DiversityNursing Blog

By Associated Press

New York state can end its three-decade HIV crisis by the year 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday as he announced an ambitious plan to deliver a knockout blow to the epidemic by boosting testing, reducing new infections and expanding treatment.

The governor said the state is aiming to reduce new HIV diagnoses to 750 by the end of the decade - about the same number of tuberculosis cases seen in New York City each year - down from 3,000 expected this year and 14,000 new cases of the disease in 1993. If the state is successful, it would be the first time the number of people living with HIV has gone down since the crisis began with the first widely reported cases in 1981.

"Thirty years ago, New York was the epicenter of the AIDS crisis," Cuomo said. "Today I am proud to announce that we are in a position to be the first state in the nation committed to ending this epidemic."

To expand treatment, the state's Department of Health has negotiated bulk rebates with three companies producing HIV drugs. The state is also taking steps to make it easier to get tested, changing how HIV cases are tracked to ensure patients continue to receive treatment, and boosting access to "pre-exposure" drugs that can help high-risk people avoid infection.

Cuomo did not offer an estimate of the cost of the plan, but said it would end up saving the state more than $300 million per year by 2020 by reducing the amount the state pays for medical care for those with HIV.

Groups that have long advocated for HIV patients praised the governor's announcement, saying it shows that efforts to fight the disease are paying off, and that a scourge that once seemed unbeatable can be successfully fought.

"We have the tools and know-how to end the AIDS epidemic in New York, the only question is whether we have the political will," said Jason Walker, an organizer at VOCAL-NY, which advocates for low-income HIV patients. "Even without a vaccine or cure, Cuomo understands that we can dramatically reduce new infections below epidemic levels and ensure all people living with HIV achieve optimal health."

While the state's plan may sound overly optimistic, the number of new HIV cases in New York has dropped nearly 40 percent in the last 10 years because of better, faster tests; access to condoms; public outreach campaigns and other initiatives. Meanwhile, those with the disease are living longer thanks to significantly more effective treatments.

The goal of bringing the disease to below epidemic levels "is ambitious," said Mark Harrington, executive director of the anti-HIV organization Treatment Action Group, but "grounded in reality."

Source: foxnews.com

By Danielle Dellorto, Miriam Falco, and Jen Christensen

The Ebola epidemic isn't getting any better in Africa.

The World Health Organization reports there have been 759 cases, including 467 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia since the outbreak began in March, according to a statement the organization released on Tuesday.

The World Health Organization has said "drastic action is needed" to stop the deadly outbreak in West Africa. It has sent teams of experts to help locals deal with the epidemic. WHO will meet this week to discuss how to contain it.

Relief workers on the ground said the epidemic has hit unprecedented proportions.

"The epidemic is out of control," said Dr. Bart Janssens, director of operations for Doctors Without Borders.

Complicating matters, the countries hit hardest by the epidemic have major medical infrastructure challenges. There is also a real sense of mistrust toward health workers from communities. In Sierra Leone and Guinea, WHO has said that community members have thrown stones at health care workers trying to investigate the outbreak.

In April, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta traveled to Conakry, Guinea, to report on what was being done to treat patients and contain the outbreak.

"It took only moments to feel the impact of what was happening here," Gupta wrote after landing in Conakry. "There is a lot we know about Ebola, and it scares us almost as much as what we don't know."

Ebola outbreaks usually are confined to remote areas, making the disease easier to contain. But this outbreak is different; patients have been identified in 60 locations in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Officials believe the wide footprint of this outbreak is partly because of the proximity between the jungle where the virus was first identified and cities such as Conakry. The capital in Guinea has a population of 2 million and an international airport.

People are traveling without realizing they're carrying the deadly virus. It can take between two and 21 days after exposure for someone to feel sick.

Ebola is a violent killer. The symptoms, at first, mimic the flu: headache, fever, fatigue. What comes next sounds like something out of a horror movie: significant diarrhea and vomiting, while the virus shuts off the blood's ability to clot.

As a result, patients often suffer internal and external hemorrhaging. Many die in an average of 10 days.

Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières, has been working to fight the epidemic since March. The group has sent more than 300 staff members and 40 tons of equipment and supplies to the region to help fight the epidemic.

Still, the group warns, it's not enough.

