Loading Page
Kathleen Elizabeth Lawson, MSN, FNP MSN is a nurse in Olney, MD specializing in general surgery, family medicine and gastroenterology (digestive system). Kathleen Elizabeth Lawson, MSN, FNP MSN is affiliated with MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, MedStar Health, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center and is available to see patients in the Washington and MEDSTAR MEDICAL GROUP II LLC.
MedStar Health
MedStar Health
Depression
Everyone knows what it feels like to get the blues once in a while. But depression is a serious illness that is more severe than a bad day and lasts much longer. Symptoms of depression stop a person from being able to function and enjoy daily activities for weeks or months at a time. It can happen to anyone, and it isn't something that people can control by force of will or "snap out of it."
Some common symptoms of depression include:
We don't yet know what causes depression, but it's thought that it is a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and social influences. Because of this, the most effective treatments for depression combine medication with psychotherapy. Therapy, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, can be extremely helpful in resolving the negative thoughts and feelings that come with depression. It gives patients new tools that they can use themselves to cope when their depression is making them feel down.
Some of the common medications used to treat depression include antidepressants such as SSRI's (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft) or atypical antidepressants (Cymbalta, Wellbutrin). It's important to remember that these medications have different effects on everybody, and no one medication works right for everyone. Patients may have to try a couple before finding the one that works just right for them. If the first medication they try doesn't work, they should talk to their doctor about trying something else. In extreme cases where medication is not enough, electro-convulsive therapy and hospitalization may be the answer to keeping a severely depressed person safe.
Depression is a difficult illness to deal with, but it is more common than believed and there are many people who can help. With the right treatment, individuals with depression can get back to fully enjoying life again.
Dialysis
Dialysis is a procedure that replicates renal (kidney) function by filtering patients' blood. When kidneys do not work properly, waste can accumulate in the blood and unbalanced chemicals can impair the body's critical functions. In order to stay healthy, a person without proper kidney function must receive dialysis. There are two forms of dialysis treatment: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Both forms of dialysis are recurring treatments that in many cases last throughout the lifetime of the affected patient. Patients who briefly lose renal function may slowly reduce the frequency of dialysis sessions until their kidneys recover. However, most patients who start on dialysis remain on dialysis for the rest of their lives or until they receive a kidney transplant.
A number of conditions can worsen renal function and lead to end-stage or acute kidney failure. When kidneys fail (i.e. nearly 90 percent of their function is lost), dialysis is typically prescribed. Conditions that cause chronic kidney failure (eventually requiring dialysis) include:
For hemodialysis (the more common form of dialysis), a patient will visit a hospital or clinic and be connected to a dialysis machine by a needle attached to a tube that draws blood from the arm. The drawn blood is transferred to the dialysis machine, where it is filtered and separated until clean. Waste products from the blood pass into a fluid called dialysate, which is pumped out of the machine into a waste receptacle. The machine also measures and helps ensure the blood has the appropriate level of fluid, electrolytes, and pH. A tube delivers the cleaned blood back into the patient's body. A dialysis session like this will typically last for three to four hours, with a patient undergoing dialysis around three times per week.
A second method of dialysis is known as peritoneal dialysis. Unlike hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis can be performed at home by oneself after an initial surgery. To start, a physician (generally a surgeon) will make a small incision in the lower abdomen and insert and surgically attach a catheter (thin tube). At home, the patient connects a pump to the abdomen catheter, delivering dialysate (dialysis fluid) from a bag hanging on a wheeled stand. This fluid enters the peritoneal cavity (greater abdomen area containing the stomach, liver, and intestines) and collects waste through osmosis, where waste in the blood moves across a membrane and into the dialysate. This process continues for several hours until the fluid concentration is equal between the blood and dialysate, at which point the fluid can be drained. The fluid can then be passed through a machine called a cycler, which removes waste and allows for the dialysate to be reused. This process is repeated about four times per day. Dialysis patients must limit the amount of fluid they consume prior to receiving dialysis and should also avoid eating salty foods. The cycler cannot filter more than a certain amount of waste products from the blood.
Kidneys are important organs, and dialysis treatments are vital for those with renal dysfunction. For many, dialysis is not so much a medical procedure but a part of their normal life.
Skin Grafting
When a large area of skin is too damaged to heal, a skin graft may be used to protect the tissue underneath and reduce scarring. A layer of healthy skin is taken and moved to the injured area, where it is fixed in place. Skin grafts are used to treat burns, infections, large wounds, ulcers, and other significant problems that affect the skin.
There are several different types of skin graft, depending on where the donor skin is taken from:
In all cases, the skin graft may either be full-thickness or partial-thickness. While thicker grafts make recovery more difficult for the donor site, they heal more easily than thinner grafts.
