OCTOBER 2020 • Volume 14, No. 10

From the Editor

It’s time for NIFA’s Halloween issue, our annual break from the serious business of nursing. A little spooky fun can be a good counterbalance to the actual scary things in the headlines right about now. 

But this year, most of us are not going to be dressing up and going to parades or parties. Even the prospect of staying home to open the door for trick-or-treaters has changed in view of the CDC’s guidelines for Halloween activities (although enterprising people are exploring safe ways to distribute contactless treats).

So for this issue, we are instead featuring stay-at-home ideas to intrigue you, or maybe make your blood curdle: spooky stories, hospital horror movies, Halloween TV, and at-home party games.

In the Spotlight this month is Eugene Shchytou, ARNP, of Lynnwood, WA.

Scroll down for jobs we’ve collected for you and NIFA’s favorite links.

Enjoy!


Julie Lancaster, Editor

Photo credit: Syda Productions-Adobe Stock

Spooky Stories

Ouija Boards: Science Explains the Spooky Sensation

“Using eye-tracking devices and complex data analysis, a new psychology study shows how two predictive minds collaborate to create the Ouija board effect,” reads this article in Medical News Today. 

Read more . . .

The Secret of The Bat Genome

“In Western society, bats are often characterized as creepy, even evil,” says the introduction to this 16-minute TedTalk. “Zoologist Emma Teeling encourages us to rethink common attitudes toward bats, whose unique and fascinating biology gives us insight into our own genetic makeup.” 

Watch video . . .

Poisoned Land: On the Trail of a Mystery Disease in the Balkans

This New Yorker article by Elif Batuman describes the decades-long hunt to understand a disease known as Balkan endemic nephropathy (abbreviated as BEN). The story unfolds in Romania, Serbia, Bosnia, Denmark, and Croatia and, like any good mystery, has plenty of twists and turns. 

Read more . . .

Photo Credit (top to bottom):  ???Photo by Alexia Rodriquez-Unsplash, Photo by rigel-Unsplash, Photo by Dreamstime


5 Best Hospital Horror Movies

IMDb (the Internet Movie Database) ranked these movies as the best horror movies set in hospitals of all time… 

  1. The Jacket (2005)
  2. Shock Corridor (1963)
  3. Dead Ringers (1988)
  4. Lunacy (2005)
  5. Coma (1978)??????

See the full list of movies . . .

Photo credit: Leo Lintang-Adobe Stock


The 20 Best Halloween TV Episodes of All Time

From Bob’s Burgers, Friends, and The Office to the Twilight Zone, Time Magazine has assembled a fun collection of TV episodes to binge as you eat those Halloween chocolates you’re not giving away this year. 

See the full list of episodes . . .

Photo credit: Talaj-Adobe Stock


Halloween Party Games

Make the night festive at home for your family with a party game or two. You’ll find many to choose from here: Halloween Party Games for All Ages

Photo credit: New Africa-Adobe Stock


Student Spotlight: Eugene Shchytou

Credentials
ARNP

Student Status
Current student in NIFA’s RNFA program

City & State
Lynnwood, WA

Current Position
ARNP, Providence Medical Group, Cranial Spine and Joint Clinic, Everett, WA

Where did you get your RN degree? 
Lake Washington Institute of Technology – AND, and Gonzaga University – MSN, FNP. 

How did you come to choose perioperative nursing?
I’ve been an ortho RN for 8 years, wanted to continue following patients all the way through preop to postop visits.

What is one technique or RNFA trick you’ve learned from NIFA that you will use for life?
Subcutaneous closures and tying techniques.

How do you feel having your RNFA will impact your life/career?
It will make me much more marketable and make me feel comfortable in the OR.

Photo: Eugene with his pup, Josie, on her 10th birthday.


Jobs Front

Click here for the RNFA job postings we’ve collected for you this month.


NIFA – Office Hours

Monday-Thursday, 8:00am – 4:00pm
Friday, 8:00am – 3:00pm


Practice Resources

Here are several of the most-in-demand sites for our students, prospective students and grads:

MD Edge Surgery News: Specialty News and Commentaries, Videos and More
RNFA Scope of Practice by State (PDF)
ACS List of Cases that Require an Assistant at Surgery, 2020 (PDF)
Perioperative Nurse Links (state nursing boards & professional associations)
APRN Nurse Links

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter are strictly those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NIFA. NIFA does not give any express or implied warranty as to the accuracy of statements made by our contributors and does not accept any liability for error or omission. It is the responsibility of all perioperative personnel to work within and adhere to their facility bylaws and individual scope of practice.

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