THE EMERGENCY ROOM

Dear nurses,

If you have never worked in an Emergency Room, The Clinical Setting Step by Step, chapter7 was designed to help you understand. Just click on the link:

http://www.dearnurses.net/home.

BROKEN WRIST (WRIST FRACTURE)

Hi guys,

Would you know what to do if you were floated to the ER and the patient in your care had a wrist fracture? To learn more, just click on the link:

http://www.dearnurses.net/home.

FEBRILE SEIZURES

Hi guys,

Did you know that a high fever in a small child, can lead to seizures? To learn more, just click on the link:http://www.dearnurses.net/home.

THE ROLE OF THE TRIAGE NURSE

Hi guys,

If you have never worked in an Emergency Room, it would be difficult to understand the role of the Triage Nurse. The Clinical Setting Step by Step, chapter 7 will be of value in helping you understand. Just click on the link to learn more :

http://www.dearnurses.net/home.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK

Dear nurses,

Hope your July, 4th weekend went well. Below is a preview of what's to come and special information on INFECTION CONTROL. Please enjoy and have a good week.

A PREVIEW OF EMERGENCY ROOM CARE

Not every nurse has ever experienced working in an Emergency Room. Next week , Chapter7 of THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, will focus on what a shift in the ER would be like.

So, stay posted.

INFECTION CONTROL IS A MUST

Regardless of where you work, every healthcare worker has a responsibility to avoid the spread of infection. To learn more, please click on the link:

http://www.dearnurses.com/infection_control or

http://www.dearnurses.net/infection_control.

HAVE A HAPPY JULY 4TH

Dear nurses,

Have a happy and safe July, 4th. I have posted some more topics that are valuable in the clinical setting. Just click on the link:

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP.

God bless you all.

UNDERSTANDING MENINGITIS

If the patient in your care was diagnosed with meningitis, would you know what to look for and how to manage such a patient? To learn more, just click on the link:

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, chapter 6.

HYPERKALEMIA ( HIGH POTASSIUM )

Hyperkalemia ( High Potassium)is an electrolyte imbalance and can lead to EKG changes and more. It may be the result of renal failure or too much salt substitutes. To learn more, simply click on the link: THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, chapter6.

SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE

What is a Subarachnoid Hemorrhage? Would you know what to do if the patient in your care was admitted with one? To learn more, just click on the link:

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, chapter 6.

PNEUMOTHORAX vs. HEMOTHORAX

A Pneumothorax can easily be confused with a Hemothorax . Knowing what to look for is important. To learn more, just click on the link:

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, chapter 6.

MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION

The nurse has an important role to play in the administration of medication. Knowing how to identify the correct dose is extremely important. To learn more, click on the link:

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, chapter 6.

AVOIDING DEHYDRATION IN THE OUTDOORS

Dear nurses,

Hope you had a good week. Many of you take vacations in the summer months and may choose a drier climate to do so. Sometimes, the consequences of activities in an unfamiliar area, can be more than we bargain for. So, be safe and be aware.

Below, are posts to help you avoid dehydration in the outdoors.

Have a Happy July, 4th, whether you have to work or not.

RECOGNIZING DEHYDRATION IN THE OUTDOORS

Dehydration in a dry climate like the desert may go unnoticed for many hours. In humid weather, sweating is obvious. This however, is not the case in a climate with low humidity,

like the desert.

Loss of body fluids through sweating is subtle and can be ignored until symptoms such as severe headache, muscle weakness and fatigue set in.

KNOWING HOW TO AVOID DEHYDRATION

Walking outdoors in a desert climate may lead to dehydration, if the necessary preparation is not made. Here are some helpful suggestions to help prevent dehydration:

- wearing light colored clothing that does not absorb heat

- protecting the head with a hat or cap

- avoiding walking at the hottest time of day, when the sun is high

- adequate fluids, especially ones that replace electrolytes

- making use of foods like bananas to replace potassium

- a little salt in juice, if no sports drinks available

HAVE A GOOD WEEK NURSES

Dear nurses,

It is a pleasure to keep you informed .I hope you can learn something from the topics which I have posted this week. I just want to remind you , if you are in need of continuining education hours, there is a CE offering for you.

Simply, click on the link :

http://www.dearnurses.org/.

I hope you have a good week and God bless you all.

WHEN A CODE BLUE IS CALLED

Nurses, do you understand what happens when a CODE BLUE is called? Even if you are not assigned to be part of the Code team, it is important to know what it means, as it is considered

to be an emergency.

To understand what happens, just click on the link:

The Clinical Setting step by step, chapter,5.

ABRUPTIO PLACENTA

Abruptio placenta is a condition in which the growing fetus becomes separated from the placenta, which nourishes it. Causes include blunt trauma, multiple pregnancies and hypertension. In order to learn more, just click on the link : The Clinical Setting Step by Step, chapter5.

RECOGNIZING DIABETES INSIPIDUS

Following Transphenoidal surgery for a pituitary tumor, a patient may be at risk for Diabetes

Insipidus. It is important to know how to recognize and treat this condition. For more information, please click on the link: The Clinical Setting Step by Step, chapter5.

RECOGNIZING ADULT RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME

ARDS ( Adult Respiratory Distress syndrome) is a life threatening condition which may be triggered by such conditions as trauma, pneumonia, pancreatitis and massive blood transfusions.

Signs and symptoms include anxiety, shortness of breath, tachycardia and cyanosis. In order to learn more about ARDS and its management, please click on the link :

The Clinical Setting Step by step, chapter 5.

AVOIDING MEDICATION ERRORS

A medication error can happen at anytime. Every attempt should be taken by the nurse, to avoid a medication error . In order to familiarize yourself with methods to avoid this problem, simply click on the link: http://www.dearnurses.net/the_clinical_setting_step_by_step, chapter5

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Hi guys,

Hope you had a good week. I just wanted to say to those of you who are fathers, have a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY. God bless you all my fellow nurses and have a good week.

UNDERSTANDING CODE BLUE

The responsibility of the nurse when a CODE BLUE IS CALLED can be difficut to understand. Next week, THE CLINIAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, Chapter5 will focus

on such topics, so stay posted.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK NURSES

Hi guys,

Hope you had a good week. I did some "outdoors stuff "this week and I really enjoyed it. So next week, I would like to share with you how subtle dehydration can occur. Sweating in certain types of climate may go unnoticed and result in dehydration.

I have added chapter4 of THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP. Please enjoy reading. God bless you all.

UNDERSTANDING HEMIANOPIA

Hemianopia can be caused by conditions such as strokes or trauma. It causes a loss of vision in half of the visual field.To find out more, please click on the link:

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, chapter 4.

IV INFILTRATION

When the patient in your care has an order for medications such as Potassium IV, would you know what can happen to the veins, even when given correctly?

To find out, please click on the link:

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, chapter 4.

NARCORIC REACTION

As nurses, we medicate patients for pain and anxiety very often. Have you ever stopped to consider that patients depending on age or situation, may react differently to narcotics. To learn more, simply click on the link:

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, chapter 4.

BLUNT TRAUMA AND BRAIN HERNIATION

Whether you work in the ER or not, you make be faced with a situation such as blunt trauma. If the patient in your care had a blow to the head, would you know what to look for? If not well managed, such a patient may be at risk for brain herniation.
To understand more, simply click on the link:

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, chapter4.

WHEN A PATIENT HAS A FALL

We know as nurses that many patients are at risk for falls. Some patients may have received medications that can result in judgement being impaired or a physical disability that results in instability on the legs.To find out more, simply click on the link :

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP, chapter4.