Do you want to become a nurse but don’t know where to start out? This 10-step guide will help you find your way. You'll learn about the nursing profession, find out about the educational requirements and certifications, and get tips on how to survive your first year as a nurse. This guide is meant for prospective, current, and second career nurses ...

When someone thinks about what they gain from their job, invariably salary rises to the surface. For nurses, it's no different. However, quality of life isn't solely about money. There's how much one enjoys their work, and of course perks and benefits. Many of the perks and benefits of being a nurse are monetary, either directly or indirectly helping nurses ...

1. You wash your hands before you use the bathroom. Isn’t microbiology a wonderful thing? My microbiology class scared the be-jeezus outta me. After that class I never looked at another public bathroom, restaurant, or salad bar the same. Things I notice about the ‘cleanliness’ of society leaves me speechless sometimes. If they only knew what they were really touching. 2. ...

Have you considered a career in nursing? It’s a very rewarding career, both monetarily and emotionally. Making a difference in people’s lives and bringing them hope and cheer is not something that you can achieve in just about any career. Read on to know why the nursing career is so rewarding. 1. There is great demand for nurses at present and ...

In a very basic sense, nursing is a profession of love. Love means giving of yourself, without asking anything in return, and this is what nurses do every day. You never know what you’re going to get at the beginning of a shift. You might get a patient that is an absolute joy to work with and save lives. You ...

Considering Nursing? Nursing is the largest health care profession in the US, with over 2.9 million RNs nationwide. Because nurses are involved in every type of health care need from basic health to acute care, every nurse has followed a specific path of education to become an RN and develop an expertise. Not sure where you fit? This guide was designed ...

There are many of them, but two in particular stand out for me. They involve patients I have taken care of (of course). The first patient story I have blogged about previously. Here is an excerpt: During all of my 'normal' routines, this particular patient ever-so slightly placed her warm hand on my forearm, and with the stare of appreciation she ...

Any health care environment, be it a traditional hospital setting, a home health facility or even hospice care, have a hierarchy of health care professionals. Nurses are ranked by their level of education and licensure, as well as years of experience. Advanced and experienced nurses hold leadership positions, while entry-level nurses starting out their career as an LPN or aide, work ...

The information technology and health care industries are clamoring for more skilled workers. How can you become one of them? Everyone dreams of a career with a handsome salary, one promising boundless growth and loads of opportunities. But these careers belong to a privileged few, and they demand years of nonstop study and training. Right? Not necessarily. The fastest growing careers, ...

The profession of nursing is starting to see a small surge in the number of men not only interested in nursing now, but the number of current registered nurses who are male is also increasing. I thought it only appropriate to reach out to all those men out there who are taking the greatest leap of there life and give them ...

It takes many great qualities to be a good nurse. Nursing as a specialty requires people to be as smart as doctors, as patient as a mother does, and as compassionate as a friend. A nursing career allows you to experience a level of personal gratification that does not come with any other job. What are the qualities that a great ...

Dr. Ruby Martinez is an Assistant Professor-CT and Director of the Student Services and Diversity Office at the CU School of Nursing where she teaches psychiatric nursing, conducts research on and practices with vulnerable populations. Dr. Martinez earned her PhD from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver in 1995. Other graduate degrees from the University of Colorado include ...

A left brain-right brain approach to healthcare has created a unique career for San Juan Capistrano, Calif., resident Barbara Klein-Robuck. On the left-brain' side as an independent rehabilitation nurse consultant/case manager for the last three decades, Ms. Klein-Robuck works within the mainstream medical community to coordinate medical rehabilitation for worker's compensation, long-term disability care assessment and private clients. In 1965, when ...

Erin Downing is a 23 year old University of California, Santa Barbara graduate who will begin an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in September 2008 at Samuel Merritt College. Before pursuing nursing school, she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology. In this interview, she shares her experiences, in her own words, with NursingLink. h4. How did you decide ...

In a recent poll, nurses were once again at the top of 21 professions for honesty and ethics. We’ve held that spot for seven years now. That’s according to a Gallup Poll, 84% percent of Americans rate nurses’ honesty and ethics as “very high” or “high.” Understandably, we beat bankers, congressmen, journalists and lawyers, but we also out-perform physicians, pharmacists, teachers ...

What happens after you get hired? How do you make a success of yourself? 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 ...

With continuous cut-backs in education budgets, many school nurse positions are being eliminated, putting our nation’s children at serious risk. Part of the problem is the considerable misunderstanding of what school nurses do and the value they bring to the community, the educational system, and the healthcare system. There is considerable evidence to support the fact that fewer school nurses has ...

Nurses are indeed the backbone of the medical field. They’re on the front lines every day, dealing with the heart of each patient’s issues, while ensuring that they feel comfortable and secure every step of the way. There are probably a million reasons that everyone should love nurses, but we’ve come up with of the top ones. 106 Reasons Why Everyone ...

The nursing profession has patiently endured some of the most defining stereotypes – many of them gender-related. From typecasting this career of care as female-only, to belittling nurses as wannabe doctors, there are few mistruths nurses haven't heard. Some of these traditional stereotypes may have been true once upon a time. But like most stereotypes, most of these ideas are ...

Although people considering careers in nursing come from all walks of life, many potential nurses share a surprisingly common set of questions and concerns, such as “Can I get into nursing school?” and “Am I crazy to become a nurse at my age?” Two nurses and a nursing professor address wannabe nurses’ frequently asked questions. How difficult is it to get ...