Synthesis

The medical field is broad and includes many more aspects than most people consider. This field is important to the world and will always be needed in society.

What people imagine the medical field is like: Prompt 10: Grey's Anatomy Medical Myths	Doctors are the only ones with medical backgrounds, and doctor's offices/hospitals are the only place you will work if you go into the medical field.	Grey's Anatomy Photo
Reality of the medical field: Why Do I Want To Be A Physical Therapist?	Professionals with a medical background can have a variety of different jobs and careers. They are not just based in the hospital setting. Some other settings and careers in this field includes nursing homes, gym, schools, office, labs, etc.	Physical Education

A big misconception that many people have about the medical field is thinking you are restricted to working in an office at a doctor's or in a hospital setting. Little do most people know, healthcare is a huge industry that is found almost everywhere you look. People neglect to understand that medicine is everywhere. Working in the medical field ranges anywhere from designing meal plans, helping safety test a car, etc.

• Biomechanics/Orthotics & Prosthetics
• Designing running shoes
• Designing prosthetics
• Healthcare Management
• Manage health care supplies
• Design health care supplies
• Occupational Therapy
• Helping children with disabilities
• Teaching someone how to walk again after an accident

(Occupational Therapy)

Throughout this blog project, we have discovered many advances in the medical field that we would have never known of otherwise. For example, none of us had ever even heard of biotechnology until we read up on it during the blog project. Biotechnology is used in kinesiology to show 3D graphics of the patient’s body. They can see exactly where the patient is feeling pain, by seeing a different color in that specific area. We also have learned that if you have a small cold, working out can actually help it! We always thought that bed rest is the only cure, but who knew going for a run can help too? We have also learned about a new invention used during physical therapy called treadsence. Treadsense is a machine created to help increase and improve one’s balance while they are in motion. This invention has helped people learn to walk again while using a "webcam, treadmill, and a computer modeling of the human body" (CPH). Inventions such as this have helped society immensely while recovering from injuries, or just simply old age.

Something that was constantly discussed throughout this project was how the medical field is portrayed through the media. We found an example of this in the television show Grey’s Anatomy.

Grey’s Anatomy (examples)	Real Life
Sexual relations between coworkers and patients	Doctors and nurses are required to sign a contract saying they will not form sexual relations with a patient and/or coworker
Everyone does everything	Realistically, this does not happen. It is very rare that people are not specific to one job. This is the purpose of specializing.
Medical mishaps are a common recurrence	Mistakes happen. On television and in real life. But on television they seem to occur far more often than they should.

This blog project has taught us so much about our field. It has also shown us how important it is and it will always be in demand. It is applied in many different aspects that we, as bloggers, did not even consider. Ideas such as that exercise helping boost happiness and increasing performance of one’s immune system were learned through the project and help proved to us that research is constantly being done to find ways to help live a longer and healthier life. Such research is constantly being conducted that presents new ideas on improving life’s longevity and creating a healthier life. The medical field allows for growth in life and the opportunity to live it in the healthiest way possible. Although technology is growing, the physical person will always be needed, even just to provide comfort to the individual. It’s that physical contact that provides the comfort to a person who is in need that helps keep the medical field alive.

Winter Workout Tips

Did you know that in the Winter months your body stores more fat? The University of Colorado did a study that discovered that the chemical of ATLPL doubled in the winter than in the summer. This chemical is the one that promotes fat storage! So what can you do to fix this?

1. Get rid of the baggy sweaters! Yes, winter is the perfect time to lounge around in baggy sweats and sweaters, but studies show that this is actually connected to feelings of laziness. Wearing tight  clothes that show your figure may get you going to the gym. It's a subconscious feeling and when you hide your body in loose clothing, you don't notice what you need to work on.

1. Cut down on carbs! Have you noticed that you crave more carbs in the winter? This actually happens because as the days get shorter, you receive less sunlight. This in return makes the serotonin in your brain less active, which leads to tiredness and hunger. We all know that eating carbs without working out afterwards leads to weight gain and fat storage, so try to snack on healthier foods during the cold winter months.

1. Go outside! We all remember playing in the snow outside as children, so why not continue doing it? Check out these fun activities that are actually workouts:

1. Don't lay on the couch all day! Cold snowy days lead to movies and snack, but this ultimately leads to an unsuccessful day. If you must partake in days like this, try some of these exercises during commercial breaks:

1. 

Hopefully these tips will keep you in shape this Winter, and get you ready for your Spring Break body! Stay warm and stay healthy! 