"Despite the human resources and equipment deployed by MSF in the three affected countries, we are no longer able to send teams to the new outbreak sites."

The good news is that Ebola isn't as easily spread as one may think. A patient isn't contagious -- meaning they can't spread the virus to other people -- until they are already showing symptoms.

Serious protective measures

Inside the isolation treatment areas in Conakry, doctors focus on keeping the patients hydrated with IV drips and other liquid nutrients. Health officials have urged residents to seek treatment at the first sign of flu-like symptoms.

There is no cure or vaccine to treat Ebola, but MSF has shown it doesn't have to be a death sentence if it's treated early. Ebola typically kills 90% of patients. This outbreak, the death rate has dropped to roughly 60%.

The outbreak will be considered contained after 42 days -- twice the incubation period -- with no new Ebola cases.

Source: cnn.com

 By Vickie Milazzo

A huge thank-you to everyone who took our survey “Are You Way Too Stressed Out?”

A remarkable 3,312 of you took the time out of your busy day to complete the survey, and this high response rate highlights the seriousness of this issue to the nursing world.

The results of the survey reveal the dangerous levels of stress that RNs pervasively live with, both at work and in their personal lives. Lack of sleep, 12-hour shifts, night shifts, poor diets, unrealistic workloads, lack of authority at the workplace and unsupportive management are just some of the key contributors to the stress being experienced by RNs today.

RNs are neglected by a system that overworks, under-appreciates and marginalizes the experience of individuals who are the most connected to patients.

Respondents had the opportunity to answer the question, “What are some of the things that stress you out the most?” Many of you were brutally candid, and I cringe at what you continue to put up with on a daily basis. These five responses are representative of the thousands received.

• “People who have never done your job telling you how to do it. People who have lost sight of the patient — the focus is the $$.”

• “Not having the authority to take care of the things that need to be done, but being responsible for it.”

• “Long hours (12-hr shifts), working nights, poor pay, poor benefits that are dependent on maintaining hours to prevent losing the benefits, lack of PTO to cover sick/vacation days.”

• “Overwork with no relief in sight, working for $3 to $5 dollars less than average city wages …”

• “Corporate chaos, lack of support, unrealistic expectations, being put in possible license jeopardy due to corporate greed and mismanagement.” 

By Michelle Broder Van Dyke

A five-time national champion, Alysia Montano, was ready for another race on Thursday. But this race would be just a little different, since the former University of California star was 34-weeks pregnant.

“I’ve been running throughout my pregnancy and I felt really, really good during the whole process,” Montano said after the qualifying heat.

She finished last, but the crowd at Hornet Stadium still gave her a standing ovation. The 28-year-old ran the race in 2 minutes, 32.13 seconds. This comes about 35 seconds slower than her personal best of 1:57.34, which she ran in 2010 in Monaco.

Montano has been running all her life, and said she consulted with her doctor about her plan to continue running during her pregnancy, who encouraged the idea.

“That took away any fear of what the outside world might think ab
out a woman running during her pregnancy,” Montano said. “What I found out mostly was that exercising during pregnancy is actually much better for the mom and the baby. … I did all the things I normally do … I just happened to be pregnant. This is my normal this year.”

Source: buzzfeed.com

By Caitlyn Coverly

A few weeks ago, senior vice-president Laszlo Bock took to Google’s official blog to publicly share the company’s employee demographics, revealing a predominately white male workforce and admitting a reluctance to come forward with the data earlier.

The announcement was deemed a groundbreaking disclosure, because U.S. companies are not obligated to make their workforce demographics public. However, citing that transparency is key to finding a solution, Mr. Bock wrote, “Simply put, Google is not where we want to be when it comes to diversity … our efforts, including going public with these numbers, are designed to help us recruit and develop the world’s most talented and diverse people.”

In Canada, many companies have come to realize the strategic importance of a diverse workforce and, much like Google, have initiated comprehensive diversity strategies. But developing and executing those strategies is no easy feat.

Financial institutions were among the first organizations to act on the long-term demographic and labour-market significance of Canada’s Employment Equity Act, which requires special measures and the accommodation of differences for four designated groups in Canada: women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities.

