NURSING SCIENCE

Seven Legal Tips For Safe Nursing Practice

2008-03-31T11:01:00.003+07:00

DELIVERING CARE that conforms to the standards of practice for nursing protects both your patients and you. Legally, nurses are held accountable to deliver care in a manner that any prudent nurse would render in the same or similar circumstances. Nursing standards of care are based on the latest scientific data from nursing literature. Federal and state laws, nurse practice acts, court

Acetaminophen

2008-03-29T09:54:00.000+07:00

Pharmacy Author: Omudhome Ogbru, PharmDMedical and Pharmacy Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD BRAND NAME: Tylenol and others DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Acetaminophen belongs to a class of drugs called analgesics (pain relievers) and antipyretics (fever reducers). The exact mechanism of action of acetaminophen is not known. Acetaminophen relieves pain by elevating the pain threshold, that is, by requiring

Tramadol

2008-03-29T09:53:00.000+07:00

Pharmacy Author: Omudhome Ogbru, PharmDMedical and Pharmacy Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD BRAND NAME: Ultram DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Tramadol is a man-made (synthetic) analgesic (pain reliever). Its exact mechanism of action is unknown but similar morphine. Like morphine, tramadol binds to receptors in the brain (opioid receptors) that are important for transmitting the sensation of pain from

Metronidazole

2008-03-29T09:51:00.001+07:00

Pharmacy Author: Omudhome Ogbru, PharmDMedical and Pharmacy Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD BRAND NAME: Flagyl DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Metronidazole is an antibiotic effective against anaerobic bacteria and certain parasites. Anaerobic bacteria are single-celled, living organisms that thrive in environments in which there is little oxygen (anaerobic environments) and can cause disease in the abdomen

Methylprednisolone

2008-03-29T09:49:00.001+07:00

Pharmacy Author: Omudhome Ogbru, PharmDMedical and Pharmacy Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD BRAND NAME: Medrol, Depo-Medrol DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Methylprednisolone is a synthetic (man-made) corticosteroid. Corticosteroids are naturally-occurring chemicals produced by the adrenal glands located adjacent to the kidneys. Corticosteroids affect metabolism in various ways and modify the immune system.

Prednisone

2008-03-29T09:46:00.001+07:00

Pharmacy Author: Omudhome Ogbru, Pharm.D.Medical Editor: Jay Marks, M.D. BRAND NAME: Deltasone, Orasone, Prednicen-M, Liquid Pred DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Prednisone is an oral, synthetic (man-made) corticosteroid used for suppressing the immune system and inflammation. It has effects similar to other corticosteroids such as triamcinolone (Kenacort), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisolone (

Amoxicillin

2008-03-29T09:44:00.001+07:00

Pharmacy Author: Omudhome Ogbru, PharmDMedical and Pharmacy Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD BRAND NAME: Amoxil, Dispermox, Trimox DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Amoxicillin belongs to a class of antibiotics called penicillins. Other members of this class include ampicillin (Unasyn), piperacillin (Pipracil), ticarcillin (Ticar) and several others. These antibiotics all have a similar mechanism of action.

Ibuprofen

2008-03-29T09:40:00.002+07:00

Pharmacy Author: Omudhome Ogbru, PharmDMedical and Pharmacy Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD BRAND NAME: Advil, Children's Advil/Motrin, Medipren, Motrin, Nuprin, PediaCare Fever etc. DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Ibuprofen belongs to a class of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Other members of this class include aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), indomethacin (Indocin), nabumetone (

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors

2008-03-29T09:37:00.000+07:00

Pharmacy Author: Omudhome Ogbru, Pharm.D.Medical Editor: Jay W. Marks, M.D. What are ACE inhibitors, and how do they work?Angiotensin II is a very potent chemical that causes the muscles surrounding blood vessels to contract and thereby narrows the blood vessels. The narrowing of the vessels increases the pressure within the vessels and can cause high blood pressure (hypertension). Angiotensin

Getting Back to Work After a Stroke

2008-03-29T09:22:00.001+07:00

Only Half of Stroke Survivors Make it Back Into the Workforce, Study ShowsBy Stephanie WatsonWebMD Medical News Reviewed By Elizabeth Klodas, MD March 27, 2008 -- A stroke can have a major impact on every aspect of a person's life, including his or her job. New research shows that only about half of stroke survivors are able to return to work, and continuing disability and depression are major

