Facts About Nursing

Article shared from NurseTogether

Becoming a registered nurse is the ultimate goal for a lot of men and women looking to enter the medical field. Registered nurses work directly with patients to provide care and have a wealth of knowledge and skills to offer, but there might be a few things that you didn’t know about registered nurses. Without further ado, here are 45 fun, interesting and surprising facts about registered nurses.

Nursing Facts

1. Florence Nightingale, a British nurse, and statistician, is considered to be the mother of modern nursing for her influence on how nurses were educated and viewed by society.

2. Florence Nightingale shaped the healthcare industry during the Crimean War when she introduced the concepts of hand hygiene, fresh air for patients, cleaning tools between patients, and other sanitation practices which resulted in saving many soldiers’ lives.

3. Florence Nightingale lived from 1820 to 1910 and was born in Italy although she was raised in England. She established the first scientifically-based nursing school 1860 appropriately named the Nightingale School of Nursing at St. Thomas Hospital in London.

4. The symbol for nursing is a lamp. Florence Nightingale was famous for carrying a lamp with her at night as she made her way between the tents of wounded and ill soldiers during the Crimean War, and was often referred to as “the lady with the lamp”. She also made the white nursing cap, used to hold hair back, famous and synonymous with the nursing profession.

5. Nursing caps are now usually only worn in ceremonies, often during graduation ceremonies for new nurses to symbolize their welcome into the profession. The famous hats have stopped being worn due to the fact that they can collect microbes (bacteria and viruses) and become unsanitary.

6. Nurses are considered one of the most trustworthy and ethical professions in the United States. In the year 2020, nurses were voted the #1 most trustworthy and ethical professionals for the 18^th year in a row. The nursing profession beats out doctors, policemen, firemen, teachers, and even clergy.

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Learn more about Nursing:

• Become A Registered Nurse
  • Become A Registered Nurse
  • RN vs. BSN Degree: What’s the Difference?
  • Certified Nurse Midwife Career
  • BSN Job Opportunities
  • BSNs are Important

Tips To Stay Healthy In Nursing School

The key components to staying healthy during your nursing education and going forward are to minimize stress, a proper nutritional daily intake, and an active social life. In addition to other issues that tie into these three include a drive to serve others, an individualized exercise plan, adequate sleep, and enhanced safety at school and clinicals.

ADOPT HEALTHY NUTRITIONAL HABITS

One subject that students learn a little about in nursing school is nutrition and how to eat well-balanced meals. Only a small amount of time is spent teaching nutrition, such as the primary food group, a necessity for the essential intake of vitamins and minerals, weight control, and more.

A properly balanced diet helps to boost immunity. Boosting immunity helps to ward off illnesses and improves overall wellness. Those who eat poorly may not know how to eat well-balanced and healthy meals every day. Eating high sugar and empty calorie foods every day becomes a bad habit.

Consistently eating a diet lacking in essential food choices shows up on the scales. An inadequate diet goes hand in hand with mood swings, irritability, dull hair, skin, and nails, increased stress, and a lack of overall healthy luster.

How can you focus on your education and make good grades when feeling drained from a poor diet? How can you teach a patient about healthy choices in life when you yourself don’t practice healthy living?

It may take a few extra minutes out of your busy day to set up balanced meals, but you will discover that eating healthy is well worth the effort. 

For years, the food pyramid served as a guide for many people wanting to eat correctly. My Plate replaced the food pyramid in 2005. My Plate provides five food groups, proteins, whole grains, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and dairy. Refer to My Plate for in-depth information about eating the correct amounts.

My Plate is an easy and understandable guide to eating well-balanced meals and snacks.

Following healthy eating habits dramatically increases personal wellness and school performance.

LEARN HOW TO HANDLE NURSING STRESS DO NOT LET IT HANDLE YOU

Nurses are always under stress. That makes it even more critical for you as a student to learn early on how to deal with stress.

Unfortunately, many people under stress may have no appetite and consistently skip meals. Others under the same pressure may feel they cannot get enough food and grab unhealthy food options such as sugary snacks, soda, candy bars, coffee, prepared sandwiches, fast foods, and quick fix frozen meals.

