Pam Paulson, clinical nurse specialist for pediatrics and the nursery at Denver Health, holds Dustin Rodriguez, 8 weeks. Dustin was a patient in the pediatric unit, but was on his way home later in the day. Photo by Jason P. Smith

Can you feel it? Can you smell it? When you leave for work in the morning the birds are waking and starting to sing. Grape hyacinth and crocus are starting to bloom and the fruit trees are just starting to bud out. Which means, in Oklahoma, just one more bout of sub-freezing temperatures and then it’s official. Spring again!

What’s the best kept secret in this region’s health care community? Well, according to the staff at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center, it is both the level of care and the continuum of care offered at the hospital’s Mother and Child Hospital.

New DAHCRA President Deana Gallegos wants to help ease the shortage of nurse educators and clinical sites in Colorado. Photo by Mike Liguori

Nurse Nancy Kehiayan leads the Colorado Nurse Health Program. Photo by Mike Liguori

Nurse Ann Kelly says that a nurse's personality is a key part of professional success. Photo by Mike Liguori

Dorthy Smith, RN, points herself out in a historical photo of nurse cadets hanging on the side of the double-decker bus used for this year's parade float. Photo by Jason P. Smith

Although Colorado is known as having a fairly healthy and active population, there is a growing percentage of the population suffering from cardiovascular disease and diabetes. According to Laurel Petralia, senior manager of prevention programs at the Colorado Prevention Center, cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in Colorado, claiming 9,000 lives every year.

According to those in the know, cruise nursing hasn’t been affected by the current nursing shortage. Is it any wonder? The pay and benefits are excellent; the work environment is modern and up-to-date; the last thing the majority of clients want is to get sick on their vacation and end up in the infirmary, and the scenery’s not that bad either.

The most recent round of findings regarding the effectiveness and risks of hormone therapy — this time estrogen only — appears to put the idea of HT’s powers of prevention down for the count.