Author: Dominick Flarey

Role of the Registered Nurse in Disease Management

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

 Disease Management and Nursing

Disease management is a holistic approach towards provision of health care services to an individual or population that has symptoms of certain illnesses. It encompasses the combination and coordination of various systems towards the provision of an all-encompassing approach in terms of delivery of health care services.
The role of RN in disease management cannot be overlooked as they play an important part in the success stories of the program, Disease management involves various aspects such as the economical, clinical and psychosocial aspects deemed necessary in the provision of health care. This approach aims to have a positive effect and result in the adjustment of health-related behavior patterns in patients, health care providers and consumers bringing about the reduction of severe cases or incidences of certain diseases or disorders. Adjustments on any health behavior pattern undergo a verification and support process that seeks continuous progress. This process offers up to the minute feedback and works on the basis of particular health conditions in addition to a string of apt population procedures and outcomes.
Besides working towards attaining a favorable clinical outcome, disease management programs also focus on utilizing the most cost-efficient outcome suitable for a particular group of patients. A disease management program consists of three major components: a) Proper understanding relating to the natural and the estimated financial history as regards medical condition; b) The health care provision system; and c) a continuous progressive process that is able to measure and analyze outcomes. It is important to note that this medical approach makes the most use of the principle of self-care.

Principles of Disease Management

The basic principle of disease management focuses on empowering patients so that they can be able to provide almost 95 percent self care when suffering from chronic illnesses. In this scenario, the patient is tasked with the responsibility of taking care of their health by adopting good eating habits and a healthy lifestyle. Though disease management campaigns for self care, it is well-aware that lack of adequate knowledge and skill set on the part of patients more so when going about health practices and disease prevention may lead to poor quality health care.
The program takes into account three assumptions: a) a knowledgeable patient is better placed to handle their condition as opposed to one who lacks the knowledge; b) The patient is the main beneficiary of the health care provided to them thus they have a right to demand for quality management of their disease; c) patients play a significant role in their final clinical outcome therefore there is need for them to gain knowledge for them to manage their own condition. In this regard, the program utilizes education tools to educate patients with relevant knowledge.
These education tools including treatment guidelines as well as educational resources play a significant role in the overall accomplishment of any program. Additionally, not only do patient education components educate patients on their responsibility but also emphasize on the involvement of other family members in actively participating in the patient’s self care management. Registered nurses bring a lot to the table as they act as disease management supervisors. They work mainly in hospitals, insurance companies, commercial health management corporations, outpatient facilities and doctors’ clinics. In order for one to be a registered nurse, they must complete a nursing program where they learn various aspects such as behavioral modification techniques, disease prevention and health promotion. Armed with a solid educational background, the nurses seamlessly transition into this medical field. The premier responsibility of nurses in relation to disease management is to work as agents of change.
In present times, much focus is placed on the delivery of health care services to individual patients. On the contrary, the focus should change to tackling chronic ailments using a population-based method. The soaring costs of health care can be countered by emphasizing on strict observance of clinical practice regulations, ensuring that the patient population receives the undergoes diagnostic tests in the right time and making sure the patient population takes the prescribed medicine to the letter. Additionally, nurses enlighten both patients and other health workers on gaining knowledge of behavioral adjustment techniques as well as their use. Furthermore, the nurses encourage the patients to get actively involved in providing self care. Also, the nurses act as patient advocates, fighting for their rights as well as reminding patients about their responsibilities.
If you are interested in this field, please review our program in Case Management.

Grief: How Physicians Deal with it

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Grief When a Patient Dies

The medical community is not immune to grief reactions when patients die. In fact, many of them, especially oncologists confront the deaths of patients on an ongoing basis. How do they handle their grief when a patient dies? Do they handle it well or do they have difficulties in dealing with it? This article provides us with some insights which will help answer that question.

The article, “Cancer docs often deal with own grief, doubts when patients die”, by Lisa Esposito states

“(HealthDay) — Some cancer doctors may build up emotional walls — distancing themselves from the patients they can’t save — to avoid grief, sadness and even despair, new research shows.”

