Every once in a while, a truly must-see movie hits the big screen. Whether you think it’s worthy of $9.50 or not, the societal importance of certain flicks calls out to us. Titanic, Schindler’s List, Forrest Gump, Brokeback Mountain, and seemingly every Harry Potter movie are in the category. The Simpsons? Eh, well, that’s on the fence. The 87-minute version of the long-running animated sitcom did net more than $70 million in its first week,...  Read More »

About six weeks ago, we here in Stressed Out land sent out a survey to get your input on a variety of topics. We asked you about everything from where you purchase your books to how many hours per day you spend in front of your computer. Along with providing some pretty interesting information for us, the results can also serve as a benchmark for those of you wondering about your peers. How do you compare? Let’s check it out. More than 100 people completed...  Read More »

Exercise rejuvenates the body and the mind. A simple 30-minute walk has beneficial effects. Physiologically, walking provides aerobic exercise to boost your mood, and the endorphins released help relieve pain while they create a sense of well-being. The benefits of walking include: It reduces stress It clears your mind It gives you an opportunity to tap into your creative side It helps you generate new ideas It lets you solve problems on foot Source: Stressed...  Read More »

When should you speak and when should you be silent? What conversations should you engage in and which ones should you let slide? Are you taking something too personally and being too sensitive, or is another nurse attacking your integrity? Nurse-to-nurse communication must sit within some framework. The first step is to define your boundaries. Having a code of conduct sets a clear picture of your own personal boundary line. Any step across this line requires...  Read More »

Wyoming isn’t feeling the effects of the national nursing shortage as much as states such as Texas and Florida, but that doesn’t mean its hospitals are ignoring the issue. Wyoming Medical Center in Casper is using recruitment and retention techniques to bring in competent nurses and keep the ones it has. Along with a new nurse recruiter, who is charged only with bringing in new, quality graduates, the hospital is using flexible scheduling and team...  Read More »

Recently, Stressed Out Nurse columnist Heather Grondin, RN, met with Sara Martinez Tucker, the U.S. undersecretary of education, to discuss how to make college a reality. Tucker was touring the country to visit with students and recent graduates to talk about higher education. Today, with knowledge from the session, Grondin will provide some tips and tools to help you finance your dream of attending college and becoming a nurse. Or, for those of you past that...  Read More »

It’s spoken when you stop in at your local coffee shop to grab a fresh brew. It’s spoken to family, friends, and strangers on the street. It’s spoken to patients, managers, other nurses, and anyone else you come across in a hospital. It’s body language. Simple, yet meaningful, body language can make or break your first impression–and your relationship–with someone. Do you know what it means when someone has darting eyes?...  Read More »

“Look Mr. Smith, I’m really sorry about the garbage shoot incident yesterday but I assure you, this time it really IS the MRI machine . . .” And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Matt Grevenow! Congratulations, Matt! Thanks to everyone who submitted a caption. They were all hilarious! And, we’ll be back next week with a brand new cartoon! Will YOU be the next winner?   Read More »

What are some of the ways physicians maintain their dominance? The majority of these behaviors are nonverbal: Poor eye contact or raised eyebrows Never bothering to learn your name Ignoring you One-word answers Sarcastic tone of voice Body language that says, “I am better than you” Eyes that say, “You are bothering me” Acknowledging this power difference is the first step in learning to communicate with physicians, because the vast...  Read More »

Are you stressed about how to balance work and family while becoming a nurse? For all you non-traditional nursing students, nursing student wannabes, and everyone else who could use a time management tip or two, this article is for you. Heather Grondin, RN, a nurse from New Hampshire, provides some tips and tricks on how to balance it all, maintain your GPA, and maybe even get involved in student government: So you have decided to go to nursing school, but...  Read More »