Here they are–pictures of our Halloween costume contest winners, dressed up as Swine Flew! Pictured here are Karen McCarthy and Janet Burke from Salmon Health and Retirement in Massachusetts! We hope all of you enjoyed this contest, and encourage you to enter our “Best Mentor” contest–the winner receives a free book and we will honor your mentor on the Stressed Out Nurses Web site!   Read More »

I hope you all had some fun on Halloween and dressed up a bit. As you know, StressedOutNurses.com holds monthly contests for a chance to win free Quick E! Pocket Guides. This month’s winner for best Halloween costume was (drum roll). . . Swine Flew! Karen McCarthy and her office mate teamed up to dress as pigs with wings. Officially, Karen was H1 and her officemate was N1. Unfortunately, we don’t have a picture yet, but hopefully...  Read More »

In August I posted about a survey of UK’s National Health Service nurses that showed only 37% of the 1,500 respondents planned on getting the H1N1 vaccine. The UK’s Department of Health had issued a statement letting nurses know that those who refuse the vaccine are putting their own health and patients’ health at risk. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all healthcare and emergency medical services...  Read More »

Hundreds have followed StressedFran on Twitter, and the number of followers continues to grow. Fran tweets about: Interesting news from the world of nursing Jokes, quotes, and sayings that will make you smile Other resources nurses and nursing student may find useful Start following Fran today at twitter.com/stressedfran! As a nurse or nursing student, do you use Twitter? In what ways do you find it most useful? Post a comment and let...  Read More »

Will you get vaccinated against the H1N1 virus this fall? According to the UK’s Daily Mail, many National Health Service (NHS) nurses across the pond aren’t so keen on getting vaccinated. The recent article cites a Nursing Times magazine poll of 1,500 readers, which revealed that 30% of those polled said they would not be vaccinated, 33% might get vaccinated, and 37% would definitely get the vaccination. The most common explanation...  Read More »

A lot of different reasons bring people to the field of nursing, but for Angela Ronquillo, RN, it was an accident that brought her back to her passion for her career. Ronquillo was already a nurse when an accident left her immobile for months, reports The Times-Picayune, and this accident brought Ronquillo to a place where she was able to discover her true calling. Twelve years ago, Ronquillo suffered a debilitating back injury after a porch...  Read More »

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...  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...  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...  Read More »

Here’s a refreshing take on hospital education: A Denver company is customizing the outer skin of its vending machines for customers. You could combine a hand-washing reminder with a delicious soft drink for only $2,695. Can you picture one in your facility? Click here to see the full article.   Read More »