By: Grant Eckert
In any career, there are a number of decisions to make. Within the nursing path, there are a number of directions you can take when you are first starting out, often resulting in different career paths and positions. The first and most vital decision you will make is whether to enter the hospital setting or the private practice setting. Both have their rewards, as well as their limitations, so this is a choice you need to spend time on making.
When You Choose the Hospital Setting
Any graduate of nursing school is probably going to be flooded with offers from hospitals and hospital type settings. And with the hiring bonuses they offer, these offers can be quite tempting. Here are the main benefits of talking to these human resources departments:
· Often unionized workplaces - Once you're into these hospitals, you're nearly guaranteed steady work for the rest of your life. Your wages will be raised yearly and your benefits will be negotiated regularly.
· Possibility of promotion or transfers - In a larger hospital setting, you will be able to change your position as your experience increases. Most hospitals will post jobs in other departments with preference given to those already in similar positions or with more years on the job.
· Variety of work - You can start out in one position and then transfer to other positions as your knowledge increases or you simply want a change of scenery and patient care.
But as with any setting in which you would choose to be a nurse, there are downsides too.
· Problems dealing with seniority in the beginning - Since seniority tends to be rewarded, as a new nurse, you might find that positions are slim and the hours are poor until you have a few years of experience.
· Fast paced setting, high patient to nurse ratio - While this can also be a benefit, the fast paced setting and high patient ratio can be exhausting for some nurses, often leading to burnout.
When You Choose the Private Practice Setting
If you're looking at joining a private practice as a nurse, you will find that there are just as many benefits as there are problems with this arrangement.
The benefits include:
· Regular hours - Because you are only working when the doctors are there, you can establish a more regular schedule. This works well for nurses with families that need their care.
· More chance for patient interaction - When you're only dealing with one patient at a time, you can feel more connected to the patients you do meet.
· Smaller patient population - This allows you to learn and to remember patients that come in regularly. You also can have less stress than in a hospital setting.
But the disadvantages to this setting are:
§ Lack of unionization in many cases - This can cause your job to be at risk for termination at any time, regardless of seniority. Your benefits will also be decided by the practice management instead of being supported by a union representative.
§ The pay can be less - While some practices pay better than others, the pay is often much less in a private setting as the revenue can be smaller.
§ There are fewer jobs - You might not be able to get into a higher position as a private practice nurse, plus the number of jobs available is fewer.
Whether you choose the hospital setting or the private practice setting, you will still be able to do what you do best - care for patients. However, most nurses find that one setting is a better fit than another. And that decision is up to you.
Showing posts with label pa nurses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pa nurses. Show all posts
Friday, March 27, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Work Of PA Center For Health Careers Eases Pennsylvania's Nursing Shortage
The shortage of registered nurses in Pennsylvania is shrinking, in part, because of the efforts of the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers, Department of Labor & Industry acting Secretary Sandi Vito announced.
The information is included in updates to the 2005 reports "The Registered Nurse Workforce in Pennsylvania" and "The Licensed Practical Nurse Workforce in Pennsylvania," released today and available online at
http://www.paworkforce.state.pa.us.
"I am pleased to see that our investments and efforts to address the need for nurses in Pennsylvania have reduced the shortage originally estimated in 2005," Vito said. "By helping academic institutions hire faculty and add classes, the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers is helping to increase the number of skilled, qualified nurses in Pennsylvania."
According to the latest forecasts, the shortage of registered nurses, or RNs, projected for 2010 is between 8,000 and 14,400 of an estimated statewide demand for 146,000 RNs -- between 400 and 1,700 fewer than the shortage reported in the original 2005 report.
"The report's estimates also show the need for Licensed Practical Nurses, or LPNs, will nearly double -- due to Pennsylvania's aging population -- leading to an estimated shortage of between 7,100 and 8,400 in 2010.
"Our efforts have been positive and successful; however, the aging of residents makes it very clear that there is more work to be done," Vito said. "Having determined the commonwealth's nursing needs through 2010 and beyond, we must have the proper resources to continue our investments in programs that will close education and employment gaps, and ensure every Pennsylvanian has access to the high-quality care they need and deserve."
The forecasting model used to provide the updated information is a cooperative effort by the Center for Workforce Information & Analysis and the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers. Data was collected by the Department of Labor & Industry on employment and occupational trends; the Department of Health's State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) Survey on registered nurses and licensed practical nurse characteristics; the Board of Nursing on graduation rates, licensure examination pass rates and the career plans of nurses; as well as data collected from six regional round table discussions with health care industry professionals from around the state.
Additional information about the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers, as well as reports and data about Pennsylvania's need for registered and licensed practical nurses, is available online at http://www.paworkforce.state.pa.us.
The information is included in updates to the 2005 reports "The Registered Nurse Workforce in Pennsylvania" and "The Licensed Practical Nurse Workforce in Pennsylvania," released today and available online at
http://www.paworkforce.state.pa.us.
"I am pleased to see that our investments and efforts to address the need for nurses in Pennsylvania have reduced the shortage originally estimated in 2005," Vito said. "By helping academic institutions hire faculty and add classes, the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers is helping to increase the number of skilled, qualified nurses in Pennsylvania."
According to the latest forecasts, the shortage of registered nurses, or RNs, projected for 2010 is between 8,000 and 14,400 of an estimated statewide demand for 146,000 RNs -- between 400 and 1,700 fewer than the shortage reported in the original 2005 report.
"The report's estimates also show the need for Licensed Practical Nurses, or LPNs, will nearly double -- due to Pennsylvania's aging population -- leading to an estimated shortage of between 7,100 and 8,400 in 2010.
"Our efforts have been positive and successful; however, the aging of residents makes it very clear that there is more work to be done," Vito said. "Having determined the commonwealth's nursing needs through 2010 and beyond, we must have the proper resources to continue our investments in programs that will close education and employment gaps, and ensure every Pennsylvanian has access to the high-quality care they need and deserve."
The forecasting model used to provide the updated information is a cooperative effort by the Center for Workforce Information & Analysis and the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers. Data was collected by the Department of Labor & Industry on employment and occupational trends; the Department of Health's State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) Survey on registered nurses and licensed practical nurse characteristics; the Board of Nursing on graduation rates, licensure examination pass rates and the career plans of nurses; as well as data collected from six regional round table discussions with health care industry professionals from around the state.
Additional information about the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers, as well as reports and data about Pennsylvania's need for registered and licensed practical nurses, is available online at http://www.paworkforce.state.pa.us.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Top Reasons to Become Nurse Educator
Besides the obvious need for nurse educators in PA and the job security that comes with this profession, here are the Top 10 Reasons to Become a Nurse Educator according to the National League of Nurses:
10.You work in an intellectually stimulating environment.
9. You have autonomy and flexibility.
8.Your research creates knowledge and advances the field; your publications bring you prestige.
7. Your work has value to society.
6. You can teach anywhere in the world.
5. You can teach from the beach or the slopes, using technology.
4. You encourage and educate eager minds, and rejoice when your students surpass you.
3. You shape the future of healthcare.
2. You change lives.And the number 1 reason to become a nurse educator...
1. You teach what you love.
10.You work in an intellectually stimulating environment.
9. You have autonomy and flexibility.
8.Your research creates knowledge and advances the field; your publications bring you prestige.
7. Your work has value to society.
6. You can teach anywhere in the world.
5. You can teach from the beach or the slopes, using technology.
4. You encourage and educate eager minds, and rejoice when your students surpass you.
3. You shape the future of healthcare.
2. You change lives.And the number 1 reason to become a nurse educator...
1. You teach what you love.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Avoid Malpractice Lawsuit By Upholding Appropriate Nursing Documentation
In nursing practice, there should be no room for errors. Everything must be well accounted for and documented in order to provide the necessary treatment and care for patients. If nursing documentation isn’t done the right way, the nurse can be in real trouble. All the nurses are well aware of the standard for nursing practice, which require every one of them to document appropriate and accurate reports of significant observations including conclusions obtained from those observations.
A truthful and precise nursing documentation can help nurses defend themselves in the case of malpractice lawsuit, not to mention keeping them of court or possible imprisonment. There will never be any lawsuit due to malpractice if only proper nursing documentation is being followed. Besides, it is not something that nurses learn only during the first day of their job. They were trained to do it while they were still studying. They will never become nurses in the first place had they not learned how to chart everything affecting patient’s care, will they?