With many different stress factors in your life during school, such as balancing your family life, job, and the constant pressure of making it to the next semester, it is easy to adopt these poor habits.

Once a student earns their nursing degree, passes state boards, and finally earns their nursing license, it might be possible to take a deep breath because all the school stress is behind them. However, stress is the middle name of every nurse. As a nurse enters the nursing profession, more stress comes with a nurse’s daily job duties.

The difference is how you handle the pressure. New nurses quickly find out how very complicated and involved the nursing profession has become. The new nurse discovers that stress never goes away. You have to learn how to prioritize the essential things in life, such as physical and personal wellness, professional well being, and intellectual health.

If you can balance your life, it will be easier to handle stress factors.

Eating balanced meals, healthy snacks, and taking time out for brief periods of exercise, does a lot to decrease stress.

EXERCISE FREQUENTLY

Eating healthy works well and goes hand in hand with a sensible exercise plan. Try to incorporate exercise into your day wherever you can. Driving to a college campus means parking further away and walking briskly to class. Take the stairs when possible.

When studying at home, get up and march in place while going through learned material in your head.

Working online and sitting long periods is not good either. Take a break and go for a ten-minute walk outside, weather permitting. Exercise is an excellent stress reliever.

If you cannot commit to a daily 30-minute workout, then try 10 minutes. Whatever amount of time fits in your schedule is better than no exercise at all.

PRIORITIZE YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE

Many nursing students seem not to be able to get adequate restful sleep for various reasons. Other demands seem to interfere with sufficient rest. Most nursing students – especially when an exam is approaching, say that they are fortunate to get four to five hours of sound sleep per night. Many nights it is less than five hours.

Lack of sleep diminishes even further the more you get closer to the finish line in nursing school. Each semester becomes more intense and time-consuming. This might sometimes require you to stay up longer to finish a project or study longer.

This is the time when it is most important to reserve time to sleep and rest. You might think the longer you stay up and cram study material into your head, the more you will know for your test.

But as crucial as it is to know the material in nursing school, it is as essential to be able to perform and make good grades when you have to—every test counts in nursing school. You have to be ready for it and approach your exams and projects with a clear mind to get the most of your hard work and make it count.

STAY SAFE AND DON’T RUSH

This one might seem obvious, but frankly, you feel rushed in nursing school all the time.

Whether you take care of job-related activities, school homework, or keeping the household together, there seem not enough hours in the day to get it all done.

Try to make it a habit to plan your day the night before. When doing that, you know what’s ahead, and that feeling instantly relieves stress. It might not be perfect because it doesn’t make all your tasks go away, but it indeed prepares you better for the day.

Stress and feeling overwhelmed starts in your head and is your perception. You can make it a bit better by at least feeling prepared as best you can.

Nursing students talk about nervous break downs rushing to clinical in heavy traffic and feeling nervous all of the time.

This is under no circumstances a way to live a healthy life- not even in nursing school.

If you find yourself stressed to the point where it impairs your daily life, you need to hit the breaks and come up with a plan to unwind. In this state of mind, you will not be able to make good grades or perform well during your clinical rotation. Take a day off and regroup.

Being stressed in clinicals can be dangerous as well. You don’t have your nursing license yet. However, you need to be focused on your tasks at hand because you deal with real human beings and their health.

Feeling stress will lower your immune system over time. Stay safe and keep up healthy practices such as washing your hands, hydrating, and sleep. Be reasonable and drive safely, even if you feel rushed.

Safety comes first.

BEWARE OF BURNOUT, WHILE HIGHLY DEVOTED AND DRIVEN TO SERVE

No one is arguing the point that entering nursing school at any age is not a challenge. You must have a fierce determination and be entirely devoted to earning a higher education in the thriving field of nursing.

You have to do all you can to stay healthy no matter what age when you decide to go to nursing school. Nurses are the most unhealthy humans because their goals of serving others come first, and they forget to take care of their personal health.

Nurses learn to serve, period. If nurses are not helping patients, they find that they continuously serve family and friends.

You might find yourself in that position a lot. Most nurses have the devotion and drive to help all people stamped into their very being. This drive makes no difference if you are in clinical, helping others or at home helping your loved ones. You continue to help and serve others non-stop.

