RN Versus BSN: The Differences

RN vs. BSN

Changes in nursing involve a major shift in higher education standards, requiring more nurses to hold a 4-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). The new requirements stem from research by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) that showed significantly improved patient outcomes when there was an increase in BSNs.

BSN, ADN, RN: The Difference in The Letters

Of course, all nurses are rigorously trained to provide patient care. Let’s review the different levels of training for each position by taking a closer look at the letters that come after a nurse’s name. BSN means bachelor of science in nursing, ADN means associate degree in nursing, and RN means registered nurse.

• BSN is a diploma from a 4-year program: A person with a BSN has graduated from a four-year nursing program at a college, university, or nursing school.
• ADN is a diploma from a 2-year program: A person with an ADN has graduated from a two-year nursing school.
• RN is a certification: A person with the RN designation has passed a national licensing exam—after graduating from a nursing program with a BSN or an ADN. The licensing exam is called NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination), and it’s a nationwide test required to license nurses.

So, if you’re an RN with a two-year ADN, are there reasons to go back to school and earn your four-year BSN degree? Well, that depends on you and your goals. But thousands of students and nurses are getting their BSN—and many of them are doing it in direct response to the IOM recommendation for more nurses to be BSN-prepared. If the IOM says that more BSNs are better for patient health, then nurses everywhere are going to respond.

Here are 5 reasons why you might want to pursue a BSN degree:

1. Open the doors for a teaching position;
2. Upward mobility and career development;
3. Salary;
4. Stand out in the applicant pool;
5. Be the difference and make a difference in patient care.

Sumner College’s new BSN degree program can be completed in less than 3 years. No prerequisites courses are required and we accept transfer credits. Learn more today by visiting www.sumnercollege.com

The Importance of A BSN

Nursing and Healthcare Trends for 2022

Knowing upcoming healthcare trends can help guide your practice and decisions. Two nursing leaders share the top 10 trends they expect in 2022.

While dramatic changes were happening in healthcare before the pandemic, COVID-19 caused these changes to occur more quickly. These changes have helped address stresses placed on the healthcare system.

We spoke with two seasoned nursing leaders about the trends in healthcare expected in 2022. We discuss those trends and offer insight into how healthcare delivery is evolving.

10 Nursing Trends We Expect to See in the Coming Years

The last of the baby boomer generation will retire in 2030. This means changes in how healthcare is delivered will be necessary to meet more complex medical needs. Nursing leaders expect to see these ten trending patterns in the coming year. They will affect how nursing care is managed and delivered.

1. Job Growth for Nurses Will Continue to Rise

The world is in the middle of a critical nursing shortage. Many factors have contributed to the current situation:

• Increased demand for care during the pandemic
• Retiring nurse educators mean a falling number of nursing faculty
• Nurse burnout from the pandemic
• An aging population with complex medical needs
• Nursing staff reaching retirement
• Greater shortage in rural areas
• Job growth is a function of supply and demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the job growth for registered nurses (RNs) through 2030 to be 9%, as fast as average. They also estimate job growth for advanced practice nurses through 2030 to be 45%.

2. Home Health Will Increase in Popularity

Demand for home healthcare nurses will grow as the population ages. However, COVID-19 prompted an unexpected rise in need for these services. Home health benefits are a lifeline for vulnerable patients who are at increased risk of medical complications. This includes infectious illnesses like COVID-19.

In response, a new bill called the Choose Home Care Act was introduced to the Senate in July 2021 and to the U.S. House of Representatives in October 2021. If passed, it would expand the benefits provided by Medicare for home healthcare services. It would also open the door to more remote monitoring and tele health nursing services for seniors. Seniors could choose to go home rather than a skilled nursing facility after hospitalization.

As home healthcare expands, experts are calling for greater standardization in the industry. They point out that license requirements are not uniform across states, making applications at the federal level next to impossible. Industry leaders are calling for standard on boarding and vetting procedures. It would include background checks, experience, certification, and social security verification.

3. Care Models Will Experience a Necessary Shift

Anne Dabrow Woods, chief nurse at Wolters Kluwer Health, anticipates a necessary shift in how nursing care models are applied due to COVID-19. For instance, the New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System carried out a vigorous model of nursing care during the pandemic.

There are two key components to how care is delivered:

• The mode of delivery
• The skills of nurses on the hospital unit
  “Healthcare models must migrate from traditional nurse-to-patient staffing models to a more agile one in times of crisis, that facilitates flexibility and supports the best care for patients,” Dabrow Woods explains.

While staffing must be based on patients’ care level and staff competency, Dabrow Woods proposes an improved model during crisis management: team-based with an increase in floating nurses.

This system would allow hospitals to address hardships caused by future public health events or insufficient staffing, not unlike what we face now with COVID-19. Dabrow Woods stresses the need to be flexible. A care model should always support an organization and a nurse’s ability to deliver excellent patient care.
To continue reading this article visit Nursing Journal – Nursing and Healthcare Trends in 2022

Written by: Gayle Morris, RN, BSN, MSN
Photo Credit: Shared from Nursing Journal / Getty Images

Top 5 Jobs for New Nursing Grads

Top 5 Jobs For New Nursing Graduates

So you’re a brand new nursing graduate. First of all, massive congratulations completing all of the intense work this required. Second, let’s get you on the right path for finding your healthcare career instead of just another job. The entire goal of this piece is to quite literally give you peace of mind when it comes to picking a job position that will be the start you need in your brand new nursing career.

