Are you attending the SGNA Annual Course in Portland? As of today, 1202 GI professionals are registered. Here are few hints and tips for getting the most out of this jam-packed, well planned event.

Topics: endoscopy, SGNA, SGNA 46th Annual Course, Portland

When asked to identify dangerous occupations, most people would not rank healthcare workers high on their lists. Yet the healthcare industry records 6.4 injuries per 100 workers compared with 3.3 per 100 workers for all other industries combined, including professions like firefighters and construction workers. In addition, as many as 50% of injuries may go unreported by healthcare workers.

Topics: colonoscopy, endoscopy, VA, Veteran, VA SPHM, safe patient handling, healthcare costs, patient safety, abdominal pressure colonoscopy, nurse injury

What Is Endoscopy?

For those not immersed in the world of gastroenterology (GI), endoscopy refers to nonsurgical procedures that allow a physician to examine the digestive tract. In these procedures, a flexible tube with a small light and camera attached (an endoscope) is inserted into the mouth or the rectum. Physicians can then inspect, take pictures, and perform therapies like removing polyps and taking biopsies. The two most common endoscopic procedures are 1) upper endoscopy, which looks at the first part of the small intestine and 2) colonoscopy, which examines the lower intestine (colon). 

Topics: colonoscopy, colon cancer, endoscopy, safe patient handling, GI nursing, looping in colonoscopy, endoscopist, difficult colonoscopy, colorectal cancer, GI injury, nurse injury, ColoWrap, SGNA

During March, aka Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, you have probably learned a lot about colorectal cancer (CRC) including screening options for the disease, proposed legislation to remove barriers to CRC screening, and  positive trends, for instance: for people age 50 and over, the rate of CRC is declining. That’s all good. Unfortunately, the news for younger folks is not as rosy.

Topics: colonoscopy, colon cancer, screening, CRC, colorectal cancer, EAO CRC, early adult onset colorectal cancer, Brooks Bell

In case you have not heard, March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Despite some bleak facts (e.g., CRC is the number two cause of cancer deaths in the US, the prevalence is rapidly increasing among adults under age 50, etc.), there is much to be thankful for. For instance:

Topics: colonoscopy, colon cancer, screening, CRC, colorectal cancer, backoffcoloncancer, Candace Henley, Andrew Albert, Reece Garcia, Blue Hats

Happy International Women's Day (March 8)! Today is a global celebration of the achievements of women. It also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. ColoWrap wants to honor the accomplishments of female gastroenterologists AND highlight gender disparities that are narrowing but are not yet resolved. We are sharing an updated version of a 2018 post to reignite the conversation.

Topics: gastroenterologist, pay gap, gender inequity, women in GI, female gastroenterologist

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of death from cancers that affect both men and women, but if everyone 50 and older got regular screenings, six out of ten CRC-related deaths could be prevented.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the goal of which is to increase awareness about the disease and raise funds for research. This month--and throughout the year---you can take action to educate friends and family about CRC and how to get screened; reduce your own odds of getting CRC; raise research dollars;  or volunteer. Here's how to get started.

Topics: colonoscopy, colon cancer, screening, adenoma, polyp, CRC, colorectal cancer, GYRIG, Colon Cancer Coalition, Stacy Hurt, Get Your Rear in Gear, cancer

According to the American College of Gastroenterologists (ACG), adenoma detection rate (ADR) is “the measurement that best reflects how carefully colonoscopy is performed.“ Defined as the percentage of patients age 50 and older undergoing screening colonoscopy who have one or more precancerous polyps detected, ADR is calculated by dividing the number of procedures in which one or more adenomas is detected by the total number of procedures. An endoscopist’s  ADR should be at least 25% for men and 15% for women.

Topics: colonoscopy, colon cancer, adenoma, polyp, CRC, colorectal cancer, ADR, cancer, microbiome, probiotics, interval cancer, adenoma miss rate, AMR, adenoma detection rate

 

Topics: colonoscopy, colon cancer, adenoma, polyp, CRC, colorectal cancer, cancer

The human gut microbiome comprises all of the bacteria in in the human intestine, which amounts to over 100 billion bacteria. This outnumbers the cells in our bodies 10 to 1. Although probiotic products touting gut health are currently flooding the marketplace (ranging from dietary supplements to cake mixes), there is no consensus on what a healthy human microbiome looks like, and none of these products have been approved by the FDA to treat or prevent specific diseases. While most agree that it is essential to human health, facts about the microbiome and how it functions in the body are still under investigation.

Topics: colon cancer, adenoma, polyp, CRC, colorectal cancer, cancer, microbiome, probiotics