March 7th, 2010 by MotherJonesRN in Better Health Network, True Stories
Tags: Dormitory, House Mother, Housemother, Men, Nursing
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I wonder why these nursing students are smiling. They are hanging out in their room at the nurses’ dormitory. Don’t they look sweet and demure? That’s probably because the housemother was standing in the room. I bet these ladies could tell you some intriguing stories about what it’s like to live in the dormitory, but there are some things best left unsaid. Silence is golden, especially when your housemother is within earshot.
I lived in a nursing dormitory while I attended a three year nursing school in the Midwest. I won’t tell you what state it was in because I don’t want to incriminate anyone. Every resident was expected to follow the dormitory rules. The number one rule was that no man could step foot in the inner sanctum of the dormitory.
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*This blog post was originally published at Nurse Ratched's Place*
March 7th, 2010 by Harriet Hall, M.D. in Better Health Network, Research
Tags: Cause, CFS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Retroviruses
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When I first heard that a retrovirus had been identified as a possible cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, I withheld judgment and awaited further developments. When I heard that two subsequent studies had failed to replicate the findings of the first, I assumed that the first had been a false alarm and would be disregarded. Not so.
It’s a classic case of wishful thinking outweighing good judgment. One unconfirmed report of an association between the XMRV virus and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) resulted in a rush to test for the virus, speculation about possible implications, and even suggestions for treatment. And the subsequent negative studies did little or nothing to reverse the trend. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Science-Based Medicine*
March 7th, 2010 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network
Tags: Dr. William Stewart Halsted, Genius On The Edge, Halsted
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I am one who loves medical history and Genius On The Edge – the bizarre double life of Dr. William Stewart Halsted, was a captivating read. For those who don’t know, Dr. Halsted is known as the “Father of Surgery” and practiced medicine after the civil war. Written by author physician, Dr. Gerald Imber, the medical facts are sound and the story is fascinating for any reader.
We learn that in 1850 there was no anesthesia, no knowledge of germs, no IVs or blood transfusions and no more than 200 surgeries a year were performed because the outcomes were usually disastrous. The patient who needed emergency surgery died of overwhelming infection, gangrene or shock from blood loss.
Dr. William Halsted, like all physicians of that time, was born into wealth and privilege. He began his training in 1875, ten years after Louis Pasteur showed sour milk was caused by a bacteria and when Robert Koch was able to cultivate the anthrax bacillus. At a time when surgeons were not washing their hands and were operating in dirty clothes, the concept of antisepsis was a critical advance that Dr. Halsted seized for his own training. Medical Schools were for-profit trade schools and no laboratory or clinical work was required but like many wealthy young physicians, he traveled to Europe to study the newest techniques. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
March 6th, 2010 by Debra Gordon in Better Health Network, News, Opinion
Tags: AAP, Common Sense, Hot Dogs, kids, Parenting, Pediatrics
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So the American Academy of Pediatrics just came out with a statement that–gasp!–hot dogs (and hard candy, peanuts/nuts, seeds, whole grapes, raw carrots, apples, popcorn, chunks of peanut butter,
marshmallows, chewing gum, and sausages) pose a choking hazard to young children.
Maybe about a dozen children a year die from choking on hot dogs. So the AAP would like hot dog manufacturers to put warning labels on their products and consider changing the wiener’s shape so they pose less of a risk to young children.
I honestly do not know where to start. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at A Medical Writer's Musings on Medicine and Health Care*
March 6th, 2010 by Emergiblog in Better Health Network, True Stories
Tags: Associate's Degree, BSN, Emergency Medicine, Nursing
1 Comment »
Well, this is creepy!
It’s a photo from the Library of Congress‘ digital nursing collection.
It looks like a still from a Hitchcock film.
She’s going to the light….
Actually, she is probably going down to central supply for gauze.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Rod Serling stepped into view…
“Nurse Nell is about to take a step…into the Twilight Zone…”
Oh geeze, now I’m freaking myself out.
********************
I came across a blog post today. I was floored.
I have reprinted it here with permission: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Emergiblog*
I wonder why these nursing students are smiling. They are hanging out in their room at the nurses’ dormitory. Don’t they look sweet and demure? That’s probably because the housemother was standing in the room. I bet these ladies could tell you some intriguing stories about what it’s like to live in the dormitory, but there are some things best left unsaid. Silence is golden, especially when your housemother is within earshot.
