Sorry I kind of took a few weeks off to deal with the COVID-19 impact on my family. Hope you all are well and safe. This issue with COVID-19 has been a struggle for nurses and healthcare workers everywhere, and there isn’t any real light at the end of the tunnel. There are a few glimmers of hope for a vaccine for the novel Corona virus by the the end of the year, more likely early 2021. In order to help improve healthcare in general, nurses are going to need to stand up and be heard! Not unlike many others, I have not escaped direct impact. A close family member…
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Happy Nurses Month – Freebies and Discounts
Everyone is used to Nurses Week from May 6-12 each year, but in honor of the WHO’s designation of 2020 as the Year of the Nurse, May was also designated Nurses Month. Nurses are in the news constantly for their heroic measures in the war against COVID19. Here are some important links to Freebies and Discounts for Nurses during Nurses Week May 6-12. Some have regional or local restrictions and some are national offers. Some are for all COVID19 front line health care workers and first responders. There are lots of overlaps, but each has some unique discounts too. Check them carefully for instructions on how to redeem. Find some…
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Tips for Photographing Wounds
Photographing wounds is an essential part of documenting quality care, complications and healing progress. A picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to accurately depict the status and progress. Hopefully, you will never regret not having that level of documentation to support your care. A photograph can serve to visually describe a wound. It can be annotated to point out any areas of concern such as infection or hyper granulation. Pictures can also show greater progress towards healing in one area and not others. As you can see in the pictures below, consistent photos taken over a period of time can help document the healing process. Considerations for…
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New Edition: Home Health Aide Instructor Manual
I was privileged to receive a review copy of the Home Health Aide: Guidelines for Care, Instructor Manual Third Edition, ©2020. I can’t say enough about this manual, I love every aspect of it! The manual is comprehensive and lives up to high standards typically associated with Tina Marrelli. Tina is often referred to as the guru of home health and hospice care. This manual should help you provide the best practice evidence for on-boarding, orientation, ongoing education and evaluations of your home health aides. It offers great suggestions for job descriptions, competencies, compliance, care planning, communication and expectations for safe, effective, quality patient care and outcomes. As the population…
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Understanding the Stages of Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Guide for Caregivers
What is Pulmonary Fibrosis? By Brenda Kimble Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a respiratory disease where the lungs slowly lose the ability to function due to scarring. This scarring causes the passageways to become thick and hard, which inhibits the lung’s ability to move oxygen through the walls of the alveoli and into the bloodstream. Patients with pulmonary fibrosis find themselves unable to catch their breath due to improper oxygenation of the blood. Pulmonary fibrosis is treatable, but there is currently no cure for the disease. Treatments that are offered to PF patients will not reverse the damage that has already been done to the lungs, nor will it make the…