Be aware and maintain a healthy distance mentally and emotionally from your patients and friends in general. Not to say to stay away from friends and family. But just because you are the “nurse” in the family doesn’t mean you are obligated to help everyone and have to be available at all times.

It is stressful to bear one’s problems and those of others. Many nursing students have a habit of not leaving their duties at the clinical site. Many bring situations and incidents home with them. They are not to talk about their patients; however, most tuck these things into their mind, and there it sits for you to dwell on when at home.

It is not to say that it is entirely avoidable, but try to separate nursing clinical from your private life. It’s a healthy habit that you should start early in your career.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Family and friends can be therapeutic during times like these. Nursing school will be one of the hardest things you have ever done – academically. It is demanding and draining at times.

Spending quality time with friends and family can help get your mind off things and keep you motivated to stick with it.

Connecting with students in your class might be helpful. They go through the same hardships as you and can very much understand what you feel because they feel the same way.

CONCLUSION

Research shows that many nurses are overweight, live with increased stress, sleep poorly, have high blood pressure, and are pre-diabetic. These nurses have not discovered how to put themselves first to meet the demands of an exciting and demanding nursing career.

Don’t make the same mistakes. Start these healthy habits early in your nursing journey; it will be well worth it.

Content re-shared by RNlessons Website

Learn more about nursing school:

• Thinking About Nursing School?
  • Thinking About Nursing School?
  • Budgeting for Nursing School
  • Rules for Nursing Students

Nurses Making A Difference and Touching Lives

Article shared from Daily Nurse The Pulse of Nursing

Nurses are givers, and most will agree that they didn’t join the profession for the high salaries, fancy clothes, sexy shoes, or awesome accessories. Instead, nurses are more likely to say they chose nursing because they wanted to help people. Some will tell stories of caring for a beloved family member and how that inspired them to a life of service as a healthcare professional. Touching lives is generally what it’s all about, and in doing so, nurses make an enormous difference in the world around them.

Touching Lives

In patient care in the acute setting, nurses are the ones with whom patients interact the most. While attending physicians, hospitalists, or specialists will stop in to examine the patient, write orders, and talk with colleagues, their visits are short in the scheme of things. Yet, the reality is that nurses are the ones who carry those orders forward and act as the eyes and ears of the physicians. After all, assertive and thoughtful nurses push back when an order feels wrong, or they disagree with the medical plan of care. In this way, the nurse is the patient’s strongest ally and advocate.

It’s not simply in the hospital where nurses touch lives — after all, only approximately 55 percent of nurses work in acute care. Nurses touch lives in schools, summer camps, occupational health, research, home health, hospice, public health, dialysis, urgent care, ambulatory surgery, case management, etc.

The nine-year-old child with a trach and g-tube could not properly receive their education if a nurse couldn’t provide the expert skilled care needed to keep that child safe and healthy. The family caregivers of a patient dying of pancreatic cancer would not be able to have their loved one in the home without the attention of a hospice nurse. A post-op nurse is central to a safe post-surgical discharge in the day surgery suite. The public health nurse involved in the pandemic is an indispensable asset. And a Legionnaire’s outbreak on a cruise ship can be expertly handled by the onboard nurse trained to respond to such urgent situations while at sea.

Many nurses can tell numerous stories about caring for their family members and neighbors and being called on whenever a friend needs medical advice. Nurses are frequently asked to examine sick children in their neighborhood and give their opinion on the urgent veterinary needs of the pets belonging to family members, acquaintances, and friends. And since nurses are the largest segment of the healthcare workforce in the U.S., they can frequently be first on the scene when a car accident occurs, an older woman suffers a stroke in a local diner, or someone falls and hits their head and breaks their arm at the mall.

The lives touched by nurses are legion, and the benefits bestowed by nurses on society are innumerable. Changing the world around them comes naturally to nurses, and touching lives with care and expertise is crucial to nurses’ power.

Making a Difference

Nurses make a difference through their knowledge, training, and compassion, whether at a school, on a street corner, in the ICU or ED, or at a summer camp for children living with cancer. 

