Tag: nursing

Preparing Yourself for Your First Paid Nursing Internship

During your nursing education, you’ve gained a lot of theoretical knowledge and you’ve likely had a chance to complete your practicum, which is important for learning practical nursing skills. However, it’s a great idea to gain additional experience beyond your practicum before you start working as an RN.

Internships are perfect for helping newly qualified nurses get the practice they need under the watchful eye of an experienced nurse. Even better, many internships are paid, unlike practicum placements that you complete during the course of your nursing education.

So, how can you best prepare and get the most out of your internship? Here are some tips so you can focus on learning and becoming the best nurse you can be.

Set Goals Before You Start and Communicate Them

Many nursing students go into an internship with no clear goals. While you’ll still get some benefits from a nursing internship if you don’t set goals, you’ll get even more by getting clear on what you want to learn.

Ask yourself if there are any gaps in your knowledge or skills you encountered in your practicum that you’d like to improve. Would you like to work on your communication with family members? Learn how to place an IV? Get a handle on managing multiple responsibilities?

Your goals will be unique, based on what you’ve already learned. It’s important to share your goals with your supervisors— they can’t read your mind! As an intern, your work will require supervision, so it’s important to express what you’d like to learn so you can maximize your opportunities for gaining practical experience.

Make a List of Questions

Between your interview and the start of your internship, you’ve probably had more than a few questions come to mind. Start making a list of questions to ask your supervisor or HR before your first day. That way, you won’t forget to ask something important in the excitement of starting your internship.

Brush Up on Your Terminology

In a clinical setting, healthcare professionals are busy. They have to communicate about complex topics quickly, which often means using medical abbreviations and acronyms. As a nurse, you’ll be expected to understand medical terminology and use standard shorthand during your internship and beyond.

Before the first day of your internship, it’s a good idea to brush up on your terminology. With that said, don’t be afraid to ask someone for help if you don’t understand a term or abbreviation you encounter on the job. After all, you’re there to learn!

Bring a Notebook

Internships are all about learning, and it’s important for you to retain as much information as you can. Bring a notebook with you and take notes as you go. Not only will you be able to refer back to them later, but writing down valuable lessons and information will help with your ability to retain what you’ve learned.

Journaling at the end of each day can also be helpful. It will allow you to look back on what went well, what you need to improve, and any observations you have about patient care, your emotional response to the work, and other factors. Journaling will help you process each day so you can work through any problems and celebrate your successes as a new nurse.

Prep Your Meals & Make a Schedule

Internships are usually full-time, which means you’ll get a taste of what it’s like to balance your work with your personal life. It’s a good idea to practice your good habits during your internship and prioritize self-care musts like eating a healthy diet and making time for exercise.

Before your internship begins, consider meal-prepping some healthy lunches and snacks you can take to work. You might also want to prep some freezer meals that will make your life easier when you come home tired from a shift. The more you can make a schedule that prioritizes your physical and mental health, the better.

Get Ready the Night Before

Being late is a huge no-no for any internship or new job. Take some of the stress out of the equation by getting everything ready the night before. Put your clothes and travel mug out, put the coffee in the coffee maker, and decide in advance what you’re going to have for breakfast.

By prepping for the morning the night before your shifts, you’ll have a more relaxed mindset as you get ready for work. You’re also less likely to find yourself running late and rushing out the door!

Prepare Your Mind for Learning and Constructive Feedback

An internship is all about learning and building critical nursing skills. This means that you’re not going to do everything right the first time. If you did, you wouldn’t need an internship!

Prepare your mind for learning and curiosity. Prepare for the inevitable constructive feedback, and be ready to embrace it instead of getting defensive. Remember that everyone is on your side and wants you to get as much as you can out of your internship experience, so help them by showing up with a great attitude and being ready to learn.

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

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.

Skills That Translate to Being a Quality Nursing Leader

Most people don’t go into nursing for the career mobility. There is room for promotions here and there, but for many, the work remains consistently the same for the entirety of their careers. And yet some nurses feel the pull to advance their careers a little bit.

Nursing leadership positions are a great way to continue doing the work you love while also incorporating more responsibilities, and yes, more compensation, into the equation. It’s not easy, but for the right person, it can be rewarding work.

Below, we take a look at skills that translate into quality nursing leadership.

Empathy

Empathy! Ha. I’m a nurse. I’ve got that in abundance. You probably, hopefully, do. It’s an intrinsic component of the work. It’s also a necessary feature of good leadership. As a supervisor, you need to be able to empathize not just with your patients, but also with the concerns of your staff.