In nursing documentation, there are certain things that nurses can do and cannot do in order for them to avoid mistakes. Again, there’s no room for mistakes when it comes to nursing practice. Let us first take a look at the things nurses can do. Before doing any nursing documentation, make sure you have the right chart. It may sound very basic, but it is important, in case there’s an error, the investigation starts here. Also, make your writing readable, because you won’t be the only one to read the documentation.
Make sure that your documentation reflects the nursing process and your professional skills. The times when you give medications, the administration route, and the patients’ responses should be correctly charted. Any precautions or preventive measure used must be recorded, as well as phone calls to a physician with exact time message and response. If there’s an important point you remember after the completion of nursing documentation, record the information with a note that it’s a late entry.
Now, let’s go to the things nurses cannot do. In a nursing documentation, bear in mind that you cannot change or modify any patient’s record as it is a criminal offense, but of course nurses knew this already. You cannot document what other people said or observed, unless the information is serious and important. You cannot and should not document care ahead of time as something may happen and you may not be able to five the care you have documented beforehand. Besides, charting care that wasn’t done is fraud, so think about it!
Be specific on your descriptions, you cannot just describe something vaguely, like large amount or bed soaked. In order to uphold accurate nursing documentation, you cannot use abbreviations, or shorthand that are not widely accepted or better yet, don’t use them at all. That way, you can provide nursing documentation that is legible for anyone to read.
As you may have noticed, nursing documentation is a serious procedure that should be done the right way without any errors at all. The reminder is worth repeating, considering what you may end up with in case something goes wrong in you documentation. So, be very careful!
A truthful and precise nursing documentation can help nurses defend themselves in the case of malpractice lawsuit, not to mention keeping them of court or possible imprisonment. There will never be any lawsuit due to malpractice if only proper nursing documentation is being followed. Besides, it is not something that nurses learn only during the first day of their job. They were trained to do it while they were still studying. They will never become nurses in the first place had they not learned how to chart everything affecting patient’s care, will they?
In nursing documentation, there are certain things that nurses can do and cannot do in order for them to avoid mistakes. Again, there’s no room for mistakes when it comes to nursing practice. Let us first take a look at the things nurses can do. Before doing any nursing documentation, make sure you have the right chart. It may sound very basic, but it is important, in case there’s an error, the investigation starts here. Also, make your writing readable, because you won’t be the only one to read the documentation.
Make sure that your documentation reflects the nursing process and your professional skills. The times when you give medications, the administration route, and the patients’ responses should be correctly charted. Any precautions or preventive measure used must be recorded, as well as phone calls to a physician with exact time message and response. If there’s an important point you remember after the completion of nursing documentation, record the information with a note that it’s a late entry.
Now, let’s go to the things nurses cannot do. In a nursing documentation, bear in mind that you cannot change or modify any patient’s record as it is a criminal offense, but of course nurses knew this already. You cannot document what other people said or observed, unless the information is serious and important. You cannot and should not document care ahead of time as something may happen and you may not be able to five the care you have documented beforehand. Besides, charting care that wasn’t done is fraud, so think about it!
Be specific on your descriptions, you cannot just describe something vaguely, like large amount or bed soaked. In order to uphold accurate nursing documentation, you cannot use abbreviations, or shorthand that are not widely accepted or better yet, don’t use them at all. That way, you can provide nursing documentation that is legible for anyone to read.
As you may have noticed, nursing documentation is a serious procedure that should be done the right way without any errors at all. The reminder is worth repeating, considering what you may end up with in case something goes wrong in you documentation. So, be very careful!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Domino Effect of Nursing Educator Shortage
In researching the data concerning the shortage of nurses and nurse educators in the United States, I came across a very interesting article written by Mary Ruff-King.
Mary Ruff-King is a 15-year veteran medical transcriptionist who loves to write articles about medical transcription, nursing, forensics, the health field in general, and other topics of interest. Here article entitled "Is The Nurse Educator Shortage In America Endangering Only Our Healthcare System?" will give you a global perspective about the nursing crisis.
This article is a very well written and I urge all of you to click on the link below and read it.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-The-Nurse-Educator-Shortage-In-America-Endangering-Only-Our-Healthcare-System?&id=729155
Mary Ruff-King is a 15-year veteran medical transcriptionist who loves to write articles about medical transcription, nursing, forensics, the health field in general, and other topics of interest. Here article entitled "Is The Nurse Educator Shortage In America Endangering Only Our Healthcare System?" will give you a global perspective about the nursing crisis.
This article is a very well written and I urge all of you to click on the link below and read it.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-The-Nurse-Educator-Shortage-In-America-Endangering-Only-Our-Healthcare-System?&id=729155
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Public Health Nursing
Isn’t it good health one of our priorities in the family among other things? With that in mind, wouldn’t it be very comforting to know also if the community where we live in also promotes public health nursing? Even if your eyebrows meet and your forehead carries a large question mark because you don’t know exactly it means and what it can do to your community, but if you read it between the lines, I’m sure you would say yes right away!
But, what really is public health nursing? For some, the words may sound familiar, while others may find the words confusing. Actually, public health nursing is the practice of upholding and protecting the health of the community by using the knowledge learned from nursing, social, and public health sciences. Given the good intention of public health nursing, it is not surprising to know that you can find public health nursing almost anywhere in the country.
Public health nursing is, in fact, developed to describe its specific roles and to provide a guide for public health nursing practice in the ever growing health care system. However, the public health nursing practice can be affected by certain factors, such as environmental, biological, cultural, economic, social and political aspects of a community. Due to the fact that public health nursing is an integral part of the healthcare system, the former is also responsive to these factors by way of working with the community in promoting health and preventing disease, injury and disability.
As public health nurses, their role is to integrate community health involvement and knowledge about the entire community with personal and clinical understandings of the health and illness experiences of individuals and families within the community. Also, they interpret and express the health and illness experiences of different, usually vulnerable individuals and families in the community to health planners and policy makers and assist members of the community to speak up their problems and hopes.
A public health nursing may be carried out even by only one public health nurse or by a group of public health nurses working together for the same purpose. There could be many activities that public health nurses can do in order to promote good health and protect the health of the entire community. One of the best examples is providing health education, care management and primary care to the people and families, especially those who are members of vulnerable community.
Our world could be a better place to live in if only all the community encourage public health nursing in order to have disease-free and health-conscious family. And since family is the smallest unit of a community, the awareness in promoting health should start within it. This is much easier to achieve through the help of public health nurses, knowing that it only takes one public health nurse to operate a public health nursing.
But, what really is public health nursing? For some, the words may sound familiar, while others may find the words confusing. Actually, public health nursing is the practice of upholding and protecting the health of the community by using the knowledge learned from nursing, social, and public health sciences. Given the good intention of public health nursing, it is not surprising to know that you can find public health nursing almost anywhere in the country.
Public health nursing is, in fact, developed to describe its specific roles and to provide a guide for public health nursing practice in the ever growing health care system. However, the public health nursing practice can be affected by certain factors, such as environmental, biological, cultural, economic, social and political aspects of a community. Due to the fact that public health nursing is an integral part of the healthcare system, the former is also responsive to these factors by way of working with the community in promoting health and preventing disease, injury and disability.
As public health nurses, their role is to integrate community health involvement and knowledge about the entire community with personal and clinical understandings of the health and illness experiences of individuals and families within the community. Also, they interpret and express the health and illness experiences of different, usually vulnerable individuals and families in the community to health planners and policy makers and assist members of the community to speak up their problems and hopes.
A public health nursing may be carried out even by only one public health nurse or by a group of public health nurses working together for the same purpose. There could be many activities that public health nurses can do in order to promote good health and protect the health of the entire community. One of the best examples is providing health education, care management and primary care to the people and families, especially those who are members of vulnerable community.
Our world could be a better place to live in if only all the community encourage public health nursing in order to have disease-free and health-conscious family. And since family is the smallest unit of a community, the awareness in promoting health should start within it. This is much easier to achieve through the help of public health nurses, knowing that it only takes one public health nurse to operate a public health nursing.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Telemetry Nursing
Most people have a lot of nice things to say about nursing. This could be one of the things that made nursing an interesting career option. But, did you know that there are a lot of areas of specialization in the big world of nursing?
