From the Editor
According to the American Thyroid Association, July is Graves’ Disease Awareness Month. Graves Disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland, marked by hyperthyroidism, excessive production of thyroid hormones, and often skin and eye problems.
Surgery to remove the thyroid, or thyroidectomy, is one of the treatments used for this disease. Partial or full removal of the thyroid is also used in treatment of a number of other conditions. Surgery in the eye area may also be called upon for the treatment of severe cases of Graves’ opthalmopathy, a bulging-eye condition that often accompanies Graves’ Disease.
This issue offers you a variety of resources on Graves’ Disease and the thyroid.
Our Student in the Spotlight is Mary Jo Lund, CNOR, RN, of Fargo, ND.
And of course you’ll find current RNFA job listings and NIFA’s favorite links. Enjoy!
Learning About Graves’ Disease
For basic information on Graves’ Disease, check out the following articles from:
- The American Thyroid Association
- Medline Plus (written for laypeople)
- Medscape (written for health professionals)
And Graves’ Opthalmopathy
This news video and accompanying article, Graves Disease Shows Up in Your Eyes, from Channel 12 KSAT in San Antonio, TX, present a fascinating look at a series of surgeries being done to correct bulging-eye problems in serious cases of Graves’ opthalmopathy.
The surgeries include orbital decompression surgery, where bone tissue is removed to make space for the inflamed muscle and eye; surgery on the eye muscles to realign them; and in some cases another surgery to reposition the upper eyelid.
“It’s a unique collaboration where ocular plastic surgery and skull-based ear, nose and throat surgery works together along with high tech technology in order to improve patient outcomes,” according to Grant Gilliland, M.D., Oculoplastic and Orbital Surgeon at Baylor University Medical Center.
Surgical Video: Surgical Removal of The Thyroid Gland
Get a firsthand look at a thyroidectomy, from the patient history through closing the platysma–in this case, removal of an enlarged thyroid from a female patient–in this 52-minute video from Homestead Hospital in Homestead, FL. The hospital is part of Baptist Health South Florida. General surgeon George Tershakovec, MD, performs the procedure. Click to view.
Perioperative Puzzle: Thyroid and Parathyroid
Test your knowledge of the thyroid and parathyroid with this month’s crossword puzzle.When you’re ready to check your answers follow this link to see how well you did. Good luck!
Thyroid App
The Thyroid Navigator from Kuma Hospital in Kobe, Japan, offers a 3D graphics model of the area around the thyroid.
It was developed to be used as a communication tool in any kind of disease of the thyroid. It displays clearly the perspective from the skin, the benign tumor, the thyroid cancer, the lymph node metastasis, tracheal invasion, the chronic thyroiditis, relationship of thyroid and trachea, recurrent laryngeal nerve, artery, and vein, a postop condition and a parathyroid tumor. Compatible with iPad.
In the SpotlightCredentials: CNDR, RN
City and State: Fargo, ND
Current Position: CNOR/Staff RN
Where did you get your RN degree? MedCenter One College of Nursing, Bismarck ND
I had been an ER nurse for 10 yrs and was looking for a career change. The thought of having one patient at a time sounded great! And I enjoy working in a team.What is the funniest or scariest moment you’ve ever seen at the table? While moving a patient from the table (OR) to the ICU bed after an aortic valve replacement, as we slid the patient over to the bed, the central line from the right neck got pulled out! Oh boy . . .What is one technique or RNFA trick you’ve learned from NIFA this week that you will use for life? Thumb towards, fingers away in knot tying.
How do you feel having your RNFA will impact your life/career?
Furthering my education can only make me a better nurse. And I like having the variety of circulating and first assisting.
Job Front
Click here for the RNFA job postings we’ve collected for you this month.
Practice Resources
Here are several of the most-in-demand sites for our students, prospective students and grads:
ACS Surgery News: Specialty News and Commentaries, Videos and More