Full article: click here

Grief is a journey we all take sometime in our lives. For medical professionals it is an outcome of caring and is inherent in their career environment. Even professionals need help in dealing with their grief. Learn more about grief education, click here.
If you are interested in learning how to become a certified bereavement counselor, then please review.

Elements of Health Care Malpractice

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The Legal Nurse

Medical or Health Care malpractice can be defined as a professional negligence by a medical professional i.e. a doctor, a surgeon, a nurse or any other healthcare professionals that results in emotional or physical harm to a patient. Medical malpractices come in many forms. For instance, a medical malpractice can be as a result of an act or an omission of a necessary act or care that eventually harms a patient.

 The four elements of medical malpractice

There are four main elements that have to be proven in any given medical malpractice case. These elements include; duty, breach of duty, damage and cause. These elements have to be assessed for a medical malpractice case to be determined.
1. Duty
Duty as the name suggests refers to the doctor patient, or health care provider relationship whereby a duty exists for the doctor to treat a patient according to the set professional code of conduct and practice. For a medical malpractice case to be determined, there must have been a given duty owed (to a patient) by a given healthcare practitioner i.e. doctor, nurse, pharmacist e.t.c charged with the care of a patient. The doctor-patient relationship is a common example of a situation where that duty would exist. A good example of a malpractice based solely under duty is when there is delayed treatment which is treatment that over four hours late. In such a case the duty owed is breached by a responsible party. It is however important to note that a medical malpractice case has to prove that all the four elements exist for it to qualify as a legal medical malpractice case.

 2. Breach of duty

Breach of duty in medical malpractice occurs in cases where a healthcare professional who has been charged with the responsibility/duty of care for a given patient fails in his or her duty by failing to exercise a certain acceptable degree of care or a given medical skill that any other healthcare professional practiseing in the same capacity or specialty would be able to give or address in equal circumstances. Such medical malpractices considered when an expert or experts in similar fields confirm that the professional should have been able to adhere to the set standard of care as required. A medical malpractice example based on breach of duty may include a practitioner i.e. a doctor failing to prescribe standard medication that may have serious health implications on a patient. A medical malpractice case has to proof that a practitioner breached their duty for compensation among the other elements for the case to qualify.

 3. Damage

In cases of medical malpractice damage, the patient has to have suffered either physical or emotional injury while under the care of a given healthcare professional/practitioner. This is among the most common element that dominates medical malpractice cases. For instance a medical practitioner i.e. a doctor may have operated a patient without following the set code/standards which eventually results in physical injury. A good example would be to operate on a patient and causing more new injuries that were not there initially or aggravation an existing injury. A medical malpractice case has to prove that the medical practitioner caused the new damage or aggravated as well as proof the existence of the elements for a case to qualify for hearing which can eventually lead to a patient wining the medical malpractice case and eventually getting compensated.

 4. Cause

The last element of medical malpractice is cause. For a medical malpractice legal case, there has to be concrete/solid proof that a given medical practitioner/professional directly caused a patient injury. Like all the above elements, the cause of injury must be as a result of all the above elements i.e. a breach of duty, duty and damage causing injury to a patient. Such medical malpractice cases are also common for instance when a doctor or a pharmacist prescribes the wrong medicine to a patient and then the patient takes the prescribed medicines and falls ill. The ’cause’ has to be proved in a medical malpractice case.
In conclusion, a successful medical malpractice lawsuit has to prove the existence of all four elements mentioned above four elements. If a healthcare practitioner being sued is able to prove that none of the elements exists, then the medical malpractice case is dropped.
Are you interested in becoming a Legal Nurse? If you are a registered nurse than you may qualify to enter a legal nurse consulting program. Legal nurse consulting is a highly rewarding career specialty for nurses and continues to be in high demand in our country. If you would like to learn more about a legal nurse courses and programs, click here.

