Does anyone ever look up random diseases/conditions that they hear about?

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I don't do it often, but sometimes I'll hear something interesting and decide to do a little research on it.....I came across something called "Pfiffer's Synrome" (sp) where infants have a premature hardening of the skull, and evidently this can start prenatally very early.

Some of these things are so disturbing...it was literally the worst defect I have ever seen of an infant in a picture...

...it's a good education..but some things you just pray you'll never actually have to witness.

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Yes, Hoperull2009, :balloons:

I look up random diseases/conditions all of the time! Whenever I become aware of something new on TV, radio, or in a newspaper, via the internet, a magazine article, or a personal discussion with other nurses; I research it further. I consider it part of my continued education in nsg.

Best of Luck to you in 20009!

Nurse Smiley

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Specializes in critical Care/ICU-traveler.

I am no longer a nursing student but I can assure you that even the seasoned nurse comes across those bizzar-o diseases that you only hear about on the Discovery Health Channel. We look things up all the time! Its part of what I love about being a nurse...the learning never ends!!

Keep up all the hard work. The reward will be worth it!

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Specializes in Oncology, Hospice, Research.

I totally ditto what the other posters said! I've been an RN for a long time and I look up diseases, new meds, new treatments, etc. all the time. Thank goodness for the internet! (It wasn't around when I went to nursing school......:o)

Nursing and medicine in general is a dynamic changing field and you will never stop learning! :)

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I do, too...the two most recent and fascinating ones I've found are

malignant hypothermia

http://www.anes.ucla.edu/dept/mh.html

and harlequin ichthyosis

http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijpn/vol2n1/harlequin.xml

just a warning...the harlequin link has pics, and they are very disturbing. This is a congenital skin disorder that never has a good outcome for the newborn.

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I do, too...the two most recent and fascinating ones I've found are

malignant hypothermia

http://www.anes.ucla.edu/dept/mh.html

and harlequin ichthyosis

http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijpn/vol2n1/harlequin.xml

just a warning...the harlequin link has pics, and they are very disturbing. This is a congenital skin disorder that never has a good outcome for the newborn.

Malignant Hyperthermia is very uncommon yet so familiar to me. I have a strong family history of MH and tested positive as an infant. Luckily I myself have never needed surgery and wasn't sure what COULD be given to the patient with MH if surgery was required. Well, I asked the CRNA this durig my observation in the OR and was promptly removed. They said it was best if I wasn't even on the unit at all because the gases can leak. I guess I never thought about that, because I wasn't getting the anesthetic. But now I know!!!

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I always look up stuff about my patients to help me with my job. Whenever I come across something that catches my interest, I'll spend some time reading about that also. Otherwise, I spend time here. Have found lots of info about conditions/situations here and learned plenty from others on this site.

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i got my drug guide a week or so ago and i've been looking up every med i take or anyone else i know takes, and anything i see on tv...

i think i'm already driving my bf nuts :)

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I do, too...the two most recent and fascinating ones I've found are

malignant hypothermia

http://www.anes.ucla.edu/dept/mh.html

and harlequin ichthyosis

http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijpn/vol2n1/harlequin.xml

just a warning...the harlequin link has pics, and they are very disturbing. This is a congenital skin disorder that never has a good outcome for the newborn.

That's interesting -both my mom and I have malignant hypothermia and I never really researched it in depth until nursing school.

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That's interesting -both my mom and I have malignant hypothermia and I never really researched it in depth until nursing school.

I forgot to add that yes, I find myself looking up tons of diseases and conditions since I've started nursing school and especially after clinical rotations. Yesterday I had a patient with severe cellulitis and a two stage 3 pressure ulcers. I was so interested in what cellulitis is and how it is caused that I looked it up once I got home.

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

Yes I do. I always wonder what someone would think lol if they looked at my computer "history" and didn't know I'm a nurse!

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Yes I do. I always wonder what someone would think lol if they looked at my computer "history" and didn't know I'm a nurse!

:lol2:

I do it too. My mom watched medical shows as long as I can remember, so I was always seeing and learning about these rare disorders and diseases from an early age. I'm a big fan Discovery Health now, as was my mom. I google everything I'm unfamiliar with and I'm always on the NORD website looking around. Those diseases fascinate me. Just to get a feeling for exactly how much can go wrong with the human body...wow. I guess I'm just in awe of the complexities involved.

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