Nursing Job Search

As soon as you graduate, it’s important to hit the ground running and get on your job search. You see, by not taking time and placing a gap on your resume, employers will understand your willingness and excitement to get started on your healthcare career journey, which is only a positive thing when it comes to hiring.

Starting your healthcare job search might be daunting, but breaking it down into small and digestible pieces will make it way easier. If you look at each thing you need to do as a small item on a list and cross them off as you go, you’ll feel a lot less overwhelmed and more in control. With that said, most nursing schools do happen to have placement help and job fairs to introduce you to healthcare organizations that could help you with getting your new graduate nursing job.

But the real move, that’s niche healthcare job boards such as Healthcare Consultant. You see, niche healthcare job boards are truly the way of the future. With job boards being the second biggest source for receiving jobs (behind referrals) how can you let an opportunity like this go to waste?

The advantage of a niche healthcare job board over a regular one is that it has more direct jobs from people who actually know what they’re doing in the connected industries. With a normal old job board, you may be spammed with tons of irrelevant jobs and dealing with people who are unfamiliar with the healthcare industry.

Go With The Flow

Now I know after working hard in college and in your training you think you’re ready for everything and anything nursing. But the reality of the situation is that, although you’re ready on paper, you aren’t actually ready to tackle everything in the field. This will come from experience, so dip your toes in lightly and don’t burn yourself out. So with that said, when looking for that first job to get started, go with the flow. Now, you’re probably wondering what I mean. Well, your first job in reality probably won’t be your dream job. It’s through this hard work and opportunity you get at your first job that you start to form your own expectations of where you’d like to be in life and who you’d like to work for. Get a year or two in and move onto another brighter path with the help of a niche job board.

Where do I start?

Well, there are a lot of options of places or organizations to work once you have finished your nursing degree.

Types of facilities willing to take in nursing graduates frequently:

• Nursing Homes
• Doctor’s Offices
• Health Care Agencies

The above are awesome for gaining some fundamental experience in a not too aggressive or demanding environment such as an operating room.

Another thing you can do is be open to a nationwide job search. You’ll have more of a say in salary, and get to experience what it’s like somewhere else. It does come with its downsides of course, but if it fits into your lifestyle, you can really take advantage of this with travel nursing.

You can take internships or volunteer if you want something a little extra to pad the old resume.

Salary: $62,472 on average annually.

Best Jobs For New Nursing Graduates

Medical-Surgical Nursing (Med-Surg)

This is the most commonly thought of specialty when it comes to the nursing specialty that people think new grad nurses start in.

As a med-surg nurse you will be primarily caring and provide services to adult patients with a very wide range of conditions. Granting you invaluable experience that can take you all the way to the moon.

In this position you could be dealing with someone who hasn’t had surgery, or just had surgery. The options are practically unlimited along with the actions you’ll be performing for your patients such as bedside assistance, medication dispersal, and handling family visitation.

Operating Room Nurse

The surgical procedure team. Likely the team known for having guts of glory and the ability to tackle the toughest decisions at the drop of a pin. These are some hardcore people and without them we wouldn’t have the care we need. So if you were to join the surgical procedure team as an operating room nurse, what would you be doing?

• Supplying the surgeon with equipment that is both sterilized and precise.
• Helping to prepare and clean the room before and after surgery.
• Prepare the patient for recovery in the recovery room.

So what makes this a great choice for new grad nurses?

Well, you see, a lot of nurses get flustered if they’re thrust into an exhausting environment like the emergency room with several patients. But having one patient can help to keep a nurse on task and focused without feeling the drain from overwhelm.

Salary: $66,713 on average annually.

Emergency Room Nurse (ER Nurse)

An emergency nurse is key to working with the team that handles the emergency cases at the hospital. Typically, when a patient freshly arrives at the ER a team will be waiting to evaluate and stabilize patients who need medical care. Many scenarios actually work with life-threatening injuries, wounds, and ailments. But what will you most commonly be doing?

• Giving medication to patients
• Looking over patients while doctors make their rounds
• Patching and cleaning minor wounds

But in my opinion, out of all of these on the list, this is the very best one for new grad nurses. The reason is because you will get a good assortment of experience without having to dive into the most nitty of the gritty, so to speak. This job also helps you to improve your time management skills because time management in this role is critical. You’ll learn to make the best out of fast-paced situations.

Salary: This role brings in $65,470 annually on average.

Labor and Delivery Nurse

In this role, you will be the helping hand that obstetricians need while actively on duty. Basically, you’re bringing new life into this world and your job is of the utmost importance. You help the obstetrician to make the process go smoothly and act as a sort of patient advocate when coaching new mothers to a successful birth. Before the delivery you’ll likely be talking to expecting parents about the process of birth and all of the prenatal actions needed before going into delivery.

