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New Website Helps Nurses Provide PTSD Care

by Robin Farmer | Aug 30, 2014 | Blog, Nursing Stress Management, Veterans in Nursing |

Do you know the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]? Do you know who is at risk? Are men and women at equal risk of developing it?
If you find yourself struggling to answer these questions, consider checking The PTSD Toolkit for Nurses, www.nurseptsdtoolkit.org, a new interactive resource designed by the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.
The American Nurses Foundation (ANF) recently announced the launch of  the toolkit to help civilian registered nurses better assess and treat PTSD in veterans and military service members.
An estimated half million veterans and military service members suffer from this mental health condition that is triggered by a traumatic event, such as exposure to combat, violence, natural disasters, terrorism and accidents.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website, experts think PTSD occurs:

• In about 11-20 percent of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom).
• In as many as 10 percent of Gulf War (Desert Storm) Veterans.
• In about 30 percent of Vietnam Veterans.

PTSD symptoms include angry outburts, trouble sleeping, and other negative changes in thinking and mood, or changes in emotional reactions.
PTSF can affect anyone, and women are at greater risk. Sometimes symptoms are hard to identify. The website provides an e-learning module to build assessment and intervention skills, so nurses can treat and refer military members and veterans for help. It also includes videos and an interactive game to practice your assessment and referral skills.
Nurses are often the first point of contact when veterans and military personnel seek medical help. PTSD can be treated and cured. This toolkit can help you immediately recognizie symptoms, and intervene to help veterans make a successful transition to civilian life.

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Robin Farmer is a freelance journalist with a focus on health, business and eduucation. Visit her at www.RobinFarmerWrites.com.

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Robin Farmer

Robin Farmer covers health, business, and education as a freelance journalist. Visit her online at www.RobinFarmerWrites.com.

Nurses Battle to Fight Opioid Addiction

by Pam Zuber | Oct 26, 2016 | Blog, Minority and Community Health

It seems like we see articles and hear news reports about opioid addiction on a daily basis. Unfortunately, many of these stories are no exaggerations.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s 2015 World Drug Report, it is estimated that 32.4 million people around the world struggle with opioid abuse. Additionally, results from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimate that 1.9 million Americans struggle with addictions to prescription opioids and 435,000 more have addictions to heroin, an illegal opioid.
Opioid abuse is clearly a problem in the United States and abroad. Different organizations, institutions, and agencies have taken different approaches to combat this problem, as have individual rehab centers across the country. Several of these approaches involve nurses.
Treating Addictions
If the opioid epidemic is a war, nurses are serving on the front lines. Emergency room nurses often treat people who have overdosed or are suffering from the ill effects of opioids, other drugs, and alcohol.
Nurses work at rehab centers to treat opioid abuse and other forms of abuse. They work at clinics and hospitals that provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT). They work in a wide variety of health care settings to help people recognize and treat their addictions. They also work to educate others about substance abuse and hope that such preventative measures can help people avoid addiction in the first place.
State Efforts
At Boston Medical Center, doctors do not administer programs that treat opioid abuse. Instead, nurses administer such programs. This tactic allows the clinic to see more patients (and ultimately treat more patients). Other health centers in Massachusetts and across the United States are utilizing nurses to administer such programs.
Other programs might provide specific training that relates to addiction. In 2016, the U.S. federal government awarded a grant to train student nurses at the College of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts. This program trains nurses in SBIRT, which stands for screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment. The program aims to diagnose addictions early and help people find treatment for them.
National Efforts
National organizations are also tackling addiction. The American Nurses Association (ANA), the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and others have pledged to provide more training for people who prescribe opioids. The ANA has also pledged to encourage more health care providers to register with their states’ drug monitoring programs.
The ANA has also pledged to launch a campaign to raise awareness of opioid addiction. It has already established resources about opioid addiction and other forms of substance abuse. Additionally, ANA provides resources that can help nurses with their substance abuse problems if they are addicted themselves.
Government Efforts
The government has also joined nurses in the fight against opioid abuse. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created and published guidelines regarding the prescription of opioids. Several nursing schools across the United States have pledged to teach these CDC guidelines, many of which address the use of opioids for long periods of time.
State boards of nursing have also created similar recommendations. The Michigan Board of Nursing, for example, has issued guidelines for nurses in regards to using controlled substances to treat pain. These guidelines recognize that nurses need to effectively treat pain. They also recognize the potential danger of certain medications.
There are also other government efforts relating to opioid abuse and nurses. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 is a federal law that permits nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe buprenorphine to patients who are addicted to opioids. It also allows doctors to see higher numbers of patients who need such drugs.
Speaking of government action, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. During this event, people bring unneeded prescription drugs to designated areas. DEA agents and other law enforcement agents take these drugs and educate the public about drug abuse. During one such day in April 2016, authorities took back almost 447 tons of prescription drugs.
Nursing Efforts
Nurses educate the public about Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. They also play a vital role in other government efforts to end addiction by participating in community-based opioid overdose prevention programs (OOPPs). As their name indicates, OOPPs work to prevent substance abuse problems from ever occurring. Other nurses and nursing organizations are interested in government matters as advocates. They encourage other nurses to take political action or support candidates who take particular views on health care matters.
These efforts demonstrate that while the opioid epidemic is huge, different organizations, institutions, government bodies, rehab centers, and people are committed to helping fight it. Nurses have played—and will continue to play—a vital role in this battle.

