New website

PRIMED is pleased to announce our new website!

After weeks of professional design by our webmaster and advertiser we believe we have a new website that is clean, crisp and more user friendly. We've incorporated new images and student testimonials to the site.
We've also added our spring 2014 CRNE workshop to our Courses and Registration page.
Check it out at www.primededucation.ca

Please note you may need to clear your cache to see the new site if you have visited our old site in the past.

Upstream Thinking

As a nursing student I’m sure you’ve at least HEARD of the Social Determinants of Health. Even if it was WAY back in semester 1 like it was for me. Recently, a physician in Saskatoon reminded me of the importance of these social determinants in a presentation. His name is Dr. Ryan Meili and he even wrote a book about them! This was an amazing talk to listen to, and it really got me thinking about what we can and should be doing as nurses for our patients both in and out of acute care. Obviously the idea with upstream thinking is to catch people before they end up in acute care, however there are still health promotion and disease prevention strategies that we can be using for those acute care patients. Even if in clinical you feel like you don’t have the time, TRY to remember even one teaching item that could help this person once they leave. At the very least ensure you give them some resources to access once they are back in community. Nurses are one of the most trusted professions! Imagine the impact your words have on patients and how your two minutes of teaching on lower glycemic food choices can affect this person’s ability to manage their disease and thereby live a longer and healthier life! For more information about upstream thinking check out  www.thinkupstream.net.

Immunizations

Immunizations are still a hot topic. People just don’t seem to fully trust them and because of this there are many myths. Immunize BC is a great resource for learning about vaccines and has some great ideas for talking to the public.

Some myths that are dispelled on the site are:

Vaccines cause autism – The study that led people to believe this has been discredited

Even if the risk from a vaccine is tiny, why take it when a child's health is at stake? – The risk of contracting one of these diseases is much greater; some of them can even cause death in children.

Why immunize my kids against diseases that aren't around any more? – It may seem like these diseases aren’t around because vaccines have kept them at bay but there is actually a measles outbreak in the Fraser Valley right now.

For more myths and for more information about immunizations check out http://immunizebc.ca/facts-on-immunity/answering-myths

Flu Vaccines are out!

New to the vaccine scene this year is the nasal flu vaccine (Flumist) covered for children ages 2-17. It has actually been shown to provide better protection in kids aged 2-8. One big difference with the Flumist and regular injected vaccines is that Flumist is a live attenuated influenza vaccine. Precautions need to be taken to ensure that Flumist is never injected with a needle. For instructions on administering Flumist, visit the link below:

http://www.bccdc.ca/imm-vac/ForHealthProfessionals/flumistvideo.htm

A few special considerations for the live attenuated influenza vaccine:

It is contraindicated for immunocompromised people, people with severe asthma, those who are pregnant or may soon become pregnant, those with an egg allergy, and those receiving Aspirin therapy currently or within the last 4 weeks.

Special precautions must be made for those who are in contact with severely immunocompromised people. Since the vaccine contains weakened but live virus, in rare occasions, it can be transmitted through respiratory secretions.

Taking antiviral medication at the same time as receiving Flumist has potential to interfere with the immune response.

TB skin tests given in the 4 weeks after receiving Flumist can result in a false negative.

For more information regarding Flu vaccines, check out www.immunizebc.ca

Flu Season is here

It's Flu Season again.  

And when studying for your CRNE it's important to review implications of influenza as well as national and provincial recommendations regarding flu vaccinations.

It's also important to go and get vaccinated, to protect yourselves and your patients.

Here is some exciting information from the BC flu program this year.

New to the publicly funded vaccine scene in BC this year is the nasal flu vaccine (Flumist) covered for children ages 2-17. 

This vaccine has actually been shown to provide better protection in kids aged 2-8. 

One big difference with the Flumist and regular injected vaccines is that Flumist is a live attenuated influenza vaccine. Precautions need to be taken to ensure that Flumist is never injected with a needle. 

For instructions on administering Flumist you can visit the link below:

http://www.bccdc.ca/imm-vac/ForHealthProfessionals/flumistvideo.htm

A few special considerations for the live attenuated influenza vaccine:

It is contraindicated for individuals who are immunocompromised, for people with severe asthma, those who are pregnant or may soon become pregnant, or those with an egg allergy, and those receiving Aspirin therapy within the last 4 weeks.

