Nursing School is Not for the Weak

We hear this from our RNs all the time, that it takes a certain type of person to get through nursing school. Strong, motivated, tough individuals that are ready for a challenge and won't give up when it gets difficult. Add in a full-time job + kids and you'll know, nursing school is not for the weak! Whether you're just beginning or already finished, share the message and wear it proud!

www.RueEducation.com

3 Nurses Share Their Story from the Class of 1950

Nursing school is certainly a memorable experience for many nurses–a pivotal time of hard work and new friendships. In fact, three nurses from New York who went through nursing school during the 1950s had such an notable time that they’ve written a book about it!

Mary Herbst, Maureen Ott and Maureen Weber trained at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y. together decades ago, and recently released the aptly titled Have Mercy: A Nursing Memoir about their collective experiences.

Under the direction of the nuns who worked at the hospital, the three women had a bit of a different school experience than many are used to–Herbst described it as a “boot-camp” environment when speaking to the Niagara Gazette. For example, a nun came by every day between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., which were study hours, to make sure the students were studying.

However, the book isn’t all about studying and regimented schedules. Stories range from humorous to personal as the authors recall their entire training experience.

It’s interesting which stories stuck out as memorable to the authors after all these years. What stories from your schooling experience would you include in a book a half a century after they occurred? Share them in the comments below.

If you are interested in reading Have Mercy, you can find it at Amazon.

Originally posted on Scrubsmag.com
http://scrubsmag.com/three-nurses-share-their-story-of-attending-nursing-school-in-the-1950s/

Rue Fall Nursing Scholarship Winner and Nursing Course Giveaway Announcement!

The results of the Rue Fall Scholarship are in, and the response was incredible. We received nearly 70 scholarship applications from 30 different states across the country! We were thrilled to have such an exciting response and moved by your stories. Thank you for giving us an insight into your triumphs, struggles, and motivations in the pursuit of your futures as RNs. We are proud to announce that LPN Nicole R. from Columbus, OH, is the winner of our Fall Scholarship. We look forward to her success as an RN and we are proud to have her as part of the Rue family.

Due to the overwhelming response to our Fall Scholarship, we are glad to announce our next opportunity to reward our adult learners for taking a big step in their RN journey. Throughout November and December, Rue Education is giving one lucky winner the chance to receive all of their nursing courses, their CPNE, and NCLEX-RN prep free from Rue Education as part of our Nursing Course Giveaway! This package is valued up to $5,730, and the best part is there is no application required. To qualify for this giveaway, you simply get started on your RN journey with Rue Education in November or December. Once you get started, you are automatically entered to win, and a recipient will be chosen at random after the December deadline.

Details can be found on our website, www.RueEducation.com/scholarship. We look forward to be able to give back to our clients and offer another opportunity for future RNs to receive the nursing courses and preparation they need to be successful RNs.

BRCA Gene Testing: An Expensive Glimpse at Your Risk for Breast Cancer

Only a small percentage of women qualify to take the genetic test that screens for BRCA mutations, said Dr. Marisa Weiss, founder of Breastcancer.org and director of breast health oncology at Lankenau Medical Center in the Philadelphia area.

Women who test positive for one or both mutations have about a 60 percent risk of breast cancer during their lifetimes, compared with 12 percent for women without such mutations, according to the National Cancer Institute. Women with a BRCA mutation are also likely to develop the disease at a younger age and are more likely to get it in both breasts, Rader said.

"The discovery of the BRCA mutation was an enormous step forward," Rader said. For the right candidate, "the mutation is a really good indicator of the possibility of developing breast cancer."

Who should test
If you have a strong family connection to breast cancer that includes an immediate family member, you may consider genetic testing, said Susan Brown, Komen's managing director for community health.

But "not everyone with breast cancer in their family should run out and get this test," Brown said, as it's expensive, about $3,000, and may not be covered by insurance.

As we grow closer to understanding breast cancer on a genetic level and identifying precursors, molecular warnings, and genetic predispositions, we anticipate the costs of testing go down. As technology and research increase, the demand for affordable genetic testing will create a stable supply for anyone to use.