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Pam Zuber

Pam Zuber is a writer and editor interested in a variety of topics. She has written about health and fitness, emotional wellness, and rehab in California and other states.

Am I The Picture of Health? Confessions of A Stressed Out Nurse

by Afroditee | Nov 11, 2016 | Black and African-American Nurses, Black Nurses Rock, Blog, Minority and Community Health | 0 Comments

I had never received the backhanded compliment of “oh, she has such a pretty face” until recently. That was a compliment reserved for fat women. I did not consider myself fat at all. I would describe myself as overweight, but never fat. If I could still purchase clothing out of regular department stores, I did not believe myself to be obese. Even when I was hospitalized last year and the doctor’s notes said “…obese, 47yrs old female,” it did not truly register. However, once my vanity was attacked it hit home.
Sometimes, I see myself in the mirror and wonder how did it get to be this way. I am 5’4″. I weigh 210 lbs and am a Registered Nurse! Euphemisms like “thick,”” full-figured,” and ” healthy” only mask what I know to be the truth. This body that I live in is well on its way to diabetes and hypertension. Thankfully, in this moment I do not have any of those diseases, but it is just a matter of when, not if.
Being overweight has affected my self-esteem, my sense of self-worth, my self-love. It feels like a self-inflicted punishment. When I think back to when I was slim and feeling good, it almost brings me to tears. I start asking myself how did I let it get this out of hand? Why didn’t I just get up from the table? Stop eating at fast food restaurants? Continue to exercise? I am not a fat person who does not know how I got fat. I know exactly what I did, which I think makes it all the worse.
There are times I find it difficult to teach my patients about health and wellness. I wonder if they are looking at me and finding me a hypocrite. Or are they realizing that I, too, understand how hard it is to walk that path.
The heavier I became, the more crap I accepted from the men I dated. I no longer felt I that should be respected or loved entirely. Glad that they were in my life was enough. Trust me, when you do not love you, no one else does either. I stayed with a man who told me that he did not usually date “big girls.”  So, I sat wondering, should I feel special that you chose me? I found myself always trying to overcompensate for not being thin, for not being his ideal of beauty. I was showing him that my love was not worth it because it did not come in a perfect size 4, 6, or 8. I was depleted walking out of that one.
So now at this juncture, I am ready to lose the weight. I mean do what is necessary to get to where I feel comfortable in my skin. This is not simply about my vanity, but about my life, my health, and self-love. So, I am inviting you on this journey with me. Come along.
Hi, I’m Erika.
Ciao Bella!

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Afroditee

Unwind After Work

by Jebra Turner |

Sometimes the best part of work is leaving it behind. When you want a “do-over” after a difficult day, plunge into an activity that you enjoy. Even if you only have 15 minutes to devote to it. (Or, maybe the dirty dishes can wait after all.) Relaxing activities are a wonderful way to let go of workplace stress.

Here are a variety of after-hours stress busters for you to try:

Read a favorite comic, book, or magazine – in print format or on an e-reader. A library of reading choices can be at your fingertips.

Hold a game night and invite family and friends to play cards or Monopoly. You’ll chat and get caught up with everyone, without worrying about conversational lulls or spats.

Call, write, or Skype loved ones far away. People you have a history with, and who you can trust, are worth staying in touch with. Share your hopes, fears, and everyday joys.

Sports, such as golf, tennis, or cycling can work off your jagged anxious energy.

Make something! Sew, knit, or crochet. Repetitive hand motions are calming, and it’s fulfilling to end up with a finished product.

