Blog Entries - July 2008

The Happy Hospitalist Catches Some Flack

nursekeith@gmail.com — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

A blog post over at The Happy Hospitalist ---a popular medical blog by an anonymous doctor---has spawned a somewhat heated and contentious debate by individuals commenting on the post.

What I gather most from the post was that said doctor blogger was trying to convey his appreciation of the magnitude and complexity of nurses' work while also lamenting the ballooning costs of healthcare in the United States. Unfortunately, some readers seem to have taken offense to his descriptions [...]

Attachment and Its (Dis)Contents

nursekeith@gmail.com — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Please click here to read my newest post on the challenges of case management, posted today on my blog, Digital Doorway.

Medpolitics.com

nursekeith@gmail.com — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

A new blogging network for doctors concerned about the politics of healthcare has been launched. Medpolitics.com is "a blogging platform and a social network maintained for and by US physicians. Our primary focus is on the politics of healthcare. If you are an American doctor who feels strongly about the challenges our profession is facing, consider joining our community."

I will be interested in following the course of Medpolitics' politics as we near November 4th [...]

A Big and Generous Heart

dmazment@yahoo.com — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

I have a good friend, I'll call Jack, who has more certifications behind his name, than you can possibly imagine. Jack has been an RN for over 30 years, a flight nurse, at a level 1 trauma center,who has for the past three years, voluntarily donated his time, money ( a great deal of money) and services to a youth football. You will note I've said volunteered, Jack is not getting paid or reimbursed for the money he has spent or the services he has s [...]

Growth!

admin@nurselinkup.com — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Nurse LinkUp is growing by the day and we could not be more pleased! With some members now blogging away and articles being posted daily, we have no doubt that we will continue to grow and develop, buoyed by your suggestions, enthusiasm and participation.

Thanks for tuning in, for visiting, for taking part, and for spreading the word about Nurse LinkUp!

The Dark Knight is rated PG 13 for a reason

dmazment@yahoo.com — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

While this has nothing directly to do with nursing, it is imperative parents know how "dark" the newest Batman film truly is. This film is not for young children or any child who has a tendency towards nightmares. I'm truly not sure my greatnephew who is just 12 should have seen it. His mother thinks it was ok for him, but we'll see tonight if he sleeps or not.

Heath Ledger is absolutely outstanding as the "Joker". I judge [...]

Thanks to Kim at Emergiblog!

nursekeith@gmail.com — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Many thanks for Kim over at Emergiblog for the following post:

"Congratulations are in order for nurse blogger colleague Keith of Digital Doorway! Keith has won the ValueCare, ValueNurses Nurse Blogger Scholarship! I’ll let Keith describe what he’ll be doing with his new award:

Basically, I was chosen as the one nurse blogger in the United States who will receive a generous stipend to blog several t [...]

Salmonella Probe Hindered

jfeakins@onlinelinkup.com — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Salmonella Probe Hindered by Inadequate Food Safety System

If we had better health safety systems in place, nurses would not be so overworked (and underpaid).

For example, an unwieldy food safety system one expert recently termed a “mess” has kept federal officials from finding the source of a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened over 1000 people in the U.S. and Canada. The poor performance of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and other health agencies in [...]

American Red Cross Failing to Keep Blood Safe

partnersearch@msn.com — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

The American Red Cross has been under a court order for the past 15 years to improve the way it handles the nation’s blood supply. Since 2003, the Red Cross has been fined more than $21 million for failing to do so. Yet critics of the organization claim the Red Cross is still not doing enough to make sure donated blood is safe. Now, frustrated at the Red Cross’ apparent unwillingness or inability to do its job, federal regulators are said to be [...]

Dearth of Pediatric Medical Devices Puts Children at Risk

partnersearch@msn.com — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Dearth of Pediatric Medical Devices Puts Children at Risk Monday, July 21st, 2008 According to Ziyad Hijazi, chief of pediatric cardiology at Rush University Medical Center, and other doctors, children receive worse treatment in the United States, and have even died, because pediatric medical devices are not approved. Hijazi travels annually with two or three children ad their families to Jordon for heart operations where medical devices not approved for use in the [...]

