Need a quick review of last week’s lecture from your advanced health assessment class? Just get out your iPod. Sound far fetched? It’s not. Some schools, including Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX, have started using iPods and podcasts to teach nursing students. Graduate students in some of the classes taught by Anne-Marie Williamson, MSN, FNPC, are experiencing a whole new world of learning thanks to a one-year pilot educational...  Read More »

Call lights are often frustrating for nurses, but are essential features in most hospital units. Although the lights are invaluable for alerting staff to patient needs, those needs often are not emergencies, and constantly answering the calls can tie up a workday. A recent study shows that when nurses conducted hourly rounds, the call light use was reduced by 38%, and the nature of those calls were more important to the patient’s well-being. The change...  Read More »

When the Baskin-Robbins ice cream franchise decided to let customers sample flavors before picking which one they wanted, it was a revolutionary idea. But the company realized the value of allowing folks who had a tasty treat on their minds to sample a free taste on a small, pink, plastic spoon before settling in with a whole cone of just one flavor. Nurse recruiter Karen Henderson, RN, is putting a similar idea in place at Wellmont Health System in Tennessee....  Read More »

With infants and children at a high risk for prescription errors, administration errors, and serious drug interactions, it’s important to take necessary precautions. So, what are some of the practices that you can implement to prevent drug interactions in children? Prioritize drug safety interventions according to child’s level of growth and development Always verify safe dosages Provide education to child/family Use accurate measuring devices...  Read More »

When we kicked off our Stressed Out series, we thought of everything. We had some fantastic, educational books, an increasingly interactive Web site with conWhen we kicked off our Stressed Out series, we thought of everything. We had some fantastic, educational books, an increasingly interactive Web site with contests, polls, and stories, a MySpace page, and a cute, little mascot to go with it all. And we named that mascot . . . Oops! That’s what we forgot!...  Read More »

Let the nursing begin. This fall, the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, MO, will enroll its first nursing class of about 30 students after recently receiving preliminary approval from the state board of nursing. The application process took about two years. In addition to using state-of-the-art equipment, such as mannequins and interactive learning modules, the program at Armstrong McDonald School of Nursing will allow students to work at several different...  Read More »

When we kicked off our Stressed Out series, we thought of everything. We had some fantastic, educational books, an increasingly interactive Web site with contests, polls, and stories, a MySpace page, and a cute, little mascot to go with it all. And we named that mascot . . . Oops! That’s what we forgot! So, we asked for your help. You responded with a variety of witty (sometimes even funny) names for our cartoon nurse. And the winner (drum roll, please)...  Read More »

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that beginning in 2011 the number of baby boomers aged 65 and over is projected to rise faster than the total population in all states. This population will continue to increase until 2030, when one U.S. citizen in five will be older than 65 years of age. The implications are enormous in terms of healthcare delivery and client education to ensure medication safety. Physiological changes that occur with the normal aging process...  Read More »

The good news is that stress in manageable amounts is actually a good thing. It speeds up the heart rate and sends blood to the brain. Remember, stress accelerates the sympathetic nervous system. So, how stressed are you? Take this quick test by answering the following questions: Are your shoulders too close to your earlobes? Are you tapping or shaking your foot or finger? Do you feel tired enough that you could lie down and take a nap? Are you worrying about...  Read More »

Whether it’s for the President of the United States or the next winner of American Idol, voting is a passion for many of us. We participate in polls and surveys of different shapes and sizes all the time. Here at stressedoutnurses.com, it’s no different. Over the past couple of months, we’ve asked you about some of the topics that shape your lives as practicing and future nurses. Your answers have been very interesting. Our questions have...  Read More »