Sunday, November 2, 2008
Brain Death
+Unresponsiveness to all stimuli
+Pupillary responses are absent
+All brain functions cease
+No eye movements are noted when cold water is instilled into the ears (caloric test).
+No corneal reflex is present
+No gag reflex is present
+Quick rotation of the patient's head from left to right (doll's eyes test) causes the eyes to remain fixed, suggesting brain death.
+No response to painful stimuli is present
+An apnea test reveals no spontaneous breathing
+EEG shows no brain activity or response
What is DKA?
It may result from infection, illness, surgery, stress or insufficient or absent insulin.
Chest X-ray
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Myths and Facts about Working as a Nurse in the Middle East
Most Filipino nurses are apprehensive about the thought of working in the Middle East. A lot of them view the region as quite hostile and strange. Some are afraid that adjustment to the culture would be too difficult.
That is however, not the case. Many Filipinos (who have worked in the Middle East) would tell you that the country is very rich and accommodating. All you need is time to adjust and then you will be very happy working in the Middle East.
Below are a few presumptions that nurses have about working in the Middle East.
· Nurses Salary in the Middle East is no better than their salaries in the Philippines – This is of course a myth. Most nurses in the Middle East earns a minimum of USD 30,000 annually. That’s about Php 1.3 million (depending on the dollar exchange rate). This is nothing compared to the meager Php 150,000 or less that most nurses in the Philippines get for an entire year.
· Nurses have to be covered head to toe in required garb when they go out in public – Fact. This is just a Middle Eastern tradition that the women in the country have to adhere to. There may be some exceptions along the way, but most of the time this is the case. Female nurses need not worry though; they do not have to be dressed in that manner when they are inside their houses or compounds.
· Saving money in the Middle East is easy – There is some truth to this Middle Eastern perception. That is due to the fact that most of the basic expenses are covered by either the government or the hospital. Most hospitals provide meals for their employees during service hours. Nurses are also often housed in low cost or free compounds within the hospital grounds.
But, despite the fact that a lot of the expenses are already paid for, there is still the temptation of shopping and partying. Therefore, money stored away for a rainy day can just as easily be used in a shopping spree.
· Nurses are not allowed to leave the compound that they are housed in – Myth. The fact is that the social scene in some Middle Eastern countries is compound based. People are allowed to move from compound to compound as long as they adhere to and respect the practices imposed on them when they are in public.
Source: Nursingguide.ph
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Gov’t doctors, nurses to get pay hike once 2009 budget bill OK’d
Funds for such purpose have not been included in the budget of line agencies like the Department of Health (DOH) because this was contained in the separate Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF), Andaya said, clarifying reports that government has not set aside a budget for nurses’ pay increases.
“In the case of the pay hike for DOH employees, the amount needed is not included in the agency’s proposed budget for 2009, but in the MPBF,” he explained.
Read more
Source: Philstar.com
Sunday, September 7, 2008
RP Nurses in UK Want to Move to Australia
Employment opportunities and the promise of a high salary attract Filipino nurses to work in United Kingdom (UK). However, since UK is one of the most expensive countries in the world, what some perceived to be a high salary is actually just enough to get you by in this European county.
This is the reason why many Filipinos nurses in UK want to move to another country that can provide better living conditions and higher value for their money and they are targeting Australia.
Many Filipino nurses currently in UK want to transfer to Australia because they feel that they will be better off there. Aside from the competitive salary, it also has lower cost of living and favorable climate. Other Pinoy nurses in UK are eyeing Canada and Saudi Arabia as the country to migrate to.
The annual salary of a Filipino nurse is 24,000 pounds or more or less 2 million pesos. However, if you have a family to support and considering the high cost of living there; that seemingly huge amount is still not enough for the nurses in UK to afford a house they can call their own.
A study conducted in Britain confirms the poor quality of life in UK and the country has recently come to be regarded as the “Sick Man of Europe.” Even British citizens are leaving UK to migrate to another country.
An estimated 41,000 Britons left UK in 2006 to settle in other countries. The figure is said to be the highest number of mass departure in Europe.
Source: Nursing Guide
Saskatchewan and Japan Compete to Hire Foreign Nurses
However, aside from Saskatchewan, Filipino nurses are also in demand in other countries as well and one of them is Japan. The need for people to fill up job vacancies in the medical field and the aging population leave Japan no choice but to open its doors for foreign nurses and caregivers.
Japan seeks to hire healthcare professionals from the countries of Indonesia and the Philippines. A Washington, D.C.-based reporter for Japan's NHK, Masaru Takagi, said that a memorandum of agreement between Japan and countries of Philippines and Indonesia has recently been created and Japan would soon hire soon foreign nurses and caregivers.
Takagi said, "The first large group of health care workers from Indonesia is expected to arrive in Japan in early August. Nurses and caregivers are in demand especially in more rural areas, while hospitals are also seeking workers for the less desirable midnight shifts.
The deployment of foreign nurses is big news in Japan which had always been wary of any agreements that would allow the entry of expatriates in their country. Nursing organizations in Japan criticize that hiring of foreigners is not the best solution to address the labor shortage.
Foreign nurses to be deployed in Japan are advised to familiarize themselves with the Japanese language and culture to avoid culture shock and to make communicating with the locals easy. Hired nurses will also undergo six-month training and pass a national nursing exam in Japan within three years. Nurses who will fail the exam will be sent home.
On the other hand, Saskatchewan is active in its efforts to attract the entry of Filipino nurses. Representatives from the government of Canada (Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association and the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses) visited the Philippines last March and May to conduct a nine-day recruitment mission. An estimate of 300 new nurses was hired as a result of that trip.
Saskatchewan prefer Filipino nurses because of the excellent English skills and for being educated using an American nursing curriculum.
Source: Nursing Guide