Just because my eyes are open

dmazment@yahoo.com — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

I can't quite figure out why people/family think because my eyes are open, my neurons are synapsing in sequence and I'm fully cognizant. Maybe because I used to have to be when I worked the OR and was on call all the time. Some of you know the drill, the phone rings at 1am, your feet are on the floor and you're heading for the bathroom where you left your clothes as you're reaching for the phone. Then you're running out the door, shrugging into your coat [...]

Consumers Who Buy Health Insurance Are Vulnerable

jfeakins@onlinelinkup.com — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Americans who buy their own health insurance have very little protection if companies want to deny coverage or raise their premiums when they get sick. A new report published by the consumer advocacy group Families USA says states should do more to protect consumers from insurance companies that will stop at nothing to avoid paying claims.

About 14.5 million Americans bought their own insurance on the individual market in 2006. The Families USA survey of insurance commission [...]

Do Nurses Have The Time?

bohlerj@comcast.net — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

The new trend in hospital satisfaction is called "scripting." Hospitals seemed to have paid some company to do a survey on patient satisfaction and it seems that people have stated that they feel that the nurse doesn't have time for them. The answer to the problem? Nurses are now mandated to script to patients with the last sentence being "Is there anything else I can do for you? I have the time." They are also using this and hourly rounding as a way to "prevent fall [...]

Nurses and The Value of Human Life

bohlerj@comcast.net — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

When nursing began it was about the promotion of health, prevention of illness and care of the ill, disabled and dying. Nurses became advocates in the promotion of health care and a safe environment. Nurses participated in research as well as the shaping of health policies and systems management within the patient and health business. They developed education for patients, families and other health care providers.

Since the beginning of nationally regulated nurses in New Zealand in th [...]

I never thought I'd wear scrubs....

nursekeith@gmail.com — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

After being a nurse for twelve years and never working in a hospital (yes, it is possible!), I have never had a job where I was required to wear scrubs or a uniform. For all of my twelve years, I've worn street clothes---"business casual", as they call it---and while I often complained about having to iron my cotton pants and shirts every week, I never considered the fact that scrubs were a possible fashion choice. Still, in a community health center setting a few years ago, I w [...]

Calling All Nurse Bloggers!

nursekeith@gmail.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Does anyone out there want to start a blog? I've been blogging since 2005, and while it is mostly a personal journey of discovery, blogging about nursing and healthcare has led to many new friendships and professional opportunities that I could never have imagined.

My personal blog, Digital Doorway , runs on a simple, easy-to-use platform called Blogger, which is owned and operated by Google. However, the easiest place to begin and get your blogging feet wet is here on Nurse LinkUp [...]

Value Care, Value Nurses Scholarship

nursekeith@gmail.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

I would like to announce that I was thoroughly shocked and humbled this week after learning that I was selected as the national winner of the Value Care, Value Nurses Blogger Scholarship. I applied along with many of my nurse blogger friends and colleagues, and never suspected that this honor would be bestowed upon me at this juncture in my blogging career.

Under the auspices of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Value Care, Value Nurses is a national campaign to raise [...]

Sleep and Its Discontents

nursekeith@gmail.com — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

I recently underwent the second in a series of sleep studies in pursuit of treatment for relatively severe obstructive sleep apnea. Please click here to read my tale of woe , posted very recently on my personal blog, Digital Doorway.

Blogs!

admin@nurselinkup.com — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Blogs are all the rage these days in every corner of cyberspace, and our vision is for the members of Nurse LinkUp to start their own blogs and share their experiences right here! Blogs are a wonderful way to blow off steam, share personal stories, explore the meaning of nursing, and grow professionally and personally.

Please consider starting a blog here on Nurse Linkup. It's truly easy, and you can say whatever you like (within reason, of course!). Remember---you can blog ab [...]

Forums

admin@nurselinkup.com — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Hello Nurse Linkupians!

We at Nurse LinkUp encourage all of you to check out the forums here on the site. Just go to the top of the home page and click "community". This will bring you directly to the forums. Our vision is for the forums to be a place for lively discussion, debate, and mutual support.

Speaking of the forums, if there's a forum heading or subject that you would like to see, please enter that suggestion in the"feedback" section a [...]