nursing Archives - Page 12 of 15

Nurses Leaning Into Uncertainty

Nurses show up, even when uncertainty is the only thing we know to be true.

Throughout history, nurses have provided care to those in need despite the cultural circumstances or political scenarios at hand. Nursing care, like medicine, is a necessary service that simply needs to be provided in a society at all times. No matter that bullets are flying or elections are being disputed, nurses are there with their patients even as uncertainty rules the day.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Is America Still Facing A Nursing Shortage?

Unfortunately so. Due to many important factors, the demand for nurses is rising at a staggering rate.

from Scrubs

Over the past few years, there has been a lot of talk about America’s nursing shortage. This national shortage of nurses has resulted from a number of factors, including limited availability in medical schools, a shortage of qualified nursing school instructors, and fierce job competition within the nursing industry. With all of the healthcare and education reform that has taken place during recent years, shouldn’t this problem be resolved by now? Unfortunately, this is not the case. America’s demand for nurses is becoming more critical than ever.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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When Changing Nurse Jobs Means Changing Specialties

When changing nurse jobs means changing specialties, nurses should know that they are not limited by what they currently do any more than doctors are.

There are times when a nurse reaches a point in life when she/he realizes that the work she/he is doing is not as fulfilling as it once was, if it was ever fulfilling at all. It is not that the nurse does not enjoy nursing; it is just that there is a burning desire to transition from a current position into a new one in an entirely different specialty. When changing nurse jobs means changing specialties, nurses should know that they are not limited by what they currently do any more than doctors are.

As one example, you may be a nurse who has spent the better part of your career working in the oncology department at your local hospital. It certainly has been rewarding and challenging. However, after 15 years, you are starting to realize that your heart is really in public health. Don’t worry; you can make the transition. You can go from oncology to public health, from pediatrics to emergency room medicine, or even from clinical practice to nursing education.

Easy Steps to Making the Transition

We do not mean to suggest there is a one-size-fits-all, step-by-step process that every nurse can use when switching specialties. Nevertheless, there are certain guidelines that apply in almost every case. So, keep the following in mind when changing nurse jobs means changing specialties:

Assess Yourself Honestly – Switching specialties is no minor undertaking. Before you go down that road, honestly assess yourself and your situation. Ask yourself questions about why you want to switch, what it is you are truly passionate about, and whether or not your desire to switch is really just a means of escaping a situation you do not like. Honest questions and honest answers should give you some much-needed clarity.
Research Your Options – Transitioning from one specialty to another does not necessarily mean you will only have one option within your new chosen specialty. There may be multiple options. For example, transitioning into pediatrics may include options at the local hospital, a group family practice, or even the neighborhood nursery school. Find out what is out there so that you can fine-tune your goals.
Consider More Education – Depending on what you want to transition to, you may need additional education. Consider this carefully. If additional education is required, you will have to decide whether to continue working while you are learning or become a full-time student in order to finish as quickly as possible.
Consider Volunteering – There may be opportunities for you to gain valuable experience by way of volunteer work involving your new chosen specialty. Never underestimate the power of volunteering. It is an excellent way to learn, gain experience, and network with people who might be important to know.
Seize the Opportunity – If you have a desire to transition to a new specialty, it is wise to seize the opportunity now. Just so long as your self-assessment provides the right answers to your questions, there is no point in putting off beginning the transition process. Remember, putting something off until tomorrow is a great way to never get it done.

For some people, changing nurse jobs is nothing more than leaving one facility for an identical job at another. For other nurses, it means a complete change of specialties. We hope any decision you make to change jobs is one guided by knowledge, experience, and wisdom gleaned from others. The combination of a wise choice and the right kind of planning can make it possible for you to add an entirely new and exciting dimension to your career.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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The Inner Stretch of Nursing

Nurses endure the inner stretch of their emotional, relational, and spiritual muscles on a daily basis.

from AJN Off the Charts

There is a level of discomfort nurses are pushed to that goes beyond tight staffing, busy 12-hour shifts, and mental tracking of our patient’s disease process. It is the inner stretch of our emotional, relational, and spiritual muscles. We are pushed to wrestle with questions and issues beyond what we find comfortable, and then we must learn to live with a certain unresolved level of discomfort. We can’t go back to a perhaps safe naïveté about life as we knew it before we saw how indiscriminate some forms of suffering and death could be. Our own theological wonderings come to light, and our capacity for vulnerability and intimacy is tested when certain patients find a way past the self-protective walls we put up. Sometimes, all the big questions of life loom over us in the course of one 12-hour shift.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Can You Return to Nursing After a Hiatus?

