An agency in Manila hiring Nurses for Canada, a total hoax!!

Be very wise in choosing your recruitment agencies with regards to applying work abroad. 

A complaint was forwarded thru an email from an aspiring nurse regarding a job opportunity in Canada. The contents of the email was inviting all Filipino Nurses to apply in Canada as Caregivers and Nurses for Sickkids Hospital with a promise of an alluring salary even without hospital experience. In addition to that, it said that no processing fees will be collected, free accommodation will be given to chosen applicants, visa application and air line ticket will be shouldered by the employer, enticing bonuses awaits to those who will qualify, and the like. But they will ask you to pay certain amount for registration and reservation, and will also lure the applicants of the limited slots so they can collect sizable amount of money. 

I confirmed this prank email with someone I know from Canada and asked to notify the hospital of this hoax. The offer is a GIGANTIC HAOX!

I was fooled once with an illegal recruiter, I don't want other Pinoy Nurses to experience the same thing. 

Remember that there are tons of processes before you can fully work as a Registered Nurse in Canada. You will need to study, undergo a great deal of training, and of course take the Canadian Exam. 

Be wise and don't be fooled!!

Attention Nurses!! POEA shuts down recruitment firm for New Zealand.

ATTENTION NURSES!!!!

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has temporarily shut down the operation of a recruitment agency for its alleged violations in deploying eight overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in New Zealand.

POEA administrator Hans Cacdac has issued a preventive suspension order against Sacred Heart International Services, Inc. after it received a complaint from a group of Filipino construction workers in New Zealand for illegal exaction of placement fee.

“The order of preventive suspension issued against Sacred Heart International shall bar the agency from deploying overseas Filipino workers,” Cacdac said in a statement.

Cacdac said the suspension order will take effect until POEA concludes its investigation.

He said the probe will also cover Sacred Heart’s foreign counterpart placement agency, Business Immigration, and the employer of the affected workers in New Zealand, Valiant Homes Limited.

“Business Immigration and Valiant Homes, Inc. meanwhile cannot hire OFWs from the Philippines until further ordered by the POEA,” Cacdac said.

In the complaint letter, which was endorsed by the Philippine Embassy in New Zealand, the affected workers claimed Sacred Heart charged them each P330,000, but it only issued them receipts for P120,000.

They also claimed the agency referred them to lending companies, which charged them with high interest rates, which amounted to half a million pesos.

Source: yahoo news, Philippines and Manila Bulletin

Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) ; Mycobacterium Leprea

Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) is a typical disease that causes skin sores, skin  and nervedamage, muscle weakness and inability to feel through the skin. It has been widespread and known since the biblical times. 

The main cause is the Mycobacterium Leprae. Before it was known to be incurable, individuals with Leprosy was used to be isolated in "Leper Colonies", but now science have evolved with answers for cure. Effective medications have been discovered in the United States and other developing countries. 

It is common in tropical and subtropical places. However the gravity of contaminating other individuals is not likely high because the bacteria  has a very long incubation period. You will never know if a person have it because most likely the symptoms appear in the latent phase. 

Symptoms:

• skin sores which may be lighter that the normal skin color and has decreased sensation to pain, heat and touch. 
• skin stiffness and  dryness
• muscle weakness and numbness on the affected areas of the body specifically on the hands and feet, could also lead to loss of fingers and toes 

Tests

• Skin lesion biopsy and skin scarping examinations

Treatment

• Dapson, Rifampicin, Clofazamine, Fluroquinolones, Macrolides and Minocycline

Prevetion
Avoiding CLOSE and LONG physical contact with untreated individuals. Patients on long term tretments are not highly contagious. 

Cast Care

A cast is placed on an injured bone or muscle to immobilize and protect the affected area for healing and to relieve pain. Plaster of Paris and Wadding sheet are used to do the trick. 


TIPS to remember for the care of patient's with casts. 
1. ALWAYS keep the cast  CLEAN and DRY. A cast with wet drains causes infection if not managed properly. 
2. When bathing the patient, make sure to cover the cast with plastic.  
3. Do not lean or push the cast because it can break and deviates the purpose of immobilization. 
4. Scratching the skin under the cast, putting lotions or powder is never allowed for it can break the skin underneath. To relieve itching under the cast, try pointing a hairdryer on a cool-air setting down the cast.
5. A sling may be attached to the cast involving the upper extremities. Crutches may be needed to walk if the cast is on the leg , foot or ankle. 
6 Elevating the casted area can prevent swelling. . 
7 ALWAYS check for signs of COMPARTMENT SYNDROME such as sever pain, altered sensation of the affected part, absent pulses , tense and swollen shinny skin with obvious bruises and congestion of the digits with prolonged capillary refill time. 

Nursing Implications on Gastric Diagnostic Procedures

GASTROSCOPY
Direct Visualization of the esophagus and the stomach using a lighted flexible tube.

Nursing Implications:
- NPO post midnight or at least 8 hours prior to the procedure and maintain NPO until gag reflex returns.
- Anesthesia, by a spray or gargle, may lead to sore throat for 4 days after the procedure
- Observe hematemesis and respiratory distress

PROCTOSCOPY SIGMOIDOSCOPY
Direct Visualization of the sigmoid colon and the anal canal

Nursing Implications:
- Laxative night before exam, NPO from midnight and enema or suppository in the morning of the procedure


COLONOSCOPY
Direct Visualization of the colon

Nursing Implication:
- Clear Liquid 1 to 3 days prior
- Cathartics for 2 nights prior
- Enema in am of exam
- Observe stool and vital signs

GASTRIC ASPIRATION
Insertion of nasogastric tube and aspiration of gastric of gastric content for laboratory analysis of abnormal constituents (blood, bacteria, malignant cells) and pH.

Nursing Implications:
- NPO at least 6 hours before the test
- Send aspirate to laboratory for test
- Histamine is someties ordered to stimulate HCL production (achlorydia - no HCL production is a findings in Pernicious Anemia)
- Occult blood test (Guaiac Test) may also be used to detect presence of blood in the aspirate (as it is also a test for occult blood in the stool)