Put the cart before[horizontal ellipsis]
Armstrong Medical Industries, Inc., offers the Aluminum Auto-Locking Cart, featuring lightweight aluminum construction, aluminum mounting tracks, stabilizing frame, and 5-inch swivel casters (two with brake and one tracking). Also included are a master code for all programming, an access code for daily use, manual or automatic locking, an auto lock timer that can be set from 1 to 255 minutes or shut off completely, a manual key override for emergency access, and a low-battery indicator light.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
Protect your "rights"
The B. Braun Outlook Safety Infusion System is designed to ensure that the right patient gets the right drug in the right dose. Available in four levels of extendable platform technology, the system allows a hospital to choose the level of medication safety required to meet its needs. B. Braun's DoseGuard software technology notifies clinicians if any institution-defined dose limit is exceeded. DoseScan produces a patient-specific bar-code label with automated checks and balances to enhance safety protocols.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
Help for acetaminophen overdose
Cumberland Pharmaceuticals introduces Acetadote (acetylcysteine) Injection, indicated for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose. Acetadote can reduce the amount of liver injury caused by acetaminophen overdose. According to a press release issued by Cumberland, acetaminophen is the leading cause of poisonings presenting in emergency departments in the United States. These overdoses account for more than 56,000 emergency room visits and 450 deaths each year.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
Easier weaning
SmartCare, from Drger Medical, is a knowledge-based ventilation system for the EvitaXL ventilator. Drger states that SmartCare can reduce the number of patient days in the intensive care unit as well as the number of ventilator days. SmartCare automates the weaning process using continuously measured parameters and patient respiratory profiles. As the level of ventilator support is adjusted automatically, the patient's response and ability to adapt to each change in support is evaluated.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
OR fashions: Color-coded surgical gowns
Kimberly-Clark's surgical gowns come with a Color-Key neck band so you can see at a glance which one's the right one for a particular procedure. Red bands signify the gown is impervious and appropriate for lengthy, fluid-intensive procedures; green means the fabric is reinforced, appropriate for moderate to high fluid contact procedures; and yellow means the gown is nonreinforced, appropriate for low to moderate fluid contact procedures.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
Bar codes on the go
iCart from Lionville Systems combines the needs of nursing and information technology to provide a workstation for mobile computing, point-of-care medication administration, and bar-code scanning. Its nurse-friendly features include a generous work surface with optional cup dispensers, night-light, waste bin, sharps disposal, I.V. pole, customizable patient medication and supply storage, and an advanced keyless entry with automatic locking to ensure regulatory compliance.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
Before the fall
The Sensatec Fall Monitoring Solution from RF Technologies monitors individuals at risk for falling using sensor pads that are placed on beds and chairs. As weight is removed from the sensor pad, the control unit emits an audible alert. Smart system technology provides audible and visual notification of the current status of the unit.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
Pump you up
Zoll Medical's AutoPulse Non-Invasive Cardiac Support Pump helps resuscitators improve blood flow and provide oxygen to vital organs in victims of sudden cardiac arrest. The device generates a level of consistent chest compressions, virtually impossible to match in manual cardiopulmonary resuscitation efforts, affording a better possibility of preserving function and survival. In single-rescuer situations, the AutoPulse can function as a second person.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
Skin prep
ChloraPrep from Medi-Flex is now available in a 26-mL applicator with Scrub Teal tint. This single-use product is latex-free, hands-off, and sterile to help prevent cross-contamination. The applicator is designed for a smooth delivery of solution for larger surgical procedures.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
Give heel ulcers the boot
The Posey Deluxe Podus Boot from the J.T. Posey Company offers protection from heel pressure ulcers and plantar flexion contracture. The device elevates the heel to help prevent the formation of heel ulcers with a durable plastic splint that accommodates up to a 45-degree plantar flexion contracture. A padded, detachable toe post helps keep bed linens off toes, and an as-needed antirotation bar helps prevent internal/external hip rotation. The boot's lined with soft cotton, and the liner is machine-washable and comes with its own laundering bag. A walking sole is also available.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
Look, ma, one hand!!
Nice-Pak Products, Inc., offers Hygea Personal Cleansing Washcloths and Hygea Flushable Wipes. The washcloths can be dispensed with one hand, allowing continuous contact between caregiver and resident. Dispensers can be stored right at the bedside, eliminating the need for basin baths and time-consuming trips to the linen cart or storage room.
Hygea Flushable Wipes are available for the hospital, long-term care, and home care markets. They're soft, impregnated with a moisturizer, and alcohol- and latex-free, making them a good choice for delicate, compromised skin. They come in 48-count wipe tubs, and they're safe for sewer and septic systems.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
Man the moisture barricades
Use Coloplast Corporation's Critic-Aid Clear and Critic-Aid Clear AF moisture-barrier ointments to protect perineal skin from breakdown caused by urinary or fecal incontinence or wound exudate. The clear formula allows the clinician to visually examine skin integrity. Critic-Aid Clear AF contains 2% miconazole nitrate, an antifungal.
Information:http://www.nursingcenter.com/nmie/upfront
This just in[horizontal ellipsis]
Eat healthy. Add grape seeds, chives, and Korean pine nut oil to the list of health-boosters and disease-fighters on the menu. In studies presented at the American Chemical Society's annual meeting in Atlanta, experts announced that grape seed extract can lower blood pressure; chives can protect against food-borne illnesses, like salmonella; and pine nut oil can suppress appetite by stimulating the release of two appetite-suppressing hormones, CCK and GLP1.
Information:http://acswebcontent.acs.org/home.html
This just in[horizontal ellipsis]
Wake up and smell the coffee!! The Alliance for Aging Research reports that by age 65, nearly 9 of 10 Americans will have at least 1 chronic condition. A survey conducted by Roper/GfK, however, finds that most folks haven't got a clue about their risk. For example, when asked about their chances of having a chronic disease by age 65, just 4% of Americans selected the correct range (81% to 90%) from a set of possible answers read during the survey.
The danger is, of course, that an individual who's oblivious to the possibility of coming down with a chronic illness won't take the proper measures to lower his risk. It's up to us to set the patient population straight with the cold, hard facts. We'll have plenty of opportunity: By 2030, the number of Americans ages 65 and older will double!!