With so much death and debility caused by the Coronavirus COVID-19 over the past 9-12 months the terms “withdrawing care” or “withdrawal of care” have become notorious in health care. They’re such harsh terms for such a sacred path. The end of life should be calm and comfortable and peaceful and not feel like a dark and suddenly hopeless change of focus. Death is not an uncommon factor with COVID-19. Over 356,000 deaths have occurred in the US alone, and the staggering rate of new cases has reached over 200,000 every day in the last weeks of December and continues to rise in 2021. Nurse burnout is skyrocketing with escalating…
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Florence Nightingale, Feminist
A guest post by Judith Lissauer Cromwell As Covid-19 continues to ravage the planet, The World Health Organization’s naming of 2020 as The Year of the Nurse to honor the two hundredth anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth is singularly apt. Most people have heard of Nightingale. Not all know why. Born (May 12, 1820) into wealth and privilege, brought up in the cream of English society, a precocious, mischievous child longed to be useful — to nurse the indigent sick. “My daydreams were all of hospitals”; teen-aged Florence “visited them whenever I could.”[i] But before satisfying her thirst for “a profession, a trade, a necessary occupation, something to fill &…
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Product Review:New Butter Face Mask Friction and Lip Balm
I was recently provided the opportunity to test and review a product for mask friction and lip balm from Butter Face USA. I was reluctant at first because my skin is hyper sensitive and although I do wear a mask at work and whenever I’m out running errands, I don’t wear one as much as hospital nurses do. But with the Santa Ana winds in So. CA, and the associated lack of humidity, my skin has been super dry despite applying moisturizers. I began to notice some friction and irritation and decided to give these products a good try. The balm quickly healed my irritation and softened my skin within…
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How Can Nurses Protect Their Emotional Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of nurses in every country of the world. Indeed, due to the very nature of their work, nurses are usually among the first to witness the tragedies caused by this disease. Moreover, they also risk being exposed to infection whenever they treat a patient with the coronavirus. In many cases, nurses lack the appropriate protective equipment, such as PPE equipment . No wonder many of them are experiencing anxiety and emotional distress. Although these feelings are completely natural, nurses need to find ways to keep their spirits up despite the dire situation. Keeping in touch The COVID-19 crisis, particularly in its initial stages,…
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More Great New Nursing Book Reviews
These are reviews of two great new nursing books. Add them to you library. I recently asked a friend to review a couple of new nursing books for us. Thank you Mark Graham. Glad your Internet has been restored from Hurricane Laura. It’s All In the Delivery-Improving Healthcare Starting With a Single Conversation Anthony J. Orsini, D.O. 2020 ISBN: 978-1-09830-447-8 203 pages Communication is always the key to presenting bad and good news and Anthony Orsini, D.O. has written a book that shows and tells how nurses and doctors and all healthcare workers should communicate with their patients and families in a more compassionate manner. Throughout the book he gives…