding alternative therapies to the comfort measures in place for patients in EOL situations will provide greater options in providing care. The complementary treatments such as music therapy, aromatherapy, massage, and healing touch provide significant levels of comfort. The therapies soothe patients in terminal care conditions, stimulating fond memories through scents and music and promoting pain relief via massage and healing touch. A strength is that both aromatherapy and music therapy can be provided for minimal cost expenditures. Providing both of these touch therapies could be accomplished for low to moderate financial requirements. Healing touch can be an option for patients during any bathing, turning, or moving procedures. Aromatherapy and music can be supplied to the patients at regular intervals around the clock. Massage therapy can be incorporated into the physical therapy regime for EOL patients and healing touch can be taught to the nursing care providers at all levels. An additional strength is that none of the treatments have significant risks nor will the therapies interfere with intensive care unit functions, care provision, or equipment, the staff may also benefit from the comfort provided.

Some weaknesses of the plan will include resistance and opposition by staff members to an increase in the workload if the plan does not incorporate the time required by the touch therapies. Aromatherapy and music therapy should not increase work requirements as long as the supplies are available. Another weakness may be in the lack of understanding by patients, families, and staff of the benefits of these treatments. Seeing them as giving up or encouraging death will be some views of the therapies and palliative care that will need to be addressed. Educational programs will be one of the significant costs to implementing the plan.

Opportunities of the strategic plan to implement complementary therapy into palliative care programs of ICU’s include the chance to educate the healthcare providers, public, insurance providers, and the community as a whole. The education should include not only responsible decision making for EOL health conditions but being able to choose the comfort measures desired when a terminal situation arises. Preparedness is a better measure for the increasingly sick population that will be seen in the coming years. Implementing these simple and noninvasive alternative measures into the comfort care of the dying will open the doors to integrating other complementary therapies into more healthcare situations. Here will be a chance to educate administrators and upper management about alternative treatments that often are paid for out of pocket by clients and that patients seeking these therapies will provide revenue to the facility.

What Nursing Can Mean--New Followers Re-post

Did U Ever Feel?--5

Just a thought,

That you just want to laugh out loud at all the people who come in the ER and say they are going to sue (i.e., you, the doctor, the hospital), somebody. More often than not it is the baker act who never takes drugs and only had two beers (odds on a positive urine drug screen), or the drug seeker who only dilaudid works for, or the entitled toothache , chronic back pain, or hangnail, who believes they are the most important person in the ER and should never have to wait.

One thing I have learned over the decades that I have been a nurse and the work I have done as a legal nurse consultant, is:

1) Damages have to occur for there to be a legal case

2) I have yet to see chronic pain or waiting actually kill anybody or cause damages (When I have to Yell clear in such a case, I may rethink the issue, at least after the 2nd time)

3) No one has ever had just two beers when they come into the ER, and only the truly psychotic, some diabetics or very critical head bleeds end up baker acted and have clean urine.

4) When the patient has an allergy list a mile long mostly consisting of pain medications except dilaudid, then they may really only need time and therapy.

5) When the lawyer on speed dial, bet even the lawyer doesn't answer that phone call...

The best and most true scenario of way too many ER Patients. Usually not even faking a seizure, but some complaint, to encourage the delivery of some narcotic or benzos...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m64cy1MMPg

From the ANA Smartbrief--Interesting Articles

Child psychiatric visits to EDs are becoming more prevalent
A study found that the prevalence of psychiatric visits by children to emergency departments grew from 2.4% in 1999 to 3% in 2007. Children who are underinsured accounted for 54% of such ED visits in 2007, an increase from 46% in 1999, researchers said. The findings, which were presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition in Boston on Oct. 14, were based on ED data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Nurse.com (10/15)


Survey finds need for more health care workers to get flu shots
The CDC is asking health care administrators to make influenza vaccination accessible to health care workers to improve patient safety. A survey of 1,931 medical personnel found that only 63.5% were vaccinated for the 2010-2011 flu season. The flu vaccine strains for the 2011-2012 season did not change from those of the previous season, but the agency recommends annual vaccination even for individuals vaccinated last season. ClinicalAdvisor.com (10/15)


CDC: Heart disease rates in the U.S. decline
A national telephone survey in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report revealed that the prevalence of coronary heart disease dropped from 6.7% in 2006 to 6% in 2010. The decline was consistent with a drop in the number of people at high risk for heart disease, including smokers and people with uncontrolled LDL cholesterol or high blood pressure, lead author Dr. Jing Fang said. CNN/The Chart blog (10/13)


Here is One we can all LOVE:


