Nursing: Web Resources

With the heart pumping 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it’s absolutely vital to make sure things are flowing smoothly (pun intended!). Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, and different parts of the circulatory system can cause problems: your heart, your blood vessels, and even the fluid in your tissues and blood itself can be the issue. To further complicate things, the underlying reasons for circulatory system problems vary from your genes (nature) to your lifestyle habits (nurture). An understanding of how different diseases can affect your circulatory system is important to combat this growing problem in the world.

Learn more about some of the current issues in health and medicine. Dr. Rishi Desai is a pediatric infectious disease physician and former epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Blood is incredibly important in combating disease and the healing process after an injury. It acts as a highway for medicine, stops bleeding, fights infections, controls cells from multiplying too fast, and so much more. But things can go wrong with blood too! What if your blood couldn’t clot and stop you from bleeding, or started to clot uncontrollably? What if your red blood cells or white blood cells suddenly disappeared? Blood contains many different types of tissues doing very different jobs, making diseases of the blood produce a variety of symptoms, including continuously feeling tired and bone pain. Learn about the different blood diseases, how they are diagnosed, and the cool ways health professionals treat these conditions.

Get introduced to all of the major organ systems of the body. You'll learn some general anatomy (roadmap for your body), and how the organs work to keep you alive! Watch some videos, read some articles, try some flashcards, and then quiz yourself!

Our lungs are composed of a bronchial tree (think of an upside down tree with millions of leaves), blood vessels bringing blood in and out, and a protein-rich fluid that forms a matrix holding everything together! If any part of this well-balanced organ isn’t working properly, a person can be left feeling short of breath. The lungs are also exposed to the outside environment, making them prone to infections. To counter infections, the lungs are lined with cells that have tiny protein bristles which wave back and forth and can literally sweep away dangerous bacteria. Learn more about diseases of the lungs and how modern medicine helps to keep them healthy!

The ACEN supports the interests of nursing education, nursing practice, and the public by the functions of accreditation.

Resources about diseases, conditions and other special topics, with health immunizations and recommendations for travelers worldwide.

Up-to-date information on HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, and policy. Includes information on HIV in other areas of the world.

Videos about medicine and the healthcare system. These videos do not provide medical advice and are for informational purposes only. The videos are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

A basic breakdown provided by NursingLicensure.org.

Medscape from WebMD offers specialists, primary care physicians, and other health professionals the Web's most robust and integrated medical information and educational tools. After a simple, 1-time, free registration, Medscape from WebMD automatically delivers to you a personalized specialty site that best fits your registration profile.

Comprehensive descriptions of cancer research programs and clinical trials.

Complementary and alternative healing practices such as aromatherapy, acupuncture, and herbal medicine. Offers resources and pamphlets.

NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability.

Online guide to quality health and medical information and local health services throughout North Carolina.

Information on health precautions, links to local health departments, how to get birth certificates.

Comprehensive resource containing citations (not full articles) to biomedical articles and life science journals.

Health-related research and reports and a collection of health statistics.