Larissa L.

Cited: 

"Winter-Proof Your Workout." Fitness Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.

Open Your Eyes to What You Are Eating!

If you know me you know I LOVE pizza. I decided to look for an article about pizza because I knew I would find something that interested me by doing so. I was honestly not that surprised by most of the findings in the article. I was always aware pizza was not a healthy choice of food. But what did surprise me is what pizza parlors are putting in our za!

Everyone knows pizza is bad for you. Loads of carbs, tons of cheese, lots of greasy pepperoni goodness. But what about all the additives that aren't so plain to see. Almost all the pizza places that "food babe" obtained ingredients such as MSG, GMO, and artificial coloring and flavoring. That's kind of scary. Not really ever knowing what it is that you are consuming. Something I found even more interesting was the trouble "food babe" went to to find the ingredients! Little Caesars (a personal favorite of mine) refused to tell her the ingredients used in their pizza and said "if you need to know so badly maybe you should just not eat it". 

After reading all this I was really turned off by the companies putting all the unhealthy and unsafe additives into food and also pizza in general. Although pizza is yummy and really great after a long day, eating too much and consuming all of the artificial and oily additives can lead to diabetes, obesity and even depression. I love you pizza, but you are not worth it! The article really opened my eyes and it proved that we are all blinded by our tastebuds sometimes!

Hari, Vani. "If You've Ever Eaten Pizza Before, This Will Blow Your Mind." foodbabe. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. <http://foodbabe.com/2014/03/23/if-youve-ever-eaten-pizza-before-this-will-blow-your-mind/>.

Rachel Grzanka

Prompt 6: Evaluating Sources

I read the article,  "Should Nurse Practitioners Be Able to Treat Patients Without Physician Oversight?". The article discussed the shortage in physicians and how a possible solution would be to allow nurse practitioners to step in and help fill the gap. The debate of the article is whether or not this should be allowed. 

After doing plenty of research, I found that nurses are capable of all the things a physician is, just not legally able to do so. It is understandable that people may not feel comfortable allowing a nurse to tend to all of the things a primary care physician would normally do; nurses go through less schooling and there is a reason they are paid less. Despite all of this I also see why certain people think allowing nurse practitioners to step in is a good idea; they have the proper knowledge to treat patients and the amount of schooling that nurses have encountered ables them to do so. 

In my opinion, nurses should be allowed to step in if they are able to prove they can perform physician tasks as well as the physician his or herself. If able, then I see no reason for the nurse practitioner to hold back and watch as we struggle to find a solution to this shortage. 

Blackwelder, Reid, and Angela Golden. "Should Nurse Practitioners Be Able to Treat Patients Without Physician Oversight?." Wall Street Journal. N.p., June 2013. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. <http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324715704578480911396098592>.

Rachel Grzanka

Prompt 2: Defining Ethics

The Nursing Code of Ethics was developed as a guide for properly carrying out nursing duties in a consistent and ethical manner. A study done on this code yielded ten values; human dignity, privacy, justice, autonomy in decision making, precision and accuracy in caring, commitment, human relationship, sympathy, honest and individual and professional competency. These values found from within the code of ethics reflects my own personal values. I find myself very honest, very sympathetic and I can easily relate to many of the other traits. Which is a great part of the reason I am looking into this field. 

The study also revealed that many of the common values found in nurses are shared within the global community; not just in nursing. Some people's ideas of the traits may differentiate. Influences of social, cultural, economical status and religious beliefs result in different definitions of the traits. 

Many people in today's society recognize nurses as the qualities they obtain. Personally I think this is because a nurse knows what a patient needs and wants so they work to live up to the expectations that the patients have. It is obvious that a patient would want their nurse to be honest, caring, sympathetic and precise. People, for the most part, believe that those working in the field follow the code of ethics. This is because in the nursing field you have a patient who is relying on you and a little mistake could come with big consequences, such as endangering the patients health or loss of a job. 

Shahriari, Mohsen, Easa Mohammadi, Abbas Abbaszedah, and Masoud Bahrami. "Nursing ethical values and definitions: A literature review." NCBI. N.p., Feb. 2013. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3748548/>. 

Rachel Grzanka

Prompt 4: Considering Delivery and Style

Considering Delivery and Style

After reading two completely different sources for information regarding new developments within the kinesiology field, I've been able to detect reasons as to why each style works for grasping new information and which style is preferred on the delivery of information.

