Pageviews

Pages

Wednesday 20 June 2012

Prosopagnosia

Greek: Prosopon = face, agnosia = fear of

Fear of being in crowds and an impaired ability to identify people by means of face recognition.

Thursday 14 June 2012

The Nursing and Midwifery Council

http://www.nmc-uk.org/

Hi everyone,

I thought I would just let you all have a link to the website of the Nursing and Mid-Wifery Council in case you were interested.

It has a number of articles and quite a lot of information on what is going on in the health and social care sector. I hope you will find it of interest.

Should you find any of the articles on there of interest and wish to write something about it, then please do just give me a buzz, send me your views with the link to the article they relate to and I will have it published on the blog once I have looked at it and proof read it. It will be puclished under the name provided to me by you, unless you state otherwise.

Friday 8 June 2012

https://www.discovernursing.com/

This website have free promotional items about the fullfilling  profession of being a nurse, explainations on the different speciality nurses that are out there, and more.

Study Stack

I've come across a fantastic website called Study Stack. It's a free website where you can make your own online flash card to quiz yourself on topics before your exam. You can make your own flashcards, or use other people flash cards that they have made. Not only that , you could also take your flashcard data and use it in other ways such as hangman, fill in the blank, etc.

So go to www.studystack.com, and give it a try!

Friday 1 June 2012

Diabetes symptoms in women


The diabetes symptoms in women sometimes times vary depending on the condition of the patient. It’s important that women know and understand these diabetes symptoms. Once a woman knows and understands these diabetes symptoms then they can be on a look out for those symptoms and get treated for them as soon as possible. Listed below are a few of the diabetes symptoms in women. This is just a short list of all the symptoms that a woman might have if they are possibly diabetic.
  • Thirsty and wanting to drink a lot. This is one of the symptoms that tend to be very common. Women who often get this way should not avoid having some water and should get something to drink even if they just had a drink a few minutes ago.
  • Women often urinate more and this could be as a result of drinking a lot and also as a result of diabetes. This is one of the most common diabetes symptoms in women.
  • Some women might experience weight loss or either weight gain. During this time they could also experience extreme hunger or either a decrease in appetite.
  • Visual problems might occur.
  • Women might feel the loss of sensation in their hands or their feet.
  • The blood circulation might be poor.
  • Diabetes symptoms in women even include infections and sores might take a long time to heal.
  • Yeast Infection, a very common diabetes symptoms in women.
  • Extreme fatigue in the day and night time hours.
  • Dry Mouth
  • Vaginal infections might become frequent.
  • Vomiting
  • Skin might become itchy around or in the vaginal area.
Call a doctor right away whenever you are feeling weak, nauseated or if you are very thirsty because it’s a known fact that these are a part of the diabetes symptoms in women. When you are starting to urinate a lot or having pain in the abdominal area then the doctor should be notified. Sometimes patients might experience problems with breathing, when they experience rapid or slow breathing doctor should be contacted as soon as possible as it could be a very serious part of diabetes symptoms in women.
Some other diabetes symptoms in women that might be very serious include fainting spells, weakness, rapid heartbeat, sweating that is excessive, hunger, trembling often or either feeling drowsy. When these diabetes symptoms in women appear they might also be developing hypoglycemia which is termed as low blood sugar. Some time’s women need to eat a snack or drink something that is a carbohydrate rich to prevent further complications. It is only good to have this kind of snack after the doctor has confirmed what kind of condition you have. If you have a snack with a lot of carbohydrates in them and might not this condition hypoglycaemia then it could cause other problems to arise.
In order to confirm that you have diabetes the doctors just do simple tests and within just a couple of weeks and some time, much sooner can confirm if you are diabetic or not and once they have confirmed this, they might run other tests to see what kind of treatment you need to have and if you should or should not be on possible medications for your diabetes. Women must talk with their doctor about their diabetes symptoms and find out if they have diabetes or not.

