MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 5000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective' source. Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:47:41 +0100 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2008/04/wide-awakeacid-attacks-on-women-are_09.html "Mamata's story goes back 12 years, to when she was 14. Her crime was that she refused to stay with a husband who had decided to marry again.Over several months, while she stayed with her parents, he coaxed, threatened and tried to persuade her, but to no avail. One day catching up with her as she headed for work, he suggested she come and sit for a while in the quiet, secluded park en route.Then as she made to leave he grabbed her hands and threw acid over her face and arms, leaving her permanently scarred."READ MORE....This extreme form of domestic violence is absolutely devastating. It is an act of revenge that can occur over a declined marriage proposal, jealous husband, slow dowry payments and even from a disgruntled employer. As a result, many of these women are condemned by their families and ostracized by society. The victims have difficulty finding employment and may even blame themselves for the crime committed against them. Many of these women then cannot afford the numerous and expensive surgery and grafts that are needed. Injuries caused by acid attacks are severe and require long and complicated medical treatment including reconstructive surgery, exclusive nursing care, physiotherapy and psycotherapy. According to the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF), 68% of the victims were women and girls and the top motivation for attacks are the result of money and land disputes ( for both men and women). In addition, in 2006 only 58% of individuals were convicted for this crime. This advocacy group is housed in Bangladesh and government institutions and NGOs in India are just beginning to "wake-up" to this increasing trend. (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1360530 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1360530 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2008/03/celebrity-case-for-quality-care.html In 2007, the newborn twins of actor Dennis Quaid were given potentially lethal overdoses of Heparin, in which a flush of 10 units/ml were mistakenly replaced with 10,000 units/ml an then administered by a nurse to the twins. As a result, he created the Quaid Foundation to help expose this tragic issue which has caused the preventable deaths of thousands of people. The mission of the Quaid Foundation is to advocate for patients and highlight medical (human) error which is responsible for almost 100,000 preventable deaths per year. This number is significantly more than those who die of motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer and AIDS, according to the Institute of Medicine. Additionally, the mission statement notes that the errors are the result of a flawed system, not the individual healthcare providers functioning within it. He spoke recently at the annual Association of Healthcare Journalists Conference in Washington D.C. A recent post on the Health Care Blog further discusses his speech and outstanding advocacy efforts since the incident.This is definitely the push that the healthcare industry needs to bring this vital issue to the policy table and into the minds of consumers. All nurses are acutely aware of this issue and have witnessed the impact of a negative work environment on our patients. From a nursing perspective, errors occur as a result of long stressful hours and short staffing. Considering the current political healthcare priorities in the up and coming election, there is definitely a window of opportunity to make changes and to create legislation that will make our healthcare system run as effectively as we know it can be. Perhaps I am naive, but I have hope. (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1335178 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1335178 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2008/03/return-of-recluse-part-2.html Back again, and I do not really have an excuse as to why I was neglected this blog. Although many times I have felt inspired I just did not get the words out on page. Admittedly, I lack good time management skills and I find myself procrastinating or obsessing about all the work that I have to do. Then I meet someone with even more obligations; children, a full-time job and graduate nursing education and I realize that I really have not excuse at all....so see you all on the blogosphere~ (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1327446 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1327446 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2008/03/feminisim-and-body-image.html Does political ideology affect perceptions of weight in women? Apparently it does according to a recent study discussed in the New York Times today. Researchers concluded that women who identified themselves as feminists had a wider range of female body image acceptance than their non-feminist counterparts. Both groups agreed on what was considered the most attractive body image. This is an important concept to consider when teaching young women about their health and wellness as they mature through puberty. While introduction to feminism might not necessarily solicit interest or prevent eating disorders, it might help them appreciate early on that women have much more to contribute to society than