Nurses have been called the lifeblood, the mitochondria, and the connective tissue of healthcare. Without nurses, the healthcare system would grind to a halt. Considering vocational/practical nurses, RNs, advanced practice nurses, and those with terminal degrees, the societal impact of nurses is incalculable. Yet, even without the annual Gallup poll telling us so, we know that the public trusts nurses, and for a good reason. This special group of citizens who join this praiseworthy profession are intrinsic to the health of individuals, entire communities, and nations. It’s a simple summation and indisputable fact: nurses make a difference, touch lives, and change the world. 

Daily Nurse is thrilled to feature Keith Carlson, “Nurse Keith,” a well-known nurse career coach and podcaster of The Nurse Keith Show as a guest columnist. Check back every other Thursday for Keith’s column.

Learn more about Nursing:

• Nursing Facts
  • Nursing Facts
  • Become a Nurse
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Career
  • Mobile IV Nursing

Start in a Nursing Career

Do you like to help others? Inspired by the possibility of saving and improving lives? For many people entering the nursing field, there’s a feeling that they didn’t choose nursing—it chose them. But even if you are sure that you want to become a nurse, you’ll need to plan ahead for your education, training, and on-the-job experience.

Nursing Career

Fortunately, there are several ways to get started as a nurse. By choosing a path that fits your current lifestyle, you can begin working toward your new career, and even start working while you complete your education. Here are three options worth considering.

• Volunteer
• Start working as an orderly attendant or nurse aid
• Pursue a LPN or vocational nurse degree
• Earn your BSN and start working as a registered nurse

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for RNs is projected to grow at least 9 percent over the next decade. The average annual wage for registered nurse (RN) in the United States in 2023 is $ 80,010.

Sounds like a career path that fits you? Check out Sumner College’s BSN or PN programs.

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

Types Of Nursing Positions

Information shared from Indeed.com

20 types of nursing positions

Though all nurses seek to provide proper care and treatment for their patients, their day-to-day duties can vary depending on their specialty. Here are 20 nursing positions you can find in hospitals, clinics and private practices. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, visit indeed.com/salaries.

1. Certified nursing assistant (CNA)

National average salary: $42,945 per year

Primary duties: Certified nursing assistants help patients get dressed, eat meals, take their medications and move around. CNAs often monitor their patients’ vitals, exercise them and communicate their status to other medical staff. This position requires a high school diploma, post-secondary certificate and CNA certification.

Read more: Learn About Being a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

2. School nurse

National average salary: $54,763 per year

Primary duties: School nurses provide care to students throughout the school year. When a student falls ill at school, school nurses come to their aid. School nurses typically have an associate or bachelor’s degree along with an RN certificate. Though the pay scale for this job differs from most other nursing positions, school nurses also receive school-year time off, including summer and holiday vacations.

Read more: Learn About Being a School Nurse

3. Licensed practical nurse (LPN)

National average salary: $55,092 per year

Primary duties: Supervised by an RN, LPNs perform a variety of tasks for their patients, including the administration of medication and injections. LPNs require a practical nursing diploma. These nurses can work in hospitals, family practices, nursing homes and long-term care environments.

Read more: Learn About Being a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

4. Home health nurse

National average salary: $72,296 per year

Primary duties: Home health nurses care for patients in their homes. They may care for patients who are terminally ill, geriatric or those with mobility issues. Home health nurse roles often require a nursing diploma or an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Read more: Learn About Being a Home Health Nurse

5. Registered nurse manager

National average salary: $81,898 per year

Primary duties: Registered nurse managers supervise and manage members of the nursing staff. Their various duties include overseeing patient care, creating work schedules and scheduling meetings. Common requirements for the role include a bachelor’s degree in nursing, two years of experience as a nurse manager and an RN license.

6. Registered nurse (RN)

National average salary: $89,651 per year

Primary duties: Registered nurses create treatment plans for patients with a variety of illnesses, conditions or injuries, and they work across several specialties. RN positions require candidates to have an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing. Common work environments for RNs include hospitals, private medical practices and nursing homes.

Read more: Learn About Being a Registered Nurse (RN)

7. Charge nurse

National average salary: $89,969 per year

Primary duties: Charge nurses have duties similar to an RN, but they also handle some administrative tasks, such as scheduling and managing. Because of their duties, they may not see as many patients face-to-face. Charge Nurses typically have a Bachelor or Master of Science in nursing degree.