“As a regulated organization, we looked at diversity from a compliance perspective at first,” said Norma Tombari, director of Global Diversity at the Royal Bank of Canada. “However, with the appointment of Gordon Nixon as CEO in 2001, came the revitalization of a very robust diversity strategy; what we refer to as our Diversity Blueprint.”

RBC has been recognized in recent years for its achievements in diversity and inclusion practices. Its 2013 Diversity and Inclusion Report shows RBC’s workforce is comprised of 64% women, 31% visible minorities, 4.6% people with disabilities and 1.5% aboriginal persons — numbers that are fairly representative of the general workforce in Canada.

So, how do companies reach this level?

“Education becomes key when you are managing a multicultural and multigenerational workforce,” Ms. Tombari said. “There will be unconscious bias and blindspots, as well as a lack of cultural understanding and awareness throughout all levels of the organization, so it is our job to put programs in place that counter those attitudes.”

RBC takes a multifaceted approach, offering employees various workshops and webcasts on raising cultural acumen, as well as access to self-assessment tools where employees can rate their own level of understanding.

“The goal is to provide learning that is focused on the topic of diversity and inclusion and the rest is about embedding it in the cultural landscape of an organization,” Ms. Tombari said.

Canada’s energy giant Suncor is at a different stage of the diversity and inclusion-implementation process. After merging with Petro-Canada in 2009, changes in corporate structure created a tidal wave of new systems and strategies.

“With so much change and turnover, some things — such as our diversity strategies — got pushed to the side,” said Kelli Stevens, a company spokeswoman.

The company’s 2012 diversity report shows Suncor’s workforce is comprised of 23% women, 11.1% visible minorities and 2.7% Aboriginal persons. “We don’t look at our current percentages and think that’s okay,” Ms. Stevens said. “We are, and always will be, trying to improve them.”

Suncor, similar to Google, faces the uphill battle of recruiting from a rather homogenous talent pool. “We are a male-dominated field,” Ms. Stevens said.

In 2011, women earned only 16.5% of degrees/diplomas categorized within the fields of architecture, engineering and related technologies, Statistics Canada data shows. In fields relating to mathematics, computer and information sciences, women earned only 27% of degrees/diplomas. However, out of those pursuing post-secondary education, women account for more than half at 58%.

Suncor is in the process of developing a strategy that makes those desires a reality. Part of that strategy is supporting various programs that work to broaden the talent pool.

In March 2013, the Suncor Energy Foundation approved a five-year, $1.5-million program aimed at helping Women Building Futures (WBF), an organization that specializes in encouraging and preparing women for careers in skilled trades, to refine its business model and expand its impact.

Suncor also provides funding for Actua, the Ottawa-based national science, technology engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program, to help develop and deliver STEM programs to Aboriginal youth across Canada.

“Many of the communities we have a strong presence in have a high representation of aboriginal people,” Ms. Stevens said. “We want to be reflective of where we work and build strong relationships with those communities.”

Echoed in both companies’ strategies is the hard fact that implementing a diversity strategy is not easy; it is a long-term commitment with results as well as challenges at all stages.

Susan Black, managing partner at Crossbar Group, and Keith Caver, North America practice leader for talent management and organizational alignment at Towers Watson, offer the following advice for corporations undergoing a significant change in workforce demographics:

Inclusion is about making the numbers count: “Companies tend to jump right into programs without clearly defining their goals,” Ms. Black said. “This is often the result of a disconnect in their understanding of their own issues. In an ideal world, having a 50/50 split between male and female employees would be considered success, however, companies really need to look at their corporate structure and their client base to determine if that is what is best for their organization.”

Don’t define diversity too narrowly: “Companies tend to frame all diversity efforts around the four groups and they end up leaving a lot of white space,” Ms. Black said. “As a result people get left out of the diversity conversation. We are all a part of diversity and the thoughts and opinions of everyone should be valued in an organization.”

Culture isn’t something you can change overnight: “It typically goes one of two ways,” she said. “Either organizations declare victory too soon or they fall prey to diversity fatigue. The fact is it takes a long time to change workplace cultures. Don’t rush the process.”

You must address cultural differences and unconscious bias: “It is not good enough to just have the people in place,” Mr. Caver said. “There is an array of information available about shifting demographics and leveraging human capital. There must be an unwavering commitment to educating and preparing leaders so companies are not held back by hidden biases.”