Having a career in the field of nursing can take you to a wide selection of various specialization. If you dream of becoming a nurse, then you should start choosing what to specialize on the soonest possible time in order for you to have ample time to consider where to focus on your studies. But if you are a registered nurse already, you may want to put some spice on your career and explore one of the most rewarding specialization in the field of nursing, which is telemetry nursing.
Telemetry nursing is an exciting career as it allows you to use your technical skills and interpersonal skills. There’s no preferred gender to this area of specialization, which means both men and women can be a telemetry nurse. For as long as you have compassion and nursing expertise, which are required if you want to become part of telemetry nursing, you will be good in this area.
Just like in any other career fields, it is expected that you want to know what the telemetry nurses’ jobs are, would you not? Actually, in telemetry nursing, what a telemetry nurse does is connect patients to monitoring devices. These devices are designed and used to monitor the changes in heart rates, breathing rates, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. If there are significant changes or if there are any complaints of discomfort from patients, it’s the responsibility of the telemetry nurse to notify the medical staff in order to develop an immediate action plan.
Even if a telemetry nurse often administers to patients in a hospital or clinical setting, the concern of telemetry nursing does not end in those premises. In fact, it is also the responsibility of the telemetry nurse to educate patients regarding health maintenance and disease prevention as they return to their homes. Promoting and maintaining good health of patients is part of the job of a telemetry nurse that extends beyond the confinement of the hospital, clinics, or any other healthcare institutions.
If telemetry nursing arouse your interest, why not make the right decision now and be part of the challenging and rewarding world of telemetry nursing? Due to the shortage in any area of nursing, you are guaranteed a secured job. As a telemetry nurse, not only you are sure to have a brighter future for your career, you also get the chance to use the skills you are so good at. So, what more can you ask for?
Having a career in the field of nursing can take you to a wide selection of various specialization. If you dream of becoming a nurse, then you should start choosing what to specialize on the soonest possible time in order for you to have ample time to consider where to focus on your studies. But if you are a registered nurse already, you may want to put some spice on your career and explore one of the most rewarding specialization in the field of nursing, which is telemetry nursing.
Telemetry nursing is an exciting career as it allows you to use your technical skills and interpersonal skills. There’s no preferred gender to this area of specialization, which means both men and women can be a telemetry nurse. For as long as you have compassion and nursing expertise, which are required if you want to become part of telemetry nursing, you will be good in this area.
Just like in any other career fields, it is expected that you want to know what the telemetry nurses’ jobs are, would you not? Actually, in telemetry nursing, what a telemetry nurse does is connect patients to monitoring devices. These devices are designed and used to monitor the changes in heart rates, breathing rates, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. If there are significant changes or if there are any complaints of discomfort from patients, it’s the responsibility of the telemetry nurse to notify the medical staff in order to develop an immediate action plan.
Even if a telemetry nurse often administers to patients in a hospital or clinical setting, the concern of telemetry nursing does not end in those premises. In fact, it is also the responsibility of the telemetry nurse to educate patients regarding health maintenance and disease prevention as they return to their homes. Promoting and maintaining good health of patients is part of the job of a telemetry nurse that extends beyond the confinement of the hospital, clinics, or any other healthcare institutions.
If telemetry nursing arouse your interest, why not make the right decision now and be part of the challenging and rewarding world of telemetry nursing? Due to the shortage in any area of nursing, you are guaranteed a secured job. As a telemetry nurse, not only you are sure to have a brighter future for your career, you also get the chance to use the skills you are so good at. So, what more can you ask for?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
RN to BSN - Career Benefits and Education Options
By: Michael V. Gruber, Mph
he complexities of a changing medical field in technology, advanced information, and facing a growing leadership role among nurses has increased the need for a degree of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing among registered nurses (RN to BSN). This higher level of education takes commitment and dedication and in the following article, we will outline how to achieve these goals.
Advancing your nursing degree – The difference between RN and BSN
Beginning a career in nursing for those who desire an abbreviated education will get an associate’s degree (AD) which usually involves 2-3 years of schooling. A nurse may also follow a diploma program, usually through a hospital, that is also 2-3 years in length before becoming an RN. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Sample Survey, 70% of nurses have AD or diploma level degrees. An RN must also pass all required examinations such as the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses) before practicing with patient contact.
For many nurses looking to advance their careers, a BSN is the natural next step. It is a 4 year program that includes research oriented learning, leadership training, and liberal arts. Many of the students that are enrolled in the BSN program are previous RN’s with associate degrees or diplomas. They are now going back to school with all the hardships involved; financially, time inflexibility, family and other outstanding commitments.
The differences between an RN and BSN are not necessarily clear to the patient who is being treated with basic care. A nurse treating a patient won’t be asked, “excuse me, are you a RN or a BSN?” Yet the differences lie within. The education gained, the additional technical training, and the potential advancement are not immediately recognized by the patient. A nurse with a BSN can review research papers, advocate for the patient, work with leaders in the hospital or medical facility with confidence and advanced management skills. A nurse with an RN may have all these abilities, yet a BSN enhances them and increases advancement opportunities.
Career Opportunities with a BSN
RN’s return to school for a number of reasons, yet many are personal in nature: To become leaders in the nursing industry, advancing their careers, or move to the next level and receive a master’s or doctoral degree.
Management-level nursing requires an advanced degree such as a BSN. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in management, nurses can become anywhere from the assistant head nurse or head nurse, to assistant director, director, and vice president and upwards. Other career opportunities include research, consulting, and teaching. A nurse with a BSN can manage a home health care clinic and ambulatory services, etc. Nurses can also move into the business side of nursing to becoming an manager of an insurance company, pharmaceutical manufacturer, and managed care organization (U.S. Dept. of Labor, 2005).
Salary Benefits of advancing a degree from RN to BSN
Advanced nursing degrees create new career opportunities and justify an increased salary. An RN and a BSN will receive the same salary for the same nursing position, but as the BSN moves through the ranks to a higher position, salaries tend to increase. For example, a promotion to a management position of head nurse with a BSN has a higher salary than being the floor nurse with an RN.
Education Opportunities and Education Cost
In 2004, there were 600 RN to BSN programs in the United States. Many RN's use the tuition reimbursement from their employer as an incentive to go back for the BSN. There are also accelerated BSN programs for those individuals who already attained bachelor or higher degrees and wish to go into nursing. There are more than 165 of these programs in the United States. These programs are 12 to 18 months in length (U.S. Dept. of Labor, 2005). In choosing the appropriate program, it is necessary to choose whether to work in a classroom setting or study through an online RN to BSN program.
The classroom setting has many benefits which include peer contact and live lectures. Sharing experiences with others and learning from other previous like-minded RN’s is a great benefit. The dilemma with classroom education for most nurses is the stringent scheduling and time management needed to attend class and work around an RN’s busy schedule.
An online nursing degree course is the other alternative. It is a way for nurses to work while continuing with their education with flexibility around time commitments. The non-clinical portion of the classroom courses are given online and the clinicals are usually arranged at a medical facility near the nurse’s home. There may be timed lectures or the nurses may do lectures at their own time with assignments being sent to the lecturer by fax or mail on designated due dates. Examinations are usually offered online. Many times the online school follows a semester schedule and has a set start and finish date, though this is not true for all schools. To learn more about online RN to BSN programs, refer to your school of choice and learn what that school offers.
Conclusion
Personal satisfaction, a qualitative factor that can not be measured or quantified, is what many BSN students say is most important about receiving their advanced degree. Our society is advancing in all areas, with technology and intellectual expertise. The information is available and the prerequisites allow many RN's to attain an advanced degree; the determining factor is, we must advance as a society and create leaders in all areas of industry. A BSN gives the degree and knowledge and critical leadership skills for an RN to advance in the world of medicine, business, and personal achievement.
he complexities of a changing medical field in technology, advanced information, and facing a growing leadership role among nurses has increased the need for a degree of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing among registered nurses (RN to BSN). This higher level of education takes commitment and dedication and in the following article, we will outline how to achieve these goals.
Advancing your nursing degree – The difference between RN and BSN
Beginning a career in nursing for those who desire an abbreviated education will get an associate’s degree (AD) which usually involves 2-3 years of schooling. A nurse may also follow a diploma program, usually through a hospital, that is also 2-3 years in length before becoming an RN. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Sample Survey, 70% of nurses have AD or diploma level degrees. An RN must also pass all required examinations such as the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses) before practicing with patient contact.
