Screening Test

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has created a new tool, Stay Healthy at Any Age: Your Checklist for Health to help patients keep track of their health and stay up-to-date on recommended screening tests. There is one checklist for men and one for women. Both include the tests recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

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Woman and Heart Disease

Modifiable risk factors for heart disease endanger both men and women, however, they may contribute to a poorer prognosis for women. Educate women about the following risk factors over which they have some control:

* Diabetes
* Hypertension
* Smoking
* Dyslipidemia
* Obesity
* Sedentary life style
* Stress

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Pain Scales

Understanding another person's pain is not easy. Pain scales have been developed to aid in our understanding, but they must be used correctly and they should be part of a complete pain assessment.

One-dimensional scales, such as the numeric 0 to 10 scale, are appropriate for the acute care setting. A more comprehensive approach should be used for patients with chronic or persistent pain. This often consists of a one-dimensional scale and a body diagram; the use of color can be used to represent pain intensity. Behavioral pain scales are used to assess pain in nonverbal, cognitively impaired, or critically ill patients.

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Discharge Summaries

If you must write a narrative discharge summary, be sure to include the following information to comply with JCAHO requirements:
· patient's status at admission and discharge
· any significant information about the patient's stay, including resolved and unresolved problems
· instructions regarding medications, treatments, activity, diet, referrals, follow-up appointments, and any other special instructions.

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