• Educating parents on newborns and risks
• Coaching expecting mothers to a successful delivery
• Teach vital care skills
• Check and monitor babies health and vital signs

This is a good role because it challenges much of the stigma in the industry. You’re able to do something that most nurses are never able to do. You have to use your empathy and compassion for people to really look out for them during an incredibly vulnerable time.

Salary: The expected annual salary for this role is about $55,426 annually.

Intensive Care Unit Nurse (ICU Nurse)

Welcome to one of the most insane environments in all of the medicine world, the intensive care unit. All nursing careers can be a bit tough, but this one, this one might just be in competition to take the cake.

As an ICU nurse, your role in many cases is quite literally life or death. You learn how to help patients and other staff during medical emergencies and attempt to slow down any negative effects they may be suffering from. Other than this, you may be keeping close tabs on patient conditions in an attempt to keep them stabilized.

So as a whole, working in this one as a new graduate nurse can be incredibly rewarding and build up a ton of character for you. You’ll have to learn how to pay attention to the closest and sometimes the most minute of details.

• Practice good time management and efficiency while caring for patients
• Learn some methods for specialized care
• Use next-generation equipment properly
• Care for patients as health declines

These are just some of the skills you’ll pick up as a new grad ICU nurse. But as a whole, this position will be amazing for setting you up for a transition to another specialization of nursing in the future if interested.

Salary: The average annual salary expectation for someone in this role is $64,764 annually.

The Future For New Nursing Graduates

Well, after reading this, you should have a good idea of what kind of roles you can obtain in healthcare as a new nursing grad. The best nursing jobs for new nursing grads will likely always be these five as they give diverse, important, and impactful career experience. In any case, we wish you the best of luck in your nursing endeavors and remember to set yourself on a nursing pathway that works for you and your career goals.

Article was written and published by Healthcare Talent Link. Visit their website with the link below.

Nursing – New Innovations

Nurses have more career options than perhaps ever before. Here are the top Jobs on the Rise

Article written by Path to Recovery, a newsletter that delivers weekly conversations on how the health care profession will recover from one of the most significant crises of our time. 

This week, I’m covering some of the data from our annual Jobs on the Rise report. Check out our full coverage here.

Sharonda Davis never expected to leave nursing. But when the pandemic hit, her job working in intensive care and progressive care units in a South Florida hospital became untenable.

“I had never dealt with that much death in my career,” she said. “I didn’t realize I was becoming severely depressed. I lost interest in my husband; I lost interest in my children. And one day, I just quit.”

Davis, however, didn’t go far from the hospital. Today, she uses many of the same skills she developed as a nurse in her work as a chest pain coordinator, a job that involves working with doctors and paramedics to develop protocols for managing chest pain patients. The role makes good use of her patient care skills as well as her background in communication and data science.

“It was a role that I didn’t even know existed, but I really love,” she said.

Davis is among the 18% of U.S. health care workers who are estimated to have quit during the pandemic, according to Morning Consult, a research and data firm. In specialties that work directly with covid patients, the numbers might be even higher; the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses found that as many as two-thirds of nurses have considered leaving. The situation is similar in Canada, where last summer the health care industry saw year-over-year increases in job vacancies that outpaced other sectors.

Nurses are in high demand, and there are opportunities to move not only across specialties but away from the bedside altogether. A nursing degree offers an advantage, nurses say, because it’s often easier to supplement health care training with communication or technical skills, rather than vice versa.

“A lot of nurses have awakened to the power of the position,” said Alice Benjamin, who is both an advanced-practice nurse as well as a podcast host and media contributor. And while those roles might sound very different, Benjamin points out that they all involve patient education.

“What are you passionate about?” she said, when asked about the advice she’d give nurses looking for a change. “Find what else you’re good at and marry that with your nursing license.”

When LinkedIn crunched the data on the fastest-growing job titles, it wasn’t surprising to see health care functions on the list. Two roles that made it to the top could be related to the pandemic: vaccine specialist and molecular biologist. But we’re also seeing rapid growth in nursing fields, particularly for surgical intensive care and postpartum nurses. And these two opportunities allow nurses to move beyond the pandemic crunch.

To calculate the fastest-growing jobs, we examined the increase in the number of professionals who added those job titles from Jan. 1, 2017 through July 31, 2021.

Health care jobs also featured prominently in the data we gathered for Canada, where our Jobs on the Rise include vaccine specialist, public health nurse, public health specialist and clinical data manager. The global public health space was gaining momentum even before the pandemic due to growing awareness of how societal and socioeconomic factors affect our health and contribute to rising rates of chronic diseases.

Jobs in public health also provide better hours than typical nursing jobs, said Toronto-based Sara Fung, CEO and founder of the RN Resume, who added that nurses are trying to transition into not only public health, but teaching or doctor’s offices.

“I’ve seen a big surge in nurses wanting to leave the bedside,” she said. “Most people, to be honest, are looking beyond hospitals.”

Burnout hasn’t been the only factor prompting nurses to make a change. Surgical specialties like perioperative care “took a body blow,” said Phyllis Quinlan, an executive coach for nurses, as hospitals canceled elective procedures during covid surges. Some nurses were redeployed to critical care; others were furloughed and still others retired.

