nursing Archives - Page 14 of 15

Substance Abuse in Nursing: What Are the Signs and What to Do About It?

Do you suspect that a co-worker is abusing drugs or alcohol and impaired while at work? What are the signs? What should you do about it?

from NurseLabs

The American Nurses Association suggests that up to 10% of nurses may have a substance abuse problem, and some studies have suggested that this might be as high as 1 in 5. Many of these nurses are addicted to prescription drugs and part of what the CDC describes as the opioid addiction epidemic. Numerous addicted nurses have not been long-term abusers but get caught in the trap of tolerance and dependence after having the drugs prescribed or having self-medicated after emotional trauma.

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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7 Ways to Love Your Nurse Self

Because nurses are focused on the welfare of others, we often forget to take care of ourselves. Here are 7 ways to practice better self-care.

from NurseCode.com

When I talk to nurses about the work that we do, the biggest problem I hear about is stress. There is good reason for that, since pressures weigh on nurses from multiple sources. We find ourselves in literal life-or-death situations. We are often short-staffed and over-worked.

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 Rapidly Evolving Role of Nurse Executives

Embracing innovation and becoming pivotal players on the leadership team are just two ways nurse executives are helping to guide hospitals into the future.

from Hospitals & Health Networks

Health care’s rapid changes and growing complexity necessitate that all care providers collaborate and maximize their efficiency as never before, and few health care professionals understand that better than nurses. As their leaders on the front lines of patient care, system chief nurse executives and hospital chief nursing officers bring a unique—and increasingly valuable—perspective from which to champion these efforts, from the bedside to the top of the leadership ladder.

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 Fundamentals: What Is Holistic Nursing?

Patients are more than just their illnesses or debilities. Holistic nursing focuses on the patient as a whole person.

from Nurse Buff

Because of the nature of the work, nurses are often linked to illnesses and debilities. Although it’s true that nurses care for the sick, they actually aren’t just concerned about their patients’ physical weaknesses. They care about their patients as a whole, too. To give you a clearer idea, here’s a quick rundown of what holistic nursing is.

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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How Do You Know You Want to Be a Nurse?

Thinking about becoming a nurse? If so, here are some great points you may want to consider.

by Lisa M. Tufts, RN

So, you have decided to go to nursing school… why? Let’s see if this is the right career path for you. Whether it is your first or second career choice, there are questions you should ask yourself before you spend the time, money, and energy it takes to follow a path that leads you to a career where your job is to care for people who are acutely and chronically ill. So, ask yourself some important questions:

Have you ever been in a hospital, as a worker, a patient, a visitor?
What is your current career and does it relate?
What interests you in nursing? If you are choosing nursing for monetary reasons, then you are you choosing it for the wrong reasons. First of all, nurses, especially new nurses, do not make a lot money. Second, unless you can afford to pay cash for your education, you need to pay back your student loans after your graduate. Last, you need advanced education, which cost even more money to make an advanced salary with years of experience, so forget that idea.
Have you ever cared for a sick person?
Have you ever worked in a hospital or nursing home?
Do you realize that you will be working with bodily fluids? Yes, all the bodily fluids. The job is not glamorous.

Do yourself a favor if you are thinking about going to nursing school, and get a job as a nursing assistant. This is a great place to start to determine if a career in nursing is for you.

Frankly, I believe being a nursing assistant should be a requirement to becoming a nurse.

If you are already in nursing school and not working as a nursing assistant, you should. You need the experience of caring for patients at the basic level. You will be surprised at how much you will learn as a nursing assistant, especially when the nurses that you work with know that you are a nursing assistant—they can and will show you things, like wound care, for example. You will get opportunities to see things as a nursing assistant that you might not see in nursing school. This will be very beneficial toward your education and experience. It also shows that you are serious about your nursing career.

Think about it; who would a Nurse Manager want to hire? The new grad with patient care experience, or the new grad who has been working at a grocery store while they are in school.

Lisa Tufts began her career in healthcare as Certified Nursing Assistant at the age of 17. Since then she has remained in healthcare in various roles from Medical Coding, Executive Assistant, Medical Assistant, and has not been a Registered Nurse for six years.

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 Opioid Epidemic and Untreated Pain: Ethical Tensions

Research shows that since 1999, consumption of hydrocodone has more than doubled and consumption of oxycodone increased by nearly 500%.

from Johns Hopkins Nursing

I recently attended a funeral for one of my former classmates from high school who died of a heroin overdose. Tragically, there was more than one funeral that day. There had been two overdoses within my community in one week. With recent headlines such as, “21 heroin overdoses reported in Ohio in a day,” and “Maryland reports 383 overdose deaths in the first three months of 2016,” I am less surprised by such events, but increasingly alarmed.

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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10+ Unwritten Rules for New Nurses

A few helpful and hilarious tips for rookies from a seasoned nurse.

from NurseLabs

That first day at work as a new nurse is terrifying. Not only do you feel as if you aren’t prepared to care for your patients, but you’re also the “new kid on the block.” I’m sure you gathered some standard advice in nursing school about keeping your nose clean after graduation. But here are a few unwritten rules for new nurses to help make the transition a little easier for you.

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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Nearly Half of Nurses Consider Changing Careers as Nationwide Shortage Looms

Heavy workload, on-the-job harassment by peers, managers are major drivers behind potential exodus, study shows.

from Healthcare Finance

A new national study by RNnetwork, a travel nursing company, shows nearly half of responding nurses are thinking about leaving their profession, and major drivers behind the potential mass exodus include feelings of being overworked and disrespected by their coworkers.

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 Simple Reason Nurses Should Put Themselves Before Their Patients

There is nothing to give if you start out on empty.

from The Huffington Post

I’m a critical care nurse who works the night shift, so sleep and I have had a precarious relationship in the past. There’d be yelling; there’d be tossing and turning; there’d be wistful glances at the alarm clock to count down how many hours I wouldn’t get restful shut eye that night. There’d be even more tossing and turning, followed by a pleading apology to the sleep gods for whatever misdeed I’d done to deserve such a sleepless existence. Thankfully, during my five years on the job, I’ve learned a thing or two about trying to snag a good night’s sleep in a high-stress, chronically sleep-deprived profession.

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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An Oncology Nurse’s Perspective on the Health Insurance Situation

One oncology infusion nurse offers her thoughts on the ACA.

from American Journal of Nursing

I was an oncology infusion nurse in a hospital-based ambulatory center for a number of years, many of them before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law in 2010. Besides administering chemotherapy and blood products, I infused medications to patients with sickle cell anemia as well as chronic autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Crohn’s disease. The common denominator among these diseases is the high cost of the medications used to treat them, at the time ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 per treatment. I know, because patients told me, their nurse.

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