Archive for February, 2008

Doing Business Better Than Usual: Words at Work

Friday, February 29th, 2008

By D. Menikoff Business communication is more than annual reports. It’s the employee handbook and grant proposals, press releases and business plans, stockholders presentations and these days, the company blog. Your business communications reflects everything your organization stands for and should reflect the same high quality as the work you do. This is true for any business, regardless of size. Make sure your business communications make a stellar first impression. Make sure everyone is on the same page. Clear communication of company policies and procedures can mean the difference between a productive, secure workplace and a workplace full of people who don’t quite know where they stand. Procedural and policy manuals may not be the sexiest type of corporate communication, but they can be among the most important. The same clarity is important when communicating with clients via user guides or technical manuals. Do you have new products to offer or an upgrade to roll out? Make sure your clients understand what’s has changed and how it that change effects how they use your product. By keeping customers and clients “in the know,” you demonstrate how valuable they are to you and keep them happy. And informed, happy clients make faster, more profitable decisions when it comes time to go for the up-sell. Presentation is everything. Are you hoping to land that big client or interest the right investors? Maybe your annual stock holders meeting is coming up. With a thoughtfully constructed argument supported by clear, concise information, you will inspire trust, gain your audience’s confidence and win them over. Presentations also mean take away material or handouts. Of course, these need careful editing and proofreading-just like any other written communications-but because they are supporting materials, you must make sure the message in these materials line up with the message of your verbal presentation. You don’t want people reviewing them later and getting contradictory messages. Sure, public speaking can be a nerve-wracking experience. But a well-prepared presentation and a little practice-alone and in front a few honest but critical audience members-means you’ll be much more relaxed when it comes time for the real show and your audience will see that extra confidence. Open a dialogue. A corporate blog is a great way to give your organization a voice and can be a great way to reach out to your market, deliver information to your internal staff and create buzz about new ventures or ideas. Blogs can be one of the most effective and efficient communications tools in your marketing arsenal but in order to be an effective communication tool, they involve planning up front as well as ongoing content to keep it fresh and vital. Review. Revise. Refresh. Nothing beats making a great first impression and in most cases, it’s your marketing and communications materials that people encounter first. Review all your business communications periodically for accuracy and freshness. As your business grows and changes, your business papers, employee handbooks and marketing materials will grow and change as well. Business as usual will not do if your business and its public face are not in sync. Deborah Menikoff, a Web and marketing consultant with almost 20 years developing print and online programs, spent years in creative agencies and the publishing industry before founding Modern Parlance, a multi-service content consultancy. A sought after wordsmith and public speaker, she provides insight, humor and valuable advice on a variety of topics including marketing, publishing, travel and new media. Visit the Modern Parlance Web site for more information or to catch up on our monthly blog, The Reading Room. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D._Menikoff http://EzineArticles.com/?Doing-Business-Better-Than-Usual:-Words-at-Work&id=558445 ambien lowest prescription price without legal ambien or other sleep aids ambien cr 7 mexico ambien

