Nurse innovators

Nurses serve as powerful change agents and innovators, driving the future of healthcare. Whether shaping new initiatives within established organizations or launching independent ventures, nurses have the skills and know-how to lead and transform wherever they serve. This article describes how nurses can participate in this transformation through intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship.

Civic engagement

While recently touring Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, I also was reminded of my grandfather’s experience as he returned to the United States via New York Harbor after serving in World War II. He said the Statue of Liberty was “the best sight he had ever seen.” These landmarks represent our country’s unique history with citizenship, an idea foundational to our society. Accordingly, as members of the country’s most trusted profession, nurses must exercise and promote the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship to ensure a healthy society.

Civic engagement

While recently touring Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, I also was reminded of my grandfather’s experience as he returned to the United…

Nurse innovators

Nurses serve as powerful change agents and innovators, driving the future of healthcare. Whether shaping new initiatives within established organizations or launching independent ventures,…

Eat, Sleep, Console

When people experience opioid use disorder in pregnancy, the fetus has prolonged exposure to the opioid. At birth, abrupt cessation of this exposure may lead to infant withdrawal symptoms, traditionally known as neonatal abstinence syndrome. However, neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome…

Female external urinary catheters: A nurse-led intervention

Indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs), although frequently overused according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are necessary for acute and chronic medical care. For example, the CDC notes several indications for their use, including urinary retention or obstruction,…

Nitrous oxide: Myths and misconceptions

Nitrous oxide (N2O) has been used as an analgesic during childbirth since the late 1800s, almost exclusively outside of the United States, until it resurfaced around 2011. A resurgence in use, coupled with widespread lack of knowledge about the modality,…

Intellectual and developmental disabilities: Nurse advocacy

Healthy People 2030 calls for the improved health and well-being of those with disabilities. The World Health Organization notes that 25% of the U.S. population lives with a disability; globally, the number is close to 1.3 billion (16% of the…

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Gastrointestinal Whole-Patient Care

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Simulation: Preparing for workplace violence

Current Journal

Keeping nurses safe

Comprehensive nursing approach to hepatitis B and C

Scholarships to support researchers and nursing students

Serotonin syndrome

Eat, Sleep, Console

When people experience opioid use disorder in pregnancy, the fetus has prolonged exposure to the opioid. At birth, abrupt cessation of this…

Read. Reflect. Learn.

I’m excited to announce that, beginning this month, we’re offering a new process for obtaining continuing nursing education credits: learning through reflection.…

Scholarships to support researchers and nursing students

New funding opens doors for undergraduates and empowers nurse leaders. Since 1956, the American Nurses Foundation (ANF) has been advancing the nursing…

Keeping nurses safe

Workplace violence prevention requires a multifaceted approach. When you think of safety in the workplace, what comes to mind? Protection? Security? Well-being?…

Continuing Education

Comprehensive nursing approach to hepatitis B and C

HBV and HCV pose significant health risks. In their chronic form, years after initial infection, both viruses can result in severe health issues, including liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and deaths related to viral hepatitis. Nurses have an important role to…

ESCAPE from delirium

Falls in hospitals frequently coincide with delirium, a common yet sometimes unrecognized comorbidity among geriatric patients. Delirium is characterized by sudden, rapid cognitive impairment (distinct from the gradual onset of disorders like dementia) and fluctuating levels of attention and awareness.…

Naloxone education for nursing staff

In 2021, 4 years after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency, the Centers for…

STIs: Antibiotic resistance and treatment challenges

Since the discovery of multidrug-resistant infections, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci, concern has grown regarding antibiotic resistance among sexually transmitted infections…

Premature ventricular complexes

Your patient has heart failure exacerbation, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, chronic renal failure, and depression. She says that she feels lightheaded…

Sepsis in the hospital setting: A case study

A 42-year-old man arrives in the ED. He reports not feeling like himself. Three days ago he stepped on a nail, which punctured his…

Comprehensive nursing approach to hepatitis B and C

HBV and HCV pose significant health risks. In their chronic form, years after initial infection, both viruses can result in severe health…

ESCAPE from delirium

Falls in hospitals frequently coincide with delirium, a common yet sometimes unrecognized comorbidity among geriatric patients. Delirium is characterized by sudden, rapid…

Naloxone education for nursing staff

In 2021, 4 years after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency, the…

STIs: Antibiotic resistance and treatment challenges

Education and Career Guide

Education can be the key to professional success. Whether you’re a new or experienced nurse, returning to school to get your BSN or another advanced degree can make the difference between thriving and stagnating in your career. Tap into the articles presented in this year’s education guide for tips and thoughtful advice on nursing education. The American Nurse Education and Career Guide, provides you with facts, figures, other nurses’ experiences, and tons of other resources to help you in your journey.

