Having trouble working the night shift and actually sleeping? I worked nights for six years, and flipping back and forth can be extremely exhausting. I was told many different methods to sound sleeping during the daytime. What has worked for you?
Need some tips dealing with stressful situations? We never really get taught to deal with stress in life – and that’s why so many of us struggle with it.
But here’s the thing: If you can learn how to manage stress now, it will pay off for the rest of your life. Just imagine learning how to effortlessly overcome any stressful situation in your life. You’ll feel happier. You’ll worry less. Your life will become a much smoother, enjoyable journey. Isn’t that an incredible thought?
Have you heard the term "ARDS" before? These patients are the sickest of the sick! I feel like it's pretty informative about ARDS including its causes and treatments.
As a nurse, you may encounter an array of mobility issues across a span of different kinds of patients. In fact, the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control says that almost 40 million adults in the U.S. experience some degree of difficulty with physical functioning, with over 17 million reporting being unable to walk a quarter mile.
Here in New Mexico we have many rattlesnakes slithering around. Have you ever encountered one of these in your path? I once cared for a patient who had a rattlesnake on her front lawn and she tried to shoo it away. Obviously this didn't go well because she became my patient later that night! What do you do if someone has been bit by a rattlesnake?
As a nurse, it is very important to understand coagulation studies and what the values mean. Here is a simplified guide to understanding some of the most common lab tests like PT, INR, PTT, and what they mean for your patient.
It is important to be able to recognize different types of heart blocks when your patient develops them. What do the ECG strips look like? What will the patient feel like? Most importantly, what are you going to do about it?
As a nurse, one common infection you will encounter with patients is bound to be urinary tract infection (UTI). Studies suggest that upwards of 40% to 50% of all women will contract UTI at some point in their lives and that over 8 million people visit a healthcare provider each year for UTI. Understanding its causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment can help you provide even better care to your patients who may develop one.
Are you a night shift nurse who drinks cup after cup of coffee to stay awake? This article by Kathy Gallo over at Daily Cupo wrote this article about the negative effects of coffee on your body. It's an interesting read for all of my coffee drinkers!
Hepatitis is a common viral infection in the hospital population, especially with liver failure patients. There are a variety of strains of hepatitis, some acute and some chronic in nature. The most common type that I have seen in the ICU is Hepatitis C with chronic liver disease patients. When patients are in the ICU, their liver failure is generally very advanced requiring more palliative treatment. What causes this destruction of the liver? How do we prevent this from happening?
