MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'connection'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:54:39 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107793&cid=t_109503_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FPLETOsS6CDA%2F You hear a lot in this day and age about how we’ve devolved into a culture of ‘over-sharers.’ It’s no longer just the usual suspects, like reality TV stars and sex columnists—between blogging and twitpic-ing and facebook status updates delivered to our 473 nearest and dearest, a whole lot of us are putting way more out there than we, or anyone, used to. But why? Okay, that may sound like a stupid question. The most obvious answer is ‘Because we can,’ or perhaps, ‘Because we can, and it’s expected that we do.’ Technology gives us the tools to share things way more easily than folks ever could before, and no one wants to be left behind in the digital dust, so to speak. But technology alone doesn’t compel behavior—there has to be... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107793 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:14:43 +0100 5107793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051316&cid=t_109503_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FKj6TKYVvaIE%2F This is a guest post by Sarah McGaugh. She is a teacher, entertainer, four star general, and nurse: in other words, a mom. After many years of a fulfilling career as a high school English teacher who loved being in her classroom with her students, she now stays at home to home school her two young children and also works as a freelance editor. Her philosophy is simple: find the magic in the ordinary, laugh whenever possible, and embrace the joy that was meant for you. You can read more from Sarah on her blog, Bird in your Hand. In the fall of 2003, when I was a first year teacher who had both the advantage and disadvantage of knowing hardly a thing about teaching, I met Mike. A seventeen-year-old junior in my English class, Mike wore a thick black hooded sweatshirt everyday, even in the d... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051316 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:01:49 +0100 5051316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051319&cid=t_109503_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2Fygk4Wj6F9h8%2F Do you communicate with others? I know I do. I talk on the phone, send e-mail, blast off tweets, update Facebook, and reply to comments on this blog. All forms of communication. But do I truly connect? Do I really turn these conversations into meaningful experiences or are they like passing comments in the hall… how ya doin’… fine… I’ve been reading a great book by John Maxwell, entitled “Everyone communicates, few connect.” This book has some eye opening statistics and revolves around a simple principle… “Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them.” He goes on to say… “The ability to communicate and connect with others is a major determining factor in reaching your potential. To be successf... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051319 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:04:57 +0100 5051319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036232&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fteamwork-and-good-communication-make-everything-better%2F2011.07.16 What? Just what am I talking about? Give me a minute. More and more people are telling me too often they are encountering doctors who 1) don’t look them in the eye 2) don’t listen to them 3) don’t touch them or get anywhere near them and 4) stay focused on their a) computer b) smartphone or c) iPad. More of us are saying we are “mad as hell and are not going to take it anymore” just like the character in the movie “Network” years ago. We find another doctor. I am happy to report that an increasing number of the gray haired doctors who run medical schools are agreeing with us. Doctors need to be better communicators. They need to celebrate human contact rather than devote themselves to only technology and leading edge science. The professors also want tomorrow’s doctors to ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036232 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 22:00:48 +0100 5036232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028213&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-age-of-medical-disconnect%2F2011.07.14 It’s the age of medical disconnect. The disconnect describes the emotional and intellectual detachment that physicians feel from their patients and patients from their doctors.  This disconnect is the result of a confluence of factors, some from within the profession itself, others are more broadly social and economic. To understand the disconnect you need look no further than your neighbor or your parents.  Dissatisfaction is evolving as the norm.  Patients feel increasingly marginalized in their experiences with physicians.  Shrinking length of visits, indifferent attitudes, poorly coordinated evaluations, difficulty obtaining test results, an institutional feel to the patient experience, and the overall sense of not feeling at all important. The truth is that many of us are really... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028213 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:00:13 +0100 5028213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4853082&cid=t_109503_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FeFt62KIBwHU%2F There’s a book floating around the more “eccentric” health care circles called The Second Brain: A Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Intestine. Colon therapists quote it, and raw food fanatics cite it as proof that we should all be noshing on sprouts and probiotics; and lately, even functional medicine gurus draw on the same theory and research: Our brains are controlled by our stomachs, they say; things like depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders hinge on what we eat, and maintaining healthy gut bacteria is a far better treatment for mental health than Wellbutrin or Prozac. Of course, most people have yet to swap their chemical uppers for sprouts, but a recent study linking stomach bugs to Parkinson’s might make some people ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4853082 Mon, 23 May 2011 18:30:49 +0100 4853082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803448&cid=t_109503_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Ftruth-feel-praise.html Psalms is not a book I've always found inspiring. However, dissection - of anything, animal, plant, insect and word - happens to be my strong suit. When I heard this explanation of the lyrical form of the Psalms, I immediately started reading them.Face the truth of your situation. God never tells us to be perfect, to be nice and  pretend.Feel everything in the moment. I am the worst possible example of this phrase, numbing out instead. Search your heart, have the courage to feel and to be exposed.Praise God for Who He really is. All the powers of evil can't hold a candle to God's greatness.This is a practice for everyday Christian living, especially for those of us under emotional or spiritual fire. Face the truth, feel, then praise. Each point is key - without facing the truth we don... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803448 Tue, 10 May 2011 09:50:00 +0100 4803448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771238&cid=t_109503_129_f&fid=27216&url=http%3A%2F%2Flifewithadhd.com%2Fadhd-research%2Fthe-connection-between-food-allergies-and-adhd.php ADHD Austin uses a different approach for your child.Do hypersensitivity result in conduct difficulties? You may have heard of several conflicting info about hyperactive diets. There are many mothers and fathers who swear that diet regime modify has assisted their child’s ADHD, but most physicians and researchers deny that food items allergies or sensitivities can result in the habits linked with ADHD, presumably their very own conclusions based on research. As a result, the presumption of hypersensitivity creating ADHD behaviors really should depend on whether or not their scientific tests about ADHD and diet regime have been developed appropriately. Even so, according to the research, most research display no romantic relationship in between a hyperactive diet regime and ADHD. Most... Life With ADHD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771238 Sun, 01 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4771238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762891&cid=t_109503_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FM3gc8PuJPjw%2F A study published in Psychological Science earlier this year suggested that bladder control equals better mind control: When offered several choices (between receiving $16 tomorrow or $30 in 35 days, for example), subjects who had a full bladder made better overall decisions. The study begs jokes about gulping down coffee before heading to the mall, but there are more practical implications than just knowing that you’ll do better if you have to pee. Instead of assuming that the mind always controls the body, the research flips traditional thinking on its head: What we do with our body — everything from physical posture to what we eat — can also go to our head. Oliver Burkeman, author of This Column Will Change Your Life at The Guardian, recently mused about other such studies tha... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762891 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:56:13 +0100 4762891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517300&cid=t_109503_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FuRLi06BF4A8%2F Yesterday, we found out that cell phone use definitely affects brain activity, thanks to a study linking talk time with a spike in the brain’s glucose metabolism. Today, we were alerted to another study showing that cell phones can also control our minds (don’t ask us the difference between minds and brains; that’s a topic for a different publication). A study published in Psychological Science showed that when we dial phone numbers, the corresponding letters and words come to mind even if we’re not consciously aware of them. What’s more, subjects seem to prefer dialing numbers that correspond to positive words (like LOVE and DREAM) than negative ones (SLIME was one example used in the study). So what’s the implication? Researchers say this helps prove t... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517300 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:30:04 +0100 4517300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477763&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-physical-and-metaphorical-heart%2F2011.02.14 Listening to NPR on Saturday morning I caught part of Scott Simon’s interview with brothers Stephen Amidon and Thomas Amidon, M.D. discussing their book “The Sublime Engine: A Biography of the Human Heart.” The interview touched on the story of the human heart in science and medicine, history, and culture:  It turns out that the classic red heart symbol we see almost everywhere around Valentine’s Day doesn’t look much like a real human heart at all. “Of all the theories about where that symbol comes from, my favorite is that it is a representation of a sixth century B.C. aphrodisiac from northern Africa,” says Stephen Amidon…”And I kind of like that history because it sort of suggests that early on, people sort of understood the conne... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477763 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:00:00 +0100 4477763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337934&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-doctors-and-patients-speak-different-languages%2F2011.01.12 I can’t say that I enjoy the patient encounter as much when it involves a translator. There’s just something about communicating through a third party that changes the experience. But there are some things you can do as a provider to bridge the language gap: Look. Even thought the translator is doing the talking, look at the patient just as if you are asking the question yourself. There’s a tendency to let the translator act as a surrogate with respect to eye contact and visual feedback. Smile. A smile doesn’t need translation. It conveys very clearly that have a sincere interest in making a connection. Touch. I never leave the exam room without some type of sincere physical contact. A firm handshake or a hand on the shoulder go a long way in closing the language barrier. Sa... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337934 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:00:29 +0100 4337934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4302122&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F10-new-years-resolutions-for-doctors-and-patients%2F2010.12.31 #1 Doctor: Resolve to let patients speak without interruption and describe their symptoms. Patient: Resolve to focus on the problem I am seeing the doctor about and not come with a list of 10 complaints for a 15-minute office visit. #2 Doctor: Resolve to keep a pleasant tone of voice when answering night and weekend phone calls from the answering service, patients, or nurses. Patient: Resolve to get my prescriptions filled during office hours, not forget my medications while traveling, and to use night and weekend phone calls for emergencies only. #3 Doctor: Resolve to exercise a minimum of four times a week for better health. Patient: Ditto. #4 Doctor: Resolve to train my staff and model excellent customer service for patients. Patient: Resolve to understand that getting an instant refer... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4302122 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4302122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119083&cid=t_109503_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F26%2Favatars-remind-us-were-all-human%2F The right avatar may remind us that we’re all human. And in turn, reinforce us to respond more empathetically toward others online. So says new research from Laramie Taylor (2010) who looked at people’s responses in the Yahoo Answers Q&A service. People sign on to Yahoo Answers to ask their own questions, or answer other people’s questions about any and every topic imaginable. Two studies were conducted to examine whether avatars elicit more emotional involvement — like empathy — from people who answer the questions. The researcher also hypothesized that questions that have avatars will receive more answers than those that don’t. The first study looked at 881 answers in response to 132 questions on Yahoo Answers. The second study examined the altruis... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119083 Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:30:31 +0100 4119083 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098056&cid=t_109503_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F22%2Fgoing-mental-kindle-sweepstakes-fourth-winner%2F We’re pleased to announce the third winner in the Psych Central ‘Going Mental’ Kindle Sweepstakes — Gina Ciuca! Congratulations Gina!! You can enter the sweepstakes now by signing up for our free weekly mental health newsletter. We’re ‘going mental’ by giving away 5 new Amazon.com Kindle Readers — one a week — to new subscribers of our weekly Psych Central newsletter. We still have one Kindle left to give away, and there’s still time left to enter in order to win our last Kindle. The Sweepstakes closes Oct. 23 at Midnight ET. These are the high-end Kindle readers — the ones with 3G built-in. That means you don’t have to have an Internet connection to even use them. And don’t think you have to buy books to use these things — hundreds of free b... