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The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Cambodian government are investigating the cause of a mysterious illness that has killed more than 60 children from different areas around the country.

A joint press release by Cambodia’s Ministry of Health and the WHO on Tuesday said that 61 out of 62 children admitted to hospitals have died of the unknown ailment. By Wednesday, Dr. Beat Richner of Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospitals — who alerted the government to the disease — told Al Jazeera that 64 out of 66 cases had died. All the victims are aged 7 and under, and died with 24 hours of getting to the hospital, typically of complications from pneumonia.

Signs & Symptoms

The disease starts as a high fever, followed by respiratory problems and/or swelling in the brain and then the destruction of the child’s respiratory system, according to the press release. While the majority of the cases have been found in the southern region of the country, the disease has been recorded in victims from 14 different provinces, an official told the Cambodian national newspaper Phnom Penh Post. No obvious clusters have been found.

“This can be a mixture of a number of known diseases — virological, bacterial or toxicological — which have been reported as one syndrome or something new,” Dr. Nima Asgari, a team leader of the WHO country office in Cambodia, told CNN.

Other Countries Asked to Be Alert

Neighboring countries have been officially notified through a post on the International Health Regulations event information system. The U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh has yet to issue any special warnings or health alerts.

{CBSNews}

Over a hundred doctors, nurses, medical technologists, hospital supervisors and hospital regulatory officers from different public and private hospitals in NCR and Central Luzon underwent a one-week seminar (June 4-8) on quality disinfection and sterilization standards in local hospitals at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute this June.

DOH-3M Raise Sterilization Standards in Hospitals.  In photo: Dr. Norman Lu, Regional Clinical Consultant from 3M Asia Pacific, Infection Prevention Division lectures on international sterilization regulations and standards to doctors, nurses, medical technologists, hospital supervisors and hospital regulatory officers from different public and private hospitals in NCR and Central Luzon.

Initiated by the Standards Development Division of the Department of Health in partnership with 3M Philippines, the seminar aimed to call attention to the urgent need for improved hospital sterilization standards to lower the incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in third world countries like the Philippines.

Dr. Normal Lu, Regional Clinical Consultant from 3M Asia Pacific, Infection Prevention Division, stressed to medical practitioners at the workshop that “infectious diseases are the highest cause of death in human history”. “Inside the operating room, we can prevent this by making surgical instruments free from organic microbes. Failure to follow processes for proper cleaning, sterilizing and packaging of critical medical devices will harm the patient and cause the hospital more damage (in terms of reputation and cost),” Dr. Lu said.

“Patient safety is of utmost importance. Next to treating patients, their safety should be prioritized. Through this workshop, we wanted to establish the ideal sterilization standards and come up with local guidelines that would make our hospitals conform to international standards, such as that of the CDC and AAMI” added Dr. Cynthia Rosuman, Chief of the DOH’s Standards Development Division.

Rosuman said the DOH hopes to put guidelines in place by October 2012 as soon as Secretary Ona gives his approval. “We want to apply this mandate as soon as possible to all health facilities in the country as a requirement for the renewal of license of hospitals which takes place during the last quarter of the year,” she said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hundreds of millions of patients around the world are affected by healthcare-associated infections which greatly affect patients’ medical conditions. In the Philippines, over 500,000 patients contract HAIs annually and about 10% of die due to these infections.

HAIs can lead to “prolonged hospital stays, unnecessary long-term disabilities, risk of higher resistance to life-saving medications, additional cost for the patient and family and even death.”

“We at 3M Healthcare are very supportive of this action by the DOH. This is a milestone as far as creating a comprehensive sterilization guideline for local hospitals is concerned. We are happy to be a part of this public health endeavor,” said Bettina Luz, Group Manager for 3M Philippines Health Care Division.

About 3M: 3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Our culture of creative collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops inventing. With $30 billion in sales, 3M employs 84,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 65 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com/ph or like 3M.Philippines on Facebook for updates.

It is inevitable that the growth of social media and other electronic communication continually increases. So as the increase in number of nursing professionals. Many of us use blogs, social networking sites, video sites like Youtube, online chat rooms and forums to communicate both personally and professionally with others. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are exciting and valuable tools when used wisely. However, the very nature of social media can post a risk as it offers instantaneous posting opportunities that allow little time for reflective thought and carries the added burden that what is posted on the Internet is discovered by law even when its long deleted.

It is our obligation as nurses to protect privacy of our patients at all times. But sometimes, we are not aware that posting a picture of our patients is a breach of their confidentiality.

Because of these repercussions of inappropriate use of social media, National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) stated:

Because of inappropriate use of social media, some nurses have lost their jobs, been disciplined by the Board of Nursing, been highlighted in national media, been a target of lawsuits, and been criminally charged.

What do nurses need to know so that they can use social media, both personally and professionally, without worrying about repercussions? Watch the 5-minute video about the responsible use of Social Media for us nurses!