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (part 2), the treatment

2008-03-29T09:05:00.003+07:00

Medical Care The goals in caring for patients with diabetes mellitus include the elimination of symptoms; microvascular (ie, eye and kidney disease) risk reduction through control of glycemia and blood pressure (BP); macrovascular (ie, coronary, cerebrovascular, peripheral vascular) risk reduction through control of lipids and hypertension, smoking cessation, and utilizing aspirin therapy; and

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (part 1)

2008-03-29T08:55:00.003+07:00

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a group of disorders characterized by hyperglycemia and associated with microvascular (ie, retinal, renal, possibly neuropathic), macrovascular (ie, coronary, peripheral vascular), and neuropathic (ie, autonomic, peripheral) complications. Unlike type 1 diabetes mellitus, patients are not absolutely dependent upon insulin for life, even though many of these

Nursing in New Zealand

2008-03-28T08:00:00.001+07:00

History New Zealand originally had nurse education as a part of the hospital system, but, as early as the 1900s, post registration and post graduate programs of study for nurses were in existence. Reforms in the 1970s disestablished the original hospital-based schools and moved these into the tertiary education sector, namely polytechnics and universities. Within the hospital system were an array

Nursing in Australia

2008-03-28T07:45:00.002+07:00

Education Registration as a registered nurse now requires an associate degree at least, considered the foundation for any future specialization within nursing any other type of medical ways. Postgraduate diplomas provide further vocational training for specialist areas. Masters level courses are available in both research and course work streams; a specialist course has been developed to provide

In too deep: Understanding deep vein thrombosis

2008-03-28T07:27:00.004+07:00

DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT) is a clot that forms most commonly within the deep veins of the legs, but it can also occur in the pelvis or arms. DVT has been increasingly in the spotlight for the last 15 years due to three factors: the rising cost of health care, an increase in preventive medicine, and our aging population. In this article, I'll fill you in on DVT, including what you need to

When is a nursing home appropriate for the Alzheimer's patient?

2008-03-27T08:56:00.004+07:00

Author: William G. Hammond, JD Caring for an Alzheimer's patient can be a huge burden. When it becomes too hard and too time consuming for you to take care of your loved one, it may be time to look for a nursing home. When you feel comfortable, then you can start planning ahead which will help avoid crisis situations later. You may not ever need a nursing

How Should I Manage Postoperative Pain in Children?

2008-03-27T05:55:00.002+07:00

Mary Puchalski, MS, RNC, APN/CNSAuthor Information QuestionWhat is the preferred method of treating pediatric pain following minor surgery, such as an appendectomy? It is always interesting when a question comes up about treating pain in pediatric patients. The myth persists that because children differ in their responses to medications that they also differ in their responses to pain. The

Bedsores part II

2008-03-21T21:32:00.007+07:00

Legal evaluation of bedsore claims The law requires that a nursing home must ensure that a resident does not develop bedsores, unless the resident's medical condition shows that the pressure sores were unavoidable. In some cases, bedsores can be unavoidable. For example, if a person is terminally ill; semi-comatose or comatose and life sustaining

Bedsores

2008-03-21T21:27:00.002+07:00

Bedsores, also referred to as pressure sores and decubitus ulcers, are a serious medical problem. Unfortunately, elderly nursing home residents and hospital patients are typically the ones who develop these sores. Decubitus ulcers are painful and result from prolonged pressure on an area of the body that has a bony prominence and a thin covering of flesh. Examples of

TRACHEOSTOMY

2008-03-18T22:49:00.006+07:00

The indications for tracheostomy are: :: Anticipated difficulty in managing the airway :: Need to transport an unconscious patient.

INSERTION OF CHEST DRAIN AND UNDERWATER SEAL DRAINAGE

2008-03-18T22:17:00.007+07:00

Indications for underwater-seal chest drainage are: :: Pneumothorax :: Haemothorax :: Haemopneumothorax ::

SIX PHASE OF PRIMARY TRAUMA CARE

2008-03-18T22:14:00.003+07:00

The successful management of severe trauma is dependent on the following six steps. 1 Triage 2 Primary survey 3

Trauma In Perspective

2008-03-18T22:11:00.002+07:00

Violence is a leading public health problem. Each year more than two million people die as a result of injuries caused by violence. Many more survive their injuries, but remain permanently disabled. Among people aged 15–44 years, interpersonal violence is the third most common cause of

AIMS IN MANAGING THE INJURED PATIENT

2008-03-18T22:08:00.002+07:00

1 Examine, diagnose and treat life-threatening complications of trauma as soon as the patient arrives in the hospital. 2 Use the simplest treatment possible to stabilize the