Tech-Savvy

Nursing and healthcare in general are quickly moving into a more data-driven, digital landscape. Not only are patient records kept in the cloud now, but hospitals everywhere are relying more and more on data processing to improve patient outcomes and make better use of their limited resources.

You don’t necessarily need a degree in data analysis to work as a nursing leader — although some nurses do receive an education in digital technology.

However, you should at least be aware of what is out there. Many hospitals are technologically stunted not because they lack the means to grow into digital solutions, but because the old guard stands as a barrier.

Become knowledgeable about digital technology so that you can influence your hospital from an informed perspective.

Communication Skills

Nurses at every level wear many hats. You talk to the patient. You talk to the families. You talk to the administration and the doctors. As a regular nurse, the objective of your communication is usually to advocate for the patient. You want to make sure that their care aligns with their wishes.

You’ll still have that responsibility, but as a leader, you also need to represent the interests of the nurses working under you. They will bring their problems to you, and while you probably won’t be able to solve all of them, you’ll be the one talking it out with the other nurses, and the higher-ups.

Time Management

Just because you are a leader doesn’t mean that you don’t have your old workplace responsibilities to deal with as well. If you thought you were busy before the promotion, you’ll likely long for your old schedule after a few weeks at the new gig.

Time management is the skill that helps make the promotion negotiable.

Handle Discomfort with Grace

Leadership roles can come with natural tension. When things go wrong on your floor, you’ll often bear the brunt of it. We’re talking about anything. Patient outcomes, sure, but also scheduling conflicts, interpersonal spats that you will be expected to weigh in on and resolve and much more.

When it’s time for blame to go around, leaders can always expect a large helping of it to land on their shoulders. Fair? Maybe not but it comes with the territory.

A good leader knows how to handle these pressures with grace.

Sound Familiar?

Not surprisingly, most of the skills that make for a good nursing leader are trades that tend to be inherent to the profession in general. Nurses are usually empathetic people, and communication tends to be a key element of the job. If you can’t work as a go-between for the patient, the doctors, and the family, you’re probably not extremely effective on the job.

There are softer, harder-to-define qualities that make for a good leader as well. One of them is drive. You have to want to be a leader in a way that is distinct from simply desiring a promotion.

Think about it this way: nursing is already incredibly hard. Turnover rates are through the roof. Shifts are long and physically demanding. The work is stressful and emotionally demanding. And—

You’re preaching to the choir, love.

Right. It’s a tough job. Leadership responsibilities take those challenges and crank them up a level or two. The discerning nurse needs to ask themselves if they are up for that challenge. The western workplace mindset is such that stagnation is often seen as failure.

It doesn’t have to be that way — particularly not in healthcare. Before you pursue a leadership position, think long and hard about if you want all of the stress that comes with it.

Still There?

If you’ve weighed the consequences and still think you’d like to go ahead and try to get that promotion it’s time to start thinking about what it will take to land the job. The skills listed above might make you well adapted for the work, but that doesn’t mean they will automatically translate into the promotion that you are hoping for.

Most nurses are empathetic. Most nurses are decent communicators. You need to find ways to distinguish yourself from the pack. Continuing your education is one way to accumulate the prerequisite skills that most hospitals are looking for when they appoint their leadership roles.

Of course, getting a graduate degree is no small thing. However for a few years of your time, you might land a transformative job.

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

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.

 

What Nursing Practices Result in Ideal Patient Care?

In nursing school, you learn how to deal with various ailments and situations. But there is a human element to the job that is difficult to learn in a classroom. How do you treat not just the condition, but also the person suffering from it?

Recognizing the humanity of a patient sounds fundamental and obvious, but it can easily be forgotten during the thrum of a busy week. In this article, we take a look at some practices that can result in ideal patient care.

 Mentorship

Nursing mentorship relationships, formal or otherwise can have an enormously positive impact both on the patients and the employees. A newly minted nurse comes out of school with tons of book knowledge, but a relatively limited amount of experience.

Sure, you log your time working in hospitals, but it’s a different game when you’re doing things at the professional level. The pressure is higher. The threshold for bad outcomes increases, if only for the fact that you’re now the one in the driver’s seat. A good nursing mentor can help work through the pressure, ensuring that patients enjoy a higher level of care in the process.

Mentorship relationships can also help when it comes time to consider nurses for leadership positions. Older nurses who coach the new recruits can help management make decisions about who to spotlight and promote.

Hospitals wishing to encourage mentorship programs should consider instituting a formal mentorship program. Otherwise, young nurses can benefit from the experience of others by asking questions, and forming friendships.

