Nurse Information

Ten Steps to Becoming a Nurse

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:31:00 +0000

Do you want to become a nurse but don’t know where to start out? Here is a ten step guide that will help you find the way. You will learn about the nursing profession, find out about the educational requirements and certifications, and you’ll discover tips on how to survive your first year as a nurse. This guide is meant for prospective, current, and second career nurses.

Learn Everything You Can About The Nursing Profession

Find Your Path to the RN Title

Choose the Nursing School That Fits You

Get In To The School of Your Choice

Complete Your RN Program – What to Expect

Decide on a Specialty

Pass the NCLEX

Consider Possibilities For Your First Job

Get Hired

Get Prepared For Your First Year As A Nurse

Get Prepared For Your First Year As A Nurse

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:30:00 +0000

The first year on the job is often the toughest for new nursing graduates, especially those who work in hospitals. In fact, new nurse graduates account for more than half of the turnover rate in some hospitals, according to a study published in 2007 by Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing researchers.

“There really are multiple reasons for [the first-year exodus],” says Patricia Benner, RN, PhD, professor at the University of California, San Francisco and a senior scholar at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. “One is that nursing practice is incredibly complex. Over the past 60 years, the transfer of responsibility to nursing from medicine has been incredible. I think society doesn’t typically recognize that.”

Get Hired

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:30:00 +0000

You will be happy to find out that getting hired is truly “the easy step.” In nursing school, the employers come to you. as you will find yourself at many career fairs, with nurse recruiters from local hospitals trying to entice you with their cool pens and magnets. Do not be dazzled! Decide what you are looking for before the recruiters talk to you. Some things to consider include doing share time. Call the unit or floor where you would like to work and schedule some time to shadow a nurse. This simply means that you will spend some time observing a nurse at work so you can get a feel for how the unit operates, and whether or not you feel you will fit in.

Consider Possibilities For Your First Job

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:29:00 +0000

There are many options for where you can work, and it may be hard to make a decision. Do your research and find out if the employers you are interested in offer orientations and support services. Observe the unit and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to jump right in and get your feet wet. You may surprise yourself.

Pass the NCLEX

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:28:00 +0000

There are many study guides to help you pass the NCLEX, and you can find some good ones here. It helps to take as many practice questions as you possibly can. Use tips on answering multiple-choice questions correctly. Have questions? You can always post a question on the NursingLink Student Lounge where you have access to thousands of seasoned nurses who may just share their expertise with you.

A common theme for NCLEX questions is prioritization. The question will give you a list of scenarios and ask which one you would attend to first. Don’t sweat these questions. They very often come down to this simple mnemonic: ABC, which stands for Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. The airway is always your first priority in any emergency situation. If an airway is blocked, oxygen cannot reach the lungs. The second priority is to assess whether the patient is actually breathing. Then the patient’s circulation is assessed by determining if they have a pulse. You will often find that NCLEX questions are testing your knowledge of this concept.

Decide on a Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:26:00 +0000

The good news is that you have a wide range of specialties to choose from. The bad news? You have a wide range of specialties to choose from. How do you make up your mind? Fortunately you will have lots of exposure to each one. In nursing school you will typically spend about a semester in each specialty. Here’s a run down of each one:

Adult health – this encompasses a wide range of specialties from oncology to OR nursing. The benefit to specializing in adult health is that you will build a good solid foundation for your nursing career. The skills you learn in this area can be carried over to other areas; the reverse isn’t always true.

Critical Care – Do you crave excitement? Do you like to be where the action is? Then critical care is for you. It encompasses the ER and the ICU. ICU nursing involves more specialized skills. You have a smaller patient load (often 1-2 patients) but your patients are much more acutely ill.

Pediatrics – Caring for children can be one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences. The challenge? Children aren’t “supposed to get sick” so to see them and care for them in such a state can take its toll on you.

Maternal Health/Labor and Delivery – This is a good specialty to choose if you are interested in women’s health.

Psychiatric Nursing – This involves caring for the mentally ill in various capacities. Psych nurse can facilitate group therapy meetings, and they also carry out care plans for patients who are in the hospital.

Community Health – One thing that you will learn about in nursing school is the importance of health promotion. This is the concept that maintaining health starts with the actions that you take before you get sick. Community health nurses are great facilitators of this concept.