Social Media Guidelines for Nurses

White Paper: A Nurse’s Guide to the Use of Social Media

Also here is the White Paper published by NCSBN.org:

Via NCSBN.org

In a few days, our dear President Benigno Aquino III will be giving his State of the Nation Address or SONA. In line with that, we also want to publish the State of the Nursing Profession Address, a summary of news and insightful information about nursing in the Philippines. 

Please note that there are many things in life that should be taken seriously, and this may not one of them.

The July 2012 Nurse Licensure Examination

The weather was perfect last June 30 and July 1, 2012 which was the schedule of the July 2012 Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE). This deserves a spot in our list because the new examinees were the first one to graduate under the revised curriculum as mandated by the CMO 14.

Last year, I was expecting that there will be a Nursing Practice 6 which would be about Geriatric Nursing. Fortunately, the test still ended with NP5. That would be an additional burden for July 2012 test-takers as their curriculum was even more challenging.

We are all now eagerly waiting for the results.

The Steady Increase and Steady Decline In the Number of Nurses

From the year 2000 to 2010, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported that there are 2,668,046 students who enrolled for the nursing program. The demand for universities to teach these 2.6 million students nursing suddenly became a boom that might even be the most boom of all booms in all Philippine History that Nicki Minaj even wrote a song for it.

In fact, the nursing demand was so high that there wouldn’t be a school commercial without a nurse in it. Some were even taught nurses to defibrillate an asystole.

Unfortunately, out of those 2,668,046 enrollees only 491,900 or only 18.4% were able to graduate. On the same report, it is stated that there are 838,995 graduates who took the board examinations and 365,625 (43.57%)  successfully passed the exam whilst, 473,370 failed or 56.53%. As of data from 2007 to 2010, there are 199,902 nurses active registrants. 

Imagine that the growth of 2.6 million enrollees since 2010 is now on a steep downward curve. Enrollment on nursing schools become more gloomy each school year since the announcement of the news that  there is no more shortage of nurses in the US. Also, Filipino nurses should not expect to land a job as a nurse until 2020. The once throbbing and so ‘erected’ growth of demand for nursing is now having an erectile dysfunction.

Close enough.

Nursing schools since 2010 stopped hiring new nursing instructors, and instead, some are being dismissed and are asked not to have their contracts renewed. Both the professional regulation commission and commission on higher education have been urging high school graduates not to take up nursing.

Shut Down of the so called “Nursing Schools”

Since the upward trend of enrollees, there was a sudden boom of demand on nursing programs. The Philippines was one time chanting “Teach us! Teach us the way to become a nurse!” And if you are reading this, you’re maybe one of the many nurses who were magically enchanted by your parents to take nursing or don’t go to college.

Who wouldn’t? During the high demand of nurses around 1990′s (which is exactly the opposite of today), once you graduate, no need for experience, no need to take the NCLEX, just wait a few months for a US Visa and boom, you’ll be flying in US and work as a nurse.

Because of that, many universities were enticed to open their own nursing programs even without knowing the how-to’s of it. These schools were more on profit than producing a quality nursing grad.  Schools that offered nursing popped-up anywhere and we’re badly controlled that any university can offer nursing.

Has its own hospital underground.

And what does someone get if a recently opened nursing school, and hired incompetent instructors? Poor-board rating. Its not that they are taught to put a check mark rather than shade the answer sheet; its just that they’re not really mature enough to teach quality nursing.

My instructor told me that checking the boxes would mean that its correct!

CHED took action just a few years ago, and put around 152 nursing schools in the brink of closure due to their hypotensive board performance. The so called “shape up or phase out” was initiated. CHED even enforced a rule that schools whose performance in licensure examinations is below five percent for three consecutive years would have their permits revoked and their concerned program be phased out.

More Job Opportunities for Nurses

A lot of you would agree with me that there are very few opportunities as a nurse here for nurses. Data from 2010 shows that there are 169,922 registered nurses who are unemployed. Most nurses would work as call-center agents, teaching Koreans to say “Florence Nightingale is the Lady with the Lamp” and some are venturing as Nurse Entrepreneurs (and God know what the heck they would sell).  If not, others would look for opportunities abroad, wherein the grass is greener and the dollar exchange rate is to 43 pesos. Sure, sacrifice the chance to be with your family and live alone in a foreign country than starve to death in your own country. Right?

Or others go abroad just to see a surprised Koala.

Many of us are hoping that the employment scenario in the Philippines could be a little bit better. Produce more jobs since there are a lot of us looking for one. And yes please, we want to work as a nurse.

The RNHeals Program

Because the government is tired of seeing unemployed nursing graduates, they created programs that would somehow employ us nurses. One of which is the Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and Local Service (RNHeals). This program aims to amend the growing number of unemployed nurses by giving them a one year contract of employment with a monthly salary of 8,000 pesos. Hep hep hep! With PhilHealth Insurance and Group Accident Insurance. Hep hep hep! Also with food allowance and 2,000 peso allowance from your LGUs.

