It has been awhile since my last serious post...and for good reason. Work has been hectic. You may recall me posting about the conflict between my travel nurse contract provision limiting the number of patients I am required to handle and my assignment hospital's new policy of an unlimited patient load. Since that post I have had several run-ins with hospital administration. Anyone who has had a similar run-in knows that you never really win. It is a constant battle. Every other shift the issue comes up and every other shift I am required to look like the bad nurse who doesn't care about the other nurses on the floor. All I can say is "I didn't sign on to be worked to death. I signed on for the fun of travel."
On a more pleasant note, our family took another mini-vacation. This time to Navarre Beach, Florida. You may recall that Navarre was wiped out by multiple hurricanes the year before Katrina hit Nawlins. Even though several years have passed there is still a lot of work left to do. The most popular beach in Navarre is on an island. You have to travel over a half mile long bridge to get to the island. On one side of the island the waves were about 2 to 3 feet high. Our boys had a great time swimming in the surf. My husband went to Wal-Mart and bought one of those blow up sleeping beds for the boys to play on. We have found that those beds are larger and much tougher than your average kids raft and cost the same in most cases.
We were in Navarre for three days. Each day we would spend half of the day on the side of the island with the waves and the other half on the side facing the Navarre coastline. On the Navarre coastline side the water is as flat as if it were in a lake. The girls are younger and enjoyed swimming without being turned upside down by waves. The flat side was also much clearer than the other side. We caught minnows with a net, hermit crabs and some tiny blue crabs. There were also black birds with long necks diving under the water. Every now and then we would see one of the birds come up with a fish in its mouth.
You could also see huge chunks of asphalt in the water. The asphalt had apparently been a part of a huge parking lot that is now sunk underwater due to the hurricane. I would insert pictures here, but we forgot the camera for this trip.
I will try to do a better job of posting and keep sending the e-mails.
Travel Nurse Aim
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Making a Poster Presentation
The difference between poster and oral presentations is that with a poster presentation, the poster does most of the 'talking' about your project. That is, the material presented conveys the essence of your message. However, that does not mean that you can abandon the poster during the designated time. You have to 'stand-by-your-poster'! Your task as the presenter is to answer questions and provide further details; to bask in praise or suffer difficult questions; and to convince others that what you have done is excellent and worthwhile. A poster presentation should guide each viewer through the basics of the study or project, freeing the presenter to focus on discussion of essential elements of the work. Decisions about poster format and design contribute to efficient and accurate transfer of information using this medium.
A scientific poster is a communication tool that combines a verbal presentation with a visual aid. They are given to a small group of people, are limited in time and range of view, and are informal and interactive. Posters should look as professional as your professional research or project. Poster size specifications will differ for each presentation venue; always plan to use the space well. Incorporating good basic graphic design principles, using good quality art materials and papers, and the use of color as an organizing tool will contribute to the professional approach of this scientific communication. The average interaction time for a poster presentation is 10-15 minutes. You must use visual short-cuts and plan your verbal presentation carefully to do posters well.
Important characteristics for posters to have:
clear scientific value;
viewer-friendly lay-out, i.e., it has a hierarchical organization (“easy to follow sequence”), contains minimal text, has conveniently arranged and understandable graphs, and avoids (where possible) mathematical formulations.
“It takes intelligence, even brilliance, to condense and focus information into a clear, simple presentation that will be read and remembered. Ignorance and arrogance are shown in a crowded, complicated, hard-to-read poster." Mary Helen Briscoe
Poster Guidelines
Succinct title
Background (review of literature, need for project)
Purpose
Project description/methodology and context (sample, setting, etc.)
Outcomes
Implications for nursing
Recommendations
Here are two templates I have shared with nurses in the Orange County region over the past several years. I found the first template (for a rectangular poster made on Powerpoint for professional reproduction) on the internet several years ago, and did not gain permission to publish it. This template allows someone to make a poster for use on a bulletin board surface (attached with tacks or velcro) or for reproduction on foamcore board. The trifold template (you need MS PowerPoint to view) is a modification of the first template that allows someone to reproduce a poster and tack it on a 3x5' tri-fold poster board (for table top display).
A scientific poster is a communication tool that combines a verbal presentation with a visual aid. They are given to a small group of people, are limited in time and range of view, and are informal and interactive. Posters should look as professional as your professional research or project. Poster size specifications will differ for each presentation venue; always plan to use the space well. Incorporating good basic graphic design principles, using good quality art materials and papers, and the use of color as an organizing tool will contribute to the professional approach of this scientific communication. The average interaction time for a poster presentation is 10-15 minutes. You must use visual short-cuts and plan your verbal presentation carefully to do posters well.
Important characteristics for posters to have:
clear scientific value;
viewer-friendly lay-out, i.e., it has a hierarchical organization (“easy to follow sequence”), contains minimal text, has conveniently arranged and understandable graphs, and avoids (where possible) mathematical formulations.
“It takes intelligence, even brilliance, to condense and focus information into a clear, simple presentation that will be read and remembered. Ignorance and arrogance are shown in a crowded, complicated, hard-to-read poster." Mary Helen Briscoe
Poster Guidelines
Succinct title
Background (review of literature, need for project)
Purpose
Project description/methodology and context (sample, setting, etc.)