Complete Your RN Program

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:25:00 +0000

Complete Your RN Program – What to Expect

Nursing clinicals are what really get you ready for working in the healthcare setting. During clinicals, you will spend time working side by side with actual nurses, so you can get a feel for what it is they actually do. Many students find clinicals to be stressful at first. You worry about whether you will make a mistake that could actually harm a patient. Nursing students joke about this (“I made it through clinicals today with out killing anyone!”) but the truth of the matter is that you can find yourself in some very stressful situations.

Get In To The School of Your Choice

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:24:00 +0000

By now you know that there is a nursing shortage. What people don’t think about is the shortage of nursing instructors that goes along with this. What does this mean for you? It means that you may be facing waiting lists and steep competition among prospective nursing students. You will need to do everything possible to make sure you get to the top of the list.

Nursing schools will be looking at

Your grades
An Admissions Essay or Statement of Purpose
Letters of Recommendation
On the Job Experience

Choose the Nursing School

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:23:00 +0000

Choose the Nursing School That Fits You

There are nursing programs in the largest universities as well as the smallest community colleges. There are even online programs! So there’s bound to be something for you. Here are the questions to ask yourself when selecting a school.

Deciding whether you want to go for an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree is essential at this point. Community colleges typically offer associates degrees and are a good value if you are trying not to spend too much money. The advantage of getting an ADN is that it doesn’t take as long as a BSN and it requires less of the prerequisites. However, there are many positions that require a Bachelor’s degree for advancement, so it may be advisable to get the BSN when you can.

You must also consider where you want to go to school, and if you want to be a full- or part-time student. Luckily, there are plenty of options when it comes to nursing programs. Not only are there full- and part-time degree programs, there are also online schools where you can go to class from the comfort of your own home.

Find Your Path to the RN Title

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:22:00 +0000

In all States and the District of Columbia, students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN. But there are many ways to get there!

You can obtain one (or more!) of several degrees in order to become a nurse.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN): This degree is typically gained through a year of training at a hospital, graduation from vocational-technical school, or through community college.

Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN): is acquired through graduation from community college and usually takes two years. It prepares an RN for a very defined set of clinical practices, and coursework includes technical practice and nursing theory. Many nurses with an ADN will return to school for a BSN or higher degree.

Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing (BSN): A Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing (BSN) requires graduation from a traditional 4-year college or university, and provides the full preparation for the entire scope of RN responsibilities. The preparation from a BSN includes nursing theory and broad clinical practice, as well as study of human development, psychology, chemistry, biology, and nutritional sciences. BSN holders are qualified to pursue masters degrees and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) professions, including Nurse Practitioner (NP), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNW) , Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.

The Nursing Profession

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:19:00 +0000

Learn Everything You Can About The Nursing Profession....

Nursing is the largest health care profession in the US, with over 2.9 million RNs nationwide. Because nurses are involved in every type of health care need from basic health to acute care, every nurse has followed a specific path of education to become an RN and develop an expertise.

Nurses do everything from treat and educate patients, provide emotional support, record medical histories, and perform diagnostic tests. Most nurses work in hospitals, but they can also be found in nursing homes, community health clinics, and ambulances.

Nursing as a Second Career

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:17:00 +0000

Attracted by strong demand, healthy salaries and prospects for more meaningful work, many mid-career workers – including some men – are giving nursing a closer look as a second career. So how do you get there from where you are?

Whether you decide to be an LPN/LVN or RN, you can find a nursing program that’s suited to your current educational level and time frame.

Once you’ve gotten your education and license, what can you expect on the floor? Along with the rewards that come from caring for patients, you’ll likely experience a few letdowns common to novice nurses. You’ll also face – and learn to handle – on-the-job issues you may not have encountered in your previous career.

10 Reason To Become a Nurse

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:12:00 +0000

Thinking about nursing? Here are 10 reasons why nursing makes a great career.

1. Nurses are in demand now, and will be even more in demand by 2020. In fact, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has projected a shortfall of 800,000 nurses by 2020. Think of the job opportunities there will be.

2. Nursing pays! According to the US Department of Labor, an average registered nursing salary is over $52,000. Many nurses earn over $72,000.

3. There are lots of different opportunities in nursing. You can work in hospitals, schools, government agencies, home care facilities and more.