Friday 25 May 2012

Nursing Home Background Checks

Nursing Home Background Checks

Free Public Records FamilyLink.com/Free+Public+Records 4,000,000,000+ Names. Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce. 3-Day Free Trial
Care Diplomas Levels 2-5 AccessSkills.co.uk Provide your staff with valuable skills. UK wide. Funding available.
Avoid Care Homes Fees www.Care-Fees-Recovery.co.uk Complete our online Enquiry Form to claim back nursing homes fees

Nursing home background checks have become compulsory. An applicant seeking employment into a nursing home needs to undergo a series of background checks, which is carried out by the employer. These checks are carried out for the safety of the safety and well being of residents of nursing home. Laws and regulations passed have made such checks mandatory in many states in the US. According to the law, an applicant may refer to a person seeking employment in a nursing home, a present employee of a nursing home who seeks a promotion in the capacity or an individual referred by a provisional agency to a nursing home. Similarly, nursing home refers to supported living amenities, intermediate care amenities for people with mental retardation, vicinity group homes, family care homes and rest residential amenities.
The laws relating to the hiring of applicants have become extremely stringent with an increase in the rate of crime against the inhabitants of these nursing homes who often tend to be a soft target for such criminals. The law states that no employer who runs a nursing home or a management company or other business entity that commits to operate a nursing home may hire or employ any applicant without getting hold of a report of the person's entire criminal history record. This may be obtained from the State Bureau of Identification. Similarly no agency, comprising but not restricted to temporary employment agencies, may refer an applicant to a nursing home without obtaining a report of the person's entire criminal history record from the State Bureau of Identification. The employer must instantaneously dismiss any employee upon notification of the employee's conviction of any disqualifying crime. An employer who employs an applicant for without conducting suitable checks shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $1,000 or more than $5,000 for each violation.
A nursing home is a place where generally sick, aged or handicapped patients reside in order to receive adequate treatment. These patients tend to form easy prey for criminals who take advantage of their disability.
Background Checks provides detailed information on Background Checks, Criminal Background Checks, Employment Background Checks, Online Background Checks and more. Background Checks is affiliated with Criminal Background Search.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Valentino

Thursday 24 May 2012

Update: authors and guest authors

Just thought I would drop you all a line to say that if you want to contribute, please go to the CONTACT page and leave your email, or email the email provided (blog3cn@live.co.uk).
Should you wish to be a guest author, you may also send articles to the above email address.
Submissions will be checked and will only be published if approved.


Have a nice day, and for those of you doing exams, Best Wishes. :)

IVF for gay couples on the NHS

I was watching the news this morning and they were discussing the issue of IVF for gay couples on the NHS. From what I have heard, they are proposing that gay couples would be able to have one cycle on the NHS, allowing artificial insemination for lesbians and a surrogate mother to carry the child of male gay couples. Although some see this as a break through and great news, it may also be seen as a strain on the NHS. There were also discussions of the NHS no longer treating patients on the basis of medical need, but on "human rights" like gay couples wanting to have children. Some people argue that the case for gay couples wanting children does not consitute a biological inability to have children, and so priority should not be given to them. Others say it is their "right" to have children, not be discriminated against because they are attracted to the same sex. Now with local authorities managing the budget, it will be interesting to see what proportion of tax revenue passed on the NHS will be used for this treatment and how successful it will be.

On the other hand, if there wasn't IVF, we wouldn't have this problem! The fact there is now IVF, and that heterosexual couples can get it on the NHS means that you cannot consistently argue that gay couples should not be given the same treatment and have a cycle on the NHS as well. This complicates matters and so there is not really much point in debating this as on one hand, IVF for more eligible parties means more strain on the NHS, but on the other hand, heterosexual and homosexual couples should be treated the same and equally as we are all human. Frnakly, in my opinion, the NHS should be treating people according to medical needs first, before things like IVF which tend not to pose an immediate life or death situation.

Different fields of nursing (source: Buzzle.com)

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/different-fields-of-nursing.html

Different Fields of Nursing

These extensive fields of nursing are promising enough to provide a large scope of career opportunities to people interested in health activities and specialities. Have a go at them
For those who still think that a nurse does nothing but hand over the instruments to the doctor, let me tell you that nursing today involves direct patient health care such as providing medications, administration, management, and research. Careers in nursing are getting more and more sought after as population in U.S. continues to age. Skilled nurses who have highly acknowledged education and training adorning their profiles have a wide range of career opportunities in front of them. All thanks to the health care options which have widened the horizons of the already conventional prerequisites for nursing with time passing by. Nursing is thought of as a fairly challenging career which requires persistence and determination. What's more, if one is looking forward to making a career in one of the fields of nursing, it is essential for them to be a critical thinker, with fair interpersonal skills, and a strong background in science or mathematics.

