Nurses Make a Difference Every Day! National Nurses Week, May 6 - May 12, 2008

The American Nurses Association observes National Nurses Week this week. Nurses are college educated and trained professionals serving the community in a myriad of ways. Nursing is a science but also the art of caring for people. There are 2.4 million actively employed nurses in the USA. Nursing is a profession with the top projected job growth through 2012. By the end of this decade, we could be facing a shortage of over a million nurses.

One thing that is a big concern right now is how medical centers may be under staffing with nurses to hold costs down. Adequate nursing staffing not only saves lives but does actually save money. People suffer and die when nursing care is inadequate. With the increased complexity of medical care, more nurses are needed to deliver that care safely, and prevent deaths and complications from medical errors.

ANA'S Definition of Nursing

Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.

(Nursing's Social Policy Statement, Second Edition, 2003, p. 6 & Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2004, p. 7)

Nursing schools have had to turn away applicants. If you are considering nursing as a profession - get your application in early and start taking the required courses. Many schools offer fast tracks for people who have degrees and experience in other profession. As for myself, nursing has been a great career choice, providing me with an abundance of opportunity, variety and flexibility for traveling and raising a family. I have never wanted for work in my adult life, and have been blessed with work that is interesting, challenging, and hopefully I have made the lives of others a little better along the way.

Thank you John Gevers for use of photo.

Labels: employment, jobs, nurses, nursing

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May is National Mental Health Month - Get Connected

This month, take stock of your social relationships. Our world and our lives are getting more difficult - we need each now more than ever. Relationships with family and friends help get us through tough times. Mental Health America's theme for 2008 is Get Connected. Social connectedness is a major factor in mental health and wellbeing.

Think back to times when you went through extraordinarily tough tribulations - could you have made it without your friends and family? I know I could not have. Strengthen your bonds with others now and reach out and be there for people who may be going through stressful times right now. Make sure you have these 5 connections in your life for sound mental health

1. Have close relationships to help you cope with stress
2. Have people to talk to when you get lonely
3. Have people around you who accept you for who you are
4. Have a strong emotional connection to at least one other person
5. Know who will help you when you really need it

Humans are social creatures. Being connected to others is as important to our health as eating, sleeping and getting exercise. Strengthen your bonds with others to do. Be slow to criticize, easy to forgive, laugh often.

Thank you adettera for use of photo Family is Most Important.

Labels: mental health, social connections

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Safe Kids Week: April 26 - May 4, 2008

Safe Kids Worldwide is an international organization dedicated to preventing children's death due to accidents and injuries. About 1 million kids die each year from accidents and injuries, higher than any other cause. In the US, Johnson & Johnson has been a founding sponsor of the organization, and combined efforts have resulted in a 45% reduction in fatalities over the past 20 years. We still have more to do:

• Car crashes remain the #1 killer of kids age 3-14
• seat belts and car seats that fit are life-savers. Consult your fire department, health department, or local hospital if you have any questions about yours
• Falls are the #1 cause of accidental injuries - especially to toddlers. A local child just died falling out of a window against a screen that gave way.
  
• Keep kids away from open windows, balconies, roofs, parking lots and drive ways.
• Put window guards on all windows above the first floor.
• Kids under age 5 are twice as likely to die in a fire as the rest of us.
  
• Keep matches and lighters away from all kids under age 13
• Practice escape plans with your kids, even waking them in the middle of the night so they "Know the Drill"
  
• Do not hold children while you are cooking or drinking hot liquids
• Traffic threats exceed a child's cognitive and developmental abilities to process and adults tend to overestimate kid's abilities (especially those who are large and verbally precocious for their age)
• children under age 11 can not cross the street without adult supervision
• remember - adults behind the wheel are only focused on getting to their destination as quickly as possible. We see parents hitting kids with cars on school property all the time...
• 90% of all poisonings happen at home and 1.2 million kids were poisoned in 2006
• kids are curious - it's how we learn
• with so many toxic substances available on the market, you have to be vigilant about keeping everything out of a kid's reach
• Suffocation and strangulation are real possibilities with drawstring jackets and blind cords.
  
• Keep strings tied up and out of harms way.
  
• babies don't need pillows - keep them out of the crib
• Infants under age 1 drown in bathtubs and buckets of water
• use a special baby tub to bathe the baby and NEVER leave the baby unsupervised!
• Kids age 1-4 drown in residential swimming pools - keep your eyes on them & keep them out of the deep end. Don't get distracted by anything.
• Older kids drown in open bodies of water - make sure they have life jackets that fit.
• All kids over age 4 should know how to swim.
• Snug fitting helmets are mandatory for kids when biking, skating or on a scooter. 85% of disabling injuries with this activities are head injuries.

Thanks garry kinneys photostream for use of photo Fishing at the Lake.

Labels: injury prevention, kids safety

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April is Child Abuse Prevention Month: 5 Things You Can Do

Child abuse is everyone's business, and with the economic crisis many people are facing, people are under more stress making children more vulnerable. Stabilization of families works as a strategy to prevent child abuse, but how is that achieved in today's fragmented society? A lot of single parents need support, want change and lack resources.

We all need to reach out to children and parents around us - reach out and offer to ease the stress that often leads to neglect and abuse. Here are

Labels: prevent child abuse

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April 22, 2008 Earth Day - Call for Climate

I have been reporting about how bad global climate change is for our health in previous blogs April 6-12 is National Public Health Week - Tell Congress to Take Action on Climate Change
and World Health Day 2008. Today we celebrate Earth Day with one more call to action.
The daily struggle to survive has reached a crisis due to soaring costs of food in Haiti, Bangladesh, Senegal, Indonesia, Egypt, Bolivia to name some of the countries where people and children are starving.

Call on the G8 committee to end World Hunger by joining thousands signing this petition from ONE.org. Then call your Senator or Representative and ask that they address Climate change at
202-224-3121.

Labels: climate change, Earth Day

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