This program was a big hit (at least in our website), that every nurse in the country want to apply for it, which caused the RNHeals online registration website to be down for a few days because it exceeded its bandwidth.

Every time…

Now here comes the problem. Most of the nurses we asked in our Fanpage complained of delayed stipend or no compensation for months! Others are only compensated with SPAM lite and a cup of rice and a Sandata on Sakuna (SOS)

And of course, we’re just kidding

The problems are so obviously exploitative that we decided to write a post about it. Some nurses under the RNHeals are not receiving their allowances of 2,000 (and that’s even the minimum) from the LGUs. Didn’t they read the memo? The official memorandum states that: “The Local Government Units (LGUs) shall provide the Nurses and Midwives an additional allowance of at least Two Thousand Pesos (2,000) per month…” It doesn’t say “can”, not even “may” but it says “shall”.

So Mr. President, this program is great and all, but please, give us what we deserve and we are suppose to receive. Give us what we have worked for.

Increase Our Salary. Else, Give What is Rightfully Ours

The Republic Act 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 states that a Nurse 1 (entry level nurse) should not receive a salary lower than Salary Grade 15. According to Ang Nars, up to this date, this has not been implemented. Currently, nurses in government hospitals receive a salary grade of 10 or 12,000 pesos. Supposedly, entry-level nurses should be given 24,000 (Salary Grade 15) per month as starting salary. This is mandated and backed by RA 9173. I wonder what’s their basis for salary grade 10?

This sticky Note of PNoy…was never found.

And of course, government officials know. Hospital administrators know. But they really do know how to play dumb with us.

The Hardworking (and underpaid) Nurse

The exploitative condition of nurses in our country saves the government money. Believe it or not.

The ideal nurse-patient ratio is 1:15 but nurses in government hospitals takes care of around 40 to 80 nurses per eight-hour shift. Instead of hiring five to six nurses for 40 to 80 patients, only one nurse is hired for the job. Also, the exposure of nurses to communicable diseases and extended hours of duty gives a heavy reason why  Salary Grade 15 should be implemented.

Charting for 40 patients must be a pain. Srsly.

So Mr. President, can you make nursing more fun in the Philippines? At least for us nurses?

Margaret Crespo Justice Served…7 years later

For those who live in a cave without TV or Internet, Jaclyn Margaret Crespo is a graduating nursing student who was raped and killed last 2005. Crespo was living alone in her house, as her family is based in the U.S., was strangled to death on her bed and was naked from waist down when she was found. Last July 20, 2012, Quezon City court convicted Kim Ojano of Fairview, QC to life imprisonment. He was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of rape with homicide.

This should be a warning to all nurses who are living on dorms to be more cautious.

Sentiments of Nurses

In our Fanpage, we asked our readers “What are your sentiments or anything you would like to hear from his speech?”, share and read the posts of our fans here. Did we miss anything in our version of SONA? Comment below!

Alinsunod sa itinakda ng Proklamasyon Blg. 1041, s. 1997, na nagpapahayag ng taunang Buwan ng Wika Pambasa tuwing Agosto 1-31, ang pagdiriwang ay pangungunahan ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) na may paksang “Tatag ng Wikang Filipino, Lakas ng Pagka-Pilipino.”

Ang thema o islogan ng Buwan Nang Wika 2012 ay:  “Tatag ng Wikang Filipino, Lakas ng Pagka-Pilipino.”

Tatag Ng Wikang Filipino Lakas Ng Pagka Pilipino Poster Making Contest

The Buwan Nang Wika 2012 is subdivided into 5 themes.

Date                                                                          Theme

August 1-7
“Pitumpu’t limang taon sa Pagsulong ng Wikang Filipino sa Edukasyong Pilipino”

August 8-14
“Filipino at iba pang mga Wika sa Pilipinas: Lakas ng K to 12 at MTB-MLE”

August 15-21
“Wikang Filipino at iba pang Wika sa Rehiyon: Wika ng Bayan Para sa Kapayapaan”

August 22-28
“Wikang Filipino: Wikang Panlahat para sa Matatag na Lipunang Pilipino”

August 29-31
“Wika ay Kakambal ng Kapayapaan sa Pagtahak sa Tuwid na Landas”

Buwan Nang Wika 2012 Department of Education Memorandum 2012

Sample Slogans for Buwan Nang Wika 2012

You can contribute your unique slogan by commenting below.

