NursingLink

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:03:00 -0800

For more in-depth information check out the article Clinical Nurse Leaders.

h4. Median Annual Salary

$76,209

h4. Educational Requirements

15 Exciting Careers with an Advanced Nursing Degree

NursingLink — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:14:00 -0800

Individuals considering nursing should carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of enrolling in a BSN or MSN program because, if they do, their advancement opportunities usually are broader. In fact, some career paths are open only to nurses with a bachelor’s or master’s degree. A bachelor’s degree often is necessary for administrative positions and is a prerequisite for admission to graduate nursing programs in research, consulting, and teaching, and all four advanced practice nursing specialties—clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives, and nurse practitioners.

Learn more about 15 of the most exciting nursing careers that require an MSN

• Clinical Nurse Specialist

• Gerontological Nurse Practitioner

• Hematology Nurse

• HIV/AIDS Nurse

• Legal Nurse Consultant

• Managed Care Nurse

• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

• Nurse Administrator

• Nurse Attorney

• Certified Nurse Midwife

• Nurse Practitioner

• Nurse Researcher

• Occupational Health Nurse

• Pain Management Nurse

• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

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Clinical Nurse Specialist

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Clinical Nurse Specialists develop uniform standards for quality care and work with staff nurses to ensure that those standards are being met. They are required to possess strong managerial skills and an ability to anticipate potential staff/patient conflicts. For additional information from actual nurses in this field, please see the Clinical Nurse Specialists discussion thread.

Median Annual Salary

$76,209

Educational Requirements

Master’s or Ph.D in a clinical nursing specialty. There is also a CNS certification process provided by the American Nurses Credentialing Center

Search our job listings for clinical nurse specialist positions.

Related Organizations

National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists

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Gerontological Nurse Practitioners

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Gerontological Nurse Practitioners (GNPs) hold advanced degrees specializing in geriatrics. They are able to diagnose and manage their patients' often long-term and debilitating conditions and provide regular assessments to patients' family members. Similar to all geriatrics nurses, GNPs must approach nursing holistically and pay special attention to maintaining a comforting bedside manner for their elderly patients.

Average Annual Salary

$75,000

Educational Requirements

Nurse Practitioners Master's Degree with academic concentration in the field of geriatrics.

Search our job listings for gerontological nurse practitioner positions.

Related Organizations

Conference of Gerontological Nurse Practitioners

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Hematology Nurse

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Hematology Nurses specialize in patients suffering from chronic blood diseases and disorders, such as Hemophilia, Sickle-Cell, Leukemia, and other less common ailments. Many positions available for hematology nurses require some experience with Oncology Nursing since the aforementioned diseases are often closely related to cancer.

Average Annual Salary

$58,000

Educational Requirements

RN license; BSN or advanced degree is often preferred.

Search our job listings for hematology nurse positions.

Related Organizations

Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses

International Association of Sickle Cell Nurses and Physician Assistants

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HIV/AIDS Nurses

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HIV/AIDS Nurses care for patients in both the early and advanced stages of HIV/AIDS. Similar to geriatric nurses, they should provide a holistic approach to a patient's health and wellbeing since HIV/AIDS often has debilitating psychosocial and emotional effects.

Average Annual Salary

$44,000

Educational Requirements

RN license; a BSN or advanced degree is often preferred.

Search our job listings for HIV/AIDS nurse positions.

Related Organizations

Association of Nurses in AIDS Care

Canadian Association of Nurses in AIDS Care

International Council of Nurses HIV/AIDS

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Legal Nurse Consultants

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These nurses assist attorneys with analyzing patient records primarily regarding medical malpractice cases.

Average Annual Salary

$49,000

Educational Requirements

RN license; some law firms prefer LNC with an advanced degree and certification from the job listings for legal nurse consultant positions.

Related Organizations

American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants

American College of Legal Nurse Consulting

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Managed Care Nurse

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Managed Care Nurses act as liaisons between health care providers and patients. They educate patients on how to control financial expenditures during times of illness and about preventative care methods that could mitigate the chances of future health problems.

Average Annual Salary

$61,000

Educational Requirements

RN license; advanced degree and/or BSN is often preferred

Search our job listings for managed care nurse positions.

Related Organizations

American Board of Managed Care Nursing

American Association of Managed Care Nurses

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Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

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A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist is someone who administers anesthesia to patients. They collaborate with surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists and podiatrists to safely administer anesthesia medications.

Median Annual Salary

$134,820

Educational Requirements

Successful completion of a CRNA program (24-36 months). Prior to admission into a CRNA program, applicants should have already completed the following: BSN or other appropriate baccalaureate degree, hold a current RN license, and have one year's experience in critical care nursing.

Search our job listings for nurse anesthetist positions.

Related Organizations

American Association of Nurses Anesthetists

Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists

American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses

International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists

British Anaesthetic and Recovery Nurses Association

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Nurse Administrator

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Nurse Administrators are responsible for overseeing the nursing staff of particular nursing units or entire hospitals. This specialty also includes First-line Managers/Head Nurses, Nurse Supervisors, and Nurse Administrators.

Average Annual Salaries

$72,000 (First-line Manager); $64,000 (Nurse Manager, Head Nurse); $55,000 (Nurse Supervisor); $45,000 (Nurse Administrator)

Educational Requirements

RN license plus BSN, MSN, or Ph.D in Nursing

Search our job listings for nurse administrator positions.

Related Organizations

American Organization of Nurse Executives

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Nurse Attorney

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Nurse Attorneys are registered nurses that also have law degrees. They often specialize in healthcare-related litigation.

Average Annual Salary

$63,000

Educational Requirements

RN license and Juris Doctorate (JD); AD, BSN, or nursing baccalaureate is often preferred.

Search our job listings for nurse attorney positions.

Related Organizations

American Association of Nurse Attorneys

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Certified Nurse Midwife

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Nurse midwives provide primary care to women, including gynecological exams, family planning advice, prenatal care, assistance in labor and delivery, and neonatal care. CNMs work in hospitals, clinics, health departments, homes and private practices. Midwives will often have to work unpredictable hours (due to the unpredictable nature of childbirth). They should have good communications skills should be willing to commit to a holistic approach to patient care.

Median Annual Salary

$83,908

Educational Requirements

Master's of Skilled Nursing (MSN); certified midwives must also pass a certification exam administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB).

Search our job listings for certified nurse midwife positions.

Related Organizations

American College of Nurse Midwives

Midwives Association of North America

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Nurse Practitioner

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Nurse practitioners provide basic preventive health care to patients, and increasingly serve as primary and specialty care providers in mainly medically underserved areas. The most common areas of specialty for nurse practitioners are family practice, adult practice, women’s health, pediatrics, acute care, and gerontology; however, there are many other specialties. In most States, advanced practice nurses can prescribe medications.

Median Annual Salary

$77,886

Educational Requirements

Master’s Degree in a clinical specialty; some NPs also complete post-master’s certificate programs requiring two years of additional training.

Search our job listings for nurse practitioner positions.

Related Organizations

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners

National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

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Nurse Researcher

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Nurse Researchers work as analysts for private companies or health policy nonprofits. They publish research studies based on data collected on specific pharmaceutical/medical/nursing product and practices.

Average Annual Salary

$95,000

Educational Requirements

BSN; advanced nursing research often requires an MSN, or more often a Ph.D

Search our job listings for nurse researcher positions.

Related Organizations

National Institute of Nursing Research

Eastern Nursing Research Society

Midwest Nursing Research Society

Southern Nursing Research Society

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Occupational Health Nurse

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Occupational Health Nurses provide treatment for job-related injuries and illnesses and help employers detect workplace hazards and implement health and safety standards.

Average Annual Salary

$57,000

Educational Requirements

RN license with Master's Degree, Diploma, or BSN

Search our job listings for occupational health nurse positions.

Related Organizations

American Board for Occupational Health Nurses

American Association of Occupational Health Nurses

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)’s Office of Occupational Health Nursing

American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

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Pain Management Nurse

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Pain Management Nurses are responsible for monitoring the pain of patients who have recently undergone a surgical operation or are near death. They implement a pain management plan for the patient and ensure that the patient's treatment is administered safely. Pain Management Specialists are NP certified advanced practice pain management nurses.

Average Annual Salary

$70,000

Educational Requirements

RN license; MSN and NP certification required for Pain Management Specialists

Search our job listings for pain management nurse positions.

Related Organizations

American Society for Pain Management Nursing

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Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

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Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners are advanced practice nurses who provide care and consultation to patients suffering from psychiatric and mental health disorders.

Average Annual Salary

$95,000

Educational Requirements

RN license with MSN and NP certification

Search our job listings for psychiatric nurse positions.

Related Organizations

American Psychiatric Nurses Association

Australian and New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses

Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses

Mental Health Nurses Association (UK)

5 Reasons to Get a PhD/DNP

Jennifer Fink | NursingLink — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:21:00 -0800

Less than one percent of all American nurses have a doctoral degree. But if the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has its way, that will soon change. Last year, the IOM, in conjunction with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, released The Future of Nursing, a summary of its two-year study of nursing and healthcare. The report says nurses need to take on greater responsibility in healthcare – and recommends doubling the number of doctorally-prepared nurses by 2020. One way to do that? Ensure that 10 percent of all new BSN grads move into a MSN, PhD or DNP program within five years of graduation.

