Blog

We all know the benefits of using sunscreen but a recent study by Brisbane's QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute shows just how beneficial applying sunscreen can be.

So-called “baby brain” refers to increased forgetfulness, inattention, and mental “fogginess” reported by four out of five pregnant women.

It would be difficult to find someone in Australia who hasn’t heard about the #MeToo and “Time’s Up” campaigns against sexual harassment that started in Hollywood and are now spreading out into other lines of work, and bringing the topics of workplace harassment and bullying into the light. 

Medication errors remain the second most common type of medical incident reported in Australian hospitals and, of all medication errors, omission or overdose of medicines occurs most frequently. Reducing all errors will significantly improve patient safety and the quality use of medicines. 

Ever evolving, healthcare informatics and technology assist the advancement of medicine and ensure patient safety. Email fatigue is real, new electronic health record systems can be tough to master, and who can remember all their passwords? However, despite these pitfalls, technology doesn’t have to be the enemy. When it comes to healthcare, Informatics and technology can save lives, shorten wait times, and increase patient safety, satisfaction and better health outcomes.

Healthcare informatics and technology can help nurses….

University of Queensland researchers have found that freckles and moles appearing on the iris indicate a high risk of melanoma, particularly in people under 40 years of age. Their groundbreaking study, "Iris pigmented lesions as a marker of cutaneous melanoma risk: an Australian case-control study"  (available in full text on CKN) involved 1,117 participants of European background living in South-East Queensland.

The Queensland Government plays a critical role in not only ensuring its employees are protected at work, but as the state’s biggest employer, it also demonstrates to the business community that intimate partner violence is a workplace issue.

Managing Irukandji Syndrome is important for many emergency departments, particularly in North Queensland. The recent discovery of irukandji jellyfish off Fraser Island, and with four people hospitalised in the past weeks as a result of irukandji stings, serve as a timely reminder of the danger presented by these and other marine stingers, and a warning to EDs outside of traditional stinger areas that they may become more prevalent. Despite the low incidence, the condition is associated with possible life-threatening cardiovascular complications that make it difficult to manage.

Searching for high quality clinical research evidence can be a daunting task to many in the healthcare arena, yet it is an integral part of the evidence-based practice process. Depending on your role in the clinical environment you may possess some of the skills needed, but not all. Nurses generally understand the key concepts of evidence based practice but might lack basic literature searching skills.

Kawasaki Disease is an is an acute, childhood, febrile vasculitis that affects medium sized arteries, particularly the coronary arteries. It is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in developed countries and the second most common vasculitis in childhood. Approximately 85% of cases occur under 5 years of age, with a peak age of 18-24 months, and is more common in children of Asian origin. About 25% of children with Kawasaki Disease develop coronary artery dilatations or aneurysms.