Why Protein is the Key to Fat Loss

Friday, February 29th, 2008

By Mark King Foods rich in protein provide the key to burning fat, a new study has revealed. The research, which made front-page news around the world, has shown that protein-rich foods, such as meat, chicken, fish and whey protein, are ideal for fighting fat. Scientists have found that a gut hormone called PYY (short for peptide YY3-36) is released when you eat protein-rich foods. It works simply by fooling your brain into thinking your stomach is full. “We’ve now found that increasing the protein content of the diet augments the body’s own PYY, helping to reduce hunger and aid weight loss,” says lead author of the study Dr. Rachel Batterham. One of the issues has been that most of us just arent eating enough protein. Weve been recommending higher consumption of protein for some time, and it was good to see that scientists are discovering the reasons why protein-rich diets help you lose fat faster. Batterham’s team first looked at what kind of food best satisfies hunger . They studied nine obese men and 10 normal-weight men. After brief fasts, the men ate different meals. Each of the meals a high-protein meal, a high-fat meal, and a high-carbohydrate meal had the same number of calories. All the men said the high-protein meal best satisfied their hunger. Measurements showed the high-protein meal triggered the most PYY in all of the men. Batterham’s team also genetically engineered a mouse strain that did not have the PYY gene. These mice ate huge amounts of food, and quickly became obese. Normally, obese mice fed a high-protein diet will eat less and lose weight. But a high-protein diet didn’t help the PYY-defective mice lose weight unless they also got PYY treatments. So, is it possible to make a pill that contains PYY? The problem with this idea is that PYY is a protein. So, if you take it in tablet form itll be broken down and wont pass into the blood. “One potential weight loss strategy, suggests Dr Batterham, is to increase the satiating (sense of feeling full) power of the diet and promote weight loss through the addition of dietary protein harnessing our own satiety system. In other words, the best way to increase your PYY levels is simply to eat more protein-rich foods. Protein helps fool your brain into thinking your stomach is full, making it easier to control your hunger. This doesnt mean that you need to go on one of these low carbohydrate diets and eat nothing but protein and fat. You need to eat enough protein to satisfy your hunger and preserve lean muscle, but carbohydrate is important to fuel your workouts. Dont cut it out completely. Most people will need around 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight (2.2 grams per kilogram), which is a safe level of intake for most healthy individuals. So, if you weigh 180 pounds (82 kilograms), youll need approximately 180 grams of protein per day. Eds. Note: Its hard to get adequate protein in your diet, especially if youre busy and you dont have the time to shop for, cook and prepare healthy meals. And a lot of high-protein foods, such as red meat, eggs and cheese, can be very high in saturated fat. The solution is to use protein shakes and bars, like Promax and Promax Diet from the sports nutrition company Maximuscle, to boost your protein intake or one of the many other brands that sell protein products. Mark King/Zef Eisenberg. See more articles like this at http://www.musclebulletin.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_King http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Protein-is-the-Key-to-Fat-Loss&id=426409 ambien used to rape 90 ambien pill ambien and alochol ativan benefits

Spring Flower Gardening

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

By Linda Jenkinson Spring is the time when nature and your garden awakes and comes alive after the long winter. That first spring flower or that first green leave is the sign that winter in coming to an end and that a new growing season has arrived. Spring and Flower gardening is almost synonymous. Spring is the time to interplant perennials, shrubs, roses and plant or transplant your annuals. Its time to shape up your soil, loosen the mulch around your plants and prune your early blooming shrubs. Rake and remove leaves and debris from your garden. Without a good planting medium your flower garden will never be at its best. Perennials will save you a lot of work in your flower garden. So keep perennials high on your list. These hardworking beauties eliminate yearly replanting and will still give you that spring and summer color that you are longing for. Its best to choose varieties that dont need a lot of staking or frequent division. Notorious sun lovers are daylilies, sedium, and speedwell. Plants like hosta, fern, sweet woodruff and columbine feel more at easy in the shadow. Flower Bulbs add a splash of color to your spring garden. Sprinkle some crocuses, daffodils, and of course tulips between your flower beds. Flower bulbs are almost essential in a spring flower garden. If you havent planted them last spring make sure you do so coming fall. An important part of spring gardening is getting on top of the weeds. Most weeds are fairly easy to control when you start taking them out from early spring on. At that time they still have a shallow root system and because they havent bloomed yet they havent reproduced either. Taking care of them in spring will pay off big in summer. Spring, its really the growing season, and for a gardener its perhaps the most beautiful and promising time of the year. Linda is the leading author of http://www.gardening-guides.com/ and http://www.lawnmower-guide.com/. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Jenkinson http://EzineArticles.com/?Spring-Flower-Gardening&id=122132 ambien and depression ambien coma ativan affects nervous system ambien xanax