Higher education can sound a bit like alphabet soup, but the truth is that the demand for doctorally-prepared nurses has never been higher. An acute shortage of nurse faculty is delaying the education of thousands of would-be nurses each year, and national nurse organizations, including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, are calling on advanced degree nurses to step up their education to keep pace with a healthcare environment that requires highly-educated clinical care providers.

Unsure if a PhD or DNP is right for you? Check out these five reasons to get a doctorate. You might be surprised to find out that you'd be a great doctoral candidate!

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Reason #1: You want to teach the next generation of nurses

It's clear that the nurses of tomorrow will need to be clinically competent, quick on their feet and adept at adapting to a variety of situations and practice settings. That's where today's nurses come in: tomorrow's nurses need experienced nurses to show them the ropes, to ask probing questions, and to model critical thinking.

But too few nurses are stepping up to the challenge. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), U.S. nursing schools turned away over 67,000 qualified applicants in 2010 because there simply aren't enough instructors to teach them. Nursing schools report close to 1,000 open faculty positions – and the vast majority of those positions (90.6%!) require a doctoral degree.

Not sure if nursing education is for you? Try mentoring a new nurse. If that goes well, apply for a position as a clinical instructor; a Master's degree and work experience will typically qualify you to lead a clinical group. And if you find you enjoy working with students, go all the way. A PhD will qualify you for most nurse educator positions and provide you with a lifetime of job security. Plus – no weekends or holidays!

Next: Reason #2 >>

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Reason #2: You have a passion for top-notch clinical care

The DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice – is a relatively new degree. In the past, advancing your nursing education meant stepping away from the bedside. The further you climbed up the academic ladder, the further you retreated from hands-on clinical care. But increasingly, nurses and others are recognizing the value of having highly educated nurses in clinical practice. That's why the DNP was created.

According to the AACN, the DNP is "designed for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice and offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. DNP-prepared nurses are well-equipped to fully implement the science developed by nurse researchers prepared in PhD, DNSc, and other research-focused nursing doctorates."

Over the next few years, you'll see a shift in degrees held by advanced practice nurses (APNs) such as nurse midwives, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists. Currently, those positions require a Masters' degree. But by 2015 or so (the date has yet to be set in stone), those positions will require a DNP. Why? Listen to the AACN again:

"Nurses are constantly working with individuals who have a high level of preparation in their respective fields-physicians, pharmacists, and other health providers. Nursing educational preparation and the time commitment ought to be analogous to other health professions e.g., PharmD, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy. The DNP provides a clinical option for advanced preparation in nursing practice that is more comparable to other intraprofessional education."

Don't fret if you already have your MSN; there will be a mechanism in place to grandfather in current advanced practice nurses. But if you're thinking of continuing your clinical education, why not opt for a DNP program?

Reason #3: You want to move the profession forward

All too often, nurses on the front lines are the ones who see what needs to be done. If you're a bedside nurse, you can probably list 16 reasons why lower nurse/patient ratios are advantageous to care. But without hard data to back up your claim, hospital administrators aren't likely to increase nursing staff. That's where nurse researchers come in.

Renowned nurse researcher Linda Aiken, for instance, has spent her career studying nurses and nursing practice. She's dedicated her career to improving healthcare for both patients and nurses, and she does that through her research. One of her oft-cited studies demonstrated a clear link between nurse/patient ratios and patient mortality. Aiken discovered that patients at hospitals with the highest nurse/patient ratios (8 patients/nurse) had a 31% greater risk of death. That's the kind of data that makes hospital administrators sit up and pay attention.

Most nurse researchers are affiliated with colleges or universities, but some are connected to academic medical centers or healthcare organizations. The average salary for a nurse researcher is $95,000 - $100,000 per year.

Next: Reason #4 >>

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Reason #4: You want to improve healthcare

While the U.S. healthcare system is often touted as the best in the world, it's no secret that our healthcare system leaves a lot to be desired. Too many people still lack basic healthcare coverage, and all in all, our system is still more focused on disease than on health and wellness. That's why the Institute of Medicine recommends increased involvement of nurses in efforts to improve healthcare.

In The Future of Nursing, the IOM recommends expanding opportunities for nurses to lead collaborative improvement efforts. According to the IOM:

• "The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation should support the development and evaluation of models of payment and care delivery that use nurses in an expanded and lead¬ership capacity to improve health outcomes and reduce costs.

• Private and public funders should collaborate, and when possible pool funds, to advance research on models of care and innovative solutions, including technology, that will enable nurses to contribute to improved health and health care.

• Health care organizations should support and help nurses in taking the lead in developing and adopting innovative, patient-centered care models."

A doctoral degree (either a DNP or PhD) will help you stay at the forefront of these exciting changes. And these aren't just some pie-in-the-sky pipedreams. Twenty-eight states have already proposed legislation to remove barriers that currently inhibit nursing practice.

Reason #5: You're cost-conscious

Yes, a doctoral degree requires a huge commitment of time, energy and financial resources. But given the current healthcare climate, you're probably better off enrolling in a BSN-to-PhD program, for instance, than completing a Master's degree before your PhD. That's especially true if you're interested in a career as an advanced practice nurse. Why mess around with a separate Master's program when you can enroll directly in a BSN – to – DNP program, given the fact that a DNP will soon be the preferred degree?

Besides, there are a multitude of resources out there to help you finance your education. The AACN maintains a list of funding resources for future nurse educators. The Affordable Care Act includes loan repayment options for nurses who choose to work in underserved areas as primary healthcare providers; some states have their own loan forgiveness programs. Various healthcare organizations (such as the American Cancer Society) offer scholarships and grants for doctoral nursing students as well. And don't forget your current employer. Many hospitals and healthcare organizations provide at least partial tuition reimbursement.

Besides, the investment pays off in the long run. According to indeed.com, the average salary for doctorally-prepared nurses is $95,000 per year.

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Advanced Practice Nursing and the 2015 DNP

Sean Dent | Scrubs Magazine — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:51:00 -0800

The word is definitely out. Maybe since it’s now 2011, the rumor mill is churning more. The Internet and the bedside seem to be fraught with opinions, questions and down right confusion. From my own circle of the world it seems that everyone wants to know ‘what is up’.

Let me clear the air and maybe shed just a shred of light on the subject of the DNP role and how it affects the world of Nurse Practitioners past, present and future.

Facts:

• In 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) published a ‘position’ paper on the transition from the current Master’s degree prepared requirement (MSN) for Advanced Practice Nurses to the Doctor of Nursing (DNP) terminal degree requirement (via AANP.org). (actual position statement from AACN is here)

• This position statement stemmed from a previously released Institute of Medicine (IOM) comprehensive report concerning medical errors and patient safety. (Yes the very same organization that released : The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health in 2010)

• A PhD is not a DNP. I do not know or think that the PhD is suitable for ‘substitution’ of the DNP degree. The DNP degree is clinically based, where the PhD is theoretic-academic based. Forgive me for such a loose description.

• I believe it will eventually apply to all Advanced Practice Nursing degrees, which includes Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Mid-Wives, and Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA). I read somewhere this may also include Clinical Nurse Specialists at some point (CNS specialty).

• This is a joint-task effort on the national and state level. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing as well as other organizations not mentioned are following in-line with these new requirements.

• The DNP program is active in many schools across the nation already. Many MSN programs are being phased out completely to make the way for the new standard. So applying for a Master’s in Nursing is actually not possible at some institutions.

• Current MSN students will complete their program and then will be required within a certain time frame (no I don’t know how long) must attend a ‘bridge MSN-DNP program’ and attain their DNP. The may start actively practicing as an advanced practice nurse (given they possess all their needed certifications), but will eventually have to have the DNP degree.

Next: MSN-DNP Program? >>

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• Currently active practicing advanced practice nurses (NP & Nurse Mid-wives mostly) can continue to practice, but they too must enroll in a ‘bridge MSN-DNP program’ with the same specific standards as the new MSN graduate. Once again I do not know the time frame allotted for completion.

• This process is not immediate. The transition is being displaced over a number of years. This transition also addresses current MSN students as well as currently practicing Advance Practice Nurses (NP, Nurse Mid-Wives, etc.)

• The DNP program is a concentration in nursing clinical practice and will require a great deal more clinical time, education, training, and skill. This of course will include rigorous efficiency in evidenced based research.

• The ‘requirement’ to possess the DNP has not been set in stone (or on paper) as of yet. All of these changes are with the intent and assumption that it will be by 2015.

• While the DNP is of course more intense and has many more hours required, the total time in a specific program is only lengthened from generally a 2.5 year program to a 3.5 year program (this is just a loose estimate).

This of course is not an all inclusive list. I don’t have expert knowledge on the inner workings of the framework. What I can tell you is this is happening whether you like it or not, whether you agree with it or not. I used to tell myself this DNP requirement was like the rumor about all RN’s will be required to have their BSN. That all hospital-based degree programs and all ADN programs were disappearing.

Unfortunately we are talking about advanced nursing practice, not basic nursing skills 101.

The truth of the matter is, and the evidence supports this : the higher the education level the safer the level of patient care. Sorry folks, for some that is a hard pill to swallow. Whether it be an advanced certification or the advanced degree, possessing more knowledge benefits our patients.