their physical attributes.IMHO. (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1327445 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1327445 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-come-for-lives-lost-and-for-those.html A reaction to all the lives lost and for those who are suffering as a result of the Virginia Tech tragedy. Music and Lyrics by Ray LaMontagneHow ComePeople on the street nowFaces long and grimSouls are feeling heavyAnd faith is growing thinFears are getting strongerYou can Feel them on the riseHopelessness got some by the throat you can see it in their eyesI said how comeHow comeEverybody on a shoestringEverybody in a holeEverybody crossing their fingers and toesGovernment man spin his politics till he got you pinnedEverybody trying to reach out to each otherBut they don't know where to beginI said how comeI can't tellthe free worldfrom living hellI said how comeHow comeall I seeis a child of godin miseryI said how come the pistol now as profitThe bullet some kind of lord and kingBut pain is the only promise that this so called savior is going to bringLove can be a liarAnd justice can be a thiefAnd freedom can be an empty cup from which everybody want to drinkI said how comeI can't tellthe free worldfrom living hellI said how comeHow comeall i seeis a child of godin miseryI said how comeIts just man killing manKilling manKilling manKilling manKilling manI don't understandIts just man killing man (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=552641 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 552641 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2007/03/return-of-recluse.html Yes I have been gone for quite some time, but I had not forgotten my online persona entirely. Was I missed? Doubt it. But I have certainly missed y'all.Over the past few months, most of my time has been spent diligently studying for the GRE for admission to a dual graduate program. Although the test was not that difficult in particular, I found myself re-learning fundamental mathematics that I once knew over 15 years ago! While my education as a professional nurse has taught me essential skills in critical thinking, pathophysiology, psychology, pharmacology, and a variety of life saving techniques..(to say the least), it really skimped on algebra, geometry, and pretentious vocabulary, much to my dismay. I suspect this is why many of my nursing colleagues are intimated by this essential exam for graduate school.Well after much frustration and a sleuth of self pity, it is over and I am thrilled. I still find it puzzling that I was more intimidated by the exam than taking care of a critically ill patient. (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=481369 Sun, 18 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0100 481369 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2007/01/change-of-shift-at-emeriblog.html Hiya!Check out the latest Change of Shift hosted by Kim McAllister RN at Emeriblog.For all the policy wonks, Health Care Renewal is hosting the Health Wonk review this month. topics range from access to care, single-payer insurance and Gov. Schwarznegger’s universal health plan for California. (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460700 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 460700 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2007/01/historic-day-for-women-of-america.html Yesterday Nancy Pelosi of California took the speaker's gavel from Rep John Boehner of Ohio. The New York Times reported. “This is an historic moment,” Mrs. Pelosi said in her first remarks as speaker of the 110th Congress. “It’s an historic moment for the Congress. It’s an historic moment for the women of America. It is a moment for which we have waited for over 200 years.”Currently we have 50 Democratic women in the U.S. House, 11 in the U.S. Senate, and 46 in important statewide positions across the country, the largest increase in a single election of Democratic women at this level in history!!The new speaker of the house has demonstrated her commitment to health care and health during her tenure in congress. Mrs. Pelosi's legislative record includes protecting workers, and promoting health care, including women's health and the creation of a nationwide health tracking network to examine the links between environmental pollutants and chronic disease. She is the creator of Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS program. She has also successfully increased access to health insurance for people with disabilities by ensuring continuation of their health care coverage. Health Care issues will be top priority on the Democrat's list in 2007 addressing interest of the middle-class and work-class Americans. Including prescription drug coverage, minimum wage, and health insurance for the uninsured.