Nurse Nan's Credentials

Late last year, a group of politically minded individuals started the Shoalanda Speaks group. Initially it was just a blog dedicated to conservative local politics, but later it branched out into other areas. Originally, I was asked to help edit the Shoalanda blog; later I was asked to do a fun type first aid blog--one that would answer questions from Shoals area residents. Currently, there are four blogs in the Shoalanda group, and each uses the same e-mail address: shoalanda.speaks@gmail.com.

In the past few days, I have received several questions from Tollie Williams concerning my credentials. We prefer to keep things light and breezy at our blog, but since Mr. Williams' questions seem to point in the other direction, and since these questions have been asked on a public forum (Twitter), I will address them here.

Nurse Nan's Credentials, Affiliations, & Academics:

1. Academic diploma from Coffee High School
2. BA in English from UNA
3. BA in History from UAH
4. ASN from Calhoun Community College
5. BSN from UAH
6. Certification in Growth Hormone Education
7. Certification in Emotional Effects of Violence on Children
8. Author of two local histories
9. Editor of one local history
10. Editor of two novels
11. Member Phi Alpha Theta
12. Member Sigma Tau Delta
13. Member Phi Theta Kappa
14. Founder - Information Campaign for AED Readiness & Education (ICARE)

We hope the above will satisfy Mr. Williams' curiosity.

Thanks for your patience today,

Nurse Nan

Should I Take Eucalyptus Oil for Flu?

We've discussed before the benefits of eucalyptus oil as a decongestant. One reader has asked if this native Australian plant has any influenza fighting properties. The answer is yes; however, whether it would specifically combat swine flu is another question.

If you should choose to take eucalyptus in any of its forms, remember that large doses are poisonous--eucalyptus should never be given to children in any form except as a mild inhalant. Also, do not take eucalyptus if you are also taking echinacea. The combined effects of the two drugs can over stimulate the immune system.

Judging by the number of questions I'm receiving concerning the Swine Flu, many readers are concerned for their personal health. By all means, try eucalyptus in the appropriate dosage. Any protection from this virus is a plus.

Remember, hand washing is your best defense, and avoiding crowds your second. This too shall pass.

Nurse Nan

How Do I Bandage Those Knees & Elbows?

By far, most of the questions I receive involve children. With those bundles of joy and angst come skins and scrapes, a great number of them to knees and elbows, or perhaps to the ends of tiny toes. So, how do you keep them clean while they heal?

After thoroughly cleansing the wounds (remember: deep gashes require an emergency room visit), cover the area with damp gauze; Big Lots or even the Dollar Tree carry inexpensive 2x2 and 4x4 cotton gauge. Now...the hard part: How do you keep gauze in place on an area that bends so freely and frequently?

Look no further than your closet. While you may use some old tee-shirts as dust clothes or rags to absorb oil in the garage, be sure to save some for bandages. Wash the shirt, preferably all cotton, and cut into 3" strips, the longer the better. Now you have a clean inexpensive bandage to hold the gauze in place. Most wounds should be healed enough in 24 to 36 hours to dispense with bandaging, but continue to spray or manually apply a good antiseptic until they heal completely.

Finally, remember, they do grow up eventually,

Nurse Nan

Dr. Lloyd Johnson Jr.

Dr. Lloyd Johnson Jr. passed away Tuesday. I distinctly remember our first meeting: I was a teenager lying on a gurney in a draped-off emergency room at the old Colonial Manor Hospital. I had never heard the name Dr. Johnson before and was obviously frightened while waiting for this unknown orthopedist to arrive.

When Dr. Johnson first entered the small area, I had no idea who he was and I was not particularly impressed by his appearance, other than he was tall. Then he spoke in reassuring words, telling me of my injuries and explaining what needed to be done.

In later years I would see Dr. Johnson at various civic events. He was always surrounded by family and friends--a man rich in more ways than one. Even before I became a nurse, I knew that Dr. Johnson and his partner Dr. Frank Hatchett had introduced the modern world of orthopedics to the Shoals area, an area that had until then been often served by what could traditionally be called "sawbones."

Dr. Johnson continued to work after retirement from his orthopedic practice a few years ago and remained an active presence in the Shoals. He was truly an inspiration to all who knew him and he will be greatly missed.

My sympathies to his family,

Nurse Nan

Does Your Doctor Speak Martian?

Judging from my e-mail, most of my readers have very little idea what their physicians actually say during their office visits. Even hospital dismissal paperwork is sprinkled with Med-Speak and incomprehensible to many. So, how do you know what's actually going on with your health and your medical treatment?

Should you buy a Physician's Desk Reference to check out the drugs you take? Well...you could, but a Davis Drug Guide is handier for the layperson to use and much cheaper. New drugs enter the market monthly, but information about the majority of meds doesn't change, so a used copy purchased form Amazon.com or even at a yard sale is a good investment. The Davis Drug Guide is preferable to other such books, listing meds alphabetically, rather than by type (after all, how many laypeople know drugs ending in "lol" are usually beta-blockers? You get the idea).

Now that you're fixed on drug info, how do you know exactly what your diagnosis means or what treatment it will entail? If you just need a good medical dictionary, Tabor's is the best. Again, these books can be purchased used, and 99% of the material does not change from year to year.

If you're more concerned about treatment or progression of certain maladies, you need a Merck Manual. These are written for physicians, but much of the material is easily comprehended by the layperson. These books are harder to find used, but usually a few show up on Amazon.com.

One word of caution: Just because you have one symptom of a disease doesn't mean you actually have that illness. The only thing a physician hates more than having a patient read the Merck is having a patient who is a Merck-reading nurse, but of course I would never do that myself...

Good luck and happy book hunting,

Nurse Nan

Now, About Those Face Masks...

If you purchased a box of face masks for an epidemic that failed to arrive as advertised, we suggest you keep them for future use. There's no expiration date, and they take up little storage.

However, if you just have to get rid of them in order to purge any bad thoughts concerning WHO and the CDC, we suggest you donate them to Safeplace, Inc. Our sister blogger Shoalanda has a column dedicated to that wonderful organization, just in time for Mother's Day.

http://shoalandaspeaks.blogspot.com/

If there's not a Safeplace in your area, please contact your local United Way for the name of an appropriate organization.

Thanks,

Nurse Nan

A Scarf?

All out of masks at the pharmacy? Yes, you can use a scarf. Natural cotton or silk is preferable to synthetic fabric and will dry more quickly. Just remember to spray with Lysol or other disinfectant at the end of the day.

And what goes with hand washing? If you're at your home sink, take the time to rinse your mouth with an antiseptic each time you wash.

It's the first of May; let's keep the flu away.

Nurse Nan