As you get older, you’re not as steady on your feet as you once were. And you may have health problems you didn’t have when you were younger. So, it’s not surprising that older people are more likely to trip and fall. Falling can be…

Falls happen when you lose your balance. Standing on makeshift supports and using ladders incorrectly can cause you to fall. Using the wrong equipment for a task can also increase your chances of being hurt. Watch for hazards Makeshift supports. Makeshift supports are never quite…

An adult or child can fall for many reasons. If you are an older adult, you may fall because your reaction time slows down. Your muscles and joints may get stiff, weak, or less flexible because of illness, medicines, or a physical condition. These things…

You need a central line as part of your treatment. It’s also called a central venous access device (CVAD) or central venous catheter (CVC). A small, soft tube called a catheter is put in a vein that leads to your heart. The central line is…

You need a central line as part of your treatment. It’s also called a central venous access device (CVAD) or central venous catheter (CVC). A small, soft tube called a catheter is put in a vein that leads to your heart. When you no longer…

It’s important to care for your central venous access device properly. If you don’t, it may become infected. Then it can’t be used. The tube (catheter) will have to be removed and a new one placed in another vein. Your nurse will show you how…

Frequent and thorough handwashing is the best way to prevent infection. The sooner you wash your hands after exposure, the less likely you are to catch or spread infection. When to wash your hands Wash your hands regularly throughout the day, especially: When first arriving…

Common hazards like water spills and burned-out light bulbs can lead to serious, painful injuries—and could also limit your ability to respond to emergencies. Protect yourself, your coworkers, and your patients by doing what you can to create a hazard-free workplace. Clean up wet surfaces…

At work, you perform many tasks every day that could cause back injury. These include repetitive lifting, prolonged standing, bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling. Protect your back by using good body mechanics to maintain the 3 natural curves of your spine. A balanced spine A…

Whether you’re moving a patient, lifting a box of supplies, or pushing a cart or wheelchair, your back is always working. Use the tips below to help you reduce your risk of back injury. Reaching Reaching for records, files, or supplies, especially in high places,…

There’s only so much you can do in a typical office visit. Use these tips to help you maximize each patient encounter so you can get your message across quickly and clearly without wasting time or having to repeat explanations. You can apply most of…

In this era of the empowered patient, you may have some patients who come to you with stacks of printouts from the Internet. But as you know, the quality of content is critical when choosing and using medical information from online and other media sources….

How can you improve patient compliance? Clinical outcome data supports the three theories below as predictive models for behavior. The self-efficacy, health beliefs, and stages of change models can all be helpful in determining a patient’s readiness to change. Self-efficacy: Is the change doable? Self-efficacy…

Patient information extends your office visit beyond the few minutes you can spend face-to-face. You can increase compliance and cooperation even further by using patient education materials in ways that help patients learn and remember more of your advice. How to choose print materials Try…

During each clinical encounter, there are moments that arise naturally as ideal “teaching moments.” Here’s a quick summary of how to apply the ideas to a typical patient encounter to build trust and compliance. As you say hello As you enter the room, greet the…

Think of ways you can decrease friction to make this move more comfortable for the patient and to reduce the stress on your back. It is easier to slide a patient up in bed by using a draw-sheet and two people. Step 1. Grasp the draw-sheet…

Patient safety is often the main concern when moving patients from bed. But remember not to lift at the expense of your own back. This transfer often requires the patient’s help, so clear communication is essential. If the patient can’t help much, you’ll need two…

Patient safety is often the main concern when moving patients from bed. But remember not to lift at the expense of your own back. And, never move a patient by yourself. Two people usually can do this move safely. The leader, who pulls, should be…

Once the momentum has started, it’s almost impossible to stop a patient from falling. By trying to do so, you can injure your back. Instead, guide the patient to the ground; then get help to move the patient back to a bed or stretcher. Guiding…

The heartbeat is the rhythmic contraction of the heart muscle’s 4 chambers. The heart muscle has a special system that creates and sends electrical signals to activate these 4 chambers. First, a signal generated in the right upper chamber of the heart tells the 2…