The many areas in nursing offer a wide range of opportunities to those interested in health care. Nurses can practise independently, or at a renowned hospital on a full-time basis. From providing focused care and assistance to the patients, responsibilities of a nurse can vary from an entry-level practitioner to a doctoral-level researcher. So, what are the various fields of nursing? What are the different types of nursing careers that are highly lucrative? Here's giving a brief layout of the many areas in the field of nursing where a nursing aspirant can work in.

Specialisations in Nursing

For choosing a nursing speciality, it is essential to understand the nursing scenario. In other words, let us first understand which specialisations are nurses operational on.

Hospital Nursing
When you think of hospital nursing, a female clad in a white uniform with a tray full of medicines comes to your mind, isn't it? Well, astonishingly, it is much more than that. Hospital nursing involves a wide variety of medical jobs. From hands-on patient care to assisting doctors, from management of hospital processes to training newbie nurses, hospital nursing is full of career opportunities for the ones interested in health activities.

Community Nursing
Community nursing is a better option in terms of specialisation as in this field, nurses can pick and choose the type of patients they prefer to work with. They choose to work in the home health care industry, and hence, it is naturally easier for them to enjoy flexibility in scheduling. A community nurse is responsible for following a treatment procedure proposed by a doctor, and performing relevant medical methods.

School Nursing
A school nurse is responsible for taking care of students' health in schools. They deliver medications as prescribed by doctors, and offer first-aid to those who get injured. Moreover, they also teach students the basics of health care. Salary of a school nurse can range well between USD 45,000 and USD 75,000.

Medical Assistance
Medical assistance is another specialisation of nursing where nurses are responsible for managing patients, schedule, and setting up referrals. Doctors prefer hiring nurses for their assistance in their personal clinics and nursing homes. It is there that nurses can offer assistance to the clinic on a part-time basis, after working all day in a hospital.

Fields of Nursing

Considering the above four specialisations of nursing that open gates for numerous lucrative jobs, this section will help us understand the many areas of nursing where nurses can offer services in the above sectors of health care.

Field of NursingProfile
Emergency NursingNurses in this field work with emergency cases.
Paediatric NursingNursing of little babies, teenagers, etc. is the responsibility of a paediatric nurse. A master's degree in nursing is one of the most basic paediatric nurse requirements. A neonatal nurse practitioner has a somewhat similar job.
Anaesthetist NursingProvision of anaesthesia to surgical, obstetrical, and trauma patients is a job of a nurse anaesthetist. This is said to be one of the most lucrative careers in the U.S., considering the mind-blowing salary figures of nurse anaesthetists.
Ambulatory Care NursingNursing in this field involves taking care of illnesses in patients periodically, which can be outside the hospital.
Geriatric NursingTaking care of old people, either at hospital or at the patients' homes is the job of a geriatric nurse.
Agency NursingA highly sought after job, agency nursing involves a nurse's registration with an agency where he/she can provide services in flexibility of specialisation as well as time preferences, etc.
Midwife NursingAll processes associated with childbirth come under this field of nursing. A midwife nurse is responsible for taking care of the expecting mother.
Military NursingNurses who are responsible for treating army personnel are called military nurses. A military nurse can also work in a military hospital.
Cardiac Care NursingNurses who take care of patients suffering from heart diseases are called cardiac care nurses.
Case Management NursingPatients who require a long-term treatment for their illnesses like cancer, tumour, etc. seek assistance from case management nurses who regularly pay visits to the patient, thereby, providing them with proper medication and assistance all throughout their recovery.
Forensic NursingNurses providing medication to victims of crime, and patients in prison, etc. are called forensic nurses.
Urology NursingAll specialities such as infertility, oncology, sexual glitches, lithotripsy are responsibilities of a urological nurse.
Legal NursingLegal nurses make use of the legal system along with nursing to review medical papers, documents, etc. for attorneys and lawyers.
Gastroenterology NursingNurses working under this field take care of patients who suffer from all problems associated with gastroenterology.
Dermatology NursingFor taking care of all problems and diseases associated with the skin, dermatology nurses specialise in this field of nursing.
Women HealthFor all illnesses and problems associated with women's health, this field of nursing has a wide scope. Fields such as reproduction, OB/GYN, mammography, etc. are addressed.