Listen to music for pleasure, or as a meditative practice for clearing the mind and inducing relaxation.

When you’re too tired to cook, order take-out for a no-stress supper. While you’re at it, enjoy a trashy reality TV show, such as The Real Housewives.

Make a “bucket list” of everything you hope to experience in life: Places to go, things to do, people to meet.

Laugh out loud at a funny movie, TV show, or YouTube video. (Too Cute Kittens, anyone?)

Download free or low-cost tutorials from websites such as guitarlessons.com, or take a class at your local community college.

Calgon, take me away! Nothing washes off the stress of the day like a long, hot bath or shower. For extra measure, change into PJ’s or soft jeans that say “aah, home at last.”

What activities appeal to you? If none, don’t worry. You can create your own list. Let us know what stress management techniques work for you.

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Jebra Turner is a health reporter and former H.R. director for an ergonomics-focused firm, where she oversaw workplace health and safety training programs for staff and clients. She lives in Portland, Oregon, but you can visit her at www.jebra.com.

She frequently contributes to the Minority Nurse magazine and website. Visit her online at www.jebra.com.

4 Ways to Stay Positive

by Denene Brox |

Feeling a bit down or bored? Everyone experiences periods of not feeling enthusiastic about life or work. But as a nurse, it’s important to remain positive for your patients. If you’re feeling down in your personal life, those feelings can creep into your work day. The same is true for feeling down about your job. If those feelings grow large enough, they can follow you home.
Here are four easy tips for increasing your positivity and elevating your overall mood.
Surround Yourself with Positive People
If your co-workers or certain family members are always gossiping or bringing you down, limit your time with them. Go for a walk during your breaks instead of the employee lounge if that’s where negativity lives. Take charge and turn negative conversations with friends and colleagues into positive ones. You don’t have to dwell in negativity. Either remove yourself from those situations or drastically decrease your exposure to them.
Avoid the Media
Too much news and even celebrity gossip can take a toll on your outlook. Again, limit your exposure. There’s no reason to watch 24 hour news channels for hours on end – especially when you aren’t getting any new information on a news story and instead are listening to negative chatter and opinions. While it’s important to remain knowledgeable about what’s going on in the world, find a balance and limit your exposure.
Practice Gratitude
It’s true that counting your blessings can shift your mood and help you out of a slump. Many of us take things such as our homes, cars, food, clothing, clean drinking water and electricity for granted. But if you’re feeling negative, stop and consider how fortunate you are to have your basic needs met and to work in a field where you are literally changing lives every day. Start the practice of keeping a daily gratitude journal by writing three to five things you are thankful for each day.
Exercise
Working out is not only good for your body, it’s also great for your mood! According to WebMD, regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress and ward off depression. Remember that walk during your work breaks? That’s an easy way to get in some regular exercise and avoid workplace gossip all at once. So get moving!
Denene Brox is a Kansas City-based freelance writer. 

Denene Brox

Five Ways To Burn Fat and Tone Up at Work

by Robin Farmer

Do you find yourself too pooped after work to exercise? Get in line. And it is a rather lengthy one.
About half of the adults across the nation say they fail to get the suggested 30 minutes, five days a week of moderate activity or the suggested 20 minutes of vigorous activity three times week, according to a survey by the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
Don’t be one of them. Start by exercising where you spend eight hours or more each day: your job. You already know that a sedentary lifestyle is no bueno. Here are five ways to work out [without advertising] while at work:
☛ Take the stairs. Ideally two at a time, several times each day. If it has been a while since you navigated floors without using an elevator, start off by walking down the stairs. Make it a goal to climb stairs in a designated time.
☛ Walk more. This classic exercise is ideal for the workplace. Split your lunch time between eating and walking. Visit a co-worker instead of emailing or calling. Or walk to a restroom or water fountain that is not nearby.
☛ Do seated leg lifts. Sit up tall in your seat. Lift one leg until it’s straight and parallel to the ground. Hold for a count of five, then lower. Repeat 10-15 times, and switch to the other leg.
☛ Try the “Wooden Leg.” While seated, extend one leg out in front of you. Hold for two seconds. Then raise it up as high as you can, and hold it again for two seconds. Repeat with each leg 15 times.
☛ Stand up and stretch your arms, legs and torso.
Increasing your activity at work provides benefits and not just for you. On-the-job exercises can boost concentration and productivity, making it a benefit for your employer.

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Robin Farmer is a freelance journalist with a focus on health, education and business. Visit her at RobinFarmerWrites.com.