From WikiAnswers:

1. Sa pakikibaka tungo sa Katuwiran at Kaunlaran, Wikang Filipino ang tanging sandigan Na nagbibigay ng kalakasan at kaliwanagan – by khen

2. Sa daan ng buhay na tigib ng karimlan at kawalan ng pag-asa, Manalig sa magagawa ng ating pambansang wika, Wikang Filipino ang magsisilbing ilaw at lakas Upang tahaking matagumpay ang tuwid na landas. – by khen

3. Sa paglalakbay sa daan ng mga pangarap
Hindi maiiwasang harapin ang mga sakit at hirap
Ngunit sa wikang Filipino tayo’y pinag-iisa ng patnubay,
Upang anumang pasubok ay tiyak magtatagumpay – by khen

4. Tanggalin mo ang pambansang wika ng isang bansa,
Parang tinanggal mo na rin ang liwanag sa loob ng isang bahay – by khen

5. Bigyan mo ako ng isang bansang walang pambansang wika,
At bibigyan kita ng isang bansang magulo at watak-watak ang adhika.
Ngunit bigyan mo ako ng isang bansang may pambansang wika
At bibigyan kita ng isang bansang nagtatagumpay dahil sa pagkakaisa – by khen

6. Nanghihina man ang isang bansa,
Ngunit pinalalakas ito ng iisang wika – by khen

7. Tingnan mo kung gaano katayog at kaunlad ang isang bansa,
Ganun din katayog at kalawak ang kanilang unawa sa kanilang wika – by khen

8. Bakit nagkakagulo at nag-aaway-away ang mga tao sa isang bansa?
Dahil nadidimlan ang kanilang isip sa kawalan ng iisang wika. – by khen

9. Mas madilim pa sa pusikit ng kadiliman ang isang bansa,
Dahil sa kawalan ng liwanag dulot ng pinag-iisang wika – by khen

10. ilaw ang ating wika,…
lakas ng bawat bansa… – by benvy reyes

11. Wika ko, Wikang Filipino
Wika nati’y, wika mo
Sa pakikipagtalastasan gamit natin,
Masaya, malungkot o may panimdim
Itong wikang may iba’t ibang damdamin,
Wikang gabay ating pagyamanin
Ilaw at lakas sa mundong madilim. – by Whilma Masangcay Abanador

12. Wikang Filipino, wika ng dakila
Lakas ng isip at diwa
Ilaw ng pagkakaisa. – by gratia13

13. Wikang Panlahat itong Wikang Filipino,
Isang sandata na wika ko,
Saan man panig nitong mundo,
Ilaw at gabay sa landas ng mga tao
Nagsisilbing lakas ng mga Pilipino. – by Whilma Masangcay Abanador

14. ating pambansang wika ay gamitin
upang tayo ay magka-intindihan at magka-isa para sa inang bayan – by shairhari

Every year, in the month of July, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) leads the whoel nation in the celebration of Nutrition Month, purposely to disseminate nutrition messages to all Filipinos through a focal theme. For 2012, the theme is “Pagkain ng gulay ugaliin, araw-araw itong ihain!” to focus on the promotion of vegetables and its nutritional benefits.

Nutrition Month 2012 Theme

The theme for Nutrition Month 2012 is: ”Pagkain ng gulay ugaliin, araw-araw itong ihain!”

Nutrition Month 2012 Philippines: 2012 Nutrition Month Celebration Memorandum

Informatics Nurses Society of the Philippines or iNurse SP is a Nursing Informatics Organization that serves as your portal to get involved with real life practices on information and communications technology applied in nursing education, research, service and administration.

The group is currently led by Dr. Annabelle Borromeo of SLMC-GC, Mark Donald Renosa of RITM, John Faustorilla of World Bank and UP Manila, Calixto Trillanes III of The Big Leap and Joel Job Belen of SLMC-QC.

The American Nurses Association defined nursing informatics as a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science and information science to manage and communicate data, information and knowledge in nursing practice. We can consider NI or nursing informatics as a multifaceted interdisciplinary field of nursing science. Information integrity and ensuring the safety of data transmission is an essential part, not only in nursing, but also, in the field of information and communications technology (ICT). And with the progressive integration of ICT concepts and protocols in the practice of nursing, whether in the clinical, academe or research, nurses should be prepared to become globally competitive healthcare professionals.

In the Philippines, the Informatics Nurses Society of the Philippines has been leading in the development and advancement of nursing informatics through local and international linkages and collaboration.

Rationale

Pursuant to CHED Memorandum 14 series of 2009, otherwise known as Policies and Standards for Bachelor of Science in Nursing [BSN] Program, Nursing schools across the country has been implementing the course Informatics. However, there is a need to standardize the contents of the course being implemented by nursing schools. Theoretical concepts and practical applications should be aligned so that it may be applicable to the Philippine setting. In this regard, the concept of nursing informatics needs to be concretized in the Nursing curriculum so that trained faculty members and instructors in the Colleges of Nursing appropriately handle both the lecture and laboratory component of the course. More so, nursing informatics need to be integrated to the realms of nursing education, practice and research. Thus, PMIS-NI is created to translate these ideas into reality.

