Mask Exemption – Probably Not!

Angie SzumlinskiCompliance

Yes, we are all required to wear masks in most parts of the country if we are indoors or in crowded, outdoor locations. The CDC recommendations state “cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance”. If you …

COVID-19 and Assisted Living

Angie SzumlinskiHealth

We have all been inundated with COVID-19 and the impact it has had on our country and worldwide. However, one area that has been overlooked to some degree has been the assisted living world. In a recent article published in Medscape Nurses, they discussed why more information and guidelines haven’t been available to this sector of senior living when you …

Your Role in Surviving Sepsis Campaign

Angie SzumlinskiHealth

In the 1980s and 1990s, several approaches were developed to counteract what were thought to be important microbial and host mediators in the development of sepsis and septic shock with the goal of reducing mortality. These efforts proved to be unsuccessful in reducing mortality related to sepsis and septic shock. Because of these failures, the focus changed to identifying patients …

Reducing Heat Strain – Cooling Strategies

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic Healthcare personnel are using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) everyday, during the provision of care to their residents. The effect of heat loss related to wearing PPE compared to regular clothing/scrubs can lead to heat strain, dehydration, excessive sweating and increased cardiovascular strain. In an article recently published in the BMJ, heat strain is a real …

Using Technology to Identify COVID-19

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, News, Studies

As with all science, new and old, there are flaws; there is no perfect science. While we navigate through the science of the COVID-19 pandemic, many new and exciting ideas are emerging. Of course, researching these ideas takes time, sometimes many years and we really don’t have that much time. Fortunately, breakthroughs happen every day. A few innovative technologies arising …

Older Happy Americans

Creating “Social Bubbles”

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, News, Studies

Social isolation has many adverse effects on people and can negatively impact seniors as well as young people. Detriments of social isolation are not picky- it affects everyone! Due to this, there has been research on the idea of “Social Bubbles;” so what is a social bubble? Here are a few key points: A social bubble is when two families …

Respirator Mask

To Mask or Not To Mask

Angie SzumlinskiHealth

As more states introduce universal mask requirements, there are a lot of questions on the efficacy of masks and the inconvenience of masking. When the United States first identified the risk of pandemic last winter, national experts indicated that masks were not effective. Today, however, the experts support mask mandates as a means to control the spread of infection. The …

COVID-19 Greatest Risk for Elderly

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, News, Studies

Reports of atypical presentations of COVID-19 have been emerging as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has grown across the globe. Atypical presenting features refer to patients where the constitutional or respiratory symptoms are absent or minimal and other non-respiratory symptoms or signs are early or predominant features. Studies have shown that the greatest risk factor for severe COVID-19 is increasing age, particularly …

Preventing the Spread of COVID-19

Angie SzumlinskiHealth

The spread of COVID-19- Person-to-person transmission most commonly happens during close exposure to a person infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, primarily via respiratory droplets produced when the infected person speaks, coughs, or sneezes. Droplets can land in the mouths, noses, or eyes of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs of those within close …

Facemask/PPE Do’s and Don’ts

Angie SzumlinskiCompliance

As we continue to navigate through the Covid-19 pandemic, many healthcare professionals are becoming numb when it comes to using facemasks. Many of us have been very successful at protecting our residents from the spread of the virus but now is not the time to lower our standards or relax infection control best practices. Here are a few reminders for …