CVME Insider: Nursing Knowledge That Matters

Written by Guest Blogger: Andrea Needham Populations are  aging  all around the world, requiring innovative approaches to keep up with their care. The great news is that advances in technology make keeping up with the demand for senior-friendly tools easier than ever. You can improve your daily quality of life by simply investing in some easy-to-use and practical devices. Get inspired by the below overview of products. Invest in streaming TV and movies Older individuals tend to spend a fair amount of time at home due to decreased mobility. Skip the traditional cable television and opt for a streaming device instead so you can view your favorite movies and shows at any time. Streaming sticks offer access to  more than 500,000 options . It's also easy to set up and there's no need to deal with the cable company—meaning lower costs as well. Another way to simplify entertainment is to get a tablet. This allows you to view programs from the comfort of you...

Written by Guest Blogger: Lydia Chan Alzheimer's Caregiver   | lydia@alzheimerscaregiver.net November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness and National Family Caregivers Month. Caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease can be very challenging, both physically and emotionally. Unfortunately, because of the demands and stress, many caregivers often end up neglecting their own needs. According to research by US Pharmacist,  77 percent  of Alzheimer's Disease caregivers experience sleep deprivation, 56 percent deal with high stress or anxiety, and 40 percent suffer from depression. These caregivers often put off their own medical care and become vulnerable to illness themselves. If you are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's, practice these self-care strategies and make your own health a priority. Eat Right and Take a Multivitamin You can’t be a valuable caregiver to others if you neglect your own health. It’s important to eat a diet rich in ve...

Mental Health and Medicare: Know Your Options to Get the Care You Need Authored by Teresa Greenhill Medicare is an invaluable benefit for seniors or those with disabilities, but navigating the process of enrolling and understanding benefits isn’t always easy. Even if you start to get the hang of Medicare basics, coverage can still be confusing. This is especially true when it comes to mental health coverage . While individual screenings are covered and other care is not, it's essential for anyone accessing Medicare to know what's available to them so they can get the mental health care treatment — or any other treatment — they need to live life to the fullest. Understanding Your Options Anyone who has Medicare is eligible for some mental health screenings and treatment, but the type of care and the cost varies depending on your plan. If you have Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and B), you can get a free depression screening each year through your prim...

Is it truly the 3rd leading cause of death in America? According to the CDC , in 2015,  633,842  people died of heart disease,  595,930  died of cancer, and  155,041  died of chronic respiratory disease—the top three causes of death in the U.S.  However, according to Dr. Martin Makary, MD, M.P.H a professor at John Hopkins and a recent study he conducted may prove the CDC wrong putting medical errors as the cause of death behind cancer but ahead of respiratory disease. Dr. Martin goes on to state that;    “Incidence rates for deaths directly attributable to medical care gone awry haven’t been recognized in any standardized method for collecting national statistics,” says  Martin Makary, M.D., M.P.H. , professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an authority on health reform. “The medical coding system was designed to maximize billing for physician services, not to collect national health statistics...

Well it is safe to say that society and nurses have come along way since the 1800's where smoke signals were a form of communication.   Then in 1844 the telegram was invented; and soon after came the telephone in 1876. In 1978 the first email spam was sent to 393 users by Gary Thuerk. However, with the launch of Facebook in 2004 not to mention Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc, etc.  Nurses and other healthcare professionals have been in trouble for social media use at work and away from work. The Risk According to the Nurses Service Organization (NSO); social media is a "Real Risk" for nurses and healthcare professionals.  NSO presents real stories in which healthcare professionals are getting fired, or worse losing their licenses to work due to social media use/abuse.   One story they present is about a physical therapy (PT) licensing board receiving complaints about a PT using his/her cell phone to send emails, text...