If you are still having problems viewing this message, please click here for additional help.

Valentine's Day Traditions Good for the Heart

Bouquets of flowers, sentimental cards, candlelight dinners with red wine and heart-shaped boxes of decadent chocolates are some of the traditional gifts most often exchanged in celebration of Valentine's Day. Take heart in knowing that these traditions have been proven to have heart-healthy benefits according to the American Heart Association. Yes, wine and dark chocolate too - in moderation. As you celebrate the day of love, consider the following that may also enrich the hearts of others.

Make it a special day for hospital patients and send Valentine cards to brighten their stay or volunteer to help them craft their own.

Take time to relax and spend quality time with your fellow nurses during a break.

Get your heart pumping by going for a walk with colleagues.

Buy coffee or lunch for the person behind you in the hospital cafeteria line.

Find a local blood donation center and give the gift of life by donating blood.

Visit a nursing home or retirement center where residents welcome a smiling face on a lonely day.

Consider becoming an organ donor, which can help give someone a new chance at life.

Nurses Support American Heart Month, Keep the Beat Year-Round

This February, in honor of American Heart Month, nurses are working hard to raise awareness of heart health by educating patients and the public about the risks of cardiovascular disease.

"Nurses are often the initial point of contact for patients and their families, and we have close interaction with them," said Marian Hawkey, RN and coordinator for the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. "We are in a great position to talk to them about risk factors for heart disease and discuss preventive strategies."


For Hawkey and other nurses at New York Presbyterian, a small addition to their nursing uniform - a red dress pin - reminds them year-round to counsel patients about the risks of heart disease, the leading cause of death in America. The red dress is the national symbol for The Heart Truth, a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

"For patients and families who aren't familiar with the meaning behind the red dress, it can start the conversation about heart disease and strategies for prevention," said Hawkey.

Studies reveal that few women are aware of their personal risk for heart disease. In response to recommendations from experts in women's health, the NHLBI and partner organizations developed a national action plan to reduce the toll of heart disease on American women. In 2002, The Heart Truth campaign was launched to make women more aware of the danger of heart disease. As the centerpiece of the campaign, the red dress carries the message: "Heart Disease Doesn't Care What You Wear – It's the #1 Killer of Women."

To bring the red dress to life, The Heart Truth campaign established a partnership with America's fashion industry and invites top designers to design a one-of-a-kind red dress for celebrities to debut at New York's Fashion Week each February.

Hawkey and her nursing colleagues attend the annual Fashion Show, not to model red dresses, but to conduct free heart disease risk factor screenings at The Heart Truth exhibit booth.

"It's exciting to attend the event every year," said Hawkey. "There's always steady traffic to the booth, and it's a great opportunity to raise awareness in women about the connection between their risk factors and their potential for developing heart disease. It's so important for women to recognize the truth about their risk for heart disease and what they can do to prevent it."

The Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection 2009 Fashion Show is sponsored by Diet Coke, Johnson & Johnson and Swarovski. To learn more about The Heart Truth campaign and how you can become involved, visit www.hearttruth.gov. For tips on hosting your own Heart Truth event anytime throughout the year, access The Heart Truth Toolkit. To remind yourself and others about heart disease year-round, order your Red Dress Tack Pin.



Cardiac catheterization lab nurses help care for patients during a catheterization test.

Cardiac Catheterization Lab Nurses Nurture the Heart

Almost 700,000 Americans die of heart disease each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and medical tests such as cardiac catheterizations, angioplasties and valvuloplasties have become valuable tools in diagnosing and treating this leading cause of death in the United States.

Cardiac catheterization lab nurses help care for patients during a catheterization test, which checks a patient's blood flow and blood pressure in the chambers of the heart to detect blockages in the coronary arteries and the presence of disease. Results from the test are used to help determine the necessary interventions and treatments for each patient.

"Working with heart patients in the cardiac catheterization lab can be intense because a patient can become critical or unstable at any given moment," said Richard Kendra, RN, CCRN. Kendra is a cardiac nurse who works in the cardiac catheterization lab at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass.

Cardiac catheterization nurses assist physicians and help patients by preparing patients for heart procedures, assisting with pacemaker implantation and operating treatment equipment, administering intravenous therapy, and monitoring pulses and vital signs.

Cardiac catheterization lab nurses function in highly specialized roles. They need to have an advanced understanding of cardiac anatomy and physiology and stay up-to-date on the latest technologies.

"New technology has changed how the anatomy and function of the heart are studied. It will continue to impact my work in the cardiac catheterization lab, which is exciting because my responsibilities constantly evolve," said Charles Redd, RN, also a cardiac nurse in the cardiac catheterization lab at Baystate.

To learn more about cardiac catheterization nursing, visit www.discovernursing.com.



Rosa Rogers, RN, MSN and Cardiac Catheterization Nurse
Forrest General Hospital
Hattiesburg, Miss.

Q: Why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing?
A: As a very small child, I was always mesmerized by the nursing profession. Even though I first pursued a degree in mathematics, I changed my direction in order to fulfill my innate desire to provide service and help my fellow man.

Q: What inspired you to specialize in cardiac catheterization nursing?
A: When I was at a very impressionable young age, my father was admitted to the hospital with unstable angina, which led to a heart catheterization and subsequently quadruple bypass surgery. The entire process was absolutely amazing and was the turning point in my career choice. I knew I wanted to be a cardiac nurse!

Q: What advice would you offer to individuals interested in this specialty?
A: If you're interested in a challenging but rewarding area of nursing, then consider the cardiac catheterization lab. We are always learning new cutting edge procedures, and seeing how these procedures improve patients' quality of life is invaluable. Cath Lab nurses have the best job in the hospital!

Q: How has nursing impacted your life?
A: Nursing has impacted my life in so many ways. Aside from my family, nursing has been my life for the last 18 years. I have been given the opportunity to be a part of so many lives and received many blessings from these experiences!

Promise of Nursing for Washington

Date: March 24, 2009
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Seattle Marriott Waterfront

For additional information or to reserve media credentials, please contact Lorie Kraynak at 732.524.1716 or loriek@corus.jnj.com.

All contents © Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. 2002-2009. All Rights Reserved.
DiscoverNursing.com and CampaignforNursing.com are owned and operated by Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. See our Legal Notice and Privacy Policy.
This email contains links to Web sites to which our Privacy Policy does not apply. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every Web site you visit.