4. Flexible schedules. Nursing shifts can come in increments of 4, 8, 10 or even 12 hours, on weekends and weekdays. There are many opportunities.

5. Nurses make a difference in people’s lives. Caring for people and helping others lead healthy lives is satisfying and important.

6. Nurses interact with different people everyday, including patients, doctors, medical staff and administrators.

7. Nursing is exciting. You never know what’s going to happen, and have to stay one your toes, solve problems and make good decisions. Everyday is different.

8. There are lots of opportunities for advancement in nursing. You can get promoted and take on bigger roles over time.

9. Nurses can change specialties. If you’re interested in pediatrics or trauma, you can move into those areas when the opportunities arise.

10. Nurses can take it on the road! Nurses are in demand everywhere and with portable skills; you can go where you want.

Medical Term Glossary

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:24:00 +0000

Medical Term and Meaning

A
Acromegaly Enlargement of the extremities
Adenoid Resembling a gland
Afebrile Without fever
Anesthesia Without feeling or sensation
Arteriosclerosis Hardening of the arteries

B
Blepharoptosis Downward displacement of the eyelids
Bradycardia Slow heartbeat

C
Cardiovascular Pertaining to the heart and vessels
Cerebroma Tumor of the brain
Chondritis Inflammation of the cartilage
Chondromalacia Softening of the cartilage
Cyanosis. Condition of blueness
Cystitis Inflammation of the bladder

D
Dentalgia Toothache/pain
Dermatophytosis Condition of fungus of the skin
Duodenal Pertaining to the first part of small intestine
Dyspnea Difficult breathing

E
Encephalitis Inflammation of the brain
Endocarditis Inflammation within the heart
Endometritis Inflammation within the uterus
Erythrocyte Red cell

G
Gastroenteritis Inflammation of the stomach and intestine
Glossitis Inflammation of the tongue
Glucosuria Sugar in the urine

H
Hematemesis . Vomiting of blood
Hematoma Tumor filled with blood
Hematuria Blood in the urine
Hepatic Pertaining to the liver
Hepatitis Inflammation of the liver
Hepatosplenomegaly Enlargement of the liver and spleen
Hydrophobia Fear of water
Hyperemesis . Excessive vomiting
Hypertension High blood pressure
Hypertrophy Excessive growth
Hypotension Low blood pressure

I
Intercostal Between the ribs
Intra-Abdominal Inside the abdomen

K
Keratitis Inflammation of the cornea

L
Lipoma Fatty tumor

Medical Term Meaning

M
Monocyte Single or one cell
Myalgia Pain in the muscle
Myospasm Involuntary contraction of a muscle

N
Necrosis Condition of dead tissue
Nephrolithiasis Condition of stones in the kidney
Nephrolithiasis Enlargement of the kidney
Nocturia Night urine

O
Oliguria Scant urine
Osteoarthritis Inflammation of the bones and joints
Otoscopic Pertaining to examination of the ear

P
Pericarditis Inflammation around the heart
Polyneuritis Inflammation of many nerves
Polyphagia Excessive eating
Postpartum After birth
Pyogenic Producing pus

R
Rhinitis Inflammation of the nose

S
Salpingitis Inflammation of the tubes

T
Tachycardia Fast heartbeat
Thrombophlebitis Inflammation of a vein with a clot

Operations or Procedures Meaning

Adenectomy Removal of a gland
Arthrocentesis Puncture of a joint for removal of fluid
Arthrodesis Surgical fixation of a joint
Cheiloplasty Plastic operation upon the lip
Cholecystectomy Removal of the gallbladder
Colostomy Incision into the colon
Gastrectomy Removal of the stomach
Glossorrhaphy Suture repair of the tongue
Herniorrhaphy Suture repair of a hernia
Hysterectomy Removal of the uterus
Laparotomy Incision into the abdominal wall
Laryngoscopy Examination of the larynx with an instrument
Nephrectomy Removal of a kidney
Orchiopexy Fixation of the testes
Otoplasty Plastic repair of the ears
Rhinoplasty Plastic repair of the nose
Thoracentesis Puncture of the thorax
Tympanoplasty Plastic repair of the eardrum

Successful Nursing Career

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:51:00 +0000

You and your career counselor should explore the following questions openly and honestly when considering a nursing career:

• What is your level of achievement in high school and/or college?
• Will a part-time or full-time job be necessary while attending school?
• Are you able to move to another location to attend school?
• What are your nursing career goals (i.e. bedside nursing, public health, teaching, research, administration)?
• What are your long-term academic and career goals (masters’ degree, doctorate)?

