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Welcome to my blog about health, nursing, caring, kindness and positive change. Our world is full of such negative influences and bad choices, today is the day to make a positive change both physically and mentally in your life.

ERNursesCare is a blog incorporating my nearly 30 years of experience in the healthcare field with my passion for helping others, I want it to encourage others with injury prevention, healthy living, hard hitting choices, hot topics and various ramblings from my unique sense of humor. Come along and enjoy your journey......

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Flu Season :Common sense people!

It is still not to late to think about your flu shot, think about those around you!

We are seeing an increased number of patients in the ED and all over with various cold/ flu and viral type complaints. Please consider staying home if you are ill with " flu like symptoms" and are not extremely sick. The Emergency department is just that, for emergencies. The flu is not an emergency, your symptoms can be treated just fine at home unless you develop secondary infections like pneumonia or become severely dehydrated. Coming to the ED with the complaints " flu like symptoms",coughing all over other people who might be in the ED waiting room due to real emergent conditions is not cool. Please don't bring your children to the ED either just because you want them checked out to make sure they don't have the flu. If they didn't have it before you brought them, they will when you leave.

Please use some common sense people! Take care of yourself!

Treatment: what do I do?

If you have been diagnosed with the flu, you should stay home and follow your health care provider’s recommendations. Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist about over-the-counter and prescription medications to ease flu symptoms and help you feel better faster.

You can treat flu symptoms with and without medication.
Over-the-counter medications may relieve some flu symptoms but will not make you less contagious.
Your health care provider may prescribe antiviral medications to make your illness milder and prevent serious complications.
Your health care provider may prescribe antibiotics if your flu has progressed to a bacterial infection.
How can I treat congestion?
Decongestants can ease discomfort from stuffy noses, sinuses, ears, and chests. Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist about which kind is right for you.
How can I treat coughing and sore throat?
Cough medicine, cough drops, and throat lozenges can temporarily relieve coughing and sore throat. Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist about which kind is right for you.
How can I reduce fevers and discomfort?
Fevers and aches can be treated with a pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®, for example), ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, Nuprin®), or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) (Aleve®).If you have kidney disease or stomach problems, check with your health care provider before taking any NSAIDS.
Is it safe to take flu medications with other over-the-counter or prescription medicines?
Many over-the-counter medications contain the same active ingredients. If you take several medicines with the same active ingredient you might be taking more than the recommended dose. This can cause serious health problems. Read all labels carefully.
If you are taking over-the-counter or prescription medications not related to the flu, talk to your health care provider or pharmacist about which cold and flu medications are safe for you.
When should I seek emergency medical attention?
Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of the following:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Purple or blue discoloration of the lips
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Seizures
- Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Aggravated ED RN ;)

Monday, December 3, 2012

Put down the phone~ respect the best

I am astonished by the number of patients that I have come across in the last few weeks that simply refuse to put down their precious cell phones when a medical professional enters a room to talk to them or provide care to them.

Case in point, one of my colleagues a few weeks ago enters a ED room to medicate one of my patients prior to her discharge. This particular patient was on her cell phone checking her bank account which seemed much more important to her than care. My coworker asked her to put down her phone so he could give her medications and discharge instructions, she looked at him like he was an alien with 3 heads and proceeded to continue to talk. Now what part of that makes any sense?

If you present to any ER, doctors office or medical establishment you are expecting to be taken care of by professionals. The healthcare field is a community of people who dedicate their lives (well most of us) to making sure you live long and well lives. Doctors and nurses spend countless hours in school, training and then continue to learn as an ongoing process.

Your personal life can wait a few minutes while you are in the Emergency Department so you can give your caregiver the respect and time that they are taking with you. Put your darn phone away! We understand that life is fast, we all have kids and families too! How would you feel if I as your Er nurse entered your room chatting to my spouse via my cell phone and you were having a heart attack or other life threatening event. What if I felt like my phone call was more important than you? Not cool!

So next time take a minute to remember that your healthcare professional is taking time to devote their attention to you, give them the respect they deserve and get off your phone, texting included.

That's my soapbox for today ;) ~~~Leslie

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Fighting the Nasty Bugs at Home~

Great information from Dr Oz.com and Donna Cardillo,RN MA, check out her blog for more fabulous info and ways to Avert the Flu this season!
So before you run to the ER with your cold and flu nasty's (and infect the ER nurses like me) try a few of these home remedies first, they do work.

Cold and Flu Home Remedies

By Donna Cardillo, RN, MA

Boost your immune system, stay healthy, fight the pesky flu bug (and others), and treat the symptoms if you do come down with something with these home remedies. Click here for my blog on the 11 Ways to Avert the Flu.

Green tea is known to have many properties that can help keep you in tip-top health – and therefore better prepared to ward off cold and flu bugs. The jury is out on how many cups of tea are optimal, but 2-3 per day are often recommended. If you do come down with cold or flu symptoms (or feel them coming on), consider 3-4 cups of green tea per day to expedite ridding your body of those nasty bugs and give your body’s defenses an extra jolt.

Ginger’s health benefits have long been touted. Steep several slices of fresh ginger root in hot water and sip for an extra health boost or to soothe a cough or scratchy throat.

Honey is known to bolster the immune system. A daily dose of honey can help you to feel energetic and stay healthy. It also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties; if you do develop a sore or scratchy throat, honey will soothe and help heal. Use it in your tea, coffee, plain hot water or by itself. You can even gargle with honey (and lemon) in salt water when the mixture is at room temperature. (Do not give honey to children under 1 year of age.)

Lemons are loaded with vitamin C, which is known to support the body’s natural defenses. Lemon (and lime) juice is reported to decrease the strength of the cold and flu virus in the body and reduce phlegm. Add lemon juice to your tea or make hot or cold lemonade with honey to stay well, build resistance to cold and flu, and speed up healing if you do succumb.

Garlic may be known to ward off vampires, but it can also ward off colds and flu. Garlic contains the immune-boosting compound allicin, also know to relieve cold and flu symptoms. Chop or crush 1-2 gloves of fresh garlic and “steep” them in hot water; then, drink it like a tea. This may also help others keep their distance from you (unless they’re attracted to the smell of garlic), preventing further spread of the virus (wink, wink).

Peppermint tea is laced with nutrients that help the body fight off illness. It also can act as an expectorant, helping the body to cough up mucous.

Salt water in homemade saline nasal sprays, nasal washes, and gargles has long been used effectively to soothe sore throats, and keep respiratory passages moist, decongested and free of invading pathogens. If you do get a sore throat, gargle with half a teaspoon of salt mixed with 1 cup of warm water, four times per day. For nasal washing, use a neti pot or bulb syringe with a quarter teaspoon salt in 1 cup of warm water. Tip head to one side over sink or basin and gently introduce solution to higher nostril. Allow solution to drain from the other nostril. Repeat procedure by then tipping head to opposite side.Note: Although many use warm tap water in their neti pots, distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water is recommended for purity/safety. Be sure to clean and dry the neti pot after each use to prevent the introduction of harmful bacteria into the nasal passages/sinuses.

Steam can help to relieve stuffiness and congestion. Boil a pot of water on the stove and then slowly breathe in the steam. Be careful as steam can cause burns. If the steam makes your nasal passages burn, pull your head back slightly and breathe in more slowly.

The truth is many of the old standard home remedies, when used regularly and properly, can be your body’s best – and least expensive – defense against colds and the flu, also helping to minimize their impact if they do take hold.