Packaging Products/Services

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

By Daniel Wadleigh A smart way to elevate yourself above the competition and get the sale in the first place is from packaging products/services. If you offer valuable items, bundle them with a single price for both; don’t break out the prices for each one unless they ask. When you do this, you will appeal to 75% of the marketplace. (25% only want the lowest price for what they expected; more on that later) It’s a good idea to still offer the single items for those “control freaks,” but 1st offer the bungled rate. If you sell cars, bundle with a trailer. If you sell chiropractic, bundle with some supplements. If you sell food, bundle with sauces and instructions. (the fast food industry took off with “combos”) If you sell lawn-care, bundle with flowers and fertilizers. If you sell horses, bundle with saddles and lessons. If you sell diamond rings, bundle with matching earrings. If you sell hats, bundle with matching belts/buckles. They want the extras. The justification of a discount or added value assists them in making the buy decision from you instead of your competition. Daniel Wadleigh is a nationally published marketing consultant and has programs for start-up and existing businesses including effective web sites, e-mail/database, other non-internet ways to drive them to your website, and low cost ways to get more new customers. Go to: http://www.more-new-customers.com to get free copy of “Marketing to Men vs. Women- the 8 different responses” and a Free copy of “Market Research- 7 Questions to Ask to Start-up and 7 to Ask to Improve Any Business.” Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Wadleigh http://EzineArticles.com/?Packaging-Products/Services&id=140583 ambien cr 25 mg buy ambien where buy zolpidem for 100 ativan generic

Adverse Credit Homeowner Loans - Braving the Difficult Winds of Adverse Credit

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Steve_C_Clark]Steve C Clark When my wife was enquiring me about the progress of the homeowner loan that we were planning to take, my six year old said something that put me to deep thought. The subject was the constant refusals by a large number of loan providers because my credit file showed adverse credit history. On this my son remarked that when needs do not cease from emerging because you have adverse credit, why do loan providers refuse loans on the ground. Though this is a childish statement with little or no correlation, it requires active thinking. It is true that only because you are needy, banks cannot lend you. Banks and financial institutions have a lending policy, according to which they have to first confirm that there is not much risk in a particular application. But, can loan providers continue by refusing loans to a group that is growing with leaps and bounds. While a few loan providers have stuck to their ageold lending policies, a large number of loan providers in the UK have changed themselves according to the new environment. A new loan, by the name of adverse credit homeowner loan, has been designed to cater to the needs of the borrowers with adverse credit. Adverse credit homeowner loan is the homeowner loan lent to borrowers with adverse credit. For readers who havent experienced bad credit history till now, let me remind that it can result from anything with a simple default to bankruptcy. Each instance gets recorded in the borrowers credit file. The borrower who has got a bad remark on his credit file will be termed as a problem case. Such borrowers face problems during applying for loans. Adverse credit homeowner loans however do not pose much of a problem (provided proper search criteria are utilized). This is because adverse credit homeowner loan is offered against the home of borrowers. Adverse credit homeowner loans employ the equity present in home. The advantage of this method is that borrower is able to use the accumulated equity in home. The use of equity in this loan also makes it known as adverse credit home-equity loan. Will this result in the borrower moving house. This is not necessary. The myths regarding moving fall flat with this disclosure. The loan providers only demand the property documents. Thus it is only nominal transfer of ownership. Borrower can claim back his property papers after the term of adverse credit home owner loan ends and borrower has completely settled off his loan accounts. However loan providers can repossess home if borrower defaults. Loan providers are tolerant enough to ignore one default. But, when the defaults continue, loan providers will undertake repossession proceedings. There are certain differences between regular homeowner loans and adverse credit homeowner loans. Regular homeowner loans are for people who have a good credit history. Good credit history signifies that borrowers will keep up on repayments without any failure. Going by the same logic, borrowers with adverse credit history have an increased probability of default. The differences are a result of this higher risk probability. Firstly, the amount that one qualifies for under adverse credit homeowner loans is comparatively lower. Also, the interest charged will be on the higher side. However, negotiations and bargaining do work for adverse credit homeowner loans. There are loan providers who are ready to offer attractive terms on adverse credit homeowner loans. The question that will ring in your mind is that why I wasnt able to get and adverse credit homeowner loan. The reason was a defective search criterion that I was using to find adverse credit homeowner loans. Because of work pressure, I contacted only the local lenders .They were nearer to my home and office and I could have easily visited the lender. At the advice of my friends who had taken homeowner loans in the past, I preferred local lenders. I was told that I as a borrower will have to regularly visit the loan provider for completing formalities. However, the local lenders were of the type who would treat adverse credit borrowers as outcastes. I was introduced to online loan search and loan application by a reputable bank. The bank official said that I can contact them through their website instead of coming to their office. Further research showed that I can find a lot many loan providers who deal in adverse credit homeowner loans through an online search. There are many more processes that one can cover online. Rate comparison, loan application etc are a few of them. Since then I have always been using the online method of application and search and have found the method much more convenient. Steve Clark can tell you how to look better, live better and breathe better by giving you tips to improve your finances. He writes on loans. His ideas can help you rejuvenate your money. To find Secured homeowner loans,bad credit homeowner loans,online homeowner loans, [http://www.easyhomeownerloans.co.uk/Secured_loan_for_homeowner.html]Adverse credit homeowner loans visit http://www.easyhomeownerloans.co.uk Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_C_Clark http://EzineArticles.com/?Adverse-Credit-Homeowner-Loans—Braving-the-Difficult-Winds-of-Adverse-Credit&id=122123 ambien and narcolepsy where can i buy generic ambien ambien zolpidem boards online qoclick ativan v tach

