As a nurse at Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital (MVRRH), I recall many long nights studying as a nursing student at Northland Pioneer College in Show Low. When I selected nursing as my major, I knew the classwork would be intense, but it didn’t intimidate me. I was entering a field where people’s lives literally depended on me, and that’s a sobering responsibility. I knew it was my job to learn as much as I could to help my future patients. The more I could learn, the better … [Read more...] about Personal Commitments Improve Patient Care
Columnists
Pain Awareness Month: Focusing on the Lower Back
Established in 2001 by the American Chronic Pain Association, September marks National Pain Month in the United States. One of the most common locations for pain is the lower back, and according to the National Institutes of Health, about 80 percent of us experience lower back pain at some point in our lives. Lower back pain is also the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed workdays. Two major causes of low back pain are radiculopathy (better known as … [Read more...] about Pain Awareness Month: Focusing on the Lower Back
Invest in Your Oral Health, Our Youth at the Same Time
It is no secret that growing numbers of children in our nation and community come from homes with single parents and low income levels. One aspect of healthcare that low-income families are disproportionately affected by is childhood tooth decay. The rate of untreated dental caries in children from families with incomes below the poverty level is double that of non-poor children. Nationally, nine million children lack health insurance and more than twice that number lack access to oral health … [Read more...] about Invest in Your Oral Health, Our Youth at the Same Time
Balloon Camp Welcomes Future Engineers
Sixteen high schoolers from various parts of the country attended the Prescott Summer Programs’ Balloon Camp, the most popular of the campus's four engineering summer camps, and participated in a weather balloon launch. “It’s very hands-on," said Kori Skurja, Prescott Summer Programs coordinator, of the camp, explaining that the students design and build their payloads before launching them into the sky via balloon. The balloons are expected to travel 80,000 to 90,000 feet into the … [Read more...] about Balloon Camp Welcomes Future Engineers
Realty Executives Celebrating Golden Anniversary
The year was 1965. A Scottsdale realtor named Dale Rector fundamentally changed the real estate industry by creating a company that rewarded the most productive real estate agents with the best reputations. He named it Realty Executives and insisted that his people consistently met the highest ethical standards because he knew his company’s reputation would be built on every transaction. That’s what convinced me in 2005 to acquire Realty Executives Northern Arizona. At the time, the company … [Read more...] about Realty Executives Celebrating Golden Anniversary
Knowing When to Harvest Fruit
Most tree fruits start to signal their best taste with a sweet scent in the air. But it’s very hard to gauge the exact moment of peak ripeness. Times will vary year by year and different varieties will come in at different times. Here are a few signs to watch for by fruit variety. Apples - You’ve probably heard that ripening apples give off ethylene gas. Ethylene is a hormone and one of its effects is to cause the separation of the stem from the tree, causing the apples to fall. … [Read more...] about Knowing When to Harvest Fruit
Craft Brewers Share Collective Community Conscience
Over the years, one of the major reasons for the success and growth of the small, independent craft beer segment of the overall beer industry has been because of their commitment to the small communities that have supported them. I am proud to “toot our industry’s own horns” when it comes to this subject. The slogans, taglines and company culture statements almost all boil down to just a couple of ideas….Drink Local, Support Your Local Brewery, Do you know who brews YOUR beer?...all of which … [Read more...] about Craft Brewers Share Collective Community Conscience
Radiologists – Yearly Mammograms Starting at Age 40
As radiologists, we’re often asked if we’d recommend the same exams to our friends, family or even ourselves if we were in the patient’s shoes. When it comes to recommending annual screening mammograms for women aged 40 and over, the answer from radiologists is a resounding “yes.” A study published in the June online edition of the American Journal of Roentgenology surveyed 487 breast radiologists about their mammography screening recommendations. The radiologists were asked about which exams … [Read more...] about Radiologists – Yearly Mammograms Starting at Age 40
Demystifying Crowdfunding and Crowds
Prevalence of Crowdfunding We have all seen or heard of the websites devoted to crowdfunding. The concept of crowdfunding is still relatively new, but becoming more and more prevalent as a method of raising capital for a multitude of projects. But, do you know what crowdfunding and a crowd really are and how they work? Let’s explore them. Crowdfunding, by definition, is the “activity or process of raising money from a large number of people, typically through a website, as for a project or … [Read more...] about Demystifying Crowdfunding and Crowds
Is it Too Hot for Your Health?
As the sun is out longer and the days are getting hotter, here is some information from the National Institutes of Health about staying cool in the summer heat. Your body is always working to keep a balance between how much heat it makes and how much it loses. Too much heat causes sweating. When the sweat dries from your skin, the surface of your body cools and your temperature goes down. But being hot for too long can be a problem. It can cause several illnesses, all grouped under the … [Read more...] about Is it Too Hot for Your Health?