Outcomes
Implications for nursing
Recommendations
Here are two templates I have shared with nurses in the Orange County region over the past several years. I found the first template (for a rectangular poster made on Powerpoint for professional reproduction) on the internet several years ago, and did not gain permission to publish it. This template allows someone to make a poster for use on a bulletin board surface (attached with tacks or velcro) or for reproduction on foamcore board. The trifold template (you need MS PowerPoint to view) is a modification of the first template that allows someone to reproduce a poster and tack it on a 3x5' tri-fold poster board (for table top display).
Monday, April 9, 2007
New Pics of Makena
As many of you know by my previous post, I have a foster baby elephant that I sponsor in Africa. She is rather cute and gets into all sorts of trouble (funny, good trouble) and is a real mischief maker! I recently got an update with a few new pictures so thought I would include them here!
One of Makena alone and one with her and her stockade mate, Sian. She loves Sian and really loves sucking on Sian's ear which drives Sian absolutley nuts... but she eventually gives up and lets Makena do as she pleases. (Makena loves being the baby!)
And if any of you wish to foster an elephant, look at the link I have on the right I named elephant rescue. It's $50 USD a year, and they are a reputable organization. Please check them out, it's well worth it.
One of Makena alone and one with her and her stockade mate, Sian. She loves Sian and really loves sucking on Sian's ear which drives Sian absolutley nuts... but she eventually gives up and lets Makena do as she pleases. (Makena loves being the baby!)
And if any of you wish to foster an elephant, look at the link I have on the right I named elephant rescue. It's $50 USD a year, and they are a reputable organization. Please check them out, it's well worth it.
SJH Critical Care E-journal Club
Once again, I am starting the e-journal club here at
Kalisch, Beatrice J., PhD, RN, FAAN. “Missed Nursing Care: a Qualitative Study”, Journal of Nursing Care Quality, Vol.21, No. 4, pp. 306-313.
Author’s Abstract:
“The purpose of this study was to determine nursing care regularly missed on medical-surgical units and reasons for missed care. Nine elements of regularly missed nursing care (ambulation, turning, delayed or missed feedings, patient teaching, discharge planning, emotional support, hygiene, intake and output documentation and surveillance) and 7 themes relative to the reasons for missing this care were reported by nursing staff.”
I found this study simple and yet profound at the same time. Through an e-mail, the author confided that as a consultant to hospitals, these same themes kept coming up over and over again.
I was amazed at the honesty of the replies from the staff interviewed. Would we have the kind of insight this article lets us see if the unit manager asked the staff the same questions? Do some units have an authentic ability to see and handle these issues? How do you feel these time constraint issues are handled on your unit?
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter! Hope the Easter bunny was good to you... this little guy is pooped after all the egg hidding he had to do!
And this is just funny, had to add it in!
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews-- news
All documents in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews are now in PDF format. That means no more tweaking the document to make sure that all the tables print and a document that is shorter in its final print version.
Other Cochrane News
"Two Cochrane Reviews to be published in January The Cochrane Library 2007,
Issue 1, report on smoking cessation:
• A recently licensed nicotine receptor stimulant trebles the odds of
stopping smoking. The new anti-smoking drug varenicline was first licensed for use in the UK on 5th December 2006. An early Cochrane Review of its effectiveness shows that it can
give a three-fold increase in the odds of a person quitting smoking. Varenicline is
the first new anti-smoking drug in the last ten years, and only the third, after NRT
and bupropion, to be licensed in the USA for smoking cessation.
• New evidence boosts the conclusion that some antidepressants can
double a smoker’s chance of quitting. The most recent Cochrane review concluded antidepressants bupropion (Zyban) and nortriptyline double a person’s chances of giving up smoking and have few side-effects, but selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as
fluoxetine (Prozac) are not effective. A recently licensed nicotine receptor stimulant trebles the odds of stopping smoking. The new anti-smoking drug varenicline was first licensed for use in the UK on 5th December 2006. An early Cochrane Review' of its effectiveness shows that it can
give a three-fold increase in the odds of a person quitting smoking. Varenicline is the
first new anti-smoking drug in the last ten years, and only the third, after NRT and
bupropion, to be licensed in the USA for smoking cessation.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Study Study Study!
I am slowly going bonkers. I have a class test (#2) for nursing on Wednesday and am slowly losing it. I am having a hell of a time focusing on studying. I am so distracted at home, that I have to get out of the house to study, even the noisy (and I do mean LOUD) school cafeteria or upper atrium is better than home! Doesn't help that it is now "warmer" out and lately sunny! I finished clinical last week and walked out of the Vic to a bright sunny day, only I was too damned tired to enjoy it! But I chose this profession (why? oh ya right, I LIKE it... can't wait to graduate!).
As you can tell I decided to take a break, so am writing this blog entry... or I am procrastinating, AGAIN! I will get through this semester and PASS because the thought of doing it all again makes me want to cry, so, that being said it's back to the books (medical-surgical nursing... blah) and class notes, and there are a ton of them!
Oh ya, and my camera and/or software for the camera is messed up and I cannot download (upload?) any of my pics onto the computer!!! Grrrr!
Ok, back to it...
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