Read more: Learn About Being a Charge Nurse

8. Pediatric nurse

National average salary: $92,356 per year

Primary duties: Pediatric nurses provide care to children in various medical or health care settings. They often treat minor injuries and administer vaccinations. Pediatric nursing positions require a minimum of an associate degree.

9. Operating room (OR) nurse

National average salary: $99,478 per year

Primary duties: Operating room nurses work in hospitals and care for patients before, during and after surgery. OR nurses provide streamlined communication between the surgical team and the patient’s family. They can also be called perioperative or scrub nurses. OR nurses require an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing and an RN license.

10. Dialysis nurse

National average salary: $100,208 per year

Primary duties: Dialysis nurses handle the care of patients experiencing kidney failure. They also provide their patients with advice on living healthy lifestyles and support for those awaiting new kidneys. Dialysis nurses typically require a Bachelor of Science in nursing and an RN license.

11. Radiology nurse

National average salary: $109,623 per year

Primary duties: Radiology nurses care for patients undergoing diagnostic imaging procedures and radiation therapy. They do so by preparing them for various scans, MRIs and other tests administered by physicians and performed by radiological technologists. Radiology nurses typically have a Bachelor of Science in nursing and a CRN certification.

12. Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse

National average salary: $110,010 per year

Primary duties: NICU nurses care for premature or sick newborn children. Working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, NICU nurses monitor newborns and their various conditions. NICU nurses also provide a source of contact for parents whose NICU babies are in their care. NICU nurses work as registered nurses with a Bachelor of Science in nursing and candidates require certification in neonatal resuscitation or neonatal intensive care nursing.

13. Oncology nurse

National average salary: $111,198 per year

Primary duties: Oncology nurses care for a variety of cancer patients at all stages. Along with administering medication, oncology nurses observe patients and their ongoing progress. Oncology nurses work to display a great deal of empathy to their patients and families as they undergo cancer diagnosis and treatment. Requirements for this position may vary but often require at least an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing and experience in nursing.

14. Travel nurse

National average salary: $111,669 per year

Primary duties: Travel nurses are nurses that move from city to city to provide care for patients in understaffed hospitals or medical facilities. Travel nurses can be specialized or perform general duties. These roles require the candidate to have an RN license and an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing.

15. Emergency room nurse

National average salary: $120,102 per year

Primary duties: Emergency room nurses care for a variety of patients that enter their hospital’s emergency room. While some deal with non-life-threatening injuries and illness care, others handle traumatic and life-threatening conditions. Emergency room nurses require an RN license and an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Read more: Learn About Being an ER Nurse

16. Labor and delivery nurse

National average salary: $121,786 per year

Primary Duties: Labor and delivery nurses help with the birth of a new baby. They support expectant mothers both during and after labor. These nurses specialize in the operations, aftercare and support of labor and delivery practices.

17. Cardiovascular nurse

National average salary: $122,835 per year

Primary duties: Cardiovascular nurses, also known as cardiac nurses, treat patients with various heart diseases or conditions, or patients who have recently undergone heart surgery or procedures. Cardiovascular nurses are required to have an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing and an RN-BC (board-certified) certification.

18. Nurse practitioner (NP)

National average salary: $123,338 per year

Primary duties: Nurse practitioners work under the direction of doctors and have the ability to perform tasks beyond typical nursing care. Like physicians, NPs can diagnose conditions and prescribe treatments. NPs require a master’s degree or doctorate degree to work in this position.

Read more: Learn About Being a Nurse Practitioner

19. Intensive care unit (ICU) registered nurse

National average salary: $130,672 per year

Primary duties: Intensive care unit nurses handle the care of patients with life-threatening injuries. Similar to emergency room nurses, ICU nurses think quickly to help with emergency situations as they arise. ICU nurses require an RN license and an associate degree.

20. Psychiatric nurse

National average salary: $150,164 per year

Primary duties: Psychiatric mental health nurses diagnose and treat patients that suffer from mental illnesses. Psychiatric mental health nurses require a bachelor’s degree in nursing and an RN license. These nurses work to help patients manage their medications and understand their mental health conditions.

