Thursday, November 27, 2008

Simulation in Nursing Education


The Journal of Nursing Education: TOC Nov 2008
access through our EBSCO CINAHL full text database ~ link in sidebar.

1. A unique simulation teaching method.
2. Creating a nursing simulation laboratory: a literature review.
3. Critical thinking among RN-to-BSN distance students participating in human patient simulation.
4. Development of human patient simulation programs: achieving big results with a small budget.
5. Framework for adopting a problem-based learning approach in a simulated clinical setting.
6. Integration of high-fidelity patient simulation in an undergraduate pharmacology course.
7. Nursing students as television show consultants: media use for case studies.
8. Simulating health promotion in an online environment.
9. Simulation.
10. Simulator effects on cognitive skills and confidence levels.
11. Standardized patients: a creative teaching strategy for psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner students.

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Friday, November 21, 2008

The 32nd Annual Great American Smokeout

Approximately 43.4 million (1 in 5) US adults are current smokers, and smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke results in approximately 443,000 premature deaths in the US annually. But this needn't be the case.
November 20 —marks the beginning of the Great American Smokeout, an annual event that encourages smokers to quit for at least one day in the hope that this might challenge them to quit permanently and to raise awareness of the many effective ways to quit for good. Additional help & information on MedlinePlus.
Update: A recent study shows that fewer than 1 in 10 nurses now smoke!

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Friday, November 14, 2008

PEARLS – Practical Evidence About Real Life Situations

"PEARLS are succinct summaries of Cochrane Systematic Reviews for primary care practitioners – developed by the Cochrane Primary Care Field, New Zealand Branch of the Australasian Cochrane Centre at the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Auckland and funded by the New Zealand Guidelines Group.

PEARLS provide guidance on whether a treatment is effective or ineffective. PEARLS are prepared as an educational resource and do not replace clinician judgment in the management of individual cases."

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Thursday, November 13, 2008

Diseases & Disorders: A Nursing Therapeutics Manual

Diseases and Disorders: A Nursing Therapeutics Manual, 3rd Edition, 2006 allows nurses to quickly find over 250 medical conditions frequently encountered in nursing practice. Each description contains concise information about the disease, assessment including laboratory diagnostics, treatment with medication rationale, and information for discharge planning. Additionally, there is a new section in this edition entitled "Genetic Considerations" which will assist practitioners in considering what individual genetic factors may exist and the possible effect they may have on the disease process. Diseases and Disorders will help nurses effectively plan nursing care.
To access this ebook login to the Nursing Reference Center [link in sidebar] and click on the tab called 'Practice Resources'.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Dengue Watch on St. Kitts

With almost 50 reported cases of Dengue Fever in St. Maarten and a few cases confirmed in St. Kitts, it is important for everyone to take measures now to prevent the further spread of this infectious disease!
Dengue viruses are mosquito-borne, transmitted during the mosquitos feeding process. The disease is NOT transmitted human-to-human! Kill the mosquitos and you kill the dengue virus!

Notes for Healthcare Professionals:

Classic Dengue Fever or "break bone fever"
is characterized by acute onset of high fever, 3-14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Patients develop frontal headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgias, arthralgias, nausea, vomiting, and often a maculopapular rash. Many patients notice a change in taste sensation. Acute symptoms, when present, usually last about 1 week, but weakness, malaise, and anorexia may persist for several weeks. A high proportion of infections produce no or minimal symptoms, especially in children. Treatment emphasizes relief of symptoms, avoiding aspirin and other non steroidal anti-inflamatory medications and encouraging oral fluid intake. Yellow Fever can be distinguished from Dengue by the presence of jaundice.

Nov 28/08 UPDATE: Dengue confirmed

"The public is being asked to assist with eradication of dengue-carrying mosquitoes after blood tests sent to the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) in Barbados confirmed there are over two dozen positive cases of dengue fever in St. Kitts/Nevis...It is further reported that notifications of clinical cases continue to be received at the Ministry’s Health Information Unit which means that the mosquito that spreads the dengue viruses remains highly active."

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Wednesday, November 05, 2008

NCCN Updates Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer

"NCCN announces new updates to the NCCN Guidelines for Colon and Rectal Cancers. The updates include recommendations to the pre-treatment work-up and use of anti-cancer agents in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer depending on the status of the tumor’s KRAS gene. The changes are based on recent studies demonstrating that the tumor KRAS gene status is highly predictive of outcome with certain therapies."

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