Another Message from the Throne

Monday, February 25th, 2008

By Darlene Flores I feel like I am really alone in the wilderness, kind of like John the Baptist; but God has given me a task out here and that is to warn His People and sound the Trumpet. We are in the final war: the war will be waged against the Church. WE are the people of the book of Revelation. When the Apostle John looked deep into the future, and looked at the people in the Book of Revelation God was showing him us. He was showing John the modern Church. 21Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorcery’s, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. Revelation 9:21 (These have spiritual applications: Fornication- is spiritual adultery Sorcery or Witchcraft- is controlling or manipulating others Murder also has a spiritual application There is a two-fold message in the book of Revelation- one is God’s judgment against His Church and the other is His Judgment against the world. But Judgment begins in the House of God first ) God was showing him the church of our day and the false and contaminated teachings that are being taught all across the world. They are false because they don’t come from the Heart of God and they are contaminated because they are a mixture of the truth with a mixture of “doctrines of demons” and we have been so contaminated that we are not able to tell the difference, between what is coming from the Heart of God and what is not. So Jesus took me on a 4 year journey to many, many different churches, showing me each church and the spiritual atmosphere in each church. And when the King speaks from His Throne, he is not always so nice and sweet and honey like. The King speaks with the Roar of a Lion. He speaks as our Commander in Chief, as the Conquering King. He will come and make war with His Church. Then he will rapture His Bride. Then the Wrath of God will be poured out upon the world, but many people from the Church will remain after the rapture to experience the 7 bowls of God’s wrath. These will take the form of a Nuclear War that is going to start in the United States which Jesus told me is Spiritual Babylon. If you read Revelation 17 and 18- you will find a description of the modern day Charismatic, Spirit filled church which has her throne in the United States and also the Nuclear Attack that will strike Spiritual Babylon. “In one hour her judgment has come” One of America’s greatest crimes against God is abortion. God hears the agonizing screams of those babies that are ripped out of their mother’s womb and He can no longer with-hold judgment. The rapture is going to happen soon, very soon. So it is time for all of us to repent and seek first the kingdom of God above all things and cry out to Jesus: “Please make me worthy to be counted as your Bride. Please teach me what it means to be your Bride” That is my heart cry to Him also. I am just delivering the Message to His People but that does not mean that I am exempt from applying the things I am sharing to myself. Well once again- I think I will save these words and send them out to God’s other prophets and leaders. I had planned a different thing but I think the above is meant for all of us. You can read other prophetic writings of Darlene at her websiteWarrior Bride End Times Prophetic Ministries You can reach me by emailing me at bridewarrior@lycos.com. I will put you on my email list to include in my mass mail outs from week to week. I am a good friend of Matthew Robert Payne who is here also and has set up this account for me. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darlene_Flores http://EzineArticles.com/?Another-Message-from-the-Throne&id=362533 ambien humor ativan information stilnox zolpidem tartrate ativan recreational use

