St. Joseph's/Candler

“Generally speaking, over-the-counter sleep aids are safe when used short term,” says Kristen Pierce, PharmD, BCACP, clinical pharmacy specialist in ambulatory care at St. Joseph’s/Candler. “Over-the-counter sleep aids are intended to be used a few times per week, and you really don’t want to use them for more than a few weeks.” OTC sleep medications and even prescription sleep aids can come with side effects such as daytime drowsiness, dependency, confusion and sometimes even hallucinations, and they can interact with other medications you may be on, Pierce says. This is especially true for anyone on blood thinners and those over 65. Pierce stresses the importance of talking to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any sleep medication, even OTC ones. “Just because something is over-the-counter doesn’t mean it’s harmless to use,” Pierce says. “You can still take too much of an OTC medication such as Benadryl, for example. A lot of herbal supplements, such as melatonin or valerian, are not as strictly regulated by the FDA and can interact with your medications.” https://lnkd.in/eAsBBnn2 #sleepaids #OTCs #medicationmanagement #melantonin #valerian #clinicalpharmacyspecialist

Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate. Anyone – female or male – can be diagnosed with breast cancer at any age. But at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion, we treat each case individually to customize a treatment plan just for you. One such treatment option we may find best suited for you is radiation therapy using inspiratory breath-hold technique and prone positioning. Breast cancer is a very common cancer in women, says Dr. John Pablo, radiation oncologist and medical director of the Radiation Oncology Center at the Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer over the course of a lifetime. Men can get breast cancer, too. One percent of all breast cancers are diagnosed in men. The good news is that breast cancers can be found earlier thanks to the fact that advancements in screening diagnosis and treatment have greatly improved. One treatment option for breast cancer is radiation therapy, an important component of a multidisciplinary process to optimally treat breast cancer, Dr. Pablo says. Approximately 70 percent of women with breast cancer undergo a surgical procedure called a lumpectomy, where the cancerous mass is removed, not the entire breast. Nearly all of those women will receive radiation following a lumpectomy, Dr. Pablo explains. Approximately 30 percent of women with breast cancer undergo a mastectomy, a surgical procedure where the entire breast is removed. Twenty to 30 percent of those patients require radiotherapy following surgery, Dr. Pablo says. More at https://lnkd.in/dva3M9h #breastcancer #breastcancersurvivor #breastcancertreatment #cancer #cancertreatment #radiationoncology #radiationtherapy #radiationoncologist #radiotherapy

Healthcare is becoming more and more personalized. That’s certainly the case when you come to the Telfair BirthPlace to deliver your baby. Everyone’s delivery journey may be different, but for everyone at the Telfair BirthPlace at St. Joseph’s/Candler, a healthy mom and baby is the ultimate goal. “Not everyone has the same journey. It’s going to be different for each person, both medically and personally,” says Meredith Scaccia, director of Mary Telfair Women’s Hospital & Children’s Place. “Despite the journey, our goal is the same for every patient – we want a healthy and happy mom and healthy and happy baby.” If you are a first-time mom or new to the Telfair BirthPlace, you may have some questions. While everyone’s experience is different, there are some general things to know. More at https://lnkd.in/e86gW7Rs #childbirth #womenshospital #laboranddelivery #hospital #healthcare #womenshealth #pregnancy

If a patient stays in the hospital for more than 12 hours, they will be cared for by a different nurse than when their stay began. In many hospitals, when nurses end their shift and hand it off to a nurse coming in, the two of them go through a shift report at the nurse’s station. How is St. Joseph’s/Candler doing this differently? "We give our shift report at the bedside whenever possible," explains Katie Reid, RN - BC. "For example, if I was coming on to my shift, the nurse that was handing the care of a patient over to me would introduce me to the patient. If family is in the room, the patient decides whether or not they can be there for the report. This allows me to have that first interaction with the patient while the outgoing nurse—the one the patient’s grown to trust over the last twelve hours—is standing right next to me. Together we do a quick assessment and also discuss any safety concerns early on. "If a patient is a fall risk, we can reiterate safety measures with them as well. Let them know that they can call for me at any time, just like they were doing for the nurse before me. Or if a patient was in a lot of pain, I can find out right away when their next medicine is due. It helps me get a plan together, and it helps the patient know the plan as well." More at https://lnkd.in/eb4FjC3T #nursing #nurses #nurse #registerednurse #registerednurses #hospitals #floatnurse #floatnurses

Hot flashes, #moodswings and fatigue. There’s no telling how many years – yes years – symptoms of #perimenopause will last or how severe they will be. But, you don’t have to face it alone or be miserable because of symptoms. You have options, explains #OBGYN Dr. Michelle Gainty. https://lnkd.in/eqsdSYxf