Marijuana, Not a Safe Drug Any Longer

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Preface:
Marijuana is the common name for Cannabis Sativa, the Indian Hemp plant (the terms ‘cannabis’ and ‘marijuana’ are used interchangeably). The principle “psychoactive” chemical in marijuana is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Actually, marijuana is now known to contain about 12 cannabinols (direct chemical relatives of THC) as well as over 420 other chemicals. Virtually all of the chemicals found in marijuana seem to have at least some physiological or psychoactive effects. So, is marijuana dangerous? We will discuss this question. Due in fact, the marijuana sold today is far stronger than it was two or three decades ago, and far more dangerous.A picture of marijuana with 5 leaves growing from the stem.

Marijuana leaf.

Is Marijuana Dangerous?

A man smoking a joint
Is marijuana smoking bad for your lungs?

Yes. If you consuming marijuana, it can harm you. Many people don’t know this, but marijuana smoke contains more tar and more of some cancer-causing chemicals than tobacco smoke. Here are some other ways that marijuana use can harm you:
– MENTAL ILLNESS:
Mental effects caused by marijuana can include depression, flashbacks, aggressive feelings, anxiety leading to panic, paranoia, confusion, delusions (especially of persecution), hallucinations resulting from toxic psychosis, psychotic disorder (insanity), delirium, and depersonalization. A study by researchers at indicated a strong link between heavy marijuana smoking and depression. The study followed 2,000 youths aged 14-21 for seven years. The effects of habitual use were particularly marked in young women: those who used daily ran seven times the risk of suffering depression and anxiety.
– MEMORY and LEARNING PROBLEMS:
Young people who use marijuana may experience short-term memory loss lasting up to six weeks. Pet brain scans of chronic users show marijuana may continue to impact the brain three or more days after use, particularly affecting motor coordination, learning and memory. In America, a group of teenage marijuana users tested for short-term memory performed poorly compared to a control group matched in age, education level, and IQ. The memory loss persisted after six weeks drug-free (supervised).
– COORDINATION / ACCIDENTS:
Because it impairs coordination, marijuana is a factor in many accidents, according to studies. A 1991 study of ten pilots in a flight simulator showed they made significant errors in landing the plane up to 24 hours after smoking just one low-potency marijuana cigarette. Numerous studies over the years have linked marijuana with road accidents. Particularly worrying is that marijuana impairs drivers’ abilities long after they feel its intoxicating effects have worn off.
– BRAIN AGEING:
Marijuana is the only drug of abuse for which there is solid evidence linking it with ageing in the part of the brain responsible for short-term memory (the hippocampus). The Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford University, England, found brain atrophy in young people who were heavy marijuana users to be equal that of 70-90 year olds. Recent studies of rats also suggest THC may hasten ageing of the brain.
– APATHY:
Chronic users of cannabis may experience what is often referred to as ‘amotivational syndrome’ – that is, apathy and loss of motivation. The user may display little interest in school, sport and other activities that were previously enjoyed. Care taken with personal appearance and/ or hygiene may also lapse significantly.
– ADDICTION:
Contrary to claims that marijuana is not addictive, research is increasingly proving that marijuana is a drug that causes physical, as well as psychological, dependence. The 1997 NDARC study of long-term marijuana users revealed more than 90% were dependent on the drug, with 40% being severely dependent. Other studies support these findings.
– REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM:
Marijuana use has been associated with decreased testosterone production and low sperm counts in men. There is also some evidence that sperm produced by users is abnormally shaped and may have biochemical or structural defects.
– HARM CAUSED TO BABIES/ CHILDREN:
For a woman to consume marijuana whilst pregnant is extremely risky. This can affect the baby in the womb, after his/her birth, and later in life. There is higher risk of miscarriage, lower birth weight, and premature birth. It is also believed the children of women who used cannabis are more likely to have behavior problems.
– CHROMOSOME DAMAGE:
According to studies conducted in laboratories suggest marijuana is able to change the character of genes in cells, or ‘chromosomes’ (chromosomes contain the hereditary characteristics of our cells). It is suggested that these changes may be mutagenic – that is, able to be passed on to future generations.
– RESPIRATORY EFFECTS:
When marijuana is smoked, various gases and tiny particles are produced, including cancer-causing substances such as benzopyrene and benzanthracene, which are present in nearly double the concentrations found in tobacco smoke. Smoking one marijuana cigarette leaves airway deposits of 4 times as much cancer-causing tar as one tobacco cigarette. Marijuana is also a suspected cause of the lung disease, emphysema, and marijuana users have an increased risk of developing acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma, sinus problems and airway injury.
– HEART DISEASE:
When a person smokes tobacco, causing the heart to beat faster to make up for oxygen loss. A similar process occurs with marijuana; however, there is even greater pressure on the heart. Just ten puffs on a low-potency joint was shown to increase the heartbeat of patients to 100 per minute, as well as increasing blood pressure.
– FAMILY CONFLICT:
Drug abuse among young people, and use of marijuana in particular, may be a factor in the breakdown of family relationships leading to youth homelessness. Teenage drug abuse was a key cause of conflict in 42% of families assisted through The Salvation Army’s ‘Reconnect’ program, which assists families with a teenager considered to be ‘at risk’ of becoming homeless. More than 80% of the homeless young people currently being assisted by The Salvation Army’s Oasis Youth Support Network in Sydney were involved in drug and alcohol abuse when they initially presented, and of those, almost all have used marijuana.
The Bottom Line:
Is Marijuana dangerous? You may make decisions after know the fact above while using marijuana that you regret later. Do you, a family member or a friend have a problem with substance use? If you want help, you may want to talk to someone you trust, such as your doctor, a teacher, a health nurse, or a guidance or addiction counselor. You might also want to contact an addiction assessment center or a self-help group .
If you want to learn more about substance abuse counseling, please go to our page.

