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21 12, 2018

The Four-Step Process for Treating Initial Myocardial Infarction Symptoms

December 21st, 2018|Categories: Advanced Nursing|

A myocardial infarction, commonly called a heart attack, occurs when blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked. This is a health care emergency because, without fast repair, part of the heart muscle can completely die. In turn, this leads to long-term problems, such as congestive heart failure. In fact, in some severe cases, patients are at risk of sudden cardiac death if the part of the heart with the natural pacemaker function fails. As a health [...]

19 12, 2018

Best Care Practices for Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

December 19th, 2018|Categories: ACLS, Advanced Nursing, Education|

High blood pressure, coronary artery disease and a variety of other heart and blood vessel conditions may gradually cause this condition. However, the most important point for you to consider as you care for patients with this diagnosis is how you can most effectively help them regain their health and avoid sudden death, which become increasingly common with severe CHF.

14 12, 2018

EKG Rhythms: Not for Doctors’ Eyes Only

December 14th, 2018|Categories: ACLS, Advanced Nursing, Classes, Education|

One of the most elusive skills for clinicians is learning to read EKGs. Even those who learn to recognize textbook examples at the drop of a hat may suddenly find themselves stumped in a real-life situation. You see, as with many things in the medical world, not all EKG patterns follow textbook examples. However, this brings us to question who should be able to decode EKGs? Should doctors alone be responsible for this important skill, or should you and your [...]

12 12, 2018

Confident Enough to Run a Code

December 12th, 2018|Categories: ACLS, Advanced Nursing, Basic Life Support Articles, Education, EMT Training|

Confidence is defined as your ability to rely completely on someone or something. As a health care worker, you need to have confidence in your coworkers, but you also need to have a strong reliance on your own ability. This is called self-confidence. One of the areas in which it is easiest to lack self-confidence is in running or participating in a code. You may feel as if you wouldn’t have a clue what to do if your patient [...]

7 12, 2018

Stress Management

December 7th, 2018|Categories: Education, Nurses Corner|

Do you feel stressed at your job? Well, you aren’t alone in feeling this way. According to the American Attitudes in the Workplace survey, 80% of Americans feel stress in their job and more than half feel that they need help in learning to manage their stress. What is stress? Stress is defined as an experience a person is exposed to through a stimulus or stressor; disruptive forces, a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse [...]

5 12, 2018

Which Team Members Do You Need for a Successful Code?

December 5th, 2018|Categories: ACLS, Advanced Nursing, Basic Life Support Articles, CPR Training Articles, Education, EMT Training, Neonatal|

No matter how your health care organization is run, it definitely has a protocol for codes. Protocols are designed to help the code run smoothly and efficiently and to ensure everything possible is done to save the patient’s life. By ensuring that you and your coworkers are in your correct roles during a code, you can avoid chaos and confusion. Because a code is an ever-changing situation, some roles may change throughout the process. However, with quick thinking, constant communication [...]

30 11, 2018

What Causes Low Back Pain?

November 30th, 2018|Categories: Advanced Nursing, Education|

Low back pain can be caused from many things. It can be from overuse or fatigue; however low back pain can have serious implications on health if not treated. According to the World Health Organization, the likelihood of getting low-back pain in industrialized countries (such as the United States) is 60-70%. Nurses and CNAs are at an increased risk. So it is important to know: what causes low back pain? Let’s start by talking about your spine. Your spine is [...]

28 11, 2018

Approaching ACLS Renewal with Thoughtfulness and Concern

November 28th, 2018|Categories: ACLS, Education|

If you currently hold an ACLS certification, you must make sure that you renew it regularly to remain compliant with your healthcare organization’s requirements. Your ACLS certification generally lasts two years and does not offer an additional grace period. Rather than looking at this class as a necessary evil, thoughtfully consider how it can actually make you a better health care provider. […]

23 11, 2018

CNA Roles in Assisting Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

November 23rd, 2018|Categories: Advanced Nursing|

As we learned last week, 30 million Americans have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). CNAs can have a direct impact on their CKD patient's health. Here are a few ways that CNAs can assist their patients in ensuring their patient's CKD does not get worse. These roles are hugely important in maintaining health in these patients. 1. Low potassium and sodium (salt) diet The kidneys lose their ability to filter out electrolytes. Therefore, levels of potassium in the body can get [...]

21 11, 2018

The Importance of a Quick Response for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

November 21st, 2018|Categories: CPR Training Articles, Education|

As a medical professional, you already know how important fast medical care is for successful outcomes in nearly any health crisis. With fast care, mobility can be restored, infections averted and quality of life saved or improved. However, one of the most important areas for fast medical assistance is with cardiac arrest. When you’re the one to notice this life-threatening emergency, you must be confident enough to jump into action immediately and get help from other professionals as quickly as [...]

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