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Biologically based therapies such as GLP-1 agonists are used to treat patients with obesity. Medical-surgical nurses should be knowledgeable about GLP-1 agonists so they can educate patients on proper administration, monitoring, and prevention and management of potential adverse effects. Keywords: obesity, overweight, body mass index, BMI, treatment, GLP-1 agonist, Learning Outcome: After completing this education activity, the learner will report increased knowledge about the importance of medical-surgical nurses being knowledgeable about GLP-1 agonists so they can educate patients on [...]

An important aspect of any nursing care plan involves anticipating next steps in the treatment plan. In patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source, where the pathophysiological cause of stroke is unknown, the nurse monitors for signs and symptoms of another potential stroke but cannot anticipate additional nursing interventions beyond standard stroke care. When nurses have a greater understanding of the potential mechanisms of the stroke, they can anticipate interventions and teach patients about their condition and follow-up care. Keywords: stroke, ischemic stroke, embolic stroke of undetermined source, Approximately 80% of strokes are ischemic in nature, while 20% are hemorrhagic (Alawneh et al., 2020). The cause of an ischemic stroke is identified in about 75% of cases. For [...]

A program evaluation was completed using the framework from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A retrospective quantitative data analysis demonstrated the transition of care program effectively met its intended objectives of reducing the Medicare readmission rate and penalty for pulmonary patients. Health care organizations should embrace this nurse-driven, interprofessional model, which is a valuable, evidence-based intervention that enhances quality, cost-effective care., Health care in 2023 is in a state of disruption from the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and from economic forces, regulatory issues, increased consumer demands, an aging population, and a shrinking [...]

Dialysis access-associated steal syndrome (DASS) is a serious, challenging complication related to diminished arterial blood flow to the hand. Patients may not be routinely assessed for this diagnosis, resulting in a delayed presentation with severe hand pain, nerve damage, and tissue loss. This pilot project examined the feasibility of implementing an assessment tool to routinely screen patients for steal syndrome. The tool was used for all patients in three participating dialysis centers. Positive patients had a streamlined referral to vascular surgery for assessment and possible treatment. This pilot project demonstrates that education and subsequent routine screening for DASS within the dialysis facility is feasible, and can be incorporated into the workflow for both the dialysis facility and the servicing vascular surgery office. Early recognition of DASS will prevent severe injuries and tissue loss. Key Words: Steal syndrome, dialysis access, dialysis access steal syndrome prevention, symptoms of steal syndrome, Steal Syndrome Assessment Tool., [NC/PD] 1.3 contact hours Dialysis-access-associated steal syndrome (DASS) is a serious complication that causes the hand in the hemodialysis access arm to become ischemic as the hemodialysis access reduces or [...]

Patients who have experienced a stroke will require education to prevent future strokes. This scoping review explored the role of video education to increase patients' stroke knowledge and prevent further stroke events. Keywords stroke, video education, education strategies, video technology, stroke self-management, quality of life, secondary stroke prevention, education of patients and families, technology, Strokes are the number one cause of a serious neurological disability (brain damage) and the fifth cause of death among adults worldwide (Li et al., 2019). Second strokes account for [...]

Falls continue to pose a challenge to the safety and quality of care for patients admitted to medical-surgical units. As described in this article, tailored interventions for patient safety (TIPS) allow nurses to select individualized fall prevention strategies that may reduce falls., Falls are the leading cause of injury in adults, as more than 25% fall each year (Bilik et al., 2017). Falls can lead to physical injuries that may result in [...]

2024 FEB 3 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- New research on anxiety disorders is the subject of a new report. [...]

Nurses can play a role in reducing complications associated with the use of indwelling urinary catheters in patients in acute and long-term care settings. Implementation of a standardized catheter selection and insertion process for male patients, nursing staff education, improved documentation, and supply management strategies led to a reduction in difficult urinary catheterization and related complications., Indwelling urinary catheters are medical devices used for urinary drainage or collection for many acute and long-term care patients. For the purposes of urinary drainage, the type of catheter selected [...]

Stress due to racial discrimination or stigmatization affects the health of persons of minority groups. The phenomenon of minority stress, its impact on cardiovascular health in African Americans, and effective health promotion strategies for enhancing cardiovascular health in African Americans are described. Keywords stress, physiological stressors, psychological stressors, racial discrimination, minority stress, cardiovascular health, health promotion, population specific, African Americans, diversity and inclusion, Stress due to racial discrimination affects the health of persons of minority status in the United States. Minority stress is a phenomenon defined as the chronic stress present in relation [...]