Source: business.financialpost.com

By S.L. Page

ESFP personality types are very compatible with many areas of nursing. As an ESFP, you’re full of energy and a zest for life. You genuinely enjoy being around people, and you are a true people-person. In fact, some people call your type the “parties,” as you always seem to be looking for a new social event to attend. When there, you can talk for hours and you enjoy being the center of attention. Other personality profiles refer to your type as the “Entertainer” or “Artisan.”

ESFP Overview: What is an ESFP Personality?

An ESFP is one of the main 16 personality types.  An ESFP will have scored the following dominant characteristics on a personality assessment: Extroverted (E), Sensing (S), Feeling (F), and Perceiving (P).  The breakdown and description of each of these dominant characteristics is listed below:

Extroverted (E): As an extrovert, you enjoy a lot of external stimulation. You love hanging with friends, meeting new people, or engaging in external things that stimulate your mind. When you’re isolated for too long at home, you’ll soon begin saying to yourself, “I’ve got to get out of this house!” In fact, you may say that after only one day alone at home!

You probably have a wide circle of friends, and you love getting together for a meal, hanging out, or just striking up a conversation with a random person. Because extroverts tend to enjoy talking and engaging in social situations, they often get labeled as “social butterflies.” You may have even been called a “people person” or “outgoing.” In fact, introverts sometimes get a bad rap due to extroverted people, as people often quip, “Why does that introvert keep to themselves so much? I wish they were more talkative and outgoing.”

You probably dislike writing or reading too much, and you’d much prefer to pick up the phone and make a call as opposed to writing an email. Some extroverts loath writing, although not all feel this way. Some extroverts make great writers, but most prefer face-to-face communication if given the choice. Some extroverts tend to have difficulty expressing their ideas in written form, as their minds are wired to work while engaging. ESFPs can spend a lot of time text messaging contacts, however, because they love to keep up with their friends and acquaintances.

Being an extrovert doesn’t mean that you dislike alone time, it’s just that it tends to suck the life out of you after a while. You get energized and feel most comfortable around other people, especially many friends or family members.

You think better while talking, as opposed to writing or thinking alone. In fact, some of your best solutions or ideas have probably come to you while talking to others. You also tend to blurt out the answer if asked a question. In contrast, introverts hate being put on the spot, and prefer to mull over a question before replying.

Sensing (S):  As a sensing person, your mind tends to think of more rigid “here and now” concepts. You generally tend to think about the “what ifs” only rarely. You tend to notice minor details that other people may overlook. In fact, some people are quite shocked at the fact that you can sometimes make really keen observations. This can be a big benefit in nursing, as you may notice that a patient suddenly doesn’t look so well.

To illustrate how a sensing person things, consider an example of a large container sitting on the edge of a counter.  You would probably look at the large container of fluid and think, “That’s an interesting color. I wonder what this fluid is?” You may also examine the lettering used for the logo, and so forth. You’d probably read the details on the packaging and think about those things.

This type of thinking is in direct contrast with people who have the “intuitive” characteristic. Using this same illustration, an intuitive person may look at the same container you looked at and think thoughts like, “That may fall down. Then it could make a mess. Someone could slip and fall and hurt themselves. We could even be sued.”

That’s not to say that sensing people can’t have moments of intuition, or that people with intuition won’t see more concrete details. But generally speaking, sensing people are very in-tune with details and facts, and tend to not think of the possible scenarios that could happen.

Feeling (F):  As a person with the “feeling” characteristic, you have a strong inclination towards considering how things may affect people or society. When considering a decision, you tend to think of how other people may react, or how other people may be impacted by the consequences. As a result, people (or society in general) can be a big part of your decision making process. This can be a good characteristic to have as a nurse dealing with patients whose lives may be greatly affected by your actions.

Feelers have a very deep and empathetic heart to help people, and they genuinely care for others. If someone asks you how their new haircut looks, you’ll likely be very polite and try to focus on the positives to avoid hurting their feelings–even if the haircut looks terrible.

As a feeler, you also tend to have a strong need for happy relationships, both with yourself and people around you. If people aren’t getting along, it will tend bother you quite a bit. You’re a happy-go-lucky person who enjoys keeping in good standing with people. You also tend to have a natural affection for animals or pets.