Mission, Vision, Objectives of the iNurse SP

Vision
The Informatics Nurses Soc. of the Philippines (iNurse SP), Inc envisions itself to be the lead organization in promoting a culture of excellence among its members through nursing informatics applied to nursing education, research and practice dedicated towards paying forward to the society.

Mission
iNurse SP aims to create a community of nurse informaticists and leaders dedicated to produce scholarly works and meet nurse informatics competencies across levels of nursing expertise while advocating nursing informatics in their own fields of education, research and practice to create outputs designed to engage towards capacity building of communities.

Objectives

1. To be the premier membership and peer communication organization in nursing informatics in the Philippines.
2. To be the lead organization in promoting and advocating for nursing informatics in the fields of nursing education, research, practice and other advanced nursing specialties and certification.
3. To advance the field of nursing informatics in the Philippines by fostering innovation and scientific exchange, educating professionals and the public, and influencing decision and policy makers regarding the use of information in healthcare in general, and nursing, in particular.
4. To recommend the appropriate standards used in nursing informatics across the Philippines in the fields of nursing education, research and practice.
5. To build health care informatics competencies among nursing leaders in the country to support their need to integrate computer science, information science and nursing science in their respective fields of expertise.
6. To widen the community of practice by which nursing informatics may be applicable.

Membership & Links

If you want to become a member of the Informatics Nurses Society of the Philippines, fill-up the form that can be found here.

Also, learn more about the program by visiting their website at http://www.inursesp.org/. The iNurse SP FB is http://bit.ly/inursespfb

In June 2012, there were 295 new HIV Ab sero-positive individuals confirmed by the STD/AIDS Cooperative Central Laboratory (SACCL) and reported to the HIV and AIDS Registry. This was 66% higher compared to the same period last year.

Most of the cases (97%) were males. The median age was 28 years (age range: 17-71 years). The 20-29 year (56%) age-group had the most number of cases. Fifty-eight percent (169) of the reported cases were from the National Capital Region (NCR).

Reported mode of transmission were sexual contact (275) and needle sharing among injecting drug users (20).Males having sex with other males (87%) were the predominant type of sexual transmission. Most (95%) of the cases were still asymptomatic at the time of reporting.

 HIV/AIDS in the Philippines in a Glance:

• There are 9,964 HIV Positive persons in the Philippines from 1984 to June 2012.
• 1,061 of which are AIDS cases
• There are currently 295 newly reported cases as of June 2012, 16 of which are AIDS cases. 95% are asymptomatic.
• Age range of those afflicted with HIV/AIDS are: 17-71 years old
• 20-29 age-group composes the most number of cases (56%)
• 97% of the total cases are males, the remainder are females.
• The National Capital Region (NCR) has the largest sum of reported cases (for June 2012): 169 cases (58%)
• Out of the 295 new cases this June 2012, 28 or 9 percent are OFWs
• 87% cases are transmitted from Males having sex with Males.
• Mode of transmission: 
  • Unprotected sex: 275 (93%)
  • People who inject drugs: 20 (7%)
  • Mother-to-Child Transmission: 0%

Evidence that HIV/AIDS cases in the Philippines are increasing at an alarming rate:

Click to enlarge

Reasons for increase could probably be due to the number of people who are able to be tested for HIV. This is a good sign that people are getting aware and wants to be aware of their self.

Proportion of Types of Sexual Transmission

Homosexual transmission remains the highest type of transmission for the last five years. Cumulative data shows that 34% (3,073) were infected through heterosexual contact, 40% (3,513) through homosexual contact and 26% ( 2,297) through bisexual contact. From 2007, there has been a shift in the predominant trend of sexual transmission from heterosexual contact (21%) to males having sex with other males (79%).

Click to enlarge

Department of Health National Epidemiology Center May 2012 Report

The 2012 National Science Club Month Celebration and Seminar-Workshop For Science Club Leaders. Below is the theme for the Science Month 2012.

Pursuant tot he enclosed Presidential Proclamation No. 28, dated September 4, 1986 and Presidential Proclamation No. 264 dated September 23, 2002 declaring September as the National Science Club Month (NSCM), the Science Club Advisers Association of the Philippines (SCAAP), in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Instiitute (DOST-SEI) (DOST Theme For Science Month 2012: ) will hold the culminating activity for the National Science Club Month Celebration and Seminar-Workshop for Science Club Leaders on September 26-30, 2012 at the Ecotech Center, Lahug, Cebu City. The schedule of Activities is enclosed.

2. The theme of the Science Club Month Celebration 2012 is “Science in the K to 12 Curriculum: Sustaining A Better Future”.

• Assess programs and projects implemented in the connection with the celebration of the National Science Club Month;
• Support to strengthen the implementation of Science in teh K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum;
• Enhance the knowledge, skills, and strategies of science mentors in teaching science, technology and environment for quality instructions using the spiral progression scheme.
• Introduce to them new trends in science and technology and find proper application in the classroom in real life situations; and
• recognize outstanding accomplishments of science clubs in each region.

