A big week in the land of healthcare when this guy fell on his sword. It's only the beginning.
The thing about this whole situation, is that maybe something will finally get done. It's not exclusive to just one business. Unethical behavior happens everywhere.
Or the elephant will still be in the room, and the patients will suffer the consequences.
More to come...
Showing posts with label VA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VA. Show all posts
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Nuggets for July 17
Here are a few goodies I've run across on the internet lately. Enjoy!
A little explosive
Always provocative, Rolling Stone may ignite a few opinions all over the place with their cover photo and story of a Boston Marathon bomber.
Wired up
AHA's survey of Health Care's Most Wired hospitals is out and to no surprise, the Veterans Health Administration made the list.
If you were wondering
How those folks can count all the participants in uprisings, revolutions, etc., the good folks at the BBC have an article about that very topic.
No contest
Maybe if MBAs were licensed like RNs or other healthcare personnel, they'd make the most trusted list, and not appear in an article like this one about writing their own recommendations. I'd love for my old clinical instructor, Nurse Battle Ax (a former Navy nurse) to talk to one of them.
A little explosive
Always provocative, Rolling Stone may ignite a few opinions all over the place with their cover photo and story of a Boston Marathon bomber.
Wired up
AHA's survey of Health Care's Most Wired hospitals is out and to no surprise, the Veterans Health Administration made the list.
If you were wondering
How those folks can count all the participants in uprisings, revolutions, etc., the good folks at the BBC have an article about that very topic.
No contest
Maybe if MBAs were licensed like RNs or other healthcare personnel, they'd make the most trusted list, and not appear in an article like this one about writing their own recommendations. I'd love for my old clinical instructor, Nurse Battle Ax (a former Navy nurse) to talk to one of them.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Nuggets for May 12
Here are the latest and greatest goodies I've run into in my various voyages on the internet. Enjoy!
Blind, miscellany
Being blind, 'you have to be adventurous' (from www.cnn.com)
BTW did you know that the VA is one of the leaders in blind rehabilitation? If not, check out the information here at the Blind Rehabilitation Service.
C. diff infection rate rising among US hospital inpatients (from www.nursezone.com)
And from our friends in ED land...
ImpactEDNurse has a great post on mouth-to-mouth resucitation on his blog. I'm so glad our policy forbids mouth to mouth in certain instances, such as this. I'm with you on the compressions, Ian...at least you can dodge the flying bits!
DisappearingJohn is on the way up. Good for you!
Finally, Happy International Nurses' Day May 12
On the birthday of Florence Nightingale, don't miss this op-ed piece by Sandy Summers today on solving the nursing shortage.
Blind, miscellany
Being blind, 'you have to be adventurous' (from www.cnn.com)
BTW did you know that the VA is one of the leaders in blind rehabilitation? If not, check out the information here at the Blind Rehabilitation Service.
C. diff infection rate rising among US hospital inpatients (from www.nursezone.com)
And from our friends in ED land...
ImpactEDNurse has a great post on mouth-to-mouth resucitation on his blog. I'm so glad our policy forbids mouth to mouth in certain instances, such as this. I'm with you on the compressions, Ian...at least you can dodge the flying bits!
DisappearingJohn is on the way up. Good for you!
Finally, Happy International Nurses' Day May 12
On the birthday of Florence Nightingale, don't miss this op-ed piece by Sandy Summers today on solving the nursing shortage.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Nuggets for January 23
It's a happy, happy Friday, all! I love the weekend, especially when I'm not working.
Since the week is done, here are a few interesting things I've encountered lately.
What do you do when you get a needlestick? Here's the VA's resource for occupational exposure and HIV. While digging around on this very subject, I found a great resource on HIV called The Body Pro.
It's a little more complicated than a needlestick, but we had to deal with a patient who recently had a transbronchial biospy of the lung this week. Thurlbeck's Pathology of the Lung has some interesting facts about this type of procedure used to diagnose all sorts of lung conditions, from cancer to infection.
Finally, with all the MRSA and shenanigans going around we had a patient with a very scary looking butt cheek and one of these. If it's not MRSA, I'll be surprised. I've only seen one previous to this, on my pediatric clinical in nursing school and it involved MRSA and I & D and it was nasty!
On that memorable note, have a great weekend! We'll be eating cake (for Bubba's birthday party with all the kids).
Since the week is done, here are a few interesting things I've encountered lately.
What do you do when you get a needlestick? Here's the VA's resource for occupational exposure and HIV. While digging around on this very subject, I found a great resource on HIV called The Body Pro.
It's a little more complicated than a needlestick, but we had to deal with a patient who recently had a transbronchial biospy of the lung this week. Thurlbeck's Pathology of the Lung has some interesting facts about this type of procedure used to diagnose all sorts of lung conditions, from cancer to infection.