At the same time, many countries are facing a critical nursing shortage, and nurses are realizing that they have more clout than perhaps ever before. There’s also hiring interest coming from outside of the health care industry, as non-traditional players like tech companies seek to enter the space.

“The new challenge for leadership is to understand that things are never going to be the same,” Quinlan said. “It’s not going to take a lot [for nurses] to say, ‘That’s enough, we’re done.’”

To keep up with changes in the industry, Rita Wise, director of the masters in nursing education and nursing administration program at the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences, encourages nurses to seek out opportunities that build leadership skills, like serving on committees or training nursing students.

“You absolutely, as a nurse, have to keep evolving,” she said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean going back to school, but it definitely means increasing your skill set all the time.”

Like others, Wise suggests that nurses think first and foremost about their interests and passions before deciding on a career move — rather than jumping on the latest bandwagon. She also predicts continued demand for nurse educators as the field continues to add new specialties and technologies. And getting back into a classroom, Wise adds, could also help counteract burnout.

Toronto-based Marida Etherington is among the nurses who have made a career shift due to the pandemic. Etherington has a background in acute-care mental health, and she made a transition away from working in a hospital by first volunteering to provide online therapy to frontline workers. From there, she began offering psychotherapy to adult and pediatric clients as well as coaching services for nurses who want to make a career change.

While she misses her former colleagues and the camaraderie that comes from working night shifts together, it was clear to her that working in a hospital was too risky, especially with an immunocompromised husband and three children at home. Overall, she says she’s happy with the move.

“It really fuels me and I feel like I am giving back to the community,” she said.  “I’m doing exactly what I want to do, so you can’t put a price tag on that.”

Looking for a change?

Sara Fung and Amie Archibald-Varley, co-directors of The Gritty Nurse podcast, offer these tips to nurses:

• Put yourself out there: don’t be afraid to apply for jobs even when you don’t meet 100% of the requirements
• Don’t overload your resume with irrelevant experience, but call out areas where you can show hard numbers that speak to the impact you’ve had
• Focus on translatable skills like information technology, certifications, critical thinking and communication
• Seek out opportunities to join workgroups, particularly around quality or process improvement
• Don’t forget about networking, especially in the small world of nursing

Shared from Linked In News – Image credit Linked In

From Bitter to Blessed – Nursing Christmas Story

This Christmas story was written by a nurse we’d call Any Nurse. And just like most nurses, she wasn’t too eager to work on Christmas Day. In fact, she dreaded the shift from the moment her alarm clock woke her up.

But just like most nurses, Any Nurse had to go to the hospital. As soon as she started her shift, IV alarms started beeping, call lights were ringing, and pharmacy techs became busy delivering medications.

While she was busy trying to get an IV in one stick on a patient who badly needed a blood transfusion, a code blue was paged. Her heart jumped and skipped a little imagining that someone’s loved one was coding on such a special day.

Down the hall, she saw Valerie. She’s a 2-year old burn patient, a victim of a kitchen accident. Any Nurse hoped that Valerie wouldn’t have any disfiguring scars. Just imagining Valeria at 13 years old and dealing with those scars made her heart hurt. Any Nurse has a 2-year-old kid.

She went on to help Anita, her nursing assistant. They bathe a 76-year-old patient who was admitted with a stroke. The two of them combed the patient’s thinning hair and applied a red lipstick to her lips. With the patient’s garbled speech, she managed to say “Thank you, dear.”

On her way back to the station, Any Nurse answered a call light from a patient who was cold. She went to the supply room and found several blanket warmers. As she gave one to her patient, she saw her smile as the warmth seeped in.

After her shift, Any Nurse felt really excited to go home, share her day with her husband, and cuddle with her healthy kids.

Story and Image credit shared from Nursebuff.com 

 

Funding Nursing School

Sumner College understands that every student’s financial situation is unique. Our financial aid department can provide you with more information about Oregon financial aid options and show you how to apply for financial assistance.

If you have not already done so, it is important for you to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and schedule a time to meet with a Financial Aid Representative prior to enrollment. During your appointment, we can help you find and apply for financial aid. We can also help you find out what you are qualified for and what kind of loans will be needed.

Many of the specific eligibility requirements to gain and retain Federal Aid eligibility can be found in the publications provided by the U.S. Department of Education and on their websites at studentaid.ed.gov/eligibility. Many of these booklets, brochures, pamphlets, applications and other consumer information available at the Campus Financial Aid Offices.

If you are not sure how to fill out the FAFSA, the Financial Aid department at Sumner College will assist you with the application. Complete your Electronic Master Promissory Note and entrance counseling for student loans at studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/index.action.

School Code for Sumner College: 014581

Dream It. Do It! Advance your career at Sumner College

You dreamed that someday you’d work in the medical field – It’s time to take the next step!

Sumner College is enrolling for classes in Registered Nursing, Practical Nursing, Medical Assisting and RN to BSN. Visit our program pages to learn about each program and apply today!

 

 

 

 

ANA Urges US Department of Health and Human Services to Declare Nurse Staffing Shortage a National Crisis

This press release was originally published Sep 1, 2021 by the ANA. For more information visit their website.

