CE: House calls
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Planning patients' home care before hospital discharge can keep all caregivers and family members aware of continuing medical needs. The article presents guidelines for the discharge and home health nurses, including communication tips, care planning guidelines, and a list of outcome/assessment skills the home nurse will need. |
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| CE: Battle plan for brain attacks
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| In wake of new American Heart Association guidelines, this article summarizes the risk factors, assessment scales, and nursing care steps for aneurysmal subarachnoid brain hemorrhages. Follow-up after surgery and anesthesia, particularly for cerebral vasospasm, is detailed. |
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| CE: Circumcision care
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| Parents will require home-care education for their newly circumcised boys. Build their confidence, and understand the procedure and its complications, with this nurses' guide. |
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| CE: Treating morbid obesity
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| Nurses can help morbidly obese patients realize the health benefits of behavioral, dietary, or surgical weight-loss programs. Teaching them obesity's risks, and the details of their therapy, can make body-fat reduction safer and permanent. |
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| CE: Nutrition in the ICU
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| Malnutrition in ICU patients can complicate disease outcomes. Learn its signs and hazards, and how best to deliver effective nutrition, with this overview. |
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| CE: Nerve pain
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| Pain from neurologic illnesses or trauma may hinder patients' recovery for years. Our guide lists the common sources of such pain, drug and surgical options, and patient-collaboration strategies to improve their quality of life. |
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| CE: Hyperphosphatemia in renal failure
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| Hyperphosphatemia often accompanies end-stage renal disease. Prevent cardiac and kidney complications with our guide to diagnosis, symptoms, foods patients should avoid, and best ways to educate them in anticipating the problem. |
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| CE: Scouting for Lyme disease
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| Lyme disease's subtle symptoms mimic those of other conditions, but early diagnosis can help halt the infection. Learn its symptoms, and how to educate patients in avoiding disease-bearing ticks. |
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| CE: Parkinson's focus
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| Parkinson's is debilitating for patients and presents daily treatment challenges. Learn the basics of this disease, along with guides for patients and their caregivers on medication and maintaining mobility. |
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| Arterial blood gases: Nurses' guide to interpreting test results
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| Article resumes RN's Hands-on Help instructional series with guide to interpreting arterial blood gas test results. Lists common interpretation of respiratory and metabolic acid/base imbalances, roles and mechanisms of buffer systems in maintaining pH, and provides five questions for nurses to ask while analyzing test results to form a correct interpretation. |
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| Hot and cold packs
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| Cold and heat are simple therapies that can effectively reduce pain, inflammation, and muscle spasms. To take advantage of them, you need to know how each works and how best to apply them. |
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| Surgical drains
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| You can limit complications by taking this systematic approach to surgical drain care. |
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| Post-mortem care
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| Once a patient is pronounced dead, your job is to prepare the body for the family to view, and then for transport to the morgue. Knowing what to do can make this difficult task just a little easier for you and the patient's family. |
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| Compression stockings
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| Compression stockings may be low tech, but they're not low risk. This review will help you safeguard your patients. |
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| Inserting an NG tube
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| Inserting a nasogastric tube is a common nursing function in many hospitals. This handy step-by-step guide will help you perform this procedure safely and confidently. |
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| Drawing blood for ABGs
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| The ability to draw an arterial blood gas sample safely and
accurately is essential? even when you're under the gun. |
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| Obtaining blood cultures
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| Contaminated samples account for nearly half of all positive blood
cultures. Accurate results require your rigorous adherence to
proper technique. |
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| Epicardial wires
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| Careful handling of epicardial pacing wires is paramount to your
patient's safety. Here are the steps you'll need to take. |
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