SCRUB LAB

Mylene Magallanes: News letter blogger

Scrub Lab by Mylene M

Scrub Lab at Skyline College

 

For the second year students we are now in our Medical-Surgical rotation. We were lucky enough to have a scrub lab at Skyline College with Alice Erskine and her students. Alice is the instructor for the surgical technician program. They have a very nice facility and lab we were able to see. Alice demonstrated many skills and we were able to practice. We practiced donning and doffing gowns, gloves and other PPE equipment. We were also taught how to scrub in for a surgical procedure. We were supplied with all the necessary supplies to do so. She was very informative and we learned a lot! Her students were the same and helped us throughout the entire process. I have to say it was a great opportunity and I am glad we were able to have that experience!

 

Mylene Magallanes

N211 Review day

Good luck First Years!!

Review day

 Oct 10, 2014

Final Test on Monday, Oct 13

Ebola: First Case in the U.S.

First U.S. Case Of Ebola Confirmed In Dallas 

 by Michaeleen Doucleff

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed Tuesday that the first case of Ebola has appeared in the U.S.

A man in Dallas has tested positive for the virus, the agency says. The man flew to the U.S. from Liberia, arriving on Sept. 20, NPR has learned. He wasn't sick on the flight, and had no symptoms when he arrived.
He first developed symptoms on Wednesday, Sept. 24, according to the CDC, and first sought care on Friday. On Sunday, he was placed in isolation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Health officials have already started searching for people who may have come into close contact with the man. Ebola isn't contagious until a person starts showing symptoms. And the virus is spread only through direct contact of bodily fluids

This isn't the first time somebody has been treated for Ebola in the U.S. Several American aid workers in recent months caught the virus while working in West Africa and were flown back to the U.S. for treatment.
But it's the first time the disease has been detected in a person in the U.S. The CDC is sending a team to Dallas to work with state and local health officials.

The Ebola epidemic in West Africa continues to grow rapidly. As of Thursday, there have been more 6,500 cases across Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. More 3,000 people have died of the disease, the World Health Organization says.

Infectious diseases experts have predicted for weeks that a few Ebola cases would likely get imported into the U.S. And hospitals around the country have been preparing to detect and treat such a case.
Because Ebola only spreads through body fluids, officials have said that any case like this will likely be quickly identified and contained, and not lead to a widespread outbreak like the one happening now in West Africa.


Original Article here:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/09/30/352815781/first-u-s-case-of-ebola-confirmed-in-dallas

Test Post

**testing**

WELCOME FIRST YEARS!!

After Clinicals

Practicing Physical Assessment

 

 

 

Open Skills Lab

**testing**

NCLEX Review for your Smartphone?

Wow!   Seems like there are tons of NCLEX apps for your smartphone - many of them free.  Are they any good?  Depends.  Our ace investigative team scanned the mobile world and found over 200 apps that might be worth downloading.  The free ones are not as robust as the $ versions, but they are free, so check them out!  At the very least you can train the brain in your spare time.

We're not endosing any of these, but here's a list of NCLEX apps for Android and iPhone from appszoom.  They seem to do a pretty good job of scanning the universe of what's out there and how much it might cost you.  Let us know which apps you found helpful!

Elsevier's NCLEX Practice Question of the Week

Did you know Elsevier offers an NCLEX question of the Week on their Facebook page?   They also have a blog on Tumblr that has even more NCLEX questions - all free!  The Tumblr site is nice because you can go to Archive and scroll back several years for lots of sampe test questions.

Addict, Heal Thy Self

-by David Hechim, SN

I’m a proponent of patient participation in their own care plan. I’m a firm believer in the medical team helping a patient help themselves. But the latest medical device to be released by Richmond, Virginia based manufacturer, Kaleo Inc., seems to put this concept into the hands of someone who may not be able to use it at all. Evzio, a hand-held auto-injector that delivers a 0.4mg single dose of naloxone and will be available this summer, according to medical journal reports. Naloxone, commonly called Narcan,

Nursing New Grad – Now What…?

-by David Hechim, SN

What kind of nurses will we be? The first answer, of course is “a good one!” But, where? Maybe not so easy to answer. Especially with the changing dynamic in which health care is delivered. Seems that hospitals aren’t exactly the “place to be”, like they once were. Home health is on the rise. There seems to be a demand for Research Nurses. There are private practices, skilled nursing facilities, community health centers, schools, the list seems to go on and on. But the first question a lot of us will be asking ourselves after our final is, “Where would I really like to work?” The answer to that question is probably a lot closer than we might think. For myself, I look back on all of our clinical rotations. Do I want to be a Psych Nurse? Pediatric Nurse? Work in Labor and Delivery? Med/Surg as a floor nurse? Oncology infusion clinic? Wound Care? Dialysis? OR? ER? ICU? Which one of these felt right for me?