SILVER SPRING, MD – The American Nurses Association (ANA), representing the interests of the nation’s 4.2 million nurses, urges the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to declare the current and unsustainable nurse staffing shortage facing our country a national crisis. In a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, ANA calls for the Administration to acknowledge and take concrete action to address the current crisis-level nurse staffing shortage that puts nurses’ ability to care for patients in jeopardy.

“The nation’s health care delivery systems are overwhelmed, and nurses are tired and frustrated as this persistent pandemic rages on with no end in sight. Nurses alone cannot solve this longstanding issue and it is not our burden to carry,” said ANA President Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN. “If we truly value the immeasurable contributions of the nursing workforce, then it is imperative that HHS utilize all available authorities to address this issue.”

ANA calls on the Administration to deploy these policy solutions to address the dire nurse staffing shortage crisis. HHS must:

• Convene stakeholders to identify short- and long-term solutions to staffing challenges to face the demand of the COVID-19 pandemic response, ensure the nation’s health care delivery system is best equipped to provide quality care for patients, and prepared for the future challenges.
• Work with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on methodologies and approaches to promote payment equity for nursing services and remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to APRN practice.
• Educate the nation on the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine to provide resources for widespread administration of the COVID-19 vaccine and any subsequent boosters.
• Sustain a nursing workforce that meets current and future staffing demands to ensure access to care for patients and prioritize the mental health of nurses and other health professionals.
• Provide additional resources including recruitment and retention incentives that will attract students to the nursing profession and retain skilled nurses to the demands of patient care.

“ANA stands ready to work with HHS and other stakeholders on a whole of government approach to ensure we have a strong nursing workforce today and in the future,” said Dr. Grant. “Our nation must have a robust nursing workforce at peak health and wellness to administer COVID-19 vaccines, educate communities, and provide safe patient care for millions of Americans.  We cannot be a healthy nation until we commit to address underlying, chronic nursing workforce challenges that have persisted for decades.”

# # #

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the premier organization representing the interests of the nation’s 4.3 million registered nurses. ANA advances the profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting a safe and ethical work environment, bolstering the health and wellness of nurses, and advocating on health care issues that affect nurses and the public. ANA is at the forefront of improving the quality of health care for all. For more information, visit www.nursingworld.org.

Should I be a Nurse?

By: American Nurses Association – Shared from the ANA website

6 Things to Consider When Choosing a Nursing Career

Nursing is a fantastic career choice that has a huge amount of benefits, ranging from fantastic opportunities to personal fulfillment. Before you jump into a nursing course or role, however, it’s important to make sure that the role fits you. Nursing can be one of the most rewarding careers in the world, but it does require commitment and compassion, so it’s best to get a realistic understanding of what’s involved before you start. We’ve highlighted six key things to consider before pursuing a career in nursing.

To give some insight into how these points affect real nurses, we’ve spoken with Beth Hawkes, a Registered Nurse, to see how she balances them in her work.

Beth Hawkes is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist with a long and diverse background in acute care. She’s a published author, owner of the award-winning blog, nursecode.com and popular career columnist for allnurses.com. She is widely known on social media as Nurse Beth.

1. Caring is Key

As a nurse, you’ll be there for your patients through the good times and bad, you’ll become a vital part of their support network and often play a pivotal role in their comfort and happiness. Being able to make a difference in people’s lives is one of the most fulfilling aspects of being a nurse. But it’s not without its challenges.

Supporting patients can be emotionally and psychologically draining. A busy schedule can mean you don’t always feel like you’re there as much as you like for your patients. It can also leave you finding yourself emotionally drained at the end of a difficult day. To be a successful nurse, you must be driven by compassion and the desire to help people. This will enable you to get satisfaction from your work, even during the tougher times.

Nurse Beth says that creating these caring connections is her favourite thing about being a nurse. She says “I didn’t know this before I became a nurse, but my favourite thing about my job is the connection I make with my patients in times of need. It’s a privilege to be allowed in that space. There is nothing more gratifying to me than providing comfort and safe passage. Sometimes it’s when I recognize early signs of sepsis and intervene. Other times it’s creating a safe, non-judgmental space. And sometimes it’s simply a warm blanket tucked in just so.”

2. Be Resilient

Resilience has long been cited as a key characteristic of those in nursing. The nature of the job you’re doing means you have to take the highs with the lows. Choosing nursing means you can be with people as they overcome some of the biggest challenges they’ll face in their lives. But you may also be there at their lowest points too.

It’s important to establish this skill at the beginning of your career. Nurse Beth learnt resilience early on, working in emotional situations. She says “I would empathize with a patient or family, maybe to the point of tears, but then step out into the hall and quickly be composed and available for my next patient. It’s when I cared for a brain dead 45-year-old mother of two being kept alive for organ harvesting while the eleven-year-old daughter was at the bedside. Being therapeutic means meeting my patients at their point of need, which calls for both sensitivity and resiliency.”

This can be emotionally draining and may mean you have to work with people at their most vulnerable and upset. It’s important for nurses to be resilient enough to work in a wide variety of situations and still be there for their patients. If you are compassionate and resilient, nursing is likely to be a fantastic and incredibly rewarding career for you.