And honestly, isn’t that all that really matters?

Additional resource:

Position Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing

If you have anything to add please leave a comment below. What did I miss?

More on ScrubsMag.com:

• In Myths & Misconceptions: A Doctor in Nursing Uniform

• In News: Demand for Nursing Doctoral Programs Grow

• In News: North Shore LIJ to Require BSN

Next: PhD in Nursing Explained >>

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Clinical Nurse Specialist

NursingLink — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:24:00 -0800

Average Salary: $76,000

Clinical Nurse Specialists develop uniform standards for quality care and work with staff nurses to ensure that those standards are being met. They are required to possess strong managerial skills and an ability to anticipate potential staff/patient conflicts. For additional information on this field, please see the entire Clinical Nurse Specialist profile.

Next: Gerontological Nurse Practitioner

Previous: Nurse Practitioner

High-Octane Nursing: Try Emergency Nursing

Stephen Borkowski | Monster Staff Writer — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:31:00 -0700

If you're an adrenaline junkie seeking a lifetime of adventure, look no further than emergency nursing, where you could work to save lives in high-pressure situations. Here's a look at some of the aspects that set this niche apart.

The Thrill

According to Carol Howat, RN, BSN, a nurse in the emergency room of Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Illinois, for more than a decade, it's adrenaline that keeps her alert to respond to the volume and variety of patients moving through the ER.

"You hear the overhead page ‘trauma alert, three minutes,' and in those three minutes your heart starts beating faster," says Howat, a certified emergency nurse (CEN). "You don't get nervous, but your adrenaline starts pumping."

High overhead, Teri Campbell's blood is flowing as she leaps into action. Campbell, RN, BSN, CEN, is the chief flight nurse for Air Angels, a critical-care transportation provider based in West Chicago, Illinois. She and her teammates, one paramedic and one pilot, respond to emergencies in a Bell 222 EMS helicopter. "We're adrenaline junkies," she says. "We love the excitement of not knowing what's coming around the corner."

Ready for Anything

Having a wide range of skills at the ready is a must for emergency nurses, since they're called upon to respond to a range of medical emergencies. "We have any type of bizarre thing you can think of," Howat says. "Chances are in your career in the ER, you will see those rare things that you only see in textbooks." Howat has encountered parking lot births, foreign objects lodged in every place they shouldn't be, motorcycle parts stuck in legs and mental cases who truly thought they were on a bus to Sesame Street.

Whether landing in a cornfield or at an industrial complex, Campbell says a flight nurse must know how to adapt. Her team unexpectedly discovered injured children as the wreckage of a car accident was being dismantled. "All of a sudden, our whole scene has changed," she says. "We have to instantly change our plan, change our equipment, change our medication."

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The Know-How

Responding to life-or-death scenarios means less direct supervision. "We have a high level of autonomy, and the doctors expect us to function on a lot of standing orders and not wait for them," Howat explains.

This independence comes only after extensive advanced training. "We're often doing extra education, extra certification," Campbell says.

A career in the ER requires a lifelong commitment to learning. "We like a lot of variety, we like a lot of stimulation, we like to know a lot about a lot of things," Howat says. "If you don't like to learn, this is probably not the best place for you."

Demanding and Rewarding

Campbell works two 24-hour shifts per week, and 12-hour days are common in the ER. Howat, who can work up to 10 hours without a break, says the emotional demands are just as great. "When those really serious things come in, the things other people don't have to look at, that gets to us," she says.

Campbell says that even when she knows she's done her best to save a life, she still goes home worrying about a patient's survival. But the job has rewarding moments, too. "Four months later, we've had people walk into our heliplex, and they are now walking, talking, breathing," she says. "They come to give me a hug, because I'm the person who participated in saving their life."

Got What It Takes?

Flight nursing, emergency room nursing and other similar positions are highly coveted. If you want such a job, you'll need to stand out and be experienced. Howat's hospital looks for nurses who already have at least two years of ER or critical-care experience. You'll need at least five years of experience in an ER or ICU to get airborne.

Applicants for emergency room positions should have basic CPR training in addition to advanced life-support training and pediatric advanced life-support (PALS) training. Campbell says applicants for flight nursing positions need "an alphabet soup" of certifications, including not only CPR and PALS, but also ACLS (advanced cardiac life support), PHTLS (prehospital trauma life support), NRP (neonatal resuscitation program), TNCC (trauma nursing course certified) or TNS (trauma nurse specialist).

But for those who choose this career, it's all worth it. "Just knowing you made a difference and that you made someone's pain go away or someone's fear lessen -- those things keep me coming back," Howat says.

This article was originally published on Monster.com.

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Top 5 Creative Ways to Fund Your Education

NursingLink — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:30:00 -0700

Nursing school is expensive. With the economy in a rut and the price for an education skyrocketing, it's no wonder many people believe they cannot fulfill their dreams to pursue a nursing profession. What many aspiring nurses don't know is that debt is not necessarily destiny. If you do your research, you could get your education partially or even fully paid for!

Here are 5 innovative ways for you to earn your degree without burning a hole in your wallet:

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Next: Health Care Systems Fund Nursing Programs >>

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1. Health Care Systems Fund Nursing Programs

Many of America's healthcare systems are combating the drastic shortage of U.S. nurses by providing funding for new nursing programs.

Examples are the two largest in North Mississippi, the North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC) and Baptist Memorial based in Memphis, Tenn. These medical centers will provide programs that make it possible to earn a bachelor of science degree in nursing and an accelerated master of science in nursing for students who do not have a baccalaureate degree.

Inquire with your local health care center about such programs or check out the top 5 hospitals that will pay for your education.

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2. Unusual Scholarships

There are many unusual scholarships out there that you may qualify for. Have a unique last name? Are you a twin or a triplet? Vegetarian? Left-handed? It may seem hard to believe, but there are scholarships for each of these attributes. Here are some more examples:

Little People of America offers scholarships for students who are short.

Tall Clubs International offers scholarships for those who are tall.

Many of these unusual scholarships go unclaimed because they are unknown to people who qualify for them. Imagine funding your education by being unusual! Search for such scholarships online or discuss them with a college or career counselor.

Next: Online Education >>

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3. Online Education

Over a dozen fully accredited, highly regarded nursing schools already offer programs online. Often times, the academic portion of the program is completed online while the clinical portion is completed locally. A greater capacity to teach nurses today, would significantly ease the nursing crisis facing us in the coming years. Opening more online nursing schools would help resolve the nursing crisis at its core.

Schools like Indiana State and Jacksonville University are some of America's best colleges for nurses. The National League of Nurses and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) have accredited each of these schools respectively. There are many more fully accredited nursing schools offering their programs online.

Not only is the capacity for teaching nurses online higher than that of teaching them on-campus, nurse educators can leverage their time better, the programs are less expensive, and most of these programs have no waiting list.

Search online for the right program for you. And, tell your friends and colleagues who aspire to become a nurse about these great opportunities.

4. Capital Grants

In an effort to increase the number of students and nursing faculty, many states are beginning to offer capital grants to hire and retain nursing staff, purchase new equipment, enhance audiovisual ability, and recruit students.

Write your state and congressional representative about the successes of other state programs for the hiring and retention of nursing and help to get similar programs in place.

5. Loan Repayment Programs

Loan repayment programs such as NELRP repay loan balances of registeresed nurses selected for funding. NELRP is very competitive and repays 60% of the qualifying loan balance in exchange for 2 years of service at a critical shortage facility. Participants may be eligible to work a third year and receive an additional 25% of the qualifying loan balance.

For more information, click here: NELRP

Conclusion

Don't give up on your goal to become a nurse because you don't have the cash to go to school. If there's a will, there's always a way to make your dreams come true!

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Public Health Nursing

Jennifer Fink | NursingLink — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:23:00 -0700

Are you concerned about the health of your community? Aware of the impact of income, location, opportunity and mobility on health? Consider a career in public health nursing.

Public health nursing is one of the oldest nursing specialties in the United States. Lillian Wald established the first public health nursing agency in New York City in 1893. According to Wald, “Our basic idea was that the nurse's peculiar introduction to the patient and her organic relationship with the neighborhood should constitute the starting point for a universal service to the region... We planned to utilize, as well as to be implemented by all agencies and groups of whatever creed which were working for social betterment, private as well as municipal. Our scheme was to be motivated by a vital sense of the interrelation of all these forces...”

Wald’s description remains an apt characterization of public health nursing. Public health nurses consider health and well-being in the context of community. The health issues and concerns faced by brand-new immigrants to the United States, for instance, are different than those of the residents of Native American reservations. Residents of rural communities deal with different health threats (exposure to pesticides, for instance) than residents of the inner city (where violence and lack of fresh food may be greater issues).

The Nitty-Gritty Details

Some public health nurses work directly with individual clients and families. They may visit clients in clients’ homes or in schools or community health centers. Other public health nurse plan and implement health education and community intervention programs with other community agencies to improve the health and well-being of the neighborhood. Public health nurses, for instance, may be an integral part of a community’s efforts to decrease infant mortality.