For many nurses looking to advance their careers, a BSN is the natural next step. It is a 4 year program that includes research oriented learning, leadership training, and liberal arts. Many of the students that are enrolled in the BSN program are previous RN’s with associate degrees or diplomas. They are now going back to school with all the hardships involved; financially, time inflexibility, family and other outstanding commitments.
The differences between an RN and BSN are not necessarily clear to the patient who is being treated with basic care. A nurse treating a patient won’t be asked, “excuse me, are you a RN or a BSN?” Yet the differences lie within. The education gained, the additional technical training, and the potential advancement are not immediately recognized by the patient. A nurse with a BSN can review research papers, advocate for the patient, work with leaders in the hospital or medical facility with confidence and advanced management skills. A nurse with an RN may have all these abilities, yet a BSN enhances them and increases advancement opportunities.
Career Opportunities with a BSN
RN’s return to school for a number of reasons, yet many are personal in nature: To become leaders in the nursing industry, advancing their careers, or move to the next level and receive a master’s or doctoral degree.
Management-level nursing requires an advanced degree such as a BSN. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in management, nurses can become anywhere from the assistant head nurse or head nurse, to assistant director, director, and vice president and upwards. Other career opportunities include research, consulting, and teaching. A nurse with a BSN can manage a home health care clinic and ambulatory services, etc. Nurses can also move into the business side of nursing to becoming an manager of an insurance company, pharmaceutical manufacturer, and managed care organization (U.S. Dept. of Labor, 2005).
Salary Benefits of advancing a degree from RN to BSN
Advanced nursing degrees create new career opportunities and justify an increased salary. An RN and a BSN will receive the same salary for the same nursing position, but as the BSN moves through the ranks to a higher position, salaries tend to increase. For example, a promotion to a management position of head nurse with a BSN has a higher salary than being the floor nurse with an RN.
Education Opportunities and Education Cost
In 2004, there were 600 RN to BSN programs in the United States. Many RN's use the tuition reimbursement from their employer as an incentive to go back for the BSN. There are also accelerated BSN programs for those individuals who already attained bachelor or higher degrees and wish to go into nursing. There are more than 165 of these programs in the United States. These programs are 12 to 18 months in length (U.S. Dept. of Labor, 2005). In choosing the appropriate program, it is necessary to choose whether to work in a classroom setting or study through an online RN to BSN program.
The classroom setting has many benefits which include peer contact and live lectures. Sharing experiences with others and learning from other previous like-minded RN’s is a great benefit. The dilemma with classroom education for most nurses is the stringent scheduling and time management needed to attend class and work around an RN’s busy schedule.
An online nursing degree course is the other alternative. It is a way for nurses to work while continuing with their education with flexibility around time commitments. The non-clinical portion of the classroom courses are given online and the clinicals are usually arranged at a medical facility near the nurse’s home. There may be timed lectures or the nurses may do lectures at their own time with assignments being sent to the lecturer by fax or mail on designated due dates. Examinations are usually offered online. Many times the online school follows a semester schedule and has a set start and finish date, though this is not true for all schools. To learn more about online RN to BSN programs, refer to your school of choice and learn what that school offers.
Conclusion
Personal satisfaction, a qualitative factor that can not be measured or quantified, is what many BSN students say is most important about receiving their advanced degree. Our society is advancing in all areas, with technology and intellectual expertise. The information is available and the prerequisites allow many RN's to attain an advanced degree; the determining factor is, we must advance as a society and create leaders in all areas of industry. A BSN gives the degree and knowledge and critical leadership skills for an RN to advance in the world of medicine, business, and personal achievement.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Nursing Degree through Internet Access
Earning a nursing degree through internet access in one the convenient ways you can realize your dreams of becoming a nurse. As you must have known, the shortage of nurses in the country resulted to a rise in interest of many people in the field of nursing. And the fact that there is a shortage, your chances of landing on a job are great!
Nursing Degree through internet access is for those who wanted to become a nurse, but cannot attend regular classes in real school environment. If you already have a work at the present, and attending to regular classes is out of the question, you can’t just say bye-bye to your dream just like that. If there’s a wheel, there’s a way! Making your dream come true is just a piece of piece if you have a strong determination. All you need is to have access to the internet. It’s as easy as that! Once you have internet connection, you easily take up some nursing programs online offered by several nursing schools. Now, isn’t that convenient?
Also, it would greatly help you decide whether or not to pursue obtaining nursing degree through internet access or attend a regular class in real schools. Besides the fact that, online nursing degree program can be taken at your own home, the big difference that you have to get used to is access to support tools. You see, getting your nursing degree through internet access takes a lot of commitment from you. You may find studying online boring, but depending on how important getting a degree in nursing to you is, I’m sure you can get the hang of it.
The system of online nursing degree programs lets you finish the course at your own pace, which means that you can study you lesson submit assignments or project when you want it. If you are not comfortable with this arrangement, taking online degree programs may not work for you.
In order for you get started, you should first choose in what specialization to focus. Yes, there are a lot of areas in nursing for you to choose from and all those areas are also need additional nurses. There are associates, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degree programs that are available whatever areas or specialization in nursing you are interested in.
Your inability to attend regular classes at school should not be considered a hindrance in realizing your dream to become a nurse, but a challenge to face in taking a big leap to take advantage of the alternative, which is to take a nursing degree through internet access. There’s always a solution to every problem. Now, you have the solution to yours; just make sure you do your part of the bargain.
Nursing Degree through internet access is for those who wanted to become a nurse, but cannot attend regular classes in real school environment. If you already have a work at the present, and attending to regular classes is out of the question, you can’t just say bye-bye to your dream just like that. If there’s a wheel, there’s a way! Making your dream come true is just a piece of piece if you have a strong determination. All you need is to have access to the internet. It’s as easy as that! Once you have internet connection, you easily take up some nursing programs online offered by several nursing schools. Now, isn’t that convenient?
Also, it would greatly help you decide whether or not to pursue obtaining nursing degree through internet access or attend a regular class in real schools. Besides the fact that, online nursing degree program can be taken at your own home, the big difference that you have to get used to is access to support tools. You see, getting your nursing degree through internet access takes a lot of commitment from you. You may find studying online boring, but depending on how important getting a degree in nursing to you is, I’m sure you can get the hang of it.
The system of online nursing degree programs lets you finish the course at your own pace, which means that you can study you lesson submit assignments or project when you want it. If you are not comfortable with this arrangement, taking online degree programs may not work for you.
In order for you get started, you should first choose in what specialization to focus. Yes, there are a lot of areas in nursing for you to choose from and all those areas are also need additional nurses. There are associates, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degree programs that are available whatever areas or specialization in nursing you are interested in.
Your inability to attend regular classes at school should not be considered a hindrance in realizing your dream to become a nurse, but a challenge to face in taking a big leap to take advantage of the alternative, which is to take a nursing degree through internet access. There’s always a solution to every problem. Now, you have the solution to yours; just make sure you do your part of the bargain.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Mental Health Nursing
We are now living in a world where people seem to have an open mind about almost anything. But, why is it that, at some point, certain individuals still find it easier to talk about and accept a person being physically ill than someone who has mental health problems? There could be many reasons behind that life-size question mark on your forehead. To some extent, this could be the result of the impossibility of putting a clear distinction between mental health and illness.
At some point in our lives, we may have experienced episodes of stress, anxiety, anger, depression and any other mental health condition, because those are what make us human. In other words, these mental problems are as common as cough and colds. But, if any of those conditions becomes overwhelming, hard to control, or has been recurring for quite some time, it’s the time that you seek professional help. If you let your condition pass by without getting immediate attention and care, it could lead to a more serious problem, not to mention that it gets in the way of your daily activities.
This is where mental health nursing steps in. Mental health nursing is a very challenging job, I must say. The nurses working in a mental health institutions, whether in a hospital or in a community, show great care for people with mental health condition, assisting patients to overcome their unwell condition or to come to terms with it so that they can continue to live their lives as normal as possible.
Mental health nursing is the kind of profession in which the nurses are likely to be dealing with people from all walks of life with different backgrounds. As their experience broadened and careers develop, they have a choice to specialize in any areas like alcohol and drugs, research, education, or management positions. But the important challenges for mental health nurses are to use their skills and personal strengths in order to help patients come to terms with their problems. Have you noticed that sometimes you tend to feel more comfortable sharing your concerns with nurses than with physicians? That is exactly why mental health nursing exist – fill in the gap between the physician and the patient!
nother challenge that a mental health nurse has to face is to identify if and when a patient may be at risk of harming themselves or other people. Therefore, one of the most important skills that mental health nurses have to learn is recognizing any build-up tension in a patient and resolving it as quickly as possible. What a challenging career mental health nursing indeed! Not a very enticing job, but definitely very rewarding. You must be a people person with great care to people with mental illness to be able to do the job of a mental health nurse.
