Getting together with friends is fun, but did you also know it has health benefits? The holidays are coming up and instead of getting consumed with the hustle-bustle, take time just to enjoy feasting and socializing with others. “Gathering is good for our body and our spirit” (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/18/smarter-living/holiday-meals-family-tips.html). Even though it may seem obvious, researchers have concluded that social connection is good for our health; so turn around your thought process this holiday season and instead of feeling like there are too many bad habits related to the holidays, eat, drink, and be merry!

When it comes to our own health, we cannot ignore the rest of the world. Hopefully, we care about humanity as a whole, but what happens outside our country impacts our national health as well. In addition to the obvious links with such diseases as Ebola, measles, and influenza pandemics, there are other global health threats such as air pollution, political conflicts and lack of access to healthcare (https://www.who.int/emergencies/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019).

Stress can make us sick. Stress is not just a feeling; it is actually a physiological response that is built into our bodies, which provides us with the tools to handle a threat (http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-0-230-30617-2_2). Many people experience perceived threats in their everyday lives, and the body responds in the same manner as with real threats.

Wake up America! The care needs for people with long-term health problems are drastically increasing (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK217736/). They can be medical (physical and mental) and/or social. More clients in need of long-term care are finding themselves alone, with no family or friends to help with caretaking. And even those with support systems in place realize that the complexity of caring for someone with chronic or permanent health conditions is overwhelming.

How is medical marijuana obtained? You must obtain a medical prescription from a licensed physician. Medical marijuana is now available in 33 states and DC. “Qualifying conditions” for use of medical marijuana varies from state to state, and some states require an ID card in order to purchase it. Lastly, medical marijuana is only sold at specified dispensaries (https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/medical-marijuana-faq).

As nurses, we like to think that we are both strong and caring. But caring has its hardships and can take a toll on our mental health. Compassion Fatigue can set in and we are often unaware or in denial. Even if we are aware, nurses often suppress these feelings because they feel like failures. After all, compassion is core to nursing and sadness is considered part of the job (https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/913202).

June is National Safety Month (https://healthfinder.gov/NHO/JuneToolkit2.aspx). With the many safety topics to consider, I decided we should take a look at our medicine cabinets, where we can often find prescription drug misuse going on.

Cases of resistant infections are increasing; they are called superbugs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 2 million cases of resistant infections annually in the U.S. and 23,000 fatalities as a result. Unfortunately, many healthcare facilities, patients, and providers are not eager to talk about it. Facilities are concerned about their reputations, and people are embarrassed about being contagious.

When you receive a medical bill for your doctor visit, medical tests or hospitalization, do you feel like you need a tutorial to decipher the bill?