Renewing my USRN License

My Pennsylvania license is expiring this April. I am hoping I could renew it online but I guess the Board of Nursing in PA needed a waiver because I am still here in the Philippines due to retrogression. So I need to send it via DHL. The renewal of license cost $45. [get this widget]

Should Philippines be Afraid of AIDS Epidemic?

It was reported in the local news here in the Philippines that the number of people who were infected with HIV increased and mostly are working in the call centers. In fact DOH declared an epidemic. According to the Department of Health (DOH), the number of Filipinos who had, as of 2002, contracted the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is 1,503. Yet the Philippines only reported a grand total of 1,503 cases of HIV, which is one of the lowest infection rates in the world. This in a country that has one of the lowest rates of condom usage in Asia. According to an Australian author and longtime Philippine resident Earl Wilkinson, "The Philippines is sitting on a social time bomb fueled by utter complacency and denial on the part of the government. And if something isn't done to tackle the problem soon, he says, an entire generation of Filipinos may be unnecessarily decimated." Expert says that all known routes of transmission have been observed here in the Philippines, that's why we need to be very careful and always practice safe sex. Prevention strategy is a challenge plays by the physicians because the SAGIP HIV/AIDS Clinic based in the Philippine General Hospital, is receiving large number of patients with AIDS and end-stage HIV infection. They also initiate emergency measures and improve the clinic facilities. [get this widget]

Natural Remedy for Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is a repeated inability to obtain erection for a longer period of time to meet sexual satisfaction. It affects at least more than 150 million men worldwide, 30 million of which are Americans. It maybe a result from a psychological problems or may be due to a disease or illness.

There are various treatments available to manage erectile dysfunction. There are oral, injectables, suppository type medications, therapies, vacuum devices, surgeries and some alternative treatments like acupuncture. But there are also herbal medications and vitamins for erectile dysfunction that could aid in managing. Additionally, you will be less worried for the side effects it can cause because it is all natural. But still, consult a doctor before starting any natural supplements for safety precaution.

Arginine is an amino acid that is important in cell division, immune function and release of hormones. It alleviates male infertility and it increase blood circulation all over the body including sex organ. Arginine can be found in most dairy products and seafood. Asian Ginseng is a root plant found in eastern Asia that is used worldwide as a nourishing stimulant and is found out to increase libido and sexual performance. It can also facilitate erection...(cont)

Bioflavonoids – is one of the vitamins for erectile dysfunction. Bioflavonoids is a complex compounds that assist the body to consume vitamin C. It helps boost immune system and improve blood circulation including circulation in the sex organ. Usually a 1000 mg daily is advised. Gingko Biloba is a tree. It is herbal medicine that helps in treating circulatory problems by dilating the blood vessels all over the body. Gingko biloba is considered by many as herbal Viagra. It is also a memory enhancer.

Inositol hexaniacinate/Vitamin B3 or Niacin helps in improving blood circulation and lower cholesterol. This supplement which is one of the vitamins for erectile dysfunction is contraindicated to diabetic patients. A 1000-3000 mg daily is the recommended dose.

Selenium helps in the production of hormone testosterone which is responsible for sexual functioning. Recommended dose is 200 mcg daily.

Vitamin C together with bioflavonoids helps promoting proper blood circulation in throughout the body. Take 1000 mg 3 times daily with meals.

Vitamin E is an anti oxidant that increases blood circulation and blood vessels elasticity. You can take 400 IUs daily. This is also one of the effective vitamins for erectile dysfunction.

Zinc is necessary for the secretion and consumption of all hormones in the body that includes sex hormones, growth hormone, insulin and other important enzymes in the body. Take 30 mg daily as its recommended dose.

Nature can always provide us the effective if not, the most effective treatment options for major diseases and illnesses. There are a lot of vitamins for erectile dysfunction that can be tried without the worry of too many side effects as what commercially prepared prescribed medications can cause. [get this widget]

Health Benefits of Natto

Nattō (なっとう or 納豆, Nattō) is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans, popular especially for breakfast. As a rich source of protein, nattō and the soybean paste miso formed a vital source of nutrition in feudal Japan.