(NJEM).Additionally, Mrs Pelosi is not immune to the issues of nursing. She had selected a nurse activist and former lobbyist Catherine Dodd to serve as a director of her home office in California. Mrs. Pelosi also wrote the forward to Policy and Politics in Nursing and Health Care ( 5th ed.) in which she states:"Nurses have significant knowledge about the health issues facing our nation. They must recognize how they can effectively use their expertise to improve health policy, and ultimately the health of our citizens.......If health professionals want their perspectives on problems heard, they must bring information to those who make decisions and the staff who advise them. There are many advocates on all sides of each issue, all competing for access to those who make decisions. Therefore, nurses must not only understand their issues in great depth and be able to articulate a solution, but they should also know the weaknesses and strengths of the positions of other stake holders."The speaker has spoken...are you listening?? (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460702 Fri, 05 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 460702 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2007/01/health-affairs-25-most-read-papers-of.html Celebrating it 25th anniversary, The Health Affairs blog is offering free access to the top 25 most read articles until January 19th. This is interesting reading if you are at all passionate about health care and health policy. Topics include:"The paper on nurse staffing in hospitals by Jack Needleman and colleagues took the top spot for a paper published in 2006 with 37,547 pageviews. Two papers from 2005 earned the “most-read overall” ranking: “Can Electronic Medical Record Systems Transform Health Care?” by Richard Hillestad and colleagues from Health Affairs’ September/October 2005 issue attracted 40,263 pageviews in 2006, and the medical bankruptcy Web Exclusive by David Himmelstein and colleagues from February 2005 continued its high readership, adding 39,262 pageviews in 2006 to its over 70,000 pageviews from 2005, thus surpassing 100,000 readings of the paper."Thank you Health Affairs for sharing! (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460701 Thu, 04 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 460701 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2007/01/meditate-and-eat-your-veggies-patient.html Ken Wilber, author, philosopher, creator of Integral Theory, writes about his recent frightening and amazing experience at an ER and intensive care unit in a Colorado hospital. It is amazing what the human body can withstand especially when throughly cared for. KW you are an inspiration and I am glad you made it through. Godspeed."At 8:30 PM on Tuesday, December 5, 2006, while Becca and I were watching a movie, I had a grand mal seizure that was quite severe. Although these are common with CFIDS/REDD/ME, it has only happened once to me before, as far as I can tell. A really major grand mal seizure can kill you. Although this one didn't do that, it came damn close, and was in any event severe enough to precipitate ten more equally severe seizures-one after another after another. By the time they got me to the ER and stabilized-about 12 hours later-not only had I suffered around a dozen grand mal seizures in a row, I had essentially flat-lined three times and had the electric paddles applied to my chest three times-overall, a pretty gruesome ordeal......The doctors told me that the only reason I survived was that I was in such good physical shape at the beginning of the ordeal. When people started asking how I managed to get through something like this, I therefore started joking, "Meditate and eat your veggies."Read more... (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460704 Wed, 03 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 460704 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2007/01/ladies-get-your-boobs-on-silicone-is.html Under pressure from silicone implant manufacturers, The FDA approved the use of new generation silicone breast implants in November 2006. This will mean "big money for easy surgery" for plastic surgeons. Dr. Edward Melmed comments in the LA times that despite FDA approval, silicone implants are still unsafe and will require replacement surgery at least once in a lifetime. Dr. Edmond also reports that the FDA requires manufacturers to study 80,000 women within the next 10 years...the administration seems to have adopted the policy "Approve now, test later"."Despite these known hazards, the Food and Drug Administration, under pressure from implant manufacturers, plastic surgeons and patients, is allowing as of Jan. 1 a new generation of silicone implants in women age 22 and over. The new generations of implants, we are assured, are less likely to rupture. However, this claim has been made for every previous generation. To monitor women's health, the FDA will require women who receive implants to have regular MRIs and has recommended that the implants be replaced every 10 years. It is a pity that women will become the experimental lab rats for these implants. They, not the manufacturers, will have to pay for the MRIs and replacements as recommended. Most plastic surgeons vehemently deny any connection between health complaints and leaking silicone implants. But I have seen a disturbing number of patients with symptoms, including fatigue, short-term memory loss, joint and muscle pains, skin rashes, disturbed sleep patterns, depression and hair loss, that clear up when implants are removed." (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460703 Wed, 03 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 460703 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2007/01/new-year-same-issues.html Back and still recovering from the jet lag. Italy is a beautiful country, the people are hospitable and the food, exquisite. Staying with an Italian family helped me move through the country fairly easy and stress free. I even passed by Berlusconi's "castle" in Portofino and walked along the walkway that he had built for himself by the sea so he would not have to jog on the road. I