WHNP Dumps - Women Health Nurse Practitioner Updated: 2023

The harrowing mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, has again thrust the U.S. back into the all-too-familiar and increasingly frustrating cycle of grief, rage and legislative stagnation.

A predictable pattern ensues: Gun violence kills people. Assault weapons are blamed. The focus is redirected to mental illness as a scapegoat. Then heads go back into the sand.

As a nurse practitioner specializing in psychiatric mental health, I am concerned and frustrated.

First, a reality check: While the trauma of Maine will continue to haunt its citizens for years, the gun violence in America is unparalleled elsewhere in the world. Developed allies such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and Switzerland report comparable prevalence of mental illness.

But they have significantly lower rates of gun violence.

Why? They have stricter gun laws. The myth of mental illness as a predisposition to violence reigns in the U.S., even though those with severe mental illnesses are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators of violent acts. Undoubtedly, in rare instances, serious mental diseases that are not well managed can increase the risk of violent behavior. Let's face it: If someone kills another, then that person arguably has a disconnect from morals, laws or reality.

We can't ignore that the Maine gunman, an Army reservist, struggled with paranoia and hallucinations, or that the mental health of military personnel hasn't been significantly addressed. But pointing a finger at mental illness alone is shortsighted and potentially dangerous. Already, those with mental illnesses are inherently a vulnerable group, placed further at risk by ignorant stigmas and stereotypes.

Focusing on keeping firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill also is naive. These individuals may avoid mental health care to not be labeled. If the Maine shooter purchased his guns prior to visiting a professional for mental health care, the restriction wouldn't have worked.

Mental health officials must respect patient privacy and the security of health care data. So implementing a database to track the mental health information of people deemed unfit to have guns would be monumental, require interstate cooperation and risk human error. Psychiatric diagnoses may change, fall into remission or be cured.

Moreover, mental illnesses have distinctions. Insomnia is different than paranoia, which is different than grief. Targeted background checks based on mental illness diagnosis will clearly not be a panacea, if even tenable.

We have another option. Americans, including gun owners, overwhelmingly support universal and stricter background checks for all. Background checks provide an increased sense of safety and security within communities.

Political leaders also should consider:

■ Nationwide mandatory waiting periods between applying for and purchasing a firearm.

■ Safety classes before licensing.

■ A ban on assault rifles and other firearms designed for military combat.

■ Red flag laws allowing a judge to temporarily remove weapons during acute episodes of psychosis, mania or other mental illnesses linked to impulsivity.

These policies uniformly will lessen gun violence without simply blaming mental illness as the single causative factor. We know this because these measures already have been effective in other countries.

Combating gun violence necessitates a thorough and multidimensional approach. It is critical to Strengthen mental health services and make sure that everyone in America, especially veterans, has access to care. We can better address the nascent seeds of violence and promote a culture of support and resilience by strengthening community resources, improving crisis intervention services and removing obstacles to mental health care.

That starts with reducing the stigma perpetuated by false claims of violent potential.

The killings in Maine are yet another reminder of the complexity and urgency with which the public health epidemic of gun violence in America must be addressed. We are failing miserably. The people of America deserve better than "thoughts and prayers."

We can pay tribute to the victims of gun violence by supporting comprehensive gun control, investing in mental health services and creating a culture that values safety and well-being. The time for inaction has passed, and we are reminded too often that the cost of remaining passive is immeasurable.

Stewart is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner in Las Vegas. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

DR Jeff Foster is The Sun on Sunday’s resident doctor and is here to help YOU.

Dr Jeff, 43, splits his time between working as a GP in Leamington Spa, Warks, and running his clinic, H3 Health, which is the first of its kind in the UK to look at hormonal issues for both men and women.

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See h3health.co.uk and email at drjeff@the-sun.co.uk.

Q: I GAVE up smoking 13 months ago after being a heavy smoker for 45 years.

I felt so much better at first, but then I started to feel poorly and developed a sticky sap on my teeth which I’ve had for seven months.

My GP is not taking it seriously.

I’ve bought mouthwash, tooth brushes, tablets etc, but nothing is working.

Please help me.

Jill Collins, Bridgend

A: People are aware of the risks that smoking has on our bodies, but often don’t realise the adverse health risks on our mouth and teeth.