At some point in our lives, we may have experienced episodes of stress, anxiety, anger, depression and any other mental health condition, because those are what make us human. In other words, these mental problems are as common as cough and colds. But, if any of those conditions becomes overwhelming, hard to control, or has been recurring for quite some time, it’s the time that you seek professional help. If you let your condition pass by without getting immediate attention and care, it could lead to a more serious problem, not to mention that it gets in the way of your daily activities.
This is where mental health nursing steps in. Mental health nursing is a very challenging job, I must say. The nurses working in a mental health institutions, whether in a hospital or in a community, show great care for people with mental health condition, assisting patients to overcome their unwell condition or to come to terms with it so that they can continue to live their lives as normal as possible.
Mental health nursing is the kind of profession in which the nurses are likely to be dealing with people from all walks of life with different backgrounds. As their experience broadened and careers develop, they have a choice to specialize in any areas like alcohol and drugs, research, education, or management positions. But the important challenges for mental health nurses are to use their skills and personal strengths in order to help patients come to terms with their problems. Have you noticed that sometimes you tend to feel more comfortable sharing your concerns with nurses than with physicians? That is exactly why mental health nursing exist – fill in the gap between the physician and the patient!
nother challenge that a mental health nurse has to face is to identify if and when a patient may be at risk of harming themselves or other people. Therefore, one of the most important skills that mental health nurses have to learn is recognizing any build-up tension in a patient and resolving it as quickly as possible. What a challenging career mental health nursing indeed! Not a very enticing job, but definitely very rewarding. You must be a people person with great care to people with mental illness to be able to do the job of a mental health nurse.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Critical Care Nursing
If you are to describe the job of a nurse, what comes to mind first? For some people, they would probably think that a nurse is someone who provides the care you need when being hospitalized, while other would see a nurse as someone who works side by side with physicians in providing care. There could be truth on those answers, but there is actually more to nursing than just giving care to patients. And if you think you have seen what a nurse can do, better think again.
There is this specialty within nursing that deals specifically with human responses to life-threatening situations and that is critical care nursing. As the name implies, critical care nursing is indeed a serious job that requires all your skills to be able to save the lives of those people who are in a life-threatening condition. As a critical care nurse, you should be a licensed professional nurse who is responsible in making sure that acutely and critically ill patients as well as their parents receive the best possible care.
To get a clearer picture as to how grave critical care nursing is, let us define what a critically ill patient is. Critically ill patient is someone who is at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health condition. The more serious the condition of the patient is, the more extremely vulnerable, unstable, and complex he or she becomes and the more extreme and watchful nursing care is required. Being in a situation like that, where there’s no room for errors, it is just right to get the right training and exposure to obtain the skills needed to be able to respond to the specific needs of critically ill patients.
Critical care nursing are given in the hospital setting where critically ill patients are being treated and where the real action is, such as in the intensive care units, cardiac catheter labs, telemetry units or ICUs, pediatric intensive care units, neonatal ICUs, cardiac care units, progressive care units, emergency departments and recovery rooms. In addition, critically care nursing can also be provided in home healthcare, managed care organizations, outpatient surgery centers and clinic, and nursing schools.
Because critical care nursing requires stern expertise, critical care nurses have gone through an intensive practice in settings where patients need complex assessment, high-intensity therapies and intervention, and continue nursing care. With constant exposure to these situations, a critical care nurse will be able to work in different settings. They can be bedside clinicians, nurse educators, nurse researchers, clinical nurse specialists, nurse managers, and nurse practitioners. With the arrival of managed care and the resulting transfer of patients from hospital settings to healthcare institutions, critical care nursing is more in demand.
There is this specialty within nursing that deals specifically with human responses to life-threatening situations and that is critical care nursing. As the name implies, critical care nursing is indeed a serious job that requires all your skills to be able to save the lives of those people who are in a life-threatening condition. As a critical care nurse, you should be a licensed professional nurse who is responsible in making sure that acutely and critically ill patients as well as their parents receive the best possible care.
To get a clearer picture as to how grave critical care nursing is, let us define what a critically ill patient is. Critically ill patient is someone who is at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health condition. The more serious the condition of the patient is, the more extremely vulnerable, unstable, and complex he or she becomes and the more extreme and watchful nursing care is required. Being in a situation like that, where there’s no room for errors, it is just right to get the right training and exposure to obtain the skills needed to be able to respond to the specific needs of critically ill patients.
Critical care nursing are given in the hospital setting where critically ill patients are being treated and where the real action is, such as in the intensive care units, cardiac catheter labs, telemetry units or ICUs, pediatric intensive care units, neonatal ICUs, cardiac care units, progressive care units, emergency departments and recovery rooms. In addition, critically care nursing can also be provided in home healthcare, managed care organizations, outpatient surgery centers and clinic, and nursing schools.
Because critical care nursing requires stern expertise, critical care nurses have gone through an intensive practice in settings where patients need complex assessment, high-intensity therapies and intervention, and continue nursing care. With constant exposure to these situations, a critical care nurse will be able to work in different settings. They can be bedside clinicians, nurse educators, nurse researchers, clinical nurse specialists, nurse managers, and nurse practitioners. With the arrival of managed care and the resulting transfer of patients from hospital settings to healthcare institutions, critical care nursing is more in demand.
Monday, November 24, 2008
What is Holding You Back?
Are you happy with your present job, employer, and income? Are you living the lifestyle you desire? Do you feel the self-satisfaction and gratification you are looking for, maybe not at the end of each and everyday, but at the end of the week or even the month? How about self-esteem? If you answered yes, congratulations. For those that can not answer yes to these questions, where are you headed? Have you thought about what you want to do and where you want to go? What are your goals? Do you have a plan? Most important, what is your next step?! Undoubtedly, there are some obstacles.
Procrastination and Complacency
There are two very formidable opponents that face us on a human level: Procrastination and complacency. While there are similarities between the two words, they are two different conditions. The common theme of these two conditions is a lack of results.
Complacency is usually the result of accomplishment or achieving a certain level of success. Complacency is defined with “an unawareness of actual dangers.” Complacency creeps up on us unexpectedly, and most times we do not realize that we suffer from this condition until we are faced with the actual danger. The danger we could very easily face is allowing a lapse in our education, such as the mandatory continuing education required for re-licensure as talked about in a previous article dated October 31st on this site by Margaret Lyons, program coordinator at Villanova University.
Perpetual goal setting is one of the best practices we can employ to prevent complacency from setting in. Using a benchmark set by others can further insure that we will never have a goal in which we are satisfied. Tell yourself there is always someone doing it better, and find that someone.
We also need to create our own mechanism that will prevent complacency. It can be something simplistic such as an office bulleting board (hand-written to do list with due dates), or something more sophisticated employing technology (timed reminders on your computer). Keep your goals in front of you - carefully measured in achievable steps - so that you face them everyday. Choose the mechanism that will best work for you; just be sure to implement something. While at this juncture (nurses in Pennsylvania, California, Kansas and Delaware), have you addressed the mandatory continuing education for re-licensure?
Procrastination can be a byproduct of complacency however it has many sources. Unlike complacency, procrastination does not necessarily (and most times probably does not) result from success. It is a factor that prevents accomplishment.
Procrastination is a more conscious opponent usually a result of fear or poor prioritization. Concerning fear, it is never personal; identify and face your fear in order to alleviate anxiety. Our prioritization sometimes needs to be scrutinized. Life in nursing gives us a work load with more than our fair share. We begin to juggle instead of prioritize, and I am not referring to patient care here. When prioritizing, be sure your personal and professional advancement weighs in.
Time and Money
Now for the proverbial obstacles: Time and money. As you address procrastination and analyze your prioritization, commit the time needed for continuing education. Visualize where you will be and of the advanced opportunities afforded you once you have gained the desired (and necessary) degree. Do not let the economy be your excuse. Our profession is experiencing a shortage with a projected increase for the next 12 years. Nonetheless, by the time the economy improves, you could have positioned yourself for the place you want to be, rather than it being too late.