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Rapid Response

Serotonin syndrome

Early recognition and quick action prevent poor outcome Takeaways: Serotonin syndrome manifests with a combination of cognitive, autonomic, and somatic symptoms, including agitation, tachycardia, hyperreflexia, tremors, and hyperthermia, typically arising from the use or combination of serotonergic medications. Effective management…

Alpha-gal syndrome

A 67-year-old woman arrives at the ED in distress. She tells the ED triage nurse that about 3 hours after eating beef nachos, she began experiencing stomach discomfort, headache, an extremely itchy raised rash “all over,” and swollen lips and…

Pericarditis

Pericarditis, an inflammation of the pericardial sac, typically occurs as a result of a viral infection. It’s most common in men between 20 and…

Malignancy-induced hypercalcemia

A 69-year-old man arrives in the ED with reports of persistent fatigue, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, excessive thirst, increased urination, and back pain for 3…

Acute myeloid leukemia

An 80-year-old man received a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia. He’s been hospitalized for a month, including an ICU stay during which he received…

Acute kidney injury: A quick diagnosis aids recovery

A 35-year-old man arrives at the ED with severe weakness, diarrhea, nausea, hypotension, and tachycardia, which began after he finished a 100-mile race the…

Serotonin syndrome

Early recognition and quick action prevent poor outcome Takeaways: Serotonin syndrome manifests with a combination of cognitive, autonomic, and somatic symptoms, including…

Alpha-gal syndrome

A 67-year-old woman arrives at the ED in distress. She tells the ED triage nurse that about 3 hours after eating beef…

Pericarditis

Pericarditis, an inflammation of the pericardial sac, typically occurs as a result of a viral infection. It’s most common in men between…

Malignancy-induced hypercalcemia

A 69-year-old man arrives in the ED with reports of persistent fatigue, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, excessive thirst, increased urination, and back pain…

Practice Matters

Vital conversations

Nurses’ key role in engaging patients about vaccine safety, effectiveness VACCINATION is one of the most impactful public health interventions worldwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that routine childhood vaccinations have…

Ethics of disclosure in pediatric end-of-life care

A 17-year-old girl with a terminal diagnosis has an estimated 3 weeks to live. Both parents, who understand the situation, are religious and want…

Nursing science and shrinking support

Before she reaches the room, the nurse hears Olivia’s* wheezing. It’s spring tilling season in the rural community, and dust and agricultural debris fill…

Therapy animals in the Ukraine military conflict

In the fall of 2024, I presented my research on animal-assisted therapies with farm animals at the International Association of Human–Animal Interaction Organizations conference…

Ending microaggressions

Guidance for recognition and response to subtle yet damaging harms. Microaggressions in nursing and patient care remain under-identified and under-addressed yet have ethical significance…

CLABSI prevention in hospitalized patients receiving hemodialysis

Many individuals receiving hemodialysis require a central venous catheter, which places them at risk for central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). The Centers…

Hair For You

Performing scalp and hair assessment is an integral part of patient-centered nursing practice. While frequently overlooked, missing this care may result in…

Reducing orthostatic hypotension

Significant challenges to early mobilization after joint replacement include postoperative orthostatic hypotension, which can adversely affect patient experience, participation in physical therapy,…

From the Ethics Inbox

Everyday ethics: Addressing gun violence

As an RN working in the labor, delivery, and post-partum unit, I’ve witnessed the impact of gun violence on patients and families, both through direct injuries and broader psychological effects. Given the growing concerns about safety in healthcare settings, would…

Everyday Ethics: Supporting cultural values and health equity

I work in the obstetrics department of a community hospital. Our patients include immigrants and refugees who don’t speak English and have cultural practices and beliefs that impact how we provide healthcare. Recently, a patient’s cultural beliefs allowed for only…

Everyday ethics: Hear something, say something

Recently, I witnessed something that made me uncomfortable. I was surprised when one of my more senior nurse colleagues referred to a newly graduated…

Everyday ethics: Informed consent

As a study coordinator, I recruit participants to a randomized clinical trial that’s evaluating experimental drugs for renal cancer. One of the individuals who…

Everyday ethics: Balancing beliefs with care

I’m a nurse in a med–surg unit. A patient I recently cared for who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis decided to voluntarily stop eating and…

Everyday ethics: Responsibility and accountability

A few weeks ago, I was floated to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), which was seriously short-handed due to surgeries from a multiple-car accident.…

Everyday ethics: Addressing gun violence

As an RN working in the labor, delivery, and post-partum unit, I’ve witnessed the impact of gun violence on patients and families,…

Everyday Ethics: Supporting cultural values and health equity

I work in the obstetrics department of a community hospital. Our patients include immigrants and refugees who don’t speak English and have…

Everyday ethics: Hear something, say something

Recently, I witnessed something that made me uncomfortable. I was surprised when one of my more senior nurse colleagues referred to a…

Everyday ethics: Informed consent

As a study coordinator, I recruit participants to a randomized clinical trial that’s evaluating experimental drugs for renal cancer. One of the…

Perspectives

Strategies to assist entry-level nursing students as they transition into practice

What being a nurse taught me about my infertility

The faculty role in recruiting the next generation of nurses

Serving up change: Nurses at the policy table

Strategies to assist entry-level nursing students as they transition into practice

We’re facing more of a challenge than ever with our new graduate nurses as they transition into practice. We’re experiencing a nursing…

What being a nurse taught me about my infertility

Being a nurse for the past 15 years, I’m used to having answers for my patients and troubleshooting problems when they arise.…