Nursing is a serious business...especially on Halloween!

Instructor Beth Smith prepares for an important lecture.

Fun Time at the Health Fair

Every Fall Semester Nursing Students participate in a College Health Fair where dozens of health-related exhibits are on display.  Once again, our team of amazing students made a serious impact performing glucose tests for diabetes, giving flu shots and demonstrating the art of washing hands!

I Want My Apps and I Want Them Now!

Need Nursing apps for your smartphone?

Relax.  Click here.

A LIttle Drop Will Do Ya?

What if routine bloodwork was near-instant and near painless? 

What if a pin-prick of blood,  say a microliter, could provide enough sample to allow hundreds, maybe even thousands of tests to be run? 

 

Photos courtesy of Theranos, Inc.

 

That future is actually be here and you can see it yourself at the local Walgreens Pharmacy in  Palo Alto, CA.  Starting today (Monday 23 September 2013) and soon nationwide.

A recent Wall Street Journal article profiles the genius and entrepreneur behind Theranos, a med-tech company you'll be hearing much about soon.  Meet 29-year old Elizabeth Holmes.  A  Stanford drop out at age 19 (sound familiar?) she cashed in her college fund and started up Theranos,  Her company has been quietly working on dramatically reducing the time and cost of common and not-so-common laboratory tests. 

Imagine, as nurses, you could eliminate the pain of large volume blood draws.  Lower risk of anemia.  No more dealing with collapsed veins.  No tears from a sick child.  No long waits on critical tests.  Welcome to the next wave of medical science.

Let the Clinicals Begin!

Congratulations, N211 Students!  You've completed your Pre-Clinical training and are on to your clinical rotations.  Welcome to the next level of your nursing education.

San Francisco VA Hospital - one of the many hospitals CSM Nursing Students will experience.

New Warning from CDC

Superbugs - mutating strains of disease-causing pathogens - are increasingly killing people worldwide and the problem is getting worse.  Overuse and misuse of antibiotics are often cited as the most common reasons.

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As healthcare professionals we are not only on the front lines of a global battle but in some ways we are also vectors.  CDC notes that annually, 250,000 hospitalized patients contract Clostridium difficile -  aka C. difficile, and that 14,000 of those patients die from the infection.   

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Looking at the range of growing threats, the numbers are staggering.   In the U.S.: at least 2,049,442 illnesses and 23,000 deaths.  The latest CDC report outlines the impact on patients and healthcare costs.

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You can download this 113-page report from the CDC (PDF) from this LINK.  Find out who

Look Out World! Here They Come!

Congratulations to our new graduates - College of San Mateo Nursing School Class of 2013.  We are so proud of you!  And wow!  Check out those super-clean hands!

Wash Your Hands or Lose Your Job?

Imagine this.  It's 23:00 and time to start your shift in PICU.  Your first assignment is to check on a post-op patient and do a cath change.  Video cameras follow you and transmit images to a company in India where you are being watched.  Actually, not you so much as your hands.  You did de-germ, right?  You were thorough, yes?  You do want to keep your job, correct?.  

You know why.  Dirty hands kill patients.  According to the New York Times, it's also about controlling costs.  Like $30 Billion USD annually in the US alone.  Hospitals everywhere are experimenting with all types of methods to improve hand hygiene. 

Want to know more?  Check out the CDC site on Hand Hygiene.

Need more inspiration?  Watch these videos!

Treating Stroke Victims with Stem Cells

Experimental stem cell therapy at the University of Glasgow's Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology (Scotland) on 5 ischemic stroke patients seems to work, although it's still very early in the clinical trials.

All 5 patients exhibited - and sustained - reductions in neurological impairment and spasticity.  While the results were minor, small changes did impact the quality of life.  The more exciting news is the university has been given the go ahead to proceed with the next phases of the trail, called PISCES (Pilot Investigation of Stem Cells in Stroke).  This is the world's first regulated clinical trial for disabled stroke victims.

 

Picture courtesy of  Sky News

You can read more about this incredible medical advance at these links:

• From Sky News
• From University of Glasgow 1
• From University of Glasgow 2

Gross!!!!

Bedbugs in Hospitals?  Yikes!

Pest control companies are doing a booming business treating hospitals, nursing homes and even ambulances for bedbug (cimex lectularius) infestations.

Yuk!  Photo courtesy of Orkin Pest Control

A recent story by Marketwatch.com reveals the dilemma facing care facilities and how difficult it is to prevent infestations.

Supposedly, bedbugs do not spread disease, but there are new questions, particularly in high vector environments like nursing facilities.

While new solutions are in development budget cuts and social dynamics make this a long term problem.

Got an itch?  Could it be....?