If you still have unfulfilled dreams and aspirations, take the first step to get started.
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation is the first place to look. See if you qualify for the financial assistance they offer. Simply click on their link at left. And do not stop there. Schools of nursing often have assistance for those in need as well. As an example, visit Villanova’s College of Nursing, link at left, to see what they have to offer and peruse their site to learn more about their programs to see if their program may be right for you.
As this site continues to build its resources, please visit frequently for opportunities in education, advancement and employment.
As always, thank you for visiting and please share your comments.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Formidable Career – Forensic Nursing
With crime scene dramas accounting gun shots and autopsies, most people acquire the misconception that forensic nursing has something to do with a special ‘medical detective agency’ out in action for the next murder case. Forensic nurses can go out for action, especially if one with American Forensic Nurses or the International Association of Forensic Nurses; however, a forensic nursing job is mostly focused on patients (not necessarily carcasses awaiting justice) and not on suspects to be hunted down.
Although forensic nursing also touch upon medico-legal death investigation, forensic nurses are most of the time involved in a much needing task of treating victims of a sexual assault or performing examinations for a child abuse or domestic violence case. Forensic nursing involves the proper collection of evidence upon suspecting an assault on their patients and then preserving the critical chain of evidence. Forensic nursing then requires a special training on valid data collection and producing legal testimonies. Aside from their nursing background, the forensic nurses combine a bio-psycho-social education in the scientific investigation and treatment of trauma and/or death of victims of abuse and traumatic accidents.
Forensic nurses are experts in clinical diagnosis, providing care to sexual assault victims, as well as legal nurse consulting and assisting in criminal prosecution cases. Forensic nursing then applies the nursing science in public and legal proceedings involving patients of special case and care. Forensic nurses may also go deeper in a critical investigation as they are susceptible to encountering also the crime suspects or perpetrators of violence and criminal activity. Nurses treat wounds yet may precariously compromise valuable evidence.
The complex yet crucial job of forensic nursing plus the fact that it’s only a fairly new field, make it complicated for those considering a specialization in this field. Aspiring forensic nurses may find that there is currently no national standard whatsoever when it comes to the licensing and designation of a ‘Forensic Nurse’ and that there are actually many acronyms often used by each state but are interchangeably pertaining to the same forensic nursing position. Some are called SANE/ Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, SAE/ Sexual Assault Examiner, SAFE/ Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner, SANC/ Sexual Assault Nurse Clinician, or FNE/ Forensic Nurse Examiner. Each is quite similar, yet each certification may have greater areas of focus.
Even so, the various career specialties within forensic nursing – sexual assault examination, emergency room investigation, medico-legal death investigation, evidence collection training, medical examiner’s office study, medical legal consulting, or working with or on behalf of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies – are all formidable both in the medical and legal field.
Although forensic nursing also touch upon medico-legal death investigation, forensic nurses are most of the time involved in a much needing task of treating victims of a sexual assault or performing examinations for a child abuse or domestic violence case. Forensic nursing involves the proper collection of evidence upon suspecting an assault on their patients and then preserving the critical chain of evidence. Forensic nursing then requires a special training on valid data collection and producing legal testimonies. Aside from their nursing background, the forensic nurses combine a bio-psycho-social education in the scientific investigation and treatment of trauma and/or death of victims of abuse and traumatic accidents.
Forensic nurses are experts in clinical diagnosis, providing care to sexual assault victims, as well as legal nurse consulting and assisting in criminal prosecution cases. Forensic nursing then applies the nursing science in public and legal proceedings involving patients of special case and care. Forensic nurses may also go deeper in a critical investigation as they are susceptible to encountering also the crime suspects or perpetrators of violence and criminal activity. Nurses treat wounds yet may precariously compromise valuable evidence.
The complex yet crucial job of forensic nursing plus the fact that it’s only a fairly new field, make it complicated for those considering a specialization in this field. Aspiring forensic nurses may find that there is currently no national standard whatsoever when it comes to the licensing and designation of a ‘Forensic Nurse’ and that there are actually many acronyms often used by each state but are interchangeably pertaining to the same forensic nursing position. Some are called SANE/ Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, SAE/ Sexual Assault Examiner, SAFE/ Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner, SANC/ Sexual Assault Nurse Clinician, or FNE/ Forensic Nurse Examiner. Each is quite similar, yet each certification may have greater areas of focus.
Even so, the various career specialties within forensic nursing – sexual assault examination, emergency room investigation, medico-legal death investigation, evidence collection training, medical examiner’s office study, medical legal consulting, or working with or on behalf of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies – are all formidable both in the medical and legal field.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Certified Nurse Assistant’s Duties
Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) is the Direct Care Giver to many.
Among the vast array of health care careers lies the area of direct care giving. These professionals are often Home Health Assistant (HHA) or Home Health Aides, Personal Care Assistants, Nurse's Aides, Patient Care Technicians and several other titles, depending on the work environment and the region.
Certified Nursing Assistants work closely with patients and provide assistance with daily living tasks, such as: dressing (according to patients' needs, ranging from minimal assistance to totally dependent); bathing (bed baths, tub baths, showers); feeding (serving meals, physically feeding patients who are unable to do so themselves); toileting (assisting with bedpans & urinals, help to the bathroom, provide incontinent care for patients who need it); vital signs (Blood pressure, pulse, etc); Catheter caring (emptying, upkeep of Intake & Output sheets when necessary); answering call lights in a timely fashion; assisting patients with ambulation, when needed; range of Motion Exercises, as prescribed by physical therapy; assisting residents in wheelchairs (a lot of heavy lifting at times); making beds and keeping the patients' rooms and belongings neat and organized; ensuring that bedridden patients are turned at least every two hours, to ensure comfort and to prevent bedsores; reporting all changes, physical and mental, of the patients to the nurse; Post Mortem Care; safety awareness - keeping an eye on wanderers and watching for potentially dangerous situations; Documentation - daily documentation on the care provided to each patient; and anything else that needs to be done.
Certified Nurse Assistants are required to lift patients, assist a patient that is falling and carry heavy medical equipment. They should have the physical dexterity to perform skills that require fine motor movement. Basic observations are made by the CNA; therefore they should possess the senses of sight, hearing, smell, and touch.
Certified Nursing Assistants can be found in nursing homes, hospitals, adult day health centers, assisted living facilities, even personal homes. Wherever there is a need for personal care, Certified Nursing Assistants are the ones who, for the most part, perform the most basic needs for patients, young and old alike. They work under the supervision of a nurse. Since aides have extensive daily contact with each patient, they are keys to providing vital information on the patients' conditions to the nurse.
A certified nursing assistant's job does not end with the physical needs of the patients. This is a job which requires compassion and a desire to make people comfortable and happy. Residents of nursing homes often suffer from depression and/or dementia, and the certified nursing assistant is often the closest human contact afforded to many of these people. A sense of humor helps in this field.
Article Originally Published by Staff Quest
Among the vast array of health care careers lies the area of direct care giving. These professionals are often Home Health Assistant (HHA) or Home Health Aides, Personal Care Assistants, Nurse's Aides, Patient Care Technicians and several other titles, depending on the work environment and the region.
Certified Nursing Assistants work closely with patients and provide assistance with daily living tasks, such as: dressing (according to patients' needs, ranging from minimal assistance to totally dependent); bathing (bed baths, tub baths, showers); feeding (serving meals, physically feeding patients who are unable to do so themselves); toileting (assisting with bedpans & urinals, help to the bathroom, provide incontinent care for patients who need it); vital signs (Blood pressure, pulse, etc); Catheter caring (emptying, upkeep of Intake & Output sheets when necessary); answering call lights in a timely fashion; assisting patients with ambulation, when needed; range of Motion Exercises, as prescribed by physical therapy; assisting residents in wheelchairs (a lot of heavy lifting at times); making beds and keeping the patients' rooms and belongings neat and organized; ensuring that bedridden patients are turned at least every two hours, to ensure comfort and to prevent bedsores; reporting all changes, physical and mental, of the patients to the nurse; Post Mortem Care; safety awareness - keeping an eye on wanderers and watching for potentially dangerous situations; Documentation - daily documentation on the care provided to each patient; and anything else that needs to be done.
Certified Nurse Assistants are required to lift patients, assist a patient that is falling and carry heavy medical equipment. They should have the physical dexterity to perform skills that require fine motor movement. Basic observations are made by the CNA; therefore they should possess the senses of sight, hearing, smell, and touch.