Tips For Working While In Nursing School

5 Tips for Working While in Nursing School

Information and article shared from Indeed.com

Here are five tips for being a successful nursing student while working a full-time or part-time job:

1. Review the time commitments in your life

Choosing to work and attend school requires you to make a careful review and assessment of your commitments in life. Determining what is essential in your day, prioritizing your daily and weekly tasks, and taking stock of the people and relationships that are most important to you in life will drive you towards the right decision for you.

2. Consider a part-time school or work commitment

When choosing to attend school and work simultaneously, it’s important to consider the demands of your personal life and your career goals. Think about the best way to allocate your time. For example, after evaluating your aspirations and personal circumstances, you may find that attending school full time is the most beneficial option for you. Going to school full-time ensures the quickest and most direct route to earning your nursing degree. By working part-time simultaneously, you can still earn some income. This can help pay for day-to-day necessities and school-related expenses.

Conversely, you may find that attending school part-time is a better choice for your lifestyle. Working full-time while attending nursing school part-time provides financial flexibility. Earning a steady income may allow for a transition into earning your nursing degree. Choosing this option is a sound choice for adult learners or those with significant personal or family obligations. While attending nursing school part-time will prolong your degree program, it offers people the opportunity to achieve their academic and career goals.

3. Reach out to your support system

Becoming a nurse is a significant undertaking. Whether you plan on attending school full-time or part-time, it is important to identify your support system before you need them. Defining who is in your support system means evaluating who your friends, family, and acquaintances are and clearly understanding how they can help you most effectively when needed. Here are eight interpersonal relationships that regularly make up an individual’s support system:

• Relatives

• Friends

• Teachers

• Peers

• Colleagues

• Mental Health professionals

• Academic advisors

• Religious leaders

4. Design a schedule and routine

Students who work and go to school full time must design, implement and maintain a disciplined schedule and daily routine. Create a comprehensive scheduling resource on paper, a computer or mobile phone that defines and outlines your responsibilities daily, weekly and monthly. Leverage tools like calendars, alarms, emails or text message reminders to stay on task and motivated. Assess how your schedules and routines are working periodically to make changes and adjustments where necessary.

5. Remember to take care of your well-being

When committed to a variety of important responsibilities, it’s essential that you make time and meaningful effort to include self-care, relaxation and personal hobbies in your schedule. Explore various outlets and activities for stress relief, such as meditation, yoga, exercise, sports leagues, social clubs and mental health support groups. Make time for family, friends and social gatherings as well as being alone. Taking care of your overall mental, emotional and physical well-being ultimately increases your academic ability and work performance. Taking the time to recharge boosts your positivity and may allow you to refocus your energy and improve your productivity.

Working While In Nursing School

Pros and Cons of Working While in Nursing School

Information and article shared from Indeed.com Editorial Team

Nursing school provides an avenue for aspiring nurses to grow and learn. Working while also attending school affords students options relating to their personal lives and financial needs. If you have a passion for science and medicine and you enjoy helping people, you may consider becoming a nurse. In this article, we describe the benefits and potential challenges of working while in nursing school and offer five tips for being a successful student while also employed.

pros of working while in nursing school

Many students in nursing school choose to work in paying jobs while simultaneously attending classes. There are a number of benefits and challenges to working while going to school and each student needs to weigh each to determine what is best for them. Here are six positive effects of working while attending nursing school:

Improved time management skills

Balancing between professional and academic obligations provides learners with an enriching opportunity to enhance their time management skills. By creating a daily schedule, prioritizing duties by necessity and applying creative problem-solving skills, people who work while attending school can improve their skills. Cultivating healthy time management strategies can help advance your success in school and in your career.

Related: 6 Tips for Writing Nursing School Resumes (With Resume Example)

Ability to pay for your daily expenses

Working while attending nursing school can help to offset the standard expenditures of being a student. Your salary or wages can go toward the cost of tuition, have and classroom materials like textbooks or software programs. With an income, you will be able to pay for any daily expenses more easily. This can ease financial stress, and it may even allow for more a person to direct their focus on completing classwork and acquiring the hands-on skills necessary to become a nurse.