Trends in health care delivery and health education predict that nursing preparation at the graduate level is necessary in the future.
The following are ideal qualities for pursuing a nursing career:

Academic ability - Nursing education makes intellectual demands on the student. You must be a serious student with proficiency in the health sciences.
Responsibility - When you earn the privilege of using the title “registered nurse,” you also assume legal and ethical accountability for your actions. Nurses must respect confidentiality, use good judgment, and be loyal to patients and to the profession.
Acceptance and Caring - Nurses must respect the rights of all people regardless of age, race, social status, sexual orientation, and religious beliefs. Nurses demonstrate unbiased compassion for all.
Eagerness to Learn - Nurses are motivated to keep up with trends and research in the profession and to value life-long learning.
Confidence - Nurses must learn to handle catastrophe and crisis, and everyday challenges, in a confident, efficient, and caring way.

what is Postoperative?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 13:05:00 +0000

Postoperative
From the time of admission to recovery to the follow-up home/clinic evaluation.

Intraoperative

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 13:01:00 +0000

Intraoperative
From the time the patient is received in the operating room until admitted to the recovery room

What is Preoperative ?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 12:59:00 +0000

Preoperative
From the time the decision is made for surgical intervention to the transfer of the patient to the operating room.

What is Perioperative?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 12:55:00 +0000

Perioperative
Generalised term referring to the time of surgery and pertains to the time in hospital from admission to discharge.

Nurse anesthesia jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:13:00 +0000

So what they do?It takes a lot of people to make a surgical procedure a success. Of course, the surgeon is important. So are the assisting doctors and nurses. But also critical to the outcome of any surgery is the anesthetist, who makes sure that a patient is safely anesthetized during an operation.

It's up to the nurse anesthetist to evaluate patients before surgery and assess their anesthesia risk factors. Anesthesia can be a very tricky thing, and in the past, one in every 10,000 patients who received anesthesia actually died as a reaction to the drugs. Today, that death rate has fallen to one in every 250,000, but anesthesia still can present other kinds of risks to patients. Consequently nurse anesthetists really have to know their stuff, collaborating with surgeons and anesthesiologists to determine the best means of delivering anesthesia for everything from tonsillectomies to open-heart surgeries. CRNAs also provide anesthesia for some radiology procedures as well as for office procedures in areas like dental and plastic surgery.

Most anesthesia drugs are either breathed into the lungs or injected into the veins through an intravenous line in the hand or arm. Nurse anesthetists administer these medications as well as any other medications used to prevent movement during procedures.

Nurse anesthetists closely monitor the patient during a procedure. They keep a sharp eye on oxygen levels in the blood, blood pressure, heart rate and other functions during an operation, making sure the patient's condition remains stable. If conditions should change--and vital signs can take a turn for the worse in a matter of seconds--they have to be prepared to react instantly. When the procedure is over and the medication is turned off, nurse anesthetists continue to monitor patients to make sure that there are no ill after effects from the anesthesia.

How they spend their time:

Assessing and evaluating the patient before anesthesia is administered
Obtaining consent for anesthesia
Requesting consultations and diagnostic studies
Selecting, and administering pre-anesthetic medication and fluids, anesthetics, and the drugs and fluids necessary to manage the anesthesia
Collecting and interpreting patient’s medical information
Monitoring and managing a patient’s respiratory status during procedure and after surgery

What is Anesthesia?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:03:00 +0000

