How did swine flu originate? (Just for fun:-)

This picture was emailed to me by anonymous, nevertheless I still want to share it with you guys, just for fun..

H1N1 Flu Alert! From CDC

Test Yourself: NCLEX practice questions

Worried about passing the NCLEX? The more practice questions you do, the more confident you'll feel. Try these, then review the answers and rationales that follow. Experts recommend taking many practice questions before the NCLEX, so take advantage of review courses, books, and other products to help you succeed and pass the NCLEX. ANSWERS BELOW. 1. A woman is worried she might have lice. Which assessment finding is associated with this infestation? a. Diffuse pruritic wheals b. Oval, white dots stuck to the hair shafts c. Pain, redness, and edema with an embedded stinger d. Pruritic papules, pustules, and linear burrows of the finger and toe webs 2. During group therapy, a client listening to another client's description of an abusive incident that occurred during childhood says, “I didn't think anyone else felt like I did as a child.” The nurse recognizes this statement as a reflection of which curative factor of group therapy, as identified by Yalom? a. Altruism b. Universality c. Catharsis d. Existential factors 3. An 86-year-old client in an extended care facility is anxious most of the time and frequently complains of a number of vague symptoms that interfere with his ability to eat. These symptoms indicate which disorder? a. Conversion disorder b. Hypochondriasis c. Severe anxiety d. Sublimation 4. Which nursing intervention is given priority in a care plan for a client having an acute panic attack? a. Tell the client to take deep breaths b. Have the client talk about the anxiety c. Encourage the client to verbalize feelings d. Ask the client about the cause of the attack 5. A nurse is caring for a client with delirium. Which nursing intervention has the highest priority? a. Providing a safe environment b. Offering recreational activities c. Providing a structured environment d. Instituting measures to promote sleep

ANSWERS:

1. b. Nits, the eggs of lice, are seen as white oval dots. Diffuse pruritic wheals are associated with an allergic reaction. Bites from honeybees are associated with a stinger, pain, and redness. Pruritic papules, vesicles, and linear burrows are diagnostic for scabies. 2. b. One of the 11 curative factors of group therapy identified by Yalom is universality, which assists group participants in recognizing common experiences and responses. This action helps reduce anxiety and allows other group members to provide support and understanding. Altruism, catharsis, and existential factors are other curative factors Yalom described, but they don't describe this particular incident. Altruism refers to finding meaning through helping others; catharsis is an open expression of previously suppressed feelings; and existential factors describe the recognition that one has control over the quality of one's life. 3. b. Complaints of vague physical symptoms that have no apparent medical causes are characteristic of clients with hypochondriasis. In many cases, the GI system is affected. Conversion disorders are characterized by one or more neurologic symptoms. The client's symptoms don't suggest severe anxiety. A client experiencing sublimation channels maladaptive feelings or impulses into socially acceptable behavior. 4. a. During a panic attack, the nurse should remain with the client and direct what's said toward changing the physiologic response, such as taking deep breaths. During an attack, the client is unable to talk about anxious situations and isn't able to address feelings, especially uncomfortable feelings and frustrations. While having a panic attack, the client is also unable to focus on anything other than the symptoms, so the client won't be able to discuss the cause of the attack. 5. a. The nurse's highest priority when caring for a client with dementia is to ensure client safety. Offering recreational activities, providing a structured environment, and promoting sleep are all appropriate interventions after safety measures are in place.

Source: NCLEX-RN Questions & Answers Made Incredibly Easy!, 4th edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008.

H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu): Face mask and Respirator Use

April 27, 2009 011:00AM ET copied from the CDC Website

This document provides interim guidance and will be updated as needed.

Detailed background information and recommendations regarding the use of masks and respirators in non-occupational community settings can be found on PandemicFlu.gov in the document Interim Public Health Guidance for the Use of Facemasks and Respirators in Non-Occupational Community Settings during an Influenza Pandemic.

Information on the effectiveness of facemasks¹ and respirators² for the control of influenza in community settings is extremely limited. Thus, it is difficult to assess their potential effectiveness in controlling swine influenza A (H1N1) virus transmission in these settings. In the absence of clear scientific data, the interim recommendations below have been developed on the basis of public health judgment and the historical use of facemasks and respirators in other settings.

In areas with confirmed human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, the risk for infection can be reduced through a combination of actions. No single action will provide complete protection, but an approach combining the following steps can help decrease the likelihood of transmission. These actions include frequent handwashing, covering coughs, and having ill persons stay home, except to seek medical care, and minimize contact with others in the household.Additional measures that can limit transmission of a new influenza strain include voluntary home quarantine of members of households with confirmed or probable swine influenza cases, reduction of unnecessary social contacts, and avoidance whenever possible of crowded settings.

When it is absolutely necessary to enter a crowded setting or to have close contact³ with persons who might be ill, the time spent in that setting should be as short as possible. If used correctly, facemasks and respirators may help reduce the risk of getting influenza, but they should be used along with other preventive measures, such as avoiding close contact and maintaining good hand hygiene. A respirator that fits snugly on your face can filter out small particles that can be inhaled around the edges of a facemask, but compared with a facemask it is harder to breathe through a respirator for long periods of time. For more information on facemasks and respirators, visit the CDC H1N1 Flu website..

When crowded settings or close contact with others cannot be avoided, the use of facemasks¹ or respirators² in areas where transmission of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus has been confirmed should be considered as follows:

1. Whenever possible, rather than relying on the use of facemasks or respirators, close contact with people who might be ill and being in crowded settings should be avoided.
2. Facemasks¹ should be considered for use by individuals who enter crowded settings, both to protect their nose and mouth from other people's coughs and to reduce the wearers' likelihood of coughing on others; the time spent in crowded settings should be as short as possible.
3. Respirators² should be considered for use by individuals for whom close contact with an infectious person is unavoidable. This can include selected individuals who must care for a sick person (e.g., family member with a respiratory infection) at home.

These interim recommendations will be revised as new information about the use of facemasks and respirators in the current setting becomes available. For more information about human infection with swine influenza virus, visit the CDC H1N1 Flu website.

1 Unless otherwise specified, the term "facemasks" refers to disposable masks cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as medical devices. This includes facemasks labeled as surgical, dental, medical procedure, isolation, or laser masks. Such facemasks have several designs. One type is affixed to the head with two ties, conforms to the face with the aid of a flexible adjustment for the nose bridge, and may be flat/pleated or duck-billed in shape. Another type of facemask is pre-molded, adheres to the head with a single elastic band, and has a flexible adjustment for the nose bridge. A third type is flat/pleated and affixes to the head with ear loops. Facemasks cleared by the FDA for use as medical devices have been determined to have specific levels of protection from penetration of blood and body fluids.

2 Unless otherwise specified, "respirator" refers to an N95 or higher filtering facepiece respirator certified by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

3 Three feet has often been used by infection control professionals to define close contact and is based on studies of respiratory infections; however, for practical purposes, this distance may range up to 6 feet. The World Health Organization uses "approximately 1 meter"; the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration uses "within 6 feet." For consistency with these estimates, this document defines close contact as a distance of up to 6 feet.