The faculty role in recruiting the next generation of nurses

The United States nursing shortage is one of the most talked about issues in healthcare. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that…

Serving up change: Nurses at the policy table

Imagine that you’ve been informally invited to a party. You have a vague idea about the location of the dinner, but no…

Community

Strengthen health systems worldwide: Invest in nursing professional development

Remembering Eloise Richardson

Still new, still standing: A novice adjunct nurse educator in Texas

I entered nursing education with two feet in and my heart wide open. After years of bedside patient care, nurse preceptor experience,…

Reducing publication rejection

Nobody likes rejection, whether it’s by your lover, the organization you hoped to work for, or the journal where you submitted your…

News

Why Are More Older People Dying After Falls?

FDA approves updated COVID-19 vaccines with new restrictions, potentially limiting access for healthy children

A view of 5600 Fishers Lane in Rockville, Maryland, which houses the headquarters of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and other health agencies. According to a senior AHRQ official who spoke on condition of anonymity, a climate of deep depression has settled over the agency’s offices. (Antony-22/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0)

What’s Lost: Trump Whacks Tiny Agency That Works To Make the Nation’s Health Care Safer

Sue Sheridan’s baby boy, Cal, suffered brain damage from undetected jaundice in 1995. Helen Haskell’s 15-year-old son, Lewis, died after surgery in…

COVID-19 patients fared worse on ECMO than non-COVID-19 patients: Study

Pneumonia patients with COVID-19 who required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) fared worse than those without COVID-19, according to a study that looked…

My Nurse Influencer

You’re wearing that to work?

Few undergraduate programs pay as much attention to attire as nursing. At every clinical orientation, dress code policies are reiterated with the familiar warning: failure to comply may result in being sent home from the unit or the simulation lab.…

What’s new in the 2025 hypertension guideline?

The American Heart Association released its latest hypertension guideline in August 2025, establishing best practices for diagnosing and managing a disease that remains the leading preventable cause of death worldwide and a major contributor to mortality in the United States.…

What a résumé can’t tell you about a nurse

Composing a résumé may have become the great American performance art. Many are bloated with adjectives and carefully engineered to impress rather than reveal.…

What will you do with the time you saved?

Necessity is the mother of invention, so the proverb goes. Inventiveness is probably encoded in the human genome and has allowed our survival. Creating…

Publication extenders—A powerful tool for extending your article’s reach

You’ve worked hard to get your article published, so why should you put in more time? Because extenders can boost the uptake of your…

Why human flourishing matters in nursing

I had the honor of serving on the expert panel entrusted with the 2025 revision of the Code of Ethics for Nurses. Amid a…

You’re wearing that to work?

Few undergraduate programs pay as much attention to attire as nursing. At every clinical orientation, dress code policies are reiterated with the…

What’s new in the 2025 hypertension guideline?

The American Heart Association released its latest hypertension guideline in August 2025, establishing best practices for diagnosing and managing a disease that…

What a résumé can’t tell you about a nurse

Composing a résumé may have become the great American performance art. Many are bloated with adjectives and carefully engineered to impress rather…

What will you do with the time you saved?

Necessity is the mother of invention, so the proverb goes. Inventiveness is probably encoded in the human genome and has allowed our…

Mental Health

Easing the psychological impact of COVID-19 for nurses

Nurses are at the forefront of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, providing life-saving care for affected patients. Psychological distress can be…

Emotional rollercoaster of providing COVID-19 care

The COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for a variety of emotions, including fear, anxiety, anger, sadness, despair, and grief. But as a member…

Critical Care

From surge plans to a culture of readiness

The more resource options available for day-to-day surge events, the more effectively hospital operations can withstand imbalances in supply and demand. Proactively…

Postpartum hemorrhage

Freya Jenkins*, a 22-year-old woman, delivers 32 week gestation triplets via cesarean birth. In the operating room, she experienced quantitative blood loss…

Pediatrics

A guide for adhesive removal: Principles, practice, and products

All nurses have struggled with removing pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs)—medical tape, plastic bandages, wound dressings—from fragile skin, next to healing wounds, or…

Why wear face masks? Explaining COVID-19 to children

Elementary school nurse, Anne Young, created a series of videos for her students and parents to help reduce the stress and disruption…

Cardiology

Myocardial infarction: Nursing assessment and care

Rapid nurse identification of myocardial infarction in medical surgical patients is key to achieving lifesaving treatment in the heart catheterization lab. Focused…

Preventing postoperative pulmonary complications

Postoperative pulmonary complications are costly and responsible for extended hospital stays and mortalities. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) are multimodal evidence-based guidelines…

American Nurse TV

June 2025 American Nurse Journal VOL. 20 NO. 6 preview

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December 2024 American Nurse Journal VOL. 19 NO. 12 preview

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July 2024 American Nurse Journal VOL. 19 NO. 7 preview

HealthCom Media, the publishers of American Nurse Journal, the American Nurses Association and Al Roker Productions collaborated to bring a few shining examples of the exemplary work being done by nurses in today’s very challenging healthcare environment to the American public.

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