Finally, with all the MRSA and shenanigans going around we had a patient with a very scary looking butt cheek and one of these. If it's not MRSA, I'll be surprised. I've only seen one previous to this, on my pediatric clinical in nursing school and it involved MRSA and I & D and it was nasty!
On that memorable note, have a great weekend! We'll be eating cake (for Bubba's birthday party with all the kids).
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The beginning of the end
No, it's not the end of blogging as Monkeygirl is doing, it's the end of the year. And what a year it's been!
In the news today, I saw an article about the vaunted rumor that there will be no more free pens at some of the conferences because of perceived conflicts of interest. What, oh what, I ask, will the docs and NPs bring to impress the floor nurses with now, since there is no more swag? An old, leftover pizza from that drug rep's lunch just doesn't make the same impression as the light up pens and the pens with highlighters AND post-it notes attached. I guess we like them because they're things we can actually use.
As the year counts down, I'm thanking my lucky stars that I came to the VA from Saintarama Rehab. The top three reasons: no low census, no low census, no low census! Some of the things that go with the job aren't the greatest, but that benefits package is great considering everything in these recessionary times.
Finally, I'm thankful that I still have this blog. It keeps me out of trouble and keeps my mind humming. I have so many ideas for next year, I ought to be busy!
The end is near, but this is just the beginning...so stay tuned and have a great night!
In the news today, I saw an article about the vaunted rumor that there will be no more free pens at some of the conferences because of perceived conflicts of interest. What, oh what, I ask, will the docs and NPs bring to impress the floor nurses with now, since there is no more swag? An old, leftover pizza from that drug rep's lunch just doesn't make the same impression as the light up pens and the pens with highlighters AND post-it notes attached. I guess we like them because they're things we can actually use.
As the year counts down, I'm thanking my lucky stars that I came to the VA from Saintarama Rehab. The top three reasons: no low census, no low census, no low census! Some of the things that go with the job aren't the greatest, but that benefits package is great considering everything in these recessionary times.
Finally, I'm thankful that I still have this blog. It keeps me out of trouble and keeps my mind humming. I have so many ideas for next year, I ought to be busy!
The end is near, but this is just the beginning...so stay tuned and have a great night!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Whirlwind trip is over
After way too much fun and excitement on United Airlines last night, I finally made it home. Since there was no coffee on the plane, I drank some Coke and was awake enough to get home in one piece without falling asleep. It was tempting but I just don't sleep well on planes.
I enjoyed the seminar with my partner-in-crime, A. We got a lot of shopping and walking done in between sessions and it was fun. I met a lot of interesting people and the organizers plan on keeping in touch with us, to see how we're doing. Since we all work for the same place, I'm not surprised that they're doing this....it'll probably end up as a research project or something!
Today so far has been busy, and tomorrow I'll be back to work after a week away. I'm as ready as I'm going to get right now. Back to housework...stay tuned.
I enjoyed the seminar with my partner-in-crime, A. We got a lot of shopping and walking done in between sessions and it was fun. I met a lot of interesting people and the organizers plan on keeping in touch with us, to see how we're doing. Since we all work for the same place, I'm not surprised that they're doing this....it'll probably end up as a research project or something!
Today so far has been busy, and tomorrow I'll be back to work after a week away. I'm as ready as I'm going to get right now. Back to housework...stay tuned.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Nuggets for September 16
Yes, I'm off today, so I'm surfing again before I start the real vice...baking. Fall has come to our neck of the woods, the furnace is dead, so why not heat up the house by baking!
To the blogs we go...
Alas, here are a couple of newer blogs I've found since I was reading my sitemeter stats today. You gotta love the link love! Many, many thanks to all of you who link to this blog. I appreciate it! (Mucho, mucho, mucho...as I tell Bubba).
PerfectRN is also a second career RN like me in the Midwest (yes!) who's chronicling her adventures in her blog.
And via PerfectRN, I found Booty Nurse (what will Google do with that...whoa!) who's giving us her view from Endoscopy in rural New England. BN, I gotta tell you, I thought endoscopy was pretty cool when I saw it on my clinicals. And no, I'm not just saying that to get any brownie points from my brother-in-law, the gastroenterologist. He's the man who loves Katie Couric because of this story.
DisappearingJohn is one of my favorite ER RN bloggers. I loved this quote he found from atyourcervix. John, if you only knew how much poop (literal and figurative) there is on evenings in rehab!
Articles of note from the NY Times
ER patients often left confused after visits
This should be an interesting topic on all the other ER nurse blogs (MonkeyGirl, GuitarGirlRN, DisappearingJohn, etc.) I doubt this author actually talked to one nurse. If she did, she camoflages it well.