The scholarly article titled "A Hyperventilation Theory of Job Stress and Musculoskeletal Disorders" discusses research conducted on the effects of stress and the relation to musculoskeletal disorders. It presents this information with an abstract, a summary of the article,  as well as paragraphs that explain the specific parts of the research. It also includes graphs that help break up the amount of text and represents the information being delivered.

The online article titled "Age-related Differences in Brain Health Vary with Fitness Level in Older Adults" summarizes a study conducted to see how fitness and health of the brain correlate. It was found that the higher the fitness level of an individual, the healthier brain is as they age. This style presents the information as a summary of an actual study done. It includes minimal photos, but is broken up into paragraphs. This article contains far less information that the scholarly article presented in this post.

The style of the two pieces differ greatly. The greatest difference is the amount of text and the delivery of the text. The text in the scholarly article is scientific and uses less common words to describe a new study completed, whereas the online article is the opposite, using common language and words to summarize a previous study done. Personally, I prefer the smaller amount of text and a summarized version of the research because I feel I can better understand the information being presented without being overwhelmed by too much information. Some individuals may prefer scholarly articles over summarized, online articles because they like to read all about the topic and like to know the details. Because of all of the details included, I believe that the scholarly article would be trusted more. We, as humans, seem to put more trust into things that we know more information about.




Source(s):

"Age-related Differences in Brain Health Vary with Fitness Level in Older Adults." News Medical.
             AZO Network, 6 Nov. 2015. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.

Schleifer, Lawerence, Ronald Ley, and Thomas Spalding. "A Hyperventilation Theory of Job Stress
             and Musculoskeletal Disorders" Wiley Online Library. American Journal of Industrial
             Medicine, 15 Jan. 2002. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.


___________
Stacie Kussro

Prompt 1: Asking Questions and Breaking Assumptions

Asking Questions and Breaking Assumptions: Kinesiology

Preconceptions:

1. Kinesiology is physical therapy.
2. Kinesiology is the study of movement, therefore, is physical activity. 
3. Kinesiology is related to physical education.
4. Kinesiology deals with athletics and sports. 
5. Kinesiology strictly involves the physical activity portion and no other components. 

Introduction to Kinesiology: Studying Physical Activity by Shirl J. Hoffman

This textbook defines kinesiology in it's many parts and recognizes many of my preconceptions. 

1. Kinesiology is physical therapy: WRONG
• This statement isn't 100% incorrect, but the idea that kinesiology is only physical therapy is the idea that is wrong. Physical therapy is a branch of kinesiology and a career path that one could choose to pursue, but kinesiology is not just physical therapy. As described in the textbook, kinesiology is also related to health and fitness, therapeutic exercise, physical education, coaching, sport instruction, and sport management. These examples are still only a small fraction of paths one could take with majoring in kinesiology. 
2. Kinesiology is the study of movement, therefore, is physical activity: RIGHT
• Kinesiology IS the study of movement and is physical activity. "The discipline of kinesiology is physical activity" (Hoffman 5). This means that kinesiology's focus or theme is physical activity, also meaning that kinesiology revolves around physical activity. Physical activity can be defined as "intentional, voluntary movement, directed toward achieving an identifiable goal" (Hoffman 6). Movement is a little different than physical activity, being defined as "any change in the position of your body parts relative to each other" (Hoffman 7).
3. Kinesiology is related to physical education: RIGHT
• As previously stated, physical education is a career option one has when majoring in kinesiology. The textbook describes the idea that if one wanted to pursue a career in physical education, it would be a great idea to also have a background in pedagogy. Pedagogy "focuses on teaching behaviors and producing learning in students" (Hoffman 430). The textbook uses the example that an effective physical education teacher would know that practicing skills taught is more important than lecturing about the skills. They would also know about the importance of physical activity to children's health. 
4. Kinesiology deals with athletics and sports: RIGHT
• Kinesiology CAN deal with athletics and sports, but does not always. Physical therapy is a branch of kinesiology that does not deal with athletics or sports, but rather the movement of the body to create a pain-free and healthier lifestyle. Branches of kinesiology that do deal with athletics and sports can include sports management, athletic trainer, personal trainer, coaching, etc. 
5. Kinesiology strictly involves the physical activity portion and no other components: WRONG
• Kinesiology also involves the social aspect. "Kinesiologists with a background in sociology are aware of the dominant competitive model of sport as well as the kinds of daily human interactions that make particular ways of organizing and engaging in physical activities more socially valued than others" (Hoffman 185).

