Should weight restrictions be
placed on nurses?
By Joseph D. Farley
SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Nurses are on of the most important members of the medical team. They are people who care for
the sick, give advice and provide comfort to patients. In many cases, nurses are people who patients
trust the most. Many nurses are aware that their weight and health affects their patients’ ability to trust
their advice. This is why nurses should be accountable for maintaining good health and weight
standards because they are advising patients to do the same.
Healthy bodies help patients to live longer lives. So when patients are being instructed by nurses;
the patient should feel comfortable knowing that nurses are also practicing what they are teaching.
According to Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, “Because 76% of nurses do not
pursue the topic of obesity with patients, they may benefit from education o pursuing sensitive topics
during a professional encounter. Nurse practitioners may plan a key role in the education of both
patients and registered nurses.”
Patients trust nurses to advise them on health and medical rated issues in order to live longer
lives. Therefore, nurses should be accountable for maintaining good health and weight standards
because they are advising patients to do the same. After all, committing to health is committing to life,
and lives are what nurses help save.
Disaster preparedness: Are you ready?
By Ma’at Seba
SUN COLUMNIST
In 2003, there was a power outage that affected several northeastern states. The outage in most
areas lasted no more than 24 hours and so most people coped fairly well. However, what if the
blackout had lasted for four days, a week or three weeks? If you were to experience a disaster today,
the question is, Are You Ready?
Basic services such as electricity, water, sewage and telephones might not be working. There would
be long lines at the gas pumps, grocery and hardware stores, if they are even open. Public
transportation such as buses and subways might cease, the planes and trains might be grounded
stranding passengers. Police, fire and EMS services would be reduced to top priority life threatening
situations only. If your city is faced with an immediate disaster, the question is, Are You Ready?
All over this country and world, people are experiencing disasters caused by floods, tornadoes, mud
slides, earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions. When a disaster appears rarely is there
enough warning to prepare for it. People are going about their day and then they find themselves faced
with an unexpected disastrous situation and without the resources on how to handle it. It is a good idea
to prepare your home, car and even your business for an emergency situation by having a basic
emergency supply kit and readiness plan of action. Listed are some basic suggestions (www.Ready.
gov):
Water, one gallon of water or more per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and
sanitation
Food, at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for
both
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dusk mask to help filter contaminated air, electrical tape, plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-
place or to seal doors and windows in case of airborne contaminations, smoke etc.
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities (learn where the shut off valves are located and the proper
procedure for disconnections and shutoffs)
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
Maps (local, state and national)
Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
Prescription medications and glasses
Infant formula and diapers
Pet food and extra water for your pet
Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account
records in a waterproof, portable container
Cash or traveler's checks and change
Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-
weather climate.
Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider
additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach,
bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16
drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or
bleaches with added cleaners.
Fire Extinguisher
Matches in a plastic zip-lock bag or a waterproof container
Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
Also prepare for infants, seniors or people with special needs such as: formula, diapers, bottles,
powdered milk, medications, moist towelettes, diaper rash ointment, heart and high blood pressure
medication, insulin and other prescription drugs, denture needs, contact lenses and supplies, list of
medications including dosages, list of any allergies, extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries, extra
wheelchair batteries and oxygen. Keep a list of the style and serial number of medical devices, medical
insurance and Medicare cards, doctors, relatives or friends who should be notified if you are hurt. If you
have a cell phone, program that person(s) as "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) in your phone. If you
are in an accident, emergency personnel will often check your ICE listings in order to get a hold of
someone you know. Decide ahead of time what the criteria would be for “Stay or go” if a disaster should
happen and what the evacuation options are for leaving your area or city. Consider that family members
might be in several locations such as work, school, church, an event etc. and what the plan will be for
contacting each other and a pre-planned location of meeting up with each other should
communications (phones and cell phones) be inoperable.
Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water, pack a
manual can opener and eating utensils, avoid salty foods because they will make you thirsty, choose
foods your family will eat such as ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables, protein or fruit bars,
dry cereal or granola, peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts, crackers, canned juices, non-perishable
pasteurized milk, high energy foods, vitamins, infant foods comfort/stress foods. Also it is important to
have items that are multi-purposed such as colloidal silver, hydrogen peroxide 35 percent food grade (it
has internal and external uses) and green foods (which can sustain life if there is no other sources of
food such as Moringa - which also purifies turbid water, spirulina, wheatgrass, barley grass and alfalfa).
There are many websites, books and resources with information on emergency survival and
preparedness, as well as doing research on the preparedness resources from your city. It would be
wise to prepare yourself and your family for emergency situations and not assume that nothing will
ever happen in your life that might require you to not be ready.
Ma’at Seba is a motivational healer, spiritual guide, Reiki Master, lecturer, writer and entrepreneur. E-
mail comments to maatseba@yaboo.com.
placed on nurses?
