Nurse-to-nurse hostility, nurse bullying, and “nurses eat their young” are all common phrases that new nurses hear when entering the nursing profession. Imagine this scene: You’re a new, 25-year-old nurse and you ask an older, experienced nurse a simple question. The older nurse responds in an angry, know-it-all way, making you feel inferior to her. Later that day, the same nurse gives you a difficult patient to attend to, knowing...  Read More »

Nurses have to deal with all types of stress, whether it’s stress from dealing with difficult patients, nurse-to-nurse hostility, or the long hours. They are also frequently called upon to help relieve their patients’ stress and anxiety. An article in The Topeka Capital-Journal discussed this topic with registered nurse Sharon Anderson, who works in a breast diagnostic center. When patients come to see her, something is either wrong,...  Read More »

Nurses are well aware of the stress that comes with the job. Taking care of numerous patients atl varying levels of sickness, and dealing with many competing priorities, is enough to make anyone stressed out. Now, with the help of the BREATHE technique, nurses and patients can lower their blood pressure, heart rate, and experience a decrease in stress. The BREATHE technique was developed by John M. Kennedy, medical director of preventative...  Read More »

If you’re visiting this site, chances are you’re a nurse who has had his or her share of stress. Well, it may be time to focus on incorporating anti-stress methods into daily life. In her blog about workplace reviews, New York Times blogger Tara Parker-Pope mentioned a 15-year study of 12,000 nurses that found nurses struggling with “excessive work pressures” had double the risk of heart attack. So stay healthy and...  Read More »

West Boca (FL) Medical Center’s Jill Wiser, RN, had a unique view of the utility of medicine vial caps, syringe holders, and paint samples. Wiser turned the materials into five mosaic-like abstract pieces of art that are now on display at the medical center, reports Nurse.com. The pieces are made by assembling the caps on a piece of canvas about 3 feet wide. The nurse’s station, CNO office, and nursery are all decorated with...  Read More »

Communication between staff members in hospitals is a topic that has been studied and practiced in great detail. One particular concern has always been the handoff: when a one staff member leaves a shift and another comes in. How do you ensure that all critical information gets passed along-and is understood-to ensure patient safety? An interesting article from HealthLeaders Media, written by Sarah Kearns, explains how one hospital addressed...  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...  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...  Read More »

None of us see the world as it is, we see the world the way we are. We all operate from different experiences, values, cultural norms, etc., that affect how we treat each other. When I walked into a room and a patient or family member would start to complain, I use to feel as if I was a bad nurse and become defensive. I now recognize that complaints are actually requests in disguise–when patients or families are complaining they are...  Read More »

Burnout is a term nobody wants to hear, see, or experience, but it’s real. Burnout happens for a variety of reasons, but ultimately it communicates a situation where “caring for others has become a chore.” The art of nursing becomes a burden of all sorts. Nursing becomes nothing but eight or 12 hours of tasks that, when completed, will allow the nurse to go home. Lots of things cause burnout, but ultimately it happens when...  Read More »