 Patient Empowerment

Patients are in an incredibly vulnerable position. At the very least, they find themselves in a situation where they don’t possess the knowledge they need to take care of themselves. Everyone in the room knows more about their health than they do. Depending on the situation, they may not even be able to handle toiletries with the same autonomy they used to.

Nurses can restore some of their autonomy by striving for as much patient empowerment as possible. Let them make choices wherever possible. Patiently explain everything that is going on clearly without sugarcoating the facts. Your job as a nurse isn’t to give them good news. It’s to help the patient see what is real, and respond to the situation in the way that is most comfortable for them.

 Advocate for Them

Patient empowerment gives the patient a voice. Advocacy amplifies it. Nurses can advocate for their patients by following several steps:

    • Listen: Find out what the patient wants, and look for ways to implement these preferences in every possible way. Sometimes these preferences will be care related. Other times, they might be cultural or religious. It won’t be possible to grant every request, but it’s important to be on the lookout for ways to make your patient’s desires realized.
    • Articulate: If you’ve formed a close relationship with a patient, they may tell you things that they don’t share with other caregivers. Make sure everyone in the hospital is on the same page when it comes to meeting the patient’s requests. Fill doctors, other nurses, and even visitors in on what the patient wants.

Sometimes patient advocacy can get uncomfortable. It might mean butting heads with your coworkers. It could even mean turning family members away. Remember: your responsibilities as a nurse are to the patient. Be respectful of others, but don’t lose sight of your overall responsibility.

 Put Yourself in Their Shoes

Sometimes the patient won’t communicate exactly what they want or need. When that happens, empathy can help inform your caregiving decisions. What would you want if you were in their shoes? Keep in mind that for many patients, being in the hospital is an entirely new experience. They won’t necessarily have the context to make informed decisions about what they want or prefer.

Nurses, on the other hand, spend most of their lives in the hospital (or so it feels, at any rate). They know more about the rhythms and intricacies of care and are therefore better equipped to make well-informed suggestions and recommendations.

Just remember that patient needs will evolve over time. Continuously get their feedback. By constantly thinking about ways to personalize and improve care, you ensure that the patient is always being seen as a human with unique wants and needs. That alone can have a big impact on their morale, and their overall health outcome.

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

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.

 

What to Know Before Switching to a Telehealth Career

Telehealth has seen consistent growth in popularity over the last few years. But, the biggest “boom” came during the COVID-19 pandemic. At first, it was out of necessity as medical professionals worked to keep patients safe and protected. However, even as we enter a post-pandemic world, telehealth trends continue to go up.

Telehealth benefits both patients and physicians. It offers flexibility, greater inclusivity, and can encourage more people to practice preventative healthcare when they know they can chat with their doctor from the comfort of home.

If you’re considering a career in telehealth, now is a great time to get on board. However, it’s important to know what to expect, and how you can prepare yourself before you decide if it’s the right career move for you.

Consider What You Want

A career in telehealth can be rewarding. Depending on your position, you might interact directly with patients, offering medical advice and preventative care options that can improve their well-being or help them manage the symptoms of an illness. If you have a passion for helping people and want to do something truly meaningful, it’s a fantastic way to find fulfillment.

However, there are some potential drawbacks to consider. It’s not always the same having to help someone virtually, rather than face-to-face. You’ll also have to deal with people from all walks of life, and not every patient will be pleasant. Some will have conditions that are difficult to handle. Others might be frustrated by the very technology they’re using to talk to you. So, while a career in telehealth can be convenient, really consider what you want before you take the plunge. Think about things like:

      • Your comfort level in working with people virtually
      • How much time you can devote to this career
      • How well you handle stressful situations

Once you’ve decided that you think this career choice would be a good fit for you, it’s time to determine what you need to actually make it happen. If you’re currently in the healthcare field, it might be easy to transfer your education

Do You Meet the Qualifications?

Maybe you’re totally new to the telehealth field but you have the desire to help people. You don’t need to be a doctor or specialist to work in telehealth. However, depending on your position, you might need to meet certain qualifications. That includes certifications and licenses, in some cases.

For example, if you’re a nurse, you’ll have to receive appropriate licensing through the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). Because telehealth services are in such high demand, you shouldn’t have a problem getting your licensure quickly so you can start helping people as soon as possible.

If you’re a doctor, or specialist, or work for a clinic that provides telehealth services, make sure your certifications are up-to-date, and familiarize yourself with the latest in telemedicine software. There are multiple platforms and options available, so educating yourself on how to utilize technology safely and effectively is essential for any type of telehealth career.