This textbook gave me a better idea of what kinesiology is and all of the aspects involved. As such a simple source, I found it gave better information that other sources I've previously been using to research such ideas. This source also got me more interested in my field, as well as taking the classes involved in increasing my knowledge related to my field. 

Source(s): 

Hoffman, Shirl J. Introduction to Kinesiology: Studying Physical Activity. 3rd ed. Champaign: 

           Human Kinetics. 2009. Print. 

___________

Stacie Kussro

Ginger Destroys Cancer???

I read this really interesting article, you can read it here! https://www.minds.com/blog/view/508040045408563200/ginger-destroys-cancer-more-effectively-than-chemotherapy-study

Basically what it is saying, is that ginger can kill cancer more effectively than chemotherapy sessions. Weird right? A Georga State University has been studying the effects of ginger on living cells. They have found that ginger leaves healthy cells alone, something that chemotherapy doesn't do. Chemotherapy kills all healthy and sick cells, which isn't what makes someone with cancer healthy. People with cancer need their healthy cells to help them grow and be better. It was found that ginger "induced growth-inhibition and death on cancerous cells (Minds)." In a study with mice, the ginger extract reduced their prostate tumors by 56%! Not only did it shrink the tumor, but it also provided anti oxidants and reduced inflammation.

Not saying that ginger can cure cancer all by itself, but it's really interesting that a food can be the start of discovering a cure.

Larissa Laeder

Cited:
https://www.minds.com/blog/view/508040045408563200/ginger-destroys-cancer-more-effectively-than-chemotherapy-study

Prompt 3: Interviewing my Aunt

     My aunt is a very successful Physicians Assistant, and she is the reason I wanted to pursue it. (Although I have changed my major since, I still believe it is a very important job to have.) I took the time to call her and ask her some questions about her job, and it turned out being very interesting.

What types of people do you work with on a daily basis?
     "I work with people ranging from ages 0-100. A huge part of my job is to take care of people who have just gotten out of surgery, regardless of the age. I give them their medicine, take medical tests, and do examinations depending on the circumstance."

What can you do that most people don't know about?
     "Most people don't know that I can write prescriptions. I give medical examinations, especially when the doctors are busy, and then I can prescribe medicine depending on what the situation is. Since I've been doing this for a while, I'm able to create treatment plans for patients, without needing a doctors approval." 

Are you able to work in surgery? Or is that a job just for a surgeon?
     Yes, I am able to assist in surgery. That is something else many people don't know about. I assist the surgeon I am working with in all aspects of the surgery."

Are there different types of Physician Assistant's?
     Yes, as a PA you can specialize in a certain area. I chose not to, because I'm a type of person where I would get bored doing the same exact thing every day. I have many friends who work with me that specialize in for example anesthesia, trauma, and critical care. Once you get into PA school, you can then narrow down your expertise and choose if you want to focus on a specialty or not.

What would you suggest to people who want to pursue this career?
     I suggest to keep working hard, because it is a very competitive field. It is very hard to be admitted into PA school, but once you do get admitted you forget about all the hours of studying you had to do. It is a very rewarding job to have, and I really recommend it to people who want to do something medical related, but don't want to go to medical school. Plus, you get paid a really great amount of money! It's overall a very successful field to look into. 


As we can see, it is a rewarding field to be involved in. Take it from a PA, go for it and work hard.

Drinking Coca Cola or Using Heroine?

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/297600.php

As a coca cola addict this article really opened my eyes. I was astounded that a substance this bad for you is available at all times. Tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, and obesity are just a few of the negative side effects of drinking coca cola.

• Did you know that in 12 oz of coca cola there are approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar?
• WHO recommends no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar daily
• People who drink 1-2 cans of coca cola a day are 26% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes
• A recent study shows comparable to heroin the way it simulates the brain

After reading this I have decided to stay away from coca cola as much as possible. I could not believe some of the facts that I read. It's amazing what we put into our bodies without really knowing the full effects. Just looking for a quick energy boost in the morning and instead I'm increasing tooth decay, chance of developing diabetes, obesity and consuming almost twice the amount of sugar necessary in a WHOLE day. Definitely going to think twice about drinking coke products from now on. 

Whiteman, H. (n.d.). How Coca Cola Affects Your Body When You Drink It. In Medical News Today. Retrieved November 3, 2015, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/297600.php

Rachel Grzanka

Prompt 5: Observing Community

As we all know, businesses and companies like to portray themselves in the best way possible, even if some of what they are portraying is not entirely true. In my home town, there is a physical therapy center that is extremely well known. This PT center was said to have all the right things, qualified staff, up to date equipment and all the other necessary items for a successful PT company.

