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UNDERSTANDING CAB IN CPR

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 C - compressions   A- airway  B - breathing Compressions are considered necessary, to restore circulation as soon as possible. These guidelines were recommended by American Heart Association.  It is suggested that immediate compressions will  help restore circulation. Medical personnel are required to be trained in CPR and ACLS. Scenario : Jim was admitted to the medical floor, with  with complaints of abdominal pain. The nurse arrives  at his bedside, to find him unresponsive. She presses the code button, to alert the code team.  She then begins CPR. What does CPR mean?  CPR means Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. When the heart stops beating and there is no circulation of blood throughout the body, CPR is initiated. Lack of blood suppl y to the brain and vital organs, may cause permanent damage if left untreated. Above, medical personnel are being given instructions about the correct techniques to use when doing CPR. This is unacceptable! A nurse should always try to seek guidanc
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HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR THE CLINICAL SETTING

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         A nurse may face many challenging situations in the clinical setting.         There may be a traumatic event, which involves a hemothorax . How about the patient who has excrutiating pain after IV Potassium has been hung? Exercise is essential for good health. It  helps to keep your weight under control.  Exercise also helps to promote good brain function. Chest pain may be brought on by stress. It may also be a sign      of a cardiac event. It is important to seek medical advice if  chest pain occurs.  
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POTENTIAL PROBLEMS OF PATIENT ON MECHANICAL VENRILATION

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  Scenario : John was admitted to the ICU with difficulty breathing .He was intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation. Potential problems of the patient on mechanical ventilation: 1. Anxiety related to intubation. Typically, medication to decrease   anxiety is ordered by the doctor. 2. Impaired gas exchange. Maintaining a patent airway is  very important. Checking breath sounds, suctioning secretions and troubleshooting alarms, are actions taken.  3. Self extubation   may occur, so for this reason, the doctor may order restraints or some other option to prevent this happening. 4. Water might collect in the tubing of the ventilator. Measures to clear the tubing is usually done. Patient and family education Patient and family education will help to decrease anxiety. Patient restraints may be necessary to prevent self extubation.
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THE STANDARDS OF CARE

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  ABOUT THE STANDARDS OF CARE The standards of care are an essential part of  the Nursing profession. It provides guidelines within a framework of practices. Inservice education provides a platform for staff members  to be educated regarding a safe work environment. Each institution has policies and procedures in place that are demonstrated as needed , in order to maintain a good standard of care. Inservice education is set up to enforce the standard of care and updates are usually done to improve this standard. Maintaining and providing safe work practices, is a must. What has not changed? Some things never change. Let us take a look: 1.The heart still has four chambers and pumps blood all around the body. 2. The brain is made up of four lobes and has twelve cranial nerves. 3. There are right and left lungs which oxygenate blood. 4. Insulin is secreted by special cells in the pancreas. How can we improve? It is important to recognize that classroom skills  are different from clin
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CATATONIC SCHIZOPHRENIA

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Scenario : In the image above, there are two people with catatonic schizophrenia. Jan on the left , has been standing in the same position for many hours. She has not been speaking. Ann on the right, has been having long periods of sitting and staring blankly, as well as neglecting her personal hygiene.   The cause of this condition is not fully understood. Both are displaying signs and symptoms of catatonic schizophrenia. These include : - immobility or not speaking for long periods of time - neglecting personal hygiene - making statements that make no sense Treatment of schizophrenia is discussed.  
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AVOIDING MEDICATION ERRORS

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  Scenario : Nurse Jenna is in the middle of a bitter custody battle. She has just received more bad news and is having a  difficult time  coping. Jenna is about to make a  medication error , as she is headed for the wrong patient's room. How can medication errors be avoided? Medication errors should be avoided at all cost. Once  a mistake  is made, it may not be easy to undo the damage. It is advisable in  a situation  like Jenna's to take a second to gather one's thought  processes  before giving medication. Enjoy watching the videos: The New Nurse- Communication verbal Parts 1 and 2 The New Nurse- Avoiding medication errors
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MRI ( MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING)

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 In the image above, someone is scheduled for an MRI. What is an MRI? An MRI ( Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is a diagnostic study. It is noninvasive. MRI scans have the ability to show bones, blood vessels and other internal structures. MRI has very strong magnetic fields. Preparation for an MRI scan  When an MRI scan is ordered by the doctor, special preparation is made. Because of the strong magnetic fields, a questionnaire is filled out. Knowledge regarding pacemaker insertion , IVC filter, aneurysm clips , surgical wires and more is documented. Objects such as keys, credit cards,   coins and glasses are removed. An MRI scanner may be very noisy, like a blow horn. The doctor may  order sedation for the patient who has claustrophobia .  Patient education is also done . The result of the MRI scan will be read by the doctor.
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