Nursing Continuing Education Online Launches using Open Source Solutions

Open source solutions for the web bring nursing continuing education online. Online classroom implementation has never been easier than with open source content management and learning management systems. Now, nurses can receive nursing continuing education credit at www.healthcmi.com.

Santa Cruz, CA (PRWEB) September 5, 2008 -- The Healthcare Medicine Institute (HealthCMI) launches nursing continuing education online courses using open source solutions for the web at www.healthcmi.com . "Open source solutions allow our learning management systems to operate on any type of server and all browsers including those for Mac OSX, Windows, and Linux thereby bringing the online classroom to all nurses with access to the internet," notes Adam White, President of the Healthcare Medicine Institute. At HealthCMI, nurses simply download course materials, take an online quiz, and automatically receive a certificate of completion for nursing continuing education credit. "HealthCMI provides California Board of Registered Nursing approved online courses. In addition, HealthCMI is adding Florida Board of Nursing certification as well as certification for Washington D.C. and national certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center," notes Adam White.

It seems that integrative medicine may be the future but HealthCMI's integrated technology is in wide-scale use today. HealthCMI uses the Joomla! open source content management system to implement learning management systems for end users such as acupuncturists, nurses, and dentists. Joomla! gets financial support for code development projects from Google and open source organizations. Joomla! is considered one of the largest and most powerful open source content management systems in use today. It is employed worldwide for everything from small-scale websites to large-scale corporate applications. The advantage for HealthCMI is that multitudes of plug-ins are produced by the open source community for Joomla! . This facilitates the secure, powerful, and ergonomic implementation of systems for operating an online classroom.

Known for its acupuncture continuing education online division, HealthCMI launches the nursing continuing education online division with three important courses on the treatment of high cholesterol and triglycerides. "The hyperlipidemia series of nursing continuing education online courses addresses the acute need for education concerning this serious medical condition affecting millions of people worldwide. Part one of this series provides the western medical understanding of high cholesterol and high triglycerides. Part two provides dietary remedies for high cholesterol and triglycerides while part three provides herbal remedies from the Chinese medical tradition," notes Adam White. Mr. White explains that open source learning management systems used by HealthCMI allow authors in China and the U.S.A. to seamlessly collaborate on research and educational documents. This allows for the sharing of information between the acupuncture and nursing continuing education divisions of the institute. The result is a comprehensive approach to addressing high cholesterol and high triglycerides with the best of western and Chinese medicine combined. "The future of medicine is integrative medicine -- East meets West. People want solutions and a combined effort raises the bar of educational standards," notes Mr. White.

"Nursing continuing education online has never been easier and it now joins our acupuncture continuing education online classroom presence on the internet," notes Mr. White. Next, HealthCMI plans to complement its medical education offerings by implementing an online classroom learning environment for its dental continuing education division. "At HealthCMI, we are dedicated to quality educational materials for medical professionals. We strive to improve the quality of information available for the acupuncture, nursing, and dental communities," notes Mr. White. In addition to its educational offerings, the Joomla! open source system employed by HealthCMI allows for the distribution of HealthCMI's medical news and information systems.

About HealthCMI: HealthCMI is the online division of the Healthcare Medicine Institute. HealthCMI provides online continuing education courses to medical professionals for acupuncture, dental, and nursing applications. The Healthcare Medicine Institute is dedicated to supporting a consortium of authors and presenters in providing valuable, useful, and interesting medical works in an effort to raise medical standards of education worldwide. For more information, check out their website at http://www.healthcmi.com/

Neural Stem Cells May Help Repair Spina Bifida in Utero

Pilot animal study shows promising results in the treatment of a this congenital defect before birth.

(Vocus) September 9, 2008 -- A pilot animal study led by researchers from Children's Hospital Boston provides preliminary evidence that delivering neural stem cells (NSC) into the spinal cord, along with surgical coverage of the defect while in utero, may help repair spina bifida before birth. The delivered cells engrafted selectively in the most damaged areas of the spinal cord, remained viable, and produced neurotrophic and neuroprotective factors locally, the first steps in initiating a reparative process. The findings appear in the September issue of the journal, Surgery.

Spina bifida is a condition in which a portion of the spinal cord and its surrounding structures develop outside, instead of inside, the body. The defect develops at around the fourth week of gestation and can occur anywhere along the spine. Children with spina bifida suffer from partial paralysis, urinary and fecal incontinence, and musculoskeletal deformities. The condition has an overall mortality rate of 14 percent at 5 years.

Fetal surgery to repair this defect has been available for over a decade; however, the outcomes have shown limited improvement on spinal cord function. Only now is a large multicenter clinical trial comparing fetal repair to postnatal closure underway.

The Children's Hospital Boston researchers hypothesized that the surgery needs to be augmented by tissue regeneration techniques.

Dario Fauza, MD, of the Department of Surgery and Advanced Fetal Care Center at Children's, and colleagues studied a model of spina bifida in fetal lambs, involving a severe form of the condition known as myelomeningocele, in which a fluid-filled sac containing the spinal cord and nerves is visible outside of the back. Hoping to reverse a portion of the spinal cord damage, they used NSCs, which have previously been shown to mediate repair in a number of central nervous system abnormalities. To maximize the cells' regenerative impact, researchers administered the NSCs at 97-112 days of gestation (full term being 145 days) during the development of the spinal cord, rather than operating later in the more mature fetal stages. "To date, all that has been attempted is the prevention of further insult to the cord, rather than repairing the damage that has already occurred in utero," notes Fauza.

The Children's researchers, along with colleagues from Harvard Medical School and the VA Boston Healthcare System divided the animals into three groups. Group I saw no repair; Group II received standard surgical repair, with the open neural tube being covered by skin; and Group III received the same repair, plus an injection of NSCs directly into the spinal cord.