I went there for an injury and was able to experience the center through my own eyes. I had a generally good experience. The staff was very warm and welcoming and seemed to truly have my best interest at heart. I could tell that they were passionate about their jobs and ensuring that I would heal properly. I also noticed that most (not all) equipment was up to date and running properly. Although not everything was perfect the staff was doing their job and equipment was all usable and not a hazard.

The truth vs. representation for this specific business was for the most part accurate. As we are all human and it is natural to be competitive these businesses will enhance the truth to make their company/store more appealing. It happens everywhere. My personal experience was good and I would definitely go back.

No sources were used in this blog post

Rachel Grzanka

Talk Topic #3: Learning the Language

In the article "Learning the Language" by P. Klass, the idea of the language used in the medical field is discussed. The author talks about how is was difficult at first to understand the medical jargon while beginning her work at a hospital. I previously knew little to no information regarding such a language in the medical field and now I see such jargon multiple places and am curious as to what they mean.

Seeing that my own field is somewhat medical, I've been attempting to research if such a language exists in kinesiology. From what I have seen so far, there's less jargon and more medical terms to describe what and where injuries/mechanical problems exist. For example, superior means higher than another structure, inferior means lower than another structure, and bilateral refers to both sides of the body. I'm sure this is only a fraction of the terms and language used within my field and I'm eager to learn more about it.

I feel I will have a better understanding of the language used with kinesiology once I am further into classes that involve my major. I also think that it will come with experience of working in the field, similar to the author of the article. It will take practice and hard work, but I see myself dedicating time into learning the language to make sure I am able to be as fully involved in my field as possible.


___________
Stacie Kussro

Eating Healthy? Keep it going!

     People often believe that they should eat healthy solely for the bikini body, or to get rid of their love handles. Little do people know, eating healthy benefits mental and emotional health as well.

     Studies have shown that people who maintain a typical Western diet experience more anxiety, depression, and stress (Segal). Not only do they experience more mental negativity, but also body changes- such as weight gain.
     Home cooked meals and more fruits and vegetables are an easy way to keep your mental health stable. If you are diagnosed with some sort of mental health issue, eating healthy can "help manage your symptoms and regain control of your life (Segal)."

Foods to avoid when maintaining a healthy mind:

• Sugary Drinks
• Excessive caffeine 
• High fat dairy (leads to risk of depression)
• Fried and refined foods 

Tips for a nutritional diet: 

• Drink 8 cups of water a day
• Eat a diet that relies on fruits, vegetables, and fish
• Incorporate a healthy breakfast every day

     Eating healthy every day is something everyone should think about. Not only will your physique improve, but also your daily mentality. It's amazing to see how much food can change someones outlook on life. Why don't you go try? 

Cited:

"Healthy Diet: Eating with Mental Health in Mind." Mental Health America. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.

Larissa Laeder

Making a Change

Changing Towards a Healthier Lifestyle

http://wfosydney.com/

"Too often people will say that they 'plan' to eat healthier, stop smoking, or exercise. However, they fail to work out or think through the necessary details in advance" (Robbins 37). It's been proven that a person is more likely to complete and accomplish a goal if he or she writes it down. It makes the person think through the plan and the road to get there, rather than making excuses. Having a defined goal is also crucial to making a healthier behavior change. The acronym S.M.A.R.T. is a handy way to make sure your goal and your plan works best for you.

S = Specific: specific actions that contribute to the outcome
M = Measurable: concrete criteria for measuring progress
A = Attainable: challenging but within capabilities
R = Relevant: choose goals that matter
T = Time: set a deadline

An example of making a basic goal into a more specific goal would be as follows:

1. Improve my health.
2. Improve my health by eating healthier foods.
3. Eat cereal instead of doughnuts for breakfast.
4. Stop eating doughnuts.
5. Replace high-fat breakfast foods with high-fiber foods.

Setting deadlines are crucial, as well as creating rewards for yourself when you have little check ups on your progress. Making a complete change typically takes anywhere from 6 months to 5 years, so don't be down on yourself if you slip up every now and then or if you don't see results right away. It's also okay to have cheat days every now and then, treating yourself for working so hard. Changing for the better is hard, but worth it when you begin to see and feel results.



Source(s):

Robbins, Gwen, Debbie Powers, and Sharon Burgess. A Wellness Way of Life. New York:
         McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print.

___________

Stacie Kussro