Health Care

Patient assistance programs were voluntarily set up by drug companies to aid in the cost of medications or to provide them free of charge. Eligibility requirements and application information...

As doctors, hospitals and insurance agencies try to save costs by keeping patients out of the hospital, home care has become a major part of health care. Whether you're tending to a family member...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality cites patient safety as one of America's most pressing health care challenges. Difficult to manage and...

A medical disability that meets the criteria specified by the Social Security Administration will be one that impacts the claimant's ability to perform work to a substantial degree. To help the...

A sling lift or patient lift is a type of hydraulic machine that helps medical personnel move and transport patients who are immobile and may be too heavy to lift manually. Patient lifts are...

Urinary catheterization is performed to monitor urinary output, relieve an acutely obstructed bladder, or even simply to make life easier for a patient who has difficulty ambulating to the toilet....

A nasal cannula consists of flexible plastic tubing, two prongs that fit into a patient's nares (nostrils) and an adjustable head strap. Nasal cannulae are useful for comfrotably delivering low to...

Alcoholism, liver cancer, hepatitis (liver infection), heart failure and blood disorders are diseases that can cause your liver to be enlarged, according to the Mayo Clinic. A large liver, also...

The body's unique chemistry is a careful balance of many different elements and other natural chemicals. To achieve optimum health, everything needs to adhere to a specific margin of homeostasis....

Myocardial perfusion imaging, also known as a nuclear stress test, evaluates the blood flow to the heart. It is particularly helpful in evaluating the heart under the effects of exercise and at...

The growing number of people who arel living longer jetisoned the need for in-home health services and caregivers. More and more seniors are looking for in-home care to avoid being...

Spinal fusion is a surgical operation used to correct problems associated with spinal cord and back pain. It involves the placement of metals held together with metal screws on the patients back....

Wellness nursing diagnoses focus on the patient's progress or potential progress towards healthier behaviors rather than on a problem. They were created to remedy a situation in which only...

Posey gait belts are designed to help ambulate patients in a variety of scenarios, such as walking, transferring from chair to bed or vice versa. Most gait belts are about 2-inches wide and shaped...

This article will teach you the correct way to take blood pressure readings for a conscious patient.

A patient health care interview is usually done in the privacy of a small room and before seeing a physician or health care practitioner. The interview is also referred to as a health history,...

Readi-Cat is an American brand name for barium sulfate, which is a radiopaque agent used for medical imaging. As noted by the Mayo Clinic, a physician will arrange for a patient to ingest...

How to give a partial bed bath washing the face, hand & arm.

We all want a doctor to remember our name, especially when we have seen them many times or they are treating our children. These days, I would say that it is easier for the doctors to just treat...

Everyone dreads a visit to the doctor's office. As an informed patient you can approach your visit with confidence. These step-by-step instructions will prepare you for a visit to your doctor.

Magnetic resonance imaging, usually referred to by the acronym MRI, is a technique employed in medicine to create highly detailed images of the interior of the body. This technique involves the...

Elder abuse is a general term used to describe harmful treatment toward an elderly person. This includes physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation and neglect.

An endoscope is a piece of highly integrated medical equipment that is used to visualize the inside of a body part, either through an existing orifice or a created one. An endoscope contains a...

Home health care has been evolving for about 200 years. Home health offers nursing, therapy services, home health aides, and social work services. Each of these services is offered to the...

Intraocular pressure is measured by a tonometer. Tonometers are used to measure the pressure in the inside of the eye. The pressure is measured by recording the resistance of the cornea when...

Captopril is a medication used to maintain normal blood pressure. It's also used after a heart attack and for congestive heart failure. As with any prescription medication, it does have side...

When it comes to a patient's heart condition, there are several diagnostic tools that a doctor can use to help determine what is going on with that patient. Different scans show different aspects...

Discovering that someone has cerebral palsy (CP) can bring on emotional, physical and financial stress--not only to the patient, but also to his family as well. Various coping styles can be...

According to scribd.com, the basic principle of a CT Scan is that the internal structure of an object can be reconstructed from multiple projections of that object. This makes the CT Scan with...

A CT (computed tomography) scan provides clear images of internal areas that include bone, tissue and blood vessels. These images are invaluable in the diagnosis of many diseases and conditions,...

People who have certain refractive errors like myopia (near-sightedness) and hyperopia (far-sightedness) are often prescribed glasses to assist them to see better. The optometrist discovers a...

Body temperature indicates the heat inside the body. If it is elevated or lower than normal, it could indicate illness or infection in the body. It is one of the major vital signs taken in...

When taking care of someone who requires assistance in activities of daily living, hygiene does not have to be a challenge when the patient is bed bound. When it comes to hair care, there are...

Living frugally while in the hospital is not easy but it can be done. From the cost of family members eating out to the parking. Everything is expensive. Many hidden costs can be controlled if you...

Whether you are studying for nursing school or just beginning work at a clinic, knowing how to take vital signs in the correct manner is crucial to properly evaluating a patient's health functions.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine is commonly used to help physicians diagnose their patients symptoms. It allows your physician to see images of internal structures in your body. Unlike...

There are over a million wheelchair users in the United States according to a recent poll by the Joni and Friends International Disability Center. Many wheelchair providers now offer custom power...

Will you be called upon to be a patient advocate? Due to reductions in hospital staff, frequent medical mistakes and infections are occurring. It is becoming more and more important for friends...

A mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS) patient is very aware of his/her heart beats. Of the many MVPS symptoms, a variety of chest pain is one most frightening to the patient.

When a helpless person must stay in a hospital bed for an extended period of time, bed sores can become a major problem. There are definite steps that can be taken to prevent bed sores from...

Moving a patient or loved one in a wheelchair is a very serious endeavor, and not something to take lightly. Anytime you are taking responsibility for another person, you must be extra careful. ...

It is a difficult time for a loved one and/or patient when he or she is experiencing an episode of vomiting. As a care giver there are many things that can be done to assist the nauseated person...

My daughter was in a car wreck in 2003 leaving her total care. I have been providing her 24 hour around the clock care. I have developed easy techniques for attending to day-in and day-out care....

I used to volunteer at a hospital through the chaplain’s office. My job was to visit sick folk, often those who had no one else visiting them. You don’t have to be a chaplain to be a good visitor...