After a couple of our recent NCLEX articles about waiting for results and finding success, we received an interesting email. Lawrence Underwood, a recent nursing school graduate from Illinois, told us he whizzed through the NCLEX in only 35 minutes. Thirty-five minutes!? We had to hear more. Here’s his story: Two years of school and countless hours of studying and anxiety all boiled down to one simple test: the NCLEX (insert scary music here). After all,...  Read More »

Recruitment—and even more importantly retention—are becoming more and more significant as the United States continues to deal with its nursing shortage. In order to retain nurses, hospitals must be places that people are “dying to work at.” But it is hard defining what those hospitals will look like. Regardless of what the future holds for healthcare and hospitals, most experts agree that recruiting and retaining enough employees will take a...  Read More »

The reason critical thinking is so important in nursing is based on what nursing does as a profession. Because we deal with people, there is much we must take into consideration and there are direct consequences to our nursing actions. Critical thinking is vital because it directs us in providing safe, competent care. For you to become a critical thinker, you must first answer the following questions. Be honest in your evaluation. What have you learned about...  Read More »

Who knew two days could feel like an eternity? From Monday to Wednesday, I sat in suspense wondering my fate after taking my NCLEX. I wouldn’t have cared if I had to pay $100 to know my results immediately; I would have done anything not to have to wait those days. I was walking on eggshells. My mother asked me afterwards how it went and I didn’t have any words for her. I couldn’t explain what I had just gone through. It was almost like it...  Read More »

The search for new nurses has left many hospitals looking high and low for recruits. In El Paso, TX, they don’t need to look far at all. A new program at El Paso Community College is turning paramedics, who already have an existing medical knowledge base, into RNs. There are 27 students enrolled in the first class that expects to bolster the low numbers of nurses in the area. Experts estimate that nearly 400 new nursing positions will be created in the...  Read More »

By Richard Freedberg, RN, MSN, MPA Most nursing students, it seems, lead extremely busy lives and find time to be a precious commodity. It is tremendously difficult to balance work, family, classroom, clinical, and other obligations. (We will save that for another discussion, but can freely agree that none of us wants to squander study time in unproductive pursuits.) This leads us to our question today: Are study groups worth it? Do they provide enough of a...  Read More »

Who knew two days could feel like an eternity? From Monday to Wednesday, I sat in suspense wondering my fate after taking my NCLEX. I wouldn’t have cared if I had to pay $100 to know my results immediately; I would have done anything to not have to wait those days. I was walking on eggshells. My mother asked me afterwards how it went and I didn’t have any words for her. I couldn’t explain what I had just gone through. It was almost like it...  Read More »

If you hesitate to approach your manager, ask yourself why. What is the fear or hesitation about? Did you have a bad past experience? Is it just lack of experience? Understanding and acknowledging how you feel will set the tone for communication. Feeling secure when speaking to your manager is all about your level of self-awareness. The confidence that arises when you take care of your own needs will keep you plugged into your own power—which gives...  Read More »

Stress is not only the No. 1 health problem in America; it’s one of the major problems facing nurses, resulting in poor job satisfaction and increased turnover. Some stress will always come with the nursing territory, but it’s important to find ways to manage the daily stress that comes with a taxing work environment. Recent research strongly advocates stress management in healthcare. A Nursing Economic$ article notes that “the healthcare...  Read More »

By Richard Freedberg, RN, MSN, MPA I teach in a community college that offers four different nursing programs designed to build on the past experiences and accommodate the busy lives of our diverse students. There are differences among the entry and upper levels of students in all of the programs, but there are also some striking similarities. One common thread shared by all is the question: "When will I feel like a nurse?" This seems to bother nursing...  Read More »