Some practices and clinics might eventually switch to mostly telehealth services, so you might be able to get your foot in the door as an administrator and help people make virtual appointments or assist with billing. Having experience as an administrator can make that transition easier for you. You’ll also need to brush up on skills like:

      • Patience
      • Empathy
      • Time management
      • Organization
      • Flexibility

If you truly want to determine what’s needed to start your career with the right qualifications, check the requirements in your state. They vary by location, and you could be closer to getting started than you might think!

The Ins and Outs of a Virtual Career

One of the most important things to consider if you want to switch to a telehealth career is whether virtual/remote work is a good fit for you. There are advantages and disadvantages to think about. While virtual work can offer more flexibility, it can also take a toll on your mental health if you’re not getting the social interaction you need.

Humans are social creatures. We need face-to-face interaction. If your work solely relies on a virtual environment, you might struggle with isolation and loneliness. You might even feel uninspired, unmotivated, and burnt out.

While mental health stigmas in the healthcare field are starting to crumble, be sure you’re comfortable prioritizing your own mental well-being, and even talking to a professional if you’re worried that you might struggle with this type of career. Practice self-care each day by exercising, eating healthy meals, and getting as much in-person interaction with people as possible.

Telehealth is the future. While it can’t completely replace all types of medical care, it will certainly change the face of medicine and how people approach preventative care for years to come. If you’re interested in making a career change to enjoy the benefits of telemedicine, use the information here to consider whether it’s the right move, and whether you’ll find happiness and fulfillment. If so, don’t hesitate to start moving forward with your new career right away. The need for workers is extremely high, and you could end up landing the job of your dreams quickly.

Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, activism-related content. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter. 
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.

Top Medical Certifications to Have As a Nurse

You have worked hard in college to obtain your degree. You’ve spent the last few years gaining invaluable on-the-job experience. Now, you have reached a point in your nursing career where you want to set the stage to move up the ladder.  However, many nurses often are not aware of the many different certifications they may obtain. If you want to further your nursing career, here are the top medical certifications you should strive to obtain.

Critical Care Certification

One of the most popular certifications for registered nurses, the Critical Care Registered Nurse Certification is often required by healthcare employers and covers a multitude of critical care and acute specialties. In the nursing world, you will often hear the CCRN certification referred to as the must-have of all nursing certifications.

Certified Emergency Nurse

In hospitals across the nation, there is often a shortage of nurses who are properly certified to work in high-volume emergency departments. If you are a nurse who enjoys the challenge of helping people with different types of injuries, many of which may be life-threatening, consider obtaining the Certified Emergency Nurse certification. Though similar to the CCRN certification, the CEN is more in-depth regarding emergency room nursing.

Certified Nurse Educator

When you obtain this certification, you will be qualified to teach other nurses about various illnesses and procedures. Once obtained, you can teach in a nursing school or be an in-house educator within a hospital or other healthcare facility. This will also be a good opportunity for you if you already possess a stroke education certification, since you can use your knowledge of stroke patients to help nurses provide better care.

Family Nurse Practitioner

To gain this highly-coveted nursing certification, you will need to graduate from a Master’s degree program and pass an exam. Yet once you do, having a Family Nurse Practitioner certification can open the door to many career opportunities. First and foremost, having the FNP certification means you will be able to act as a primary care provider, giving you the authority to prescribe medications and do many duties performed by physicians. If you want career stability and the chance to work almost anywhere you wish, consider that demand for nurse practitioners is expected to grow by more than 50 percent throughout this decade.

No matter which of these certifications you ultimately obtain, there is no doubt that you will be using your set of specialized skills and knowledge to help patients who are struggling with many different conditions and illnesses

Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her husky, Snowball.
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.

What Kind of Relationship Does a Nurse Practitioner Have with Patients?

It’s hard for outsiders to understand exactly what nurse practitioners do. You can come across them almost anywhere. Doctors’ offices, hospitals, and in each setting, they have different responsibilities. So what kind of relationship does a nurse practitioner have with patients?

In this article, we set out to answer that question, and explain how the job works. Read on to learn more about the responsibilities of a nurse practitioner.

 It’s Complicated

The responsibilities of a nurse practitioner will depend mostly on where they find themselves in the country. Every state has its own laws about what a nurse practitioner can do. Some allow them to prescribe medications or make diagnoses. Others will allow them to do this only after they’ve consulted with a doctor first.

It’s a good idea to do plenty of research on your local laws before you begin your journey toward becoming a nurse practitioner. The more liberal the laws, the more options you will have for the professional trajectory of your career.

In areas where the laws are liberal enough, a nurse practitioner ostensibly performs the same duties as a primary practitioner. This means that they will see patients for basic wellness appointments, and when the patient is ill. They will fill out prescriptions as needed, and even offer diagnoses.