Keith, a public health nurse who blogs at Digital Doorway, follows local TB patients to ensure that they’re taking their medication as prescribed. He also develops emergency preparedness plans for his community, holds monthly immunization clinics and track infectious disease outbreaks. He provides general health resources and referrals as requested by members of the community as well.

Next: Critical Skills >>

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Critical Skills

Public health nurses must possess:

• Excellent interpersonal skills. Public health nurses often work with the most vulnerable members of a community – as well as some of the most connected. Public health nurses should be able to interact easily with all kind of people. Basic conflict resolution and negotiation skills are useful also.

• Patience. It’s not easy to improve the health of a community. Public health nurses must be prepared to put in a ton of time and effort before they notice any measurable difference.

• The ability to see the big picture. Public health nurses think big. When they see a patient with TB, they immediately begin thinking about the threat to the larger community. While public health nurses certainly help individual patients, it’s never just about the individual. Public health nurses want to know what community conditions facilitate disease, and plan steps to improve the health of the community.

• An understanding of data. Public health nurses collect and collate information and statistics, and share that information with community stakeholders to convince them to take action. They also track data to evaluate the effectiveness of health interventions.

Education

While a BSN isn’t specifically required to work as a public health nurse, it’s often preferred. BSN programs (as compared to ADN programs) offer separate courses in statistics, community health and change theory. These courses form the backbone of a public health nurse’s practice.

Increasingly, public health agencies are looking for graduate-prepared nurses to lead health initiatives. In future years, a DNP may become the degree of choice for nurses specializing in public health.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers specialty certification in public health nursing. Nurses who pass the Advanced Public Health Nursing exam are eligible to use the credentials APHN- BC (advanced public health nurse – board certified). Some states (such as California) require nurses to apply for state certification before claiming the title “public health nurse.”

Salary

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for Registered Nurses in 2010 was approximately $65,000. Wages, though, vary widely by location. Simplyhired.com reports an average annual salary of $51,000 for public health nurses.

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Use Your Brain When Going Back to School

Janice Evans | DivineCaroline — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:06:00 -0700

You are one of the most powerful sources of information. You have gone to school for at lease a dozen years, you may have worked at various jobs after school during the summers, you may have gone to places and met people who taught you many lessons in living. You may have married, returned to school after a personal experience with your family, or simply dropped out of high school when you were young. Whatever your story, it is not exactly like anyone else’s. In my own personal experience, I can find the materials that will provide ideas, supporting materials, and arguments for my personal use by using my brain.

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One powerful way to enhance your memory is to make friends with your amicability. This is the area of your brain that is with extra neural activity—where you feel a strong emotion. You are more likely to remember course material when you relate it to a goal—whether academic, personal, or career—that you feel strongly about. This is one reason why it pays to be specific about what you want. The more goals you have and the more clearly they are defined, the more channels you can create for incoming information.

I can use this strategy even when a subject seems boring at first. If you are not maturely interested in a topic, then create interest. Find a study partner in the class if possible, someone you know and like, or form a study group. Consider getting to know the instructor personally. When a course creates a bridge to human relationships, you engage the content in a more emotional way. Due to new academic standards, there are often fewer tests in higher education than in high school, and the grading might be tougher.

I find that teachers expect you to study more that you did in high school. However, at the same time, your instructor might give you less guidance about what or how to study, and less feedback about how you are doing.

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Do you enjoy working with people and helping them feel better? When you pursue a degree in nursing, you can learn how to help people get healthy and stay healthy.

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Med-Surg Nursing

Jennifer Fink | NursingLink — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:59:00 -0700

Do you like challenges? Hate being bored? Consider a career as a med-surg nurse.

Once considered a not-very-glamorous, catch-all nursing niche, medical-surgical nursing has evolved into a full-fledge specialty. According to the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses, med-surg nursing is "one of the most demanding specialties of all the nursing specialties… [it] is no longer viewed as a stepping-stone but is the solid rock and the backbone of every institution."

It's not easy, though. The patients med-surg nurses care for today are sicker than the patients of years past; today, patients go home within a day or two of surgery, instead of lingering for a week or so. That change means that med-surg nurses must handle pain control, wound care, and patient teaching within a very short period of time. It also means that discharge planning has become part of most med-surg nurses' workload, and that med-surg nurses are frequently discharging and admitting new patients. New technology also creates technical challenges and opportunities.

Still interested? Read on to learn more about med-surg nursing.

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The Nitty-Gritty Details

Med-surg nurses care for adult patients both before and after surgery. They also care for adults admitted to the hospital under a variety of diagnoses – congestive heart failure, sickle cell anemia, newly diagnosed diabetes, stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding, confusion, and inability to ambulate, etc.

A med-surg nurse's workload is constantly changing and evolving. One day, she may be hanging blood for a blood transfusion. The next, she might teach a newly diagnosed diabetic how to test his blood sugars. More likely, she's doing both on the same day – while preparing a hip replacement patient for discharge to a rehab center. Of course, med-surg nurses also perform assessments, plan nursing interventions, administer medications, and communicate with physicians and other healthcare providers about the patients' plan of care.

Med-surg nurses become masters of organization. Most care for four to seven patients at a time. (Some states cap patient to nurse ratios. In California, for instance, a med-surg nurse can have no more than five patients at a time.) Med-surg nurses juggle their patients' care by carefully prioritizing and delegating appropriate nursing activities. They may rely heavily on CNAs and LPNs to handle basic nursing duties, such as bed baths, patient ambulation, and medication administration, while focusing their efforts on the overall nursing management of their group of patients. Others become highly skilled at combining duties. An experienced med-surg nurse can perform a basic physical assessment while giving a bed bath – and include plenty of patient teaching at the same time.

Next: Critical Skills >>

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Critical Skills

A good med-surg nurse should be:

• Compassionate. Med-surg nurses care for patients of all ages from all walks of life. Some are sick because of life choices. The best med-surg nurses care for all of their patients equally.

• Creative. Informed, out-of-the-box-thinking is a great asset for a med-surg nurse. More than one med-surg nurse has calmed a fidgety, confused elderly woman by handing her a pile of washcloths to fold.

• A critical thinker. Med-surg nurses constantly assess their patients and analyze information.

• Quick on her feet. Patients' conditions can change in a heartbeat. A med-surg nurse must be prepared to rearrange her plan for the day based on what's tossed her way.

• Cooperative. Even the best med-surg nurses need help. Nurses who are willing to help others are more likely to get help when they ask for it.

Education

Med-surg nurses should be graduates of accredited schools of nursing. Experience in adult health is a plus, but not required.

New grads are welcomed in med-surg. In fact, for years, med-surg was considered the "first stop" after nursing school. Many nurses still think that a stint in med-surg provides a solid foundation for future nursing practice. Carolyn Newstrom, RN, of California, believes that med-surg is an ideal place for new grads – but realizes that not everyone can (or wants to) score a position in med-surg after graduation. "Right now, the barrier is the ratio of med-surg openings to the number of new grads," Newstrom explains. Although there's a nationwide nursing shortage, not all hospitals are hiring med-surg nurses at the present time.

Dedicated med-surg nurses may apply for specialty certification. Both the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offer certification exams. Licensed RNs with at least two years of med-surg experience and 2000 hours of practice time over the last three years are eligible to sit for the exams.

Salary

According to salaryexpert.com, the average compensation for a med-surg nurse is between $55,000 and $80,000 per year. Salaries vary based on experience and hours worked (off-shifts and weekends often pay differentials; overtime is usually time-and-a-half.) Med-surg nurses who work for staffing agencies typically make more than med-surg nurses on staff.

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5 Reasons to Get a MSN

Jennifer Fink | NursingLink — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:59:00 -0700

Who needs advanced education? Maybe you!

While you can have a perfectly wonderful nursing career with a RN or BSN degree, MSN-prepared nurses have additional opportunities and earning power. Plus, healthcare is quickly evolving, and many nurse experts and healthcare organizations are calling upon nurses to increase their education to be on par with other healthcare providers. Physicians complete eight years or more of higher education. Physical therapists typically have a master's or doctoral degree. (In 2009, there were 212 accredited physical therapy programs in the US. Twelve award master's degrees while 200 award doctoral degrees.) Advanced degrees prepare healthcare professionals to work in a world that is increasingly complex.

Need more proof? Check out these five reasons to get a MSN.

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1: Increased Specialization

Entry-level and undergraduate degrees prepare nurses for general nursing practice. Graduate degrees allow nurses to dig deeply into their areas of interest. According to California State University, “The primary purpose of the Master of Science in Nursing is to develop skilled professionals able to assume positions of leadership, which contribute to the health, education, and social structure of the community, state, and nation.” Note the word leadership. MSN-prepared nurses don't just implement orders and perform basic nursing care; they set out in front and provide healthcare leadership to a group of patients or healthcare professionals.

A master's degree is required for advanced practice nursing. If you want to be a nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, or clinical nurse specialist, you'll need a MSN. MSN degrees also prepare nurses for careers in healthcare administration, nursing informatics and nursing education.

Years ago, advanced degrees were only for nurse executives. Today, though, thousands of nurses in clinical practice – from the clinical nurse specialist on the oncology floor to the geriatric nurse practitioner in the local nursing home – have master's degrees. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), “Today's master's programs have increased the amount of clinical practice that students engage in so that graduates enter the job market ready for certification."

