Category: Medical

Honoring our Florence Nightingales during National Nurses Week

She is a “ministering angel” without any exaggeration in these hospitals, and as her slender form glides quietly along each corridor, every poor fellow’s face softens with gratitude at the sight of her. When all the medical officers have retired for the night and silence and darkness have settled down upon those miles of prostrate sick, she may be observed alone, with a little lamp in her hand, making her solitary rounds.

— The Times, London

This ministering angel was Florence Nightingale, and the story told is of her tireless efforts to improve unsanitary conditions and reduce the death rate for the wounded during the Crimean War in the mid-1800s. National Nurses Week — May 6-12 — was inspired by her legacy and ends on her birthday (May 12, 1820), and recognizes the contributions that nurses and nursing make to the community.

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June is National Safety Month!

 

9 Safety Tips for Spring

Spring cleaning safety is not normally on people’s minds when they begin to haul out all those cleaning supplies and equipment, but it should be.

Everyday we need to be careful when going about our household chores, but when you really start tearing the house apart and moving things around during spring cleaning, especially with all those cleaning supplies and equipment out, it is doubly important to keep safety in mind.

Do not rush because you are tired or in a hurry.

Spring cleaning can be tiring work. Do not forget safety even if you have worked hard all day and want to get done. The better thing to do when you are exhausted is to stop and take a break, drink a glass of water, sit under a nice cool fan, and rest instead of being unsafe.

 

(1) Be careful moving large pieces of furniture and appliances.

Use proper lifting technique, keeping you back straight and lifting with your legs.

Also, wear shoes when moving heavy items so you don’t hurt your toes.

Finally, if you feel it is just too heavy and you can’t find someone else to do it for you, just don’t move it. It won’t be the end of the world to just clean around it.

Always have spring cleaning safety in mind.

 

(2) Be safe while on ladders and step stools.

When doing a task, such as washing windows, where you need to be on a ladder use extreme caution. Do not lean too far to either side. A good rule of thumb is that your belly button should not go beyond the sides of the ladder. Also, have someone available to hold the ladder steady for you if possible, and make sure before you step on them that the rungs are not wet, and you are wearing non skid shoes.

 

(3) Be careful when walking on wet surfaces.

Make sure you take the proper precautions to keep from falling. Also, make sure others in your family, including children, are also warned of the wet floor to keep them safe. You may need to block small children’s access to wet floors because they just don’t understand not to run and slide on them.

 

(4) Keep stairs, landings, and walkways clear of boxes, bags & other clutter.

Spring cleaning is a great time to declutter your home, but you need to make sure all the boxes and bags of stuff you are getting rid of don’t cause a safety concern.

Make sure you place them outside walkways and especially away from steps and stairs where someone may trip on them.
(5) Don’t carry too much stuff at once, especially on stairs.

Make sure you keep a hand free to hold onto the stair railing. Also, whether you have stairs or not, always make sure you can see over the load you are carrying so you do not trip.

 

(6) Follow cleaning product label safety instructions and recommendations.

Cleaning supplies can create nasty fumes, so make sure you get some fresh air by opening windows, turning on the exhaust fan, or placing a fan in the room.

In addition, do not mix ammonia and bleach together, both of which are common household cleaners, because they create toxic fumes when combined. You should also wear rubber gloves to keep your hands from getting dry and cracked from the hot water and chemicals.

 

(7) Wear a mask when cleaning dusty areas.

This may seem like overkill to some, but if you are at all allergic to dust this tip is very important.
(8) Do not leave buckets filled with water around your home.

Even if you need to take a quick break make sure you empty that cleaning bucket, or at least put it in an inaccessible area. Even small amounts of water are a drowning hazard for small children.

 

(9) Put away all your cleaning supplies when you are done.

Put the cleaning products away in a childproof cabinet for your children’s safety and well-being as soon as you are done with them.

 

Cleaning your home may not always be a pleasure, but it never has to be a hazard. Follow these spring cleaning safety tips to have a safe and productive spring cleaning!

 

 

 

“THE KEY TO SAFETY IS YOU”

This message is brought to you by Hinkle Contracting Company who would like to remind you that safety in the workplace makes Good Business Sense.

 

Thank you so much Hinkle for these great safety tips!!!

How Much Sleep is Enough?

