Diane Szulecki, editor, Author at Off the Charts

AJN in August: Burn Survivors and Social Media, HPV–Related Oropharyngeal Cancer, More

The August issue of AJN is now live. Here are some articles we’d like to bring to your attention.

CE Feature: “Original Research: The Lived Experience of Social Media by Young Adult Burn Survivors”

Young adult burn survivors whose burns occurred before they reached young adulthood face particular socialization challenges. Social media is widely used by adolescents and young adults, allowing socialization without face-to-face communication. This qualitative, phenomenological study explores and describes young adult burn survivors’ experience of using social media. The findings, which indicate that social media use may support healing processes in this population, could help nurses develop effective interventions to better prepare young adult burn survivors for reentry into society.

CE Feature: “Human Papillomavirus–Related Oropharyngeal Cancer: A Review of Nursing Considerations”

The overall incidence of head and neck cancer has declined in the United States over the past 30 years due to reduction in tobacco use. Over that same period, however, the worldwide incidence of oropharyngeal cancer has escalated significantly, most notably among men and women under age 60 who live in developed countries. This epidemic rise in oropharyngeal cancer is largely attributed to certain genotypes of the human papillomavirus (HPV). This article provides an overview of head and neck cancer—its incidence, risk factors, treatment, and posttreatment sequelae—with a focus […]

Diane Szulecki, editor2016-11-21T13:01:02-05:00August 1st, 2016|Nursing, nursing perspective|0 Comments

AJN News: A Role for Nonmedical Workers, Adult Vaccinations Revisited, Teen Pregnancy Drop, More

AJN’s monthly news section covers timely and important research and policy stories that are relevant to the nursing world. Here are some of the stories you’ll find in our current issue (news articles in AJN are free access):

A community health worker meets with a patient in Baltimore, Maryland. Photo by Francis Ying / KHN.

Nonmedical Workers: A Growing Asset to Communities

Outcomes improve, costs drop, and nurses’ workloads benefit when nonmedical community health workers are available to serve as liaisons between health systems and patients. Programs to train more of these workers are gaining attention in states across the country.

Revisiting the Adult Vaccination Schedule for Tetanus and Diphtheria

Results of a new study reveal that most adults remain protected from the two diseases for 30 years without booster vaccination—and call into question the potential benefits of a modified adult booster vaccination schedule.

Teen Pregnancies, Births, and Abortions Slow

Two new reports show that the birth rate among U.S. teens has dropped to its lowest point in three decades; the percentage of teen pregnancies ending in abortion also reached a historic low. Researchers attribute the downward trend to teens using birth control more often and waiting […]

Diane Szulecki, editor2016-11-21T13:01:06-05:00July 7th, 2016|Nursing, nursing perspective, nursing stories|0 Comments

AJN in July: Opioids and Chronic Pain, Moral Distress, Prediabetes, More

CE Feature: “Appropriate Use of Opioids in Managing Chronic Pain.”

Unintentional death related to prescription opioids has been identified as a public health crisis, owing in part to such factors as insufficient professional training and medication overprescription, misuse, and diversion. The authors discuss current best practices for prescribing opioids for chronic pain, emphasizing patient assessment and essential patient teaching points regarding safe medication use, storage, and disposal, and after you find a more permanent solution people could totally quit opioids by using a detox methods that goes from medicine to even a detox tea like leptinteatox. There are some medicines or supplements that are more easy to use, depending on the problem, like the peruvian brew, that helps with erectile dysfunction and is pretty safe. After that you only need to be careful with stds diseases you can go and test at https://www.stdaware.com/chlamydia-test.

CE Feature: “Moral Distress: A Catalyst in Building Moral Resilience.”

Moral distress is a pervasive problem in nursing: an inability to act in alignment with one’s moral values is detrimental not only to the nurse’s well-being but also to patient care and clinical practice as […]

Diane Szulecki, editor2017-05-26T00:08:51-04:00June 24th, 2016|career, health care policy, Nursing, nursing research, pain management, Patients|0 Comments

AJN News: Abortion Misinformation, Premature Death in Rural Areas, Reducing HPV, More

AJN’s monthly news section covers timely and important research and policy stories that are relevant to the nursing world. Here’s a preview of the stories you’ll find in our current issue (news articles in AJN are free access):

The percentages of fetal development booklet inaccuracies by state. Courtesy of Amanda M. Roberti via the Informed Consent Project.

States Providing Inaccurate Clinical Information Before Abortion

Researchers at Rutgers University analyzed the accuracy of state-authored informed-consent materials given to women seeking abortions and found that misinformation was common—especially regarding first-trimester fetal development.

Rates of Premature Death Rise in Rural Counties

While rates of premature death are dropping in urban areas, the opposite is true in rural counties. A new report from County Health Rankings and Roadmaps suggests that these disparities in health outcomes may stem from factors like smoking patterns, diet, and a lack of access to care.

Early Ingestion of Peanuts May Be Effective in Reducing Peanut Allergies

Infants with an elevated risk for peanut allergy were 86% less likely to develop the allergy when they were fed peanut products over a period of years, compared with those fed no peanut-containing foods, according to a new study.

Diane Szulecki, editor2016-11-21T13:01:08-05:00June 13th, 2016|Nursing|0 Comments

AJN in June: IPV, Late Effects of Breast Cancer Treatment, Nurse Activists, More

AJN0616 Cover Online

This month’s cover photo evokes the isolation faced by victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). According to Karen Roush, PhD, RN, lead author of the study in this issue that reports on the perceptions of rural health care providers who care for these victims, “ [i]solation is one of an abuser’s biggest weapons,” especially for those who live in rural areas.

Health care providers are positioned to provide support for victims of IPV, but knowledge and practice gaps get in the way. For more on this topic, read this month’s original research CE, “Intimate Partner Violence: The Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors of Rural Health Care Providers.”

Some other articles of note in the June issue:

CE Feature: “Late and Long-Term Sequelae of Breast Cancer Treatment.” More than 12% of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives; 78% of them can be expected to survive for at least 15 years. There are more than 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States and as many as 90% of them report physical problems that can reduce functional ability, produce or exacerbate emotional problems, negatively affect body image, and diminish quality of life.

This third article in a series on cancer survivorship care from […]

Diane Szulecki, editor2016-11-21T13:01:12-05:00May 27th, 2016|Nursing, nursing perspective|0 Comments

About Diane Szulecki, editor

CE Feature: “Original Research: The Lived Experience of Social Media by Young Adult Burn Survivors”

CE Feature: “Human Papillomavirus–Related Oropharyngeal Cancer: A Review of Nursing Considerations”

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CE Feature: “Appropriate Use of Opioids in Managing Chronic Pain.”

CE Feature: “Moral Distress: A Catalyst in Building Moral Resilience.”

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