Nursing today is definitely a highly skilled, high-tech profession. Smartphones, tablet computers, and a variety of easily accessible apps bring the world of technology to our fingertips, increasing the amount of information we can access and share in a very short time. But the so-called "little things" – listening to patients, touching them, spending time with family – still make a ...

First things first: Treat the STD. With few exceptions, all teens in the United States can legally consent to confidential diagnosis and treatment of STDs. Be professional. No teen wants to hear a sermon, and lecturing about responsible sexual behavior rarely does any good, so keep your judgments to yourself. Your job is to provide accurate information, compassionate care and appropriate ...

Patients can say the craziest things, and that's not even counting the ones in mental health institutions. Whether it's a fear of hospitals, doctors, or needles, or the vulnerability that comes with health problems and wearing a hospital gown, nurses hear wild statements from patients' mouths on a near-daily basis. Whether inconsiderate, inappropriate, or just plain weird, here are 10 ...

There is so much violence in the world, and it can trickle down to anyone. I’m a nurse and I work in an emergency room, and I’ve been assaulted more than once by the very patient I’m taking care of. One of my most recent experiences with workplace violence was in July 2009. As I was taking report from the EMS, ...

These days, no one can afford to waste time at work. Thanks to widespread downsizing, workloads are piling up. Unfortunately, extra hours in the day are not. Maximizing your time at work can mean the difference between leaving your shift at a reasonable hour (i.e. holding onto your sanity) and staying late unnecessarily. You've got a life outside the hospital. ...

Work isn’t perfect, right? But if you're lucky enough to have a job right now it pays to remember that millions and millions of Americans don’t think you have a thing to complain about. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation’s unemployment rate is hovering around 10%. Even more troubling, The New York Times reports that unemployed ...