There is a strong trend to computerization of medical records. This method of recording information about a patient offers many advantages. Access to a medical record may be electronically limited. For example, a nursing assistant may be permitted to only enter vital signs but not review orders, laboratory results, or write nursing notes. A paper […]
Read MoreWhen my brother was a resident in a nursing home I noticed he spent long hours in a wheelchair. There are numerous chairs and devices on the market that fulfill a variety of nursing home resident needs. For example, glider or rocking chairs with vinyl-covered cushions are used with patients who like to rock and […]
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Computerized medical records are here to stay. Not perfect, but better than handwritten records. This method of recording information about a patient offers many advantages but also some significant disadvantages. Computerized medical records have drawbacks that affect the legal nurse consultant’s ability to analyze medical records. Drawbacks of computerized medical records Electronic health records can […]
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Attorneys and legal nurse consultants spend much time poring over computerized medical records and litigation intensifies the need to understand these records. There is a strong trend to computerization of medical records. This method of recording information about a patient offers many advantages in litigation. Computerization of documentation provides some benefits for those involved in […]
Read MoreYou’ve been asked to go into a law firm to do a presentation to the attorneys. What a great opportunity to share your knowledge. Here’s what you need to know. Here are a dozen tips I have learned from my involvement with speaking and National Speakers Association 1. Don’t start by thanking the organizer for […]
Read MorePressure sore staging challenged In December 2011, a panel of experts rocked the pressure ulcer world by attacking some of the underpinnings of the current pressure ulcer classification systems (Staging, Grading, Categories). They said that some of the language creates problems from clinical, regulatory, legal and economic perspectives. The advisory panel is proposing the new […]
Read MoreSkin changes at the end of life are not a new issue. Consider what occurred more than 100 years ago. Dr. Alois Alzheimer was on call in 1901 when a 51-year-old woman, Frau August D, was admitted to his asylum for the insane in Frankfort. Dr. Alzheimer followed this patient, studied her symptoms and presented […]
Read MoreImpact of nonhealing wounds Chronic, nonhealing wounds are disabling and constitute a significant burden on patients’ activities of daily living (ADLS) and the healthcare system. Of persons with diabetes, 2% to 3% develop a foot ulcer annually, whereas the lifetime risk of a person with diabetes developing a foot ulcer is as high as 25%.8 […]
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Bill is a 70 year-old-man who developed paraplegia. During his prolonged hospitalization, a stage IV pressure sore formed. One year later, it is still present and it dominates his life at home. Pressure sores may have a huge impact on the quality of a patient’s life. There is a financial impact of prolonged treatment – […]
Read MoreDamages Violent patients are a growing concern. In a Virginia case, a psychiatrist was beaten by a patient and suffered a traumatic brain injury, a fractured eye socket, concussion and skull fracture. He is now depressed, has post traumatic stress disorder and vision impairment which prevents him from working. Violent patient causes injuries The injury […]
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