DepEd Memorandum No. 138: Science Club Month Celebration 2012

This is the official memorandum of the DepED about the Science Club Month Celebration for 2012

It is a misery and a great inconvenience for Diabetic patients to prick their finger every day just to know their glucose levels. It is not only burdensome: it may also cause inflammation or cornification of the skin!

Fraunhofer researchers engineered a linchpin biosensor that combines the measurement and digital analysis of the sugar levels of a person – plus it can be radioed to a mobile device!

So how does it really works? 

“… a biosensor that is located on the patient’s body. It is also able to measure glucose levels continuously using tissue fluids other than blood, such as in sweat or tears. The patient could dispense with the constant needle pricks. In the past, such bioelectric sensors were too big, too imprecise and consumed too much power. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS in Duisburg have recently achieved a major breakthrough: They have developed a biosensor in nano-form that circumvents these hurdles. ”

This medical breakthrough can help diabetic patients to constantly monitor their sugar levels via an implanted biosensor via their smartphone or computer. I think it would be very informative and fun to know how eating an ice cream can increase your sugar levels.

>Fraunhofer – Measuring glucose without needle pricks

The Department of Health (DOH) surprised our fellow nurses with their announcement this September 9, 2012 that the application for RN Heals 4 will start by November 1. Unfortunately, nurses of the previous batches of RN Heals are discouraged to re-apply. DOH reasoned this out “to give chance to those who have not undergone the training”.

In their Facebook Page, DOH posted:

Application for RN Heals 4 will start by November 1-30. The guidelines for application is still being reviewed. It will be posted as soon as it is finalized. Those who were part of the previous RN Heals 1-3 need not apply to give chance to those who have not undergone the training.

I don’t know if this is good news, but for me, its more of a bad news because of the latter statement.

RN Heals is now on its fourth batch this coming 2013 with an allocated budget of 2.8 billion (including doctors & midwives). For more information about RN Heals 4, please visit:  http://nurseslabs.com/rnheals4/

Health Secretary Enrique Ona is set to receive this week the Honorary Fellowship of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the highest honor the institution can confer to any surgeon. Ona is the first Filipino and first in SEA to receive this recognition.

He will be awarded the honor during ACS’s 98th Clinical Congress to be held in Chicago, Illnois.

The ACS’ Honorary Fellowship is awarded to “individuals who possess an international reputation in the field of surgery or medicine” and those who “have rendered distinguished humanitarian services, especially in the field of medical science,” according to the institution’s website.

Ona specializes in vascular surgery and organ transplantation. He performed the first liver and pancreas transplant in the Philippines in 1979, another first in Asia.

Via GMA News - DOH chief 1st Pinoy to get highest honor from US college of surgeon

A new test that measures eye movement while watching television helps detect neurological disorders earlier including Parkinson’s disease, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The low-cost test, developed at Queen’s University and the University of Southern California, provides new insight into how specific disorders affect attention.

Image via ParentsNannyVoice

“It’s key to get a diagnosis of autism as early as possible so that children get the appropriate therapy they need early. Diagnosing Parkinson’s early is also important so people at risk can start treatments or alterations in lifestyle that are deemed protective right away,” says Douglas Munoz (Biomedical and Molecular Sciences), a lead researcher on the study and principal investigator at the Queen’s Eye-Movement Laboratory.

Study participants watched television while the research team repeatedly changed the channel. Researchers recorded the participant’s eye movements and compared the data against control subjects to determine abnormal eye movement patterns indicative of brain abnormality.

The eye test is currently available at Hotel Dieu Hospital and can be used on children as young as six months old. Dr. Munoz hopes one day the test will be available in all clinics and doctor’s offices as part of regular examinations especially for young children and the elderly.

Queen’s professors Giovanna Pari (School of Medicine), James Reynolds (Biomedical and Molecular Sciences) and Ian Cameron (University of California, Berkeley) worked with Dr. Munoz on the project. The group used a computer program developed at USC to analyze data collected from the eye tests.

Queen’s University

If your currently working in a position that requires skills with Windows embedded technologies, then you may be interested in formalizing your credentials in this specific Microsoft discipline. The best way to document your unique skills and abilities is to pass a Microsoft certification exam that covers the knowledge, skills and techniques of implementing, managing and troubleshooting embedded Windows features.

With a Windows Embedded exam you’ll earn a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) credential in Windows Embedded Applications. This credential is a professional, entry level certification and proves to your current or prospective employer that you have exactly what it takes to handle any project that requires you to develop embedded apps or features in other Microsoft programs or platforms.

As with any other Microsoft discipline, there are several certification exams available for documenting your specialized skill set. The following are the MS certification exams you’ll want to consider if you’re pursing a credential in Windows embedded technologies.