This characteristic is in contrast to the “thinking” characteristic, in which people tend to make decisions based on logic, facts, or truth.

Perceiving (P):  As a person with the “perceiving” characteristic, you generally like to live life in a care-free manner. You usually don’t like to make extensive plans, and you prefer to just “wing-it.” You tend to be very adaptable to any given situation. This adaptability and spontaneity gives you a reputation of being a fun and exciting person to hang around.

You are likely to live a somewhat disorganized life, at least internally. You probably have a relatively messy or unorganized home or office space, although this is not true for all ESFPs. This personality characteristic is in contrast to the “judging” type, in which people tend to live in a more organized and controlled manner.

You also tend to procrastinate with deadlines and tasks, but will get a burst of energy when something has to be done. Some ESFPs have a wild side, and are sometimes referred to as “daredevils.” You may enjoy activities such as skydiving, rollercoasters, surfing, or other similar activities that give you that “thrill.”

Nursing Career Possibilities for ESFPs

You are a fun and entertaining “people-person.” You like to live life in a fun-loving way. This can help you quickly and easily connect with patients. You also have the ability to focus on details, and you can easily empathize with other people’s problems. As you make decisions, you ponder how they may affect other people. This means you are likely to keep your patients best interests at heart.

For this reason, there are many areas of nursing that may appeal to you. Floor nursing, pediatric nursing, ER nursing, and other exciting areas may be of interest. For ESFPs who have a daredevil side, you may also enjoy flight nursing. Being a camp nurse is also a good possibility. If you have a strong faith, Parish Nursing may also be a good fit, as you’d love interacting with people on a spiritual level.

There are a few pitfalls you’ll want to avoid on the job. First, ESFPs tend to dislike having to do routine tasks. You like to be stimulated in your environment, and if you have to do dull tasks, you’ll get bored quickly. You also dislike having to read long documents or write reports.

Another area of frustration for ESFPs is working alone. You enjoy the company of people, and if confined to an empty office all day, you’d probably get very exhausted. You get energized talking and engaging with people. You enjoy team settings.

You dislike organizing things due to your spontaneous nature. You like to experience things in real time, and you don’t like to ponder the “what-ifs” in life. You also may struggle clocking in on time.

Possible Nursing Career Matches for ESFPs

• Home Nursing/Private Duty Nursing
• ER Nurse
• Parish Nurse
• Hospice Nurse
• Travel Nurse
• General Floor Nurse
• Ambulatory Nurse
• Pediatric Nurse
• Flight Nurse
• Camp Nurse
• Oncology Nurse

Are You an ESFP? Share Your Input

What areas do you hope to work as an ESFP? What jobs have you loved? What jobs have you hated? Please consider sharing your experience in the comment section below, as this may help other ESFP nurses in their careers.

Source: registerednursern.com

By Alison Stanton

When Joanne Clavelle was 12 years old, she began working as a candy striper at a Vermont hospital.

It didn't take her long to realize that she had found what she was meant to do.

"I used to feed patients, change their water pitchers and make eggnog with real eggs," Clavelle says. "After a couple of years of being a candy striper, the nurses at the hospital sort of adopted me, and I moved into a volunteer aide position in the emergency department. I got to wear a white uniform with white stockings and shoes; I thought I was in heaven."

Clavelle was hired as an EKG technician at the same hospital when she was 16. She worked every weekend doing what she loved.

Her dedication to outstanding patient care caught the eye of three physicians at the hospital.

"The doctors had a scholarship program," Clavelle says. "They gave me a scholarship, which helped pay for me to go to nursing school at the University of Vermont.

Thirty-plus years later, Clavelle is still as passionate as ever about her career as a nurse and providing top-notch patient care. Five months ago, she was named senior vice president and chief clinical officer at Scottsdale Healthcare.

"I absolutely love my job here," she says. "I have the opportunity to create a nursing infrastructure that focuses on outstanding patient care and ensures that we maintain our Magnet designation."

This designation, Clavelle says, is given to the top 8 percent of hospitals in the country.

"It recognizes organizations like ours that create a supportive environment for nurses to practice and provide high-quality care," she says. "I am committed to creating a culture where nurses and other providers give the best care possible. That's what it's really all about."

When she is not working, Clavelle enjoys painting.