Care Management And Trends of Aging Americans

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Case Management Implications

Our population is “aging.” The baby boomers are retiring and as the years continue, our population of elderly people will be increased. Elder Case management will become of prime importance in our health care system. Many new models of care will be designed to meet the needs of the aging population. This has wide-spread implications for those who are practicing as professional care managers today. This article provides an excellent overview of the 10 core trends occurring now that have profound future implications in health care practice.

Care management will become increasingly important in our health care delivery system. You may learn more about Case management by accessing this link.

New Grief Counseling Book “Devastating Losses”

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The loss of a child is never easy, especially if it was from suicide or drug abuse.   A new grief counseling book “Devastating Losses” takes a look at child loss due to suicide or drug overdose.   The authors William Feigelman, Ph.D.,  John Jordan, Ph.D., John McIntosh, Ph.D., Beverly Feigelman, LCSW do an excellent job of combining research and clinic study with the stories and voices of the bereaved parents.   The book further dives into the grief response of the loss and the best therapeutic healing techniques.    For more on “Devastating Losses” please read the following:

New Grief Counseling Book “Devastating Losses”

Please visit the following link for a full description of the book

For more information on grief counseling please feel free to visit our webpage.

Our Grief Counseling Certification can help you learn the tools you need to learn to help others.

 

If you have any questions about our Grief Counseling Certification, please review

Managing Stress from a Divorce

Posted on by Dominick Flarey
A woman yelling at a man
Managing stress could avoid conflict.

Divorce is never easy.   Managing stress from it can be a nightmare as well. Stressful situations like legal proceedings, child care, financial issues can take their toll.   Stress can lead to a bad day turning into an even worse one.   Stress management can help.   Managing your stress can turn a heated argument into a productive meeting.   What stress management techniques to use you ask?   Simple!  An excellent article has several stress management tactics you can use to help you get through your divorce.

The article, “Seven Ways to Cut the Stress of Divorce”, by Mark Banschick states

“It probably does not come as a surprise to you that anxiety and stress disorders are common among recent divorcés. Some choose to deal with this stress by taking anti-anxiety medications.”