• 70-571 – Windows Embedded CE 6.0
• 70-577 – Windows Embedded Standard 2009
• 70-582 – Windows Embedded Standard 7
• 70-181 – Windows Embedded Compact 7

No matter which of these Microsoft certification exams you decide to take, you’ll want to set yourself up for strong performance on the test and for earning an impressive score. Utilizing a mixture of exam prep resources is the best way to accomplish your goals. Resources can include everything from official Microsoft books and training materials to online exam prep services like TestsLive.com that offer practice exams and tutorials.

 Five year old Kristen lived in Sacramento. Every day when she would head to the cafe, her parents owned, she would have a look at the other girls walking around in uniform and would wonder when it would be her turn to go to school. Little did she know that she had to pay a price even to go to school.

It was that unfortunate day when she saw her parents argue in their bedroom, she realised that her dreams might never come true. Her parents underwent a major loss and they had to mortgage everything they had, including their breadwinner, the cafe. It was not very long until her parents separated and Kristen stayed back with her dad. Her dad re married and it was then she started working out as a waitress. Pathetic was not the word that could be used to describe her plight. Every night when she would head back home, she would try to look for a shooting star so that she could make a wish and wonder if one such could bring her any luck. And then one day the miracle happened.

That day was a very causal day as the rest when a lady with sparkling watch walked into the cafe where Kristen worked. Right behind her, walked her two year old daughter. The lady ordered for fries and coke and got busy with a phone call. When she came back to her table, all she could find was her daughter missing. She panicked and the rest in the cafe came to her help. They all searched for the little girl everywhere but, all in vain. Silence struck the room, when they could hear the giggles of a little girl coming out from the kitchen. When the lady happened to go into the kitchen, her joy knew no bounds. The little girl was playing on Kristen’s lap. The little girl had bruised herself by falling off from the chair and Kristen was trying to console the poor little girl. With a sense of gratitude, the lady wanted to pay back to Kristen in kind. That was when the shooting star actually brought luck to Kristen.

The lady was named Charlotte and was a pharmacy technician. Seeing Kristen’s plight, she thought she might be able to help Kristen in any way she could. Initially Kristen struggled a lot asking for grants from various institutions. All she could see was the closed doors in front of her. Under Charlotte’s guidance and with the grants provided by the government, Kristen was able to complete her high school diploma. The next big hurdle she had in front of her was to make herself qualify either under section A or B or C.

The A section asked for an associate degree in pharmacy technology or a 240 hours of instruction as specified in Title 16 California Code of Regulation section 1793.6(c) OR it asked for a training course accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) OR maybe a Graduation degree obtained from a school of pharmacy accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).Section B required a Certification certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).And the last section C, asked for successful completion of a training program provided by a branch of the federal armed services.

The only thing Kristen could think of was to satisfy section B. She successfully cleared her certification and was certified as the Pharmacy Technician by the PTC board. She joined a small firm and served there for a year, until she got a good hold on the work. She had better offers the next year and then there was no looking back for Kristen. She also completed her training program provided by a branch of the federal armed services.

Today Kristen, a successful Pharmacy Tech is a mother to two beautiful girls earning about $28,400 per annum. She has a website http://pharmacy-technicianschools.com to her name which offers complete information about pharmacy technician schools, scholarships, certifications, courses and many more guidance to become a pharmacy technician. She thinks by running one such site she can be of some help to the aspiring pharmacy technicians keeping in mind, her struggle. Life just cannot get more beautiful than this for Kristen.

“Every cloud has a silver lining”

The importance of vitamins and minerals is more widely talked about today than it ever has been, with various bodies and governmental departments telling us that we need to take this and that to stay healthy and to prevent illness. But why exactly do we need these supplements to our diets?

This is a valid question and one that people should ask, and here we will start to investigate this in relation to vitamin B12. There are a number of companies selling vitamin B12 supplements, but why should we buy them? Let’s take a look:

 What it Does

Vitamin B12 is essential in healthy brain function and for a healthy nervous system. It is also vital in the formation of blood, so we can say it is fairly important then! It is involved in the metabolism of every human cell, affecting DNA regulation and synthesis, and the synthesis of fatty acids. It is also central to energy production, so really is at the core of a healthy human being.

 Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency is not uncommon and it can cause significant damage over time. If left untreated, a deficiency in this vitamin can cause permanent nervous tissue damage. Pernicious anaemia is one possible result of a serious deficiency and this illness is usually fatal within three years. Physical and mental symptoms can arise from this disease, so people really should be aware of just how important vitamin B12 obviously is.

Thankfully there are plenty of places to find vitamin B12 supplements, to remedy low levels in the body and to make sure that people are getting enough. Simply go to the Betrinac.com website for more information about vitamin b12 benefits where vitamin B12 supplements are available to enhance health and to promote a long and healthy life.