What Would It Take For You To Learn How to Attract Women Without Questioning Any Of It

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

By Teddy Shabba Many times a man has chosen to accept whatever he has been told when it comes to attracting women. Even if accepting that reality means a lifetime of unhappiness or at least not as happy as he would like it to be. Yet some men even if only for a moment of curiosity believe that there might be another way. When it comes to attracting women a man during his moment of curiosity discovers a site claiming to teach him how to attract women. The more you read the more excited you become about having the option to attract women. By the end of the articles you are no longer will to accept your reality and are excited about the reality of attracting women being in your life. After purchasing the how to attract women book you read and you learn this better way to have beautiful women in your life. Yet nothing has or will change in your life you still are not attracting women. Why? Why is it easier for you to live a life without beautiful women in your life than it is to make those changes in order to have beautiful women in your life? What has to happen in your life right now in order for you to make the changes in your life you need to make in order to attract beautiful women in your life? Perhaps you believe that whatever seduction techniques you learn really will not help you attract beautiful women. If so what would it take for you to give 90 days of doing exactly what I say it takes in order to attract women without questioning any of it if the results are you then have the ability to attract women whenever and wherever you want rather that doing what you do now and getting what you get. Teddy Shabba is a Dating Coach for Men and creator of Dating Advice and Tips for Men which provides an abundance of information for men on dating and more. If you would like more information on how to attract, seduce and meet women sign up for the Teddy Shabba Dating Advice Newsletter for Men today. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Teddy_Shabba http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Would-It-Take-For-You-To-Learn-How-to-Attract-Women-Without-Questioning-Any-Of-It&id=285162 is ambien safe during pregnancy ambien keyword lorazepam drug test buy generic ambien without a valid prescription

Famous Names in Barbecue

Wednesday, February 20th, 2008

By Chris McCarthy They are grilling celebrities in their own right. You’ve seen them on TV and you see their cookbooks lined along the shelves of your local bookstore. They may have different backgrounds and a variety of cooking styles, but just like you, they all share the same passion and that is for grilling and barbecues. Bobby Flay is one of the most successful chefs who specialize in grilling and barbecues. In 1991, Flay’s restaurant, Mesa Grill opened and was dubbed as the Best Restaurant by New York magazine. In 1993, Chef Bobby Flay was voted as James Beard Foundation’s Rising Star Chef of the Year. It was during the same year that his other restaurant, Bolo opened. Bobby Flay’s love affair with the grill can be best experienced through his TV shows, BBQ with Bobby Flay, Hot Off the Grill with Bobby Flay, and Boy Meets Grills, as well as his cookbooks Boy Meets Grill, and its sequel, Boy Gets Grill. Larry Gerber a.k.a. The BarBeQue Man. Dubbed as the BarBeQue Man or simply Que, Larry Gerber has become the face and voice of virtually anything related to grilling and barbecues. His company, Barbeque Man, does endorsements and promotions of various barbecue-related products, events, and issues. Apart from being a personal chef, he also writes for different national culinary publications, hosts a TV show called Culinary Adventures, and can be heard on many radio stations in the upper Midwest as he talks about the fine art of barbecuing and grilling. Mike Mills is often referred to as The Legend in the world of grilling and barbecuing because of his family’s treasured barbecue sauce. Between 1989 and 1994, his team, the Apple City BBQ team won hundreds of awards and accolades in various barbecue competitions. They even hold the record for being four-time World Champions and for being three-time Grand World Champions, which no other team has ever bee able to beat so far. Today, Mike Mills owns 17th Street Bar & Grill in Murphysboro, IL and has published a book entitled, Peace, Love, and Barbecue: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales, and Outright Lies from the Legends of Barbecue in 2005. Steve Raichlen is a journalist, cooking teacher, award winning author and PBS TV host. His best-selling Barbecue Bible cookbook series (more than 2 million copies in print) and Barbecue University TV show on PBS has changed the American barbecue for the better. In August, 2003, Raichlen defeated Iron Chef Roksbura Michiba in a bbq battle on Japanese television. Some other famous quotes about Raichlen include: Oprah called him the Gladiator of Grilling and Howard Stern hailed him as the Michael Jordan of Barbecue. Now, aren’t you just inspired to get out there and cook the most amazing barbecue recipes yourself? Not a problem get your grill ready, hit your local meat shop or grocery store and logon to InsaneChickens BBQ Sauce Catalog and get their delicious recipes ranging from barbecue to vegetarian recipes. And of course, check out their wide range of sauces and marinades to further make your grilling dishes insanely bold and daring. Chris McCarthy is the owner of InsaneChicken’s BBQ Sauce Catalog. InsaneChicken is proud to sell Blair’s Hot Sauce and some of the Worlds hottest hot sauces Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_McCarthy http://EzineArticles.com/?Famous-Names-in-Barbecue&id=212782 pharmacy order phentermine online pharmacy phentermine cod order phentermine diet pills phentermine 37.5 no prescription needed