Do you have a friend who says they can function on four to six hours of sleep? If so, you might have wondered if this is true. Can people really get by on so little sleep? How much sleep do humans need to function optimally? The short answer is seven to nine hours a night. People who get less than seven hours of sleep a night for even one day report more mood problems and difficulty concentrating than those who get a solid seven to nine hours. However, the long answer is much more complex than that and varies depending on a number of factors including age, pregnancy, sleep deprivation and quality of sleep. Before you jump right into finding the number of hours of sleep you need, however, there are a few simple questions you need to ask yourself in order to make sure that you get the correct amount of sleep tailored to your needs.

 

Questions to ask Yourself

Before you set about finding the number of hours of sleep that you need in a night, start by asking yourself these questions. They will provide a baseline which will then give you somewhere to start from. How many hours does it take you in order to feel productive? Can you manage without caffeine on seven hours or does it take you nine before you feel truly awake? Do you have any health problems such as heart disease or being overweight? Do you have sleep difficulties such as insomnia? Do you depend on caffeine to get you through the day or are you frequently sleepy while driving? These five simple questions will help you form a rough idea of how much sleep you actually need.

 

Age

Once you have a baseline for how much sleep you actually need, then you can see where your age fits in. If you are a younger adult, ages 18-64, experts recommend that you get somewhere between 7-9 hours of sleep per night if you are healthy. However, if you are over sixty-four, the experts recommend 7-8 hours per night for healthy individuals.

 

Pregnancy

If you are a pregnant woman, you need more sleep. Your body is undergoing very important changes and your baby is growing. Neither of these things happen very well if your sleep is compromised. Be mindful when planning your time. It is very important to remember to get enough sleep to function efficiently and to be prepared that you will need more than usual.

 

Sleep Deprivation and Quality of Sleep

If you have been sleeping poorly or missing out on sleep for a long time, it is quite likely you are sleep deprived. Sleep deprived people and those whose sleep are frequently interrupted need more sleep than normal. They may sleep up to eleven hours as opposed to the seven to nine that most adults need to function. However, as these people start getting better sleep, their need will lessen till it is back within normal levels.

 

It is very important to get the necessary amount of sleep. If you do, your efficiency and health will increase, and that is something that everyone wants.

Supporting a Loved One Through Breast Cancer

When you have a loved one who is diagnosed with breast cancer, it is often hard to know how to help. You may feel lost, hurt, angry or fearful while feeling you have to keep it together for them because they are going through so much. Knowing what to say can also be hard, as things you mean as comfort can come off as anything but. So how do you proceed in this possibly terrifying new world you have found yourself in? How do you comfort and support your loved one? Keep reading, as we discuss some ways in which this can be accomplished.

 

Check Your Own Feelings

If you are not sure how you feel about cancer, it is likely that you will say something thoughtless when faced with it. Cancer is a terrifying prospect, and one we as a society are not taught how to properly deal with. Before you try to be there for the other person, then, stop and take a moment to think. Think about your past experiences with others who were diagnosed. Are you afraid? Angry? Unsure? Anxious? Recognize your emotions and keep them in mind as well as what the person with breast cancer may be feeling.

 

Listen

Above all, it is necessary to listen to what the person is telling you. Sometimes the only support a person needs is someone to vent to or rant with, someone they know has their back and can be a person to lean on until they can face the world again on bad days or someone who will let them celebrate the victories when things are going well. Be sure to show you are listening. Ask questions if you have them, and paraphrase what the person is saying to make sure that you understand. This is not the time for advice.

 

Offer to Be There

Cancer diagnoses are isolating. Offer to go with your friend or loved one to their doctor’s appointments. Appointments can be very overwhelming both physically and emotionally with a lot of information being flung at the breast cancer patient all at once. Take notes for them, to prevent information from getting lost.

See what else you can do- in practical terms. If your loved one has children, perhaps you could cook a meal for the family occasionally, help the children with their homework or do something else concrete to support them.

 

When In Doubt, Ask

No two people are alike, nor are any two breast cancer cases. If you know or have known two cancer patients, do not assume that your friend or loved one with breast cancer has the same needs or wants as the other person with cancer you knew. This should go without saying but when people are trying to be supportive, sometimes they forget to ask what sorts of support the cancer patient actually needs. Breast cancer makes people feel as if their life is spinning out of control, especially at first. Give that person back as much control as possible by listening to their wants and needs and doing as they ask.

 

Breast cancer diagnoses are difficult, both for the person diagnosed and their friends and family. Friends and family may be left feeling unsure, shut out and with no idea what exactly they can do to help. This article is not a definitive guide. However, it will give you a starting point, and ideas for supporting the breast cancer patient in your life.