Earth Day Nursing

Earth Day is a great time to think about now the Nursing profession continues to evolve and adapt to new technologies, practices and, yes, sustainability practices that impact our Planet and patients. 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers a comprehensive library of environmental health resources to help you explore a vast inventory of technical and informational journals.

Before clicking on this link be sure to have a fresh pot of coffee.You'll be here for a while.

Need a simpler explanation of Environmental Health Science to share with friends and patients?  Here's a fun and fast explanation (thankyou University of Michigan) that you can share with friends and patients.

WORLD TB DAY...XDR - Are You At Risk?

24 March heralds "World Tuberculosis Day", one of the worst human diseases. As Nurses, we are on the front lines to screen for TB.

TB is an airborne, infectious lung disease that is (usually) preventable and curable.  The good news is the global war against TB is making progress.  The bad news is it's mutating into new strains categorized as multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB) or extensively-drug resistent (XDR_TB) strains. 

Most of us have never experienced the threat or impact of TB but in fact we are always at risk.  According the the World Health Organization (WHO), the global war against TB is working, but with mixed results.   Although the data from developing countries are unclear, WHO notes a 6-fold increase between 2006-2009 in these new strains.  Here in the U.S., WHO reported in 2011 over 100 cases of MDR-TB. The same report shows almost 700 HIV status patients with TB co-infection. 

In today's world of global migration and travel, you remain a vital part of the international effort to battle TB.  One of your particular challenges if treating a TB-positive patient will be patient education.  As TB becomes more drug resistant, so will the side effects, potential toxicities and treatment durations.  Read more about this global effort on the comprehensive WHO website. 

More news about MDR/XDR-TB:

• China - Independent Online, Capetown, South Africa, 7 June 2012
• CDC Report - February/March 2013
• South Africa - US News & World Report, 11 February 2013
• Worldwide Trend - Reuters, 30 August 2012
• India - Nature, 13 January 2012
• International Union Against TB
• European Union - Al Jazeera, 14 Sep 2011

Come to our OPEN HOUSE!

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, 26 March.  From 1500-1700 (that's 3 pm to 5 pm for you non-nursing folks) we are hosting an OPEN HOUSE to showcase our Nursing Program, Skills Lab and much more!

Meet students, staff and faculty.  Explore our 8 room / 14 bed "hospital".   Go "behind the scenes" of our advanced simulated patient lab and experience how simulation brings sophisticated reality to teaching and bridges theory with clinical training. 

If you're a past graduate and you haven't been up to the campus lately - you've got to see our new digs! 

Thinking about a career in nursing?  Check us out!

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Other Nursing Blogs

Wonder what other nursing blogs have to say? 

Here's a small sample of the Nursing Blogosphere.  Some are no longer updated but are still interesting.

• Pixelrn - Life as a Nurse
• Health & Nursing Issues Australia - Nursing "down under"
• Head Nurse - "Brain on top, spine down the back."
• Becoming a nurse - "Diary of a midlife career change." (Dated but interesting.)
• Nurses Guide Blog - A collection of nursing issues
• Student Nurse - stories of a nursing student's life (not current but still lots to read)
• The Student Nurse - A man's perspective on his student nursing experience
• Just Call Me Nurse - A mom becomes a pediatric nurse
• The Nursing Blog - A Filipino perspective on the international world of nursing 
• My Strong Medicine - Adventures of a male nurse
• RN: Real Newbie - Tales of life as a new nurse
• Mental Health Nursing - The view from London
• NurseALI - Musing of a new nurse
• Confessions of a Student Nurse - Real nurse. Real stories.
• She's Off Again -  Life as a UK Mental Health Student Nurse
• The Nursing Site Blog - A bit corporate, but lots to read
• Nurses on Duty - Interesting perspectives - big focus on nutrition and diet
• Code Blog - Life as a nurse
• Underside of Nursing - Poetry meets nursing
• Ultimate Nurse - Stories of important nursing issues
• Reality RN - Cartoons, stories and much more
• Happy Hospitalist - Collection of odd and interesting hospital experiences
• Bob the Nurse - Bob likes to play with dolls. 
• At Your Cervix - L&D nurse tells all
• Nurse Power - Writings of nurse and author
• Student Nurse Lisa - The view from Sydney, Australia
• Tales of School Zoned Nurse - life as a school nurse
• The New Nightingales - an e-book of sorts that follows 2 British nursing students from the 1980s through today

Do you have a nursing blog or have one you'd like to share?  Email your favs to csmstudentrn at gmail dot com.

Injured by Hand Sanitizer?

(Portland, OR) Here's a sad but important news story from The Oregonian about a pediatric patient who was severely burned in her room and the culprit is hand sanitizer and static electricity.  While rare, it does suggest heightened awareness of the potential fire danger from hand sanitizer.