This level of freedom allows some nurse practitioners to start up their own practices. However, there are many other roles that nurse practitioners can perform.

 Working in a Doctor’s Office

Nurse practitioners can very easily fit into any doctor’s office setting. Even in states where laws don’t allow them full autonomy, they will be able to see patients and consult with their MD peers to provide further care.

Doctors’ offices really appreciate having a nurse practitioner on staff as it can free up a considerable amount of time. Where once the doctor took on every sick visit and wellness check, now the nurse practitioner is there to ease off much of the burden.

Consequently, everyone is able to spend a little more time with each patient, and the level of care increases.

Working on a hospital floor

Nurse practitioners can also work on a hospital floor, performing a combination of duties similar to those of both nurses and doctors. Where they end up depends on how they specialize. For example, the previous example describes a Family Nurse Practitioner.

There are also nurse practitioners that specialize in prenatal care, pediatric care, acute care, and so on. The responsibilities of each position vary pretty radically depending on the specifics of the specialty. This gives nurse practitioners an enormous amount of flexibility in how they shape their careers.

 How to Become a Nurse Practitioner

It’s a long road to becoming a nurse practitioner. To start, you need to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing. This usually takes four years, though there are accelerated programs that can cut that time in half. Accelerated programs carry their own challenges, but may be a particularly good option for disciplined people who want to start working as a nurse practitioners as quickly as possible.

Through the accelerated program, you can complete your undergraduate and graduate studies in approximately the same amount of time most people spend just getting their undergraduate degree.

Once you’ve got your undergraduate degree, you will need to choose a graduate program specifically focused on NPing. This is when you will choose your specialty. These programs usually take between two and three years to complete but you can speed up the process a little bit by taking heavy courseloads.

Once you’ve completed all of the educational requirements, you will need to fulfill the testing and registration guidelines set out by your state. This will usually involve fees. In fact, heavy expenses are typically incurred at every step of the journey. Financing and scholarship opportunities can take some of the sting out, but in most cases, it will be a considerable cost no matter what.

That’s alright though because if you’ve followed these steps, you’re there. You’ve arrived at the lucrative and emotionally rewarding career path of a nurse practitioner.

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

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.

Why Healthcare Professionals Need to Take Health Advocacy More Seriously

The United States healthcare system is extremely complex. Even people who work in the field might not fully understand all the systems involved with delivering and paying for healthcare. This is a major problem since the average patient might not know how to ensure that they’re getting the care they need or how to make sure their medical bills are paid.

All healthcare providers are busy, but if you’re working in the field of medicine, it’s important to understand what kinds of obstacles patients face and how to address them with health advocacy. Many people simply don’t have the health literacy to navigate the system, which leads to poorer outcomes, lack of access, and other consequences.

People getting substandard care because they don’t know how to submit bills properly or due to a language barrier, for instance, is unacceptable. Healthcare professionals need to fully understand the role of health advocates and take them seriously.

What is Health Advocacy?

Health advocacy is all about helping patients get the healthcare services they need. A health advocate helps people get through any aspect of the healthcare delivery process they have trouble with. Advocates must understand the individual patient’s needs and work to remove obstacles that could affect their health outcomes.

An advocate might perform many tasks on behalf of the patient, which might include:

      •         Taking notes during an appointment
      •         Asking questions on the patient’s behalf.
      •         Calling the patient’s insurance company
      •         Helping patients understand their health conditions and treatment options
      •         Completing difficult administrative tasks
      •         Reminding patients to take their medications and follow their doctors’  instructions.

Who Can Be a Health Advocate?

Essentially, anyone a patient trusts can be their health advocate. Personal advocates are often family members or close friends. A caregiver can also act as a health advocate. As long as a person is trustworthy, has basic health literacy skills, and is able to easily understand written and verbal communications, they should be able to take on the role of a health advocate.

There are also professional health advocates who might be hired by a healthcare organization or individual. Professional advocates do not need special training or licensing, but they usually have a background in the field of healthcare. Because there is no regulation on the healthcare advocacy field, it’s important for patients to choose a professional advocate with appropriate experience and references.

The Benefits of Health Advocacy

The benefits of health advocacy for patients are clear: with an advocate, patients can communicate more effectively with their providers, ensure that they are getting the care they need, and take care of administrative tasks that might be difficult or impossible for them to complete on their own.

There are benefits for healthcare providers, as well as patients. Working with an advocate as a liaison can help reduce misunderstandings. It can also help ensure that patients follow their provider’s directions in managing their health.

Advocates save time on both the patient’s side and the provider’s side. Doctors will need to spend less time explaining health information, allowing them to stay on schedule. Patients will have to wait less for their appointments, making the experience of going to the doctor less frustrating and more efficient.