Watercolors are especially appealing to her, and she takes art classes whenever she can.

Clavelle also likes to spend time with her husband, their adult children and their 14-year-old dog.

Even though Clavelle has spent the past 36 years working in health care, she says things amaze her — in a good way — about her work.

"I was pleasantly surprised and proud to learn that our hospital has a forensic-nursing program, and we also have a wonderful military partnership with the United States Air Force," she says. "It's a unique model for graduate nurses in the Air Force to participate in a number of programs, including a nurse-transition program and critical-care and emergency-trauma-nursing fellowship."

Who's Who in Business 2014

Joanne Clavelle is one of 50 women in various fields profiled in "Who's Who in Business 2014," a publication of Republic Media. Find the full publication online at azcentral.com in July.

Source: azcentral.com

BY SCRUBS CONTRIBUTOR

Ah, the dreaded night shift. Every nurse will have to encounter it at some point in his or her career. Some enjoy the more patient-based shift with its lack of administrators and clerical work, while others never can get into the rhythm of being a night owl.

If you’re a nurse on the night shift, chances are you have plenty of non-medical professional friends who won’t keep the same schedule as you. So how do you keep a normal social life while you work the night shift? Check out these five helpful tips:

1. Plan ahead with your non-work friends. If your shift is starting at 7:00 PM, for example, you could realistically have time to meet them for dinner an hour or so ahead of time. The night shift might remove some of the spontaneity of your social life, but it doesn’t have to remove time for fun and socializing.

2. Limit your caffeine intake. It can be tempting to consume cup after cup of coffee to get through those long shifts, but it’ll throw your sleep rhythm off even more and cause you to have to miss out on social functions with friends and family during days off.

3. Treat the switch to normal sleeping hours like jet lag. Take short naps at first to store up some energy and then power through the day until it’s time for bed. This will quicken your transition back to a normal sleep schedule. Try making time for non-work friends the day after you’ve adjusted back to normal sleeping hours.

4. Group your night shift days together. This will assure that you can have longer stretches of days off or daytime shifts. That leaves plenty of time for recreation, fun with friends, errands and time with family, but it’s also better for your overall health!

5. Get to know your coworkers! You’re spending so much time with them at odd hours, so you might as well establish trust, rapport and friendship. Try and bond with them socially and professionally. For example, if you like exercising, invite them to go on an early morning hike or to a workout class with you after the shift ends; if you are a coffee nut, see if they want to grab a cup at a nearby café. You can also bond professionally by trying to coordinate procedural training, or going to conferences and professional development events together.

The night shift doesn’t need to kill your mood, routine or health. Treat it seriously, plan accordingly with your shifts and keep a positive outlook so you can make new friends and keep up with those outside of your professional circle!

Source: scrubsmag.com

By Robin Erb

DETROIT — Technology originally designed for the U.S. military now has a second use: helping those with tremors eat and live better.

A high-tech spoon — fitted with a tiny computer and sensors such as those in a camera or cellphone — softens the effect of essential tremors by sensing their direction and strength and moving the device in the opposite direction.

"In some ways, it seems too simple to be true," said Dr. Kelvin Chou, a University of Michigan neurologist and essential tremors specialist whose patients helped test the device.

For essential tremor patients, simple daily activities — eating, applying makeup — can be impossible.

"Not being able to feed yourself or groom yourself — that takes a big emotional toll," said Anupam Pathak, CEO of Lift Labs, a California-based start-up company that makes the device.

The idea ignited after Pathak began as a doctorate student in engineering at the University of Michigan. He had been working on research to help stabilize military equipment for U.S. soldiers in the middle of combat, and over time, he began wondering whether the technology could help those whose hands tremble.

With funding from the National Institutes of Health, Pathak developed the LiftWare, a device that assesses movements thousands of times in a single second.

To test it, he turned to the university, where doctors at the U-M Health System treat 400 to 500 patients a year for hand shakes caused by essential tremor, a common movement disorder. It is estimated that 1 in 20 people worldwide have a degree of essential tremor.

Chou said the spoon worked surprisingly well for the 15 adults who tested it.

All had moderate essential tremor.

He said the results were "amazing," especially considering how socially limiting essential tremors can be. Patients often stop eating in front of others and no longer go out with friends and loved ones.