Genetic testing is recommended for those with:

►A personal or family history of breast cancer at age 45 or younger.
►A family member with ovarian cancer at any age.

►A personal or family history of both breast and ovarian cancer on the same side of the family.
►A personal or family history of male breast cancer.
►Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, as well as a family history of breast or ovarian cancer.
►A personal or family history of bilateral breast cancer.

The BRCA mutations occur in between 1 in 400 and 1 in 800 people in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. Some groups are at higher risk, such as Ashkenazi Jews; the risk in this group is 1 in 40.

Risk isn't certainty
Having the gene greatly increases the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, but it doesn't mean you will develop it, Brown said. About 29 percent of cancers in women start in the breast, and within that group, about 5 percent to 10 percent are because of gene mutations, Weiss said. According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, this group of people only represents about 2 percent of adult women in the United States.

Because family history is important, the genetic test is usually done first on a person who has been diagnosed with breast cancer whose personal or family history suggests the presence of one of these mutations, Brown said.

"The two most common risk factors are being a woman and getting older - things that you cannot change. However, there are other factors that may be within your control," Brown said.
Komen suggests the following:

►Know your risk: Learn about your family health history, and talk to your health care provider about your personal risk. Your father's side of the family history is just as important as your mother's side.
►Get screened: For women at average risk, have a clinical breast exam at least every three years starting at age 20, and have a mammogram and a clinical breast exam every year starting at age 40. Ask your doctor which screening tests are right for you if you are at high risk.
►Know what is normal for you: See your health care provider if you notice any changes in the shape, size or appearance of your breasts.
►Make healthy lifestyle choices: Maintain a healthy weight, exercise, limit alcohol intake, limit menopausal hormone use and breast-feed, if you can.

If you are a woman at risk of developing breast cancer, is removing healthy breast tissue an option for you?

A prophylactic mastectomy, or preventive mastectomy, is the surgical removal of one or both breasts to prevent or reduce the risk of breast cancer in women who are at high risk of developing the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute.

"It's not a common procedure," said Andrea Rader, managing director of communications for Susan G. Komen, the largest breast cancer organization in the United States. "It's a small subset of women who have an aggressive form of the disease who choose this," Rader said.

Having a risk-reducing mastectomy is an option for people who are at substantially higher risk for getting breast cancer, Brown said.

"It can reduce the risk by 90 percent, and the surgical removal of the ovaries can reduce the risk by about 50 percent" in moderate- to high-risk women, she said.
For most women, the biggest factors contributing to breast cancer are environmental, such as weight, alcohol consumption, smoking and physical activity.

Originally published on Journal Star.
Read more: http://www.pjstar.com/raceforthecure/x1281959453/What-to-know-about-BRCA-testing#ixzz2hpDZTT8a

7 Incredible Breast Cancer Breakthroughs for 2013

More than ever before, women are winning the fight against breast cancer, thanks to dramatic improvements in early detection and treatment.

“One of the most important advances is the ability to tailor treatment based on the risks and benefits for that specific patient, leading to better outcomes and fewer side effects,” says Jame Abraham, MD, FACP, director of the breast oncology program at the Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic.

 “We used to consider all breast cancer the same, but now we know it’s actually at least 10 different diseases,” each with its own genetic signature and weak spots, adds Dr. Abraham. That groundbreaking discovery has spurred development of highly targeted drugs for certain breast cancer subtypes and has helped patients avoid ineffective treatments.

Here’s a look at breakthroughs that are transforming breast cancer care, including new ways to prevent the disease, which strikes one in eight women over a lifetime.

1. A Vaccine Against Breast Cancer

Cleveland Clinic researchers have discovered that a single vaccination can prevent breast cancer in mice that are genetically predisposed to the disease. The center plans to test the vaccine in humans, with clinical trials expected to begin in 2015. The first clinical trial will include women with the highly aggressive triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) who have recovered from standard treatment.