Can help avoid burnout

Having a job while going to school can also give you the opportunity to focus your energy and mental efforts on tasks that are unrelated to your studies. By diverting your attention, you can potentially avoid burnout. Burnout is the temporary mental, emotional and sometimes physical fatigue that can occur from immersion in arduous situations or scenarios. This temporary fatigue is common and can be preempted through small lifestyle changes.

Having a full-time or part-time job naturally creates variation in a person’s routine. In this way, working can potentially help keep your mind from getting fixated and stuck on schoolwork, research or other academic responsibilities. This allows for a positive attitude towards your coursework and increased performance.

Related: 20 Types of Nursing Positions

Increased accessibility to continuing education

Students sometimes take out substantial loans to fund their nursing school education. These loans must be paid back over time and can represent a large monthly payment owed. Working during nursing school can help lessen the loan amount that a student may need for school.

It may also allow people to avoid interest on their loans but making payments toward their principal balance while attending school. This is a great option for people who wish to pay their loan off sooner. Additionally, by lessening the future burden of loan payments, you may be better situated to further pursue your education. If you choose to earn a master’s degree or Ph.D.

Potential access to industry professionals

Having a part-time job in the healthcare industry is likely to help you make connections with nurses, doctors and physicians assistants. These colleagues can become important contacts within your professional network. Expanding this network can lead to career opportunities, mentorship roles and references.

These relationships can also help you determine what specialties interest you most. By allowing you to ask questions about other people’s career trajectories and histories, nursing students can solicit advice on how to recognize their primary interests and potential areas of specialization. This is a crucial step for realizing your career aspirations and goals.

More distinguished resume after graduation

An impressive nursing resume highlights your educational background, accomplishments, talents and skills. It should also include nursing license and certification details and membership in any professional organizations, associations, or societies. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, positions for registered nurses are projected to increase by 7% through the year 2029. This is nearly double the average growth predictions for other careers. However, entry-level positions for home health aides, personal care helpers, nursing assistants and orderlies are predicted to increase by 25%. This percentage is nearly seven times the average national growth rate for other jobs.

Working full or part-time in a health-related field while earning your nursing degree can help you build your resume, increase your viability as a candidate and show potential employers evidence of your dedication to hard work. It also showcases your ability to multitask, your commitment to time management and your willingness to accept challenges, which are all attractive qualities to possess.

Cons of working while in nursing school

Here are three things to consider before deciding to work while also attending nursing school:

Work may interfere with the nursing residency program

Most nursing school programs require the completion of a specific amount of fieldwork or hands-on training hours in order to earn your degree. Because this fieldwork is used to get students prepared for the rigors and responsibilities of professional nursing, working could interfere with the hour requirements of nursing school. The additional mental and physical efforts of a job could also impact your ability to successfully execute the residency program requirements.

Personal time may be impacted

Nursing students have a significant amount of hours accounted for in their day between classes and residency programs. Many students find the amount of support, organization, and planning needed to achieve strong academic performance is quite high. Finding time for one’s self, be it to spend time with family or friends or simply focus on personal interests, is important for a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Including a full or even part-time job on top of nursing school commitments may leave you with very little time for personal matters to be attended to when needed. Be sure to be mindful of this reality when prioritizing commitments.

Work schedules may not align well with class schedules

Workers regularly have one set schedule for the year. Other times, people may have work schedules that change from week to week. Meanwhile, school class schedules typically change from semester to semester and your individual class schedule will vary based upon course availability and requirements. For example, if you must take a certain course necessary for graduation that’s only offered once during the week, you’ll have to do so. This can create challenges in balancing work schedules with school schedules.

Scheduling conflicts can impact your relationships at work and may influence your perception of yourself as a worker. They may also affect which courses you’re able to register for if an unsolvable conflict of timing arises. Delaying the taking of courses in favor of working can prolong the time it takes for you to complete your nursing program.

BSNs are Important

Nurses Nurture Personal Emotional Health

Article Shared from TravelNursing.com

By Jennifer Larson, contributor

“How are you feeling?”

If the truthful answer to this question is something along the lines of “exhausted” or “fragile,” you’re not alone. As a nurse, your emotional wellness may be a little undernourished these days. The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on a nurses and other healthcare workers who are already struggling with burnout. As a result, the last 18 months or so have taken a toll on many nurses’ mental well-being.