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098056 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:55:57 +0100 4098056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077321&cid=t_109503_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F16%2Fgoing-mental-kindle-sweepstakes-third-winner%2F We’re pleased to announce the third winner in the Psych Central ‘Going Mental’ Kindle Sweepstakes — Allison Romano! Congratulations Allison!! You can enter the sweepstakes now by signing up for our free weekly mental health newsletter. We’re ‘going mental’ by giving away 5 new Amazon.com Kindle Readers — one a week — to new subscribers of our weekly Psych Central newsletter. We still have two Kindles left to give away. These are the high-end Kindle readers — the ones with 3G built-in. That means you don’t have to have an Internet connection to even use them. And don’t think you have to buy books to use these things — hundreds of free books are available in the Kindle store, and hundreds of RSS feeds can also be added for minimal monthly fees. We&#... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077321 Sat, 16 Oct 2010 19:51:56 +0100 4077321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4065417&cid=t_109503_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F13%2Fdo-you-still-have-a-security-blanket%2F Do you still have your favorite blanket, pillow, or plush toy from your childhood? If you do, don’t fear — you’re amongst good company. Our partner LiveScience has the story by examining the data that drives our need to keep these reminders from our childhood. We believe these objects hold something of greater value to us than just their outward appearance or physical properties. Scientists call this belief “essentialism.” Essentialism is why we don’t feel the same about replacing a lost object, whether it be our wedding ring, a toy from our childhood, or our cherished iPhone. The new object loses that emotional attachment the original had. That’s one of the reasons some of us hang on to those childhood toys or objects — they hold an emotiona... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4065417 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:00:04 +0100 4065417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4055783&cid=t_109503_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F11%2Fgoing-mental-kindle-sweepstakes-winner-week-2%2F We’re pleased to announce Week 1’s winner in the Psych Central ‘Going Mental’ Kindle Sweepstakes — Katarina Gasevski! Congratulations Katarina!! You can enter the sweepstakes now by signing up for our free weekly mental health newsletter. We’re ‘going mental’ by giving away 5 new Amazon.com Kindle Readers — one a week — to new subscribers of our weekly Psych Central newsletter. These are the high-end Kindle readers — the ones with 3G built-in. That means you don’t have to have an Internet connection to even use them. And don’t think you have to buy books to use these things — hundreds of free books are available in the Kindle store, and hundreds of RSS feeds can also be added for minimal monthly fees. You may have noticed we’re a week ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4055783 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:12:19 +0100 4055783 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3999043&cid=t_109503_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F24%2Fgoing-mental-kindle-sweepstakes-winner-week-1%2F We’re pleased to announce Week 1’s winner in the Psych Central ‘Going Mental’ Kindle Sweepstakes — Hugh Partridge! Congratulations Hugh!! Week 2’s drawing period started today at midnight, so you can enter now by signing up for our free weekly mental health newsletter. We’re ‘going mental’ by giving away 5 new Amazon.com Kindle Readers — one a week — to new subscribers of our weekly Psych Central newsletter. These are the high-end Kindle readers — the ones with 3G built-in. That means you don’t have to have an Internet connection to even use them. And don’t think you have to buy books to use these things — hundreds of free books are available in the Kindle store, and hundreds of RSS feeds can also be added for minimal monthly fees. If ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3999043 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 18:43:49 +0100 3999043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3980869&cid=t_109503_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F17%2Fthe-going-mental-kindle-sweepstakes%2F We love our readers, but we are always looking for ways to reach even more people to help them learn more about mental health and psychology. We love to read and we hope you do too! In fact, we compose and distribute a weekly newsletter so that folks can keep up-to-date about what’s going on at Psych Central. But we’re always looking for new subscribers. To that end, we’ve decided to launch our first Sweepstakes — the ‘Going Mental’ Kindle Sweepstakes. We’re ‘going mental’ by giving away 5 new Amazon.com Kindle Readers — one a week — to new subscribers of our weekly Psych Central newsletter. These are the high-end Kindle readers — the ones with 3G built-in. That means you don’t have to have an Internet connection... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3980869 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 18:12:45 +0100 3980869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3872557&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdoctor-patient-relationship-humanized-by-touch%2F2010.08.16 I’ve written previously that many doctors are finding the physical exam obsolete, and are favoring more technologically-advanced, and expensive, tests. In fact, I alluded to traditional physical exam advocates as “arguing for staying with a horse and buggy when cars are rapidly becoming available.” In a recent piece from the New York Times, internist Danielle Ofri says we need to look past the lack of evidence supporting the physical exam. The benefits of touching the patient, and listening to his heart and lungs, cannot be quantitatively measured: Does the physical exam serve any other purpose? The doctor-patient relationship is fundamentally different from, say, the accountant-client relationship. The laying on of hands sets medical practitioners apart from their counterparts in th... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3872557 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:00:41 +0100 3872557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3822921&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhy-patients-are-wary-of-the-primary-care-medical-home%2F2010.08.04 Say the words, “Patient-centered medical home,” and you’re bound to get a variety of opinions. On this blog alone, there are a variety of guest pieces critical of the effort, saying it does not increase patient satisfaction, nor does it save money. And that’s not good news for its advocates, who are pinning primary care’s last hopes on the model. Medical homes hit the mainstream media recently, with Pauline Chen focusing one of her recent, weekly New York Times columns to the issue. She discussed the results of a demonstration project, showing some positive results. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3822921 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:00:17 +0100 3822921 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3805820&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fgood-looks-in-medicine-does-it-matter%2F2010.07.30 I found this sign while driving past a mechanic’s shop the other day. Of course, now I get it. How do women pick their mechanic? This sign explains it all. Just look for the “Handsome Mechanic ‘Now On Duty’” sign. I wonder if it works for doctors, too. Be honest. If your doctor had exceptionally good-looking physical features by most people’s standards, would you be more likely or less likely to keep him or her as your doctor? Would you be more likely or less likely to think of them as highly intelligent? Would you be more likely or less likely to sue them when something goes wrong? We know that babies respond to good-looking parents differently even as newborns. So why would we expect adults to respond to handsome mechanics and doctors any differen... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3805820 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0100 3805820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798561&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffailure-for-a-doctor%2F2010.07.28 I went to a patient’s funeral this past weekend. I generally don’t do that for people whose relationship I’ve built in the exam room. It’s a complex set of emotions, but invariably some family member will start telling others what a nice doctor I am and how much the person had liked me as a doctor. It’s awkward getting a eulogy (literally good words) spoken about me at someone else’s funeral. This patient I had known prior to them becoming my patient, and his wife had been very nice to us when we first moved here from up north. But that’s not why I am writing this. As I was sitting in the service, the thought occurred to me that a patient’s funeral would be considered by many to be a failure for a doctor. Certainly there are times when that is the case — when the... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798561 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:00:12 +0100 3798561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790705&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fteam-care-in-the-patient-centered-medical-home%2F2010.07.26 “Team care” has become a rallying cry for those who think the patient-centered medical home is bad for healthcare reform. Comments on a recent blog post in the New York Times provide a good example of this. When patients get sick, as the argument goes, they want to see their doctor — not some nurse or PA who they don’t know. I agree. There are a whole bunch of things wrong with all the current focus on team care in the patient-centered medical home. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Mind The Gap* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790705 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:00:24 +0100 3790705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671700&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F8-things-you-shouldnt-keep-from-your-doctor%2F2010.06.16 It’s important to have an open relationship with your primary care physician because the more he or she knows about your health and lifestyle, the better able he or she is to diagnose illnesses as they come up. You wouldn’t take your car to a mechanic and not tell him that the brake is sticking, and a human organism is thousands of times more complicated than a car. But patients are shy. They’re embarrassed. They don’t want you to think badly about them, so they often leave out important information that’s critical for the physician to know. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671700 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3671700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3656811&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcan-stuttering-be-contagious%2F2010.06.12 Recently I was seeing a patient who was left with somewhat of a stutter after a prior stroke. It was a long history and probably longer for the patient, who had to work very hard to be understood through an unwanted speech impediment. Inexplicably, when I walked out of the room I started to stutter, too – I wasn’t trying to make light of the patient’s problem, and I had to stop talking for a few moments before I could speak in my normal cadence.  It was super-strange, like my brain heard the new cadence and said “Oh, that’s how you do it.”  Awful. It was embarrassing and weird. Fortunately the patient didn’t hear it, and I apologized to the staff who did. I have no idea why my mouth-brain connection picked that anomaly to repeat. Strange. Anyone el... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3656811 Sat, 12 Jun 2010 20:00:38 +0100 3656811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3569804&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fis-minimally-disruptive-medicine-an-emerging-field%2F2010.05.17 I recently stumbled onto the “Minimally Disruptive Medicine” blog maintained by Dr. Victor Montori from the Mayo Clinic. I have to admit that the name caught my attention so I scoped it out. According to Dr. Montori, “minimally disruptive medicine refers to the practice of medicine that seeks to design effective treatment programs for patients while minimizing the burden of treatment.”  He describes this as an emerging field. I have to admit that I was simultaneously puzzled and intrigued. After all, how is this different from the way good medicine is practiced? I, for one, like to think that I create individually-tailored programs that meet my patients’ needs while minimizing their treatment burden. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at 3... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3569804 Mon, 17 May 2010 12:00:42 +0100 3569804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3569805&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fim-your-doctor-and-im-worth-it%2F2010.05.16 I saw the note on the patient’s chart before I opened the door: “Patient is upset that he had to come in.” I opened the door and was greeted by a gentleman with his arms crossed tightly across his chest and a stern expression. I barely recognized him, having only seen him a handful of times over the past few years. Scrawled on the patient history sheet in the space for the reason for his visit were the words, “Because I was forced to come in.” My stomach churned. I opened his chart and looked at his problem list, which included high blood pressure and high cholesterol –- both treated with medications. He was last in my office in November — of 2008. I blinked, looked up at his scowling face, and frowned back. ”You haven’t been in the office for over 18 months. It was r... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3569805 Sun, 16 May 2010 22:00:46 +0100 3569805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3563964&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-value-of-social-media-for-patients-doctors-and-nurses%2F2010.05.13 A patient apologized to me for asking so many questions. “There’s no need to apologize,” I said to the patient, “It’s wonderful that you have so many questions concerning your healthcare.” I mentioned to her that she is an “empowered and engaged patient,” and that’s a good thing. It’s no secret that health consumers are turning to the Internet for health information. In a recent article from MediaPost News, Gavin O’Malley writes that, according to new a study by Epsilon Strategic & Analytic Consulting Group, “40% of online consumers use social media for health information — reading or posting content — while the frequency of engagement varies widely. According to the study, individuals who use healthcare social media fall into two br... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3563964 Thu, 13 May 2010 16:00:53 +0100 3563964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3545442&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdepression-and-chocolate%2F2010.05.07 Depressed people ate about 60 percent more chocolate compared with others, and major depression more than doubled consumption, reported researchers in the usually-more-reliable Archives of Internal Medicine. Now researchers want to further delve into the issue. “Whether there is a causal connection, and if so in which direction, is a matter for future prospective study,” the authors wrote. We wonder if Hershey’s would provide samples for the treatment arm of such studies, and if so, how people can sign up? *This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3545442 Fri, 07 May 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3545442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3542602&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-and-medicine-scientific-or-miraculous%2F2010.05.06 I was recently listening to an audiobook about diet, written and read by a “famous” doctor who gets people healthy through dietary changes. Since my podcast pushes me a little into the mainstream (more than this blog does), I thought it would be good to hear what the “average” person is reading about health. Plus, I am not exactly the most compliant patient when it comes to diet, so I thought I could possibly get something out of it personally. I did my best to listen with an open mind, ignoring what I thought were gimmicks and trying to glean the valuable information from what this doctor was saying. I had to stop, however, before finishing the book. It wasn’t the content so much that gave me cause to feel the desire to smash my iPod, it was the hype. The author was constantly u... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3542602 Fri, 07 May 2010 01:00:29 +0100 3542602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3538094&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Frelational-medicine-the-joy-of-primary-care%2F2010.05.05 I was happy when I looked at [the day's] schedule. Two husband-and-wife pairs were on my schedule, both of whom have been seeing me for over 10 years. Their visits are comfortable for me — we talk about life and they are genuinely interested in how my family is doing. They remember that I have a son in college, and want to know how my blog and podcast are doing. I can tell that they not only like me as a doctor — they see me, to some degree, as a friend. Another patient on the schedule is a woman from South America. She has also been seeing me for over 10 years. I helped her through her husband’s sudden death in an accident. She brings me gifts whenever she goes on her trips, and also brings very tasteful gifts for my wife. Today she brought me a Panama hat. I know these pe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538094 Wed, 05 May 2010 20:00:58 +0100 3538094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3538096&cid=t_109503_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fconnecting-with-patients-a-forgotten-piece-of-medicine%2F2010.05.05 I [recently] visited a small town in west Texas to address a local medical society on the emerging role of social media in healthcare. My presentation involves social media and the evolving relationship that patients share with doctors. I discuss challenges and opportunities -– especially as it relates to transparency, personal boundaries, and even the ethical obligation to participate in the online conversation. I target the disconnected physician and offer education as well as a compelling argument for involvement. When I arrived at the venue I found that the meeting was attended predominantly by physicians much older than myself.  While waiting to speak, I was concerned that my message of connection and changing relationships would elicit pushback. After all, isn’t it this era o... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538096 Wed, 05 May 2010 16:00:16 +0100 3538096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2800651&cid=t_109503_136_f&fid=35294&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.psa-rising.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F09%2Fintroducing-the-florida-prostate-cancer-connection%2F Phil Masley’s nifty two-page newsletter The Florida Prostate Cancer Connection can keep you (and your support groups) up to speed with Awareness events and more. Download the .pdf from link at the foot of this post. Not only during PC Awareness Month each September, but all year long (Source: psa-rising.com/blog) psa-rising.com/blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2800651 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:22:16 +0100 2800651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2727460&cid=t_109503_180_f&fid=38604&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmakeitgreat%2F%7E3%2FDhukliupxLo%2F I’ve read a lot of great social media advice, and sometimes, all the things that I hear paralyze me. They paralyze me because there’s so much of it all. I get overwhelmed, and I don’t do anything. Sometimes it prevents me from writing an article…because I’m worried about doing it just right. Sometimes it prevents me from sending out a Tweet…because I don’t know all the rules. Sometimes it prevents me from making a LinkedIn connection, from submitting a comment to someone’s website, or even from investing any brain cells in thinking about a new topic. So I thought I’d wade through all the advice I’ve gotten over the years and distill it down to one thing. Perfect Social Media Advice Do one thing today. Do ANYTHING today! Set up a blog. Write a new article. Leave a c... Phil Gerbyshak blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2727460 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:17:00 +0100 2727460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2695434&cid=t_109503_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F12%2Fwhat-do-i-do-about-a-toxic-friend%2F A few weeks ago, a Beyond Blue reader asked me what to do regarding a toxic friendship. She wrote: I’m in the process of dealing with a toxic friend. She is broken, in a different sort of way. We no longer have anything in common except for the past. Her relationship is highly destructive for me…I do not know how to handle it. She’s narcissistic and very much a user. Help! I brought up the question on a discussion thread on Group Beyond Blue. And here’s what folks had to say: Sometimes doing nothing is the best thing….move on…sometimes people need to be alone to figure out what is wrong in their life. I know sitting with myself taught me how to fix me…I gave my friend books and told her about meetings and it only made her mad.. so I just don’... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2695434 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:14:35 +0100 2695434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2649223&cid=t_109503_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2F5NjQFG4ZrBY%2Froche-summit---part-3---my-thoughts.php It was really hard saying goodbye to everyone.  It didn't really hit me until I was driving home from the airport late Thursday night (after I made sure to not get hit by the Light Rail Train).  I was so very emotional, and didn't fight back tears, but rather let them roll.  I let loose because it felt like the right thing to do.  It was almost like a tribute to just how incredible and great everybody was.  I needed to get it out so that I could see things from the other side of the pain.  It was painful to say goodbye to everyone.  But seeing it from the other side I could see that the pain was SO WORTH IT!  The pain was nothing compared to the joy, love, support, and happiness that I got to experience!  A steep price for a ticket, but one tha... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2649223 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:53:42 +0100 2649223 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2645665&cid=t_109503_180_f&fid=38604&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmakeitgreat%2F%7E3%2F-yUPZZIOLsk%2F One of the best ways to connect with people is by being in front of them. Live interactions are better than online interactions. The more folks I can see, the more folks I can get deep with, become friends with, and learn from. Same with you and your business. If you can get in front of your customers and potential customers, or employers and potential employers, you can close the deal and make the magic happen. As it’s impossible to be everywhere with everyone, get social with your pictures instead! If you’re connected to me on Facebook, you’d know my favorite way to connect to folks is through my ever changing profile pictures. I post pictures of me with my favorite people, and I post pictures of me speaking or just me goofing off. It really connects with folks, as I frequently get... Phil Gerbyshak blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2645665 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:26:00 +0100 2645665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584440&cid=t_109503_180_f&fid=38610&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.productivity501.com%2Finternet-access%2F4508%2F The most important component of my work environment is a connection to the Internet.  With a decent connection, I can work from pretty much anywhere in the world.  In this post, we are going to look at some of the different technologies used to connect to the Internet and talk a bit about each one’s strengths and weaknesses. Cable Modem Cable modems have the capacity to offer extremely high speeds.  Usually this is limited by the cable company.  In most places, you can get 1Mbps to 10Mbps downloads with .5Mbps to 2Mbps upload speed.  Cable modems share the bandwidth with other people on the same cable, so your speeds may be at least partially dependent on what your neighbors are doing.  Usually this isn’t too much of a problem, but it can become an issue if you need ever... Productivity501 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584440 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:00:53 +0100 2584440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2463536&cid=t_109503_180_f&fid=38604&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmakeitgreat%2F%7E3%2FNMDLJf5jDlg%2F June 3rd, 2009 at 6:30 PM Eastern/5:30 PM Central, I will be Joan Schramm’s guest on Career Momentum Radio. The topic of our talk is Network is Two Words: Winning the Networking Game. I’m going to discuss some of my favorite online and offline networking tips. If you miss the show, click back. It’ll be recorded for your listening pleasure. For me, networking is a fun and useful thing to do. Networking is fun because I love people, and networking is useful because it’s helped me find a job, it helps me find answers I need to tough questions, and it helps me connect people together who might not otherwise be together. What do you think about networking? Do you enjoy it? Do you loathe it? Do you see it as a necessary evil? Do you have a great tip for networking? Something you ... Phil Gerbyshak blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2463536 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:11:34 +0100 2463536 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442636&cid=t_109503_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2F8xsFlxJbFfk%2Fdimebon-might-alter-alzheimers-care.html Dimebon is an orally-available, small molecule that has been shown to inhibit brain cell death in preclinical models relevant to Alzheimer’s. Dimebon is a potential treatment for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Based on clinical and preclinical data generated to date, Medivation believes that Dimebon works through a novel mechanism of action improving mitochondria function. David Hung, the CEO of Medivation, said on Friday that the experimental drug Dimebon has the potential to transform care for Alzheimer's. The company believes that when the drug achieves FDA approval, it will experience blockbuster sales. The size of the market for Alzheimer's drug sales, now dominated by Aricept, is currently estimated at $5 billion annually."If we can get a drug out onto the marke... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442636 Sat, 23 May 2009 18:41:03 +0100 2442636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2463542&cid=t_109503_180_f&fid=38604&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmakeitgreat%2F%7E3%2FF6ueXPh6svo%2F Guest post by Sean Stephenson, Author of Get Off Your “But”: How to End Self-Sabotage and Stand Up for Yourself Note from Phil: I’m always curious how the best do what they do. Bill Clinton is the BEST connection artist I’ve ever seen, and though I don’t agree with all of his personal foibles, I have to admire the way he made everyone around him be connected to him quickly and effectively. I always wondered what tips he would share. Of course, I wasn’t able to get to him to ask him, but I was able to get one of his former intern’s insight, and now I can share that with you. Enjoy! Love him or loathe him, you can’t deny that Bill Clinton is a masterful connection artist. I’ve seen him in action many times, and he’s a wonder to beh... Phil Gerbyshak blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2463542 Fri, 22 May 2009 12:16:32 +0100 2463542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442054&cid=t_109503_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fdoes-obesity-increase-swine-flu-risk-and-age-decrease-it%2F You may have heard or read news reports, such as the one in the Washington Post, announcing the findings of a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) survey, which found that obesity “is as much of a risk factor for serious complications from the [swine] flu as diabetes, heart disease and pregnancy, all known to raise a person’s risk.” But I suggest you take the CDC report with a large grain of salt because the survey was based on a very small number of patients and was not designed to provide data from which such conclusions could be drawn. The survey looked at only 30 patients hospitalized with swine flu in California. Of those, only four were obese. So the conclusion that obesity might be an independent risk factor for severe swine flu was based on four patients! Not only that, but ... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442054 Thu, 21 May 2009 19:58:13 +0100 2442054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2458226&cid=t_109503_115_f&fid=38592&url=%2Findex.php%2Fmy-profile%2Fmy-blog%2FImproved-friend-connectivity-.html As you might know, you may search for friends with not only similar interests as you, but also the same background, city, university etc. You may find these search functions by checking the right column in your profile, below "About Me". You will see that some fields can be clicked and lead to a list of other Radiolopolis citizens who share the same "background" as you.We just implemented an improved feature, allowing you to also see who has the same "educationRead More... (Source: Radiolopolis Blogs) Radiolopolis Blogs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2458226 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:00:00 +0100 2458226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2266686&cid=t_109503_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2F1-million-a-good-start-for-suicide-followup-services%2F Today, during a meeting of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Crisis Center Grantees, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will announce the award of six grants totaling more than $1 million over three years to support suicide prevention. The funds will help crisis centers throughout the country develop special follow up services for people at high risk of dying by suicide. Every month, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline run by SAMHSA takes 44,000 calls. While not every caller is at acute risk for suicide, past research has shown that large numbers of callers have significant histories of suicidal ideation and attempts. Crisis centers provide invaluable services and for those at imminent risk for suicide, emergency intervention is frequently... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2266686 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:30:15 +0100 2266686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2160380&cid=t_109503_135_f&fid=35250&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.poz.com%2Fshawn%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fhemo2homo_labwo.html So guess whose lab results come up on my "My Pet Virus" Google Alert? None other than Steve Schalchlin, the Ebert to my Roper. Here's what he posted on Monday, in no way colluding with me... "Also went to see the doc... My highest t-cell count to date: 525. And a great percentage: 21%. So, I don't know that I'd say my immune system is strengthening since these numbers go up and down all the time, but it's clear that my health is holding its own." Too cool, even in t-cells Steve shows me who the boss is, besting my latest lab results by two measly t-cells! Well, he may have two more, but mine are wittier as a whole. Since the last post kind featured the dark side of humanity, and the randomness of opening that book to the one page (of about 400 pages total) that had the word "AIDS", I hav... Shawn's HIV Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2160380 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:35:18 +0100 2160380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1907882&cid=t_109503_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F430827891%2F We have a midday meeting, but do not want you to feel abandoned as we head off for a little while. And so here are a few developments that caught our eye. See you soon… Sepracor Gets OK To Market Lunesta In Europe (Boston.com) Europe Rejects Lilly Drug For Fibromyalgia (Yahoo/Reuters) Watson Files Patent Suit Against Barr Over Patch (Yahoo/AP) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1907882 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:33:19 +0100 1907882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232537&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2FdKInEYIAppA%2F testing testing one two ummm three. (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232537 Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:22:20 +0100 2232537 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511298&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmentalnurse%2F%7E3%2FsnPGDlZ1jaA%2F This week’s caption competition comes to via that bastion of reason, objectivity and non-frothing-at-the-mouth, the Daily Mail. The subject of the competition: robot nurses. This, according to the Daily Heil, is a robot nurse. With face and voice recognition technology, a robot should be able to communicate with patients and spot unauthorised visitors. It is hoped the machines will ease pressure by taking over mundane tasks such as mopping up spills so nurses can spend more time with their patients. By keeping wards clean, they could also cut infections by superbugs such as MRSA. As per usual, post your caption suggestions in the comments thread. Judge peoples’ suggestions by clicking on the thumbs-up icon by the side of each comment if you think it is WIN, and not-clicking ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511298 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:00:02 +0100 2511298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511299&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmentalnurse%2F%7E3%2FE58Z3c_kLuA%2F Wooooo! This Week in Mentalists is 50 today! And so, This Week in Mentalists is sat at home, wondering where all its dreams went, and fretting about how Global Mentalist News Roundup doesn’t seem to call or even remember birthdays much these days. The Shrink asks what can medicine do for dementia patients if medication won’t help? As a doctor, when medication won’t help, and I can’t change the underlying process at all, my role is mostly explanation and psychoeducation, with a touch of patient and carer support thrown in too. The biggest thing I do, typically, is to involve the right colleagues. When someone has dementia they need advice on a lot of things (initial assessment letters often run to over a dozen points for various folk to act on). After this, input is... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511299 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:03:48 +0100 2511299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511300&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmentalnurse%2F%7E3%2Fk-tm-AvjWL0%2F What presents did you get? Made any resolutions yet? What are you having for your Mental Health Day dinner? (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511300 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:42:18 +0100 2511300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511301&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmentalnurse%2F%7E3%2FlNefUPk19ls%2F In the post on anorexia and coercive psychiatry, one side-topic that’s been raised in the comments thread is the use of psychopathology as a way of dismissing complaints. Remember this case? The emo kid who came to CAMHS and found himself being hectored by a consultant psychiatrist, accused of being in a cult and having his depression and self-harm dismissed as a fashion trend. Funnily enough, his mother made a complaint against the psychiatrist. The case was discussed with another psychiatrist in CAMHS, who had not met the patient or his family. Nor had he read the notes. His response to the complaint? “I guarantee you that this boy has an unstable personality disorder, and I’d be willing to bet that the mother has an unstable personality disorder too.” Psychopat... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511301 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:19:20 +0100 2511301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1859480&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F412760809%2F (I’m not sure if this has already been featured on MN, so apologies if you now have a strong sense of déjà vu). Whilst doing some studying (don’t look at me like that, it has been known) I came across this article (which I hope everyone can see). The authors argue that offering money in exchange for compliance with medication regimes is a “non-coercive and effective option to achieve medication adherence in otherwise non-adherent assertive outreach patients”. In the two part study, they examined attitudes towards financial incentives displayed by assertive outreach (AO) team managers, and also offered five previously non-compliant AO patients a payment of £5-15 per single depot injection. 76% of team managers specified objections to the practice, with reasons ranging from it... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1859480 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:49:36 +0100 1859480 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1852532&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F411196288%2F Congratulations to Yorkie, who wins this week’s caption competition with “Bonus course available: A med free approach to restraints. Developing the Vulcan neck pinch.” Time now for This Week in Mentalists. Aethelred the Unread is unnerved by reading about himself in referral letters. Mr Unread is very disabled by his symptoms. I guess no one likes to read the word ‘disabled’ about themselves in an official medical document, but I can’t really argue - given that I’m quite often unable to do something as simple as read a book or watch the telly, I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on if I tried… (Apologies for sick humour.) Mr Unread is an intelligent man who rationalises and minimises his symptoms in order to feel he has some control. When I first read this it... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1852532 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:21:15 +0100 1852532 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511304&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmentalnurse%2F%7E3%2FaUn8uKi6RYc%2F This last two weeks is far less entertaining. But there’s a few tid-bits to ridicule review. Starting off with the reliable Tehran Times is the report of a story from Beijing of an Italian research study into the benefits of Dark Chocolate. Specifically, only 6.7 grams of chocolate per day (or 0.23 ounces) represents the ideal amount, according to results from the Moli-sani Project, one of the largest health studies ever conducted in Europe. Parent’s note - you may now put a clinically validated miniature Bounty Bar in your kids lunch box. Recent Aussie topics include the following: Finding that ADHD is diagnosable through the right nostril: The smell test was used by Melbourne researchers in a study of 88 Australian children aged six to 16 years after they discovered a link ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511304 Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:18:05 +0100 2511304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511305&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmentalnurse%2F%7E3%2Fcb4ddhvQbsI%2F It’s still happening far too often, according to a new report from the Children’s Commissioner for England, made in conjunction with Young Minds and Very Important Kids. Primary care trusts and mental health trusts have some way to go if they are to meet the Government�??s target to ensure no children or young people are inappropriately placed on adult mental health wards by 2010, the Children�??s Commissioner for England today says today. Out Of The Shadows?, a joint report from 11 MILLION, led by the Children�??s Commissioner for England, YoungMinds and Very Important Kids (VIK), says that although some authorities are making good progress, others still have some way to go. The report follows on from 11 MILLION�??s report of January 2007, Pushed Into The Shadows, whi... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511305 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:00:39 +0100 2511305 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511307&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmentalnurse%2F%7E3%2F2kC_tFUkxns%2F As promised, today we have a new caption competition. This image comes from the University of Missouri’s online masters degree programme. The University of Missouri informs us that: The master of science in nursing with a clinical specialty of mental health nurse practitioner (MHNP) uniquely combines Internet course work, and community preceptors within the student’s geographic area. The program provides advanced practice nurses with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct group therapy, social skills training, family therapy, and brief individual psychotherapy. In addition, the MHNP can diagnose and treat individuals and families experiencing psychological problems and crises, treat and case-manage individuals with persistent mental illness, and prescribe psychotropic ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511307 Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:54:12 +0100 2511307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511308&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmentalnurse%2F%7E3%2FrlPu5-Pv22k%2F For those of you who have nothing to read, here’s the new edition of This Week in Mentalists. Teenage Misanthropy has been in A&E due to self-harm. The doctors were nice, though. The woman who did the whole sewing-kit deal was very friendly (being tended to by a pretty woman would be some people’s idea of heaven*), and the one-man Crisis Team who assessed me was very helpful in getting me discharged quickly. I mean, I’ve heard the horror stories about doctors’ responses to SI. Stitching up wounds without anaesthetic, berating patients, stuff like that. Thing of the past, apparently, everyone was very nice and supportive. Still not the kind of experience I fancy repeating, though. Fighting Monsters has concerns about the relationship between qualified and stude... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511308 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:47:33 +0100 2511308 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511309&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmentalnurse%2F%7E3%2F8g-zpN7soCg%2F And the winner of the caption competition, with 11 thumbs-up, is Lorna with �??And this is the new antipsychotic suppository. You�??re just hallucinating the sharp corners.�?? Tomorrow, there will be a new caption competition. And yes, I know it’s round-up day, you impatient lot. (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511309 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:23:24 +0100 2511309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833164&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F403652645%2F This post is specifically directed at Ted, our occasional representative of Thomas Szasz-esque libertarianism and opponent of all forms of coercive psychiatry. So, Ted, this is from me, a jackbooted representative of evil psychiatric totalitarian bastardry, to you, brave standard-bearer of freedom and liberty. And the subject of this post is: eating disorders. Just recently I’ve been spending time on secondment to our local eating disorders unit. It’s a relief for me to get back to doing what I consider to be true psychiatry (i.e. treating severe mental illness) rather than being at the CAMHS outpatient clinic coming up with a hundred tactful ways to say, “No, your little monster does not have ADHD. Can we interest you in a parenting class?” The ED unit is a harrow... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833164 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:21:42 +0100 1833164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1825571&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F401979835%2F Here’s something a bit different from our usual output. An actual interview with a health professional rather than ranty opinion pieces and caption competitions (not that there’s anything wrong with ranty opinion pieces and caption competitions…*ahem*) The public perception of Medecins Sans Frontieres is of providing frontline medical relief in disaster zones, but they also provide a variety of mental health and psychosocial projects in over 40 countries, including Chechnya, Sudan (Darfur) and Iraq. We spoke to Kaz de Jong, who is a mental health advisor for MSF’s public health department. How did you come to work for MSF? I just walked in, and I stayed. It’s as simple and beautiful as that. I thought I wanted to do something with stress, so I applied to MSF.... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1825571 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:22:06 +0100 1825571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1825573&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F400610904%2F We haven’t announced a winner for the caption competition yet, so let’s use this an opportunity to acquaint readers with the new way that comments can be rated on this site. As you might have noticed, next to each comment is a little icon of a raised thumb. Clicking on it enables you to give a comment a virtual “thumbs up”. Go through the thread and click on the thumbs-up graphic for each of the proposed captions that you think are actually funny. Whoever’s comment gets the most thumbs-up by Saturday will be declared the winner. Admittedly not the most scientific way of doing it, but then I don’t actually have a prize to give out, so ho hum. Currently in the lead is Lorna with “And this is the new antipsychotic suppository. You’re just hallucinatin... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1825573 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:49:31 +0100 1825573 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1825574&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F400455629%2F Don’t ask me why I’m doing this. An absence of anything to bash on about I guess. So I thought I’d peruse the global news stands and link the interesting stuff back here. I’m such a martyr for the cause, I know. Following on from Z’s discussions on Anger Management in kids; NY Times has breakthrough news on how to help kids adjust - it suggests not punishing them for bad behaviour but reward them for good behaviour. Astonishing. The problem may not be the kids so much as the way parents define discipline. Childhood health experts say many parents think discipline means meting out punishment. But often the punishments parents use end up reinforcing the bad behavior instead of correcting it. Surprisingly, the most effective discipline typically doesn’t involv... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1825574 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:36:07 +0100 1825574 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1815281&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F399675303%2F …than they were in 2004, according to a survey of 14,000 community patients by the Healthcare Commission. Six in ten (63%) of community psychiatric patients said this year they definitely had trust and confidence in their psychiatrist. This is up from 59% in 2004. One in ten (9%) of community patients said they had no trust and confidence in their psychiatrist. And 82% of community patients say their psychiatrist definitely treats them with “dignity and respect”. This is up from 79% from 2004. Only 3% said their psychiatrist did not. CPNs also fare rather well The survey reported that 86% of patients said they were definitely treated with respect and dignity by their community psychiatric nurse. Two per cent said they were not. But on issues to do with out of hours access and in... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1815281 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:35:18 +0100 1815281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1812694&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F399390670%2F Behaviour. Is it choice or is it pre-determined? For me, I believe that people are the sum of their experiences. Good or bad - choices are made based on the knowledge we have on an issue, the understanding we apply to them and the awareness of how previous behaviour has worked in promulgating a positive or negative outcome. Genetic and environmental influences combine to create a ‘personality’ that is driven to make choices based on predictable outcomes of combined knowledge, emotion and ability. It may be, as beakie states - attempting to predict the action and outcome of one ball striking two other balls - but just because it is more complex than we can accurately predict, does not lead us to say it doesn’t happen. As such, this leads me to consider that everyone&#8217... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1812694 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 02:40:26 +0100 1812694 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1809727&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F397636827%2F You know the secret of good presentation? Timing. Anyway, it’s time for This Week in Mentalists. Crazy Nurse has been discussing the Borderline Personality Disorder label with her psychiatrist. I’ve gone on enough before about how I don’t believe it and its a load of crap, so I’ll keep it short. Seaneen over at mentallyinteresting.org says its a diagnosis they give you if you’re a women who self harms and you don’t fit any other DSM-IV for ICD 10 criteria. . . . in my case, I concur. I was never expelled from school for causing trouble, I’ve never been known to the police, I didn’t get abused as a child . . . I’m just fucked up in the head, end of. There’s no obvious reason why I feel unable to cope with life sometimes, or why I ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1809727 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:01:29 +0100 1809727 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1802672&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F394495388%2F Dunno about you, but I think this site seems to have got a bit stodgy lately. Lots of heavy discussions, and not enough CAPTION COMPETITIONS! So, here’s this grim woman from the NMC site. What do you think she’s saying as she holds up her copy of the code of conduct? I’m sure Z could rustle up a prize of some kind (virtual or perhaps even real) for the best entrant (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1802672 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:53:33 +0100 1802672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1790262&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F392167550%2F As many as one in five young men are unhappy with their body image, according to a leading eating disorders expert, and that is leading to an increase in eating disorders among men. Dr Morgan believes that some men’s relationship with food and exercise is not recognised as disordered: - “We know that 1 in 20 young people suffer from some degree of disordered eating and that at least 15% of them are men and yet that’s a tip of an iceberg,” he said. “There are men who have problems with compulsive exercise and excessive bodybuilding who have an illness, but we haven’t defined them. Our definitions of illness have been focused on women, rather than men.” This can lead to anorexia being missed in men, as it was in George, who is quoted in the article:... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1790262 Sun, 14 Sep 2008 08:43:58 +0100 1790262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1788689&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F391387861%2F Ding ding! It’s round-up time. Coming at you faster than Amir Khan thudding decisively to the floor. First off, the Shrink has a patient with an “anger management” problem. He’s been assessed in 5 neighbouring hospitals with the same presentation. Euphemism : he’s problems of anger management. Truth : he batters his partner and blames it on anger that doctors haven’t cured. He feels no responsibility for this, he can be violent since, “It’s not my fault.” It’s other people, “They wind me up, play head games, do my fucking head in, doc.” So they deserve it? “Well no, but they’re kind’ve askin’ for it, really, aren’t they? Kinda got it comin’ with what they say.” Who is responsi... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1788689 Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:23:53 +0100 1788689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770453&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F385271847%2F As I’ve mentioned previously, the drug companies heavily target my CAMHS service with drug lunches, sponsored conferences and freebie handouts, usually for ADHD medications. Just browsing through the NMC Code of Conduct, I notice one of the obligations of a nurse is that: You must refuse any gifts, favours or hospitality that might be interpreted as an attempt to gain preferential treatment Well, I’d say that whenever a drug company provides us with lunch, gives us some free pens or post-it notes, or sponsors a conference, they’re certainly hoping to gain preferential treatment for their medication. They’re certainly not doing it because they think we look hungry or could do with a pen. Therefore, surely that means that all this big pharma schmoozing and gifting is ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770453 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:29:54 +0100 1770453 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770456&cid=t_109503_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2F06%2Firritable-bowel-syndrome-and-the-mindgut-connection%2F Although we’ve all heard allusions to the “mind/body connection,” Western medicine still tends to downplay or ignore the effect people’s attitudes and emotions can have on their overall health. In her recent New York Times article “Let the Mind Help Tame an Irritable Bowel,” Jane E. Brody discusses an even more specific connection: that of the mind and the digestive system. “The gut,” she writes, “has been called the body’s second brain, containing 95 percent of the body’s neurotransmitter serotonin and direct nerve connections to the brain.” For patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (I.B.S.), a disorder characterized by medically inexplicable diarrhea, constipation, or a cycle of the two, these findings are provocative to say the least. …learning to mi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770456 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:13:50 +0100 1770456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770454&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F384976229%2F Rejoice! Rejoice! The weekly round-up of mental health blogs is here: Writing in the Margins of my Mind reflects on therapy. My first real foray into therapy was in late 2006, when I started at the Priory. I saw a counselling psychologist (although she was also UKCP registered as a psychotherapist), who I really got on with. I liked going to see her, and was mostly as ease talking to her about things - although admittedly, I still never got around to managing to talk about the really big things. I’m still yet to figure out quite how helpful that was… I saw her for a year, and whilst she helped me cope, I don’t know that I made any progress. Ultimately, my psychiatrist at the time decided that I was “too dependent” on her, which translated probably just means ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770454 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 11:49:50 +0100 1770454 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1768857&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F384462898%2F Obviously, I don’t mean on MN, I mean my first post as a Mental Nurse (Having paid my £76 to the NMC). I will be working as a staff nurse on an acute inpatient ward later this month. I was reading a post about job adverts earlier and spotted this as my new job description: Acute Inpatient Our trust is currently recruiting for a Band 5 RMN who’s decided they don’t like talking to patients after all, and would rather just be an office monkey. Key skills include doing cool trick shots off the ward pool table, rolling a ciggie while simultaneously talking on the phone to the consultant, and the ability to say “I’ll be with you in a minute” without making it sound too much like a bare-faced lie. Our recent adoption of the Care Programme Approach will provide you with vast reams... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1768857 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:53:15 +0100 1768857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1768858&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F384254234%2F Saturday at 2pm you arrive for your afternoon shift as nurse in charge of the acute mental health unit to be informed of a new admission. Joe (from previous vignette), was reviewed by the community consultant psychiatrist and admitted voluntarily on Friday afternoon (with some persuasion). The handover says he’s been fine, took his regular evening medication and slept through the night from about midnight. He was up at 10am, ate breakfast and a good lunch and has been sat around the unit watching a bit of TV other than when he goes for a cigarette. He’s been pleasant when approached but has appeared to prefer to keep his own company while he settles in. You read through his notes where the admitting registrar has also written the following: “25 year old male with history... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1768858 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:07:29 +0100 1768858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1768859&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F384214677%2F My name’s Samantha Tyler. I’m a student mental health nurse. In 2008, I was knocked down on my way back from collecting two tall chocamochalattes for the qualified staff, and I woke up in 1978. Am I mentally interesting, in a coma, or back in time? Whatever’s happened, it’s like I’ve landed on a different planet. Now, maybe if I can work out the reason, I can get home… ——- The first thing I noticed was that the community mental health team where I was on placement was a branch of something called Timothy Whites. When I asked the woman at the till where the Recovery and Support team had gone, she called someone from the back office who demonstrated a truss for me. When I told him I meant the mental health community team, he looked at me blank... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1768859 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:16:02 +0100 1768859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750080&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F380121349%2F Mental health care most often becomes ethically clouded when it interacts with the law. Jodie is a 19 year old female who is voluntarily admitted to the acute mental health unit following a suicide attempt whilst under the influence of alcohol. This is her first presentation to the service and you spend some time to get to know her the following day. During the course of conversation Jodie tells you what caused her to act as she did. “I was out with a group of my friends and I saw an old college professor who sexually assaulted me 2 years ago. I never reported it cos I thought nothing would be done and I’ve never told anyone else about it. I got really drunk and it played over in my head. I wanted to tell my friends but I couldn’t.” “I didn’t realise it... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750080 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 08:53:48 +0100 1750080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742712&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F378783455%2F Thank you to Cellar Door for stepping into the being-shouted-at-by-the-Shrink breach while I was away. I’m now back in the saddle. Anyways, time for This Week In Mentalists, our weekly round-up of mental heatlh blogs. Aethelred the Unread has some advice for when applying for incapacity benefit. It really is important to stress the full range of effects that a particular problem or symptom has on your day-to-day life both when filling in the form and when talking to the DWP doctor. The reason for this is that you’re not trying to convince the decision maker that you’re ill, but that your illness affects your ability to work. This can seem fairly obvious when it’s written down, but it can take some getting used to, particularly in the consultation with the DWP doctor. Seaneen ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742712 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:32:56 +0100 1742712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739064&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F377375477%2F Did you all miss me? I decided to wait a couple of days after returning from the Comrade Stalin Expects Productive Diligence Recreational Facility, Scarborough before making any fresh posts. A bit of time to properly unwind from my sunny holiday and to allow the radiation poisoning to fade. Since Mr Ian is suggesting we do some case study vignettes, here’s one from me, on the subject of anger management. I notice from the previous vignette that there’s requests in the comments thread that technical jargon is kept to a minimum. I’ve attempted to do so, but where I’ve been unable to I’ve included a wikipedia link for those who aren’t familiar with some of the terms. Anger management is something that the CMHTs seem keen to give a wide berth (at least rou... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739064 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:03:00 +0100 1739064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739065&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F376154111%2F As some of you may know, or not, the NMC recently conducted a consultation as part of a review of pre-registration nurse education. Organisations and individuals were asked to answer these five questions: - should the minimum academic level for pre-registration nursing in the UK be at Diploma in Higher Education level, or at degree level should the concept of the specialist ‘branch’ remain and, if so, which of the existing four branches (adult, children’s, learning disability, and mental health) should be retained? should there be a new ‘generalist’ programme for pre-registration and, if so, should it form a new branch, alongside any new or existing branches? should a specific time be set for learning in practice in the community? should there be a mandatory consolidation period ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739065 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:29:01 +0100 1739065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1729348&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F372875360%2F Ok, I’ve decided to have a go at this roundup lark…don’t want to disappoint The Shrink Firstly, congratulations to Suzy at Dumped By A Hallucination, for proving that being mental is no barrier to academic achievement: “But essentially, I’ve done lot of worrying for nothing. And I’ve got final, incontrovertible proof that it’s entirely possible for me to do exams in a state of psychosis and for it to still be all right on the night. I’m not entirely sure how I should feel about that…” Hannah at Coloured Minds and Scattered Thoughts has had similar success, but is struggling with the implications: “When I first found out that I was moving to Manchester I was so happy, a chance to move away, prove my sanity and escape the suffocating outreach ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1729348 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:04:12 +0100 1729348 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1717136&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F369774191%2F I’m back off on my one of regular breaks to the Happy Productive Worker Recreation Complex in Scarborough for the rest of the week. Olga, my Scarborough Tourist Board-approved tour guide, has promised to take me dissident-shooting, and also promises many happy evenings recycling plutonium for the glorious benefit of the Motherland. I’m told that the stewed beetroot is divine at this time of year, and as for the raw turnip…simply superb. So, I’ll should be back on Monday. Behave yourselves in my absence, and if one of you feels keen to do This Week in Mentalists on Saturday, go ahead. (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1717136 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:09:55 +0100 1717136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1713907&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F368406712%2F Just an afterthought regarding my previous post on how the mainstream media don’t seem interested in the fact that mentally ill people are committing fewer and fewer murders. Much as we castigate the media for assuming that anyone with a mental illness is an violent criminal, are health services necessarily innocent of this thinking? How often have we seen the following words written in a referral letter from one health professional to another? “Mr Smith has a diagnosis of schizophrenia, but has no history of violence or aggression towards others…” What, we couldn’t just assume that if there’s no mention of violence in the letter, then that means there’s no history of violence? By comparison, it’s hard to imagine a referral letter beginning ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1713907 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:39:58 +0100 1713907 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1711832&cid=t_109503_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2FxtpddU9lR8g%2F Doctors have found that 80 per cent of Tasmanians with cystic fibrosis over the age of 18 have diabetes. Cystic fibrosis is a disease of the mucous and sweat glands. There is hopes that this discovery will increase life expectancy. “They are now put on to insulin once or twice or four times a day and we are seeing benefits in their lung function, their weight is going back up and they are, we hope, going to do better for longer,” he said. via ABS News    Tags: connection between the diseases, cystic fibrosis, Diabetes, linkShare This (Source: Diabetes Notes) Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1711832 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:49:31 +0100 1711832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709032&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F367165054%2F Following on from the news that people with mental health problems are now less likely to kill themselves, it now transpires that they’re also less likely to kill other people too The Guardian’s Bad Science columnist Ben Goldacre picks up the story, and makes some interesting observations on the attitudes of the media to mental illness and violence. Somehow what doesn’t get into the papers is as interesting as what does. Right now I’m looking at a press release on a story which seems pretty important to me: people with serious mental illnesses are committing fewer murders than ever before, by a truly enormous margin. Homicides in this group increased from around 40 a year in the 1950s to 100 a year in the 1970s, in line with a similar increase in the general popul... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709032 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:16:38 +0100 1709032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709033&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F366583701%2F It’s that time of year again. The Nursing and Midwifery Council want 76 quid off me to maintain my registration as a nurse. 76 bastard quid. All to be paid in one lump sum. No options for paying by monthly instalments. Ouch. Just for comparison purposes, if you’re a social worker the General Social Care Council will only charge you 30 quid a year. Still, I guess I can’t complain about lack of value of money. After all, the NMC do send me a deeply boring magazine every once in a while, and the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence says such nice things about them. CHRE Chief Executive Harry Cayton said: “We have serious concerns about the inadequate operation of the NMC’s fitness to practice processes, governance framework and lack of strategic leadership, the... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709033 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:36:29 +0100 1709033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709036&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F364585752%2F Thanks to Mr Ian via the Chat Box for pointing out that the topic list for our forum has generated the following piece of text: # Potential MH nurse here by: TheShrink We at Mental Nurse would like to congratulate The Shrink for taking this brave first step into a whole new world. (Only kidding Shrink, we love you really. But seriously, if you do work hard and apply yourself, that shiny pool cue could be yours…) (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709036 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:30:58 +0100 1709036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1704680&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F364200748%2F This is a nice post. I mean, it’s a post about NICE. I mean, it’s a post about mean NICE. Mean NICE and the QALY debate. QALY’s are the way in which NICE (and others) determine the Quality of Life adjustments of treatments. Essentially, they are asking how much improvement a treatment is going to give to your Quality of Life - or How much is your life worth? This is significantly difficult in recent times where there are reports of denying individuals cancer treatment drugs. I’m not going to go into the debate on that issue here; but does such a QALY process give equity to the mentally ill? Martin O’Neill wrote in the New Statesman: [I]n a society with a publicly funded health service, it is particularly difficult to justify the denial of effective treatment ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1704680 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:45:28 +0100 1704680 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1700664&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F363723197%2F Since I posted tips on being a student on placement, it was mentioned there should also be one on tips for university. This will largely be stolen from the comments on the placement one, editted and/or added to. You should go to lectures/classes. Just relying on handouts and powerpoint sheets won’t do much. You’re not really likely to read it, and if you do, are you likely to follow it? The best time to get a proper understanding is in the classroom. There is bound to be at least 1 tit who consistently asks stupid questions and/or has a story to share about the current topic (often totally unrelated), but if you can get a word in, you should to clarify anything you are unsure about. You can also speak to the lecturer at the end or via email if you need to. There is usually a... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1700664 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:01:43 +0100 1700664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1700666&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F363000786%2F From the BBC News site, illustrated by what appears to be Check Shirt Man’s dad suppressing a sneeze, comes a less than flattering report on NHS services for elderly people with depression. Fewer than 10% of older people with clinical depression are referred to specialist mental health services compared with about 50% of younger adults with mental and emotional problems. In some cases, GPs are unable to refer older people on to other parts of the NHS that could help them because of discriminatory rules excluding people over the age of 65. Overall, eight out of 10 older people with clinical depression do not get any treatment, Age Concern said. (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1700666 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:09:33 +0100 1700666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1692137&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F360175622%2F So, what’s been happening in the mental health blogosphere this week? Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin. Not Another Nursing Student has a long post on the perils of having a workplace relationship if you work in a mental health unit. I met Mr Door at work. This isn’t particularly unusual; it’s a small unit, but nearly every member of staff is related to/living with/dating/sleeping with/trying to sleep with another. You have to be very, very sure who you are talking to before you start slagging someone off, as chances are they are their sister/mother/secret lover, and you will make an enemy for life with your indiscretion. Before you know if, half the unit are shooting you the evil’s, and these people can seriously bear a grudge. It’s not th... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1692137 Sat, 09 Aug 2008 08:41:49 +0100 1692137 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1688978&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F358792089%2F I saw this ad and thought of you…. (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1688978 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:55:43 +0100 1688978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1688980&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F358662743%2F I wrote this post last week and attempted to edit it and make it better 2 days ago, but I lost all my hard work. I apologise now if it’s not as good as it should be! (which it won’t!) These things always sound good in my head until I start to type them out. Being at the end of my time as a student, I would like to impart my wisdom to other students and future students as well as share my observations. I first happened upon this site when I was in first year and I am aware there are other students who read this, although don’t always post comments, hoping for some more information and wisdom (haha, good luck with that one!). Students have 50% of their time on placement, which tend to be only for a few weeks (between 6 and 12) at a time. Or they are at my Uni anyway. This ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1688980 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:44:34 +0100 1688980 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1686201&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F357304841%2F In his promotion of nursing as a profession Zarathustra mentioned job security and a generous final salary pension as two very good reasons to opt for a career as an NHS nurse. But as we know nursing is a far from a safe occupation as far as job security goes. As recently as 2006 hospitals all over the country were announcing massive job cuts in nursing posts, cuts which are only just beginning to work their way through. [1] [2] [3] [4] . As the economic situation continues to deteriorate and the current tranche of money being pumped into the NHS to keep it afloat comes to an end the situation is likely to get worse. Now this morning from the Today program we learn that our final salary pension is also under threat. The NHS has recently changed the pension entitlement for new entrants to ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1686201 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:58:13 +0100 1686201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1682954&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F356412156%2F Ok, well as you’re reading this I’m guessing you have some understanding of how the social network systems and general blogosphere work - if not on a technical level - then at least on a utility level. And no doubt you’ve seen the good, the bad and the downright scary online mental health support groups that have erupted. Personally I recall when Healthyplace.com first went online c.1995 and, as a curious health care worker, I was mortified when I found it to be the unhealthiest scariest place I had come across. I can’t comment for how it might be now - and I hope it came up to scratch. Things are settling down now (though growth in online networks is enormous), and I often wonder how t’internet could/will be used to enhance just about everything we do. There ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1682954 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:01:08 +0100 1682954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1679337&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F355754441%2F Committee on Cyber Disorders The Cyber Disorders section includes disorders that have a dependency upon cyber existence as the predominant feature. The section is divided into three parts. The first part describes e-mail episodes that serve as the building blocks for the disorder diagnoses. The second part describes the Cyber Disorders themselves. The criteria sets for most of the Cyber Disorders require the presence or absence of the e-mail episodes described in the first part of the section. The third part includes the specifiers that describe either the most recent e-mail episode, or the course of recurrent episodes. The Cyber Disorders are divided into Posting Disorders, Flaming Disorders and CC Disorders. The Posting Disorders (i.e. Lurking Disorder, Chronic Posting Disorder and Pos... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1679337 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:50:51 +0100 1679337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1676966&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F355069651%2F Well is it? (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1676966 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:03:43 +0100 1676966 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1676967&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F354329097%2F All this talk about whether nursing is or isn’t a “proper” subject to study at university (compared to more establised subjects like psychology) was originally sparked off by my reading In the Margin’s of My Mind’s post about the attitudes of his/her careers teachers. Apparently they still think going off to study nursing is a “waste” of a talented, intelligent student compared to doing psychology, history, law etc. But should they think like that? I’ve been scanning a few numbers, courtesy of the Complete University Guide. Some of the statistics might be surprising. There’s two sets of statistics that interested me. The first is What do graduates earn? What pay cheque can they expect in their first job? The second is entitled What do ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1676967 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:52:20 +0100 1676967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1676971&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F353489690%2F Aye aye, check shirt man’s back, still with his hand surgically grafted onto his head, still staring out of the window at the black night sky for the answers to it all. However, this time, he’s appearing next to a good news story about a drop in the number of deaths from suicide. The report shows a 7.5% drop in suicides among young men aged 20-34 between 2003-05 and 2004-06. There were 145 suicides among mental health in-patients in 2005 compared with 157 in 2004. The number of suicides among people in contact with mental health services also dropped, from 1,308 in 2004 to 1,277 in 2005. Suicide rates in prison have risen, but the general thrust of the report is positive. Well done to all those whose hard work has contributed to saving these lives. (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1676971 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:18:50 +0100 1676971 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1674831&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F352760594%2F During our ongoing vigorous discussions about whether it’s better to train as a clinical psychologist or as a mental health nurse, Bugsy made the following observation. Plus don’t know about anyone else’s wards but where I work having Dr in front of your name means you are worth listening to, having RMN or BSc MSc after it tends not to pull the same punch - even if you say exactly the same thing. Just a thought with regard to this. I’ve recently had my job title changed from “nurse” to “nurse therapist”. Suddenly, with this change of title, outside agencies (schools, social services etc) and families are more impressed by my opinions than before. Interesting. (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1674831 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:18:23 +0100 1674831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1674832&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F352537572%2F Or: “Who will guard the guards?” The DoH has a current consultation: The Nursing and Midwifery (Amendment) Order 2008 was made on 11 June. It makes a number of changes to the constitutional arrangements for the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Instead of the constitutional details of the NMC being set out the in the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001, these details must now be set out in a separate Constitution Order made by the Privy Council. You see, there’s been some shenanigans down at the Old Bailey for Nurses & Midwives and now parliament is taking the NMC’s ball away until they learn to play nicely. It’s not new news - the NMC has been under this review by the CHRE since March 2008 so I doubt much of this is a surprise. The review was released last mon... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1674832 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:30:21 +0100 1674832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1668381&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F350940923%2F This wouldn’t be Mental Nurse without a mention of this news story. I have to say, I have only read the one article about it and not looked any deeper, but incase anyone missed it it’s here. A NEW drug capable of halting Alzheimer’s disease in its tracks was hailed yesterday as a “hugely exciting” development in the battle against the devastating condition. The drug, developed and tested on patients in Scotland, slows down the progression of Alzheimer’s by as much as 81 per cent. (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1668381 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:58:50 +0100 1668381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1668382&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F350925558%2F Just lately I seem to be discovering more and more good quality, well-written blogs by CAMHS users. Who says kids these days are illiterate, eh? Anyway, the latest addition to my RSS feed is Writing in the Margins of My Mind. One post in particular sparked my interest. The author is considering whether to study psychology or mental health nursing. I’ve met a few people who’ve told me they want to go to university and study psychology, “because I want to work with psychopaths/troubled teenagers/people with psychosis.” To which I usually reply, “Well, why don’t you do mental health nursing?” After all, a hell of a lot of what I do as a CAMHS nurse is psychological. A bit of CBT here, some person-centred counselling there. A sprinkling of family thera... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1668382 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:34:46 +0100 1668382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1668383&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F350882492%2F With all these intellectual, political and argumentative posts recently,  I have been losing interest in joining in the discussion. I’m finding it a little less a discussion and more like a my dads better than yours situation. I am quite sure that I am not alone, therefore I want to write a post about plain old mental health nursing. (Not that there is anything plain about it). I don’t care for arguments about what I write, nor do I wish anyone to try and outsmart me and prove me wrong, which wouldn’t be hard to be honest. I just want to post about my experiences and hopefully have a bit of a discussion with others about the same in a friendly and non-threatening manner. My intention is not to rubbish anyone elses points, as they do add to the mix on here, but the mix re... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1668383 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:32:36 +0100 1668383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1660715&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F348741286%2F (Guest post by Luthien) Hi, I’ve only ever posted one comment before although I have been a regular reader for a long time.  I know that this is very short notice as I really need to submit it tonight at some point, but I would be very grateful for any tips/advice that anyone has regarding writing a supporting statement for an application for a band 5 community CAMHS nurse job.  I was fortunate enough to spend almost 6 months on placement at the place I am applying to, but I know that they are receiving a very high number of applications (CAMHS jobs in my area are like gold dust and only come up every couple of years!) and so I’d be incredibly grateful if anyone can suggest anything which could make my application stronger. As I said, I’m aware of the incredibly short ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1660715 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 07:12:24 +0100 1660715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1660716&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F348729447%2F The Cockroach Catcher has an interesting post on the amount of money drug companies are spending on marketing ADHD drugs like atomoxetine and methylphenidate. Here’s a little thought from me: Before I came to CAMHS I worked on a rehab ward with people who had enduring mental health problems, and often a whole slew of physical illnesses too. Not only were we handing out antipsychotics, mood stabilisers, antidepressants, hypnotics, anxiolytics like they were smarties, but we were also giving meds for diabetes, epilepsy, hypertension - you name it. Despite this, we never saw a drug rep. Ever. Now I work in CAMHS, which probably prescribes less medication than any other form of healthcare. Despite this, the drug reps for the ADHD medications (Strattera, Equisym, Concerta, Medikinet etc) ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1660716 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:16:37 +0100 1660716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1658116&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F347402892%2F I’m afraid I am turning more and more into Sociology Nurse - and I can’t help myself. But when the world turns out stuff like this: All Crying, Self-Harming Emo Children To Be Banned In Mother Russia ..it makes one stop, notice and ask questions. But what’s the real story behind the sensational headline of Heckler Spray - whoever they are? More gripping headlines (and my attempt to contend with E and spice up my posts with pics totally and plagiaristically ripped from the NME author-site a la Persuad) reveal: Emo to be made illegal in Russia? My Chemical Romance fans protest at the Daily Mail’s London office New laws planned to stop ‘dangerous teen trends’ A new Russian law could make being an emo kid illegal in the eastern European country. Legisla... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1658116 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:42:13 +0100 1658116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1657163&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F346674915%2F As if we didn’t have enough to get our biopsychosocial teeth into lately - this latest event gives us opportunity to debate that ever popular yet seldom reconciled issue: Euthanasia. This week the GMC has determined to suspend Dr Iain Kerr for 6 months following his decision to prescribe to an elderly woman who died from an overdose of prescribed tablets (Temazepam, anti-histamines and painkillers). Dr Kerr had (re)prescribed the Temazepam only three days after a failed overdose suicide attempt. She died 11 days later from a second overdose. The woman was 87. Dr Kerr said he gave Patient A the sleeping pills as an “insurance policy”. He told the hearing in Manchester: “She said ‘Give me something that I can take if things get too bad’ and I said yes.&#8... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1657163 Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:36:33 +0100 1657163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1652300&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F344536863%2F Now I know we’re not a ‘medical blog’, but somethings a-stir lately amongst the medics. That Neil Bacon fellow (essentially an inadequate doctor who pretends he was a renal specialist but decided to go for the dot.com fortune instead with doctors.net.uk) has started something most annoying to the medical fraternity. I won’t link to any of it (except Shrink’s post on the subject and 360 degree feedback - but only cos he’s an honorary nurse*). You know where the rest of it is. So what’s up? Well in a nutshell he’s started a ‘rating’ site for doctors (Bacon - not Shrink) - with anonymous submissions from.. well, anyone. It’s a bit crass - actually it’s extremely crass - and I sympathise with the medics - (in the same way ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1652300 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:30:11 +0100 1652300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1645904&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F343320913%2F Here is something we can all get into a self righteous lather over. I am not sure if Iris Robinson is a British MP or a member of the Northern Ireland assembly her husband, Peter Robinson, is the leader of the DUP and First Minister, but Iris is reported by Hansard as saying; “There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children.” She later clarified her comments by saying “I cannot think of anything more sickening than a child being abused. It is comparable to the act of homosexuality. I think they are all comparable. I feel totally repulsed by both.” However she now says her comments were misrepresented and that at no time did she say that homosexuality was worse than child abuse. However after checking the recordings Hansard is... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1645904 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:26:07 +0100 1645904 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1642631&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F341892663%2F Okay, the tone of debates seems to have, shall we say, lowered a bit lately, so I’m going to make a little statement about rules of the site. First off, I have made the decision that quotes from or links to BNP websites are not permitted on this site. I know that some of you object to this on free-speech grounds. The likes of the BNP are free to speak elsewhere on other websites, as far as I’m concerned. Anyway, I’m not going to debate the matter further. The decision is made and that’s it. Second, some of the debates have at times descended into personal attacks. That’s not acceptable. By all means be as forthright as you like in debating ideas and issues, but don’t lower yourselves to insults or abuse. Attack the ideas, not the individual. As a rough g... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1642631 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:04:40 +0100 1642631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1642632&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F341680540%2F Listening to “You and Yours’” Radio 4’s consumer affairs programme, on the way into work today I was following the debate on the proposed government changes to the benefits system. The government plans to shake up the benefits system by encouraging some of the long term unemployed to do voluntary work in return for receiving state benefits. Also included in the Government green paper are plans to scrap invalidity benefit and replace it with an enhanced benefit with stricter medical criteria administered by someone other than the individuals GP (Invalidity nurse practitioner?). Those not qualifying for the new benefit will be moved to a new employment support allowance scheme by 2013 which it is hoped by ministers will be regarded as a temporary benefit by all but the most d... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1642632 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:13:58 +0100 1642632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1640244&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F340565481%2F In today’s news, surgeons at Imperial College Healthcare Trust will get bonuses for not killing their patients. My response to this is the same as my view of the compassion index and the Productive Ward scheme. Which is that by and large doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals don’t need an endless slew of top-down schemes of incentives, monitoring and reorganising. What they need is to be granted the freedom to do their job. Most clinicians want to do their jobs well, and are happy to get on and do it. Simply ensure that clinicians have a minimum of bureacracy to contend with, keep staffing levels above a safe minimum, and make the NHS disciplinary system a bit more robust so that we can effectively weed out those bad apples who don’t want to do the job. Make ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1640244 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:38:29 +0100 1640244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1639035&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F339888560%2F It seems The Shrink has been shouting since 2.10am for a round-up. Therefore I need to do two things. 1. Arrange some zopiclone for The Shrink 2. Put together This Week in Mentalists. Aethelred the Unread is hearing voices. I find them disconcerting rather than scary or traumatic, and one or two of them (I sometimes hear the voice of my 6-years-dead dad, for example) are quite comforting, in a way. Sometimes I find them wryly amusing, as this time - I think I must have the soul of a chartered accountant in order to hallucinate, not exciting messages of global significance from the Great Sky Spirit, but rather announcements about train delays… Coloured Mind and Scattered Thoughts is in transition from CAMHS to adult services. After much discussion they decided not to start the referral p... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1639035 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:07:06 +0100 1639035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1625575&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F336860787%2F …as the assembled company of Mental Nurse examines the contents of its collective navel button, out in the real world, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health has reported the results of its survey, showing that almost a fifth of MPs have experienced mental health problems. [They] also found that 86% thought being an MP was stressful… …One in three of them said colleagues’ attitudes and the possibility of a hostile media reaction prevented openness about mental health issues. Much the same was the case with gay MPs in previous years and while I don’t imagine it’s a huge amount better than it was, there have been some who have been prepared to be open about their sexual orientation. This has been an enormous help in informing the public debate... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1625575 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:53:28 +0100 1625575 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1625576&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F336280757%2F Even though I know many celebrate the difference of ‘madness’ I make no apology for the use of the term that others might find offensive. I guess we have to call it something - and to be honest - I’m using it in belligerence to those who choose to call it by the names of the self-promulgating “sciences” - like psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, psychology - because this then determines the issue is no longer a person; it is an “ology” or an “iatry” of the “psyche“. I don’t particularly begrudge each one’s right to inclusion in the search for finding solutions to these debilitating mental health conditions; but I am totally racked off with the sense of pontificating exclusivity each one brings to the di... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1625576 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:42:55 +0100 1625576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1622097&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F335854479%2F An epitaph for the eighties? “There is no such thing as society” “I think we’ve been through a period where too many people have been given to understand that if they have a problem, it’s the government’s job to cope with it.’I have a problem, I’ll get a grant.’ ‘I’m homeless, the government must house me.’ They’re casting their problem on society. And, you know, there is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look to themselves first. It’s our duty to look after ourselves and then, also to look after our neighbour. People have got the entitlements too much in mind, without the obligations. There&#821... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1622097 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:43:35 +0100 1622097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1622098&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F335446882%2F I thought it was well past due that I write a post for Mental Nurse, what will all the intellectual discussions going on, it was about time for a pile of waffle from myself. *ahem* As you may or may not be aware, I am in my final year as a student and will be a qualified Mental Nurse by the end of September.  I’m quite surprised at how the time seems to have gone quickly, although there have been plenty of times I wished it could have gone even faster. Particularly the due dates for course work, which always seemed to be such a long time away, with plenty of time to put off doing any work, and then it’s the last night and I’m up all night typing away, trying not to panic. (I don’t recommend this approach to current and future students) I digress….. At univer... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1622098 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:20:21 +0100 1622098 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1618032&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F334203755%2F I’ve just received a complimentary copy of the first issue of One in Four magazine, which describes itself as an “aspirational lifestyle magazine for people with mental health difficulties”. There’s a review of our website in there. They’ve given us a very positive review, praising the “wide range of ideas and approaches” discussed, and the fact that “professionals can have very different views from each other, as can those who experience mental health difficulties themselves.” That’s certainly true. Can I say how much I regularly look forward to the Weekly Oldschoolbaby/Beakie Argument? Anyway, since One in Four have been so nice about us, I think I should give a review of their magazine in return. So here it is: It’s a gl... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1618032 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 11:28:12 +0100 1618032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1615962&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F333735553%2F (Guest post by Dr Crippen) Your recent post is both fraudulent and dishonest. Whatever my view may be on “nurse specialists” I have consistently over the last three years campaigned for better pay for nurses. In the post you so fraudulently misquote, I was saying that I did not know what a qualified nurse should earn, but it seemed reasonable to suggest that such a professional should be able to afford to get into the housing market, to buy a car and have a holiday. That is not possible. A lot of newly qualified nusrse only survive because they are subsidised by parents or partners. Crazy! You took the quote out of context and missed out the word crazy. That’s dishonest, because I know you can read. I don’t suppose you do corrections and apologies. Dr John Crippen ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1615962 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:50:34 +0100 1615962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1615963&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F333375258%2F I think I’m now past my post-holiday blues. How I miss my week away in Scarborough. The twinkling lights of the uranium factory. The pretty colours of the pollution against the night sky. The screams of political dissidents being “re-educated” with clubs. Anyway, on with This Week in Mentalists. The Shrink has a love/hate relationship with drug companies. Recently, although not directly contravening guidelines, I was irked by a rep giving quotes and referenced citations as “evidence” that a drug works when on unpicking this evidence it was from a poster, not a peer reviewed journal publication. Anyone could write a poster, it’s not something to influence massive change of practice, yet a drug rep was trying to persuade me otherwise. Grrr. The Cockroach ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1615963 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:10:36 +0100 1615963 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1615964&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F333353747%2F As regards nurses, this scenario is of course too silly for words. A house, car and family? What nurse at the start of her/his career expects to have a house, a car and a family to support? Nurses at this stage have none of that and frequently are helped out financially by parents or better-paid partners. Dr Crippen a while back, explaining why just under 20 grand is a perfectly adequate salary for a recently-qualified nurse. The statement is, for the record, just plain flat-out wrong. Dr C seems to believe that the average new entrant to nurse training is still a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed 18 year old. In fact the average age of a student nurse is 29, and they frequently have a house, a car and a family to support. Not to mention loans and credit card debts. Strangely enough, this week Dr... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1615964 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:28:03 +0100 1615964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1615965&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F332947990%2F We’ve previously covered the subject of emo, and the various attempts to blame emo culture for adolescent self-harm and suicide. As I’ve said before, I think such criticism is entirely hysterical and wrong-headed. And now I’m pleased to hear that an emo band has performed a gig in Bridgend in the wake of the suicides that have taken place there. The gig has been done to raise money for the Samaritans and to encourage young people to seek assistance as an alternative to suicide. While I commend this emu band for coming up with a constructive response to the Bridgend suicides, I also can’t help but be slightly amused by the irony that that band are called…Funeral For A Friend. (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1615965 Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:30:36 +0100 1615965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1596358&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F330634514%2F Patients were being urged by the government to go ape shit crazy as the NHS finally went tits up aged sixty this month. With soaring petrol prices, rising unemployment and the country poised on the brink of an economic abyss the government decided to mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the NHS by releasing the following emergency statement emphasising the need for the country to completely freak out. The statement issued by the department of health reads: “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! HOLY FUCKING SHIT.”Why are you all just standing there? Oh my God, I see what’s going on here - you’ve all gone mad! All of you! And I’m the only sane one left! Aaaaaaaargh!” Secretary of State for health Alan Johnson said that panicking should not be restricted to the stat... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1596358 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:39:57 +0100 1596358 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1596359&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F330104215%2F The other day I was asked to assess a patient’s mental state, a patient who also had a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. I knew little about this condition other than it’s main symptom was pain before I saw the patient so I decided to find out a bit more about it. What I discovered intrigued me and brought together a number of the patients symptoms. Before I looked up Fibromyalgia on Wikapaedia and the NHS website I had a vague idea that it was a condition connected with “Fibroyds” which results in severe and enduring pain. Well I got the last bit right. Actually it is associated with the sympathetic and central nervous system and is characterised by widespread pain and tactile allodynia or tenderness to light touch. A diagnosis is made by eliciting a pain response by applying pressure t... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1596359 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:42:24 +0100 1596359 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1581902&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F327414385%2F The aging psychiatric ailments don’t get a lot of column inches on mental nurse. It’s not my field either - but if any lurking mental nurses for the elderly want to jump in and take up the challenge… we’re not ageist - we do old mad people too. So, in honour of the honourary nurse Shrink, I’d like to post some recent news from the BBC on Alzheimer’s theory updates I came across today that all seem to have a common ground. Firstly, increase your bread and flour intake once they add the folic acid. Lack of folic acid dementia link Dementia is three times more common in people whose blood is low in folates, a form of vitamin B particularly found in green vegetables, a study suggests. The Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry study followed ... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1581902 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:34:17 +0100 1581902 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1581903&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F327357995%2F On the back of this other thread, I’m going to make a brief mention of “inquiries”. I’ve never really thought about it to the extent of whether inquiries are of use or not - tho I think they are when done as Root Cause Analysis. But what is apparent is - there’s a difference of flavour in how an analysis is conducted and it’s outcome. I don’t know if there are any “rules” on how this happens - and I know there are times where incompetence has to be stamped out - but who decides when it’s merely a ’system error’ and when it’s an ‘unacceptable error of personal judgement’? I direct the reader to another incident that was subject to inquiry - the loss of data disks carrying the details of 25 million peop... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1581903 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:00:43 +0100 1581903 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1581904&cid=t_109503_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F327326244%2F I’m now back from my refreshing holiday in Scarborough. The views of the dog food cannery were excellent, and I recommend the boiled herring. My tour guide Olga, a champion weightlifter and former KGB agent, says I behaved with “satisfactory efficiency” and that I may wax her back hairs for her, should I wish to do so. In return, I would like to use this forum to publicly thank her for her educational tours of the combine harvester factory. Anyways, on with This Week in Mentalists. Mandy Lifeboats Ahoy is impatient with being asked questions. This goes out to all those professionals (coughs) who stand by their checklists and tick boxes and ask me stupid bloody questions that bare little relevance to what I am thinking or feeling. As my friend who suffers with schizophren... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1581904 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 11:47:17 +0100 1581904