Next: Increased Demand >>

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2: Increased Demand

A physician shortage – especially a shortage of primary care physicians – has been looming for decades. Experts predict that the recent healthcare reform bill, which promises to provide healthcare to thousands of formerly uninsured patients, will only exacerbate the shortage. That's why people are looking at advanced practice nurses to fill in the gaps.

In its report, The Future of Nursing, The Institute of Medicine recommended removing scope-of-practice barriers that inhibit the practice of advanced practice nurses. They recommend paying nurse practitioners and nurse midwives, for instance, the same amount physicians receive for similar services. So far, 28 states have considered legislation that will address the current barriers to practice. These changes will combine to increase opportunity for MSN-prepared nurses.

3: To Teach

Nurse educators are in great demand. Despite the current nursing shortage, schools of nursing are turning qualified applicants away because there simply aren't enough teachers to handle additional students. According to the AACN, in 2010, accredited nursing schools turned away over 67,000 promising applicants.

While doctorally-prepared nurses are the most in-demand nurse educators, MSN-prepared nurses are qualified to teach and lead clinical classes. A master's degree can also be a stepping stone to a PhD and a long career in academia.

4: More Money

Advanced practice nurses consistently earn the highest salaries. Seven of the top 10 highest paying nursing specialties – certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse researcher, psychiatric nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist and gerontological nurse practitioner -- require a MSN.

If you want to make an annual salary in the $80 – 90,000 range, it's time to head back to school.

5: It's Never Been Easier

Earning a master's degree take a huge amount of commitment and education. But nurses today have more options for advanced education than ever before. Online programs give nurses the chance to earn their MSN without leaving their home community (though some programs may require a brief, on-campus stay). Accelerated degrees, such as RN – to – MSN, and direct-entry MSN programs (appropriate for career changers who already hold a bachelor's degree in another discipline), allows certain professionals to bypass a full BSN program. And almost all accredited nursing schools offer flexible, part-time attendance options that enable adult students to work or care for their families while attending graduate school.

Grants and scholarships are also available for qualified nurses who want to pursue a MSN. Check with your employer as well. Some may provide at least partial tuition assistance.

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6 Reasons to Get a BSN

Jennifer Fink | NursingLink — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 09:54:00 -0700

Thinking of getting a nursing degree – or advancing your nursing education? Sign up for a BSN program! While the nursing profession has debated the minimum degree for entry into the profession for years (the American Nurses Association first recommended the baccalaureate degree as the "minimum preparation for the beginning professional nursing practice" in 1965), there are still multiple paths to a nursing career, including LPN, ADN, diploma and BSN programs. But the writing is on the wall. As healthcare has become increasingly complex, healthcare and government agencies are stepping up the call for BSN-prepared nurses.

Still not convinced? Take a look at these six reasons to get a BSN.

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#1: BSN in 10

In 2008, the American Nurses Association passed a resolution which recommended that all RNs who graduate from an ADN- or diploma-program be required to obtain a BSN within 10 years of licensure. The move respects many nurses' desire to get into the workforce as quickly as possible, and preserves ADN and diploma-degrees as acceptable avenues into the nursing profession. But the resolution – which was quickly dubbed "BSN in 10" – also acknowledges the need for highly educated professionals who are adept at critical thinking and research.

As of 2010, at least 18 states, including New York, New Jersey, were considering BSN in 10 legislation. And while both the ANA resolution and the state proposals grandfather in current nurses, do you really want to be left behind?

Next: BSN by 2020 >>

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#2: Institute of Medicine: 80% of all nurses should have BSN by 2020

Last year, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released The Future of Nursing, the culmination of its two-year, cooperative study of nursing and healthcare with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The study was commissioned because health leaders recognize that the health challenges faced by nurses today are not the same as those faced in the past. Today's patients are older, sicker and more diverse than ever before. The healthcare landscape has changed as well. Nurses today work out in the community and actively promote health and well-being for entire populations. The report concludes that "the ways in which nurses were educated during the 20th century are no longer adequate for dealing with the realities of health care in the 21st century."

Knowledge of basic nursing skills is no longer enough. According to the IOM, core competencies for today's nurses include:

• Leadership

• Health policy

• System improvement

• Research and evidence-based practice

• Teamwork and collaboration

• Competency in specific content areas such as community and public health and geriatrics

• Technological knowledge

While the IOM recognizes that "a BSN education is not a panacea for all that is expected of nurses in the future", it recommends that the proportion of nurses with baccalaureate degrees increase to 80 percent by 2020. (They also recommend doubling the number of doctorate-prepared nurses by 2020!)

Next: BSN Requirement >>

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#3: BSN required for entry to practice?

ADN, diploma and BSN nurses are excellent nurses; after all, they all sit for the same licensing exam and are held to the same standards of professional accountability. But increasingly, a number of nursing organizations are recommending the BSN for entry into practice. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) recognizes the BSN degree as "the minimum educational requirement for professional nursing practice" and says that "the BSN degree is essential for nurses seeking to perform at the case-manager or supervisory level or move across employment settings."

The AACN also notes that the BSN-prepared nurse "is the only basic nursing graduate preferred to practice in all health care settings – critical care, ambulatory care, public health, and mental health."

The National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP), an organization the reports to Congress and the U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services on nursing issues, also supports the BSN as the minimum for entry into practice. In 2010, they recommended that "the U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Education…work with U.S. nursing programs to support the goal of having all registered nurses prepared at the baccalaureate in nursing (BSN) or higher degree level to improve quality and safety in healthcare in the United Sates."

#4: Nurse Educator Shortage

A critical shortage of nurse educators is keeping even qualified nurse applicants from nursing school. That's a situation that must change if nurses are to meet the healthcare demands of the future. Obtaining a BSN puts you in line for a nurse educator position.

BSN-prepared nurses are qualified to teach both certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) at technical and community colleges. Most universities and schools of nursing require nurse faculty members to have a Master's degree, at minimum, but BSN-prepared nurses may be able to lead clinical rotations as adjunct faculty members. If you find you love teaching, you can go back to school to obtain a MSN while continuing to teach clinical nursing.

Next: Better Pay >>

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#5: Better Pay

Who doesn't want to make more money? While many hospitals and healthcare organization pay all RNs the same rate, regardless of educational preparation, BSN-prepared nurses, in general, make more money than ADN or diploma nurses. According to payscale.com, the median salary for BSN-prepared nurses is $62, 674; for ADN nurses, it's $50, 565.

The pay discrepancy may be because BSN-prepared nurses are better prepared for higher-paying nursing positions. The BSN is often the preferred degree for nursing management positions, which typically pay more than staff nursing positions. BSN-prepared nurses can also work in four of the top 10 highest paying nurse specialties: nurse research, pediatric endocrinology, orthopedic nursing and neonatal nursing. (The other top six specialties require a Master's degree, which is just a hop, skip and jump away from a BSN.)

#6: Better Patient Outcomes

It's old news by now, but it bears repeating: an increased proportion of BSN-prepared nurses is associated with decreased patient mortality.

In a 2003 study, Educational Levels of Hospital Nurses and Surgical Patient Mortality, renowned nurse research Linda Aiken found that a 10% increase in the number of nurses with a BSN was associated with a 5% decrease in patient deaths within 30 days of admission. Greater numbers of BSN nurses are also associated with fewer cases of failure to rescue. Aiken concluded that, "these effects imply that altering the educational background of hospital nurses by increasing the percentage of those earning a BSN would produce substantial decreases in mortality rates for surgical patients generally and for patients who develop complications."

If hospitals take the research seriously, they may soon increase the proportion of BSN nurses to reduce costs.

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Cardiac Nursing

Jennifer Fink | NursingLink — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:36:00 -0700

Do you enjoy delving deeply into a subject? Are you fascinated by the workings of the human heart? Consider a career as a cardiac nurse.

While cardiac nurses focus their practice on one specific body system – the cardiovascular system – cardiac nursing is an extraordinarily diverse specialty. Cardiac nurses can be found on telemetry units, coronary care units (CCUs) and cardiac intensive care units (CICU). They work in cardiac catheterization labs, operating rooms, post-anesthesia care units (PACUs) and cardiac rehabilitation units. Cardiac nurses may also work as patient educators and public health nurses.

Heart disease is the #1 killer of Americans – and stroke, or cerebrovascular disease, is #3 – so the demand for experienced cardiac nurses is likely to remain strong for a long time to come.

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The Nitty-Gritty Details

Cardiac nurses develop an encyclopedic knowledge of the heart and vascular system. Cardiac nurses also develop in-depth knowledge of the heart’s electrical system, hemodynamics, common cardiac conditions and cardiac medications.

Cardiac nurses care for patients with a variety of conditions, including heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and heart dysrythmias. They also care for patients undergoing cardiac bypass surgery, angioplasty, heart valve replacement and pacemaker insertion. Cardiac nurses provide care along the disease continuum. A cardiac nurse may expertly care for a patient complaining of chest pain in the ER before transferring care to another cardiac nurse in the cardiac catheterization lab. Other cardiac nurses may care for the patient before, during and after bypass surgery and in cardiac rehab. Specialized cardiac nurses may also work with the patient post-discharge to help him better understand his disease and any recommended lifestyle or medication modifications.