Winter Wedding Ideas

Monday, February 18th, 2008

By Vicki Churchill Getting married is the best day of any ones life, traditionally most wedding are in the summer months due to the weather being wonderful and the days being longer. However more and more often people are booking their weddings in the winter, my self included. What can be more wonderful than attending a wedding where the bride is all in white and the snow matches her dress, usually the guests will be wrapped in scarves and gloves giving a soft warm feel. There are so many winter wedding ideas that you need to consider, having a winter wedding can be magical especially if you have snow on your wedding day as this can be the perfect wedding setting and look stunning your your photographs The main thing if you are planning a winter wedding is to plan well in advance, this way you can enjoy and benefit from the finest assortment of winter wedding ideas available. As with most things the best place to look when searching for winter wedding ideas is the internet, you might even find what you are looking for in magazines or by word of mouth. If you have ever attended a winter wedding its worth contacting the bride and groom and asking them for some winter wedding ideas. One of the most important winter wedding ideas is the flowers as you will be limited in choice at this time of year. The most traditional flowers such as roses and lilies thankfully are available throughout the year, however if you are looking for something different you will need to plan this in advance to make sure that it will be available. You will also need to consider winter wedding ideas for favors, you will need to keep in the winter theme so that they do not look out of place, wedding favors are something you could make yourself such a place cards with snow flakes on them. If you do not have to time to make them your self then they can easily be found on the internet and magazines, you may even find the perfect winter wedding ideas whilst searching for favors Once you have found some winter wedding ideas it is worth shopping around to make sure you have got the best price available and booking things early is imperative as availability may be limited. Most people know that planning the perfect wedding is not an easy task, and more so in the winter. Do not let this put you off, from my own experiences having a winter wedding and looking for winter wedding ideas can be so for filling and once you have found some perfect winter wedding ideas and have begun your journey you will never look back. Vicki Churchill is the owner of Wedding Table Ideas, a site that specializes in Wedding Centerpiece, Wedding Table, Wedding Decorations, Seating Plans & all your wedding needs. And alsoWedding Flowers Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vicki_Churchill http://EzineArticles.com/?Winter-Wedding-Ideas&id=516303 purchase phentermine 37.5 buy phentermine cod no prescription phentermine with online prescription phentermine 37.5 no prescription overnight