It is often said in Japan that nattō is good for one's health, and these claims can be backed by medical research. One example is Pyrazine contained within nattō. Pyrazine is a compound which, in addition to giving nattō its distinct smell, reduces the likelihood of blood clotting. It also contains a serine protease type enzyme called nattokinase which may also reduce blood clotting both by direct fibrinolysis of clots, and inhibition of the plasma protein plasminogen activator inhibitor 1. This may help to avoid thrombosis, as for example in heart attacks, pulmonary embolism, or strokes. An extract from nattō containing nattokinase is available as a dietary supplement. Studies have shown that oral administration of nattokinase in enteric capsules leads to a mild enhancement of fibrinolytic activity in rats and dogs. It is therefore plausible to hypothesize that nattokinase might reduce blood clots in humans, although clinical trials have not been conducted. Another study suggests the FAS in natto is the substance which initiates fibrinolysis of clots, which accelerates the activity of not only nattokinase but urokinase.

Nattō also contains large amounts of Vitamin K, which is involved in the formation of calcium-binding groups in proteins, assisting the formation of bone, and preventing osteoporosis. Vitamin K1 is found naturally in seaweed, liver and some vegetables, while vitamin K2 is found in fermented food products such as cheese and miso. Nattō has very large amounts of vitamin K2, approximately 870 micrograms per 100 grams of nattō.

According to a study fermented soybeans, such as natto, contains Vitamin PQQ, which is very important for the skin. PQQ existing in human tissues is derived mainly from diet.

According to the recent studies, polyamine suppresses excessive immune reactions, and natto contains a much larger amount of it than any other food. Dietary supplements containing the substances extracted from natto such as polyamine, nattokinase, FAS and vitamin K2 are available.

Nattō also contains many chemicals alleged to prevent cancer, as for example daidzein, genistein, isoflavone, phytoestrogen, and the chemical element selenium. However, most of these chemicals can also be found in other soy bean products, and their effect on cancer prevention is uncertain at best. Recent studies show nattō may have a cholesterol-lowering effect.

Nattō is also said to have an antibiotic effect, and its use as medicine against dysentery was researched by the Imperial Japanese Navy before World War II.

Nattō is claimed to prevent obesity, possibly due to a low calorie content of approximately 90 calories per 7-8 grams of protein in an average serving. Unverified claims include improved digestion, reduced effects of aging, and the reversal of hair loss in men due to its phytoestrogen content, which can lower testosterone that can cause baldness. These conjectured physiological effects of eating natto are based on biochemically active contents of nattō, and have not been confirmed by human study.

Nattō is also sometimes used as an ingredient of pet food, and it is claimed that this improves the health of the pets. Source: Wikipedia

Benefits of Massage

Benefits of Massage

• Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion.
• Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays.
• Ease medication dependence.
• Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow—the body’s natural defense system.
• Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.
• Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts.
• Improve the condition of the body’s largest organ—the skin.
• Increase joint flexibility.
• Lessen depression and anxiety.
• Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks.
• Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation.
• Reduce postsurgery adhesions and swelling.
• Reduce spasms and cramping.
• Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles.
• Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body’s natural painkiller.
• Relieve migraine pain.

You are a Nurse if...

I have encountered a website about Nurses' life tips and I love most of its posts. Here is one I want to share with you! Its really cool.

*You can drink a pot of coffee and still go to sleep in the morning.

*You look in your closet and can´t find anything non-medical to wear.

*You believe every patient needs TLC: Thorazine, Lorazapam, and Compazine.

*You can´t see it; it´s probably not there.

*Your sense of humor seems to get more warped each year.

*You think it is acceptable to use "penis" and "vagina" in a normal conversation.

*You believe the definition of stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven´t fallen asleep yet.

*You hope there´s a special place in Hell for the inventor of the call light. (hahaha!)

*You believe that if warm wine enemas were routinely ordered, patient complaints would greatly decrease... [cont.]

*You call some of your co-workers "Flowers in the Field of Medicine" because they´re bloomin´ idiots.

*You believe not all patients are annoying. Some are dead.

*You believe experience is something you don´t get until just after you need it.

*You see stress as a normal way of life.

*You have a tendency to laugh at your patient´s "big" problems.

*You know the phone numbers of every late night food delivery place in town by heart.

*You believe the problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

*You´ve ever thought, "Patients, God love ´em, because today, I sure don´t!"

*Everything only happens all at once.

*You have more T-shirts that say, "Love a nurse PRN" than plain T-shirts.

*You´ve ever referred to other nurses as "Band-Aid Bunnies."

*You´ve ever been telling work stories in a restaurant and had someone at another table throw-up.

*You write a patient report and have to translate it to medical records because of all the acronyms in it.