Patients Who Might Need a Health Advocate

Older people often need the help of a health advocate. They might struggle to use the technology needed to make appointments, view test results, and submit paperwork. They might also struggle with mobility and other obstacles to getting proper care. As people get older, their health needs become increasingly complex and difficult to manage, so a health advocate can be a major asset.

People with complex health needs and those with conditions that affect cognition, communication, mobility, and other functions might also need a health advocate. People who do not speak the same language as their healthcare providers or have trouble navigating the healthcare system due to poor health literacy can benefit greatly from a health advocate.

Public Health Advocacy

Although individual advocates are extremely important for patient outcomes, public health advocacy is another critical activity for improving community health. Public health advocates primarily focus on healthcare access for underserved communities. Not only does this help create healthier communities, but it also helps increase trust in the healthcare system.

How Healthcare Professionals Can Help Boost Advocacy

Health advocacy is a win-win for healthcare professionals and their patients. But how can you, your colleagues, and organizational leaders help increase the role of advocacy within the industry? Here are some examples:

      • Advocate for your patients as much as you can, which might mean confronting family members or calling a social worker
      • Push for hiring professional advocates in your workplace
      • Support social workers
      • Be willing to work with patients’ personal advocates

Taking advocacy seriously isn’t difficult. All you have to do is recognize the challenges patients face and do what you can to help break down those barriers! And if more healthcare professionals start taking advocacy seriously, then we can look forward to a future with improved care and better patient outcomes

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

 

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.

Is it Worth Pivoting Your Career to Travel Nursing?

As a professional working in the healthcare industry, there is no shortage of routes you can take as a medical worker. This is especially true for those in the nursing profession. For nurses, there is a multitude of advanced nursing careers you can pursue such as becoming a nurse educator or a privately practicing nurse practitioner. One nursing career that has begun to gain popularity is that of travel nursing.

Travel nurses enjoy a slew of benefits that make the role enticing and increasingly sought after. If you’ve found yourself wondering whether or not pursuing a career as a travel nurse is a good idea, you’re not alone.

Understanding the pros and cons of becoming a travel nurse can help you decide whether pursuing the role is right for you. Here are some key aspects of nursing that can help you determine if it’s worth pivoting your career to travel nursing.

What Is Travel Nursing and How Does it Work?

Before committing to changing the course of your career to become a travel nurse, it’s important to have a thorough understanding of what travel nursing is and how travel nursing works. In many ways, travel nurses’ function in the same way that their registered nurse counterparts do. They are both trained to do the same types of tasks in the same types of facilities.

What differentiates travel nurses from registered nurses is the fact that travel nurses do not live in the same area in which they work. Instead, travel nurses will travel to various locations to work in a facility for a certain period of time.

Travel nurses always work on a contractual basis with the facilities they travel to. Typically, these contracts will be for at least three months. During the duration a travel nurse works at a facility, they will not only be paid a salary but will also have their accommodation provided and be given a weekly stipend. In many cases, travel nurses will also be given a signing bonus for agreeing to a contract at a new facility.

While the traveling and compensation differ significantly between travel nurses and registered nurses, in terms of day-to-day duties, they function in the same capacity.

The Pros of Becoming a Travel Nurse

If you’re contemplating shifting gears and pursuing a career as a travel nurse, it can be useful to understand the benefits that come with the role. Having a clear understanding of the positive aspects of becoming a travel nurse can help make it easier to decide if pivoting into the new career is right for you. Here are some of the pros of becoming a travel nurse.

Higher Salaries

One of the biggest perks of being a travel nurse is the lucrative salaries that travel nurses can receive. On average, travel nurses make close to $20,000 more than their registered nurse counterparts. While this is an estimate for the average travel nurse, it must be kept in mind that the wages of travel nurses can vary widely.

In fact, some facilities are willing to pay travel nurses $10,000 a week during times when they are short-staffed. In addition, given that travel nurses have higher salaries, the overtime pay that they receive is far more substantial than their registered nurse counterparts.

More Autonomy

Travel nurses, unlike their registered nurse counterparts, have the freedom to choose which contracts they accept. This allows them to only have to work in locations and facilities where they feel comfortable working. Having this increased autonomy is a big draw that attracts many nurses to the profession of travel nursing.

Seeing New Places

For those who love to travel, becoming a travel nurse can be an amazing way to see new places. On top of having the opportunity to travel without it interfering with one’s work schedule, travel nurses typically have their travel and lodging expenses covered. As such, travel nurses have the opportunity to explore new places without having to foot the bill.