Clinical guidelines recommend clinicians in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) monitor body weight and signs and symptoms related to heart failure (HF) and encourage a sodium restricted diet to improve HF outcomes; however, SNFs face considerable challenges in HF disease management (HF-DM). In the current study, we characterized the challenges of HF-DM with data from semi-structured, in-depth interviews with patients, caregivers, staff, and physicians from nine SNFs. Patients receiving skilled nursing care were interviewed together as a dyad with their caregiver. A data-driven, qualitative descriptive approach was used to understand the process and challenges of HF-DM. Coded text was categorized into descriptive themes. Interviews with five dyads (n = 10 individuals), SNF nurses and certified nursing assistants (n = 13), and physicians (n = 2) revealed that, among the sample, HF care was not prioritized above other competing health concerns. Staff operated in the challenging SNF environment largely without protocols or educational materials to prompt HF-DM. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 48(5), 13–17.], Successful heart failure disease management (HF-DM) is challenging in the skilled nursing facility (SNF) care setting (Heckman et al., 2018); (Jurgens et al., 2015); (Orr et al., 2016). Challenges are [...]

Development of academic-practice partnerships (APPs) provides the foundation to build a sustainable partnership between academia and practice settings. APPs provide academic, practice, and mutual benefits to advance ambulatory care nursing. Those who engage in partnerships can achieve mutual respect and understanding, a shared vision with mutual goals and outcomes, and agreed-upon evaluation strategies. Part 1 of a 3-part series., The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA, 2010) created significant changes and uncertainty in the United States healthcare system. The ACA's main goal was to address health insurance coverage, [...]

2023 AUG 26 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Current study results on Sustainability Research have been published. According to news [...]

Self-management after kidney transplantation is challenging. Therefore, current guidelines recommend education programs, but little is known about patients' experiences of such programs. With a qualitative design, we explored patients' experiences of either multiple behavioral interventions or a single educational intervention in the first-year post-transplant. Patients were struggling to master changes before reassuming normal life post-transplant. They learned to have confidence in their new situation and resumed their social roles. In a therapeutic sense, they were open to information, wanted to recover normal weight, and engaged in physical activity and consistent medication intake. Those who had undergone the behavioral interventions tackled these challenges with more consistency and vigor. Individualized behavioral self-management interventions were well accepted and have the potential to guide patients towards better outcomes. Key Words: Kidney transplantation, self-management, health behavior, advanced practice nursing, qualitative study., 1.2 contact hours Kidney transplantation (KT) is the preferred treatment for patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) (Kasiske et al., 2010). A successiul KT has many advantages over dialysis. [...]

Financial literacy, or the knowledge and skills contributing to informed and effective decisions of managing personal money, should be viewed as a subset of health literacy. To initiate nurses on the path from novice to expert, mastery of the health savings account is explored. Educating patients about financial literacy may benefit from nurses' approach to educate patients about medication literacy. Nurses should be empowered to employ financial literacy supporting self-care, share financial literacy with patients, and act as ambassadors of financial literacy to the public., The field of economics is related yet distinct from the field of finance. Economics is a social science that studies how people assign value. Finance examines the flow of money [...]

Understanding COVID-19 transmission and treatment is essential to ensure proper clinical care for patients, and provide protection and prevention methods for the public and healthcare workers. Vulnerable populations, pathophysiology of the disease, and clinical features in infected patients are discussed. Implications for nursing and interprofessional care in acute and community settings are reviewed. Keywords coronavirus, COVID-19, transmission, prevention, vaccination, nursing care, immune system, infectious diseases, interprofessional, The COVID-19 pandemic has affected billions of lives around the world. Soon after the first patients in the United States were confirmed positive for COVID-19 in early 2020, many state [...]

2023 APR 15 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Current study results on Oncology - Liver Cancer have been published. According [...]

Placement confirmation is paramount before nasogastric tube use. Nurses must possess current competency and skills, perform numerous assessments, and consider many implications to achieve safe care outcomes., Clinical nurses frequently perform blind (no direct visualization) insertion of a nasogastric (NG) tube, which increases the risk for tube misplacement. Serious patient injuries and deaths have resulted from tube [...]

What can a nurse do in everyday practice to support a person with mild depression and anxiety? A clinical nurse specialist recommends a variety of practical tools and advice. The [...]

