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Report details first 6 months of California’s End of Life Option…
Christina Thielst Medical & Allied HealthcareThe California Department of Public Health released its report detailing usage information during the first half-year of the End of Life Option Act's implementation. The law — Health and Safety Code section 443.19 (b) — gives mentally capable, terminally ill adults with six months or fewer to live the option to request a doctor's prescription for medication they can decide to take to die peacefully in their sleep if their end-of-life suffering becomes unbearable.
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Saving lives with a novel antibacterial wound cover
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareSkin wounds — and the infections that come with them — pose a big challenge for medical professionals. Bacterial skin infections are the 28th most common diagnosis in hospitalized patients, and treating them is becoming more difficult with the rise of drug-resistant bacteria. But researchers have developed a new type of wound dressing that may help treat these difficult cases.
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Clean hands can clear the mind
Bob Kowalski Medical & Allied HealthcareGetting a clean start might be more than a figure of speech. Washing your hands could help clear your mind and bring a fresh perspective. That's according to a University of Toronto study published recently in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, which stated that the act of cleansing one's hands can alter the pursuit of goals, reduce the importance of previous goals and emphasize future targets.
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Nursing in times of uncertainty
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareWhen political, cultural and societal landscapes are in upheaval, nurses often play the role of intermediary and counselor to patients feeling the stress of that upheaval. In these tumultuous times, how can nurses remain a steady and calming presence for patients seeking solace and reassurance amidst the storm?
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BCRA support falters: GOP governors, insurers and public oppose bill
Seth Sandronsky Healthcare AdministrationBacking for the Better Care and Reconciliation Act (BCRA), Senate Republicans' version to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, is faltering. In one sign of party disunity, President Donald Trump recently tweeted a "repeal then replace" Obamacare message that Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) quickly dismissed.
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Early lessons from California right‑to‑die law
Joan Spitrey Medical & Allied HealthcareJust over a year after California enacted the End of Life Option Act, preliminary reports released by the Department of Public Health show 111 Californians took a lethal prescription to end their life in the first six months of the new law. Modeled closely after the Oregon law that was enacted almost two decades ago, California became the fifth state to allow patients with less than six months to live to request medication to assist in ending their lives. Currently, doctor-assisted death is legal in Montana, Vermont, Washington state and Washington, D.C.
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The impact of pharmaceutical reps on physician prescribing
Dr. Abimbola Farinde PharmaceuticalThe practice of "detailing" is designed to provide physicians with an incentive to prescribe certain drugs or at least give consideration of the latest drugs on the market. For many years, this has been an observed standard of practice across the U.S.
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How would BCRA impact jobs in healthcare?
Seth Sandronsky Healthcare AdministrationA week ago, the Senate unveiled their version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) that the House passed — the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BRCA). Since then, several Republican Senators have said they would not vote for the bill in its current form, which forced Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to delay a vote on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal until after the July 4 recess.
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Possible link between marijuana use in young people and schizophrenia
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareMarijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S. — for the population overall and for youths in particular. Based on 2013-2014 data, 7.22 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years across the nation had used marijuana in the past month. Of adults 26 or older who used marijuana before age 15, 62 percent then went on to use cocaine at some point in their lives, and 9 percent eventually used heroin at least once.
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Study: Patients with cirrhosis at increased risk of stroke
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcarePatients with liver cirrhosis have a higher risk of stroke — particularly hemorrhagic stroke — according to a new study. Because the liver plays an integral role in the clotting process, thrombotic complications are common in patients with liver disease. Liver parenchymal cells synthesize most coagulation factors, and the liver’s reticuloendothelial system is essential in the clearance of activation products.
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