The Cons of Becoming a Travel Nurse

While there are many attractive aspects of being a travel nurse, it’s important to be aware of the negative aspects of the role as well. Before committing to pursuing the role, it’s important to be fully aware of the negative aspects that travel nurses must face. Here are the cons of becoming a travel nurse.

Having to Frequently Leave Home

While traveling can be exciting and enjoyable for some, for those with families, it can be quite difficult. Travel nurses are required to frequently leave home for months at a time in order to earn a living.

For those with families and other responsibilities that require them to stay in one place, being a travel nurse and constantly leaving home can cause an enormous amount of strain. This being the case, it’s important to be honest with yourself about whether the schedule of a travel nurse would be conducive to the time of life you envision yourself having in the future.

Not Being Able to Make Deep Bonds with Coworkers

While it is more than possible for travel workers to be on good terms with their coworkers, it is far harder for them to forge deeper bonds. While this isn’t a huge deal for some, for others this lack of deep workplace friendship can be incredibly taxing. As such, it’s important to understand that as a travel nurse, you wouldn’t be able to craft deep relationships with your coworkers.

Feeling Lonely

For travel nurses, spending time alone and away from friends and loved ones is a normal part of life. While some can handle being alone well, others can experience anxiety and feelings of depression as a result of it. If you find that being alone isn’t your strong suit, you may not be the type of person who would thrive as a travel nurse.

Pursuing Life as a Travel Nurse

Travel nurses are important medical professionals who help facilities function smoothly when they are short-staffed. While these professionals enjoy higher pay and more perks than their registered nurse counterparts, traveling is not for everyone and can take a toll on one’s personal life.

By having a deeper understanding of the role of a traveling nurse, you’re in a better position to weigh your options and decide whether or not becoming a travel nurse is right for you.

.With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

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.

What It Takes to Be a Crisis Nurse

Nothing is quite right beneath the granite sky. Here, the remnants of a family home splashed onto the curb with utter indifference. There, a business, shuttered before the storm but now only barely standing anyway. Sirens flash. The wind licks up moodily, an eerie remnant perhaps, of the storm that passed through and just as quickly moved on to another place. The world looks as though it’s been put in a blender and spit out again.

This is the office of a crisis nurse, whose job has them going into the situations everyone else is fleeing from. Like Batman. Their job is to provide medical attention to communities impacted by disasters.

In this article, we look at what it takes to become a crisis nurse, and what the job entails.

 Background

The first step to becoming a crisis nurse is to receive the proper nursing education. Most RN certification programs take four years to complete and are part of a standard undergraduate curriculum. You can also apply for accelerated programs, which take place over the course of 12-18 months.

Naturally, these programs are very fast-paced. Because of how demanding they are, it can be very difficult to take them on while working a job or raising a family.

Once the educational requirements are satisfied and the testing and background verification procedures are complete you are eligible to begin acquiring professional nursing experience.

 Gaining Experience

The usual background requirement for becoming a crisis nurse is two years. While you can satisfy this requirement with any type of nursing experience, it’s a good idea to look for positions that will prepare you for providing emergency care.

This accomplishes several things. As a crisis nurse, you may find yourself working almost exclusively in emergencies. By logging lots of time in these scenarios, you can get a good idea if this career path is really right for you, while also developing valuable skills that can be applied directly to the new job.

Emergency experience will also help your resume stand out. The number of these positions available may be overshadowed by the number of applicants, so it’s good to accumulate a resume that stands out.

 Be Adaptable

It’s not so much that there aren’t many crisis nursing jobs in circulation. More that the number of local positions can vary tremendously. It’s a good idea to go into the job hunting process with an open mind, and a willingness to relocate for the position.

 A Traveling Job

Unless you happen to live someplace that naturally comes into contact with enough disasters to keep a healthcare professional busy three hundred or so days out of the year (Gothom City, perhaps) you’ll need to travel for this job.

The idea, of course, is to go into whatever community is being impacted by a disaster that is larger than the local healthcare system can handle on its own. For example, during hurricane seasons, crisis nurses may be hired in the aftermath of the storm to provide additional assistance to the community. When their time there is done, they move on to the next town.

Crisis nurses were also vital in responding to high-need areas during the height of the pandemic.

 A Dangerous Job?

Crisis nurses are typically working in the relatively controlled environment of a hospital. The position is not intended to be dangerous. However, there is always an element of risk to the nursing profession. Any emergency room nurse will be all too happy to share with you stories of overly aggressive patients, or belligerent visitors.

Crisis nurses are not supposed to come into contact with danger, but the capacity for risk is certainly there. During the height of Covid-19, for example, nurses specifically responding to the pandemic experienced a much higher risk of infection than those who were working on non-covid floors.