The strep that wasn't...a cautionary tale
This was a scary story. If you have kids, you must read this one. It really scared me.
Spit it out...the DNA testing fad
This was actually listed under the Fashion section, but it does have some health implications. Who'd a thought DNA would turn glam? Ah, yes, the CSI effect...
Death and a new nurse
Another second career nurse describes her thoughts on this subject and what happened to her.
A good cause
If you want to help military and veteran families who are in the hospital, support your local Fisher House.
A Fisher House is “a home away from home” for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. The homes are normally located within walking distance of the treatment facility or have transportation available. There are 38 Fisher Houses located on 18 military installations and nine VA medical centers. Five more houses are under construction.
We're still waiting for ours at Madison. It's on the drawing board, though.
To the blogs we go...
Alas, here are a couple of newer blogs I've found since I was reading my sitemeter stats today. You gotta love the link love! Many, many thanks to all of you who link to this blog. I appreciate it! (Mucho, mucho, mucho...as I tell Bubba).
PerfectRN is also a second career RN like me in the Midwest (yes!) who's chronicling her adventures in her blog.
And via PerfectRN, I found Booty Nurse (what will Google do with that...whoa!) who's giving us her view from Endoscopy in rural New England. BN, I gotta tell you, I thought endoscopy was pretty cool when I saw it on my clinicals. And no, I'm not just saying that to get any brownie points from my brother-in-law, the gastroenterologist. He's the man who loves Katie Couric because of this story.
DisappearingJohn is one of my favorite ER RN bloggers. I loved this quote he found from atyourcervix. John, if you only knew how much poop (literal and figurative) there is on evenings in rehab!
Articles of note from the NY Times
ER patients often left confused after visits
This should be an interesting topic on all the other ER nurse blogs (MonkeyGirl, GuitarGirlRN, DisappearingJohn, etc.) I doubt this author actually talked to one nurse. If she did, she camoflages it well.
The strep that wasn't...a cautionary tale
This was a scary story. If you have kids, you must read this one. It really scared me.
Spit it out...the DNA testing fad
This was actually listed under the Fashion section, but it does have some health implications. Who'd a thought DNA would turn glam? Ah, yes, the CSI effect...
Death and a new nurse
Another second career nurse describes her thoughts on this subject and what happened to her.
A good cause
If you want to help military and veteran families who are in the hospital, support your local Fisher House.
A Fisher House is “a home away from home” for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. The homes are normally located within walking distance of the treatment facility or have transportation available. There are 38 Fisher Houses located on 18 military installations and nine VA medical centers. Five more houses are under construction.
We're still waiting for ours at Madison. It's on the drawing board, though.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
This week at Madison
Here are a few of the interesting topics I've encountered dealing with my patients this week. Links to appropriate resources are also included for more information.
Before I headed back to the evening shift, I got to admit a fellow from a far western state. Our unit may be the red-headed stepchild of the SCI system, but we have a reputation for healing people with wounds that can't get healed anywhere else. (It also helps that our boss has friends in a major research hospital in town, too.)
The new guy, Mr. C., got a room with a fellow (Mr. W.) who's also had step one of the same type of surgery he's being evaluated for--girdlestone surgery. Said patient is pretty nice, but physically, mentally and emotionally, he's been a trainwreck. Patient was a victim of violence. Patient has several health problems now directly related to the incident: short gut syndrome, and a whole bunch of other things. The dietician has put him on an FAA diet (free amino acid) with a different type of formula--Vivonex. It's really amazing that he's as positive as he is.
Mr. K., our elderly gentleman who's just about to hit one year at our place (on and off, with trips to acute at Washington) came back yesterday from Washington. He had some mental status changes (possibly medication related) and also mastoiditis. Some of the staff were a little upset with him because he told the folks at Washington that there were "drug problems" at Madison. (One of his previous roommates was discharged due to drug issues.) While Mr. K. is a little off sometimes, more often than not, he's very astute to things. As a consequence, he's very upset that he's back in his old room, and he told us if he could get up he'd probably slug his roommate. Nice. It should be interesting to see what the boss decides to do with him, since we're running at full capacity and getting four new people next week. There aren't enough rooms to make another room isolation right now...
Nuggets
Here are a few other goodies to check out this week, if you haven't already.
I found this cancer article in the NY Times this week, along with another article about doctors and condolences.
MonkeyGirl's Rehab post was just a riot. Head on over and read it for a good laugh.
RehabRN book club items
I recently finished reading Best care anywhere by Phillip Longman. Even if you don't work at the VA, this is a fascinating book.
I'm still working on From Silence to Voice by Suzanne Gordon and Bernice Buresh about nurses and communicating to the public.
On a non-nursing note, I finished Elizabeth Berg's The day I ate whatever I wanted. This was a great book. I really loved the apple pie recipe story near the back.