A normal adult 12-lead ECG

2008-03-18T09:22:00.003+07:00

Normal adult 12-lead ECGThe diagnosis of the normal electrocardiogram is made by excluding any recognised abnormality. It's description is therefore quite lengthy.normal sinus rhythmeach P wave is followed by a QRSP waves normal for the subjectP wave rate 60 - 100 bpm with <10% variation rate <60 = sinus bradycardia rate >100 = sinus tachycardia variation >10% = sinus arrhythmia normal

Home Care pdf

2008-03-13T06:30:00.005+07:00

pdf version aboutThe Quest for Best Practice in Caring for the Home Care Patient With an Indwelling Urinary Catheter: The New Jersey Experienceit's tell us about how is the best treatment for patient with an indwelling catheter who treated in home.pdf version aboutCorrect Coding BEGINS WITH THE FundamentalsCoding, it's important know.... pdf version aboutHome Care Today: Preventing

The Quest for Best Practice in Caring for the Home Care Patient With an Indwelling Urinary Catheter: The New Jersey Experience (Part II)

2008-03-07T15:20:00.001+07:00

Findings From the Project In reviewing the data gathered over 18 months, it was discovered that the newly adopted best practices in the management of indwelling urinary catheters was again in need of remediation. Many urine cultures continue to be obtained without sound reason, based merely on a change in the urine character only. At chart review, an elevated temperature was rarely noted, or

The Quest for Best Practice in Caring for the Home Care Patient With an Indwelling Urinary Catheter: The New Jersey Experience

2008-03-07T14:58:00.005+07:00

Josephine Sienkiewicz RN, MSN Ginny Wilkinson RN, MSN Kathleen D. Emr RN, MSN, CNAA, BCTaken from NursingCenter Home Healthcare Nurse - Featured Journal February 2008 Volume 26 Number 2 Pages 121 - 12 Acknowledgment The authors recognize the mentorship of Linda Flynn, PhD, RN, BC, Assistant Professor and Director of Research,

Home Care Today: Preventing Rehospitalization Through Effective Home Health Nursing Care (Part ll)

2008-03-06T21:21:00.002+07:00

Mr. Smith's diagnosis is heart failure and diabetes, 2 priority conditions that have available evidence-based practices for nurses to follow in all healthcare settings ( Peterson, 2006 ). Mary Ann's agency, ABC Home Care, has developed disease management programs for each of Mr. Smith's disease processes. Patient/Caregiver Education Patient and caregiver education is essential to the

Home Care Today: Preventing Rehospitalization Through Effective Home Health Nursing Care

2008-03-06T21:12:00.003+07:00

Home Care Today: Preventing Rehospitalization Through Effective Home Health Nursing Care Monica S. Vasquez RN, BSBA, COS-C Home Healthcare Nurse - Featured Journal February 2008 Volume 26 Number 2 Pages 75 - 81 Of the 10 outcomes listed in Home Health Compare, acute hospitalization has

Correct Coding BEGINS WITH THE Fundamentals (Part lII)

2008-03-06T20:49:00.009+07:00

Although treatment is focused on the gangrene, the correct way to code is as follows:250.7X Diabetes with peripheral circulatory disorders, followed by 785.4 GangreneTable. Case 5________________________________________Step 6: Tabular List, Volume IChoose a Potential Code and Locate It in the Tabular ListThe Tabular List section of the coding manual includes additional information regarding

Correct Coding BEGINS WITH THE Fundamentals (Part II)

2008-03-06T18:36:00.019+07:00

Follow Each Step Every TimeThe following discussion is modified from the 10 steps to correct coding in ICD-9CM: Expert for Home Health Services , Nursing Facilities and Hospices, edited by A. Hart and B Ford (2006) .If you are inexperienced, coding can be a daunting and time-consuming task. Using a step-by-step approach will improve coding accuracy, guarantee compliance with mandatory guidelines

Correct Coding BEGINS WITH THE Fundamentals

2008-03-06T10:37:00.007+07:00

Correct Coding BEGINS WITH THE FundamentalsPatty Behrle BSN, HCS-D, COS-Cpamela Teenier RN, MBA, HCS-D, CHCE, COS-D Home Healthcare Nurse - Featured JournalTaken from NursingCenterYou know what is wrong with your patient. You have a manual filled with diagnoses and codes. What could possibly be so difficult about matching a code to your patient's condition?
You are performing your first