Pressure injuries, which were more commonly known as pressure ulcers or bedsores, can happen at home to people who have a limited ability to change positions, but they can also happen to patients with longer hospital stays. How do nurses prevent and treat pressure injuries? "All of the nurses here are educated on pressure injury risk assessment," says Grecia Luna BSN, RN, CWON, Inpatient Wound Care, St. Joseph’s/Candler. "It is part of what we call a pressure injury prevention care bundle. Every two hours, nurses will help any patient turn in their bed if they cannot do it themselves. "We treat the pressure injury topically, keeping it clean and protecting it with special dressings that protect from friction and shear. But it goes beyond that—we look at the whole person, their nutrition, the kind of bed they’re in, and the various reasons that their skin may be fragile. They may have a chronic illness such as diabetes that affects their ability to heal. We use all of this information to initiate a plan of care. We also educate patients on how they can prevent pressure injuries when they’ve returned home. "There are three of us at SJ/C who have the highest level of certification in wound and ostomy care. It’s rare to have that many at one hospital. During our most recent Magnet designation, we learned the SJ/C exceeded Magnet standards for pressure injury prevention and treatment. We’re proud to be able to always provide a high level of care for this common problem." More at https://lnkd.in/e7m_sqic #healthcare #nurses #nurse #registerednurse #woundcare #hospitals #hospital

As a nurse who has worked at the bedside for more than 30 years, Clinical Nurse Educator Alicia Powell RN, PCCN has probably heard every kind of question there is. But she has also encountered patients who weren’t comfortable asking questions. How do nurses strike the right balance that helps keep patients informed? "We often can pick up signals about how vocal or reserved a patient might be when we first meet them," Powell said. "We put them at ease as we fill out their board and ask them what their goal for the day is. That starts a discussion about their recovery, and simply talking about their care will often encourage a patient to bring up more questions. We always want patients to let us know what their needs or concerns are." More at https://lnkd.in/d4cSfpCs #nurse #nurses #registerednurse #registerednurses

“There’s no specific diet requirements for breastfeeding moms,” says Shanna James, a certified lactation consultant and nurse at the Telfair BirthPlace at St. Joseph’s/Candler. “It is important they are eating a well-rounded diet – so not going to McDonald’s every day – but having a balanced diet.” A good rule of thumb is eat to hunger and drink to thirst, James says. Some of the foods she recommends are oatmeal, flax seeds and healthy, lean proteins. She says to drink plenty of water and suggests coconut water to help stay hydrated. Another tip she tells breastfeeding moms is to get adequate rest and take care of your body. “When you are breastfeeding, you are burning tons of energy,” James says. “They say it’s like running a marathon or taking a hike or participating in a triathlon. You are constantly in a state of making milk so you are constantly in a state of burning calories and burning energy.” More at https://lnkd.in/ee3tnADp #breastfeeding #breastfeedingmoms #breastfeedingjourney #breastfeedingtips #lactationsupport #lactationconsultant #nurse

Where do you store your medications at your house? If your answer is a medicine cabinet in the bathroom, you may want to consider moving them. That’s because heat and humidity can negatively affect a medicine’s potency and effectiveness, meaning they break down sooner than their expiration date, explains Abby Case, a clinical pharmacy specialist with the Center for Medication Management and at our primary care offices in Richmond Hill and Rincon. And with the dog days of summer upon us, it’s the perfect time to review your medication storage habits both at home and when traveling. “We tell patients not to store medications in the bathroom because of the moisture in the air,” Case says. “In the kitchen, especially if you don’t have a vent hood over the stove or oven, the heat and humidity there can cause them to break down too if they are stored near an oven or sink.” More at https://lnkd.in/eXhkw6RN #clinicalpharmacyspecialist #pharmacist #pharmaceuticals #medications #medicationmanagement

Over the years, we’ve seen a continuous increase in the cancer survival rate. One reason for better outcomes and longer years lived after diagnosis is improvements in treatment. How are these improvements happening? You can thank clinical trial research and participation. “We are always praising and discussing the latest and greatest treatments but don’t always discuss that those treatments are only available because we tested them through clinicals trials and found their effectiveness before offering them as treatment,” says Dr. Majd Chahin, medical oncologist with St. Joseph’s/Candler and South Carolina Cancer Specialists. More at https://lnkd.in/eCvtx445 #oncology #medicaloncology #clinicaltrials #cancerresearch #cancertreatment #cancer #cancercenters #healthcare