In the 1940s, polio evoked fear in parents throughout the United States because the disease disabled so many children and adults. Thanks to a successful vaccination program, the United States has been polio-free since 1979. According to some estimates, 16…
Cristina Greenwell, RN, remembers Jerry and Barbara Quimby well. Throughout December 2021, she was often assigned to care for each of them on the COVID-19 unit at Decatur Memorial Hospital (DMH). “I remember how much Jerry cared about his wife…
Summer travel season is here, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people test for COVID-19 before they travel. This includes those who are fully vaccinated and those who haven’t received the COVID-19 vaccine. If you take an at-home COVID-19 test,…
“Going numb” is one way people adapt to a prolonged time of heightened emotional response. According to Tisha Bayless, LCPC, and a manager with Memorial Behavioral Health, feeling numb doesn’t mean you don’t care, and it doesn’t mean you don’t recognize the…
While everyone is anxious to resume a more normal holiday season this year, COVID-19 numbers continue to increase in our communities. As we enter a season of holiday parties and gatherings, consider these tips on how to celebrate safely with…
Antibiotics treat certain infections caused by bacteria and work as a critical tool in treating life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia and sepsis, which is the body’s extreme response to infection. “When your healthcare provider prescribes antibiotics, take them as directed…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now support booster doses of all three types of COVID-19 vaccine available in the United States. What does this mean, and who should get booster…
Hannah Bond, RN, has learned from 18 months experience to look for the positives as she continues to care for seriously ill COVID-19 patients. “I had experienced death and sickness before COVID-19, but nothing prepared me for the helplessness I…
If you’ve ever been prescribed an antibiotic for an infection, you know how effective these medications can be. But they don’t work for every illness—including COVID-19. “Patients with COVID-19 sometimes ask us to prescribe antibiotics because they believe this will…
While there isn’t enough data to show that people with diabetes are more likely to contract COVID-19, the evidence does show they are likely to suffer worse complications that tend to deteriorate more rapidly. The American Diabetes Association notes the…