While above were some of the most sought after fields of nursing, following is a list of a few more nursing domains that a health care aspirant can browse through:
  • Advance Practise Registered Nursing
  • Clinical Nursing
  • Developmental Disability Nursing
  • Diabetes Nursing
  • Genetics Nursing
  • HIV/AIDS Nursing
  • Haematology Nursing
  • Perinatal Nursing
  • Radiology Nursing
  • Surgical Nursing
  • Transplant Nursing
  • Perioperative Nursing
  • Vocational Nursing
Above was a fleeting glimpse of the different fields of nursing and health care. For aspirants ready to work in a challenging, terse, yet rewarding environment, nursing is the most suited career option for them. What's more, the terrific salary range of a nurse contributes to one of the highest salaries in the U.S. However, with increasing experience, opportunities will also increase. After all, nursing is about taking care of all right from their birth to the old age!
By
Last Updated: 9/28/2011

Monday 21 May 2012

Alternative Med Dictionary (Source: http://maxenurse.wordpress.com/)

Alternative Medical Dictionary

Definitions of words and origins of sayings have always fascinated me. So I think it’s time we compiled a ever growing medical dictionary.
As promised I’ve crfeatesd a page for this so it can grow forever…Please add a comment and include your own definitions. Go on you might just enjoy it!!! (Why do I bother? I can see that lack of enthusiasm glazing over your face. Go on just think of one!!! They’ve got to be better than some of the corny ones below!!)


Amenorrhoea :
1: [Amen-hurray-arr] Meaning: So be it, thank goodness, a celebration of no longer having periods, followed by the realisation that you are about to have a hot flush.

2: [Ay-men-aroun
'-'ere]. A condition of absent period that can be induced by pregnancy, derived from the old Anglo-Saxon expression used by fathers who discover that there daughters are pregnant. “Aye? You’ve ‘ad a man around ‘ere!”

Cardiologist [Cardy-ologist]: A specialist in the field of button fronted knit wear.

Cerebro-vascular Accident [CVA]: The Stroke Association states a CVA “happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off and brain cells are damaged or die”. I’d like to clarify when they say “cut off”, they mean blocked and not amputated. Having the blood supply to your brain amputated is likely to cause one hell of a headache, really you’d need the police, a lawyer and not to mention one rather good neurosurgeon! The use of the word Accident also needs clarification, you can’t have a “Cerebro-vascular did it on purpose”.

Chlamydia: [clam-mid-ye-ha] Sexual infection that won’t spread if you clammed up you mid area.

Diarrhoea: [dire-rear] Something bad is happening to your rear.

Gonorrhoea: [goner-here] A sexual infection suggesting that someone that came has now gone and left something with you.

Macroscopic: [Macro-skop-ik] See “microscopic” but bigger.

Mastitis: [Mass- tit-tes] An infection of the breasts that makes you have a mass of the titties.

Microscopic: [My-crow-skop-ik]: A red tit, not to be confused with the blue tit found on a hypothermic patient

Sphygmomanometer. [S-fig-mo-nom-o-metre]: Truly a brilliant word, firstly if you ignore the false vowel (“y”- (y not?)). It has a full 6 letters before it reaches a proper vowel! Definition: Well the “meter” bit means obviously that it measures something. So it obviously measures “sphygmomano’s”, which are the amount of male mummies in a Sphinx. Doh!

Stroke: [st-r-oke!] Something you can do to a cat even if only one half of you body works. See also Cerebro-vascular Accident.

Syphilis: [sieve-a-list] A sexual infection in which the sexual health clinic will have to sieve through a list of all you sexual conquests and ring them up to let them know what you’ve shared with them.

Tinnitis: [Tin-ear-tis and not Tit-te-ness as my elderly relative used to call it] A noise in the ear that can be tinny.

Vaginosis: [Vag-he-noses] A vaginal infection that smells to the extent your boyfriend might notice.

Head to Toe Assessment

It is possible to do head to toe assessment in less than 5 minutes without missing anything along the way. Start from the head and end at the toes and you'll be sure you don't miss anything.

