Boiling the world down to just 100 patients
If you were given the privilege to provide care to the entire world, what would it be like? What microcosm of the world population (which stands at exactly 6,962,449,235 people as I write this) would be representative of the entire world in a single hospital...(read more)

Thankful for Health
What is it exactly that we define as being "healthy?" I know in my freshman theory class we had various definitions all of which were vague and inconclusive--that however makes sense now after having some experience on the floor. One's health, is exactly that--defined by that person and by that person only. He or she may have a tome of medications and may not be able to get out of bed every day but may consider his or herself to be healthy. I am encouraged by these such patients and am led to reflect on how thankful I am for my health and the health of my family.My last living grandparent, my grandfather, is what I would consider healthy. He is self sufficient, ambulates without a

Breast Cancer Screening: When the Evidence Scares Us
Nurses are big proponents of evidence-based practice. Nurses are working hard to move away from "this is how it's always been done," or "I had a patient once who had a reaction to that treatment so I don't do it." A big part of looking at evidence is...(read more)

Mammography and the Right to Choose
Valerie M. Chapman, MSN, RN, has been a pediatric nurse for 25 years and is a 3-year breast cancer survivor. She lives in Medford, NJ. I am a wife, a mother of two awesome kids, a daughter, a sister and a nurse. I am also a survivor. At the age of 43 a routine screening mammogram picked up an abnormality in my left breast that turned out to be invasive lobular carcinoma. I had no family history or major risk factors, but there it was: breast cancer. I had breast sparing surgery to remove the tumor and then 6 weeks of radiation therapy. I started oral treatment with tamoxifen to reduce the incidence of a recurrence. My life was saved. The system worked

A Lone Ranger Tweets for Blood
Some people scoff at the younger generation's seeming dependence on social media. "Who needs text messaging or Facebook or MySpace? What's wrong with picking up the phone and calling someone?" ask some old-schoolers. And they'll further the attack with,...(read more)