3. The Pros and Cons of Shift Work

The demand for nursing never stops, so the reality of life for most nurses includes shift work and some unsociable hours. A regular nursing shift pattern involves three days working 12-hour shifts, followed by four days off. 12-hour shifts let nurses become involved in and familiar with their patients’ care plans and lessen the number of changes of staff. Meaning more consistency for those under their care.

Taking four days off following three days of shifts allows nurses to rest and relax, giving time to keep themselves in top condition to provide quality care for their patients. The three on, four off pattern of working also allows nurses time to spend with their family or pursue their hobbies.

In order to handle shift work and make the most of the potential benefits for your lifestyle it’s important to get the best sleep you can. Some helpful tips to achieve this include:

• Block out light from your bedroom with window coverings or blackout blinds
• Turn your phone off when trying to sleep
• Invest in a good quality, comfortable, and supportive mattress and pillow
• Ask for support from friends and family by being considerate of your sleeping pattern

Nurse Beth says that it is important to find a pattern that works for you, while pulling your weight as part of a team. “While less desirable shifts have to be shared fairly, I advocate for nurses finding the right fit for themselves, and managers working with their staff to help them do the same. Some nurses simply cannot tolerate night shift. Others thrive. When you find the right place for you, your performance is at its best.”

4. Keep Active

Being a nurse will definitely help you keep on your feet and remain active. A common part of the job is spending a lot of your time walking, doing rounds, and helping patients. A study from 2006 found that nurses walk an average of between four and five miles in the course of a 12-hour shift.

A good level of fitness is a great benefit to potential nurses. It’ll help you stay focused and energetic while getting your job done. It’s also worth taking care of your body and investing in shoes and clothing that will support your body and stave off fatigue. Supportive clogs and trainers can help prevent weary feet. If you make the choice to pursue nursing, try changing your shoes half-way through your shift. This way you’ll have the benefit of uncompressed support round the clock.

5. There’s a Balance Between Science and Service

A career in nursing means undertaking the dual roles of providing excellent service and care to all patients and visitors, while also taking a scientific approach to monitoring their condition and analyzing their progress. This can be a fine line to walk and it’s okay to be stronger in one area than the other. But it is important that you’re happy and able to work in both of these areas.

The balance you’d have to strike between science and service in your career as a nurse varies depending on the type of nursing work you choose. Certified nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) tend to work either under Registered Nurses (RNs) or in care homes or home health facilities. These roles are often more weighted towards service, with some routine medical monitoring.

Specialized nursing roles like Nurse Practitioner, however, may require more extensive scientific skills and understanding. This position requires classification, treatment, and management of chronic diseases, interpretation of diagnostic tests, and performance of a wide range of procedures. It’s important to take into account where you want your balance to be between science and service when you’re planning your nursing career.

There is pleasure to be taken from both sides of the role, as Nurse Beth has found throughout here career. “I apply my expertise to each patient while being cognizant of their comfort and needs. I know how to start an IV with the least amount of pain while paying attention to their unspoken fears and anxiety. Sometimes I can administer subcutaneous insulin and they don’t even know it was given.

“I am as gratified brewing a cup of fresh coffee for my post-angiogram patient who was NPO for twelve hours as I am in recognizing when he shows early signs of a retroperitoneal bleed.

“Patients often don’t know my expertise because my critical thinking skills are always working on their behalf but behind the scenes. Even when they think we are just talking I’m critically assessing them. And in the words of Maya Angelou, they do know how I made them feel.”

To learn more about the different roles and responsibilities of nurse roles, take a look at our information on types of nurses.

6. On-Going Education is Important

One of the huge benefits of a career in nursing is the opportunities it offers for development and progress. There are so many ways for you to shape your career, whether it’s through diving into a specialism, like oncology, or striving for a senior role like Nurse Practitioner.

Nurse Beth has made a career out of advocating for nursing professional development, becoming a Nursing Professional Development Specialist. She believes that life-long learning is what will take nursing professionals to the next level. In her work, mentoring has been a big part of what can drive professional development, whether this is in a formal or informal setting.

To really get the most of all the incredible opportunities open to you on this career path, you need to be committed to on-going education. As a nurse, you’ll find opportunities for learning all around you every day. In addition to this, you should also pursue other opportunities to develop your skills. This could be reading academic articles, attending seminars and workshops, or undertaking new certificates and qualifications.

To keep up to date with qualifications and courses that will help your career in nursing, sign up to our newsletter.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

If these sound like qualities you possess, then a career in nursing could be the perfect path for you. Although nursing can be challenging, those in the profession are overwhelmingly happy with their choice. 83% of those surveyed by AMN Healthcare’s 2017 Survey of Registered Nurses said they were satisfied with their choice of career.

Being a nurse is one of the most fulfilling jobs in the world. It allows you to make a real, tangible difference in people’s lives and offer them support when they need it most.

It also offers fantastic stability, benefits, and advancement opportunities, so you can support you and your family. If you think you’re suited to a career in nursing and want to get started, sign up for our newsletter written by experts from American Nurses Associations (ANA), to get expert help on taking the next steps.

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Categories: Nurse Career Path

Should I be a Nurse?

