The Internet has brought the spirit of global communication and collaboration to nurses and other healthcare professionals in ways never before thought possible. These resources are offered to expand your opportunities for discussion, reference, education, and research.
"And in the course of 4 hours, I watched my brain completely deteriorate in its ability to process all information. On the morning of the hemorrhage, I could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of my life. I essentially became an infant in a woman's body." This is a single sentence in the story of Dr Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroanatomist from Harvard who experienced a subarachnoid hemorrhage from an arteriovenous malformation. She spoke at TED (Technology, Education, Design [http://www.ted.com]), an organization bringing together speakers from diverse worlds to share insights, thoughts, and opinions from science, the arts, business, and global issues.
These talks are short, ranging from 10 to 30 minutes or so, and are riveting explorations of ideas and experiences that may enhance traditional classroom lectures. How often have we read or taught about stroke, yet how rarely have we heard about stroke from the uniquely personal view of a scientist? Dr Taylor's recovery took 8 years after a golf ball-size hematoma was evacuated from her left hemisphere. Her talk can be found at http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.
Under the theme "Medicine Without Borders" (http://www.ted.com/themes/medicine_without_borders.html) are talks about anatomy, research, the politics of medicine, and future-think. They are told in a personal format that brings a unique perspective to healthcare. Hypothermia and the subsequent physiological changes in metabolism and oxygen requirements are used in cardiovascular and neurological therapies. How about including the perspective of the magician, David Blaine, who held his breath for 17 minutes? It might be a good starting point for discussions about not only the potential hazards of this type of activity, but also the voluntary control of autonomic functions.
Aimee Mullins is an actress and athlete who has given several talks, one of which is called "Aimee Mullins and her 12 pairs of legs" and can be found at http://www.ted.com/talks/aimee_mullins_prosthetic_aesthetics.html. She speaks of perceptions of disability and the development of prosthetic legs as functional tools in a manner unlikely to be experienced by average students. What is the meaning of "disability"?
Explore some of the 168 videos under the keyword, "medicine," or the 313 under the keyword, "brain." You may be surprised at what you find.
All of the TED talks are released under the "Creative Commons License" so they can be used without charge. Bring a guest speaker to an event with a unique look at the topic of your lecture or in-service presentation. Keep your students coming back for more!
William Perry, MA, RN