The California Institute for Nursing & Health Care conducted a survey of employers of nurses from March to May of 2009. The results: 40% of new nursing graduates may not find employment in California hospitals, as only 65% of hospitals indicated they were hiring new graduates, and many said they were decreasing the amount of new hires. In June, a series of meetings were held to discuss these finding and find possible solutions. The survey presentation is...  Read More »

An Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) study has found that more than half of emergency department (ED) nurses have experienced physical violence at work, according to an ENA press release. Physical violence includes getting spit on, hit, pushed or shoved, scratched and kicked. The more detailed statistics are just as alarming. One in four nurses have experienced such abuse more than 20 times in the past three years, and one in five nurses experienced verbal...  Read More »

A couple of months ago, we asked you to share your cost-savings ideas for our contest to win one of our Quick-E! clinical reference books. We received dozens of entries and picked what we thought were the best strategies to implement quickly and easily. Congratulations to Terri Johnson, Marfy Yanac, Betty Gregg, Donna Label, and Laura Webb for having the most creative methods for saving your pennies during this tough economic time. So what do they suggest?...  Read More »

“As you may know, we are in the middle of a C. diff. outbreak and…” And the winner is. . . (drum roll, please). . . Doug Barnett! Congratulations, Doug! 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? In the meantime, we’re going to give away a few copies of our Quick-E! Clinical Pocket Guides to some nurses. Have a money-saving...  Read More »

Two registered nurses from Winkler County Memorial Hospital in Kermit, TX are being prosecuted for reporting complaints to the Texas Medical board about a physician’s standard of practice, according to the local CBS affiliate. The American Nurses Association (ANA) has joined the Texas Nurses Association (TNA) to criticize the state’s response. Both associations worry about the precedent the action sets for future nurse whistle blowers who advocate...  Read More »

You will find nursing a rewarding profession, but it does have it sources of stress. The key is to get this stress under control from day one. Start out by identifying what areas of your work are causing you the most stress. Is it something you can change? If so, develop a plan and put it into action. There are various ways you can manage on-the-job stressors, such as: Avoiding the stressor (e.g., a nurse who is rude to you) Eliminating the stressor (e.g.,...  Read More »

Despite all the talk about critical thinking, nurses operate in a very task-oriented system. In our rush to take care of all our patients’ needs, we are prone to neglect ourselves, which affects not only our own health but also our ability to care for patients. Remember, there are few things that can’t wait five minutes, so take a moment for yourself. Much of my increased efficiency at the bedside results from the way I now manage a shift. I use...  Read More »

Clinicals are one of the most important parts of your nursing education. With everything that may be on your mind at the time, it’s important to remember proper communication and etiquette during each one. To practice good etiquette and common courtesy during each of your clinical rotations: Introduce yourself to the nurses on duty Ask if you can help out in any way Respect their territory and time Always be polite At the end, thank them for their time...  Read More »

“By the way, the surveyor from the Joint Commission is here early for your meeting.” And the winner is … (drum roll, please) … Melissa Heflin! Congratulations, Melissa! 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? In the meantime, we’re going to give away a few copies of our Quick-E! Clinical Pocket Guides to some...  Read More »

There is a reason why, “The family that plays together stays together.” Recreation is about reconnecting and redefining relationships. Fun makes us human to each other, it opens opportunity to build understanding and connect on a deeper level. I’ve done volunteer work with families that have placed their teens in interventional boarding schools. When those children come back home, relationships have to be rebuild and redefined, and family...  Read More »