Chocolate cuts risk of stroke in women, researchers find
A Swedish study found that women who had the highest chocolate consumption, an average of about 2.3 ounces per week, had a 20% reduced stroke risk. Although the study failed to prove a cause-and-effect link between chocolate and stroke, cardiologist Nieca Goldberg said, "Chocolate does have antioxidants, and antioxidants are beneficial for your health." The findings, which were based on the diet and lifestyle of more than 33,000 women ages 49 to 83, appear in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. USA TODAY/HealthDay News (10/10)


Septicemia the most costly condition in U.S. hospitals, AHRQ finds
The overall cost of septicemia treatment in U.S. hospitals reached almost $15.4 billion in 2009, the highest for any condition that year, according to a report released by the Agency for Healthcare and Quality. The number of hospitalizations for septicemia more than doubled between 2000 and 2009. Nurse.com (10/9)

From the ANA Smartbrief--Interesting Articles

Yeah---


Chocolate is linked to lower heart disease risk, study shows
An analysis in the British Medical Journal of seven studies that included 100,000 people found the highest levels of chocolate consumption were tied to a 37% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 29% lower risk of stroke compared with the lowest levels of consumption. However, the data did not differentiate between dark or milk chocolate, and any benefits could be outweighed by the high fat and sugar content of the candy, the researchers said at the European Society of Cardiology meeting. Reuters (8/29)


ANA formally recognizes emergency nursing scope, standards
The ANA has formally recognized emergency nursing as a specialty and has accepted the field's scope and standards of practice, as defined by the Emergency Nurses Association. "The criteria for attaining specialty status are rigorous, so the recognition of emergency nursing as a specialty is a significant achievement," said ANA President Karen Daley. Nurse.com (8/23)


Calif. hospitals reduce HAIs, saving an estimated 800 lives
Midway through a three-year initiative to reduce hospital-acquired infections at 160 California hospitals, officials say ventilator-associated pneumonia cases are down 41%, catheter-related urinary tract infections fell 24% last year and blood poisoning dropped 11%, saving $11 million overall. Some 800 lives have been saved because of the program, and hospital leaders say the strategy for success is simply adhering to basic staff and patient hygiene protocols, eliminating unnecessary procedures, using safety checklists, and documenting each step. Los Angeles Times (8/23)


T3 program keeps chronically ill homeless out of ED
The Sacramento clinic called the Effort partnered with Sutter Medical Center to create the T3 program - standing for triage, transport and treatment - which gives homeless people with nonemergency or chronic disease a place to stay and receive treatment so they do not end up in a hospital emergency department. By helping patients like Steven Macko, who has Crohn's disease, manage their illnesses, the T3 program has reduced ED visits at Sutter by 65% and saved $2.3 million in costs, becoming a model for other health care facilities to follow. HealthyCal.org (8/23)


Study finds few emergencies in requests for follow-up care at ED
A study of 6,675 trauma patients treated at the Johns Hopkins Hospital found that almost 90% of those who returned for follow-up care at the emergency department didn't qualify for readmission, suggesting their needs could have been addressed at outpatient clinics. Reporting in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, researchers said the odds of unnecessary visits to EDs were 60% higher among Medicaid- or Medicare-insured and uninsured patients compared with privately insured patients. HealthDay News (8/29)

What Nursing Can Mean--New Followers Re-post

Nurses need to Take Care of Nurses-6

A Nurses View of the Shortage…

As a nurse of over 20 years, there have been many changes.

Nursing continues to be a fulfilling and rewarding profession and one that’s easy to love after all of this time. Taking care of my patients and their families, making them feel better and helping them through the illnesses and life threatening diseases that often bring them to the hospital makes coming into work every day worth it. Their care often includes making snap-decisions that will help save their lives and being proficient in medications and life-saving equipment is only part of why experienced nurses are important. Sometimes the care also includes helping them on their journey to a better place, to “go gently into the night”. There are so many parts of what it takes to make the caring, supportive and knowledgeable nurse.

The decades have continually increased nursing responsibilities, experience and education. Along with this there has been very little compensation, respect or appreciation in a profession that is facing a severe shortage. Understaffing continues to be looked as a “just deal with it” issue, and when concerns arise that patient safety is compromised, many are told, “if you don’t like it you can leave”. More and more responsibility and patient load is added to nurses’ shoulders, and they can barely manage the care they have to give, much less the care they want to give. That extra TLC that can be given when time allows, often when the nurse may not have even had a chance to grab something to eat or drink, or make it to the bathroom, when all shift you have been wishing for a leg bag, is often put on hold for the next crisis taking precedence.

Well, nurses have been leaving for years, and can now leave easier than ever.