Many times in reviewing a clinical record, simple items (e.g., date and time of assessment) are missing. Although it may seem inconsequential to the nurse, these missing pieces may become critical in a court of law. Questions will undoubtedly be raised against the nurse, including: How can you prove that your documentation entry was timely? How do you prove that your assessment and intervention were based on the patient’s condition at that time? What...  Read More »

Ah, graduation. It’s a time to sit back, relax, and celebrate all your hard work. Ah, the NCLEX-RN®. Gulp. It’s a time to sit up straight, get serious, and put in all your hard work. Life’s like that, isn’t it? You pass one hurdle and there’s another one staring you in the face. Anyway, many of you will be taking the NCLEX this summer and we’re here to provide some help courtesy of Stressed Out About the NCLEX-RN®. Want...  Read More »

There’s the documentation. Then there’s the care coordination. And don’t forget about searching for items and delivering them. So how much time is left for nurses to deliver actual patient care at the bedside? According to a recent study in The Permanente Journal, not much time at all. The study, which focused on 767 licensed nurses within 17 healthcare systems in 15 states, revealed that nurses devote more than 75% of their time to nursing...  Read More »

By Richard Freedberg, RN, MSN, MPA Have you ever had one of those days? You introduce yourself to the patient assigned to you in clinical, “Hi, I’m Rick, your student nurse,” and he or she responds, “Great, another rookie! I feel like a guinea pig! Why don’t you just go practice somewhere else?”  Your experience seems to plummet from there. What went wrong? How can you establish a relationship? How can you find your nursing...  Read More »

Ah, graduation. It’s a time to sit back, relax, and celebrate all your hard work. Ah, the NCLEX-RN®. Gulp. It’s a time to sit up straight, get serious, and put in all your hard work. Life’s like that, isn’t it? You pass one hurdle and there’s another one staring you in the face. Anyway, many of you will be taking the NCLEX this summer and we’re here to provide some help courtesy of Stressed Out About the NCLEX-RN®. Want...  Read More »

Retention continues to be a hot topic in the world of nursing. Whether you are a staff nurse (or soon to be) or a seasoned nurse manager, the following excerpt from HCPro’s newsletter The Staff Educator, can help get the retention wheels turning. Share some of these ideas with your manager or use some of them on your staff. One of a hospital’s top priorities should be to retain competent nurses within its facility. According to the U.S. Bureau of...  Read More »

A broad definition of addiction is that it is any activity, substance, object, or behavior that is the major focus of a person’s life, excluding other activities, and causing harm to oneself or others. Addictions can be physical, such as an addiction to alcohol or nicotine. Addictions can also be psychological, such as an addiction to gambling, sex, work, running, or shopping. There are many common characteristics among the various addictive behaviors: Obsession:...  Read More »

By Richard Freedberg, RN, MSN, MPA That’s a tough circumstance to be in! Nursing students have to be smart, capable people with proven track records of success to get into competitive nursing programs. So why is it so hard now? First, let me just confirm that you are not alone! Your classmates may not proclaim it from the rooftops, but others most assuredly failed, and the majority may not have done as well as they would have liked. Be comforted by that,...  Read More »

Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) recently took a look at the U.S. healthcare system from a nurse’s perspective. Obama, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. presidency, shadowed Kate Marzluf, RN, a staff nurse on the cardiology unit at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for 90 minutes. He reportedly did his best to hand out medications and interact with patients while the media swarmed him at every turn. Afterwards, he turned his full attention to reporters...  Read More »

“At least we know his taste buds are working . . .” And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Teresa Yancey! Congratulations, Teresa! 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 »