Some cardiac nurses care for adults exclusively, while others focus their practice on pediatrics.

Next: Critical Skills >>

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Critical Skills

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a cardiac nurse? Cardiac nurses need:

• BLS certification. All cardiac nurses must be certified in basic life support.

• ACLS certification. If you’re interested in cardiac nursing, consider taking a course in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) now. Most healthcare facilities expect cardiac care nurses to obtain ACLS certification within months of employment – and having your certification prior to employment might give you a leg up on the competition.

• EKG skills. Cardiac nurses are required to read and interpret 5-lead EKG strips on a regular basis.

• Excellent assessment skills. Cardiac patients’ conditions can change in a matter of seconds. The best cardiac nurses are in tune with the little cues that suggest a patient may be “going bad” – and respond appropriately. Experienced cardiac nurses also know to look at the patient, not just the monitor. A bad EKG could just reflect a bad connection. A patient that looks bad might be in trouble, even if the monitor tracing looks perfectly normal.

• A desire to keep learning. The field of cardiac nursing continually evolves as new meds and treatments are discovered and introduced into practice. Be prepared to adapt your care to reflect the latest evidence-based standards.

Education

Cardiac nurses should be graduates of accredited schools of nursing. Many have previous experience in adult health (often in med-surg or ER), although some graduate nurses move directly into cardiac nursing after graduation.

Cardiac nurses are constantly learning. They must re-certify their BLS and ACLS skills every two years. Additional continuing education classes and modules, offered by organizations such as the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association and colleges, universities and continuing educations providers, help cardiac nurses stay up-to-date on the latest treatments, medications and cardiac care standards.

Certification programs are also available for cardiac nurses. The American Association of Critical Care Nurses offers certification programs in cardiac surgery, cardiac medicine and adult tele-ICU acute/critical care nursing. The American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine and Credentialing provides certification exams for cardiac nurses and nurse practitioners. The American College of Cardiovascular Nurses and the American Nurse Credentialing Center also provide certification courses in cardiac nursing.

Salary

According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for Registered Nurses in 2010 was approximately $65, 000. Specialized cardiac nurses may make even more. According to simplyhired.com, the average salary for an invasive cardiac nurse in Maryland is $80, 000. The salary for cardiac nurse practitioners is among the highest in clinical nursing. According to nursepractitionersalary.com cardiac nurse practitioners make between $65, 000 and $90, 000 annually.

Demand for cardiac nurses is predicted to grow by about 20 percent between 2008 and 2018.

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Transplant Nursing

Jennifer Fink | NursingLink — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:57:00 -0700

Want to work on the cutting edge of science? Enjoy patient teaching? Consider a career as a transplant nurse.

Transplant nurses work with patients who receive kidney, liver, pancreas, heart, lung, small bowel and combination transplants. Transplant nurses also care for living donors, the family members, friends and occasional strangers who donate organs to patients in need.

Demand for organ transplants – and qualified transplant nurses – is high. At present, over 28,000 Americans get transplants each year. Many more wait on transplant lists for suitable donors.

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Transplant nurses provide basic pre- and post-surgical care to both organ donors and organ recipients. They also administer powerful anti-rejection drugs, closely monitor patients for signs of organ rejection and teach patients and their families all about life after a transplant.

While organ transplants have been around since the 1950s, transplant nursing is a relatively new nursing specialty. The International Transplant Nurses Society, formed in 1992, was "the first professional nursing organization to promote the education and clinical practice excellence of nurses caring for solid organ transplant patients." Currently, the organization has almost 2000 members from 32 countries.

The Nitty-Gritty Details

Transplant nurses typically work in large university hospitals and academic medical centers. Transplant patients are often grouped by organ, with kidney, liver and pancreas transplant patients on one unit and heart and lung transplant patients on another. Nurses, therefore, frequently specialize by organ as well.

A transplant nurse's workload may include patients who are preparing for surgery as well as patients recovering from surgery. Transplant nurses answer any patient questions prior to surgery, ensure that consents are signed, monitor patients' conditions and, often, draw blood for pre-surgery labs. In the case of deceased donor transplants, these actions must be performed quickly and efficiently, since time is of the essence. The sooner patients get to surgery following their fateful call ("We have an organ for you."), the better the outcome.

Post-transplant, nurses monitor patients' incisions, hang antibiotics and antirejection drugs, administer pain medications and monitor patients' labs and function for any signs of infection or rejection. The anti-rejection drugs required to prevent patients' bodies from rejecting the new organs increases the risk of infection, because they basically wipe out a patient's natural immunity. Transplant nurses also watch for signs of organ function. Transplanted organs, especially those from deceased donors, may take a while before they begin functioning in the body. So a nurse taking care of a kidney transplant patient, for instance, would carefully monitor his intake and output as well as his BUN and creatinine.

Next: Critical Skills >>

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Critical Skills

A good transplant nurse is:

• A team player. Transplant nurses work closely with physicians, discharge planners, transplant coordinators and research personnel. Because most transplant nurses work in academic medical centers, they often work with interns, residents, fellows and student nurses as well.

• A good teacher. A transplant is a major life change. To successfully care for their new organ, patients need to manage a complex medication regimen at home. They also need to know the signs of infection or rejection and what to do if those signs appear. The best transplant nurses incorporate patient teaching into their care. Some transplant units also offer patient classes, taught by nurses.

• Quick to respond. Patient conditions can change rapidly after surgery. A nurse may also need to modify her workflow to quickly admit new patients if organs become available.

• Interested in science. Many transplant patients receive new drugs as part of a research protocol. Transplant nurses work closely with research coordinators to collect data. Transplant nursing also evolves to reflect the latest scientific thinking.

Education

Most hospitals require transplant nurses to have at least an RN; many require a BSN. Previous experience is not required, though a strong med-surg background may be helpful before making the leap to transplant nursing.

The International Transplant Nurses Society offers a variety of continuing education programs for nurses interested in transplant, including the Core Curriculum for Transplant Nurses. Board certification is available through the American Board for Transplant Certification.

Salary

According to SimplyHired.com, the average salary for a transplant nurse is $62,000. Nurses, especially experienced transplant nurses, may also apply for a job as transplant coordinator. Transplant coordinators work with patients both and after surgery (but do not handle clinical care pre- and post-surgery). The average median wage for transplant coordinators in the United States is $76,000, according to salary.com.

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Tips for Finding a Travel Nursing Job

NursingUniforms.net — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:55:00 -0700

The exciting thing about the nursing career is that you can choose the specialty you want and the place where you want to work. Some of us like travel, but are not able to indulge in this desire because of the need to earn. As a nurse, you can indulge your desire for travel and see foreign places, while earning a good salary! You can do this by looking for a travel nurse job. A travel nurse can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of traveling. Working in different locations while looking forward to change and knowing that your skills will always be in high demand will bring you great satisfaction. Doesn't that sound exciting?

Working As A Travel Nurse

There is great demand for licensed nurses in hospitals and other acute care facilities that need skilled clinical care professionals. There's also demand for travel nurses in luxury cruises, which have doctors and nurses on board. Travel nurses are also required on government and diplomatic carriers, but you'll have to obtain security clearance to work for the government. Sometimes wealthy clients hire travel nurses for home care. All these opportunities will require you to move around, meet different people, travel, and work in different locations and conditions.

Usually, travel nurse assignments last anywhere between three months to a year. The compensation is excellent and is usually supplemented by benefits packages, housing allowances, relocation assistance and per diem payments. These health care facilities need temporary nurses so badly that they are willing to reward travel nurses with sizeable term completion bonuses when the assignment is complete.

Next: Travel Nurse Qualifications >>

Be Sure You Meet Requirements:

Research Nursing Programs

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Travel Nurse Qualifications

Review your qualifications; you will need a valid Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Registered Nurse (RN) license, with at least one year's experience in a clinical setting, working in acute care environments. It helps your chances greatly if you certified to handle special areas. Travel nurses are usually hired based on their skills and expertise. As such, temporary travel jobs are reserved for nurses who can prove a successful track record. Apart from this, suitable references attesting to nursing skills, flexibility and work ethics are an absolute necessity.

It's also necessary that you show recent nursing experience, since medical technology changes so rapidly. If you have not been nursing for more than six months, you won't be picked for travel nurse jobs. In order to qualify for a travel nurse job, you will need to get back to being a staff nurse in an acute care facility.

Using Travel Nurse Recruiting Agencies

Many health care employment agencies specialize in placing travel nurses, such as American Mobile Health care and American Traveler. Check out each travel nursing company and understand how they function. Research different options and make an informed decision about which travel nursing company you want to use.

Talk to nurses who have been placed by the travel nursing company. You'll find out which companies are the best with good reputations, and what factors they look for in a travel nurse. Good travel nursing companies look for nurses with good qualifications, experience, presentability, great references, a willing attitude and excellent work ethics. You'll know that a travel nursing company is good based on what their criteria is for nurses they recruit and based on their clientele.

Note that a good, reputable staffing company will not charge you any fee for placing you. The medical facility that hires you will pay the agency for the placement. If a travel-nursing agency asks you for money to place you, you know you have met a scammer. Always read the fine print and ask upfront if you will need to pay fees. If the travel-nursing agency does not tell you upfront about charging you and tries to charge you later on, you can approach the law for resolution.

