Monday, August 20, 2012

Important Health Care Team Members

Just saying the word phlebotomist is quite a mouthful. So, what exactly is a phlebotomist and what do they do? Phlebotomists are trained to collect blood samples. It is very common for a routine doctor's visit or a trip to the Emergency Department to include a blood sample. This can be frightening for a lot of patients. It is the job of the phlebotomist to put their patient at ease and collect the proper sample for the blood tests ordered. The phlebotomy experience starts with the paperwork. The first most important step of a phlebotomy procedure is correctly identifying the patient. It may seem simple, but it is vital. Most errors occur not in the actual testing process, but in the paperwork. Incorrectly labeled samples are a huge problem. There is more work involved in tracking down the correct patient and results than just taking the time to properly identify and label the samples from the start. With the technology of today and a lot of patient privacy laws, more and more companies are using bar-coding for patient identification. A bar code is not readable by a human and cannot tell you if an error has occurred. This is why it is so important to take the simple step at the very beginning to properly identify each and every patient.
The next thing a trained phlebotomist will do is asses the patient. If there are any questions, doubts or fears, now is the time to address them. A phlebotomist knows their job and can easily answer most questions up front. Putting the patient at ease allows for a better experience all around. Patients who are nervous or tense can have a more painful than necessary experience or provide a sample that is sub-par. Extreme tension in a patient will not provide a good sample. Some patients can even tense themselves up to the point of stopping their own blood flow. Phlebotomists can ease the tension of patients by talking to them and walking them step by step through the process. Even chatting about a topic that interests a patient can put them at ease enough to allow for proper collection of a blood sample.
The phlebotomist will then check the orders and obtain the proper sample containers for the blood collection. There are a variety of blood tests available and each one has specific requirements. Your trained phlebotomist knows exactly what tube or container to collect from you based on the order from the doctor. The trained phlebotomist has all the supplies needed on hand. They will then collect the sample from the patient. Each patient and situation is unique and your phlebotomist will be able to collect your blood sample based on your needs.
After the sample is collected, the phlebotomist will then label each sample with the proper labels or actually hand write on the blood tubes. This is another vital step in proper patient identification. After all of this is complete, your blood samples are sent to the laboratory for testing. The result reports are sent to the ordering physician for interpretation. Patients can then discuss their results with their doctor.
The trained phlebotomist is an important member of a health care team. Helping doctors and nurses to understand what is going on with patients through blood testing can reveal a lot about a patients current condition. With a trained phlebotomist on your side, you are in good hands.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Find a Lumineer Dentist to Improve Your Life

Your smile is an important part of your appearance. Most likely you have seen teeth before that really stood out as being unattractive. It might have given you a poor impression of them. If they are the teeth you see in the mirror everyday, then you might have different thoughts about it, but you still likely feel distaste for them.
There are many things that might cause someone to need a Lumineer dentist. Perhaps you are someone who has played a lot of sports, causing your teeth to become chipped. Maybe your enamel is discolored beyond the power of the over-the-counter whitening kits to fix. Perhaps you just are not happy with the appearance of your teeth. Whatever the reason for desiring Lumineers, you should make sure that you find a Lumineer dentist that you can trust to do a good job on your teeth.
When looking for a Lumineer dentist, make sure to consider their experience, professionalism, and affordability. The dental practitioner you choose should have experience specifically in doing Lumineers. Maybe your current dental practitioner is a good one, but does not specialize in this area. You may want to ask him or her where they would suggest you go.
You should meet with the Lumineer dentist you're considering before committing to their practice. As you meet with them they should treat you with respect by not talking down to you, but they should also be informative and able to answer all your questions. Affordability is probably one of your first thoughts, but it is not the most important consideration. Just make sure that they offer financing options if you are not able to pay upfront or with credit.
The above areas are important as you look for the right dental practitioner. Something that you should also look for is results. As you talk to and visit a few practices, make sure and ask to see before and after photos specifically of Lumineers.
Having a smile that you can be proud of will make such a difference in your life. You will feel more confident on the job and in everyday life. Confidence can do a great deal for you. You will likely find yourself making more friends than before and maybe even more money at work. This is likely not because of your appearance but because of your attitude about how you look. With confidence in your smile, you can now be yourself. If you can afford to have this procedure done, do it. You will not regret helping yourself to enjoy life more.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Symptoms Of Loss

A hearing center may be the place you need to call to find out what is happening to your ability to hear. It is one of the senses people count on but do not think about until it begins to fade. For those who are looking for an opportunity to learn more about their condition, these centers can provide a vast amount of information and guidance. They can answer your questions, provide you with advice, and even help you to restore some of your loss if your condition can benefit from a device.
Symptoms to Look For
If you are unsure if you should make an appointment at a hearing center, determine if you have any symptoms of loss. These can range widely from one person to the next. Sometimes, the best person to ask is a friend or relative who may be living with you or someone that you spend a great deal of time with. What should you look for in this situation?
Many times, sounds will sound muffled. You may have to ask a person to speak more clearly (which is a sign for others to notice, especially if the condition continues to happen). You may have to ask people to speak more slowly or even more loudly just to be able to listen to what they say. Sometimes, it can seem like the other person is just not speaking loud enough, but in fact it is your lack of ability to hear getting in the way.
In other situations, you may have difficulty understanding the words people say. Even if you can hear the rest of the sentence just fine, some words or some specific types of sounds may be hard for you to hear. This can be made even worse in crowded situations or in areas where there is significant background noise.
You may feel the need to turn up the volume on the radio or television in order to hear it well enough. Speaking on the phone may be difficult for you. In other cases, especially when the condition is prolonged without treatment, you may feel yourself avoiding social settings and withdrawing from conversations because you cannot hear well enough to know what is happening.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, now may be the best time for you to take action. It is a good idea for you to spend some time talking with your primary care physician, but this may not provide more than a basic test. It is best to visit a hearing center that can test your hearing immediately and provide solutions right away too. These experts can help you to gain the improvement you need in many cases.