Certified Nursing Assistants can be found in nursing homes, hospitals, adult day health centers, assisted living facilities, even personal homes. Wherever there is a need for personal care, Certified Nursing Assistants are the ones who, for the most part, perform the most basic needs for patients, young and old alike. They work under the supervision of a nurse. Since aides have extensive daily contact with each patient, they are keys to providing vital information on the patients' conditions to the nurse.
A certified nursing assistant's job does not end with the physical needs of the patients. This is a job which requires compassion and a desire to make people comfortable and happy. Residents of nursing homes often suffer from depression and/or dementia, and the certified nursing assistant is often the closest human contact afforded to many of these people. A sense of humor helps in this field.
Article Originally Published by Staff Quest
Monday, November 17, 2008
Nursing Education in the United States
Nursing education is a field that combines nursing with the teaching of students of nursing and, for some, with the administration of educational programs.
A high proportion of the teachers in nursing education programs teach in clinical situations, in which students learn to care for patients and families in hospitals, at home, and in other situations. Universities or associations usually offer teaching by nurses in staff-development programs of hospitals and other health agencies and in continuing-education programs. The basic educational program for nurses in many countries is scientific and humanistic in content. All educational programs include experience with patients in hospitals, homes, or other settings.
In almost all countries with nursing education there are at least two kinds of programs – those leading to diplomas and those that train auxiliaries, though a large portion of auxiliaries in some countries are untrained.
The development of nursing education in any country is affected by the developments in general education. In the United States and some other countries, for example, high school graduation or its equivalent has for many years been a requirement for admission to schools preparing registered nurses. In the United States this is also a requirement for admission to practical nurse programs. In some countries fewer years of previous education are required.
Nursing education in the United States has undergone tremendous changes in recent years. In order to prepare nurses for beginning and advanced levels of practice, educational programs also have undergone tremendous changes. Many curricula are creative and interactive, rather than rigid and proscriptive. Education is more learner-focused than teacher-centered. Clinical experiences for students reflect a greater emphasis on community-based care, health promotion, disease prevention, family involvement, and self-care. And the integration of technology and the use of distance learning strategies are more evident in nursing education programs.
Nurse educators are realizing that there is an art and a science to teaching nursing – just as there is an art and a science to practicing nursing – and they are seeking preparation in curriculum development and evaluation, creative teaching/learning strategies, student and program evaluation, and other areas that complement their clinical specialization and expertise.
Post-basic programs for nurses with diplomas have been established in the United States and in many countries. Some programs offer courses in general education, as well as nursing courses, and some, in universities, may become programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. The purposes of such programs vary and include the preparation of teachers, supervisors, or administrators and of nurse specialists in various fields, including midwifery, public health, and teaching of auxiliaries. Some augment the education received in other programs. Enrollment is generally small in relation to the need for their graduates.
Article Originally published on Staff Quest
A high proportion of the teachers in nursing education programs teach in clinical situations, in which students learn to care for patients and families in hospitals, at home, and in other situations. Universities or associations usually offer teaching by nurses in staff-development programs of hospitals and other health agencies and in continuing-education programs. The basic educational program for nurses in many countries is scientific and humanistic in content. All educational programs include experience with patients in hospitals, homes, or other settings.
In almost all countries with nursing education there are at least two kinds of programs – those leading to diplomas and those that train auxiliaries, though a large portion of auxiliaries in some countries are untrained.
The development of nursing education in any country is affected by the developments in general education. In the United States and some other countries, for example, high school graduation or its equivalent has for many years been a requirement for admission to schools preparing registered nurses. In the United States this is also a requirement for admission to practical nurse programs. In some countries fewer years of previous education are required.
Nursing education in the United States has undergone tremendous changes in recent years. In order to prepare nurses for beginning and advanced levels of practice, educational programs also have undergone tremendous changes. Many curricula are creative and interactive, rather than rigid and proscriptive. Education is more learner-focused than teacher-centered. Clinical experiences for students reflect a greater emphasis on community-based care, health promotion, disease prevention, family involvement, and self-care. And the integration of technology and the use of distance learning strategies are more evident in nursing education programs.
Nurse educators are realizing that there is an art and a science to teaching nursing – just as there is an art and a science to practicing nursing – and they are seeking preparation in curriculum development and evaluation, creative teaching/learning strategies, student and program evaluation, and other areas that complement their clinical specialization and expertise.
Post-basic programs for nurses with diplomas have been established in the United States and in many countries. Some programs offer courses in general education, as well as nursing courses, and some, in universities, may become programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. The purposes of such programs vary and include the preparation of teachers, supervisors, or administrators and of nurse specialists in various fields, including midwifery, public health, and teaching of auxiliaries. Some augment the education received in other programs. Enrollment is generally small in relation to the need for their graduates.
Article Originally published on Staff Quest
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Facts about Nursing Shortage
A report entitled “Projected Supply, Demand, and Shortages of Registered Nurses: 2000-2020” alleged:
Based on what is known about trends in the supply of Registered Nurses and their anticipated demand, nursing shortage is expected to grow relatively slowly until 2010, by which time it will have reached 12 percent. At that point demand will begin to exceed supply at an accelerated rate and by 2015 the shortage, a relatively modest 6 percent in the year 2000, will have almost quadrupled to 20 percent.
American hospitals are in a serious crisis, from large numbers of uninsured patients to spiraling costs, from outlandishly expensive prescription drugs to a severe and dangerous shortage of nurses. Emergency rooms are shutting down, surgeries are delayed and, most disturbing of all, patients are sometimes not getting the critical care they desperately need.
There are many factors behind the nursing shortage. Unlike a generation or two ago, young women with an aptitude for sciences now have a multitude of career opportunities to choose from. Many of the other career choices today involve less stressful and less strenuous work than bedside nursing. Generally speaking, a position with a managed-care company or a pharmaceutical sales job is less physically demanding than nursing.
The need for nurses is often depicted as cyclical in nature. Throughout history, the USA has experienced a series of nursing surpluses and shortages. However, the current nursing shortage has been characterized as being unlike those experienced in the past. Trends of an ageing RN/ Registered Nurse workforce and limited supply to fill the impending vacancies are some of the unique aspects that bring a new dimension to an old problem. Today's nursing shortage will not be resolved by simply returning to the solutions of yesteryear, and strategies to reduce its impact will have to be more creative and focus on the long-term.
The widely publicized nursing shortage in the United States is largely a result of three factors: the aging population of nurses; the aging population in the U.S.; and a shift in healthcare delivery away from doctors, towards skilled nurses. Also are four major contributors to the nursing shortage in the USA: the ageing RN workforce; declining enrolment; changing work climate; and the poor image of nursing.
Solutions to the shortage followed similar themes to the contributing factors and encompassed four main areas: exploring recruitment efforts; exploring retainment efforts; improving the image of nursing; and supporting legislation that helps to rectify the shortage.
As new career options grow for women over the past few decades, and fewer women choose to go into nursing, another shortage begins to emerge. All of these factors point to the fact that the nursing shortage won't be reversed overnight.
Original Post from Staff Quest
Based on what is known about trends in the supply of Registered Nurses and their anticipated demand, nursing shortage is expected to grow relatively slowly until 2010, by which time it will have reached 12 percent. At that point demand will begin to exceed supply at an accelerated rate and by 2015 the shortage, a relatively modest 6 percent in the year 2000, will have almost quadrupled to 20 percent.
American hospitals are in a serious crisis, from large numbers of uninsured patients to spiraling costs, from outlandishly expensive prescription drugs to a severe and dangerous shortage of nurses. Emergency rooms are shutting down, surgeries are delayed and, most disturbing of all, patients are sometimes not getting the critical care they desperately need.
There are many factors behind the nursing shortage. Unlike a generation or two ago, young women with an aptitude for sciences now have a multitude of career opportunities to choose from. Many of the other career choices today involve less stressful and less strenuous work than bedside nursing. Generally speaking, a position with a managed-care company or a pharmaceutical sales job is less physically demanding than nursing.
The need for nurses is often depicted as cyclical in nature. Throughout history, the USA has experienced a series of nursing surpluses and shortages. However, the current nursing shortage has been characterized as being unlike those experienced in the past. Trends of an ageing RN/ Registered Nurse workforce and limited supply to fill the impending vacancies are some of the unique aspects that bring a new dimension to an old problem. Today's nursing shortage will not be resolved by simply returning to the solutions of yesteryear, and strategies to reduce its impact will have to be more creative and focus on the long-term.