How do you break back in to nursing after being gone so long? It’s possible, and there’s a lot to do to get there.

from Nurse Keith’s Digital Doorway

Many nurses come to me for advice and career coaching when they’re ready to return to the nursing workforce after a hiatus. For some, it’s just been a year or two, and for others, it might have been 15 years of staying home to do the noble work of raising children. The question is, how do you break back in to nursing after being gone so long? It’s possible, and there’s a lot to do to get there.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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The Clinical Nurse Leader Role

Learn about the relatively new role of Clinical Nurse Leader from a passionate and seasoned CNL.

by Kathy Oliphant, MSN, RN, CNL, NEA-BC

The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) is a relatively new nursing role, having been developed in 2004 by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in response to the Institute of Medicine’s quality and safety reports. A Master’s level CNL program was developed to prepare nurses with the skills needed to successfully lead in the current healthcare environment while ensuring safe care is provided using evidence-based best practices for optimal quality outcomes. In addition to graduation from an accredited CNL program, there is a national certification exam that graduates must pass to use the title of Clinical Nurse Leader.

The overall goal of the CNL role is to improve patient outcomes. This is attained by constantly evaluating strategies to improve the triple aim of achieving better quality outcomes, providing an enhanced patient experience, and examining ways to improve efficiencies associated with the cost of care. In this role, CNLs evaluate quality at the point of care and integrate evidence into practice while focusing on a specific cohort of patients with complex needs. They monitor data to analyze trends and develop action plans to improve patient outcomes. CNLs facilitate communication with interdisciplinary teams and collaborate to implement and sustain practice changes.

In our current healthcare environment, we are challenged to provide continuity of care amid increasing complexity and pressure for improved safety and quality. The CNL assists with transitioning patients through a seamless system where caregivers feel responsible for patients throughout the entire care continuum, which includes decreasing potential gaps in care between physician office appointments, emergency department visits, hospital stays, home care visits, and other skilled care environments such as rehabilitation and long term care facilities.

Clinical Nurse Leader accomplishments at many organizations include improving quality measures, decreasing the average hospital length of stay, improving patient education, decreasing readmission rates, and increasing patient satisfaction scores. It takes all healthcare disciplines working together to achieve these wonderful results.

Observing CNL colleagues embrace this innovative nursing role, I am reminded of a favorite quote from Mother Teresa: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” It is inspirational to work with dedicated nurses and witness their deep commitment to providing the best patient care.

For the past five years, Kathy Oliphant worked at TriHealth in Cincinnati, Ohio, and most recently was the Director of Inpatient Care Coordination. She was responsible for the implementation of the Clinical Nurse Leader program on 19 nursing units at two system hospitals. Kathy is a seasoned nursing executive with a track record of significant achievement in both acute care hospital and integrated delivery settings. Kathy’s career at Cleveland Clinic spanned 25 years with a clinical focus in nephrology nursing, including dialysis and kidney transplant populations, and leadership roles in a variety of settings. Her expertise includes creating a positive practice environment with an emphasis on high quality care and patient safety, as evidenced by successful Magnet hospital designation, staff recruitment and retention, and improved patient experience. She is extremely passionate about the role of the CNL with improving patient outcomes.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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5 Helpful Tips For Dealing With Difficult Patients

Every nurse encounters a number of patients who are difficult to work with; here are five tips on how to deal with them.

from Scrubs

Nursing is a profession of caring and dedication. Most nurses are devoted to their patients. Communication is everything when it comes to establishing a comforting and healthy nurse–patient relationship. Taking care of patients and changing their lives for the better can leave a special mark on the life of a nurse. However, every nurse encounters a number of patients who are difficult to work with. These patients are likely afraid and need the best care there is to offer, despite these difficulties. We have provided five helpful tips to make dealing with difficult patients as easy as possible.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Here’s A Growing Job That Earns More Than $100K: The Nurse Technologist

Slowly but surely, technology is invading every workplace in America. Now it’s nursing’s turn.