Patients may experience various emotions during cancer treatment, and these emotions may be mixed and vary over time. Nurses play an essential role in helping patients and caregivers navigate the complexities of their emotional responses during cancer treatment. Common emotional responses to cancer are addressed in part one of this two-part series., Cancer. This single word describes various conditions categorized by abnormal, uncontrolled cell growth (National Cancer Institute [NCI], n.d.). Beyond its broad biological meaning, this word also can invoke a wide [...]

2022 DEC 17 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Investigators publish new report on cancer. According to news reporting out of [...]

2022 DEC 17 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Current study results on Central Nervous System Diseases and Conditions - Cerebral [...]

Nurses across all healthcare settings will encounter persons living with HIV or at high risk for HIV infection. Antiretroviral and preventive treatments for HIV infection are decreasing incidence of HIV infection. Nurses should educate at-risk patients about these preventive medication regimens, refer patients for preventive treatment, and initiate a treatment plan. To maintain the trend of decreasing incidence of HIV infection and AIDS, nurses need to assess, counsel, refer, and support persons who require pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis., America has a public health goal to eliminate new infections with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and to treat at-risk persons with effective preventive medication regimens. New regimens include antiretroviral pre-exposure [...]

2022 OCT 8 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- A new study on heart disease is now available. According to news [...]

Byline: Yin. Xu, Xiao-yan. Fei, You-hua. Xue, Xue-mei. Wang, Xiao-yan. Wang, Yu-ting. Zheng, Ke. Chen, Jing-jing. He, Xiu-hong. Ren, Lei. Pan, Ling. Wang, Duo. Qian, Wei-feng. Li, Yan. Liang, Yan. [...]

A formal nurse-managed, interprofessional antimicrobial review process successfully reduces antimicrobial exposure by reducing total antimicrobial days, facilitating deescalation from intravenous to oral therapy, and from broad to narrow spectrum; and by timely documentation of antimicrobial stop dates., Literature Summary * Use of an interprofessional antimicrobial review can decrease the rate of antimicrobial resistance caused by the overuse and inappropriate prescription of antimicrobials (American Nurses Association and Centers [...]

Light can be a noxious stimulus during hospitalization. The study evaluated use of a red night-light intervention for hospitalized adults. The red light was found to be a feasible intervention and well received by participants., Environmental light is necessary for completing many patient care tasks. However, research has found light also can hinder patient recovery (Tahkamo et al., 2018). Although light is needed to perform [...]

2022 AUG 6 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Researchers detail new data in Heart Disorders and Diseases - Heart Failure. [...]

What is primary health care, how is it different from primary care and and how can nurses incorporate the principles of primary health care nursing into their practice? Firstly, what [...]

May 27, 2022 Biological medicines are being increasingly used to treat a range of conditions in New Zealand. Nurses need to understand what they are, how they are used and [...]

RNs should be setting an example to student nurses on how to perform hand hygiene to the highest standards. Registered nurses (RNs) and student nurses have the most contact with [...]

Sexual health is a key component of wellness. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a disorder affecting male sexual health. Historically known as impotence, ED affects the ability to obtain or sustain [...]

Clopidogrel (Plavix[R]) is a [P2Y.sub.12] platelet inhibitor used to prevent clot formation. Indications include treatment and prevention of thromboembolic events, such as stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) (Vallerand & Sanoski, [...]

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) results from overuse and the repetitive motions commonly seen in certain occupations from use of various technology devices. Nurses should understand how CTS develops to educate at-risk patients on prevention strategies., Technology is an integral part of daily life: cell phones, computers, and tablets. In some way, everyone seems to be connected to technology. This connection even applies to healthcare workers. [...]

As part of a process to reduce patient falls on a 55-bed unit, changing the huddle following falls and adding a reflective email contributed to improvement in fall rates during the 7 months after implementation., Although the body of literature on fall prevention continues to grow, falls in healthcare facilities remain a complex and challenging problem. According to The Joint Commission (2015), hundreds of thousands [...]

The long-term goal of treatment and management of heart failure is to avoid exacerbation and decrease hospital readmissions. Nurses play a key role not only in educating the patient regarding the pathophysiology of the disease process, but also in monitoring and serving as a resource to the patient regarding essential medications to optimize cardiac function and reduce morbidity and mortality., Heart failure (HF) is caused by structural and functional defects in the myocardium, resulting in impairment of ventricular filling or the ejection of blood (Inamdar & Inamdar, 2016). Roughly half [...]