The widely publicized nursing shortage in the United States is largely a result of three factors: the aging population of nurses; the aging population in the U.S.; and a shift in healthcare delivery away from doctors, towards skilled nurses. Also are four major contributors to the nursing shortage in the USA: the ageing RN workforce; declining enrolment; changing work climate; and the poor image of nursing.
Solutions to the shortage followed similar themes to the contributing factors and encompassed four main areas: exploring recruitment efforts; exploring retainment efforts; improving the image of nursing; and supporting legislation that helps to rectify the shortage.
As new career options grow for women over the past few decades, and fewer women choose to go into nursing, another shortage begins to emerge. All of these factors point to the fact that the nursing shortage won't be reversed overnight.
Original Post from Staff Quest
Friday, November 7, 2008
Helping Someone Who Grieves
By Linda S. Smith, MS, DSN, RN, CLNC
Professor and Director of the Associate Degree Registered Nurse Program
Idaho State University
Grief, loss, anger, despair, and guilt are human responses to any tragedy. They are normal, yet entirely unique, because each of us resolves grief and loss in our own way.
Accepting loss and even death is probably the hardest part about being human. When a friend or loved one is grieving, we may be afraid to get involved; to talk about the loss or death; to feel it for and with someone. We may say, "I hate going over there to visit, it's so depressing;" or "Why should I call or stop over; I can't do anything to make it better."
Yet, moods and reactions people have as they grieve a significant loss are often responses to how others react toward them and what others expect. With this in mind, it is easy to see how people "pick up" on the obvious and hidden "expected behaviors" from the persons who are closest to them. Therefore, if someone you know and love is experiencing grief, your reactions and responses to them can improve or worsen the situation.
Fears
First, friends and loved ones need to understand the fears of those who grieve. These fears include loneliness, meaninglessness, and continued loss. Families of persons who are dying experience profound grief and loss, anger, despair, depression, and even guilt but these emotions may occur very differently among members.
What to do if someone you know is grieving:
- Reach out to the person who is grieving; don't wait for him or her to come to you. Your presence as a good listener is almost more important than anything else you can do.
- Accept the person as a living, valuable human being
- Anticipate that grief work is extremely physical as well as psychological
- Express the simple yet profound, "I'm sorry."
- Allow the grieving person quiet time
- Listen, support, encourage, and share your own feelings. Be available as someone the person can trust.
- Through your responses, give the person permission to think and feel anything
- Allow loose ends to be tied; spiritual peace, financial matters, and funeral arrangements attended to, etc.
- Help persons review their lives for meaning and purpose. This could be done with a diary, a tape recorder, drawings, scrap books, or a photo album. Remind grieving persons of their accomplishments.
- Use culturally sensitive, appropriate touch as an expression of caring. After asking permission, you may chose to hold their hand, pat their arm, give a hug
- Help persons attend to personal grooming and exercise. Take a walk with the person, listen to music together, play a game, reminisce
- Call in a spiritual consultant if the person wishes
- Use open ended communication lead-ins like: "how…, what…, where…,
- “It sounds like you're feeling…;
- share with me…,
- help me understand…"
- Recognize that persons experiencing extreme grief and loss may have sleeping, resting, and eating difficulties. Therefore, call in healthcare resources and professionals as needed.
- Tell the person that you are interested in what they think and feel. Be receptive and nonjudgmental, acknowledging the actual, potential, or perceived loss
- Recommend support groups and provide this information when appropriate
- Give the grieving person the right to cry
- Allow the person at least a full year before major life-changing decisions are made
What NOT to do when communicating with someone in grief or crisis:
- Don't assume that all questions asked demand answers. A simple, "I don't know, but tell me your feelings” is one response to the unanswerable
- Don't meet anger with anger. Allow the angry, grieving person to express the anger without becoming defensive. Acknowledge and accept the anger by saying, "You sound angry…." "It must be so difficult (frustrating) for you …"
- Don't interrupt, expound, criticize, show impatience, judge, minimize, confront, abandon, or be dishonest.
- Don't ignore the person's mental and physical pain
- Don't try to replace grief with faith
- Don't reject the person's feelings with phrases like, "cheer up…" Everything will be fine…"
- Don’t wait to be asked for help. Often the “If you need anything, call me…” is never acknowledged. Better to say, “I’m picking up some groceries, what can I get for you?” and “Today is wash day, let me do a few loads for you.” Or “I brought over the lawn mower – how do you like the grass done?”
Caring for and about someone who grieves is a great privilege.
As you face someone who is experiencing grief and loss, please believe that your efforts are valued and needed. Your presence has a profound effect on those for whom you care.
Professor and Director of the Associate Degree Registered Nurse Program
Idaho State University
Grief, loss, anger, despair, and guilt are human responses to any tragedy. They are normal, yet entirely unique, because each of us resolves grief and loss in our own way.
Accepting loss and even death is probably the hardest part about being human. When a friend or loved one is grieving, we may be afraid to get involved; to talk about the loss or death; to feel it for and with someone. We may say, "I hate going over there to visit, it's so depressing;" or "Why should I call or stop over; I can't do anything to make it better."
Yet, moods and reactions people have as they grieve a significant loss are often responses to how others react toward them and what others expect. With this in mind, it is easy to see how people "pick up" on the obvious and hidden "expected behaviors" from the persons who are closest to them. Therefore, if someone you know and love is experiencing grief, your reactions and responses to them can improve or worsen the situation.
Fears
First, friends and loved ones need to understand the fears of those who grieve. These fears include loneliness, meaninglessness, and continued loss. Families of persons who are dying experience profound grief and loss, anger, despair, depression, and even guilt but these emotions may occur very differently among members.
What to do if someone you know is grieving:
- Reach out to the person who is grieving; don't wait for him or her to come to you. Your presence as a good listener is almost more important than anything else you can do.
- Accept the person as a living, valuable human being
- Anticipate that grief work is extremely physical as well as psychological
- Express the simple yet profound, "I'm sorry."
- Allow the grieving person quiet time
- Listen, support, encourage, and share your own feelings. Be available as someone the person can trust.
- Through your responses, give the person permission to think and feel anything
- Allow loose ends to be tied; spiritual peace, financial matters, and funeral arrangements attended to, etc.
- Help persons review their lives for meaning and purpose. This could be done with a diary, a tape recorder, drawings, scrap books, or a photo album. Remind grieving persons of their accomplishments.
- Use culturally sensitive, appropriate touch as an expression of caring. After asking permission, you may chose to hold their hand, pat their arm, give a hug
- Help persons attend to personal grooming and exercise. Take a walk with the person, listen to music together, play a game, reminisce
- Call in a spiritual consultant if the person wishes
- Use open ended communication lead-ins like: "how…, what…, where…,
- “It sounds like you're feeling…;
- share with me…,
- help me understand…"
- Recognize that persons experiencing extreme grief and loss may have sleeping, resting, and eating difficulties. Therefore, call in healthcare resources and professionals as needed.
- Tell the person that you are interested in what they think and feel. Be receptive and nonjudgmental, acknowledging the actual, potential, or perceived loss
- Recommend support groups and provide this information when appropriate
- Give the grieving person the right to cry
- Allow the person at least a full year before major life-changing decisions are made
What NOT to do when communicating with someone in grief or crisis:
- Don't assume that all questions asked demand answers. A simple, "I don't know, but tell me your feelings” is one response to the unanswerable
- Don't meet anger with anger. Allow the angry, grieving person to express the anger without becoming defensive. Acknowledge and accept the anger by saying, "You sound angry…." "It must be so difficult (frustrating) for you …"
- Don't interrupt, expound, criticize, show impatience, judge, minimize, confront, abandon, or be dishonest.
- Don't ignore the person's mental and physical pain
- Don't try to replace grief with faith
- Don't reject the person's feelings with phrases like, "cheer up…" Everything will be fine…"
- Don’t wait to be asked for help. Often the “If you need anything, call me…” is never acknowledged. Better to say, “I’m picking up some groceries, what can I get for you?” and “Today is wash day, let me do a few loads for you.” Or “I brought over the lawn mower – how do you like the grass done?”
Caring for and about someone who grieves is a great privilege.
As you face someone who is experiencing grief and loss, please believe that your efforts are valued and needed. Your presence has a profound effect on those for whom you care.
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