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 ...

What’s happening with the nursing shortage? Why can’t new grad nurses find jobs? The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics still lists nursing as one of the most in demand careers, and yet finding a job as a nurse remains elusive. [gate] The Good Ol’ Days Just a couple of years ago, nurses could demand huge sign-on bonuses and ...

For second-career nurses, the transition from nursing school to working with real patients can range from somewhat uncomfortable to highly shocking. These rookies often have given up secure, well-established careers, only to discover on-the-job demands never mentioned in the textbooks. The right attitude can help you weather your first few months on the nursing unit. For those who overcome the challenges ...

The first year on the job is often the toughest for new nursing graduates, especially those who work in hospitals. In fact, new nurse graduates account for more than half of the turnover rate in some hospitals, according to a study published in 2007 by Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing researchers. “There really are multiple reasons for [the first-year exodus],” ...

We've all been there: a new graduate nurse, trying to find her way now that she's no longer a student; or a nurse who has changed specialties with no experience in that area. Did we want advice? Did we solicit advice? Chances are, yes, we did want it, but soliciting it may have been a bit harder. Now, as a more ...

The economy hasn’t been nice to the new graduate class of nurses out there lately. Budgets are being noosed, staffing numbers are more constricted, and most places have a hiring ‘freeze’. So when the time comes for you to get the ‘call’, you want to be prepared. The difference between landing a job and being another piece of paper filed away ...

Surviving your first year as a nurse will likely be one of the biggest challenges you will face in your career. Almost universally, first-year nurses have days, weeks or months when they feel overwhelmed, inadequate, disillusioned, stressed out or all of the above. If you’re thinking, “Was I really cut out for this job?” these tips can help you get through ...

[photo:174206] I got a request for a post about role confusion (that awful feeling that comes from being a new nurse), and it sounded like a good idea. The transition from student to preceptored nurse isn't as hard as you'd think; you still have to show up on time for various classes and lectures, you still have somebody following you around, ...

Look at this lucky man: He has a whole flock of young student nurses standing by to meet his every need. I bet this gentleman loved every single nurse in that picture. Enjoy his adoration, ladies; sometime during your nursing career, someone isn’t going to want you as their nurse. It happens to everyone and it feels like a slap in ...

"Everybody lies" is the mantra of Dr. Gregory House, and it's not just true on a fictional drama like House. Are your patients lying to you? As a nurse, you've come across your fair share of fibbing cases, and you know some patients will go to great lengths to cover up something they don't want you to know. Fortunately, nurses are ...

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 ...

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 ...

Providing excellent patient care is the most important aspect of nursing. Moreover, taking credit for the care given is also an important responsibility. Most nurses hate the paperwork more than any other aspect of their job, but it’s critical that it be done, and be done well. As with every aspect of quality patient care, charting should be exceptional; it should ...

If you're a graduating or practicing nurse, there's good news: The U.S. nursing shortage means healthcare employers are offering nurses all sorts of interesting lures to work for them. For those fortunate enough to have more than one offer to consider, how do you pick the best one -- the job that will provide the compensation you're looking for, as well ...

Starting a new nursing job is a time filled with promise and expectations, but it's also tinged with uncertainty. To help assure your success, heed the advice of experienced nurses. They can help you steer clear of potential missteps and suggest strategies that can help ensure a smooth transition to your new environment. 1. Leverage Your Orientation Take advantage of every ...

The Case Description: Mr. James is a 57 year old gentleman admitted to room 224A two days ago for dehydration secondary to nausea and vomiting for three days. His sclera is slightly yellowed and his abdomen is distended and tender to palpation especially in the upper right quadrant. After two days of IV lasix therapy, he has 2+ edema in his ...

As a healthcare provider, you know that a patient’s body language often tells you more than her words do about how she’s feeling. At the same time, you’re sending your patients messages with your own body language. Rarely do we think about what message our body language might be sending. If your body language is relaxed and confident, you can help ...

Celebrities. We love to hate them. We also love to watch their every move, laugh at their mistakes and scrutinize their decisions. Like them or not, their celebrity status means not only have they achieved career success, they’ve also got a hell of a lot to lose. And sometimes, whatever actions have helped catapult them to fame or rendered them ...

Survival is in our nature. In fact, surviving is not an option, it's an expectation. The difference between surviving and drowning is how well you ride the ‘wave'. Only my fellow nurses will understand what I mean by the ‘wave'. You know – it's that feeling you got when you first decided to become a nurse. It was then that feeling ...

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 ...