Clostridium Difficile

Clostridium Difficile (C.diff) is a bacteria that is found in the bowel. C.diff is more common in immuno-compromised patients and/or patients currently or recently on antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics alter the body's immune system including the good bacteria normally found in the bowel. When the good bacteria in the bowel is compromised the C.diff bacteria can take over and release harmful toxins.
Symptoms of C.diff include; watery diarrhea, abdominal pain or tenderness, nausea, loss of appetite and sometimes even fever. There are only few antibiotics used and successful to treat C.diff. However, not every patient will need antibiotics for treatment. C.diff can be minor and resolve on it's own. C.diff can be serious requiring medications (antibiotics) or even surgery. Sometimes C.diff can even be fatal.
"C. diff is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals or long-term care homes." (Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008) Public information and knowledge must be spread about this disorder.
Prevention of spreading of C.diff include frequent hand washing and/or using an alcohol based hand-sanitizer, thorough environmental cleaning and isolation of infected individual(s).
For more information: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/infectious/diseases/ic_cdiff.html

Resources:
Queen's Printer for Ontario (2008) Ontario Best Practice Manual : Clostridium difficile. Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Retrieved August 28, 2008, from http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/infectious/diseases/ic_cdiff.html

Cerbral Vascular Accident

A Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA), also known as a "stroke" can be minor or even fatal. As a rehab nurse, I often work with patients who have had a stroke. A stroke can be physically disabling or even cognitively disabling, sometimes both. Strokes are emotionally difficult on the patient and even the patients family, as loss of physical and/or cognitive function is discovered. The most common result of a stroke is loss or decrease of physical function to one side of the body. The side of the body that is physically effected by the stroke is opposite to the side of the brain where the stroke has occurred. Complete paralysis of one side of the body is known as "hemiparesis". There are two types of strokes; Hemorrhagic and Ischemic. A Hemorrhagic stroke is caused when there is a bleed in the brain. An Ischemic stroke is caused due to lack of blood flow to a part of the brain. I believe that there needs to be more public education and knowledge available about strokes. I also believe in supporting the Heart & Stroke Foundation because strokes are a problem that is effecting many of us. Any more research that can be done to discover prevention and treatment of strokes is a good thing. Please follow the link to learn more about the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario: http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/site/c.pvI3IeNWJwE/b.3581583/k.F7E3/Heart_Disease_Stroke_and_Healthy_Living.htm

References:
Corwin, Elizabeth J. (2008). Handbook of Pathophysiology 3rd Edition. The Nervous System. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Heart & Stroke Foundation (2008) Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/site/c.pvI3IeNWJwE/b.3581629/k.C936/About_Us.htm

Communication Barriers in Nursing

Patient Forgetfulness


Previously working in a nursing home, I have had the experience of caring for many elderly patients. I sincerely loved my job, but with every job comes challenges. One challenge I came across frequently is "forgetfulness". I often found myself explaining things to some of the patients repetitively.

As a part-time employee in the nursing home, I had different routines than the nurse who worked full-time. I can recall a time during bedtime medication routine, when a particular patient, whom I already gave pills to, insisted he hadn't had them yet. I had given this patient his pills much earlier than he was accustomed to, not aware of his routine. The patient was upset and it took a fair bit of explaining when and where he had his pills to help him remember.

In a profession of teamwork, we must learn to work through things with our fellow colleagues together. In this situation, to improve or prevent re-occurrence I worked together with the full-time nurse to establish particular medication times for each patient.

Nursing Shortage

Every time someone speaks of hospitals or nurses I always seem to hear the same or very similar comments; "there are not enough nurses!" Well there could be a number of reasons for the current nursing shortage.
In today's education process of becoming a nurse, it has become a longer and more expensive process to complete! So why if such a shortage of nurses, are they making it more difficult to become one! It also seems that now-a-days there are many more nurses working in fields other than hand-on nursing on the floor, which requires more training. Examples include nursing educators, management and researchers. However, I feel it would be beneficial if there were still a diploma program for nurses who wish to work only hands-on the floor. Personally, I am happy to be going through the bridge from RPN to BScN, but I do so only to work hands-on with patients and I feel I could have gotten those skills through a diploma program like many of the exceptional nurses out there today! But, is there really a nursing shortage or a lack of funding? That may be a topic for another day.
So in this crisis of nursing shortage I can personally help by continuing to work as an RPN and continue to upgrade to become an RN and take care of people in need. For now, this is what I plan to do with hope that another solution will arise.

E-mail & Nursing

In many ways, E-mail has assisted me in my everyday practice as a nurse. Through E-mail, I am able to communicate with my colleagues and supervisors. Through my hospital E-mail account at my current employer, I receive random as well as routine E-mails about various topics that effect my daily practice. Routine E-mails that I receive and use are "Monday Report" and "Info-bytes". These routine E-mails give me information about things going on around the hospital, including any continuing education opportunities or information sessions and training. Some random E-mails I may receive include information from pharmacy about medication availability or change of contact information for a doctor.

I am also able to E-mail any questions or concerns that I may have to my colleagues and/or supervisors or even just basic information. I receive summary E-mails from staff meeting minutes and find it helpful in case I am unable to attend a meeting. Also, I will most often receive an E-mail prior to the staff meeting, which gives me the opportunity to express any concerns and/or questions I may have if I am unable to attend and discuss them in person.

These are just some of the helpful ways in which E-mail has helped me in my daily practice. There are numerous ways E-mail is being used in nursing in the different fields of practice. I will continue to use my work E-mail account at my current employer because I feel it is a beneficial technology to have in a workplace.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog! I am not very familiar with blogs, but I am willing to learn. I am creating this blog as part of my assignment for school. I have just begun the process of attending university. I currently work as a RPN on the Rehab and Continuing Care unit at the Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay, Ontario. I am just beginning a part-time university study to bridge from RPN to BScN and become an RN. I am looking forward to learning more in the health care field.

My first blog post

So I'm a university student! Wasn't expecting to be doing this, but very excited to be here. Lots of information to take in... on information overload!!!