Gaia Community: Monica's Blog

What's the most memorable Halloween costume you can think of?

http://Monifaye.gaia.com — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:28:35 GMT

A man giving birth to himself. I am not going to provide the visual, it's was just gross.

Tags: QaR, halloween, holidays, celebration, costumes, creativity, memories

~mantra~

http://Monifaye.gaia.com — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 01:39:37 GMT

No revolution in outer things is possible without prior revolution in one's inner way of being. Whatever change you aspire to in your affairs must be preceded by a change in heart, an active deepening and strengthening of your resolve to meet every event with equanimity, detachment, and innocent goodwill. When this spiritual poise is achieved within, magnificent things are possible without.

~Hexagram 49-KO
The I Ching or Book of Changes:
A Guide to Life's Turning Points
by Brian Browne Walker

Tags: mantra, revolution, inner peace, change, detachment

Emergency Room Rap

http://Monifaye.gaia.com — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 23:53:55 GMT

UAB Emergency Room Rap

Hey All, this is the tip of the iceberg of life in the emergency department. Have fun, Enjoy!

Tags: emergency room, nurses, rap, humor

HPV Vaccine

http://Monifaye.gaia.com — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 15:37:26 GMT

MICHIGAN: "Cervical Cancer Vaccine Bill Goes Before House"
Detroit News (11.17.06):: Gary Heinlein

The Michigan House Health Policy Committee has sent to the full House one bill of a two-bill package that would require human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations for sixth-grade girls. An opt-out provision for medical, religious or philosophical reasons would apply to the HPV vaccine, which would join state-required vaccinations of school children against hepatitis B, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, mumps, and rubella.

The companion bill is expected to gain committee support after representatives return from recess on Nov. 28, said its chairperson, Rep. Ed Gaffney (R-Grosse Pointe). The objective is to send the bills to Gov. Jennifer Granholm for her approval before Christmas. "I can't imagine too many people voting against it," said Gaffney.

The two-bill package has already cleared the Senate. If passed, the law would make Michigan the first state to require immunization against HPV, an STD. About 70,000 girls would need the shots for the 2008-2009 school year. The Gardasil HPV vaccine costs an average $360 for a three-shot series, which would be covered through private insurers or Medicaid.

The Michigan Medical Society and Michigan Nurses Association support the bills. A state official said the vaccine is most effective if administered to younger, sexually inexperienced girls.

However, House committee member Rep. Dave Robertson (R-Grand Blanc) said parents would resent being forced to have to talk about sex when their children were ages 9-11. Rep. John Stahl (R-North Branch) said he believes the incidence of HPV does not warrant a state immunization program and that parents should be allowed to choose which shots are appropriate for their daughters.

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Of course there has been a lot of discussion about this in Michigan. The nursing/medical community along with religious conservatives are all chiming in on the debate. The CDC reports that the prevalence is quite significant "Approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV. At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. By age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired genital HPV infection. About 6.2 million Americans get a new genital HPV infection each year."

Not all strains of HPV lead to cervical cancer and many individuals will remain asymptomatic. From a public health standpoint the incidence is high enough to require governmental regulation of this vaccine thereby protecting the public. However, the vaccine is expensive and perhaps since the Michigan Government is planning on regulating Gardasil they should pay for it too.

But what about personal choice? Should we not have the right to refuse vaccines if we believe that they might be unsafe or refute any religious beliefs? I agree with the concept of choice, however, I personally disagree with Rep. Robertson’s position that this will “force” parents to discuss sex with their children. In my experience most parents have not discussed the implications for vaccines with their children, all they know is that they are getting ‘shots’ for school.

Most conservatives promote abstinence, which in my view is a platform for failure; it is pie- in- the sky unrealistic. And I bet that any health care professional will agree with this. Prevention is the best option to prevent the spread of any disease whether it is vaccines, abstinence, or safe sex education. ALL of these options should be available for the public, but IMHO education and promotion of condoms promotes the best way for individuals to make a conscious choice regarding sex.