*You notice that you use more four-letter words now than before you became a nurse.

*You´ve ever told anyone in pain to "stop being a baby and deal with it."

*You have a patient in four-point leathers that asks if you´re a nurse, you reply "Yes", and walk away.

*You´ve ever told a patient to "stop faking it."

*You believe all bleeding stops...eventually.

*You don´t get excited about blood loss unless it´s your own.

*You don´t hit patients or doctors....unless absolutely necessary.

*You believe the pain will go away when it stops hurting.

*Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong and if nothing has gone wrong, you´ve obviously don´t understand the situation.

*You believe if you can keep your head among all this confusion, you obviously don´t understand the situation.

*You´ve ever said, "Why am I here?"

*If you believe if a patient who has a catheter, he needs it.

*Everyone gets treated exactly the same...until they piss you off.

*When you get a call telling you the name of your next admit and you can do the care plan before the patient gets to the floor.(guilty? hahaha!)

*When called for orders, the MD says, "Write them yourself; you know the patient better than I do."

*You´ve ever had to contend with someone who thinks constipation for 4 hours is an emergency.

*Ever rolled your eyes when the 14 year-old says, "No, I´ve never had sex."

*You refer to motorcyclists as organ donors.

*You can eat a candy bar with one hand while performing digital stimulation on your patient with the other hand, and it doesn´t bother you.

*You believe Tylenol, Advil, or Excedrin provides a large part of your daily calorie intake requirements.

*You´ve ever held a 14-gauge needle over someone´s vein and said, "Now your going to feel a little stick."

*You can identify the "PID Shuffle" and the "Kidney Stone Squirm" at 15 feet.

*You´ve ever had a patient with a nose ring, a brow ring and twelve earrings say, "I´m afraid of shots."

*You´ve ever thought, "As long as he´s got a pulse, I don´t care about the rhythm."

*You think the ultimate cruel joke is get someone drunk, take them to the ER and tell them he OD´d on "some kind of pills."

*You automatically multiply by three the number of drinks a patient claims to have daily.(hahaha! commonly done)

*You can keep a straight face when a patient responds, "Just two beers."

*You feel that if someone is shot or stabbed, they probably deserved it.

*You stare at someone in utter disbelief when they actually cover their mouth to cough.

*You think "awake and stupid" is an appropriate choice for mental status.

*You believe in the aerial spraying of Prozac.

*You have encouraged obnoxious patients to sign out AMA.

*You believe the government should require a permit to reproduce.

*Your most common assessment question at 2 a.m. is "Why is this an emergency now?"

*You believe every waiting room should have a Valium salt lick.

*You don´t believe 90% of what you´re told, and 75% of what you see.

*You firmly believe that "too stupid to live" should be a diagnosis.

*You have to leave the patient before you begin to laugh uncontrollably.

*You believe a book entitled "Suicide: Getting it Right the First Time" will be your next project.

*You believe a good tape job will fix anything.

*You´ve ever had a patient look you dead in the eye and say, "I don´t know how that got stuck in there."

*You have ever had a patient say, "I´m not pregnant, I can´t be pregnant! I can´t be having a baby!"

*You have a special shrine in your home to the inventor of Haldol.

*You can think of another 200 examples of "You Might Be a Nurse If..."

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Davao City's very own 'Rescue 911'

There are many things that I can be proud of as dabawenya (citizen of Davao). Davao is one of the top ten competitive cities in terms of business investments in the whole Philippines. Not to mention being the cleanest city in the whole world!. Also, fireworks or pyrotechnics, and smoking, is strictly prohibited in the city. The government is very firm in implementing this ordinance and violators must pay fines, do community service, they may serve jail time, or a combination of the three. But most of all, I am so proud of our very own 911. Davao city is the first in Asia and third in the world next to USA and Canada to have 911. We call it Central 911 or simply 911 which we can dial through the landline phones or in the cellphones. They can response to all types of emergency needs for FREE. Yes, you heard it right. The only 911 emergency response in the world that is for free courtesy of the local government of Davao...[cont.]

I experienced using 911 way back when I was in Davao when a motor vehicle accident happened in front of the coffee shop where I was. They responded so quick and reach the scene in just few minutes.

These are the free services Central 911 are providing:

> Urban Search and Rescue Services - USAR

> Fire Auxiliary Services - FAS

> Emergency Medical Services - EMS

> K9 Unit

> Police

The dabawenyos feel safer than before because of central 911.

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