DiaMedical Journal

Celebrating Juneteenth by recognizing Black American Medical Pioneers

Pride Month is a time to celebrate diversity, promote dignity and equal rights, and increase visibility for the LGBTQ community. That being said, it's important to openly discuss that people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) have importantly unique health needs that must be recognized and addressed by their healthcare providers. Culturally competent care is the key to overcoming LGBTQ health disparities and improving health outcomes for this population. Continue reading to learn more about health risks that are common to the LGBTQ community and how training programs are increasing awareness for providers.

Check your AED: Is it FDA approved?

Food allergies have increased steadily over recent years, currently approximately 7% of children in the U.S. Approximately 40% of these children have multiple allergies, and they are at higher risk for allergic reactions and anaphylaxis when they are at camp (1,2,3). This is because they have more opportunities to try different foods than at home or school, and the risk of cross-contamination is higher. In addition, campers may experience bug bites, pet dander, insect stings, snake bites, and other allergens. This blog will describe how camps must prepare to deal with anaphylactic reactions that can arise from food and environmental allergies.

Food allergies have increased steadily over recent years, currently approximately 7% of children in the U.S. Approximately 40% of these children have multiple allergies, and they are at higher risk for allergic reactions and anaphylaxis when they are at camp (1,2,3). This is because they have more opportunities to try different foods than at home or school, and the risk of cross-contamination is higher. In addition, campers may experience bug bites, pet dander, insect stings, snake bites, and other allergens. This blog will describe how camps must prepare to deal with anaphylactic reactions that can arise from food and environmental allergies.

Continuing education for healthcare professionals is often done online because it is convenient for both instructors and staff members. However, psychomotor competencies are best assessed through hands-on demonstrations. This article will describe how clinical educators can use skills trainers to develop annual competencies for nurses and respiratory therapists in healthcare facilities.

Simulation training is a learner-centered approach that provides an engaging alternative to the traditional classroom model. However, integrating simulation into an existing healthcare training can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned educators. DiaMedical USA has partnered with Hudson Simulation to help improve the quality of healthcare by providing innovative tools like the SimVS Virtual Diagnostic Platform to educate the next generation of medical professionals. In addition, the SimVS Virtual Diagnostic Platform allows all types of healthcare training programs to increase their simulation capacity without breaking their budgets. Continue reading to learn more about the SimVS system and why instructors love using it with their students.

World Immunization Week is celebrated annually during the last week of April to promote the use of vaccines and protect people of all ages from disease. Vaccines work with the body’s natural defenses to safely create immunity to pneumonia, meningitis, measles, and many other diseases. Getting vaccinated isn’t fun for anyone, but it’s especially hard on children who are afraid of needles. Keep reading below for some simple tips to make immunizations easier for them.

Maintaining a neutral thermal environment is one of the most important challenges that newborns face after delivery. Clinicians can greatly reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality by minimizing heat loss during the first few hours of life. This blog will explore how the warm chain can be used to protect newborns from the dangers of hypothermia.

Healthcare training programs expect manufacturer warranties to be included when they purchase medical equipment, even though extended warranties and preventative maintenance plans are not. These two options are often confused and many people wonder if they are worth the money. In this blog, we will explore what separates warranties from maintenance and how to keep important medical equipment in good working order.

Even though pressure injuries are most common in adult care units, there is an emerging awareness that acutely ill and immobilized children are also at risk. With relevant knowledge, however, clinicians can help prevent skin breakdown in pediatric settings. This article will describe risk factors for pediatric pressure ulcers and how therapeutic support surfaces can help prevent the development of decubitus ulcers in children.

Training Headwalls are a critical element of any hospital patient room as they help turn any simulation lab into a realistic patient care area. Headwalls are integral for many patient care activities including oxygen therapy, suctioning, and mechanical ventilation. For that exact reason, it is important that students are utilizing headwall features and learning the capabilities so that students are better prepared for clinical settings. This article provides five important considerations to help educators choose the best headwalls for their simulation lab.

High quality CPR and adherence to ACLS guidelines lead to improved patient survival rates following cardiac arrest. For this reason, immediate post cardiac arrest care is now included in the American Heart Association ACLS guidelines. To maintain perfusion to vital organs and prevent brain injury a comprehensive, multidisciplinary system of care is needed. This article will describe five components to include when creating a realistic post cardiac arrest simulation for a nursing and respiratory critical care courses.

A hospital bed is a major investment for any simulation lab. That being said, instructors need to know that they can count on their beds to deliver many years of reliable service. This article describes five important considerations to keep in mind when choosing the right hospital bed for your training program.

In today’s Tuesday Teachings video, nurse educator Sally O’ Meara highlights SimRx Simulated IV Fluids & Blood products by SimLabSolutions. Specifically created to help educators teach best practices in IV Therapy, SimRx Simulated IV Fluids replicate their active counterparts in all physical aspects.

A hospital bed is a major investment for any simulation lab. That being said, instructors need to know that they can count on their beds to deliver many years of reliable service. This article describes five important considerations to keep in mind when choosing the right hospital bed for your training program.

Save time, money and lives with our DiaMedical Diagnostics by DiaMedical. In today's episode, our nurse educator, Sally O'Meara will breakdown features included in DiaMedical Diagnostics and how the equipment can be used in a variety of patient care scenarios. At DiaMedical, our mission is simple: improve the quality of healthcare by providing innovative tools like our Tuesday Teachings series to help educate the next generation of medical professionals.

Save time, money and lives with the SimScreen® by DiaMedical! In today's episode, our nurse educator Sally O'Meara breaks down features of the SimScreen® and how it can be used in a variety of healthcare scenarios. The SimScreen® is an innovative solution for healthcare professionals and instructors looking to enhance their observation setting. The SimScreen® Protective Observation Screen is a cost effective and portable two-way mirror which separates the observer from the student. The SimScreen® also offers space saving advantages for colleges or hospitals with limited space for their simulation lab.