1. level of consciousness (LOC) : is this person alert? drowsy? lethargic?
2. Head
  • Head: check for any abrasions, lice, bumps, etc
  • eyes: check for PERRLA (Pupils Equal and Round and Reactive to Light and Accomodation)
  • nose
  • mouth
check inside the mouth for any mouth sores 
3. Neck  
  • lymph node ( is it swollen?)
  • jugular vein distention ( JVD)
4.  Arms
  • Cap refill ( fingernails; does it refill in 3 secs. or less?)
  • hand grip 
  • radial pulse
  • ROM, strength
5. chest
  • respiration (shallow?regular?irregular? normal respiratory rate: 12-20 breaths per min)
  • skin turgor( does the skin tent up? to assess patient's hydration status)
  • apical pulse( left mid clavicular, 5th intercostal space.)
  • lung sounds
6. abdomen
  • abdominal exam ( bowel sound) : inspect, auscultate, palate.
  • BM
  • Pain
7. GU
  • bladder distention
8. Legs 
  • pedal pulse (check dorsalis pedis)
  • edema
  • Homan's sign ( ask patient to dorsiflex their feet while you hold their calf. If sharp pain is present, there's a possible deep vein thrombosis)
  • cap refill . ( for the toenails)
  •  ROM

* Throughout the assessment process, inspect the skin.

Sunday 20 May 2012

Need help With Basic Math?

For med math, you have to know how to do the basic math such as adding fractions, subtracting fractions, decimals, percents, ratios and so on.  I know for me  it's been a while since I  touch basic math so I need to review them. Luckily, there's a good website called Khan Academy that has videos on how to do these things.

http://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/basic-ratios-proportions

They also have how to convert temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit and vice versa.

It's a great website, so come and take a look at it.

Friday 18 May 2012

Thinking about nursing?: NHS bursaries

What is an NHS bursary?
A bursary is an annual payment awarded to assist with day to day living costs while you are studying. It also includes the cost of your tuition fees for the course you wish to attend. A bursary is not subject to income tax deductions or national insurance contributions. There are two types of bursary available, depending on which course you are undertaking. These are either income-assessed or non-income assessed.
The income-assessed bursary is calculated using either your own, your parents’ income, or that of your spouse, civil partner or your partner, if appropriate.

The non-income assessed bursary provides a flat rate basic maintenance grant and no contribution is required from your income or that your family.

In addition to the standard bursary, students may also be entitled to apply for further allowances such as: Help with childcare costs (See FAQ 12 for more information)

Dependents Allowance (See FAQ 10 for more information)
 
Parent Learning Allowance See FAQ 11 for more information)

Help with practice placement expenses (See FAQ 14 for more information)
 
Disabled Students’ Allowances (See FAQ 13 for more information)

You can also use our on-line bursary calculator - to get an estimate of how much help you could get. (Click the link on our home page)

Who is eligible?
To be eligible to apply for NHS financial support, you must be accepted for an NHS funded place on a full or part-time course which leads to professional registration as a:

  • doctor or dentist (you will be eligible for an NHS Bursary during the latter stages of your pre-registration training). Information regarding Tuition Fees for new medical / dental students commencing courses in the 2012/13 academic year can be found here
  • chiropodist (including podiatrist), dietician, occupational therapist, orthoptist, physiotherapist, prosthetist, and orthotist, radiographer, audiologist or a speech and language therapist
  • dental hygienist or dental therapist
  • nurse, midwife or operating department practitioner (degree course)
  • nurse, midwife or operating department practitioner (diploma course)

You may be eligible for an NHS Bursary even if you have already had public funding for higher education. If you have previously had an NHS Bursary and wish to switch professions, you may also be eligible.

NHS Bursaries are not intended for:

Registered first level nurses seeking a second registration in nursing;

OR

Registered midwives seeking a second registration in midwifery,

For example: if you are a qualified adult nurse and you are seeking to complete a branch programme in mental health nursing you would not be entitled to a Bursary, but you could approach your employer to see if they are prepared to fund the training.

OR;

Registered health care professionals wishing to undertake post registration training courses.

The NHS Bursary package differs from the support available to non-NHS students who are supported through the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) student support arrangements. It is therefore important that students considering healthcare professional training do not refer to DIUS publications, (with the exception of medical and dental students who should refer to DIUS student support information in the earlier part of their training).

If you attend a course in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, broadly comparable arrangements will apply, but you will need to consult the relevant national authorities for details as NHS Student Bursaries will not be able to administer your funding.

Medical and dental students whose country of residence is England are supported through the NHS Bursary Scheme during the later stages of their training irrespective of which home country their medical school is situated in. However, medical and dental students living in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland should consult the relevant national authorities.

Residency Requirements

For information about the residency requirements that would determine your eligibility to receive NHS Bursary funding please click the 'Residency' link below.

Medical and Dental Students

For detailed information regarding NHS Bursary funding for medical and dental courses please click the 'Medical and Dental Students' link below.