Next: Applying For A Travel Nurse Position >>

Be Sure You Meet Requirements:

Research Nursing Programs

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Applying For A Travel Nurse Position

You will have to complete quite a bit of paper work to apply as a travel nurse. Ensure that your professional resume is up to date and is error free. Keep copies of your driver's license, referral documents, certificates, diplomas and any other documents that might be required by possible employers.

Take the help of a reputable travel nurse consultant to help you with your application. You can also check with the consultant about different travel nurse recruiters and which one to choose. The recruiting agency is responsible for validating your background, your certifications and your experience. Once you are validated and certified as employable, your agency will look through temporary job postings for jobs that match your profile.

The agency will then negotiate suitable positions with you and the prospective employer, after which an agreement will be signed between your agency and your employer. You will then be briefed about the position. This is when you should ask your questions and carefully scrutinize the assignment before taking it up. Make sure you ask about housing benefits, pay rate, work hours, 401 (k) plans, other benefits and possibility of contract extension. If both you and the agency are all right with the details, a phone interview will be arranged between you and your prospective employer. You're then on your way to being a full-fledged travel nurse!

Next: Travel Nurse Requirements >>

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What to Remember While Selecting a Nursing School

NursingUniforms.net — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 11:17:00 -0700

You will need to consider several factors when you choose a nursing school. What might be important to some other nursing student might not really be a concern to you. Therefore, you need to choose a nursing school that fits in with your career plan, budget, and other considerations. Arm yourself with a book and a pen and use this article on which to base your research for the best nursing school.

Some of the questions you should consider when you choose a school are...

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• Do you want to study to be a Registered Nurse, or would you be happy with a lesser nursing certification?

• Do you want to attend a regular college course during the day and invest in college before taking up a job?

• Do you want to work as a nursing aide or assistant and attend a specialized program during off hours to earn while studying?

• Do you want to begin your career with a start Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) certification, and study to be a registered nurse later?

Make sure you consider these questions and your responses to these before investing in heavy nursing tuition.

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Assess Your Shortlisted Schools

Do some research and locate the nursing school in which you want to enroll. Create a list of pros and cons for each nursing school in your choice list. Base your assessment on the following considerations:

1. Decide on which nursing program you want to attend, and then choose a school that offers the cheapest course in your chosen specialty.

2. Look for nursing schools in your preferred locality first, to find out which schools offer the courses that you want. Local schools will be easier to attend and you can save money on relocating and living elsewhere.

3. A small school will have fewer students and you might get more tutor attention, while a larger school attracts faculty from top health care facilities and offers more intellectual stimulation. Choose the size of your school based on what you want.

4. Find out how many students are there in both classroom and clinical classes, to ensure that you don’t get lost in a sea of students sharing the same faculty. It’s better to opt for small class sizes for clinical rotation.

5. Find out if your chosen school provides sufficient clinical rotation time. Would you be able to obtain enough hands-on experience?

Next: Two More Things to Remember >>

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6. Find out the NCLEX exam pass rates at the school for the last 10-15 years. This will tell you about the school standard, and quality of tuition and facility.

7. Is your chosen nursing school accredited by a national accrediting organization? Does the school meet the education standards set by the national board of nursing?

8. How much you pay for tuition varies from school to school. Private schools cost more while public schools will be more reasonable. Find out what your tuition costs will be, and subtract that from your total budget.

9. Find out how much financial assistance you can get; this varies significantly between institutions. A great deal of your planning will be affected by the financial aspect unless you’re prepared to foot the entire bill by yourself.

Evaluate Your Potential Financial Investment

The cost per credit hour is something that depends on the nursing school. Your chosen school may or may not be accredited; it might be a community or private college, or even a proper university offering a four-year degree – the cost varies based on all these aspects. For some institutions, you might be able to obtain financial aid. This will figure largely in your considerations as well. Check out Federal loans that come with very low interest rates and visit the financial aid office of a local college or university to find out if government funding is available.

Ensure You Choose An Accredited School

You can study at a non-accredited nursing school; it won’t affect your prospect of landing a job. However, you need to know that if you consider obtaining an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from a non-accredited nursing school, you won’t be able to do a Bachelors of Nursing degree. This is because you’ll need credits from an accredited two-year nursing degree school in order to transfer those credits to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. This fact will seriously stump your career prospects if you were planning to study your BSN to be an RN. It’s best to always study at an accredited school.

A good school will ensure that a great percentage of its students are capable of clearing the NCLEX examination after doing their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. If lesser than 50% of a school’s students are able to obtain their licenses by clearing the NCLEX exams, then you should consider that as a red flag against the school.

Next: What They Don't Tell You in Nursing School >>

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How to Choose a Nursing Specialty

NursingUniforms.net — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:16:00 -0700

Your nursing program will include at least one semester on each nursing specialty. This gives you terrific exposure for you to make possible career choices, apart from giving you the much-required hands-on experience.

Demand for Specialized Nurses

Currently, the United States is going through a severe nursing shortage, which is projected to continue for a long time. This is actually good news if you have gotten yourself into a nursing school, as it means that your skills will always be in great demand. This is particularly true of nursing specialties such as critical care nursing, telemetry nursing and emergency room nursing, which are always in great demand. These specialties do require higher levels of training, additional certifications and skills. If you want to be in the top layer of much-in-demand nurses, then you must train in a specialty that is always in demand. It won’t hurt to specialize in more than one area as well, to expand your career prospects.

Evaluating Nursing Specialties

You can study traditional specialties such as gynecology and obstetrics, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist and other specialties such as forensic nursing, telephone-triage nursing and correctional nursing. Study each of these specialties by doing your own research using your institute’s library and online resources. After you complete your nursing program, ask yourself which specialty work you enjoyed the most. You might like working with children, which makes you an ideal choice to specialize in pediatrics. Or, you might have enjoyed the training associated with older people and you might want to consider a geriatrics specialty.

Factors to Consider While Choosing a Specialty

You should consider several factors when you choose a specialty, such as job stress levels in a particular area of nursing. A few factors to consider are listed as follows:

Handling job stresses:

As an emergency nurse, ponder if you’ll be able to handle emergencies day in and day out, watching people die and witnessing horrific accidents and crime casualties. Different nurses react differently to the stresses that come with a nursing specialty. Operating room stresses can be very high; so are the stresses on the medical-surgical floor, where you will be required to care for patients who suffer from seriously debilitating conditions. Most nursing specialties will require that you have a strong stomach and a great will to stay focused on your job notwithstanding the daily human travails you witness. However, some specialties are more stressful than the others are and these are the core specialties where the demand for qualified, trained and strong nurses is felt the most.

Next: Working Environment >>

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Working environment:

Another consideration for selecting a specialty is the amount of independence you’ll have as a nurse. Ask yourself if you prefer working on your own or with a group of other health care professionals such as doctors, medical assistants, nursing assistants, senior nursing staff and others, or if you prefer working alone. If you like being a part of the hubbub of a noisy hospital with its stressful but stimulating environment then choose a specialty that’s needed in hospitals. If you prefer a slower pace, opt to be a regular nurse and work in a community hospital, home care or private clinic setting where you can still care for patients and be comfortable. If you opt for the latter option, you shouldn’t feel that you are in any way lesser able than the nurses who prefer working in high-stress environments. Nursing is a very stressful profession and if you get into it with a clear idea of your own limitations and contributing ability, it’s better for your career, and for the safe care of your patients.

Some Specialties Require Additional Certification

If you want to specialize in a particular nursing specialty, you need to be aware that additional certification and education might be required. For example, if you want to work with cancer patients, you will need to take up chemotherapy training. If you want to specialize in emergency room nursing, you will have to obtain certification in advanced life-support training. Are you willing to continue studying for additional certifications even after you’ve completed your nursing school and started a job?

Nursing Specialty Internship Programs

Today, you can take advantage of a number of programs that are available to help you explore your options before you commit to a nursing specialty. Many medical facilities allow newly registered nurses nurse internship programs, which allow you to gain technical skills and experience. These internship programs span 16-week rotations, and you can study specialties such as critical care. You will be paid full salary and benefits, while getting to work in different specialties. These internship programs offer both classroom instruction and clinical experience. You have to complete your Bachelor of Science in Nursing in order to qualify for an internship program. An added advantage is that you can use these programs to network with people who might be able to get you the job you want later on.

Next: 10 Hottest Nursing Specialties >>

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Failure to Rescue and Nursing Vigilance in Corrections

Lorry Schoenly | CorrectionalNurse.net — Thu, 26 May 2011 11:35:00 -0700

Failure to Rescue has emerged as an issue in the patient safety movement and is now being addressed as it applies to correctional nursing. I wrote about it last fall and have continued to consider how this concept impacts practice in our specialty. This morning I attended a session in the Updates in Correctional Healthcare presented by Sue Smith, MSN, RN, CCHP-RN, whom I interviewed last year on Correctional Nursing Today.

Sue presented a case study based on an actual situation involving an inmate who frequently complained of chest pain without an actual medical event. After multiple episodes he again complained of chest pain. The nurse was busy and said she would assess him after completing the intakes that were at hand. We all know the ending to this story – the patient was really having an MI this time and expired before the nurse arrived to assess and render care. Correctional nursing practice seems a specialty particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon.