BTW visitor 5000 showed up here on 8/12/08 at 11:42:55PM from beautiful, downtown Chicago, IL via www.nurseratchedsplace.com. Thanks for your visit!
More later...stay tuned.
Before I headed back to the evening shift, I got to admit a fellow from a far western state. Our unit may be the red-headed stepchild of the SCI system, but we have a reputation for healing people with wounds that can't get healed anywhere else. (It also helps that our boss has friends in a major research hospital in town, too.)
The new guy, Mr. C., got a room with a fellow (Mr. W.) who's also had step one of the same type of surgery he's being evaluated for--girdlestone surgery. Said patient is pretty nice, but physically, mentally and emotionally, he's been a trainwreck. Patient was a victim of violence. Patient has several health problems now directly related to the incident: short gut syndrome, and a whole bunch of other things. The dietician has put him on an FAA diet (free amino acid) with a different type of formula--Vivonex. It's really amazing that he's as positive as he is.
Mr. K., our elderly gentleman who's just about to hit one year at our place (on and off, with trips to acute at Washington) came back yesterday from Washington. He had some mental status changes (possibly medication related) and also mastoiditis. Some of the staff were a little upset with him because he told the folks at Washington that there were "drug problems" at Madison. (One of his previous roommates was discharged due to drug issues.) While Mr. K. is a little off sometimes, more often than not, he's very astute to things. As a consequence, he's very upset that he's back in his old room, and he told us if he could get up he'd probably slug his roommate. Nice. It should be interesting to see what the boss decides to do with him, since we're running at full capacity and getting four new people next week. There aren't enough rooms to make another room isolation right now...
Nuggets
Here are a few other goodies to check out this week, if you haven't already.
I found this cancer article in the NY Times this week, along with another article about doctors and condolences.
MonkeyGirl's Rehab post was just a riot. Head on over and read it for a good laugh.
RehabRN book club items
I recently finished reading Best care anywhere by Phillip Longman. Even if you don't work at the VA, this is a fascinating book.
I'm still working on From Silence to Voice by Suzanne Gordon and Bernice Buresh about nurses and communicating to the public.
On a non-nursing note, I finished Elizabeth Berg's The day I ate whatever I wanted. This was a great book. I really loved the apple pie recipe story near the back.
BTW visitor 5000 showed up here on 8/12/08 at 11:42:55PM from beautiful, downtown Chicago, IL via www.nurseratchedsplace.com. Thanks for your visit!
More later...stay tuned.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Nuggets for April 22
Since I'm a SCI rehab nurse, I always find some of the techniques the therapists use to be pretty interesting. Many people think the PTs and OTs are using "space age" stuff with all the different equipment and materials that are available now. My favorite techniques are the ones that are incredibly simple.
At 66, he learned to sing so he could learn to talk (from www.nytimes.com)
Pet therapy is a component of many rehabilitation facilities. At Saintarama, the dogs came out on Wednesday nights, so it was always interesting to see how patients would react when they saw 4-6 dogs, big and small on the unit.
While it's not about pet therapy per se, I enjoyed this article about the Pope and cats from this past week. It just goes to prove that pets can make a difference in people's lives, even for the big guy at the Vatican.
Cat lovers appreciate soul mate in Vatican (also from www.nytimes.com)
TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) is in the news a lot lately, particularly since many members of the military are returning home with this type of injury. For the VA, it is a major research topic.
Here are a couple of links, one linked to a VA research article, and one lay article, from a family's perspective.
Feature Article: Special Journal Issue on Traumatic Brain Injury (info from www.research.va.gov)
The TBI Recovery Network is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Carlisle, OH, started by the parents of Ashleigh, a TBI patient, and contains information they discovered on the road to her recovery.
At 66, he learned to sing so he could learn to talk (from www.nytimes.com)
Pet therapy is a component of many rehabilitation facilities. At Saintarama, the dogs came out on Wednesday nights, so it was always interesting to see how patients would react when they saw 4-6 dogs, big and small on the unit.
While it's not about pet therapy per se, I enjoyed this article about the Pope and cats from this past week. It just goes to prove that pets can make a difference in people's lives, even for the big guy at the Vatican.
Cat lovers appreciate soul mate in Vatican (also from www.nytimes.com)
TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) is in the news a lot lately, particularly since many members of the military are returning home with this type of injury. For the VA, it is a major research topic.
Here are a couple of links, one linked to a VA research article, and one lay article, from a family's perspective.
Feature Article: Special Journal Issue on Traumatic Brain Injury (info from www.research.va.gov)
The TBI Recovery Network is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Carlisle, OH, started by the parents of Ashleigh, a TBI patient, and contains information they discovered on the road to her recovery.
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