For the full article please go here.

Managing stress caused by divorce does not have to be hard as you can see.  Through simple techniques you can manage stress and get through this difficult time.
For most information on stress management please visit our page.

Top 100 Health Coaching Tips for a Healthy Summer

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Summer is almost here and so are the health  care life coaching tips to get in “beach shape”, what super food to eat to lose weight or what killing new exercise is the latest craze.    When looking for advice in the health care coaching field see if the information provided is sound.   You can know this for yourself if the health coach states lifestyle changes instead of something that promises quick results.    Health coaches will always suggest proper diet and hard work pay off in the long run.   Health coaching tips like; eat fiber it’s filling with half the calories, eat fresh fruit instead of dried, and drink plenty of water instead of soda.    All of these tips are designed to get you to change your lifestyle instead of eating a miracle super food.    For a full 100 item list of things you might want to consider doing this summer please review below:

a picture of a wooden path leading down to the beach
Proper diet and exercise is the only health coaching advice you need!

The article, “100 Tips for a Healthier Summer”, by Cheryl Forberg states

“It’s time to fast track to get your body in peak fat-burning condition. By combining the right foods and beverages and amplifying your workouts, your bod will be in head-turning shape all summer long.”

For the full article please go here.

Following health coaching advice does not have to be hard.   If you were to following just 10 of the tips on this 100 item list then you would be making a change for the better.
If you want to learn more about health care life coaching then you might want to give our page a look.

Pet Loss Grief and Love

Posted on by Dominick Flarey
A happy puppy running in the grass
Let your pet’s life remind you that love is all around us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dealing with pet loss grief, like other forms of grief, can be difficult.  Most of us have a hard time seeing past the loss of a pet.   Do not allow yourself to feel bad.   Grieving is natural!  Do not let the grieving, however, be the only feeling that remains.    Our pets are important to us because they remind us of love.   Our pets love us and we love them.   They show us the good that exists in nature.    For more details please review the following:

Pet Loss Grief and Love

The article, “Its not about grief, its about love, ” by Marianne Soucy states

That is why animals are so important to the health of us humans – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Our animal companions can teach us to be present and experience the love that is within us and around us. We are surrounded by much love and joy – if  we allow ourselves to open up, to pay attention and experience it.  For example, I can experience love from my cats.  And when I look outside, I see the garden, the sunrise, the birds, all the life out there – how can I not see the beauty and magic – the love.

For the full article please go here.

Do not let pet loss grief be the only thing you remember about your animal companion.   In the end you will have to choose between your grief and love.   Choose love and embrace everything good about having pets.
If you want to learn more about pet loss grief counseling then you should visit our website.

5 Holistic Superfoods to Keep Onhand.

Posted on by Dominick Flarey
A pretty woman holding a large fruit
Holistic superfoods are not always fresh fruits and vegetables.

If you follow lists of holistic superfoods or eat a holistic diet then perhaps you know of some of the foods on this list.  For others these foods are probably foods you have never heard of, however their holistic nutritional value cannot be denied.   Superfoods like chorella and barley grass might not sound good but they are good for you!   They are holistic health care powerhouses.   These two foods alone have shown anti-cancer benefits.   For the full list please review below:

5 Holistic Superfoods to Keep Onhand.

The article, “The top five superfoods to always keep stocked in your pantry”, Source: Natural News states

“What is a superfood? While there is no specific definition for the term, a superfood is generally recognized by a few characteristics: high nutritional density and low calories, high fiber, high in omega-3 fatty acids, lots of antioxidant activity, and rich with phytochemicals that have the potential to prevent or even reverse disease.”

Working these holistic superfoods into your diet might take a little work but the payoff  is great.   Longer life and healthier body are the rewards.   Once you find a way to include these foods into your holistic nutritional diet, you will see that many more superfoods await.
If you are interested in holistic and integrative health care then you should check out our website.