Don't Forget to Laugh

Source: Mike Peters www.grimmy.com

Paw Power - In memory of King

The face of our present day health care is revolutionizing. No longer is westernized medicine the answer to all health care problems. People today are becoming more aware of alternative forms of medicine, such as herbal remedies, acupuncture, massage therapy and the power of pet therapies. Since working in a hospital, I have witnessed first hand the power of pet therapies and the impact they have on patients. Some of the worst problems that patients face is not the specific health related problem, but the feeling of isolation and loneliness that comes with being ill. In my experience, patients are always ecstatic when they see the therapy dogs and even more so when given the chance to interact with the animal. After the visit is over, patients seem so much happier and emotional recharged. It is always important that we as nurses are open to all forms of healing and resist the brainwashed mentality, that to solve the problem, just take a pill.

The following are links to Pet Therapy web sites:

www.sniksnak.com/therapy.html

health.discovery.com/centers/aging/pet_therapy/pet_therapy.html

www.uoguelph.ca/news/2007/01/group_to_explor.html


Picture source: www.dogflu.ca/dogs/dog_news

Future Problems

The nursing crisis has been around since I started in nursing, and there does not seem to be an end in sight. As these shortages continue, so does the number of people leaving the nursing profession because of stress and workload. One problem that seems to plaque the nursing profession is the old saying, "nurses eat their young". As gross a mental image as that provides, unfortunately it still remains true. We as a profession need to nurture and support each other and begin to build on the foundations of teamwork and cooperation among all age groups and education levels. There needs to be recruitment as well as retention of staff in order to improve the crumbling foundation of our health care system. If we can make our hospitals a great place to work, we may see an improvement in our health care team and the way they provide care to the community they serve.

Nursing Shortages

Ethical Dilemma

Throughout the health care system the question of ethical decision making, continues to be a burden in the minds of health care workers. It seems that in today's health care system we have lost the line between saving lives and merely prolonging death. Is it right to offer all medical treatments, regardless of how invasive they are, to every person with any disease? Take for example a patient who is suffering from terminal end stage multiple sclerosis that is given a tracheostomy and requires 24 hour -a- day mechanical ventilation. Imagine a world where everyday all you do is stare at the same four taupe coloured walls and hear the gentle humming sound of the ventilator. Everyday your mind forgets more and more until you cannot even remember where you are. Family members visit when they can, but as the days move on they seem to visit less. It is unfortunate that today, in health care, we offer so many interventions but do we every stop to think if it's right. Just because we have the technology to provide medical treatments does not always mean we should. Sometimes there really are things in this world that truly are a fate worse than death.

DNR Song

Does technology improve health care?

Internal application error! These words are all too common when dealing with computer technology in health care. Computers are excellent at bridging gaps in communication, making documentation and patient care faster and easier. Unfortunately, computers also come with many problems and are responsible for slowing down health care delivery and causing undue frustration among nurses. This is most apparent when the computer “crashes” and all documentation is lost. Nurses are then required to re enter lost documentation, which ultimately leads to compromised patient care. There is a delicate balance that must be maintained when technology intertwines with health care. As nurses we must always remember that technology is no substitute for compassion.

Me in a nutshell

5 years and counting! That is the length of time I have been a registered nurse. Hi my name is Krystle and presently I work in the Intensive Care Unit at a local hospital. I attended school in Kitchener Ontario in there diploma program. Presently I am enrolled in the university bridging program to obtain my BScN. Going back to school and working full time has been an interesting endeavour, and has definitely challenged my time management abilities. This is my first attempt at blogging and bridging the gaps between nursing and technology. Personally I think it is a great method of keeping up to date on information within the profession and creating relationships with other members of the health care community.