By: American Nurses Association – Shared from the ANA website

6 Things to Consider When Choosing a Nursing Career

Nursing is a fantastic career choice that has a huge amount of benefits, ranging from fantastic opportunities to personal fulfillment. Before you jump into a nursing course or role, however, it’s important to make sure that the role fits you. Nursing can be one of the most rewarding careers in the world, but it does require commitment and compassion, so it’s best to get a realistic understanding of what’s involved before you start. We’ve highlighted six key things to consider before pursuing a career in nursing.

To give some insight into how these points affect real nurses, we’ve spoken with Beth Hawkes, a Registered Nurse, to see how she balances them in her work.

Beth Hawkes is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist with a long and diverse background in acute care. She’s a published author, owner of the award-winning blog, nursecode.com and popular career columnist for allnurses.com. She is widely known on social media as Nurse Beth.

1. Caring is Key

As a nurse, you’ll be there for your patients through the good times and bad, you’ll become a vital part of their support network and often play a pivotal role in their comfort and happiness. Being able to make a difference in people’s lives is one of the most fulfilling aspects of being a nurse. But it’s not without its challenges.

Supporting patients can be emotionally and psychologically draining. A busy schedule can mean you don’t always feel like you’re there as much as you like for your patients. It can also leave you finding yourself emotionally drained at the end of a difficult day. To be a successful nurse, you must be driven by compassion and the desire to help people. This will enable you to get satisfaction from your work, even during the tougher times.

Nurse Beth says that creating these caring connections is her favourite thing about being a nurse. She says “I didn’t know this before I became a nurse, but my favourite thing about my job is the connection I make with my patients in times of need. It’s a privilege to be allowed in that space. There is nothing more gratifying to me than providing comfort and safe passage. Sometimes it’s when I recognize early signs of sepsis and intervene. Other times it’s creating a safe, non-judgmental space. And sometimes it’s simply a warm blanket tucked in just so.”

2. Be Resilient

Resilience has long been cited as a key characteristic of those in nursing. The nature of the job you’re doing means you have to take the highs with the lows. Choosing nursing means you can be with people as they overcome some of the biggest challenges they’ll face in their lives. But you may also be there at their lowest points too.

It’s important to establish this skill at the beginning of your career. Nurse Beth learnt resilience early on, working in emotional situations. She says “I would empathize with a patient or family, maybe to the point of tears, but then step out into the hall and quickly be composed and available for my next patient. It’s when I cared for a brain dead 45-year-old mother of two being kept alive for organ harvesting while the eleven-year-old daughter was at the bedside. Being therapeutic means meeting my patients at their point of need, which calls for both sensitivity and resiliency.”

This can be emotionally draining and may mean you have to work with people at their most vulnerable and upset. It’s important for nurses to be resilient enough to work in a wide variety of situations and still be there for their patients. If you are compassionate and resilient, nursing is likely to be a fantastic and incredibly rewarding career for you.

3. The Pros and Cons of Shift Work

The demand for nursing never stops, so the reality of life for most nurses includes shift work and some unsociable hours. A regular nursing shift pattern involves three days working 12-hour shifts, followed by four days off. 12-hour shifts let nurses become involved in and familiar with their patients’ care plans and lessen the number of changes of staff. Meaning more consistency for those under their care.

Taking four days off following three days of shifts allows nurses to rest and relax, giving time to keep themselves in top condition to provide quality care for their patients. The three on, four off pattern of working also allows nurses time to spend with their family or pursue their hobbies.

In order to handle shift work and make the most of the potential benefits for your lifestyle it’s important to get the best sleep you can. Some helpful tips to achieve this include:

• Block out light from your bedroom with window coverings or blackout blinds
• Turn your phone off when trying to sleep
• Invest in a good quality, comfortable, and supportive mattress and pillow
• Ask for support from friends and family by being considerate of your sleeping pattern

Nurse Beth says that it is important to find a pattern that works for you, while pulling your weight as part of a team. “While less desirable shifts have to be shared fairly, I advocate for nurses finding the right fit for themselves, and managers working with their staff to help them do the same. Some nurses simply cannot tolerate night shift. Others thrive. When you find the right place for you, your performance is at its best.”

4. Keep Active

Being a nurse will definitely help you keep on your feet and remain active. A common part of the job is spending a lot of your time walking, doing rounds, and helping patients. A study from 2006 found that nurses walk an average of between four and five miles in the course of a 12-hour shift.

A good level of fitness is a great benefit to potential nurses. It’ll help you stay focused and energetic while getting your job done. It’s also worth taking care of your body and investing in shoes and clothing that will support your body and stave off fatigue. Supportive clogs and trainers can help prevent weary feet. If you make the choice to pursue nursing, try changing your shoes half-way through your shift. This way you’ll have the benefit of uncompressed support round the clock.

5. There’s a Balance Between Science and Service

A career in nursing means undertaking the dual roles of providing excellent service and care to all patients and visitors, while also taking a scientific approach to monitoring their condition and analyzing their progress. This can be a fine line to walk and it’s okay to be stronger in one area than the other. But it is important that you’re happy and able to work in both of these areas.

The balance you’d have to strike between science and service in your career as a nurse varies depending on the type of nursing work you choose. Certified nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) tend to work either under Registered Nurses (RNs) or in care homes or home health facilities. These roles are often more weighted towards service, with some routine medical monitoring.