Fever: When to Seek Help

Fevers are miserable. Just moving takes effort, you lie in bed either too hot or too cold, and you may feel dizzy and clammy but fevers also have a purpose. They are your body’s way of fighting infection. Fevers are a sign your body’s immune system is working as it should. However a fever can get out of control if untreated, and can even become high enough to require medical treatment to avoid damage to your brain and other vital organs. It can be difficult, however, to know when to seek medical help for a high fever. In this article, we will discuss the warning signs of an overly high fever as well as when it is appropriate to seek help, information which could save your life or the life of a loved one.

 

High Fevers

If you or a loved one has a fever that is 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.3 degrees Celsius) or higher, then calling a doctor is necessary. A fever that high can begin to do damage to the brain and other organs. The human body was never designed to maintain that high of a temperature and if the temperature stays that elevated for too long, the cells will start to die. Going to an emergency room can allow doctors to monitor the body temperature and administer medications or employ other means to bring the temperature down and stabilize it so that you can recover.

 

Fever Lasting More Than Seven Days

A fever is part of a viral infection generally and will go away on its own. However, if you or a loved one has a fever lasting more than a week, it is time to seek medical help. Any fever is a strain on the vital organs. The longer the fever goes on, the worse the strain. An added concern is that the illness causing the fever may be more severe than previously thought and that prescription medication may be needed to treat it.

 

Worsening Symptoms

If you or a loved one has a fever above 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.3 degrees Celsius) that is steadily climbing toward 104 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius) then it is necessary to go to a hospital’s emergency department right away. A fever that high carries a large risk of damage, especially to the brain. Furthermore, a fever of 107 degrees Fahrenheit is likely to be fatal. Immediate measures are needed at this point to discover the cause of the fever and cool the person down before lasting damage is done.

 

Fevers are a natural part of most viral infections. They are the body’s attempt to fight off the virus causing the infection, which causes the core temperature to rise. However, a fever can also be deadly. It is imperative that you know when to seek help for a fever for the sake of both you and your loved ones. Knowing this information and remembering it could literally save a life. Share this information with everyone you know. The life you save could be your own.

Eating Right For Asthma

If you have asthma, you probably have an inhaler which you use for daily relief of your symptoms or for emergency asthma attacks. You probably also avoid smoke or other substances that can trigger the coughing, wheezing misery of an asthma attack. You probably are also careful when you exercise. What you might not have known is that there is another thing you can do to help manage your condition. Though there is not an “asthma diet” and no specific foods are known to cause bronchial dilation on their own, a healthy diet is good for everyone including people with asthma. If you are curious how a healthy diet can benefit an asthmatic then please read on.

 

A Healthy Diet Reduces Obesity

Obesity is bad for everyone. Extra fat clogs your arteries and makes every cell in your body work harder to do its job. Those who are obese generally have lung problems, tire easily and become short of breath. If you are asthmatic, obesity can worsen the condition. Extra fat around the lungs causes them to not expand fully. This then cuts off the already compromised oxygen supply reaching your other organs and can make asthma attacks worse.

 

Avoid Allergens

Foods that you are allergic to can be really bad news for your asthma. Allergic reactions can often include swelling of the bronchial tubes in the same way that asthma does. They also can lead to coughing, which can actually start an asthma attack. That is why it is imperative that you avoid foods and other substances which you are allergic to. Your body will thank you.

 

Get Your Vitamins

The rates of asthma in the United States have been steadily rising over the last thirty years, and researchers are attempting to get to the bottom of this puzzling mystery. Studies are inconclusive so far but recent findings show that people who eat a diet high in vitamins E, C and Beta Carotene along with flavonoids, Omega III fatty acids and other components have less likelihood of developing asthma whereas those who eat processed foods and very few fruits and vegetables have a higher chance. If eating a healthy diet could prevent asthma in some people, then it stands to reason that it might also help lessen the condition in those already suffering. Beyond that, eating a healthy diet full of vitamins and minerals helps build new cells, restoring the ones asthma damages.

 

Eating a well-balanced diet is very important, especially for asthma sufferers. Doing so lessens the likelihood of obesity which prevents the lungs from expanding fully or properly. This type of diet also promotes cell growth and healing, which means the body repairs the damage to the lungs asthma causes much faster. As an asthma sufferer, it is also necessary to avoid allergens as allergens can trigger an asthma attack. Asthma can be a debilitating disease, but it doesn’t have to be. With good management and a healthy diet, you can be breathing easier in no time.