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Honoring end-of-life wishes with DNH orders

Christina Thielst Medical & Allied Healthcare

"Do not resuscitate" (DNR) orders have not been as effective as hoped for every patient who has one. The emotion of the moment, family conflict and confusion are too often the cause. There are unnecessary costs associated with everyone involved, but more importantly, the patients' wishes for their end-of-life care are not being honored or respected.

NSAID use connected to increased risk of heart attack

Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied Healthcare

Some people take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) every day either for chronic pain, inflammation, or both. A survey of medication use in the United States showed that ibuprofen was taken by 17 percent of adults, aspirin by 17 percent and naproxen by 3.5 percent of adults in the preceding week.

6 back pain myths busted

Heidi Dawson Medical & Allied Healthcare

While everyone knows someone with a "bad back," it seems that many people aren't up to date on their knowledge of back pain causes and treatment. There are many myths out there surrounding this subject — some are due to outdated information, while others are just plain wrong. Below, I've rounded up the most common myths I hear and tried to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Remove the shackles of nurse martyrdom

Keith Carlson Medical & Allied Healthcare

Nurses love to be of service and provide care to those who need it most. Some nurses also seem to experience secondary gain from playing the role of the martyr. Martyrs give and give until they have nothing left, sacrificing themselves for the good of others. Nurses can fulfill this role easily if they choose to do so.

New fentanyl variant makes overdoses tougher to treat

Chelsea Adams Medical & Allied Healthcare

A new type of fentanyl produced overseas and sold via the internet is making overdoses more difficult to treat in North American emergency departments. Called acryl fentanyl, the drug is resistant to Narcan and often requires multiple doses of the overdose drug to counteract its effects. In some cases, Narcan isn't effective at all against the synthetic opioid.

H7N9 virus: Planning for the next pandemic

Christina Thielst Healthcare Administration

Most public health officials agree that the next pandemic is not a matter of if, but when will it arrive in the United States. And they have been closely watching China and the H7N9 virus. Since March 2013, China has reported human infections from an Asian-lineage avian influenza A virus — H7N9. Annual epidemics of sporadic human infections have occurred there each year, with the latest (the fifth) being the largest to date. Those infected suffer from severe respiratory illness.

Anti-rejection drug helps transplant recipients avoid weight gain

Chelsea Adams Medical & Allied Healthcare

Researchers have determined the new anti-rejection drug Everolimus is easier on the kidneys following a liver transplant, compared to Tacrolimus, the drug that's been routinely prescribed to liver recipients. Everolimus also helps liver recipients avoid weight gain. Both factors are important factors in a patient's post-transplant health and can lead to positive outcomes.

Printed electronics allow technological leap in wearable devices

Adolfo Benedito Engineering

Printed electronics use traditional 3-D printing technologies for the deposition of conductive, semi-conductive and dielectric materials. This eases the development of new flexible electronic components, such as organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells, light-emitting devices (OLED), flexible screens and RFID antennas. These are examples of the numerous developments in organic electronics, which will be able to be printed partially or totally in the coming years.

Violence against nurses caps off National Nurses Week

Joan Spitrey Healthcare Administration

National Nurses Week is a time of fun, festivities, celebrations and socialization. However, this past week's news of tragic, violent situations surrounding nurses and healthcare workers brings much-needed attention to the dirty little secret of violence against healthcare workers.

Study reveals common sunscreen mistakes

Tammy Gibson Recreation & Leisure

When was the last time you went outside for a normal day of activities and actually applied sunscreen first? Have you ever wondered how much sunscreen to use or which brand is better? Dermatologists agree that sunscreen is a great tool for skin cancer prevention — but only if it's used correctly. Here's what you need to know about getting the best sun protection this summer.

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