Medical Errors: Nurse’s Tips Can Help Prevent Medical Errors

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA This post isn’t being written to frighten you or to cause you to mistrust hospitals. It’s to make you aware that medical errors do occur, but there are steps that you can take to help prevent medical errors from happening. First, some vital information According to a recent investigation by the Hearst Corporation, a staggering 200,000 Americans will die each year from preventable medical errors and hospital infections.  This…

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3 Ways to Boost Your Health: Meditate, Connect With Friends & Smile

3 Simple Things to Boost Your Health By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA 1.  Meditate You may feel that you need to be in a lotus pose or in a spa like environment to gain the benefits of mediation, but truth is you can be anywhere. You can meditate while waiting in line at the post office, in a doctor’s office, during your daily walk, in the shower or while cooking dinner. Meditation can help…

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Healthy Eating? Find Out What Could Be Hiding In Your Foods

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Do we need to be a detective to find out which foods are healthy? Maybe… In yesterday’s Washington Post,  Jennifer LaRue Huget, blogger for “The Check Up” writes about the new unhealthy line of Kraft Lunchables. Kraft calls the new line “wholesome,” but are they? Turkey and Cheddar Sub Sandwich seems like it could be a healthy choice, but actually it is filled with fat, sodium and sugar.  Here’s…

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Wash Your Hands With Elmo: Stay Healthy, Wash Your Hands!

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA (Updated 2/24/20) Elmo helps kids to protect themselves and to keep germs away. Elmo the adorable Sesame Street character who has been a house-hold staple for many years, teaches children about the importance of hand washing and staying healthy. In an effort to prevent the spread of the swine flu, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), teamed up with the popular children’s show Sesame Street to help…

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Feeling Completely Worn-Out and Extremely Tired? Find Out What It Could Mean

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Her muscles and joints ached. Her throat was raw and sore and throbbing headaches came on without warning. She felt foggy-headed all the time, and had trouble remembering simple thoughts or following reruns of familiar TV sitcoms. Even though she was bone-tired all the time, she had trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. And there was no stamina for everyday tasks, let alone the activities she enjoyed doing with…

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