The loss of feeling or sensation. It may be accomplished without the loss of consciousness, or with partial or total loss of consciousness.
Anesthesiology is a branch of medical science that relates to anesthesia and anesthetics. The anesthetist is a specialized physician in charge of supervising and administering anesthesia in the course of a surgical operation. Depending on the type of operation and procedures used, there are two types of anesthesia: general anesthesia, which causes a loss of consciousness, and local anesthesia, where the anesthetic "freezes" the nerves in the area covered by the operation. In local anesthesia, the patient may be conscious during the course of the operation or given a sedative, a drug that induces sleep.
While the search for pain control during surgery dates back to the ancient world, it was not until 1846 that it went on record that a patient was successfully rendered unconscious during a surgical procedure. Performed in a Boston hospital, the operation used a gas called ether to anesthetize the patient while a neck tumor was removed. In Western medicine, the development of anesthesia has made possible complex operations like open heart surgery and organ transplants. Medical tests that would otherwise be impossible to perform are routinely carried out with the use of anesthesia.
Before the landmark discovery of ether as an anesthetic, patients who needed surgery for either illness or injury had to face the surgeon's knife with only the help of alcohol, opium, or other narcotic. Often a group of men held the patient down during the operation in case the narcotic or alcohol wore off before it was over. Under these conditions many patients died just from the pain of the operation.
Nitrous oxide, another gas still commonly used in dentistry, minor surgery, and some major surgery, was discovered in 1776 by British chemist Joseph Priestly. Another early anesthetic, chloroform, was discovered in 1847 by James Young Simpson. The Scottish gynecologist and obstetrician was searching for an anesthetic that would make bearing children less painful for women. Chloroform use, though, had higher risks than those associated with ether, and it called for greater skill from the physician. Neither ether nor chloroform are used in surgery today.
Anesthesiology as a medical specialty was slow to develop. By the end of the 19th century, ether was administered by "etherizers" who had little medical experience, including students, new physicians, non-medical specialists, nurses, and caretakers. Eventually, nurses began to be used for this job, becoming the first anesthetists by the end of the 19th century.
While the practice of surgery began to make considerable progress by the turn of the century, anesthesiology lagged behind. In the 20th century, though, the need for specialists in anesthesia was sparked by two world wars and advanced surgical techniques. To meet these demands, the American Society of Anesthetists was formed in 1931 and specialists were then certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology in 1937. By 1986, the Board certified 13,145 specialists—physicians and nurses, called nurse anesthetists—in the field of anesthesiology.
Modern anesthesiology can be divided into two types, pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Pharmacological anesthesia uses a wide variety of anesthetic agents to obtain varying degrees of sedation and pain control. The anesthesia is administered orally, by injection, or with a gas mask for inhalation. Examples of non-pharmacological anesthesia are the use of breathing techniques during conscious childbirth delivery (Lamaze method of natural childbirth) and the ancient art of Chinese acupuncture. Non-pharmacological anesthesia requires special skills on the part of its practitioners, and its effects are not as reliable as pharmacological techniques.
Pharmacological anesthesia is described as either general or local. There are three phases to general anesthesia. The anesthetist must first induce the state of unconsciousness (induction), keep the patient unconscious while the procedure is performed (maintenance), then allow the patient to emerge back into consciousness (emergence).
Administration of the anesthetic is usually accomplished by the insertion of a cannula (small tube) into a vein. Sometimes a gas anesthetic may be introduced through a mask. If a muscle relaxant is used, the patient may not be able to breathe on his own, and a breathing tube is passed into the windpipe (trachea). The tube then serves either to deliver the anesthetic gases or to ventilate (oxygenate) the lungs.
During the course of the surgery, the anesthesiologist maintains the level of anesthetic needed to keep up the patient's level of anesthesia to the necessary state of unawareness while monitoring vital functions, such as heart beat, breathing, and blood/gas exchange.
There are a number of possible complications that can occur under general anesthesia. They include loss of blood pressure, irregular heart beat, heart attack, vomiting and then inhaling the vomit into the lungs, coma, and death. Although mishaps do occur, the chance of a serious complication is extremely low. Avoidance of complications depends on a recognition of the condition of the patient before the operation, the choice of the appropriate anesthetic procedure, and the nature of the surgery itself.
Local anesthetics block pain in regions of the body without affecting other functions of the body or overall consciousness. They are used for medical examinations, diagnoses, minor surgical and dental procedures, and for relieving symptoms of minor distress, such as itching, toothaches, and hemorrhoids. They can be taken as creams, ointments, sprays, gels, or liquid; or they can be given by injection and in eye drops.
Some local anesthetics are benzocaine, bupivacaine, cocaine, lidocaine, procaine, and tetracaine. Some act rapidly and have a short duration of effect, while others may have a slow action and a short duration. They act by blocking nerve impulses from the immediate area to the higher pain centers. Regional anesthetics allow for pain control along a wider area of the body by blocking the action of a large nerve (nerve block). Sprays can be used on the throat and related areas for a bronchoscopy, and gels can be used for the urethra to numb the area for a catherization or cystoscopy.
Spinal anesthesia is used for surgery of the abdomen, lower back, and legs. Spinal or "epidural" anesthesia is also used for surgery on the prostate gland and hip. A fine needle is inserted between two vertebrae in the lumbar (lower part) of the spine, and the anesthetic flows into the fluid which surrounds the spinal cord. The nerves absorb the anesthetic as they emerge from the spinal fluid. The anesthetized area is controlled by the location of the injection and the amount of absorption by the spinal fluid.
It is possible to have adverse reactions to local anesthetics, such as dizziness, hypotension (low blood pressure), convulsions, and even death. These effects are rare but can occur if the dose is too high or if the drug has been absorbed too rapidly. A small percentage of patients (1-5%) may develop headaches with spinal anesthesia.
Babies born to mothers who have been administered anethetics during labor and delivery often show anesthetic effects for a period of time after birth. Medication given to women immediately before delivery passes through the placenta to the baby. While the effects of the anesthetic wear off relatively quickly for the mother, it takes the baby's immature system longer to process it out of the body. Affected babies frequently appear lethargic and unresponsive for longer periods of time after birth than babies delivered without maternal medication. While use of anesthetics by the mother is not believed to have any permanent impact on the baby, many pediatricians contend difficulties in breastfeeding and maternal bonding can result from babies' unresponsive behavior in the early days of life.
Special care also must be taken when administering anesthetics to children. Allergic or anaphylactic reactions to a particular medication are difficult to predict, particularly in younger patients who have experienced fewer medical procedures.
Since World War II, many changes have taken place in anesthesiology. Important discoveries have been made with such volatile liquids as halothane and synthetic opiates. The technology of delivery systems has been greatly improved. But with all these changes, the basic goal of anesthesia has been the same—the control of a motionless surgical field in the patient. In the next fifty years it is possible that the goals of anesthesia will be widened. The role of anesthesia will broaden as newer surgical techniques develop in the area of organ transplants. Anesthesia may also be used in the future to treat acute infectious illness, mental disorders, and different types of heart conditions. There may be a wide range of new therapeutic applications for anesthesia.

