By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA (A follow-up post to “When Doctors and Nurses Work Together.”) Do you feel that patients are the most important part of the medical (health care team)? In a recent post on Healthin30, “When Doctors and Nurses Work Together” I wrote about the team-based approach for caring and treating patients, and it addressed the relationship between nurses, doctors, patients and the importance of a multidisciplinary, team-based approach to patient care….
Read More...Prescription Drug Abuse: Superwoman Syndrome Fuels Concern
Part I By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA There’s no doubt that prescription drug abuse is a major problem in America, and it’s escalating in epic proportions. Prescription drug abuse affects men, women and teens. Concerning trends include older adults, adolescents and women. On MSNBC’s website, Karen Asp writes, Superwoman syndrome fuels pill-pop culture, and it’s about how “Overwhelmed overachievers turn to prescription drugs for an edge.” This article is a little misleading since there…
Read More...Hope for Smokers
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Part I Some people think that a rainbow means hope and a new beginning. For those people who already smoked their first cigarette and are now addicted, there is hope to live a healthier life. If smokers are successful in quitting, they may see hope at the end of their rainbow. Hope in the form of living a healthier life and breathing easier. The truth is that most people…
Read More...Live in the Moment or Envision the Future?
How to get excited for both By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA I have a really good friend who has somehow mastered living in the moment. Ask him about the future and you won’t get much of a response. While I enjoy the “moments” of everyday I can’t help but move my mind forward to envision the future. Living in the moment has its rewards, but so does thinking about the future. The way in…
Read More...Opioid Dependence
Opioid Dependence by Carl R. Sullivan, MD The United States is currently experiencing an epidemic of patients dependent on opioids. These drugs, which are also known as narcotics, opiates and pain killers include some of the most addictive drugs known to man. Many people are familiar with the opioid drug heroin, which has been illegal in the United States for more than 100 years. While there has been a recent mild resurgence in the use…
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