The Power of Ice

Written by Louise Roach


Using ice to treat injuries is one ofrepparttar oldest methods of pain control. Proven to be safe and effective at reducing swelling, relieving pain and decreasing muscle spasms, ice therapy is an easy self-care technique that anyone can administer. Every mother knows to put ice on a bruised knee after a soccer game or on a teething toddler’s tender gums. But do you really know how ice works?

Cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, works onrepparttar 115246 principle of heat exchange. This occurs when you place a cooler object in direct contact with an object of warmer temperature, such as ice against skin. The cooler object will absorbrepparttar 115247 heat ofrepparttar 115248 warmer object. Why is this important when it comes to cold therapy?

After an injury, blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells are damaged. The cells aroundrepparttar 115249 injury increase their metabolism in an effort to consume more oxygen. When all ofrepparttar 115250 oxygen is used up,repparttar 115251 cells die. Also,repparttar 115252 damaged blood vessels cannot remove waste. Blood cells and fluid seep into spaces aroundrepparttar 115253 muscle, resulting in swelling and bruising. When ice is applied, it lowersrepparttar 115254 temperature ofrepparttar 115255 damaged tissue through heat exchange and constricts local blood vessels. This slows metabolism andrepparttar 115256 consumption of oxygen, therefore reducingrepparttar 115257 rate of cell damage and decreasing fluid build-up. Ice can also numb nerve endings. This stopsrepparttar 115258 transfer of impulses torepparttar 115259 brain that register as pain.

Nursing shortage: Here is what some Hospitals are doing

Written by Sam Khan,MD


Nursing shortage has been an issue for sometime now inrepparttar country. The causes are varied and have been discussed in many articles inrepparttar 115245 recent past.

The purpose of this article is to explorerepparttar 115246 strategies US Hospitals are employing to overcomerepparttar 115247 nurse shortage. The remedy of a problem is dependent on its cause. This is no different here. Sincerepparttar 115248 causes of shortage of nurses are variedrepparttar 115249 possible solutions proposed are many too. Nurse shortage stems from lesser number of students choosing nursing as profession , Uncertainty created by a wrong research report in 1988 by a reputable organization predicting impending nurse oversupply (resulting in students deciding not to chose nursing), more nurses choosing to work in out patient setting creating a mal distribution of nurses in some areas ofrepparttar 115250 country , dissatisfaction among nurses because of shift work, mandatory overtime, insufficient pay, lack of a career ladder are some ofrepparttar 115251 common causes. Many nurses are choosing Temp. work as it pays more money and allows some control over work hours and benefits. Inrepparttar 115252 private sectorrepparttar 115253 turnover is higher then inrepparttar 115254 govt. sector. Hospitals are doing all sorts of things to recruit and retainrepparttar 115255 nurses. Financial incentives to recruit nurses are temporary fix in general. These do not guarantee retention ofrepparttar 115256 nurse inrepparttar 115257 same facility. Long term planning for this national problem is addressed by federal as well as state level. These will have effect though not in very near future. A serious effort byrepparttar 115258 hospitals, nurses themselves as well asrepparttar 115259 government andrepparttar 115260 nursing organizations will be needed. Image building , makingrepparttar 115261 profession attractive arerepparttar 115262 sort of things which will take time but will have lasting effects. Forrepparttar 115263 short term it isrepparttar 115264 hospitals which have to deal withrepparttar 115265 nursing shortage.

The latest news is that some nurses who are in army reserves are now being called in for active duty and sent to Germany (3 from our institution). There are not many innovative strategies available to hospitals to deal withrepparttar 115266 shortage of nursing staff. Here are some ways different health care organizations and hospitals are dealing with this nursing emergency: (These strategies are for recruitment of new nurses, new graduates as well for retention of existing workforce. Some strategies are short term and some are long term. Your institution or hospital may already be employing many of these methods.) Commonly employed strategies to attract and retain nurses inrepparttar 115267 organization include: •Signing referral bonuses •Salary incentives •Flexible hours. •Lower eligibility threshold for benefits. •Improvement in working conditions. •Increase recruitment in training programs. •Recruitment outside of prime age. •Identify cost effective and quality based practice models that promote quality patient outcomes and job satisfaction. •Accommodate aging nurse force. •Image building of nursing staff. •Assign responsibilities and challenges for motivated members of nursing staff . •Create role models for junior nursing staff members. •Promote leadership development programs. Baptist Hospital of Miami, Florida is employing following strategies for some time with good success. •Sign-on Bonuses offered to all RNs and Out-of-Area Applicants ($5,000 and $2,500) •On-Campus Recruitment Twice a Year at each of Four Local Nursing Schools •System-Wide Posting of all Job Openings •On-site Child Care Center. •Post Office. •Choice of multiple health plans •Group Legal Insurance. •Leave Sharing (PTO donations to employees in need) •Larger and more frequent advertising in Local Newspaper and Nursing Journals •Special Annual Ads (i.e. Florida Hospital Association Guide, RN Magazine, AJN). •Commercial Internet Postings. •Special Nursing Limited-Time Offer ($5,000 and $2,500) •Nursing Recruitment & Retention Committee •Birthday Cards from Human Resources with 2 Movie Tickets •Employee Activity Committee Events

•Regular Bonuses of $1,000 and $500 •Year-end Raffle for "Trip for Two" •Stepped-Up Publicity ofrepparttar 115268 vacancies (posters, brochures, raffle boxes) • Employees Referrals program (RN Hires through employees referral program increased from 28% to 31% after Introduction of Program). •Relocation Assistance offered •Extra Pay Option (in lieu of benefits). •Staffing Incentive Bonus Programs (including $25 gift certificates) •Special Weekend Scheduling Option ($7/hr diff) •Supplemental Weekend Plan ($3/hr diff) •Increased Base Rates and Per Diem Rates •Guaranteed Overtime •Preceptor Honorarium ($200) •Special Call Back Pay (%20 or time and a half) •Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Years Holiday Pay (time and a half)

•Annual Spring Luncheon for Graduating Nurses (all colleges) •Pay for NCLEX Review Course •Nursing Student Clinical Rotations and Practicums at Hospital. •Students Hired as Nurse Care Techs at Top of Pay Scale until Graduation •Nurse Care Techs Recruited into New Graduate Training Program

•Professional Advancement Process (Clinical Ladder). •Leadership Development Program •Mentorship Program •Tuition Assistance •Toolbook for Performance (clinical, professional & personal development courses). •Employee Assistance Program. •On-site Credit Union / ATMs. •On-site Dry Cleaning, Hair Salon, Shoe Repair, Car Wash, Pharmacy, Gift Shop, •Meals-To-Go Program (from Employee Dining Room). . •Dental Insurance. •Vision care. •Life/AD&D/Dependent Life. •Short and Long Term Disability.

•Flexible Spending Accounts.

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