Once the surgery was completed, researchers monitored the fetuses through the remainder of gestation. Upon the birth of the animals, two examiners performed a basic clinical evaluation to check motor and sensory skills. The survival rate was significantly lower in Group I (44 percent) than in Groups II (86 percent) or III (89 percent). The incidence of partial paralysis was also significantly worse in Group I compared with Groups II and III.

Group III showed a slightly lower incidence of partial paralysis than Group II, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. "In this introductory study, our goal was to validate the model and therapeutic concept by documenting the NSC survival, engraftment and early phenotypical patterns," said Russell Jennings, MD, of the Department of Surgery and Advanced Fetal Care Center at Children's. "Furthur studies will look at different forms of NSCs and alternative delivery methods, and will also provide the longer-term data needed to get a better idea of how successful repair in utero will prove to be for humans."

Though this research is in the beginning stages, the initial findings, paired with the vast amount of information on the use of NSCs in other forms of spinal cord injury, support further investigation into this prenatal approach.

The study was supported by a grant from the former Harvard Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery and by the Kevin and Kate McCarey Fund for Surgical Research, at Children's Hospital Boston.

Children's Hospital Boston is home to the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries have benefited both children and adults since 1869. More than 500 scientists, including eight members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and 12 members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Children's research community. Founded as a 20-bed hospital for children, Children's Hospital Boston today is a 397-bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care grounded in the values of excellence in patient care and sensitivity to the complex needs and diversity of children and families. Children's also is the primary pediatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information about the hospital and its research visit: www.childrenshospital.org/newsroom.

7 Wonders of Friendship

7 Wonders of Friendship

Time for renewal

As the summer comes to a close and fall arrives, I've noticed a feeling of renewal within myself.

I took some time off to turn my attention to other things, namely, my book project, but found out that I missed the regular blog posting activity here. Now I'm back with a renewed sense of self. This could be due to the nicer weather outside here in Arizona, and to the fact that I'm hiking again. Exercise can fix a lot of things. But no matter the reason, it's good to feel refreshed, renewed and ready to take on a new season.

I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

Many times throughout the year (Maybe it's quarterly? It wouldn't surprise me, if that were true.), I find myself needing some time out, or a change of some sort or another. If I'm paying attention to that "need," then I'll step back and attempt to see the whole picture. I usually find that I may be focusing on one thing too much and not spreading out my self-care enough. Think about it. We have to take care of our physical side, our emotional side, our intellectual side, and our spiritual side. That's a lot to care abut. But it's important that we do. When we don't, that's when we start to feel off-kilter. That's when we begin to feel an overwhelm. We forget to think minfully. We're just going through the motions.

After weeks of that, we start to feel sluggish. Bored, even. And if we're not careful, we'll hit a depressed state of mind.

Oops!

We know then that something's missing, right?

That's exactly how I'd been feeling not too long ago. In fact, I was so sluggish, I didn't feel like to going to any of my meetings, seeing friends, or even exercising. It was all I could do to make a date and stick to it. I just didn't have it in me. I was on overload and feeling overwhelmed.

Whew!

I had to get a handle on that, or it was going to pull me down too far, far enough that who knows when I'd get back up again. Luckily, my BIKE calls me on this. It reminds me that I have it in me to overcome this. I have the mental tool to use to get back on the right track. Once I was willing to notice this and act on it, I was able to step back and consider what I was missing. What was I NOT taking care of?

Once I asked myself that question, I had to answer it, of course. It's really very simple. The BIKE is there; listen to it; and do what is says. That's your internal system working, but it needs a tune-up every now and then, doesn't it?

So I started paying attention, answered the questions and realized the first thing I should pay more attention to was my body. It needed exercise. So I got busy with that. And then it told me that I needed to watch my diet. Figures. My goodness, I was eating whatever was easiet. Not good. So I started watching that. Then everything else just seemed to fall into place. More importantly, my attitude shifted.

Paying attention made me become aware. And once I became aware, I could attend to what my body, mind and soul was seeking. I'm now exercising daily again, paying more attention to my diet, and getting connected spiritually. All of this is so important to reconnect with the vigor that is supposed to be my life. Now that I feel its return, I'm good to go. I can get out more. I can call people. I can get back to work and know that I'll accomplish what I need to get done and more.

It was definitely time for my renewal.

Are you need of a renewal as well? Could the mental BIKE assist you. If so, post your comment. I'd love to hear from you.

All my best,
Jackie

Secret #136 Dare to Ask Yourself Questions that Make You Reflect Deeply

If deep and honest reflection precedes life change, then, from time to time, we should engage in deep and honest reflection—especially if we want to make the most of our lives and time. Here are some questions to get you thinking... reflecting... and changing.

1. What is my single greatest strength?

2. What three decisions are causing me the greatest stress?

3. What is overwhelming me?

4. What impassable roadblocks have me stuck?

5. If I could only do three things in my lifetime, what would they be?

6. What should I resign from or drop out of?

7. What can I postpone?

8. What things on my to-do list can someone else do at least 80% as well?

9. What are the elephants in my schedule?

10. What three things could I do in the next three months that would make a 50% difference?

* Source: Bob Biehl

The Philosophy of Charles Schultz.

The following is the philosophy of
Charles Schultz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. You don't have to
actually answer the questions. Just read the article straight through, and
you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people
in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman
trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of
the Miss America.

4. Name ten people who have won the
Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy
Award winner for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of
World Series winners.



How did you do?

The point is,
none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate
achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards
tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried
with their owners.



Here's another quiz. See how you do
on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided
your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have
helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught
you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have
made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy
spending time with .



Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a
difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most
money, or the most awards. They are the ones that
care.



'Don't worry about the world coming
to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia ' (Charles Schultz)