Christina is an Assistant Professor at Villanova University Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, and Adult Health-Gerontologic Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. She has more than 15 years of experience as an advanced practice nurse working to improve transitions in care for older adults and their family caregivers. As a Certified Diabetes Education and Care Specialist she has Read more…
It’s World HIV/AIDS Day. Where do things stand with HIV? Before we drop some knowledge, let’s take a moment to remember and honor those we have lost to HIV/AIDS. This Nerd lost Stuart and Bob, uncle figures and mentors in my childhood and young adulthood. I credit them for my love and passion for public Read more…
Semaglutide (aka, Ozempic/Wegovy), reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, even if you don’t have diabetes. But we still have a lot to learn. A new paper published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine reported very interesting results from a clinical trial of semaglutide, the active ingredient in both Ozempic and Wegovy. The Read more…
It can be helpful for some people with treatment resistant depression or major depressive disorder. Ketamine is a medication commonly used during surgery and was first developed to be an anesthesia medication with fewer side effects. It is an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist and has been studied for nearly 20 years in mental health because Read more…
🥳 Free COVID-19 tests are once again available in the US as of Monday, Nov 20, from covidtests.gov. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Each household can receive four tests. 📈 With lots of gatherings ahead and COVID cases on the rise, it’s always a good idea to have tests on hand. 📢 Please share this post to spread the Read more…
A: Taking an antibiotic when it’s not needed contributes to antimicrobial resistance and can put you and others at risk of more severe infections. TLDR: Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, fungi, parasites or viruses mutate in ways that make common treatments ineffective. More and more antibiotics are losing their effectiveness due to antimicrobial resistance, so Read more…
Grief can feel complicated, but know that you are not alone. Many people find this time of the year difficult, especially so when they are facing the death or loss of a loved one. The holidays can bring up feelings of sadness, loss around the rituals you had, and isolation as other people may not Read more…
Adults 60 years and older are at a higher risk for severe RSV and complications like pneumonia and hospitalization because our immune systems get weaker as we age. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (usually called RSV) is typically thought of as an infection that is bad for infants and children. But you can get RSV at any age. Read more…
‘Tis the season of SO many respiratory viruses! As we face another Thanksgiving with surging viruses, how can we enjoy precious moments with family and friends while lowering the risk of getting or spreading illness? Think in terms of harm reduction: a little bit better is a little bit better. Small steps you take to Read more…
TL;DR Folic acid is a type of folate- one of the B vitamins (B9). A total of 600 mcg of folic acid is recommended daily for anyone who is pregnant or could become pregnant. This can be difficult to get from food sources alone, SO a prenatal vitamin or standalone supplement containing at least 400 Read more…
People who are at least 65 years old can get a flu shot specially developed for their age group, and it offers better protection from the flu. Influenza vaccines have been around for nearly 80 years, and have undergone a number of changes during that long history. One of the more recent changes is the emergence Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls answer your questions about fall vaccines for COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Hosted by: – Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD: TNG Founding Member & Contributing Writer – Chana Davis, PhD: TNG Contributing Writer & Founder of Fueled by Science https://youtu.be/o6VIv6eWXhM?si=tPF-mXLGojFvtZ1J ➡️ Welcome and Intros (0:00-0:59) ➡️ Who needs an RSV vaccine and why? What Read more…
A: Potentially, yes! Semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) may reduce birth control effectiveness and may increase risk of birth defects if taken during pregnancy. The new GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs have been a breakthrough in treating obesity and Type 2 diabetes. They significantly improve blood glucose levels and lower body weight. Read more…
It’s not “just a flu.” The flu is much more dangerous than a regular cold, especially for young kids, older people, and during pregnancy. The flu can kill over 50,000 people a year in the US in a bad year. “It’s just a bad flu.” We often heard this as a way to minimize the Read more…
A: Yes. The flu shot covers FOUR strains – you don’t want to catch it again! TL;DR: It’s hard to know which flu strain you got or which one will be dominant in the next few months. Go ahead and get that shot even if you had confirmed or suspected influenza. The current flu vaccine Read more…
Brianna is a Geriatric and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner with over a decade of nursing experience caring for older adults living with serious illnesses including dementia, cancer, and severe brain injury. Dr. Morgan has a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Basis of Behavior (2008), a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (2012), a Masters in Adult Read more…
Tl;dr: Congenital syphilis is a disease that occurs when a pregnant person passes the infection on to their baby during pregnancy and can be very serious. Rates of congenital syphilis have significantly increased in the last decade. Congenital syphilis can be prevented by finding and treating syphilis in pregnancy. Unfortunately, lack of access to pregnancy Read more…
In general, you can count on 6 months of meaningful protection starting two weeks after you get your annual flu vaccine. Protection may wane earlier in older adults. Getting vaccinated in advance of flu season’s start ensures that you have good coverage when the season begins, and in most adults, your protection will stick around Read more…
A: Yes! Being strategic about your search terms can help you more effectively identify credible, fact-checked information and avoid just bringing up a bunch of websites promoting the rumor or false claim. TL; DR: MediaWise recommends keywords include specific names or places, target the specific topic or claim, and help focus the results on credible Read more…
Tl;dr: The bandwagon effect describes when we adopt beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors because we think other people are doing so. This type of cognitive bias causes us to make decisions based on what we think is popular, rather than what we think is right. Slowing down decision making, avoiding peer pressure, and keeping ourselves accountable Read more…
