Nurses are pretty amazing. Great nurses aren't just compassionate and kind — they have all the medical smarts of a doctor too! Plus, a career as a nurse offers a sense of personal satisfaction that you just can't beat. Those who succeed in nursing and who gain the most personal fulfillment from it start their careers with certain unique qualities. ...

One of this summer’s hottest concert series is by two 80’s boy bands. Yes, The New Kids on the Block (NKTOB) and the Backstreet Boys (BSB) are hitting the road and selling out places like Chicago. Now, if these guys can come back with a vengeance, then so can anyone out there who is feeling like their career is in the ...

You've got a lot to learn, grasshopper! Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the differences between seasoned nurses, whom we call "lifers" because they will likely retire on our floor and have been around a long time, and new nurses. This probably has something to do with the fact that, in my new job, I am working with nurses ...

Think nursing is just another profession? Think again. Nurses aren't your everyday people – they are amazing individuals who have chosen a career dedicated to helping others. It isn't just enough to want to help people; a true nurse has a pretty unique skill set. From being a multi-tasking queen (or king!), to playing mediator, or holding a patient's hand, nurses ...

Who doesn't think about getting that promotion? We all want to be our own boss someday, but before we can rule the hive, we have to tough it out as a lowly worker bee. These days, moving up is less like climbing a ladder and more like picking your way through a maze. There are many ways you can move your ...

Do you consider yourself to be a leader? The definitions of the words leader and manager are often confused. Traditional managers have assigned roles and titles within an organization, as they carry out specific functions, duties and responsibilities. Managers exert control over decision making and obtaining results as they direct both the willing and unwilling. In contrast, leaders do not necessarily ...

One of the hard parts about being a nurse manager is evaluating another nurse’s performance. Looking another nurse in the eye, who is your co-worker and sometimes even friend, and telling them how well, or bad, they perform can be difficult. I am working on two evaluations right now. One is an excellent nurse. She was hired as a new graduate ...

If you deal with daily staff meetings and interactions with doctors and patients, you know just how important it is to speak assertively and get heard! But what exactly does “assertively” mean and how do you speak your mind without coming across as rude? These are important questions, as communicating effectively — not to mention politely — is pivotal to your ...

Have a happy and healthy work life! When you first become a nurse, it's easy to believe that you'll always love your job. But there will come a time where burnout, frustration and boredom take their toll. While you can't avoid every pitfall all, there are some mistakes that you can veer around. Make the most of your career as ...

If you care about your job, you probably want to move up to the highest level possible. That's how you make more money, tackle more challenges, and, in many cases, gain more respect. For nurses, the position of head nurse is the ultimate goal. Head nurse is an important leadership role that can put you in the position to control ...

We all have dreams and goals for our personal life and career. Whether you are a brand new nurse straight out of school or a seasoned nurse looking toward your future, we all need a little bit of help and guidance. That is why a mentor is so important. Not only to help you as a nurse just managing like I ...

Would you like to get a competitive edge in the workplace? Do you want to stay sharp with your knowledge and skills? Would you like to develop your leadership, speaking, and writing abilities? Do you want to have a voice in issues that affect nursing practice, licensure, and other areas? You can do all of this and more by becoming active ...

It is official…3 West is closing permanently. During an emergency meeting, the staff was informed that the neurosurgical floor will close at the end of this month. One of the neurosurgeons has retired and the other two are leaving to start a practice in another state. The patient census has been consistently down over the past year…the unit is simply losing ...

Critical thinking skills are an important aspect of nursing. The concept can be a nightmare for some nursing students who struggle to understand. It’s a popular topic for many a nursing thesis or publication which many times only serves to further confuse the students. It’s not really that complex of a concept if one takes the time to break it down ...

Income…$0. Value…Priceless. It’s always a good thing to give back. Whether it is doing hands on service with a group like Habitat for Humanity, or assisting in the back office of a local non-profit, there are benefits beyond money that come from volunteering. Apart from just the positive feeling of sowing good actions into a cause you believe in and the ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vagueonthehow/ / CC BY 2.0 1. Once More With Feeling The Show: Glee Like any other classic tale of geeks banding together in the face of adversity, the outcast characters of Fox's Glee made drama and singing cool again. An aspiring Broadway starlet, the captain of the football team, the head cheerleader, and the lowest of social misfits on the school ...

Finding your first job as a nurse can be overwhelming no matter your background. Not only are there thousands of employers to choose from, there are also dozens of specialties and sub-specialties. We're here to help. We've narrowed down the field to the ten best hospitals we think are great places to launch your nursing career. These hospitals span the US ...

Many of us underestimate our achievements. We're often told not to boast, that modesty is the best policy. We show up to do our jobs every day and sometimes do great things -- isn't that enough? Well, not if you want your resume to get noticed. Employers look for achievers, candidates who go above and beyond their job duties. Your resume ...

You’d think it would be easy. At lunchtime you get hungry, so you grab some food from the hospital cafeteria and go on with your shift. However, lunch at the hospital is rarely that simple. What you eat, where you eat and whom you eat with are all things your coworkers are paying attention to. This doesn’t mean every lunch has ...

While the tidal nature of job openings ebbs and flows from year to year or even month to month at any hospital, there are some medical centers that where all nurses seem to want to work. Where each open position receives a flood of extremely qualified applicants, all hoping to join the nursing staff and continue working there for a very ...