By Joseph D. Farley
SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Nurses are on of the most important members of the medical team. They are people who care for
the sick, give advice and provide comfort to patients. In many cases, nurses are people who patients
trust the most. Many nurses are aware that their weight and health affects their patients’ ability to trust
their advice. This is why nurses should be accountable for maintaining good health and weight
standards because they are advising patients to do the same.
Healthy bodies help patients to live longer lives. So when patients are being instructed by nurses;
the patient should feel comfortable knowing that nurses are also practicing what they are teaching.
According to Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, “Because 76% of nurses do not
pursue the topic of obesity with patients, they may benefit from education o pursuing sensitive topics
during a professional encounter. Nurse practitioners may plan a key role in the education of both
patients and registered nurses.”
Patients trust nurses to advise them on health and medical rated issues in order to live longer
lives. Therefore, nurses should be accountable for maintaining good health and weight standards
because they are advising patients to do the same. After all, committing to health is committing to life,
and lives are what nurses help save.
Disaster preparedness: Are you ready?
By Ma’at Seba
SUN COLUMNIST
In 2003, there was a power outage that affected several northeastern states. The outage in most
areas lasted no more than 24 hours and so most people coped fairly well. However, what if the
blackout had lasted for four days, a week or three weeks? If you were to experience a disaster today,
the question is, Are You Ready?
Basic services such as electricity, water, sewage and telephones might not be working. There would
be long lines at the gas pumps, grocery and hardware stores, if they are even open. Public
transportation such as buses and subways might cease, the planes and trains might be grounded
stranding passengers. Police, fire and EMS services would be reduced to top priority life threatening
situations only. If your city is faced with an immediate disaster, the question is, Are You Ready?
All over this country and world, people are experiencing disasters caused by floods, tornadoes, mud
slides, earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions. When a disaster appears rarely is there
enough warning to prepare for it. People are going about their day and then they find themselves faced
with an unexpected disastrous situation and without the resources on how to handle it. It is a good idea
to prepare your home, car and even your business for an emergency situation by having a basic
emergency supply kit and readiness plan of action. Listed are some basic suggestions (www.Ready.
gov):
Water, one gallon of water or more per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and
sanitation
Food, at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for
both
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dusk mask to help filter contaminated air, electrical tape, plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-
place or to seal doors and windows in case of airborne contaminations, smoke etc.
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities (learn where the shut off valves are located and the proper
procedure for disconnections and shutoffs)
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
Maps (local, state and national)
Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
Prescription medications and glasses
Infant formula and diapers
Pet food and extra water for your pet
Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account
records in a waterproof, portable container
Cash or traveler's checks and change
Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-
weather climate.
Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider
additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach,
bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16
drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or
bleaches with added cleaners.
Fire Extinguisher
Matches in a plastic zip-lock bag or a waterproof container
Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
Also prepare for infants, seniors or people with special needs such as: formula, diapers, bottles,
powdered milk, medications, moist towelettes, diaper rash ointment, heart and high blood pressure
medication, insulin and other prescription drugs, denture needs, contact lenses and supplies, list of
medications including dosages, list of any allergies, extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries, extra
wheelchair batteries and oxygen. Keep a list of the style and serial number of medical devices, medical
insurance and Medicare cards, doctors, relatives or friends who should be notified if you are hurt. If you
have a cell phone, program that person(s) as "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) in your phone. If you
are in an accident, emergency personnel will often check your ICE listings in order to get a hold of
someone you know. Decide ahead of time what the criteria would be for “Stay or go” if a disaster should
happen and what the evacuation options are for leaving your area or city. Consider that family members
might be in several locations such as work, school, church, an event etc. and what the plan will be for
contacting each other and a pre-planned location of meeting up with each other should
communications (phones and cell phones) be inoperable.
Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water, pack a
manual can opener and eating utensils, avoid salty foods because they will make you thirsty, choose
foods your family will eat such as ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables, protein or fruit bars,
dry cereal or granola, peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts, crackers, canned juices, non-perishable
pasteurized milk, high energy foods, vitamins, infant foods comfort/stress foods. Also it is important to
have items that are multi-purposed such as colloidal silver, hydrogen peroxide 35 percent food grade (it
has internal and external uses) and green foods (which can sustain life if there is no other sources of
food such as Moringa - which also purifies turbid water, spirulina, wheatgrass, barley grass and alfalfa).
There are many websites, books and resources with information on emergency survival and
preparedness, as well as doing research on the preparedness resources from your city. It would be
wise to prepare yourself and your family for emergency situations and not assume that nothing will
ever happen in your life that might require you to not be ready.
Ma’at Seba is a motivational healer, spiritual guide, Reiki Master, lecturer, writer and entrepreneur. E-
mail comments to maatseba@yaboo.com.
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