Hospitalized patients often experience decreased sleep quality and quantity. The aim of this project was to minimize unnecessary sleep interruptions in patients and implement evidence-based night care by conducting an educational intervention with nursing staff. Nursing staff showed improvement in sleep promotion knowledge, and an overall decrease in nighttime sleep interruptions occurred after the intervention., Hospitalized patients report a significant reduction in hospital sleep quality and quantity compared to the sleep obtained at home. The main cause of reduced sleep in the hospital is clinical [...]

Clinical nurses and hospitalized patients were interviewed to understand how they view the nurse-patient assignment process. Themes were identified based on responses and provided a unique perspective on the nurse's role and the assignment process., Nurse-patient assignments, the matching of a nurse with a patient for a specified period of time, are essential to inpatient nursing care. Assignments typically are made by the unit charge [...]

Genetic testing is a common topic among cancer clinicians and patients. Many medical-surgical patients have cancer and have had genetic testing to evaluate genetic material for mutations (inherited changes) that [...]

Inpatient hypoglycemia can be expected to increase commensurately with the increasing number of patients with diabetes. This common condition may have negative impact on morbidity, mortality, and costs. Improved recognition, monitoring, and treatment of nosocomial hypoglycemia are achievable nursing outcomes., The epidemic of diabetes and management of hospitalized patients with diabetes provide a broad potential focus for nursing quality improvement efforts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [...]

Background The use of massage in hospitalized participants can aid in reducing anxiety, muscle tension, and pain. Increased research in recent years has evaluated the effect of massage on the management of pain and anxiety, but the evidence is mixed regarding the degree of impact and individual differences. Purpose Determine how massage affects patients' pain, anxiety, distress, and daily function. Method This descriptive, exploratory study focused on the effect of massage routinely provided by a certified massage therapist, measured via patient self-report. The study was conducted in a 26-bed surgical unit in a university medical center using a convenience sample of adults who were medically stable 48 hours after admission. The Emotional Thermometer measuring pain, anxiety, and daily function was administered before and after massage, and a satisfaction survey was completed after massage. Findings Participants indicated satisfaction with their massage experience (M=4.83; SD=0.437). Using repeated measures, a reduction in participants' pain intensity score after massage was statistically significant (p=0.000). A significant increase (p=0.004) in daily function was identified after the initial massage. Anxiety was reduced following the second massage session (p=0.002). Limitations A limitation was the small sample from a single site. A larger multi-site sample might yield different results. Conclusion This was one of relatively few studies examining pain and anxiety as well as the effects of massage on distress and daily function. Findings add to knowledge regarding the effects of therapeutic massage., The use of massage in hospitalized participants can aid in reducing anxiety, muscle tension, and pain. Findings of this study suggest massage can be a safe, pleasant treatment for hospitalized [...]

Diabetes is a multi-faceted disease that requires a person to integrate many daily choices regarding food, physical activity, and medications. It also requires the patient to feel competent in his [...]

The negative impact of monitor alarm fatigue on registered nurses in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) can be detrimental to patient safety. Identifying ways to recognize alarm fatigue, providing education to increase competence in technology, and using multidisciplinary collaboration can increase patient/family satisfaction in the PICU. Strategies, such as initiating appropriate alarm limit settings and developing a nursing role to continuously monitor alarms, ensure nurses respond appropriately to monitor alarms, thereby increasing patient safety and quality. Nurses in the specialty of pediatrics can use this information to identify interventions to prevent unnecessary monitor alarms and increase patient safety and quality of care. Key Words: Alarm fatigue, pediatrics, intensive care, patient safety, PICU, quality care., Monitor alarm fatigue is caused by exposure to frequent and unnecessary alarm noise, which can desensitize nurses and diminish the urgency of response times to alarms (Bonafide et al., 2015). [...]

DRUG ADDICTION has a severe impact on individuals and their families, and its social cost is rising. Alcohol and tobacco are the most commonly abused drugs, but opioid and methamphetamine [...]

ABSTRACT Focal seizures are divided into simple and dyscognitive, with the latter resulting in the alteration of consciousness. In the ictal and postictal stages, patients may present with confusion, delirium, [...]

ABSTRACT Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a neurologic deficit resulting from focal ischemia in the brain, spinal cord, or retina. Historically, the definition included symptom resolution within 24 hours. However, [...]