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Prime Time for Ticks

Learn How to Protect Yourself From Lyme Disease by TIM CRAIG May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and as the warmer weather brings more family trips outdoors, now is a good time to be reminded about this tricky disease and how to protect yourself against it. Lyme disease is one of the most common…
A Hero’s Heart

Bartow Regional Nurse Talks About a Familiar Profession in an Unfamiliar Time by TERESA SCHIFFER For over a year now, our medical personnel have been on the front lines of an unprecedented battle, fighting a new type of enemy in the form of the novel coronavirus that we now call COVID-19. While researchers having been…
A Growing Healthcare Challenge

Nurse Staffing Study Provides Insight Into Shortage Across U.S. and Florida by HEATHER MACHOVINA The Avant Healthcare Professionals 2021 Trends in Nurse Staffing Study analyzes the status of registered nurse (RN) job vacancies in the U.S. and the overall welfare of RN staff. It evaluates the training of new nurses, compares the costs of outsourcing…

Gaining a Better Understanding of Pacemakers and Defibrillators

Pacemakers and defibrillators have become so common. Everyone has questions and concerns about these. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers. What are pacemakers and defibrillators used for? Pacemakers are used when the heart rate is too slow or stops and the patient is symptomatic: dizziness or blackouts usually. Conversely, defibrillators are for the…
Use of Opioids as First-Line Treatment a Slippery Slope

What do Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, and Chris Farley have in common? These are celebrities who developed dependence on prescription drugs that started with legitimate use after injuries or procedures. They subsequently developed an addiction, which culminated in their unfortunate and untimely deaths due to unintentional overdose. Just a few examples of other celebrities who…
Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-Related Macular Degeneration, AMD, is a leading cause of vision loss in adults over the age of 50. It destroys the macula, which is the small central area of the retina that provides detailed, central vision. With AMD, you lose the ability to see fine details, both close-up and at a distance. Due to the…