from Forbes

Demand is growing rapidly for nurse informaticists, a role that combines traditional nursing with expertise in systems, analysis and design and has an average salary of more than $100,000. The explosion of tech in healthcare has spawned this surge in demand.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Critical Thinking: A Vital Trait for Nurses

A look at how well-developed critical thinking skills in nurses can positively impact patient outcomes, as well as their colleagues.

by Srinidhi Lakhanigam, BSN, RN, CCRN, CMSRN

One of the most commonly heard phrases, right from day one of nursing school, is “critical thinking”. The common consensus is that everyone has to develop sound critical thinking to be a safe and effective Registered Nurse (RN). This necessity is magnified when it comes to critical care areas, where one decision by the RN can drastically change the patient’s outcome. Nursing has changed from a simple, caregiving job to a complex and highly responsible profession. Hence the role of nurses has changed from being task-oriented to a team-based, patient-centered approach with an emphasis on positive outcomes. A strong critical thinking ability results in the greatest impact on patient outcomes.

So, what is critical thinking and how do we develop this? A precise definition of critical thinking was proposed in a statement by Michael Scriven and Richard Paul, at the 8th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education Reform, Summer 1987. “Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness,³” reads the document.

Simply put, critical thinking in nursing is a purposeful, logical process, which results in powerful patient outcomes. It involves interpretation and analysis of the problem, reasoning to find a solution, applying, and finally, evaluation of the outcomes². It can be said that critical thinking is the result of a combination of innate curiosity, strong foundation of theoretical knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, disease processes, normal and abnormal lab values, and an orientation for thinking on the feet. Combining this with a strong passion for patient care will produce positive patient outcomes. The critical thinking nurse has an open mind, and draws heavily upon evidence based research and past clinical experiences to solve patient problems.

How does one develop critical thinking skills? A good start is to develop an inquisitive mind, which leads to questioning and a quest for knowledge and understanding of the complex nature of the human body and its functioning. Learning from those with a strong base of practical experience in the form of preceptors/colleagues helps develop critical thinking ability in a new nurse. An open minded nurse can learn valuable lessons from the critical thinking ability of others and will be able to practice for the good of the patients².

Critical thinking is self guided and self disciplined. Nursing interventions can be reasonably explained through evidence based research studies, and work experience. A strong sense of focus and discipline is also important for critical thinking to work. If thinking is unchecked, nurses can easily be misguided and deliver flawed patient care. It is possible to ensure discipline with a constant acquiring of knowledge through continuing education and looking critically into situations, considering their background, and making an assessment, before making recommendations¹.

Last, but not least, a constant comparison of practice with best practices in the industry will help guide a nurse to think critically and improve care. This makes it easier to form habits which continue to have a positive impact on patients and colleagues. Every decision a critical thinking nurse makes affects not only the patient, but also their families, coworkers, and self.

References:

Elder, L. (2007). Defining critical thinking. Retrieved from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766
Romeo, E. (2010). Quantitative research on critical thinking and predicting nursing students’ nclex-rn performance. Journal of Nursing Education,49(7), 378-386.
Scriven, M., & Paul, R. (n.d.). Defining Critical Thinking. In The Critical Thinking Community. Retrieved June 7, 2017, from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766

Srinidhi Lakhanigam, BSN, RN, CCRN, CMSRN is a member of the NeuroScience ICU at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, CA.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Nurses: What Tips & Tricks Do You Have to Share?

Whether you’re a new grad or about to retire, we’re willing to bet you have tips and tricks to share with your fellow nurses, and we want to hear them.

To be a nurse is to be a perpetual student—constantly learning and adapting to an ever-changing profession.

No matter if you are a new grad, or on the verge of retirement, there are always tips and tricks to take note of, or—better yet—impart to others. Be it sage wisdom (“Never be afraid to speak up for your patient.”), more practical tips (“Shaving cream on the outside of your mask helps with gross smells.”), or even what you might think should be common sense (“Always pee when you have the chance.”), we want to hear it.

So, we’re asking you: what advice would you like to share with your fellow nurses? Submit it below and we’ll be sure to pass it along.

Know Other Nurses? Be Sure to Share This:

Disclaimer: By submitting the form on this page, you agree to be contacted by HealthJobsNationwide.com, its affiliates, and/or its marketing partners about job openings, educational opportunities or programs, or other content deemed relevant by HealthJobsNationwide.com.

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