Heart attack and cardiac arrest - we’ve all heard the terms. But, are they synonymous, or are there important differences? Actually, while they occur under different pathological circumstances, they can often, but not always, co-exist.
Heart attack and cardiac arrest - we’ve all heard the terms. But, are they synonymous, or are there important differences? Actually, while they occur under different pathological circumstances, they can often, but not always, co-exist.
How many of us keep a tiny list of our medical information in our wallet? We carry around our health insurance, credit and reward cards. Why don’t we carry a small slip of paper that could save our life?
A wallet list containing your medical information is essential because it could prevent a disaster in the emergency room. If you have to be treated for something immediately it’s important for doctors to know your current medications, blood type, allergies, emergency contacts and more.
If you want to print out a sample of a medical emergency card, see ours below! (more…)
A couple of months ago after undergoing routine lab work, my doctor informed me that I had prediabetes, a condition which causes your blood sugar to be abnormally high, but not high enough to be considered full-blown diabetes. (more…)
You have just used an insulin syringe and now you need to safely dispose of it. Is it safe to throw in your trash can? Absolutely not. Throwing a needle away in regular trash imposes many risks, including injury to anyone who may not know it’s there.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that you discard needles in a safe container when they are bent, dull, or otherwise contaminated (touched something other than clean skin). The best way to dispose of a syringe is to first remove the needle. To do this, purchase a device that was made expressly for the purpose of clipping, catching and containing the needle. (more…)
Recently, I sent my 81 year-old mother to the doctor when she complained about having back pain and a low grade fever. As I suspected, she was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection (UTI) and sent on her way, two prescriptions in hand. Because of my mother’s age, I was more concerned that she see a doctor as soon as possible. Why? She is 81 years old; I was concerned about her age. (more…)
I can associate my mother with just two words- ‘fighting cancer’. Never have I seen such a brave and courageous lady as her. Even though she knew she had cancer, she never revealed a single frown. She simply lay there bearing her pain with utmost strength, never complaining and simply giving us strength.
After we discovered she was diagnosed with lung cancer, we did all we could, just as all loving families do. My father picked up Reiki (a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing), so he could comfort my mother’s pain. We all managed to throw in our efforts- prayed, went to religious places, tried herbal medicines etc, but like they say- it was destiny. However, the question that we all asked the Almighty was - why her? Why do bad things happen to good people? After a few days we realized, that perhaps our God fell short of good people and needed them up above. That being the reason he called my mother there. (more…)
I’ve practiced many types of nursing in my career, including home health. One day, I arrived at a patients’ home who had COPD and was oxygen dependent. I sat down to ask my usual questions and right before my very eyes, she had the audacity to take out a pack of Lucky Strikes and light one up.
Now, I don’t particularly enjoy being around cigarettes due to the risks associated with secondhand smoke, but my concerns grow exponentially when a patient lights up in front of me while she is using oxygen!
My first instinct — exit stage left, before the entire house with me in it starts to blow! I asked her rather nicely to put out her cigarette and she replied “why should I, it’s my house, isn’t it?” How right she was, but I told her, if she did NOT put out her cigarette immediately, I was going to leave and not continue the visit. She finally complied and the rest is history, as she never lit up in front of me again. But, how do you cope as a caregiver, when your patient smokes and you are faced with a similar situation?
Before accepting a job as a caregiver, whether hired by a home health agency or privately, ask if the patient smokes. You may want to reconsider the job, particularly if you have allergies, asthma, or other respiratory conditions which may be exacerbated by secondhand smoke. If your patient does smoke, make a contract with him or her in advance so they do not smoke in the house, car, or anywhere near you.
Do not allow your patient to smoke in the presence of oxygen. Oxygen is highly flammable and serious consequence could arise if they do so. If your patient ignores your plea, contact a family member to see if they can speak to the patient on your behalf. If that doesn’t work, you may want to think about getting another job.
Suggest that your patient only smoke outdoors. Stand as far away as possible while he finishes his cigarette. Present your patient with educational materials regarding the dangers of tobacco and secondhand smoke. The American Lung Association provides this information for free to individuals who are in need.
Never allow children to be exposed to secondhand smoke. If there are children in the home, be sure to remove them from the area when your patient is smoking. Secondhand smoke causes many health problems, including placing you at risk for COPD, heart disease and lung cancer.
Encouraging your patient to either quit smoking or to adopt a smoke-free home policy will help you and family members with whom your patient lives to limit exposure. If you still need help encouraging them to quit smoking read BestSitePicks Stop Smoking page for more.
A couple of years ago, a friend of mine suffered the loss of several family members in a very short period of time. One of the deaths was that of her brother-in-law, a healthy and very active, 62 year-old inspirational teacher. The morning before he passed away, he had taken a new medication and suffered an allergic reaction to it. When his daughter came home from work that evening, she found him sitting in his favorite chair with his tongue swollen and protruding from his mouth. (more…)
Summer - a glorious time for friends, family and outdoor fun. But, when poison ivy lurks in those outdoor areas we like to play in, the great outdoors can be our worst enemy. According to the FDA, poison ivy is found throughout the United States, except in Alaska, Hawaii and some parts of the West Coast. (more…)
Hand washing — what task could be more simple? The fact is, nothing could be farther from the truth. Hand washing, if not done correctly, can be virtually ineffective. Why? Let’s think about this for a moment. We wash our hands to get rid of nasty germs, right? But, how long do most of us spend at the wash basin? Eight seconds - 10 seconds max?
To kill harmful bacteria that lead to infection, eight or 10 seconds simply does not cut the mustard. In order for hand washing to be effective, you must adhere to the following steps each and every time you wash your hands:
* Wet your hands with warm water. Add soap. Studies have shown that regular soap is just as effective as antibacterial soap in killing germs, if you use the proper hand washing technique.
* Scrub your hands vigorously for a MINIMUM of 20 seconds. Don’t forget to pay close attention to the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and underneath your fingernails.
* Rinse your hands thoroughly. When finished, leave the water running for a moment.
* While the water continues to run, grab a single use towel and pat your hands dry.
* Turn off the water with the paper towel to avoid reinfecting yourself with germs.
* Use the same paper towel on the doorknob of the door you are opening to leave.
* Discard the paper towel in a nearby trash receptacle.
If you don’t have an opportunity to wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer product that contains 60-90% ethyl alcohol or isopropanol. Bear in mind, however, hand sanitizers should not replace hand washing, but used in addition to it.
