A nursing student who was dismissed from nursing school after posting photos of her posing with a placenta on Facebook has won her case against her school and is to rejoin her classes. Doyle Byrnes, the Johnson County Community College, located in Overland Park, KS, nursing student took the photos during a clinical component at an area hospital. After her dismissal, Byrnes filed a lawsuit in which she stated the college violated her rights...  Read More »

I have a couple friends who have graduated with nursing degrees and are on the hunt for a job. They’ve studied for long hours, interned in hospitals and doctors’ offices, and put their knowledge to the test for the NCLEX exam. It never dawned on me that none of these nursing friends are males; they are all female! But according to an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, more male nurses than ever are coming into the nursing world. Duquesne...  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...  Read More »

Sarah Whitlock has three words to describe her reaction to seeing a hand in a ditch while driving late one August night: “I was petrified.” The 21-year-old nursing student who attends Presentation College in Aberdeen, S.D., was driving along South Fork Road in Cody, WY—her hometown—around 11:30 p.m. on August 12. Despite the darkness, she saw a hand sticking out of a roadside ditch. “It scared me half to death,”...  Read More »

After performing pop rock country tunes on a bright stage surrounded by tens of thousands of screaming fans, Jason Marks should be able to perform clinical rotations with a steady hand. “It was very exciting and more fun than I’ve had in a long time,” says Marks with a slight Southern drawl. Marks, who attends Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) in Wilmington, N.C., has been a practicing musician for several years and has...  Read More »

Forty days and counting! Graduation is sneaking right up on me! I can’t believe how fast this semester has gone by, and I am starting to feel a little sad about the end of nursing school (never thought that day would come). Nursing school has been a place where I have found who I am, and who I want to become. It has forced me to make hard decisions and instilled in me the ability to think critically in a variety of instances. I will...  Read More »

For many nursing students, the last semester of college is a wonderful, memorable time. Classes are winding down, people start treating you like the adult you are, and free time and good friends are easy to find. Then a funny thing happens. Reality sets in. And you can spell reality with three letters: J-O-B. Our Last Semester columnist, Chelsea, gives us a glimpse into the anxiety. In the past few weeks of her clinical experience, Chelsea...  Read More »