Seconded or Sponsored (Assisted) Students

For information about students undertaking NHS Courses who are also in receipt of funding from another source (eg employer) please click the 'Seconded or Sponsored (Assisted) Students' link below.




How to apply?

The NHS Bursary Application Procedure

DipHE and Degree level students entering their first year

To apply for an NHS bursary, including any additional allowances, you must be offered either a conditional or unconditional place on an NHS funded course at a University or Higher Education Institution in England.

Shortly afterwards, your university will pass your personal details to NHS Student Bursaries and we will send you a letter or email which will notify you how to create your own personal online account which you will then use to make an application for an NHS Bursary.

Medical or dental students who were not eligible to apply in a previous academic year

Your university will send the details of all medical and dental students who will be eligible to apply for NHS funding from the forthcoming academic year. From this information you will then be sent an e-mail which provides information on where to obtain the relevant application form from this website.

NB: You do not need to insert a reference number when completing the bursary application form – this will be allocated to your record once you have submitted your application.

Continuing students

If you have already been in receipt of an NHS bursary for a previous academic year or years, you will be sent an email/letter before the start of the next academic reminding you that you now need to reapply for this. Please follow the instructions on the letter which informs you how to either apply online or complete a hard copy application. Details of each process are available on the following link.

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students/3264.aspx

At this time new and continuing students who have been invited to apply should create an account and complete an online application via the Bursary Online Support System (BOSS).
The BOSS system will be unavailable between 12pm and 1pm on Thursday 14 June 2012. During this hour essential maintenance will be performed.

Only students invited to apply online should create an account and complete an application via the Bursary Online Support System (BOSS). Over the next few weeks we will be inviting students whose forthcoming academic year commences from June to October 2012 to apply in this way.

Students who are currently in their final course year and who are expected to complete their course in January and February 2013 must not complete an online application and should make their application by completing a hard copy application form which is available on our website.

If you have already made an online Bursary registration or firm application via the Bursary Online Support System (BOSS) please note that the barcode cover sheet address, has now changed.

All evidence to support your claim should be now sent with the barcode cover sheet to:

NHS Student Bursaries
Ridgway House
Northgate Close
Middlebrook
Horwich
Bolton
BL6 6PQ

Please note, BOSS only supports Internet Explorer 7 (or later) or Firefox. You may encounter problems using other browsers.

Forms: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students/3266.aspx



Where to find more information?

NHS Business Services Authority
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/

Or email me with your questions:
blog3cn@live.co.uk

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Update: new contributors

Hi everyone,

I thought I would just let you know about two of our new contributors.

Criane is from Lebanon and is a social worker and has an interest in health care and will be posting things mainly on Lebanon and things there.

Sherylene is from the Philippines and is a nursing student. She will be posting things to do with her experiences and thoughts about nursing as well as other things.

We are waiting on some responses from a few more nursing students and nurses who may wish to contribute. If you would like to as well, then please leave a comment and a bit about yourself on the contact page.

Wishing you good health and a good day!

Lebanon's elderly and more...

Source: Criane looked this up online in Lebanon.


Lebanon's elderly population is estimated to exceed 10% by 2025 (Sibai,

et al., 2004).




Many elderly are now living alone because of greater emigration among young

people, decreased mortality rates, major breakthroughs in healthcare and social

change among the young. It is expected that a greater demand for elderly nursing

homes and subsidized care will be needed in the face of elderly demographic changes.

Worldwide interest in successful ageing is now concerned with how to maintain

people in homes or the community (Jones and Peters, 1992). The demand for

adequate healthcare in either private, charity, non-profit and publicly funded homes,

plays a major role in providing elderly care in Lebanon. Such needs include economic

maintenance, psychosocial and health related aspects. Thus, our study assesses the

institution status by incorporating structures, processes and skills before relating them

to wellbeing. Our purpose was to improve elderly quality of life including autonomy,

cognitive, nutritional and psychological states.

Elderly healthcare services have been a powerful ingredient for national

healthcare policy decision makers. The basic assumption for any future policy

underscores elderly peoples’ quality of life and the progress from dependency to

independency and wellbeing. We consider two main perspectives; first, medical

intervention for the purpose of elderly longevity and second, bio-psychological, which

takes account of biological, psychological and social wellbeing. This latter

perspective reflects generally the policy “faithfully” outlined by the World Health

Organization (WHO, 1993) and considers promoting a healthy living and lifestyle

changes in elderly care nursing homes (ENH) by nutritional, physical and

psychological support programmes (O'Boyle, 1997). There are however, considerable

debates about what succeeds and what policy makers will decide for the betterment of

elderly lives.