read about his visit to the US for his pacemaker placement, and not only did he forsake his own country's health care system, (in which his administration underfunded), he showed his gratitude by spewing sexist and derogatory remarks about "ugly" American nurses. Mr. B you are one class act. You will hear from me soon. Ciao.The Washington Post reported on 12/25/2006 that college for health care professionals continues to bottle neck, refusing up to 2/3 of nursing school applicants for admission. Evidently the problem is not lack of interest..it is lack of funding. Colleges are not financially equipped to handle these students and there is a dearth of instructors. Registered nurses will make more money at the bedside than as teaching instructors. However there have been some effort put forth. For example, Timothy M Kaine (D) of North Virginia , proposed a 10% increase in nursing instructors salaries. The state was alloted $1.5 million funding for education of registered nurses. Great work.And thank you Kaisernetwork.org for continuing to research and give the nursing profession the proper attention that it needs in the media and policy formation. (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460705 Tue, 02 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 460705 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2006/12/so-long-farwell-ciao-goodbye.html I am off on holiday for 2 weeks. I will miss the blogosphere but I shall return!Peace~RN Faye (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460706 Thu, 14 Dec 2006 05:00:00 +0100 460706 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2006/12/linda-aiken-sheds-some-light-on-nursing.html Last month the Health Affairs Blog featured Linda Aiken . Dr. Aiken has been a major contributor to health workforce and outcomes research for the past two decades. She discusses the 7 Myths currently surrounding the nursing shortage as it exists today and as projected in the future."Currently, the United States is short an estimated 150,000 nurses. Yet over the next decade, more than 650,000 new jobs in nursing will be created. At the same time, an estimated 450,000 nurses will have retired. By 2020, the nurse shortage is expected to increase to 800,000. I set out to debunk a number of popular myths surrounding the current nurse shortage at a recent meeting convened in Washington, D.C. on the future of nursing. The September 20-21 meeting was sponsored by Health Affairs, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the John A. Hartford Foundation ."I agree with Dr. Aiken's assessment that we do not know how to solve the nursing shortage is a myth. We need more support of the education of nurses and the creation of more efficient ways to obtain a BSN. Higher pay incentives for faculty need to be available and nurses should be reimbursed for their services not as viewed as an hospital expense.I would like add that stronger media representation of nurses should be advocated for similar to the initiatives of The Center for Nursing Advocacy. Many young people today who do not have personal contact with a nurse (social or through the health care system) will get their perception of nursing primarily through the media. Negative and inaccurate images of nurses in the media will deter intelligent men and women from entering the profession and will undervalue our life-saving skills and education. (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460709 Wed, 13 Dec 2006 05:00:00 +0100 460709 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2006/12/hospitals-fight-nurse-to-patient-ratios.html The Kaiser Family Foundation reported today that "The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday examined how "hospitals are fighting back against efforts to set minimum nurse-to-patient ratios and adopting new strategies to use nursing staff more efficiently" as the U.S. faces "a worsening" nurse shortage. According to the Journal, "an increasing number of states ... are considering legislation to ensure minimum" nurse-to-patient ratios at hospitals, and California already has passed a law mandating ratios in medical-surgical units. Proponents of the ratios say that "forcing hospitals to meet minimum staffing requirements is the only way to ensure patient safety, reduce patients deaths, recruit new nurses, and stop the ones already on the job from burning out and leaving the profession," the Journal reports. However, critics say that the ratios are not flexible enough to allow hospitals to operate safely and efficiently and that certain hospital units could be forced to close if the ratios cannot be met. In addition, opponents of ratios say there is no direct evidence that staffing ratios improve patient care. Pat Rutherford, a nurse and vice president of the not-for-profit Institute for Healthcare Improvement, at a patient-safety conference on Wednesday plans to propose that rather than impose staffing ratios, medical-surgical units should be restructured so nurses spend less time on paperwork, charting, finding supplies and operational problems. The Journal reports that hospitals also are "turning to more sophisticated computer programs and models to help them analyze their staffing needs and allocate nurses on staff more efficiently." In addition, staffing specialists are working with organizations like the American Nurses Association to develop "nurse-staff reporting cards that help hospitals compare staffing levels and patient outcomes with those of other hospitals," according