TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Patients admitted to an intensive care unit over the weekend may be more likely to die than those admitted at other times, perhaps because of reduced staffing, a review of research finds.

WASHINGTON - More than 35 million people around the world are living with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, says the most in-depth attempt yet to assess the brain-destroying illness - and it's an ominous forecast as the population grays. The new count is about 10 percent higher than what scientists had predicted just a few years ago, because earlier ...

Although I have been a practicing physician for 30 years, and always cared compassionately for my patients, this past year and a half as a spinal cord injury patient has made me rethink my approach to health care.

When a mammogram detected a lump in Barbara Laufer's breast, the fear was paralyzing. "You think you're going to die," says Laufer, 40, of Burbank, Calif. Laufer was diagnosed with a perplexing condition called ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, a growth of malignant cells inside the milk ducts of the breast. Though some doctors describe the condition to patients as ...

Have you ever fallen victim to violence or hostile behavior by an elderly person? It’s more common than you think, especially in nursing. As a nurse, you want the best for your charges. You want to help, and are probably quick to dismiss hostile or rude comments from patients. Whether or not it’s their dementia or Alzheimer’s talking or not, the ...

Patient abuse

Eaten Alive: 5-year battle with flesh-eating germ

A new report released today may give nurses with advanced degrees a potent weapon in their perennial battle to get the authority to practice without a doctor's oversight. The Institute of Medicine report says nurses should take on a larger and more independent role in providing health care in America, something many doctors have repeatedly opposed, citing potential safety concerns.  It ...

LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson was so distraught over persistent insomnia in recent months that he pleaded for a powerful sedative despite warnings it could be harmful, says a nutritionist who was working with the singer as he prepared his comeback bid. Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse whose specialty includes nutritional counseling, said Tuesday that she repeatedly rejected his demands ...

Margaret Bryant would rather die than live in a nursing home. For more than a decade, the 67-year old spitfire has lived in her own quarters in an apartment center for senior citizens on Arlington Avenue. She is independent but not alone. Four times a week for three hours at a time, a home health aide comes to assist her -- ...

While the Urgent Care clinic claims to provide fast and affordable health care for non-emergency medical needs, the McAlester facility can now claim to be on the cutting edge when it comes to doling out prescription drugs. Say hello to InstyMeds. InstyMeds is a fully automated ATM-style machine that dispenses prescription medications directly to patients immediately before leaving the office. The ...

July 20 - Megan Brown of the Washington County Lifesaving Crew wedged herself into the floorboard of a sidewise pickup in the Virginia Highlands Community College parking lot and smeared fake blood on her face. She's getting ready for a femur fracture and a head injury and in about half an hour. In front of the two dozen Nursing Workforce Diversity ...

Three years after she made medical history and was freed from painful insulin injections, 9-year-old Lilly Jaffe is just beginning to understand how much her story changed the course of diabetes research and treatment. Since her breakthrough, 70 other children and several adults in the U.S. also have been able to switch from insulin shots to oral medication. And last month, ...