Survival Guide for Palliative Care RNs

Saturday, February 16th, 2008

By Jill Laird Two nurse leaders offer their top tips 1. Set up routine processes and algorithms so nurses can more easily make decisions about treating immediate patient needs. The most effective nurses are the best-supported nurses. Providing proper training and developing routine processes and algorithms empower nurses to make decisions about treatment when appropriate. Opportunities for quick physician consultation also provides nurses with the support they need. At Mount Carmel Health System, nurses interact with physicians five days a week in daily rounds. There are weekly interdisciplinary team meetings that further strengthen this interdisciplinary collaboration. At the meetings, the team discusses cases in more detail, shares information, solves problems and learns from each member. A palliative care physician is on-call 24 hours per day, seven days per week. At Massey Cancer Center, there are 18 evidence-based algorithms in place which are reviewed every year and approved by the attending physicians for palliative care patients on our unit. Trained nurses on the unit can use the algorithms to promptly treat dsypnea, anxiety or pain, for example, which makes them better able to respond quickly to patient and family needs. Patients get immediate treatment and positive outcomes without needing to wait for the doctor. The nursing staff knows they are giving the right treatment in a timely fashion. 2. Create a culture of flexibility and responsiveness to patient needs. Even with good processes and procedures in place, there may be uncertainty and gray areas. For instance, understanding a patient’s goals of care can be time consuming and complex. However, these conversations are critical to providing appropriate care. By focusing on and setting a patient’s goals of care, it’s much easier to know how to proceed. If you’re wondering whether to draw a lab on a patient or provide antibiotics to an elderly person with aspiration pneumonia, there is no right or wrong textbook answer. The answers should be determined by whether these actions meet the goals of care. Guidelines in a unit or on a service are necessary, but they should not be viewed as hard and fast rules. Here are two cases from Massey Cancer Center to illustrate the point: Massey Cancer Center doesn’t usually allow overnight visits by children, but a nine-year-old slept with his mom on the unit two days before she died. That was the right thing to do in that situation. In another case, Massey Cancer Center made an exception to the usual rule of extubation before transfer to the unit. The case involved a 38-year-old father from the ICU who’d been in a motor vehicle accident. The ICU team feared that he might die immediately from removal of the tube. By leaving it in, he had 24 hours in a supportive environment with his wife and daughter. 3. Think beyond hospital walls to the broader continuum of care. Hospitals need to think beyond their own walls when devising a good palliative care plan for a patient. Nurses should ask, “What is realistic in terms of caregiving, finances and outcomes outside the hospital?” Patients and families need education on their options. Build those outside options and agencies into the plan of care, and communicate with receiving agencies. In order to ensure an orderly transition from one setting to another, patients’ medical information and reports should be sent to the appropriate outside agencies. 4. Build in a support structure of nursing staff to prevent burnout. An improperly structured palliative care team can lead to nurse burnout. It is critical to have adequate staffing and an interdisciplinary team with a high degree of collaboration to help mitigate burnout. The support and collaboration of the interdisciplinary team alleviates the perception by nurses who often think and feel they are saving the world by themselves. Prepare staff through education and training. Teach staff communication skills and how to have difficult conversations. Providing the appropriate tools nurses need to take care of patients greatly impacts the ability for them to continue their work. Obtain administrative buy-in and support. When leaders in the organization value what nurses are doing there is a sense of esprit de corps among the staff. When all staff is doing the same thing - giving the right care at the same time - it is rewarding and people feel a sense of connection and purpose, which improves retention and reduces burnout. At Massey Cancer Center, an annual memorial service with family members is a very rewarding event for everyone. They also hold an annual staff retreat where the interdisciplinary team spends a day off the unit, further developing relationships and team building. The best services are those with a close-knit group of nurses who look out for each other. Encourage nurses to use their vacation time and make it easy for them to take it when they need it. Help them find sources of relaxation. The chaos of the average day can be hard, so it’s important to get mental and emotional breaks. To view the algorithms, go to http://www.capc.org/signup (E-mail address registration required to access tools.) About The Author Jill Laird, RN, MS, RCNS, and Sharol Herr RN, BSN, MS, share the most important pieces of advice they convey to nurses attending trainings at their Palliative Care Leadership Centers. Laird is Nurse Clinician and Manager of the Thomas Palliative Care Unit at the Palliative Care Leadership Center at Massey Cancer Center of the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond. Herr is the Palliative Nurse Clinician & Education Coordinator for the Palliative Care Leadership Center at Mount Carmel Health System in Columbus, Ohio. For more information on PCLCs, visit http://www.capc.org/palliative-care-leadership-initiative/. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jill_Laird http://EzineArticles.com/?Survival-Guide-for-Palliative-Care-RNs&id=233916 discount phentermine online phentermine buy phentermine phentermine online no perscription buy phentermine with out prescription