Tags: health, health care, vaccines, legislation

Music. Ray LaMontagne

http://Monifaye.gaia.com — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 20:20:29 GMT

This is my latest obsession, and one of my favorite artists. I absolutely LOVE his new album Till the Sun Turns Black. Beautiful lyrics , reflects such intense depth and shadow.....
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Empty Lyrics

She lifts her skirt up to her knees
Walks through the garden rows with her bare feet, laughing
I never learned to count my blessings
I choose instead to dwell in my disasters

Walk on down the hill
Through the grass grown tall and brown
And still it's hard somehow to let go of my pain
On past the busted back
Of that old and rusted Cadillac
That sinks into this field collecting rain

Will I always feel this way
So empty, so estranged

Of these cutthroat busted sunsets
These cold and damp white mornings I have grown weary
If through my cracked and dusty dimestore lips
I spoke these words out loud would no one hear me

Lay your blouse across the chair
Let fall the flowers from your hair
And kiss me with that country mouth so plain
Outside the rain is tapping on the leaves
To me it sounds like they're applauding us
The quiet love we make

Will I always feel this way
So empty, so estranged

Well I looked my demons in the eye
Laid bare my chest said do your best destroy me
See I've been to hell and back so many times
I must admit you kinda bore me

There's a lot of things that can kill a man
There's a lot of ways to die
Yes and some already dead who walk beside me
There's a lot of things I don't understand
Why so many people lie
Well it's the hurt I hide that fuels the fires inside me

Tags: music, Ray Lamontagne

Universal Care Appeals to USA.

http://Monifaye.gaia.com — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:51:15 GMT

Originally posted on Kaiser.org

"Universal Care Appeals to U.S.A.": Fifty-six percent of adults said they would prefer a universal health care system to the current U.S. health care system, according to the ABC News/Kaiser Family Foundation/USA Today survey. However, the survey found that 76% of adults said they would oppose universal coverage if some medical treatments would no longer be covered. However, the survey found that support drops to 18% if some medical treatments would no longer be covered, 28% if universal coverage limits their choice of doctors and 35% if it meant they would pay higher taxes or health insurance premiums (Appleby [2], USA Today, 10/16).

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We want our cake and we want to eat it too. We want to be able to drink our fat burning cola without having to worry about gaining weight . We want changes to happen but do not want to give up or give more of our own personal lives to make a difference. We want the best for our world and our country as long as it does not interrupt our daily routine. “What is in it for me”?

Universal coverage can be implemented, but it will require a shift in consciousness and effort on ALL . For those of us that are wealthy and healthy enough we need to continue or start making changes and choices by taking personal responsibility for our own health and not relying on an authority figure to do it for us. If we are in health care, we can start promoting health and wellness instead of disease management. Those that are able to make the changes, we should, it is our obligation to help society and not just focus on our own personal gain and happiness.

Is this a good enough reason for the majority? probably not. Why should we care? What convincing arguments are out there that can convince the majority of those that personal sacrifice is sometimes needed for the greater good? How do we help others realize that THEY can be in control of their own health and that will lessen control from any-other outside source?

monica

Tags: Universal health care, change

Nursing Schools Reject Increased Number of Applicants

http://Monifaye.gaia.com — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 17:36:30 GMT

Originally posted on Kaiser.org and in the Integral Health pod.

Nursing Schools Reject Increased Number of Applicants Over Lack of Faculty Members

Nursing schools nationwide rejected more than 41,000 qualified applicants in 2005, compared with 33,000 in 2004 and 18,000 in 2003, and three out of four schools attributed the increased rejections in large part to an insufficient number of faculty members, according to an annual survey conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, USA Today reports. As the 2006 academic year begins, 7.9% of faculty positions at nursing schools remain vacant, and, in response, a number of schools have launched programs to help increase the number of faculty members with help from the federal government, hospitals and the health insurance industry. For example, 14 nursing schools have launched doctoral programs to prepare nurses to teach or work as supervisors in hospitals, and an additional 190 programs are in development. In addition, 31 nursing schools since 2000 have launched fast-track programs that reduce the time required to earn a doctorate by at least one year, and an additional 13 programs are in development. Sally Lundeen, dean of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Nursing, said, “We have increased interest in the profession at exactly the time when we need to ratchet up our preparation of staff nurses, but we have too few faculty, and the ones that we have are gray and contemplating retirement in droves over the next few years.” According to USA Today, “That's bad news for a nation braced for a worsening shortage of nurses.” HHS expects the current 10% vacancy rate for nursing positions to increase to 36%, or more than one million positions, by 2020 (MacDonald, USA Today, 10/4).

