The American journal of nursing
-
This article examines popular diet plans for weight loss and provides information about their efficacy. Diets covered include: very-low-calorie and low-calorie diets; low-fat and very-low-fat diets; moderate-fat, low-calorie diets; and low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets. The importance of portion size and behavioral change is also discussed.
-
Postpartum depression is a crippling mood disorder, historically neglected in health care, leaving mothers to suffer in fear, confusion, and silence. Undiagnosed it can adversely affect the mother-infant relationship and lead to long-term emotional problems for the child. This article differentiates postpartum depression from other postpartum mood and anxiety disorders and addresses these aspects of postpartum depression: symptoms, prevalence, risk factors, interventions, and the effects on relationships and child development. Instruments available to screen for postpartum depression are also reviewed.
-
Extended work schedules-those that vary from the standard eight hours per day, 35 to 40 hours per week-are common in nursing and contribute to problems with nursing recruitment and retention, in addition to compromising patient safety and the health and well-being of nurses. This study describes the nature and prevalence of such schedules across nursing settings. ⋯ The proportion of nurses who reported working schedules that exceed the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine should raise industry-wide concerns about fatigue and health risks to nurses as well as the safety of patients in their care.