Special precautions must be made for those who are in contact with severely immunocompromised people. Since the vaccine contains weakened but live virus, in rare occasions, it can be transmitted through respiratory secretions.

Taking antiviral medication at the same time as receiving Flumist has potential to interfere with their immune response, since with the live attenuated type of vaccine, the vaccine must replicate in the body to produce and immune response.  

TB skin tests given in the 4 weeks after receiving Flumist can result in a false negative, so if you are planning on having a TB skin test make sure you inform your nurse if you have received the flu mist.

Here is a great resource for reviewing immunizations and learning more regarding Flu vaccines, check out www.immunizebc.ca 

Thunder Bay Workshop!

We are pleased to announce due to popular demand PRIMED has added a 2 day CRNE prep workshop in Thunder Bay, ON!!
 It is PRIMED's first time holding a course in Thunder Bay, though we have had many students travel from Thunder Bay to our courses in Toronto or take the online course in the past. The course will run the weekend of December 14-15, 2013.
PRIMED facilitators are looking forward to meeting the students there in December.

You can register through our website our by clicking on the link below:
www.eply.com/ThunderBayDecember2013871516

Workshops announced for February 2014 CRNE

PRIMED is happy to announce registration has opened for the January 2014 CRNE prep workshops to get you PRIMED for the February 2014 exam.

Please click on the link below to register online or visit our website at www.primededucation.ca

Live Online Course January 11-12, 2014

www.eply.com/LiveOnlineCRNEReveiwWorkshopJanuary2014851417

Calgary January 11-12, 2014

www.eply.com/CalgaryJanuary2014PRIMEDCRNEReviewWorkshop851317

Edmonton January 18-19, 2014

www.eply.com/EdmontonJanuary2014CRNEReviewWorkshop851517

Vancouver January 18-19, 2014

www.eply.com/VancouverJanuary2012CRNEReviewWorkshop851617

Toronto January 18-19, 2014

www.eply.com/TorontoJanuary2014CRNEReviewWorkshop851717

Ottawa January 25-26, 2014

www.eply.com/OttawaJanuary2014PRIMEDCRNEReviewWorkshop851817

Live Online Course January 25-26, 2014

www.eply.com/LiveOnlineCRNEre4viewWorkshopWinter201859228

Resources and strategies for reducing stress

Most universities have counseling resources available for students and these are great options for people who are having difficulty managing stress. However, if your university is anything like mine, it can take a few weeks to get in…

So, here are some ideas of activities that you can do to reduce stress in the mean time:

Meditation: There are many types of meditation. Relaxation types of meditation may help, but what I had in mind was mindfulness meditation. One method is the RAIN acronym. “R- recognize what is happening in the present moment, A- allow your inner life to unfold just as it is, I – investigate you experiences (sensations, emotions and thoughts), N – non-identify with whatever is there.”  Over the next few days, strive to recognize when a strong emotion is present and simply allow it to be present. Much of our stress and anxiety comes about from resisting the emotions we are experiencing. In order to investigate, it may be helpful to use questions such as: What sensations am I experiencing around this challenge? Where am I experiencing tension? What is the quality of this tension? One important point to remember with investigation is to be gentle with oneself… Lastly, non-identification means that one's sense of self is not tied to the strong emotions one may be experiencing. This allows for much greater flexibility and psychological resilience.”

Johnstone, D. (2012). How to Work with Stress and Challenging Emotions. Pelican News, 68(4), 4.

Yoga: There have been numerous studies on yoga’s ability to reduce stress and although it is to be mentioned that it doesn’t appear to replace other intervention. When used concurrently, yoga has many positive effects on those who practice it, including a reduction in perceived stress and anxiety and increased feelings of well-being. Best results are shown with sessions 2-3 times per week and 60-90 minutes per session.

Jackson, E. M. (2013). STRESS RELIEF: The Role of Exercise in Stress Management. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 17(3), 14-19

Exercise: Exercise of all kinds has a calming effect on the body over time because you release endorphins and because your body is better able to respond to stress. Aerobic exercise appears to have the greatest and most notable affect on stress but studies on resistance training and mind-body focused exercise also reveal benefits. Aerobic exercise broken into frequent 10-15 minute sessions throughout the day proved convenient and effective.