In the worst cases, they cannot feed themselves at all. Just 10% are candidates for surgery that treats the tremors.

"One of the worst things about essential tremor is that people feel like they have to be alone. This changes things for people," Chou said.

The device may not work for everyone with tremors. With many patients with Parkinson's disease, for example, the tremor improves when they are performing a task such as eating. However, those whose tremors interfere with eating stand to benefit from the device, Chou said.

The spoon and its advanced microelectronic technologies come with a hefty price tag: $295. Lift Labs and the International Essential Tremor Foundation have established a campaign to give the spoons to those with limited income.

Chou and Pathak said the same technology could be fitted with pieces to help those with tremors execute other daily activities, such as applying makeup or using hand tools. A fork and a soup spoon attachment will be available in the coming months, Pathak said.

Source: usatoday.com

By Joan Raymond

Today's expectant moms and their doctors have decided it's not nice to fool Mother Nature. Rather than inducing labor, they're letting nature take its course, with the length of pregnancies in the U.S. on the upswing, according to a new study by the CDC.

The study released Wednesday tracks labor started through surgical or medical means during the years 2006 through 2012. The researchers found that induction rates at 38 weeks — once considered full-term gestation but now called an early-term gestation — declined for 36 states and the District of Columbia during this six-year period. Declines ranged from 5 percent to 48 percent.

Geography didn’t seem to matter. Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia posted declines of at least 10 percent. The researchers did find that trends in induction rates at each week from 35 weeks, considered late pre-term, to 38 weeks, varied by maternal age. At 38 weeks, though, induction rates declined for all maternal age groups under 40, dropping 13 percent to 19 percent for women in their 20s and 30s.

This is a sharp reversal of trends tracked from 1981 through 2006 in which the proportion of babies born at less than 39 weeks gestation increased nearly 60 percent, while births at 39 weeks or more declined more than 20 percent.

“We were surprised that the overall induction rate went down,” says lead researcher Michelle Osterman, a health statistician with the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the CDC.

And it is welcome news, too. “For years we were taught that the 37th or 38th week of pregnancy was full term, but we did not appreciate the neonatal outcomes,” says ob/gyn Dr. Nancy Cossler, vice chair for quality and patient safety at University MacDonald Women’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. 

“It was an ingrained part of our culture that 37 weeks is OK, but it’s not necessarily OK for the baby,” she says, citing issues such as hypothermia, feeding difficulties and respiratory distress among infants born early.

Historically, MacDonald Women’s Hospital had a rate of about 11 percent for labor induction for non-medical reasons among patients who were 37 to 38 weeks pregnant. Today, it’s nearly zero. In 2013, only one birth among the 37 to 38 week gestational age was done through induction. The patient had metastatic breast cancer, which is not among the usual listed criteria for medical induction, and needed to start chemotherapy and needed an early delivery, says Cossler.

Indeed, there is a big push nationally for longer-term births, such as the large-scale educational program called the 39-Week Initiative, supported by the March of Dimes and other groups. It seeks to end non-medically indicated deliveries prior to 39 weeks. Last year, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine even recommended the label “term” in pregnancy, be replaced with categories based on gestational age. Today, babies born at 39 weeks through 40 weeks and six days of pregnancy are considered “full term.” Babies born at 37 to 38 weeks are now considered “early term.”

“I think this study is very positive since several of us have now provided evidence that babies have better outcomes (with longer term births),” says Dr. Kimberly Noble, assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University.

In a study published in the journal Pediatrics of 128,000 New York City public school children, Noble and her colleagues found that compared to children born at 41 weeks, those born at 37 weeks had a 33 percent increased chance of having third-grade reading problems, and a 19 percent increased chance of having moderate math issues.

But doctors do worry that the pendulum could swing too far and patients may be afraid of induced deliveries. 

Our study “can’t differentiate between induction done for medical reasons and induction done for convenience, and if your doctor says this baby needs to come out at 37 weeks because of a problem, you need to trust your doctor,” says Noble, citing issues such as maternal or fetal distress as a cause for earlier delivery. What patients and doctors shouldn’t do is schedule an earlier delivery because of a vacation or other issue. “We know that 39 weeks and beyond is good for the baby,” she says.

Source: today.com