There are several factors which need to be considered in choosing the size of a needle to use for an injection or “shot”. They include such issues as: • the type and viscosity of the medication • the size and age of the patient • the mobility status of the patient • the desired absorption rate for the medication In general ...

As the saying goes, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. If you're doing a job search or resume submission via email, the first impression any employer will have is from your cover letter. Some tips for creating successful email cover letters are the same as for paper cover letters: Be professional, with correct spelling and grammar, ...

In the health care setting, life-or-death situations can spell high-flying emotions — not just from patients, but from team members and your nurse manager. This guide to body language will help you “read” what a person may not necessarily be telling you. For example, want to know the secrets that your manager’s body language may be telling you? The nonverbal cues ...

Are you one of the 6 million Americans that work on the night shift? I am! My usual routine is EVERY Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from 6:45 PM to 7:15 AM. Recently, I added a contract nursing job on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night from 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM. The contract nursing job is only temporary, and believe it ...

The landscape for job seekers today is more treacherous than at any other time in recent memory. In other words, if you want a job today, the hard work starts when you prepare for the interview. That means not just nailing the questions you are asked, but actually asking the kinds of questions designed to make the interviewer sit up and ...

When it comes to your career, do you lie to yourself? The answer is most likely ‘yes.’ In an article I read by Sam Sommers, a professor of psychology at Tufts University, he explains how and why we like to kid ourselves. He explains: “People do this all the time. We bend the facts to fit our self-image, perpetuating a ...

Everyone has at least one frugal friend who always crows about how much money he saves by clipping coupons or frequenting discount stores. And while this friend’s behavior/bragging is a great reminder of how you should be more financially savvy — especially when the U.S. economy isn’t in the best shape — he may overlook some simple savings strategies that you’ve ...

Coinciding with the tightening job market is a gloomy statistic: Few American workers are saving for potential layoffs. According to an Adecco USA Workplace Insights survey, only one-quarter of workers claimed to be saving for unemployment, and 58 percent had no plans to put money aside for a job loss. You've probably heard that you should have at least six months ...

More thoughts on orientation because, as I’ve stated before, I am about to be an orientee again, and am trying to psyche myself up so I can survive! I walked away from my last stint as an orientee with this thought: there is not a formula for the perfect preceptor—perfect preceptors do NOT exist! Through experience I adopted a healthy ...

Healthcare organizations don't - and won't - hire just anybody, no matter what the job market. If healthcare is in your future, you'll need to develop the right combination of skills and experience while in school to get the best shot at your desired career after graduation. One strategy is to find an hourly job (or two or three over the ...

True to the claims of the old TV show "Kids Say the Darndest Things," surround yourself by children each and every workday and that statement becomes not only true but very endearing. It would be an unusual occurrence for me to end my workday without a funny/cute/smile-provoking story about one of my patients, whether it be something they said or did ...

Intensive Care nursing with dystonia is not for the faint of heart, but it's really doable. Okay, so how did a wannabe artist/photographer end up working nights surrounded by medical equipment and really sick people? I blame it on my father. Of course, he's not here to defend himself anymore, but take my word for it, there was no way that ...

Patient teaching and patient education are big topics in nursing. Good preventative health education helps keep people from becoming patients and good patient education helps patients from getting worse or helps them manage their condition or illness. It used to be that nurses had time to sit down and discuss various issues with their patients, answering questions and generally providing support. ...

As political candidates answer endless variations of the same questions in pursuit of elected office, we can't help but be reminded of our own often-torturous experiences on job interviews. If, like the candidates, we could review our performances on tape, what might we see? Watch and Listen to Yourself "Verbal fillers are the No. 1 problem," says Randy Bitting, cofounder of ...

If you want to be a nurse, you're in luck; the sweeping demand is expected to intensify. But what about starting salaries for nurses? How much do RNs make compared to nurse practitioners? And what kind of education do nurses need? You've heard it before. These days there aren't enough nurses to go around, and demand is expected to soar as ...

I wrote this post a long time ago when I first started blogging. I’m recycling the post because this information bears repeating. I’ve been seeing some behavior lately that is inappropriate, and I’m telling you this stuff for your own good. Please, never roll your eyes at a nurse who is old enough to be your mother. She may be going ...

Most of our daily problems, including common annoyances such as arguments with coworkers, are dismissed as not life or death. However, when nurses and doctors are involved, it can be a matter of life or death. Egos need to be left outside the hospital by the professionals entrusted with the health and safety of the patients they care for, which sometimes ...

Last week I spent four days at Disney World with my family. It was amazing see the magic of it all though my four year old’s eyes. One of the biggest things I was amazed by was how friendly everybody was. And their friendliness made even waiting for over an hour for a three minute ride tolerable. I saw people yelling ...

Want better patient outcomes, more patient cooperation, fewer errors, greater job satisfaction and more effective use of your time? It's all possible by improving one key skill: Patient communication. "Communication is the most important medical procedure that anyone in healthcare can do," says Maysel Kemp White, PhD, president and CEO of Healthcare Quality and Communication Improvement, an educational and consulting group ...

Moving is a way of life for many people today. For nurses, whether crisscrossing the country or just moving over state lines, obtaining licensure in the new state is usually essential. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) administers a program called the mutual recognition model. This interstate compact allows nurses licensed in a state that is part of ...