Jackson, E. M. (2013). STRESS RELIEF: The Role of Exercise in Stress Management. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 17(3), 14-19

Drink tea: Now, even though I didn’t really find any studies on tea drinking, I think many would agree that the things in your tea can have a great affect on your body. I suggest a peppermint or chamomile tea and to sip it slowly while doing nothing else for 10 minutes and see how you feel after. It works for me at night and I always fall asleep more easily on the tea drinking nights.

Well hopefully at least one of these gets you into a more zen-like state and you can take a break from the stress and if not, definitely think about seeking some professional help because left too long, stress can have some long standing side effects.

Last few days before the October 2013 exam

Hi there future RNs!

You are in the home stretch before of studying before you write the October 2013 exam. It can be difficult for students to focus on the last weekend and days before the exam so and some students will find it useful to go to the library during this last few days to minimize any distractions.

Remember to practice good sleep hygiene and go to bed an get up the same time every morning that you would before the exam so you get used to having your mind turned on for the morning CRNE start time.

We also encourage all students to practice as many practice questions as you can before the exam so email us if you would like a $10 coupon code of the PRIMED study centre. You can apply the coupon code to a 200 question mock CRNE, 50 questions Mental Health exam and flashcards!

Good luck on the exam and don't forget to make some celebratory plans after the exam!

Mental Health in Nursing

Mental health issues are still one of those things that nurses often struggle with. We learn about the stigmas of mental health and pride ourselves, as nurses, in being understanding but the truth is, many of us still don’t know how to care for our patients with mental illness. I’ve heard from many students during mental heath rotations, “once this is over, I’m never working in mental heath.” The problem with that statement is, no matter where you work, you will see patients with mental illness in your practice. They are ordinary people! A teen with depression can still break their arm; a lady with a personality disorder can still be hospitalized for pneumonia; a man with schizophrenia can still have a heart attack, still need an immunization. It doesn’t matter where you practice, what specialty you have, anyone can have any number of health issues that underlies their current primary diagnosis. 

As a passionate nursing student, I feel it’s my job to treat every person with the same dignity and respect as the next. I’ve had some experience with community mental health and acute psychiatry and although I still have a lot to learn, I feel like I am fulfilling my goals to provide that fair care. I’m happy to say that with our year 3 theme of complexity at my school, many of my classmates DO understand the fact that all areas of care need training in mental health skills. 

Here’s something else to think about. Mental health theory and knowledge is also required of every REGISTERED nurse in Canada. SO, if you’re planning to write the CNRE, then you best have at least a baseline of mental health knowledge. Thankfully PRIMED has a specific mental heath practice quiz for the CNRE so you can test your knowledge and find the areas that you need more learning in. 

For more resources on mental heath, a good place to start is the Canadian Mental Health Nurses Association http://cfmhn.ca. 

Happy Studying!

Eating for your brain!

Eating for your brain!

The North American diet has taking a dangerous shift in the modern age. We’ve traded in
our brain-saving omega-3 fatty acids for saturated or trans fatty acids. As a busy nurse-tobe you need to keep your brain in tiptop shape; omega-3 and a number of other nutrients
play an important role in this goal. They also help keep your brain sharp when you’re
studying for the CRNE!

Omega-3 helps to prevent decline in mental function, and you can find it in salmon, chia,
kiwi and walnuts

Flavonoids have been found to boost brainpower when combined with exercise; you can
find them in green tea, citrus, red wine, and dark chocolate.

B vitamins are great for enhancing memory for women and the most effective ones are
B6, B12 and folate. Many women take B vitamin supplements and if you don’t you can
find them in leafy green veggies, shellfish, grains and fruit to name a few sources.

Iron can help women stabilize cognitive function and it’s found in most meat (red meat,
poultry, fish) along with beans and lentils.

So stock up on these power foods while you are cramming your brain full of  nursing
knowledge and  they could help keep it there! Good luck on the CRNE!

Reference:
Gómez-Pinilla, F. (2008). Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nat Rev Neurosci. 9(7): 568–578. doi:10.1038/nrn2421.