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Interesting, I did not know that these numbers were that high. This is something for me to definitely consider as I plan for my future prospects. I would also like to add that a nurse is likely to receive higher pay at the bedside, rather than in a faculty position. As a result most nurses will not pursue faculty positions. This is very unfortunate because baccalaureate education has progressed over the years. We encourage more entrepreneurship in nursing, teach holistic and alternative practices in healing, and promote graduate education to be NP and health care administrator's. I believe that this can benefit the health care system as a whole. Nursing philosophy is largely overshadowed by the medical model and more nurses in leadership and research positions can help bring balance to the current fragmented “system” that we have today. But this is only one piece of the puzzle, I realize that. But What can I say…i am biased!

Monica RN, BSN

Tags: healthcare, nursing, nursing shortage

Health and Nursing Theorists

http://Monifaye.gaia.com — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 22:50:16 GMT

Health care today is dominated by the medical model that is based in an orange world view (scientific/strategic) which is mainly focused in the UR and LR of Ken Wilber's integral map. Although the medical model has brought about many necessary and great advantages to medical science, it has allowed little room to explore the many facets of health care, (i.e. the environment and the circumstances that effect the institutions, health care providers and consumers). The orange world view neglects the humanistic and caring values thatT surround health care delivery, the very concepts that nursing theory attempts to understand. Before we attempt to change the entire system, it might be appropriate to first explore the concept of health itself. What is health? How do we define it?

Many nursing theorists have defined health within their nursing models. The model components are organized by the nursing metaparadigm concepts: person, environment, health and nursing. These 4 metaparadigms are present in all nursing models. I realize that the definition of health is not limited to the nursing perspective alone. However, I have not discovered many other definitions of health that are as comprehensive as nursing models. These theories are generally reffered to as Nursing Grand Theories, those that address the beleif system of nursing care. I believe that these selected models and their definitions of health will help pave the way for integral health care in the future.

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Margaret Neumans: Health as Expanding Consciousness:

The theory of health as expanding consciousness stems from Rogers’ theory of unitary human beings. Rogers’ assumptions regarding patterning of persons in interaction with the environment are basic to the view that consciousness is a manifestation of an evolving pattern of person-environment interaction.

Consciousness is defined as the informational capacity of the system (in this case, the human being); that is, the ability of the system to interact with the environment (Bentov, 1978). Consciousness includes not only the cognitive and affective awareness normally associated with consciousness, but also the interconnectedness of the entire living system, which includes physiochemical maintenance and growth processes as well as the immune system. This pattern of information, which is the consciousness of the system, is part of a larger, undivided pattern of an expanding universe.

Rogers’ insistence that health and illness are simply manifestations of the rhythmic fluctuations of the life process is the foundation for viewing health and illness as a unitary process moving through variations in order-disorder. From this standpoint, one can no longer think of health and illness in the dichotomous way characterized by medical science; that is, health as absence of disease or health as a continuum from wellness to illness. Health and the evolving pattern of consciousness are the same.

A person is identified by her or his pattern, which reflects the pattern of the person within the larger pattern of the environment. The pattern is evolving through various permutations of order and disorder, including what in everyday language is called health and disease. Pattern recognition emerges from a process of uncovering meaning in a person’s life. Meaning is inherent in pattern, and vice versa.

Martha Rogers: Science of Unitary Beings

Rodgers often used the word health but declines to give a specific definition. She came to understand that illness and health are value words, broadly define by each culture” to denote behavior that is of high value and low value”. Rodgers conceptualized health and illness as expressions of the human life process. The life process is inseparable from the environmental field, challenging the prevailing understanding of health as only an illness manifestation of the physical body.

Energy fields are the "fundamental unit of the living and the non-living”. They consist of the human energy field and the environment energy field. The human field is "an irreducible, indivisible, pan dimensional energy field identified by pattern and manifesting characteristics that are specific to the whole and which cannot be predicted from knowledge of the parts”. The environmental field is integral with the human field. Each environmental field is specific to its given human field.

Open systems (openness) describe the open nature of the fields, which allow for an interchange of energy and matter between the fields, the preferred terminology being that there is a "continuous process" without the mention of energy or matter. Pattern is the "distinguishing characteristic of the energy field perceived as a single wave”, which gives identity to the field. Human behavior can be regarded as manifestations of changing pattern. The pattern is constantly changing and might be regarded as an indication of pain, illness or disease.

Madeline Leininger: Transcultural Nursing theory

Refers to health as “a state of well being that is culturally define, valued, and practiced, and which reflects the ability of individuals (or groups) to perform their daily role activities in culturally expressed, beneficial, and patterned lifeways”.

Tags: health, nursing, nursing theroy, integral health care