Nurse Anesthetist

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:00:00 +0000

A nurse anesthetist (AE) is a registered nurse and advanced practice nurse who has acquired additional education and training to administer anesthesia. The title, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), reflects the nurse's qualifications and abilities.

Health Promotion

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 13:27:00 +0000

Promoting health and wellness within a community is one of the responsibilities of a nurse. First of all, what do we mean by community? In simple definition, a community is a group of people or a population usually defined by geographic boundary. So, what makes a community healthy? Well, a healthy community is where a visible commitment to achieve health and wellbeing, and most importantly, it must be sustainable. The key to community health is quality and equality of sharing and caring that occurs in the community. According to WHO, essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at the cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self- reliance and self determination. Health care services should respond to the needs of the population with openness to the community. It should be structured in a way to allow community members to make informed choices. It should also be developed to maintain or increase peoples control over their own health.

Words Part In Medical Terminology -Words Roots

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 09:13:00 +0000

Word Roots

A words root is the part of the term thats provided the fundamental meaning of the term, for example reffering to a specific body part or body system:-

Eg. Este Refer to Bone

Medical Terminology For Nurses- Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:45:00 +0000

The aim of this learning module are for you to develop an understanding of medical terminology and to be able to identify the meaning of unfamiliar terms by using a structured approach to break down the term into its component parts and then deduce its meaning.

There are four types of word parts used in different combinations to form medical terms and language.

Word roots

Suffixes

Combining vowels

Prefixes

The words or terms used may seem long and strange. Let's have an example.

Osteoarthritis

This term is actually composed of different word elements, each with a specific meaning.

Eg: Oste + arthr + itis

Oste relates to bone

arthr refers to a joint, and

itis means inflammation.

Therefore osteoarthritis means inflammation of the bone and joint. These word elements comes from Greek and Latin words. Therefore, you will need to know the English translations for these word elements. By knowing the different word parts (such as oste and arthr) you can easily identify the meaning of a wide range of medical terms, even if you have never seen or heard of the term before.