Specialized nursing roles like Nurse Practitioner, however, may require more extensive scientific skills and understanding. This position requires classification, treatment, and management of chronic diseases, interpretation of diagnostic tests, and performance of a wide range of procedures. It’s important to take into account where you want your balance to be between science and service when you’re planning your nursing career.

There is pleasure to be taken from both sides of the role, as Nurse Beth has found throughout here career. “I apply my expertise to each patient while being cognizant of their comfort and needs. I know how to start an IV with the least amount of pain while paying attention to their unspoken fears and anxiety. Sometimes I can administer subcutaneous insulin and they don’t even know it was given.

“I am as gratified brewing a cup of fresh coffee for my post-angiogram patient who was NPO for twelve hours as I am in recognizing when he shows early signs of a retroperitoneal bleed.

“Patients often don’t know my expertise because my critical thinking skills are always working on their behalf but behind the scenes. Even when they think we are just talking I’m critically assessing them. And in the words of Maya Angelou, they do know how I made them feel.”

To learn more about the different roles and responsibilities of nurse roles, take a look at our information on types of nurses.

6. On-Going Education is Important

One of the huge benefits of a career in nursing is the opportunities it offers for development and progress. There are so many ways for you to shape your career, whether it’s through diving into a specialism, like oncology, or striving for a senior role like Nurse Practitioner.

Nurse Beth has made a career out of advocating for nursing professional development, becoming a Nursing Professional Development Specialist. She believes that life-long learning is what will take nursing professionals to the next level. In her work, mentoring has been a big part of what can drive professional development, whether this is in a formal or informal setting.

To really get the most of all the incredible opportunities open to you on this career path, you need to be committed to on-going education. As a nurse, you’ll find opportunities for learning all around you every day. In addition to this, you should also pursue other opportunities to develop your skills. This could be reading academic articles, attending seminars and workshops, or undertaking new certificates and qualifications.

To keep up to date with qualifications and courses that will help your career in nursing, sign up to our newsletter.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

If these sound like qualities you possess, then a career in nursing could be the perfect path for you. Although nursing can be challenging, those in the profession are overwhelmingly happy with their choice. 83% of those surveyed by AMN Healthcare’s 2017 Survey of Registered Nurses said they were satisfied with their choice of career.

Being a nurse is one of the most fulfilling jobs in the world. It allows you to make a real, tangible difference in people’s lives and offer them support when they need it most.

It also offers fantastic stability, benefits, and advancement opportunities, so you can support you and your family. If you think you’re suited to a career in nursing and want to get started, sign up for our newsletter written by experts from American Nurses Associations (ANA), to get expert help on taking the next steps.

SIGN UP

Categories: Nurse Career Path

ANA Urges US Department of Health and Human Services to Declare Nurse Staffing Shortage a National Crisis

This press release was originally published Sep 1, 2021 by the ANA. For more information visit their website.

SILVER SPRING, MD – The American Nurses Association (ANA), representing the interests of the nation’s 4.2 million nurses, urges the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to declare the current and unsustainable nurse staffing shortage facing our country a national crisis. In a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, ANA calls for the Administration to acknowledge and take concrete action to address the current crisis-level nurse staffing shortage that puts nurses’ ability to care for patients in jeopardy.

“The nation’s health care delivery systems are overwhelmed, and nurses are tired and frustrated as this persistent pandemic rages on with no end in sight. Nurses alone cannot solve this longstanding issue and it is not our burden to carry,” said ANA President Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN. “If we truly value the immeasurable contributions of the nursing workforce, then it is imperative that HHS utilize all available authorities to address this issue.”

ANA calls on the Administration to deploy these policy solutions to address the dire nurse staffing shortage crisis. HHS must:

• Convene stakeholders to identify short- and long-term solutions to staffing challenges to face the demand of the COVID-19 pandemic response, ensure the nation’s health care delivery system is best equipped to provide quality care for patients, and prepared for the future challenges.
• Work with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on methodologies and approaches to promote payment equity for nursing services and remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to APRN practice.
• Educate the nation on the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine to provide resources for widespread administration of the COVID-19 vaccine and any subsequent boosters.
• Sustain a nursing workforce that meets current and future staffing demands to ensure access to care for patients and prioritize the mental health of nurses and other health professionals.
• Provide additional resources including recruitment and retention incentives that will attract students to the nursing profession and retain skilled nurses to the demands of patient care.

“ANA stands ready to work with HHS and other stakeholders on a whole of government approach to ensure we have a strong nursing workforce today and in the future,” said Dr. Grant. “Our nation must have a robust nursing workforce at peak health and wellness to administer COVID-19 vaccines, educate communities, and provide safe patient care for millions of Americans.  We cannot be a healthy nation until we commit to address underlying, chronic nursing workforce challenges that have persisted for decades.”

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The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the premier organization representing the interests of the nation’s 4.3 million registered nurses. ANA advances the profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting a safe and ethical work environment, bolstering the health and wellness of nurses, and advocating on health care issues that affect nurses and the public. ANA is at the forefront of improving the quality of health care for all. For more information, visit www.nursingworld.org.