to the Journal. The goal of such comparisons is to ensure that nurses with proper training and backgrounds are in certain units when needed, according to Gina Mumolie, a nurse and vice president of Aon Consulting (Landro, Wall Street Journal, 12/13)."Dr. Linda Aiken did have supportive research concluding that hospitals with high patient-to-nurse ratios patient experience higher risk-adjusted 30-day mortality and failure to rescue rates. Supportive research needs to be conceived in this area as it is only looking at part of elephant. Individual institutions might benefit from conducting their own analysis of nurse-to-patient ratios and it's impact on quality and outcomes. However, the concept of ratios should not be ignored, besides a decrease in quality care, nurses are more likely to leave the patients bedside if they are burned out and feel powerless to change their work environment. This is a problem that is not easily solved and with each "knot released" there is the potential to create further complications. (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460708 Wed, 13 Dec 2006 05:00:00 +0100 460708 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2006/12/seasons-greetings.html Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere, and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes. ~author unknown (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460707 Wed, 13 Dec 2006 05:00:00 +0100 460707 http://tangledchain.blogspot.com/2006/12/emerging-trends-in-health-care.html Increased focus on the current demographic changes of the aging population will most likely be the most important health care trend within the next 20 years.Americans are living longer than ever before as a result of technological advancements in medicine. Now more than ever, people are living into old age with physical and cognitive disabilities. By the year 2019 the aging population (65 and older) will increase to about 50 million people in the United States. The U.S Census Bureau reported in 2004 that the over -80 population will increase to about 7 million of those in need of health care services. Most of health care spending is exhausted through end of life care and chronic illness. Not surprisingly , the Kaiser Family Foundation reports that "Medicaid's long-term care users (LTC) reveals that the 7% of Medicaid beneficiaries using LTC account for over half (52%) of all Medicaid spending. Medicaid's LTC users not only use LTC services, but they also use the program's acute care services more intensively than non-LTC users. Three-quarters of the spending by these high-cost LTC users went towards LTC (community-based and institutional care) and the remaining 25% went towards acute care and other supportive services. These high-cost beneficiaries are among the most disabled and chronically ill of the Medicaid population, with over half being elderly, one-third being disabled and under age 65, and 11% being adults or children not classified as disabled."As health care service costs increase, so will the ability of people to pay for them. These costs include but are not limited to the use of pharmaceuticals, ED visits and hospital stays, surgeries and increased use and dependence on technology. With such a rapid rate of growth in this population the types of volume of services required will have a significant impact on the economy, consumers, and health care professionals.This trend will impact nursing in two ways. First, the median age of a nurse is about 47 years old. These nurse ‘baby boomers” will begin to retire in 15 years leaving a dearth of nurses to take care of the octogenarians that will need nursing care. As nurses retire and as less people choose nursing as a career, or are not admitted to programs due to lack of faculty, the outcome will result in a labor shortage. Sadly, the nurses who spent their lives taking care of others will not have anyone to take care of themselves. Another aspect of labor issues concern the increased need for nurse specialization in the field of gerontology. The aged need specialized care, similar to that of pediatric nursing and Medicine. Secondly, the volume and acuity of these patients will increase in the hospital and nursing home settings. Most of these patients will be admitted to a medical-surgical or rehab floor in the hospitals and nurses work on these units tend to be arduous and stressful and will likely contribute to nurse burnout. There will be an imbalance in nurse to patient ratios, and as a result of all of these factors quality and patient safety will suffer.Parallel to the increasing aging population is the growing demand for policy development, research, and assistance with Long-term care (LTC) needs. Home and community based services (HCBS) for the elderly offered through Medicaid waiver programs have released some of the strain on the system. Participants and families are happier and healthier in their homes. The cost for providing services in the home is significantly less than they would be in the nursing home. Perhaps this trend will increase as the consumer demands it. However, the same challenges of nursing and paraprofessional workforce face HCBS as in the nursing homes. As a result recruitment and retention of quality workforce in LTC is essential in maintaining and effective system. (Source: Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective) Tangled Chain~A Nurse Perspective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=460710 Mon, 11 Dec 2006 05:00:00 +0100 460710