2. 3-D Mammograms

A new study published in Lancet Oncology found that adding 3D digital breast tomosynthesis, hailed as one of the top 10 medical innovations for 2013 by the Cleveland Clinic, to standard 2D breast X-rays could reduce stress-inducing false alarms (results that look like cancer, but aren’t) by 17 percent, without missing any actual cancers.

3. The First Drug for Early-Stage Breast Cancer

In clinical trials, women with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer were 18 percent more likely to be cancer-free after 12 weeks when using the FDA approved Perjeta than those who received other cancer drugs. Doctors hope that using the new drug during the earliest stages of the disease will shrink tumors, making them easier to remove, or even help some women avoid mastectomies.

4. More Accurate Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Without Surgery

Every year, more than one million American women undergo breast biopsies, but only about 20 percent of them have cancer. A new FDA-cleared device, the Aixplorer Ultrasound System, could reduce unnecessary biopsies by helping doctors tell which lumps are malignant. In a 2012 multi-center study, the device correctly classified 78.5 percent of suspicious breast lumps analyzed, compared to 61.1 percent accuracy when conventional ultrasound was used.  The technology’s 3D images could also be helpful for screening women with dense breast tissue for cancer, since mammography doesn’t work very well in such patients.

5. A High-Tech Gene Test to Predict Risk of Recurrence

The FDA has cleared a new test that calculates the 10-year risk that a woman with certain types of early-stage breast cancer will suffer a recurrence. Intended only for patients who have undergone standard surgical and oncological treatments, the test analyzes cells from the woman’s tumor to check for 50 genes involved in the growth and spread of cancer. It then classifies the woman’s risk of cancer recurrence from low to high.

6. A Pill to Prevent Breast Cancer

Women ages 35 or older who are at increased risk for breast cancer should discuss with their doctor the potential benefit of taking one of two FDA-approved medications to combat the threat, according to new recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

7. New Weapons Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer

This form of the disease is tough to treat because it lacks the three receptors that fuel most breast cancer growth. As a result, TNBC doesn’t respond to conventional targeted therapies. While the disease can sometimes be treated effectively with chemotherapy, it remains the most deadly form of breast cancer. Large genetic studies have revealed that TNBC has molecular similarities to certain ovarian cancers, a discovery that could lead to new therapies. Additionally, researchers have identified several promising new targets that are now being studied in clinical trials, a new paper published in Oncology reports.

Originally published on health.yahoo.net by Lisa Collier Cool

The full article can be found here:

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/incredible-breast-cancer-breakthroughs

Rue is going Pink all October to Promote Breast Cancer Awareness

Rue is going pink all October to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. This allows us a chance to open up discussion and increase awareness. Throughout October we will be talking about prevention, promoting awareness, discussing facts, and looking into new research and the steps that have been taken in treatment and discoveries that bring us closer to a cure.

You can set an automatic calendar reminder by clicking the button below:
 

The Rue Nursing Scholarship is Back...and it's Even Bigger!

Rue Education is proud to announce the Fall Nursing Scholarship is back! Last year our response was fantastic and we were happy to award Juliette Surratt our $2500 scholarship to be used toward Rue’s RN Bridge program to assist her in the pursuit of her ASN degree and becoming an RN. This year, since we are bringing the scholarship back, we wanted to out-do ourselves and go bigger. We managed more than an improvement, we doubled it! This year, one Nursing Scholarship will be awarded for up to $5,000 toward Rue’s program.

Applications are being accepted now via email, fax, or mail, and the application can be found on our webpage here. One individual who is ready to pursue their nursing degree and become an RN will be awarded our scholarship on November 4^th, 2013. The deadline for submission is October 31^st, 2013.

For details, feel free to visit our scholarship page. We look forward to hearing your story!

LPNs, LVNs, Respiratory Therapists, or Paramedics are eligible for the Rue Nursing scholarship.

Additional scholarships are available through Rue Education partner companies and employers.

www.RueEducation.com/scholarship