During Emotional Wellness Month, and throughout the year, nurses need to focus on rebuilding and maintaining of their emotional wellness. It’s vital for your personal health, and to enable you to keep caring for patients and doing the work that you’re trained to do.

What is emotional wellness?

Emotional wellness for nurses has a lot to do with being self-aware and developing resilience and coping ability.

Consider this important point from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP):

“Being emotionally healthy doesn’t mean you’re happy all the time. It means you’re aware of your emotions. You can deal with them, whether they’re positive or negative. Emotionally healthy people still feel stress, anger, and sadness. But they know how to manage their negative feelings.”

In other words, you’re in control over your thoughts, feelings and behaviors–good, bad and everything in between.

But different people cope with stress differently, according to Grace Kwasman, MBA-HCM, BSN, RNC, CEFM, administrative director of women’s service and patient experience for Adventist Health Glendale. Your age, your particular job and your role at work can all affect your emotional responses to stress. And it’s important for individual nurses, as well as leaders, to recognize that.

“We are all in the same storm, but not necessarily all in the same lifeboat,” said Kwasman.

Make your emotional wellness a priority

Have you ever claimed that you’re too busy to take care of yourself? That’s a common phenomenon, especially among nurses.

“Often, nurses don’t take the time to take care of themselves,” said Charlotte Thomas-Hawkins, PhD, RN, FAAN, a nursing educator and researcher in nurse wellness with the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA).

“Nurses’ emotional wellness is imperative not only during these unprecedented times but each and every day,” said Andrea Petrovanie-Green, MSN, RN, AMB-BC, national director of the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing’s Board of Directors.

That means that it’s not only not selfish to prioritize self-care–it’s absolutely necessary that you do so. It’s imperative for your professional success as well as your personal health.

“Making time for self-care will position you to be physically, mentally and emotionally present when providing care for your patients and their families,” said Petrovanie-Green.

Vicki Good, DNP, RN, CENP, CPHQ, CPPS, past president of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), also urges nurses to remember that always putting others first does come with a cost.

“Give yourself permission to take a break!” she said. “As a nurse, we are natural caregivers, and we want to help everyone that comes to us with a need. This is an admirable trait, but it is also one that has to led to our emotional tanks being on ‘empty’.”

Thomas-Hawkins suggested trying a few of these self-care strategies:

• Mindfulness meditation
• Exercise
• Self-reflection through journaling

Something else to consider: use care in choosing your personal company, so you can be surrounded by people who genuinely care about you. Finding safe spaces and people with whom to share your feelings can help you nurture and improve–as well as maintain–your emotional-well-being, said ThomasHawkins.

Finding well-being resources and professional help

More people than ever are seeking professional help for their struggles with mental health and emotional wellness. In fact, the results of a survey recently released by the American Psychological Association (APA) show that psychologists are experiencing a significant increase in demand for treatment of anxiety and depression.

You, too, could possibly benefit from seeking professional help–from a psychologist, a counselor, or another person with expertise in helping people with mental health issues.

You might also want to check out the Well-being Initiative, a program launched by the American Nurses Foundation in 2020 to provide resources to nurses across the country who need support in managing the everyday stressors in their lives, as well as the unusual stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And if you’re a nursing leader, encourage your organization to offer help to nurses and other staff.

“Organizations also have a role in ensuring the environment nurses work in is a healthy one and in supporting the nurse in practicing emotional wellness,” said Good. “Support may take different forms, such as offering employee assistance programs, providing nutritional resources, and adequate rest breaks and ensuring time off.”

For additional resources, consider some of the AACN’s ideas for fostering self-care and nurturing emotional well-being in others, as well as the association’s repository of resources for Well-Being in Uncertain Times.

Related:
Self-care for Nurses: 6 Strategies to Maintain Your Mental Health

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Occupational Outlook For Registered Nurse

The field of nursing is an occupation that has exploded in recent years and is poised for continued impressive growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment as registered nurses is forecasted to rise by 12% from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the overall average for all jobs. Equally important, nursing is an occupation that pays comparatively well in the United States.

Sumner College shares The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics publishes information on a Registered Nursing Career path.

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Becoming A Nurse

Learn more about becoming a nurse, nursing salaries, and the future of nursing.

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