Teeny-Tiny Oxygen Generator
In a medical emergency, quick administration of O2 can mean the difference between life and death. The OX-GEN Corporation has developed a system that will fit in the palm of the hand and provide 15-30 minutes of oxygen. The system's main purpose is to support life when emergencies arise. Oxygen is generated by squeezing the chambered bag to break the weak seals and combine the components. Within seconds, pure O2 is available. The system is disposable and non-flammable, with no gauges or valves. Potential uses include miners, military personnel, firefighters, ski patrols-and eventually, first aid kits. Contact Lara Roetto, [email protected].
Women's Health After Abortion
A second edition of Women's Health After Abortion:The Medical and Psychological Evidence by Elizabeth Ring-Cassidy and Ian Gentles was released by deVeber Institute, Toronto, Canada, in spring 2003.The book is based on over 500 articles that have appeared in medical and other journals, chiefly during the past 20 years. Some consequences of abortion do not surface until long after the procedure, as in the case of infertility. Yet many studies rely only on short-term findings, and researchers minimize the findings' significance, even sometimes arriving at conclusions that contradict their data. Even though the study of abortion has become more difficult in the past decade, research shows that abortion is the source of serious physical and psychological problems for many http://women.The book costs $19.95, available at http://www.deverber.org.
Surviving Domestic Violence
Barbara Ross, a published writer who is working on a book on domestic violence (DV) and a DV survivor herself, says,"God has done wondrous works in my life and put me back on my feet. I would like to help others." Ross asks JCN readers, who have experiences in this area and are willing to be quoted in the book, to contact her at [email protected] to talk further and possibly answer some written questions.
Hooked on Smoking?
Tobacco Free Nurses is a one-stop shop for all nurses, especially those who want to help their patients quit smoking and nurses who want to quit themselves or promote a tobacco free society. For more information, call toll-free 877/203-4144 or log on to http://www.tobaccofreenurses.org.
The Value of Inadequacy
"Sometimes, when all the props and crutches in your life get stripped away and you find you have only God, you discover that God is enough. Sometimes, when your worst fears of inadequacy are confirmed and you discover that you really are out of your league, you experience the liberation of realizing that it is okay to be inadequate and that God wants his power to flow through your weakness."-John Ortberg, If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat
Starting Younger
Research shows that by the time students reach high school, they have already ruled out nursing as a career choice. So a team of OR nurses at Rush-Copley Medical Center, Aurora, Illinois, all pursuing BSNs to further their own education, decided to introduce middle school students to the benefits of a nursing career. The RNs began giving presentations on nursing at local schools in fall'04.-Nursing Spectrum, November 1, 2004
Desperate Need for African RNs
Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) is seeking donations to give people in Burkina Faso access to health care by training nurses. Health care is an effective way to share Christ, so SIM is training nurses, who are able to perform many services that MDs perform in the West. These young people could never afford to attend the three-year program on their own. $350 will cover tuition for one year for one student. If God leads you to help, please send your gift to SIM, PO Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241-7900, or call 800/521-6449 for more information.
Music Vigils Comfort the Dying
Harpists Margaret Pasquesi and Tony Pederson travel the north side of Chicago and its suburbs. Their mission, and full-time job, is music-thanatology-a part of music therapy that services only the dying. Certified at the Chalice of Repose in Des Plaines, Illinois, the pair ministers to the dying and their families, from 30 minutes to several hours, in private homes, hospice rooms or nursing homes. A typical day for the musicians consists of three vigils. It's not unusual for a patient to die while Pasquesi and Pederson are playing, one harp on each side of the bed, but more commonly death comes hours or days later. With 50 graduates of the Chalice of Repose, founder Therese Schroeder-Sheker will respond to the increasing demand for end-of-life care by offering a certification program for music-thanatology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. beginning this year. -Chicago Tribune, June 2, 2004
New Alzheimer's Resource
RNs and other Alzheimer's care providers, as well as patients and their families, will be better prepared to manage the disease with the debut of the first video health guide to examine the condition from a stage-by-stage perspective. The Family Guide to Alzheimer's Disease looks at the clinical and behavioral aspects and concentrates on developing successful care strategies for patients progressing to the end of life. It features interviews with families, health care professionals, social workers and representatives of the Alzheimer's Association. The Association estimates 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's, with 7 of 10 living at home and receiving 75% of their care from family and friends.-Nursing Spectrum, July 12, 2004
-PulseBeats compiled by
Melodee Yohe, consulting editor