Smoking increases the risk of tooth staining, gum disease, tooth loss and even mouth cancer.

Tooth staining often has a sap-like appearance and is a result of nicotine and tar that is found in the tobacco.

Symptoms can persist for months or years after prolonged smoking has occurred.

Smoking also causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream to the gums, which increases the risk of gum disease.

You need a dentist, not a a GP.

Using mouthwash, toothbrushes and tablets is important, but there is no substitute for regular professional assessment and treatment by a dentist, who will be able to look at how you can Strengthen your oral hygiene and the wellbeing of your teeth and gums.

Q: I’M in my 40s and just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

I’m overwhelmed.

What should I do first? There is so much information out there.

What is the best diet? And why would I get it now?

There is no history in my family, I am a good weight and I don’t drink.

Sarah Barratt, Leeds

A: Although it is unusual to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes later in life, it is not impossible, and there are various reasons for it.

Unlike type 2 diabetes, type 1 is not related to lifestyle, obesity or calorie consumption.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that can occur as a result of a genetic/inherited faulty gene, it can be as a result of other medical conditions, viral infections or, most commonly, just bad luck.

Type 1 diabetes results in the destruction of the islet cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, so the only treatment is external insulin injections.

A low sugar diet is important to prevent sugar spikes. Your diabetic nurse will help run through the best diet plan for you.

It may seem like a devastating diagnosis, but as long as you look after yourself, you can lead a near normal life.

Patients at Groningen University’s teaching hospital UMCG who ask doctors questions in writing are being answered by a chatbot using artificial intelligence, in what the hospital says is a first in Europe.

An AI application included in patients’ digital records allows the chatbot to scan the relevant information and formulate a response. This draft answer is then checked by the relevant healthcare professional and sent on.

The UMCG says it expects the new system will “significantly reduce the administrative burden on doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers”.

“It’s wonderful to see what artificial intelligence is capable of,” said the university’s chief medical information officer Tom van der Laan.

“But healthcare remains human work: there is always a doctor or nurse who checks the answer before we send it. Artificial intelligence can support the work and make it easier, but healthcare professionals are irreplaceable, for the moment at least.”

Every week, patients submit over 1,200 written questions to UMCG, ranging from pain management and being allowed to exercise or work again after surgery. “It’s very simple,” says Van der Laan. “If healthcare providers have to spend less time on these administrative tasks, there will be more time for the patient.”

The system, which has undergone trials over the past few months, is not a self-learning system and cannot learn from patient data to ensure privacy, he said.

Similar systems are already being used in several hospitals in the US, where the experience has been positive, Van der Laan said. “Artificial intelligence not only appears to provide more informative and comprehensive answers but does so with more empathy. We expect to have the same positive experiences in the Netherlands,” he said.

Van der Laan expects the role of AI in healthcare to expand in the current years. “AI can also, for example, create a patient-friendly summary of a surgery report, or write a discharge letter for a family doctor,” he said.

The system is likely to be expanded to other hospitals in the Netherlands in the coming months.

By Anne Blythe

With Thanksgiving and other winter holidays on the horizon, families and friends are making plans to gather indoors for customary meals and festivities.

For many, the rush to get updated COVID vaccines and flu shots before these celebrations has become almost as traditional in exact years as rounding up the fixings for favorite side dishes and desserts.

Now there are also vaccines for RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, to consider to help tamp down respiratory viruses that pose a triple threat as the year comes to a close and a new one begins.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a series of steps last week that people can take to “stay healthy during the holidays.”

Anybody who remembers the coronavirus pandemic updates from Mandy Cohen, the former secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, might recognize the tenor of the recommendations. Cohen was sworn in on July 10 as the 20th CDC director. She has encouraged anyone who’s eligible to get a flu shot and updated COVID vaccine. 

“I know many people are thinking, ‘Well, I had COVID, or I’ve already been vaccinated,’ but this new COVID vaccine is updated to match the changes in the virus and restore protection that does decrease over time,” Cohen said in a video posted to Facebook and Instagram. “It’s similar to the flu shot you get every year. The updated COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older, and it’s free for everyone — either through your insurance or through a CDC vaccine program.”