Failure to rescue is defined as the inability to save a patient’s life when the patient is experiencing a life threatening event. Although it originally began as a general term, it now has focused on nursing care as nurses are usually the vigilant individual at the bedside monitoring patients or, as in the case of corrections, the first and main staff member to see and evaluate an inmate-patient. Failure to rescue often involves a patient under care for a noncritical medical condition who began to show signs of an impending issue. The nurses failed to connect the dots or report the condition up the chain of command. The following factors have been found to contribute to rescue failure:

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• Staffing issues: Not enough staff to allow the nurse to focus on monitoring symptoms rather than just tasks

• Levels of licensures: Expecting higher level functioning from staff members with limited scopes of practice such as LPN or LVN staff

• Levels of Experience: Inexperienced nurses who are refining their skills may overlook issues and symptoms. Ability to analyze patterns and symptoms to respond appropriately. However, there can be a downside to experience as it can lead to tunnel vision and mental short-cuts. We can see this in correctional practice as we deal frequently with inmates who may be manipulating the system for secondary gain.

• Task orientation: Overly concerned with getting tasks done make staff too busy to notice.

Nursing requires engaged analysis and trending of information to make meaning of assessment and response data presented to us by our patients.

Another issue leading to failure to rescue is the communication system among care providers including the nurse/physician relationship. I talked about communication in an earlier post. If nurses are hesitant about contacting the physician provider or nurse practitioner, the.y may not respond to subtle changes in a patient’s status

Security concerns can restrict your access to the supplies you need to initiate action. This can discourage action when so many tasks are at hand that much be done.

The frequency of emergency assessments can reduce vigilance. If nurses are interrupted constantly in duty performance, patient error can result.

Our inmate patients lend toward failure to rescue – they can be hard to care about, manipulative, have hidden agendas and potential for violence. To what degree does this affect our ability to provide vigilant nursing care? An interesting question to ponder.

This was an intriguing presentation. Do you think failure to rescue is a concern in corrections?

Next: Ethical Dilemmas in Correctional Nursing >>

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6 Reasons to Choose a Nursing Career

NursingUniforms.net — Tue, 24 May 2011 10:02:00 -0700

Nursing is a noble career option. It’s a career that allows you to help save people’s lives, bring cheer, and comfort to those in need. The nursing career is very gratifying and rewarding in terms of the joys it brings. A few reasons why you should opt for a nursing career are listed below.

You Will Find Great Job Security

Being a nurse can be an exciting career option for both men and women. This field has a lot to offer; with mortality levels at an all time low and newer technologies brightening up the medical field, health care careers are booming. If you’re a great nurse, you’ll always be in demand and there are many job opportunities from which you can choose. Plus, you can study to be a medical assistant, a surgeon assistant or even a doctor while working as a nurse. Worrying about job security will be a thing of the past.

You Can Make A Difference In Someone’s Life

You’ll learn the value of life as a nurse, when you see people fighting to stay alive. Every breath of life is a gift and no one learns this lesson better than someone who nurses a dying patient day and night. People with strong values, respect for human life, compassion for suffering and empathy will be attracted to the nursing career.

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You Can Learn Continuously

As a nurse, you have a continuous opportunity for learning. You can opt to work in different departments, study to be a medical assistant and also get into nursing management where you can grow and nurture new nurses and share your knowledge. You can make a significant impact on health care using your initiative and compassion. You can also encourage people who show compassion and caring for life to take up nursing as a career. Nursing is the ideal career for you if you want to be challenged continually and also want to gain knowledge pertaining to the human body, its diseases, and life challenges and so on.

You Can Enjoy Diverse Job Opportunities

The nursing career opens up many diverse job opportunities and you can choose many different paths in the course of your career. There aren’t that many careers that allow you this kind of diverse job opportunity. Apart from this, you have job security, with good wages, a challenging atmosphere, and the chance to learn and grow into different paths. The nursing career is fast paced and you have to be an energetic individual who can multi-task and manage priorities to opt for this career. Nursing jobs are high demand; this field is experiencing significant growth and you can be right there, harvesting the growth and learning opportunities.

Next: Jobs in a Recession >>

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You Will Find Jobs Even During Recessions

No one ever lost a job as a nurse just because there’s recession or economic downturn. Hospitals still have to function, and health care investments have to be continued. If anything, stresses are higher during recession and more people fall sick, making sure that you’ll never be out of work during . As a nurse, you’ll never be out of work during recession periods. You’ll enjoy job security all the time, even if wages are affected during recession. As a nurse, you occupy a niche career, one that is required when the economy is healthy, or unhealthy, at peace and during war.

You Are Trusted With Lives

Nursing is a science and trained and prudent nurses are right there next to doctors when it comes to saving lives. Nurses are trusted with extremely sensitive information and they have to do things by the book and maintain confidentiality. As a nurse, you must be able to analyze patient’s pathology and diagnostic test results to decide on how to proceed with the patient. You should be able to analyze cardiac monitor strips and start resuscitating a patient during emergencies. You should be able to decide within a split second which specialist to call, which equipment to turn on, and what exactly to tell a patient. You are trusted with lives, with confidential information and you have the important task of watching over the life of the patient in your care. No other career holds this amount of responsibility.

Conclusion

If you show a commitment to learning, are willing to work hard, and above all, have the right compassion and respect for life, then being a nurse might be the right thing for you. Studying to be a nurse can be demanding and stressful. However, passing the state board exam is only the first step towards nursing. Your true nursing education begins after you start working. Become a nurse so that through you, someone feels better, someone leaves the hospital feeling hopeful and someone gets a fresh lease and fresh perspective on life. As a nurse, you grow as a person even as you make a difference in another person’s life.

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8 Reasons Why Nursing is Not For You

NursingUniforms.net — Thu, 19 May 2011 12:14:00 -0700

Are you planning to opt for a career in nursing? Do you have all the requisite qualities to become a nurse? Being a nurse is not easy; one has to work with sick patients day in and out, and handle emergencies at any time of the day or the night. Read on to understand if you are meant to be a nurse.

Do you feel compassion for the sick?

Nurses have to feel great compassion for human suffering. This compassion translates into infinite patience while dealing with those that need to be treated gently. Sometimes nurses have to convey bad news to families and support them during their bereavement. At times, ailing patients require round-the-clock care and a nurse has to be on duty to ensure he or she takes care of the patient's every little need. This takes a great deal of patience, true caring, compassion and empathy. Caring for patients tirelessly day in and day out can take a great emotional toll on the nurse.

Can you work long hours and double shifts?

Nurses are required to be on call whenever required. Sometimes sudden patient emergencies can occur and nurses have to leave their families and other tasks and rush to answer the summons. This is the same as it is for doctors. Sometimes when there's staff shortage or when a staff member is sick, nurses have to work double shifts without complaining. Patients cannot be left without care at any time and all medical staff is expected to work overtime.

Next: Can You Handle Pain & Death? >>

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Can you handle pain and death?

As a nurse, you'll be faced with pain and death more often than you might want. Sometimes, you'll have to see small children die of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Old people die regularly in hospitals over long care as well. Other than the pain of the patients themselves, there is a greater, more lasting pain with which you have to deal. This is the pain felt by bereaved family members. As a nurse, you'll have to console family members and comfort them the best you can. You have to deal with death as a part of daily care and not allow this fact to interfere with your professionalism or your daily duties.

Can you communicate well?

When people fall ill they become scared and depressed. What they need at this time in is someone to talk to them and tell them that it's going to be all right. Doctors need to know patient status in quick and simple terms. Families of patients need to hear patient status and also about the next treatment steps. Everywhere you go, you'll have to communicate with someone or the other in a nursing job. All this requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills. To deliver the right amount of information, in the right way, at the right time to the right person is an art that all nurses should possess.

Do you have a mind for medical facts?

As a nurse, you'll have to remember patient statistics, histories, medical treatments and diagnostic results. You should be able to talk intelligently to doctors and other health care professionals about medical facts, using the right terms and technological aspects. You must read from charts and know what needs to be done next, if a doctor is not present to advise you in cases of emergency. You should be able to understand diseases, symptoms, manifestations, progresses, cures and treatments. You should be able to remember, articulate, and write down medical instructions.

Next: Can You Work Flexible Hours? >>

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Can you work flexible hours?

Nurses are required to work in shifts, which can range from four to 12 hours a day. While nursing is a career that allows you to have weekdays off and work flexible hours so that you can continue your education or care for your family, you're also expected to be on call whenever required. During emergencies, nurses, doctors and other medical staff are required to work double shifts without complaint.

Can you work long hours on your feet?

When a hospital sees a sudden influx of patients, a single nurse might have to handle care for multiple patients, working all the time on their feet. You might not get the chance to sit down, and might have to run between patient to patient, providing first aid and alleviating distress. Nurses also have to stand for long hours while assisting with surgeries.

Are you stable and reliable during emergencies?

A nurse must be able to take quick decisions during emergencies. The ability to think quickly, act responsibly and be able to work well in a chaotic emergency situation is a huge plus for any nurse. The environment in a hospital can be noisy, chaotic and very confusing. A good nurse knows how to filter out the noise and focus only on what needs to be done without getting rattled and hyperactive.

Next: Who's Who in the Nursing Hierarchy >>

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