Work experience...

Just thought I would post a little bit on work experience...

I was talking to a friend today and was asking her about work experience and what would really give a good taste into working nursing life. She said she would probably advise against care homes as it tends not to be a good representation of nursing, and hospices, although useful may be a rather "emotional" experience. Probably the best experience you can get is in a hospital as this would give you a taster of nursing.

Nursing isn't just about working in wards. Some nurses work in theatres, communities and other places too. It is useful to explore the different types of nursing before choosing a course or starting a job.

Nursing Careers: Different types (source: Buzzle.com)

Nurses are healthcare professionals who take care of sick people. Though doctors diagnose patients and recommend effective treatment options, it is the nurses who look after the patients till they regain their health. Nursing is always considered to be a limited field where nurses work as assistants to the doctors. However, even in nursing there are many career options and specialisations. There are different courses for each specialisation and the salary of nurses depend on the career that they opt for. Every country or state has different nursing courses. Before starting a career in nursing, one has to research well about the different types of nursing careers.

Different Types of Nursing Careers

Registered Nurse
Registered nurse is the most popular career option in nursing. Registered nurses work in hospitals, clinics, schools, etc., and assist doctors in treating patients. They have a bachelor's degree or diploma in nursing. The advantage of becoming a registered nurse is that one can choose from a variety of specialisations in the field of nursing.

Licensed Practical Nurses
These nurses provide the basic care to the patients and work under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians. They take the basic details of the patients like blood pressure, temperature, perform CPR, give basic care and medications, before the doctor does the main examination.

Advanced Practice Nurses
These are registered nurses with a master's degree and advanced knowledge and skills. These nurses work in critical health care sectors like mental health care, or they may work as nurse practitioners and specialists.

Types of Specialisation

In the table below, I have tried to give you a broad overview of specialities that the nurses can undertake. This list, however, is not comprehensive as there are a lot of branches in these specialities as well.

Nursing SpecialisationDescription
Agency NurseHere the nurse joins a agency and according to their availability and type of work, they are sent to work on shifts.
AnaesthesiaThese nurses work with different health care practitioners to provide anaesthesia during surgeries or when needed by the patient.
Ambulatory CareThese are the OPD nurses that tend to patients who are in hospital for a day or less.
Cardiac CareThese nurses work for the cardiac patients specially.
Emergency NursingRegistered nurses can specialise in emergency nursing where they have to work with emergency cases. To become an emergency nurse, along with a certificate in emergency nursing, a person also needs to be a quick thinker and possess the ability to diagnose the problems of patients in emergency situations.
Forensic NurseThese nurses provide care to crime victims, help to collect evidences and even administer care to patients in prison.
Geriatric NursingGeriatric nurses have to work with old people, that includes treating as well as taking care of them. They can work at hospitals or at the patient's home. Nurses who want to specialise in this area should have the patience and capability of dealing with aged people who would have a number of diseases and may be bedridden too.
Oncology NursingOncology nursing is where a nurse is involved with the treatment of cancer patients. An oncology nurse gets an opportunity to work with cancer specialists and needs to be with the patient through each stage of cancer treatment.
Midwife NursingMidwife nursing involves dealing with the childbirth process. Midwife nurses are given special training for this job and are also responsible for pre-natal and post-natal care of the mother and child. They help in delivering babies, either at home or in hospitals and should possess the ability to deal with any complications that may arise during childbirth.
Military NursingMilitary nurses are those who treat the injured soldiers during war times. They should have the experience and ability of working in emergency situations without getting panicky. Along with this, military nurses are also expected to work in military hospitals.
Paediatric NursingPaediatric nurses are involved with little babies, children and teenagers. They are responsible for the total healthcare of the child. They also have to deal with the family members of the children under their care.
Perioperative NurseThese nurses help the surgeon during surgical operations. In rural areas, they are responsible for total patient care.
Travel NurseThese nurses are sent all over the country on assignments where their specialisation is needed. They are given accommodation and travel benefits and also earn a higher salary due to the nature of their job.