Before skin graft surgery, patients are given anesthesia so they cannot feel any pain. If using an autograft, the surgeon carefully measures and removes the skin from the donor site. Sometimes the graft is cut in a mesh-like pattern, to allow a small piece of donated skin to stretch and cover a larger area. This also helps oxygen pass through the graft. The site where the skin graft will go is cleaned well to remove any dirt, bacteria, or dead skin cells. Then the skin graft is placed and attached with stitches or staples. It is often covered with antibacterial ointment and supportive bandages for the first few days.
As the skin graft heals into its new position, new blood vessels grow to reach and support the skin. Depending on the thickness of the graft, oil glands, sweat glands, and hair follicles may also regrow. Recovery time depends on the thickness of the graft and the overall health of the skin in the grafted area, but it generally takes from two to four weeks.
She is certified by the Board Certification: American Association of Nurse Practitioners and has a state license in Maryland.
Board Certification: Board Certification: American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Licensed In: Maryland
Kathleen Elizabeth Lawson, MSN, FNP MSN is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
Kathleen Elizabeth Lawson, MSN, FNP MSN appears to accept the following insurance providers: MultiPlan, Optimum Choice, Optima Health, MAMSI, Magellan Health Services, United Healthcare Choice Plus, United Healthcare Choice, First Health PPO, Blue Choice, Great-West Healthcare, TRICARE, Coventry, TRICARE Reserve Select, Anthem, Aetna Managed Choice POS, Beech Street PPO, Aetna HMO, Kaiser Permanente, CIGNA PPO, CIGNA EPO, Aetna Medicare PPO, Aetna Medicare PFFS, CIGNA Indemnity, AmeriHealth, AARP, Medicare Advantage, TriWest, Coventry National Network PPO, Highmark, Amerigroup, United Healthcare, Medicaid, Humana, Cigna, Sentara Health Plans, WellPoint, United Healthcare Community Plan (AmeriChoice), Humana Medicare Advantage PPO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan, CIGNA PPO Plus, HealthyBlue PPO, Aetna Premier 200PD, MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice, CareFirst NASCO, M.D. IPA Preferred (POS), Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS), CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO, IH-PPO, Aetna Advantage 6350PD, DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans, MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families, CareFirst EPO, Optimum Choice Preferred (POS), Medicare Direct, OCI Direct (HMO), Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans, Aetna Open Choice (PPO), OA Plus, CareFirst Administrators, United Student Resources, IH-Network Only Plus, IH-POS, Aetna Classic 5000, Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA, CareFirst Community Health Plan of Maryland, Healthy Blue (HMO, POS), IH-POS Plus, Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice, Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA, CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan, Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Choice POS II, CareFirst Blue Card Program, Choice Fund PPO, IH-EPO Plus, Aetna VA Exchange, Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS), Aetna Better Health of Virginia, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced, Aetna Worker's Compensation Network, Options PPO Cardiac Global, Uniformed Services Family Health Plan, Aetna Advantage 5750, IH-Open HMO Option, HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO, Aetna Basic, CareFirst FEP Blue Focus, Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global, MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance, Core Essential (HMO), IH-Open EPO Plus, IH-Open POS Plus, Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO, Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network, MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global, CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO, Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS), IH-Open HMO, Aetna Advantage 6350, M.D. IPA (HMO), Erickson Advantage Plans, POS OA, Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund), Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS), IH-Open POS II, Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO, Aetna Classic 5000PD, CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP, Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice, Aetna Student Health Insurance, Private Health Care Systems (PPO), Choice POS, Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account, IH-Indemnity, CareFirst MedStar PPO, CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity, Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO), United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans, IH-HMO, IH-Open Network Only Plus, HumanaChoice PPO, CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO), Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO, Medicare FFS, Maryland Physicians Care MCO, Veterans Affairs Community Care Network, Advantra Platinum (PPO), Aetna Better Health of Maryland, BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage), Choice POS II Open Access, Employee Health Plan, Navigate, Police and Fire Clinic, Network OA, CareFirst MedStar Select PPO and Aetna Classic 3500.
According to our sources, Kathleen Elizabeth Lawson, MSN, FNP MSN accepts the following insurance providers:
Kathleen Elizabeth Lawson, MSN, FNP MSN has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.9 out of 5 stars based on 139 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Kathleen Elizabeth Lawson, MSN, FNP MSN from all over the web to help you find the right in Olney, MD.
Ms. Kathleen Lawson specializes in family medicine, gastroenterology (digestive system), and general surgery. Her areas of expertise include the following: cancer surgery, depression, and femoral hernia. She is rated highly by her patients. Ms. Lawson appears to be an in-network provider for Anthem, Blue California, and Coventry, in addition to other insurance carriers. She speaks Spanish. She is professionally affiliated with MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Montgomery Medical Center. According to Doctor.com, Ms. Lawson is currently accepting new patients at her office in Olney, MD.
