There are so many wonderful online resources to help nurses today. Go to https://www.aacnnursing.org/essentials/database, complete the Disaster Preparedness Rubic, and watch the video. Both are excellent for training purposes for Licensed Staff or management meetings.

The month of November is the month we want to acknowledge those caring for people who are suffering from dementia. The learning activity below will ensure you take time to know and understand how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brains of those we care for and serve. If you want to stay highly aware, please navigate this website: https://www.alz.org/research/for_researchers/diagnostic-criteria-guidelines.  It offers links to free professional articles and helps you to understand terminology, diagnostics, and recommendations for Alzheimer’s Disease. Please take an extra moment to THANK Everyone this month. This positive energy is like medicine to our beings. Check it out for yourselves 😊 https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-power-of-positive-thinking

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6487779/

Communication is critical when it comes to the prevention of intractable pain, heart disease, sepsis, and suicide!  Have you helped teach and guide a resident or friend on putting the CRISS LINE number into their phone system? This can be a strategy that saves lives. So often, we think of 911 when it is an emergency. But it does not have to be an emergency to call to talk to someone when you’re scared, troubled, or feeling like there’s no alternative or no hope. The Crisis Line will help get the person to someone who can talk; there is always someone to listen and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When completing a suicide risk assessment, this is always a good time to assess if you can help the person get the Crisis Line number into their contact list. What is the suicide number? How can you spread the word about the lifeline out there? These are just some of the questions this month to help us be better prepared to help those needing care.

https://988lifeline.org/

https://themighty.com/topic/suicide/why-talking-about-suicide-should-be-normalized/

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention

Questions:

1. List possible warning signs that someone may be at risk for suicide.
2. List the 5 steps for helping someone with emotional pain.
3. List the 9 risk factors that may place a person at risk for suicide.
4. Outline the current therapies and treatments being offered to prevent suicide.

October brings harvest time and vivid colors to inspire us, as well as the colder days that may cause increased exposure to respiratory illnesses in our community and the places we serve. Please be safe as we enter the time of the year when there are more weather-warning days. Be prepared for the season ahead and take extra time to teach about the new COVID-19 vaccination, Flu, and RSV that will be available. Please check out the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) website  https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/index.html

For vaccination schedule recommendations to keep you and our community well again this year.  Check out the latest RSV vaccination information from the CDC by going to https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/vacc-specific/rsv.html.

October is the Time we Cheer on our Team Members: Physical Therapists, Food Service Workers, Pharmacist and Physician Assistants. Take that extra moment to thank those helping to promote quality of care!

Science and Art are at their best when it warms our hearts!

In June, we celebrate our Nursing Assistants (NAC) who provide care daily to those in need of care in our communities. Consider what you can do monthly to acknowledge, and appreciate our NAC colleagues. Perhaps giving them an extra 10-minute break and covering their assignments for 30 days will give them an inspirational lift; Perhaps celebrating their years of working as an NAC no matter where they worked prior—career NACs are treasured wisdom for our Nation as they are often the silent leaders and mentors teaching new team members. NACs are the ones who invested a lifetime career in hands-on caring. Cherish our NAC colleagues and take opportunities to celebrate every day and all month long!!!

We also take time to pause to refresh our knowledge and skills about brain health and disease that have a significant impact on the brain, such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Aphasia, which can be caused by several conditions and diseases such as Myasthenia Gravis, which is an autoimmune disease that can contribute to a life-threatening condition if medical management is not provided time for a Myasthenia Crisis.

The human body systems are interconnected. What happens to one system can significantly impact its ability to have full function. Please consider taking time to refresh your knowledge of brain function this month. It is traumatic for a person to have any damage to the brain from disease or injuries. Often these people suffer from post-traumatic stress and require the most sensitive and compassionate consideration not to cause further emotional anguish and to promote a sense of well-being.