 An Emotionally Difficult Task

It is worth noting that working as a crisis nurse can be an emotionally challenging job. Most nurses at least run the risk of encountering difficult situations at work, but for crisis nurses, emotional challenges are baked right into the job description.

Crisis nurses should go into the job with the understanding that they will often be interacting with communities in their most desperate moments.

 Self-Care

Crisis nurses need to know how to take care of themselves just as well as they take care of their patients. Stress, anxiety, and even depression are common burdens experienced by people working in the medical profession. The job is difficult. The things you experience are often emotionally challenging.

People who don’t prioritize their mental and emotional health experience a significant risk of burnout. Practice self-care and be willing to speak up and advocate for yourself at home and at work.

 The Perks

There are benefits to being a crisis nurse that sweetens the pot for those considering this line of work. For one thing, the job tends to stay fresh. Rather than returning to the same floor of the same hospital day after day, you will be traveling to new places, always responding to the unique circumstances of the disaster that brought you there.

For many crisis nurses, this alone is an exciting way to break up the monotony of working life.
There is also the pay. According to ZipRecruiter, crisis nurses can expect to make up to $100,000, significantly higher than the average nursing salary.

 Conclusion

Crisis nursing is a difficult profession, not for the faint of heart. The right candidate will be ready and willing to regularly encounter desperate medical situations while working in recently devastated communities.

They will need to be able to travel often and adapt to changing circumstances at the drop of a hat. Perhaps most important of all, they need to know how to take care of themselves.

The work is difficult. The situations are long, hard, and often emotionally devastating. For the right candidate, however, crisis nursing is a great way to make a living while applying their trade in a way that literally saves lives

.With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

 

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.

When Bureaucracy Prevents Nurses from Working – It’s Not Pretty

America’s nursing shortage is so profound that one would think recent graduates could start in their new registered nurse jobs the day after graduation. But that is not how it works. Thanks to bureaucracy, graduates in some states need to wait weeks – or even months – before they can start working.

Bureaucratic delays are both unnecessary and illogical. But they are commonplace in any industry that requires workers to be licensed. From nursing to cosmetology and selling real estate, bureaucracy fouls everything up. The strange thing when it comes to nursing is that bureaucrats have not learned their lesson. How much worse does the nursing shortage have to get before something changes?

Waiting Months for a Permit

The Erie Times-News recently told the story of a nursing school graduate who was already working for a local hospital at the time she finished her education. She was employed as a patient care technician. Ready to begin working as a registered nurse, she only needed a temporary state permit to get her through until she passed the nursing boards and got a permanent license.

Getting a permit should be simple enough, right? Not in Pennsylvania. This particular young lady waited for months and still didn’t get it. And she is not alone. Both Pennsylvania’s Department of State and nursing board are overwhelmed with permit and license applications. They have processed some 4,800 applications since April 2022. The Department of State operates on a staff of just twenty.

You cannot fault state workers themselves. The system is not designed for efficiency. Rather, it is designed to be slow and tedious. The fact that aspiring nurses even need to make application is proof of that.

Licensing Is Largely Meaningless

What is so frustrating about this sort of thing is that licensing is largely meaningless. While hospitals and clinics are desperate to fill growing numbers of open registered nurse jobs, permit and license applications languish on government desks. Yet a license is little more than a piece of paper a nurse needs to pay to get. It doesn’t do anything.

A licensed nurse has undergone years of education and training. They have put in clinical hours. By the time they have earned their degree and finished their clinical rotations, they are ready to begin caring for patients. Obtaining a state license doesn’t make them a better nurse. It does not improve the quality of care they provide.

The Bureaucracy Persists

One of the hospitals the Erie Times-News spoke to told them they had plans to start four dozen new nurses in mid-July. When the time came, they could only start twenty. The remaining eighteen were waiting on licenses or scores from the nursing board. The hospital is looking at some of them not being available for another month.

The bureaucracy persists even in the face of desperate need. Meanwhile, the bureaucrats and politicians continue to promote licensing and accreditation as a way to guarantee only properly trained people can enter the nursing profession. But isn’t that what a college education is for?

Incidentally, bureaucratic licensing and accreditation are becoming increasingly more prevalent in the American workplace. It is getting to be that some states will not allow people to do anything without being licensed. And why? Is it about money? Is it about control?

There are few answers to the question of why. There is also a very little hope that the bureaucracy will go away. The one thing we can say for sure is that registered nurse jobs are available in spades. If you are looking for a career with an insatiable demand for workers, try nursing.

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.