In the four weeks since Hurricane Maria ravaged the island of Puerto Rico, 76 people have fallen ill with suspected Leptospirosis, according to CNN, and two have died from the bacterial disease, which is spread through water, food, or soil […]
After the Storm: Post-Hurricane Health Hazards Read More »
Prior to the 1950s, neonatal jaundice was a common problem and one of the leading causes of death in premature infants — that is, until a British nurse made a fortuitous discovery. Sister Jean Ward, whose reputation for excellence in
Bedside Insight: Amazing Nurse Discoveries Read More »
Last year, the American Diabetes Association prohibited the use of the word “diabetic” to describe patients in its publications. And at a recent conference, the group cautioned health care providers against using the “ic” term and other words that might
When Words Do Harm Read More »
During the course of a typical 12-hour shift, and depending on the unit, the bedside nurse may encounter hundreds, if not thousands, of alarms generated by patient monitoring equipment. From chirping ventilators to beeping infusion pumps to chiming heart rate
Battling Alarm Fatigue Read More »
Bill Warner, a concrete mixer driver in North Carolina, had always been a “strong” and “innovative” man, according to his wife, Carla. But after undergoing a routine endoscopic procedure at a local hospital in early 2013, the once robust 55-year-old
Three Superbugs Nurses Need to Know Read More »
The patient who watches the clock and requests their pain medication at the top of hour. The patient who always rates their pain a “10” out of 10. The patient who requests a specific narcotic like Dilaudid. Some nurses might
What Every Nurse Needs To Know About Pain Management Read More »
During her second day on the job, the newly minted RN was tending to a febrile patient in the ICU and preparing to give him a shot of insulin. Because the patient was thin, she pinched a fold of flesh
Needlesticks: Avoiding the Hazard Read More »
Talking to physicians can be one of the scariest parts of the job for a new nurse. For the rookie RN, a 3 a.m. call to the doctor can be fraught with terror that they’ll say something stupid, get yelled
How to Talk to Doctors Read More »