Dr. Sondheimer is a Chicago lasik eye surgeon with over 20 years of experience performing over 1,000 eye surgeries a year on average. As a native of Chicago Dr. Sondheimer understands the needs of his urban patients and strives to give them the care and attention they deserve. He takes time to research the eyes of his patients so that he can determine if the patient is a good candidate for elective eye surgeries. There is no doubt that Dr. Sondheimer cares about his patients ability to see clearly. He is a conservative Chicago ophthalmologist who will only operate on patients with a high probability of success. He is determined to take the time to educate his patients about the pros and cons of every eye procedure that he performs. Not every eye doctor you run into cares about his patients like he does. His motto is “do no harm” to his patients and in life in general. Dr. Sondheimer also has a very good heart. He spends time in South America performing surgeries for free to those most in need.

The one-week seminar held September 24-28 at Bayview Park Hotel in Manila familiarized doctors, nurses, medical technologists and other hospital staff about the newly-issued sterilization standards for hospitals and healthcare facilities based on international standards set by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and the Joint Commission International (JCI).

The new guidelines are set to improve the quality of patient care in the country by providing a framework to achieve levels of international best practices in reprocessing reusable medical devices in the Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) of hospitals.

Dr. Cynthia Rosuman, Chief of DOH’s Standards Development Division said the DOH wants to institutionalize quality healthcare for patients and prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) because patient safety is always the priority of hospitals. “The new classification was signed by Secretary Enrique T. Ona last July, effective August 18 this year,” Dr. Rosuman said.

The Department of Health (DOH) and 3M Philippines continued their training of medical professionals on new global sterilization standards for use in local hospitals to improve the level of care and patient safety in the Philippines.

Dr. Norman Lu, Regional Clinical Consultant from 3M Asia Pacific – Infection Prevention Division, meanwhile commended DOH for developing the guidelines in record time and said it was disturbing to learn that some local hospitals still practice unsterile ways of reprocessing critical surgical instruments. “That is why the DOH should conduct more training sessions and launch information campaigns in hospitals about proper disinfection and sterilization of medical devices,” Dr. Lu said.

Dr. Rosuman confirmed that the DOH is indeed stepping up training of medical professionals about the new guidelines. “That is why the DOH partnered with 3M Philippines — to better disseminate information about the new guidelines. DOH provides the facilities, while 3M provides the resource speaker and the training materials,” the DOH doctor explained.

Irene Ebarle, Clinical and Technical Consultant from 3M Philippines Infection Prevention Division hailed the creation of the DOH provision on proper disinfection and sterilization for hospitals as a milestone for both DOH and the Philippines. “The swift creation and implementation of the new sterilization standards has been very impressive. In just four months the DOH was able to finish the guidelines, and we at 3M Philippines who strongly believe in quality health care for every patient will continue to support the DOH in this endeavor,” Ebarle added.

Over two hundred doctors, nurses, medical technologists and hospital personnel from different public and private hospitals from CALABARZON attended the first and second batches of “Training on the International Standards and Best Practices for Sterilization in the Hospital Setting”.

The  Department of Health concluded a similar training for hospitals in the NCR last June, and is set to conduct the same training for personnel of hospitals in Visayas and Mindanao next year. As part of 3M’s commitment to improve the level of healthcare in the country, 3M is extending a similar program to hospitals interested in learning more about sterilization and monitoring in compliance to the new DOH standards.

A 26 year-old lady presented with episodic breathlessness, chest tightness, recurrent nasal obstruction and excessive sneezing, mainly during change of season along with opacity of the right hemithorax on chest x-ray. Further detailed work-up including spirometry, high-resolution CT scan of the thorax and fibre-optic bronchoscopy confirmed complete right lung agenesis in patients with bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis. Complete control of symptoms was achieved with formeterol 6 μg and mometasone 200 μg (via dry powder inhaler) and intranasal fluticasone 50 μg (nasal spray) 2 puffs twice daily and oral montelukast 10 mg with levocetirizine 5 mg once daily.

BMJ Case Reports

Private health care is often labelled as elitist however with so many private medical insurance options available now “going private” is proving a lot more accessible.

Making Sure You Are Covered

As much as we’d like to be indestructible, unfortunately we’re not so with this in mind its imperative we plan for the worst.  By investing in private medical insurance you ensure that despite what happens, the care you will receive will be the best.

How Much Does Private Health Insurance Cost?

This question often crops up and unfortunately there is only one answer: it depends.  There are so many variable factors when it comes to medical insurance which is why there can never be a standardised quote.  Each person has different requirements, whether your insurance covers you for accident or illness, which is why it is important that if you are looking to go down the private route you look into all the options available to you.

Where Can I Get a Quote?

There is a wealth of options out there when it comes to health insurance however one of the best places to compare them is on the web.  Make sure you ask questions to ensure that the package you chose caters to all of your needs.

If going private is something you are looking to purchase then you can get private health care and medical insurance at Privatehealth.co.uk