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America’s sleep deficiency: Resolving the nightmare
Bob Kowalski Mental HealthcareRealizing that Americans are suffering from a lack of sleep is no eye-opener. Just look around classrooms, offices, the car next to you in traffic — the yawns and bleary eyes give it away. In a previous article, we discussed the issues that result from sleep deficiency and the research into the problem plaguing America. The path to our long national nightmare has been complicated, but solutions may be available.
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New study examines anorexia in the brain
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareThe brain needs no introduction; it makes us who we are. And yet, this organ that lets us understand the world understands little about ourselves. Scientists are currently researching the brain in relationship to the eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, a psychiatric disorder of unknown etiology. Although there is still much to learn about anorexia, it is clear that a patient's nervous system, which includes the brain and nerves, is negatively impacted by restrictive behaviors.
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HAI Air Medical Services Committee grapples with drones in their zones
Julie Bernhard Medical & Allied HealthcareIt’s a bird, it’s a plane…no…it’s a drone. What was once a popular theme song for a famous superhero is now signifying another mysterious object in the sky, concerning many EMS helicopter operators and air medics industrywide. At a recent meeting of the HAI Air Medical Services Committee at the 2017 HAI Heli-Expo in Dallas, the group convened to talk publicly about current safety issues, with drones taking front and center.
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New healthcare legislation moves fast in Congress
Joan Spitrey Healthcare AdministrationAs the Trump presidency continues to move through its first 100 days, another campaign promise is beginning to come to fruition — the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act. The replacement healthcare bill, titled "The American Health Care Act," was recently introduced and has now successfully passed a second House committee. The bill will soon move to a full House vote, while Senate leaders are pressing for a Senate vote before Easter break, which starts April 7.
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Mental health concerns among parents of children with heart problems
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareDealing with sick children can be challenging for parents. Usually, parents can handle common short-lived colds, viruses and other childhood illnesses. But parents of children born with serious conditions, such as heart defects, are particularly vulnerable to ongoing stress. A study evaluating emotional distress, depression and quality of life in parents of infants with severe congenital heart defects revealed that parents of these newborns, especially mothers, need psychological support during their children’s hospitalizations.
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The future of expedited drug approvals
Dr. Abimbola Farinde PharmaceuticalThe Trump administration is poised to select a head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who intends change the current process of drug approvals in the U.S. This new process will possibly change the current drug development model that has been used by the FDA for many years. At the prospective forefront of this change are the two candidates vying for the head of the FDA.
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More informatics experience means more money for nurses
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareOne of the great things about the HIMSS Annual Conference and Expo is the amount of research and revelations to come from the organization each February or so. For those who track the day-to-day happenings of healthcare, HIMSS provides a cornucopia of information and an Easter basket full of goodies in regard to data that’s ready for consumption. New research from HIMSS' analytics arm shows a bit more insight into the working world of caregivers throughout the world’s health systems.
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Are fitness trackers doing more harm than good?
Noelle Talmon Sports & FitnessFitness trackers from Fitbit, Garmin, and other manufacturers are big business. Millions of the devices are sold each year to help people monitor their physical activities and their number of calories burned. But how effective are they in actually improving an individual's health? According to Dr. Greg Hager, an expert in computer science at Johns Hopkins University, users should be particularly aware of devices that track people’s steps and advise them to walk 10,000 steps a day, which equals about five miles.
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Protect your nursing brand on social media
Keith Carlson Healthcare AdministrationNurses use social media just like any other members of the workforce. As a nurse, how you use social media can have an impact on personal branding, so it's important to maintain awareness of your virtual presence and your position within the online world of professional nursing.
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America’s sleep deficiency: When you can’t snooze, you lose
Bob Kowalski Mental HealthcareAmericans seem to be closing their eyes to a problem that's growing, despite exhaustive research into the ramifications. It's time to wake up and smell the coffee: We don't get enough sleep. Insufficient sleep has been declared a "public health problem" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which attributed an increased risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, depression, cancer and reduced productivity to a shortage of shut-eye.
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