The nursing field is a vast arena with different types of nursing careers. Though the field of nursing is very interesting, people thinking about a career in this field should be prepared to endure physical as well as emotional stress. However, it is a job that would give a person the satisfaction of helping fellow human beings.
By
Last Updated: 12/9/2011
Nursing Visit The Open University™ Online & Find Out More About Our Courses! www.open-university.co.uk
Prison Nurse Jobs Search the latest jobs in nursing. Register free & apply online today. NursingTimesJobs.com
Elderly care in the home Live life your way with supported elderly care TheGoodCareGroup.com
Lung Cancer Don't Ignore the Signs. Visit Your Doctor Today And Be Clear On Cancer www.NHS.uk/LungCancer
Nursing Homes Care Exceptional Care As Standard. Affordable Residential Care. aspmanagementservices.co.uk
Practice Nurse Jobs Shifts available for Practice Nurse and Nurse Practitioners, UK Wide www.chase-medical.com
Ask a Ask Nurses Now A Ask Nurses Will Answer You Now! Questions Answered Every 9 Seconds. Health.JustAnswer.com

4 main types of nursing...

Adult Nursing


Child Nursing


Mental Health Nursing


Learning Disability Nursing


For more information on these types of nursing, please watch this space! :)

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Awareness: May: Arthritis month

Just thought I would drop a quick line to let you all know that May is Arthritis Awareness Month, in case you weren't already aware of it.

Let me know if you want more information on arthritis. Comment below.

More feed via Twitter #rcncongress

Ali Handscomb@AliHandscomb
Not keen when the word research is bandied about. What research where? Flu = virus it mutates no jab will be comprehensive.





Jenni middleton@nursingtimesed
Is Staying Alive the appropriate tune to vote to on whether to make flu jabs compulsory? Someone has a sense of humour





Ali Handscomb@AliHandscomb
Now playing Staying Alive for the Flu Jab vote!




craig zeital@czeital
15 steps very popular at most copies gone but you can still get a link for your free copy stand




RCN Publishing@RCNPublishing
The flu jab resolution proves controversial because of 'poor wording' over compulsion. Defeated 90.61% for 9.39% against



The RCN@theRCN
Item 12, 'Flu jabs for all?' VOTED AGAINST, 4 in favour (9.39%), 386 against (90.61%).




Matthew Browning@MatthewBrowning




dalethewhale@dalewootton1
Aru students day at congress is over home time now thank to all came




Nursing Times@NursingTimes
RT Fees row between RCN and global nursing federation

More feed via Twitter #rcncongress

Made Incredibly Easy@incredibly_easy
"Miliband commits to national nursing pay - but not to saving pensions"



Jenni middleton@nursingtimesed
Should it be compulsory or just the offer of a flu jab? They're debating it now at . What do you think?



RCN Publishing@RCNPublishing
Geoff Tompson commissioners need to work out how to ensure non-NHS staff get vaccine for free



Ali Handscomb@AliHandscomb
Important issue Flu jabs, but am feeling a little tired now. Agree with Linda Bailey let's refer it to Council.


Gerry Bolger@GerryBolger
Should flu jabs be free for all, as currently not for students?


RCN Publishing@RCNPublishing
anthony mcgeown: nurses should have the choice to have the flu jab or not


Is it a student nurse's duty to have the seasonal flu jab?


More feed via Twitter #rcncongress

Focus Games Ltd @InfectionGame
Infection Control is everyone's business, come to stand C107 to find out how the IC game can benefit you.



RCN Publishing@RCNPublishing
debating flu jabs for all NHS staff Tracey Risebow proposes healthcare workerz should have jab to protect patients



Gerry Bolger@GerryBolger
'We can collectively make a difference to our image as nurses with the media' key message from item 11



Kate @MacMoomin
: The profession where joy and sadness come in equal measure. Nursing. This is nursing. ”: )

Twitter #rcncongress

Clive Peedell@cpeedell
We welcome nurses at to join new National Health Action party to defend NHS against coalition privatisation and cuts




RT RCN votes that "the NHS is not safe in Andrew Lansley's hands"




RCN Publishing@RCNPublishing
'Inadequate social care funding is compromising community nursing': read in this week's - available today at




NHS Improvement@NHSImprovement
Nurses vote at congress to oppose the transformation agenda



NHS Improvement@NHSImprovement
Practical principles for improving stroke care - set of 8 publications:




Ali Handscomb@AliHandscomb
For good nursing care why dont we use our social media tools? Blog, tweet and use Facebook to talk about what is good.



Nursing Times@NursingTimes
RT How ethical is undercover filming?


Live feed via twitter...just picked some highlights...

I might post more later...