Safe patient handling and mobility

There’s no such thing as “safe lifting” when nurses use their bodies as the lifting system! When I attended nursing school, we learned about “safe body mechanics,” which today we know can be flawed. Moving a patient without technical assistance and without the proper preventive knowledge can lead to caregiver injuries. Just think about how many millions of dollars have been spent on workers compensation claims for employees who’ve sustained injuries when handling or moving patients.

Lessons learned from across the pond

In 2021, Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, a National Health Services Foundation Trust in the UK, began their partnership and participation in the second cohort of Magnet4Europe research. Both organizations came to appreciate that, regardless of geographical differences, nursing professionals universally confront similar challenges, which underscores the need for collaboration to seek solutions that enhance patient care and advance nursing practice globally.

Lessons learned from across the pond

In 2021, Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, a National Health Services Foundation Trust in the UK, began their partnership…

Safe patient handling and mobility

There’s no such thing as “safe lifting” when nurses use their bodies as the lifting system! When I attended nursing school, we learned about…

Remembering Eloise Richardson

During World War II, countless women answered the call to serve, stepping into roles that reshaped history and helped turn the tide in humanity’s darkest hour. They served as mechanics, nurses, codebreakers, factory workers, and spies. They fulfilled their duties…

Specialized nursing care for times of greatest need

An adolescent patient came to my clinic traumatized after being sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend. I noticed her raspy voice. After further examination, I recommended that we complete a strangulation assessment, during which we recovered the perpetrator’s DNA. The…

Multitasking: Gift or Nursing’s Curse?

A study that examined the cognitive mechanisms involved in task switching, particularly how executive control processes manage multiple tasks (think of the time you checked a text message while programming an I.V. pump), suggests that multitasking reduces efficiency because the…

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 2000 because weekend hospital staffers didn’t realize he was in shock. The episodes turned both women into advocates…

I remember: Reflections of a hospice nurse

As I drive down the road I pass familiar houses. The homes flood me with memories. I remember the faces. I remember…

Syphilis eradication is still a long way off: Doxy-PEP can help

In the late 1990s, public health departments around the globe celebrated the prospect of eradicating syphilis. However, by the early 2000s, this…

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…

Enhancing rural health through expanded APRN scope of practice

Rural American communities frequently struggle to provide adequate primary care services due to limited healthcare facilities and a shortage of qualified professionals.…

Webinars

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Collaboration in Patient-Centered Care Planning: Navigating Oncology

Simulation: Preparing for workplace violence

Tactical Implementation of an Effective Falls Program

Challenging and Inspiring: Beyond Common Fall Prevention Practices

Travel Nursing – How to ensure a good experience

Continuing Education

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…

Cancer treatment delays and survival outcomes

Delays in seeking treatment frequently lead to poor health outcomes. Especially with regard to symptoms associated with cancer, early detection and treatment can improve…

Women and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis

Why are new HIV cases still occurring when we have preventive treatment? One reason could be a lack of knowledge and experience among healthcare…

Coaching and evaluating new graduate nurses

Ongoing research shows a decline in new graduate nurses’ clinical judgment. Effective mentorship plays a crucial role in ensuring patient safety while new nurses…

Navigating Long COVID

Long COVID, a stigmatized and somewhat controversial condition, has begun to gain the public’s attention as some who previously had acute COVID-19 began reporting…

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…

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…

Cancer treatment delays and survival outcomes

Delays in seeking treatment frequently lead to poor health outcomes. Especially with regard to symptoms associated with cancer, early detection and treatment…

Women and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis

Why are new HIV cases still occurring when we have preventive treatment? One reason could be a lack of knowledge and experience…

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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Current Journal

Get inspired about legislation

Harnessing the promise and potential of virtual nursing

Snapshot of the nursing workforce

Oncology nurses and prognosis-related communication

Semaglutide: Shedding pounds, weighing risks

Semaglutide is a member of the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RAs) drug class, which promotes increased insulin secretion. GLP-1 activation…

Support leadership to evolve the nursing profession

The multifaceted crisis in healthcare threatens patient outcomes and system sustainability. The American Nurses Foundation’s Mental Health and Wellness Survey revealed that…

American Nurses Enterprise News – June 2025

Advancing nursing through artificial intelligence The May topic in OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing discusses potential benefits and concerns…

Reimagining Nursing expands with Phase II grants

The American Nurses Foundation (ANF) Reimagining Nursing Initiative is entering an exciting new phase with a second round of funding. Launched in…

Rapid Response

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…

Aspiration: Blocking the airway

You’re caring for a 75-year-old man admitted to your unit with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke, left-sided weakness, and dysphagia. He receives continuous feedings…

Acute dystonic reaction

Acute dystonic reactions, movement disturbances, fall under the umbrella of extrapyramidal side effects. They’re associated with medications (including antipsychotics and antiemetics) that mediate dopamine.

Cystic fibrosis

A 48-year-old woman with a history of cystic fibrosis, is admitted to the surgical unit with a small bowel obstruction. At home, the patient…

Eclampsia

A 28-year-old woman who’s 8 months pregnant arrives at the obstetrics ED with right-side upper abdominal pain, a progressively worsening headache for the past…

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…

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…

Aspiration: Blocking the airway

You’re caring for a 75-year-old man admitted to your unit with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke, left-sided weakness, and dysphagia. He receives…

Acute dystonic reaction

Acute dystonic reactions, movement disturbances, fall under the umbrella of extrapyramidal side effects. They’re associated with medications (including antipsychotics and antiemetics) that…

Practice Matters

Progress and promise

The American Nurses Association (ANA) Innovation Awards recognize nurses who are creating change from the inside out, not only for themselves, but also for healthcare systems and communities. Each year, winners of the individual nurse and nurse-led team awards provide updates on their progress over the past year as they advance their programs, services, research, or technologies

This article is available to American Nurses Association members and ANJ subscribers only.

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Caring for veterans

Veterans have distinct determinants of health related to their military service and occupational exposures. With more veterans seeking care in the community, the American…

Advance care planning in the Black faith community

Advance care planning, a routine aspect of healthcare, helps individuals make decisions about future care by reviewing their values, goals, and wishes. However, many…

PTSD: Increase screening and treatment

Many nurse practitioners (NPs) provide care in medically underserved areas, some in one of the more than 1,400 free clinics throughout the United States.…

Support planetary health

Actions to promote and protect the environment Spring marks a time of renewal and reawakening with cleaning, planting, and other fresh starts, bringing new…

EBP, QI, and IS

Some use the terms evidence-based practice (EBP), quality improvement (QI), and implementation science (IS) interchangeably. However important differences exist. Clinicians must understand…

Catalysts of change

2025 Innovation Award winners close disparity gaps. Nurses’ insights and experience in developing solutions that matter illustrate The Power of Nurses™ in…

Empathy in ostomy care

Empathy relies on understanding an experience from another’s perspective. A simulated learning activity such as wearing an ostomy bag for a day,…

From the Ethics Inbox

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: Privacy and trust

As a perioperative nurse, I understand I should ensure the privacy and confidentiality of my patients and their information while providing care throughout pre-,…

Everyday ethics: Prioritizing patients

It’s my understanding that a nurse’s primary commitment is to our patients. Recently, while working as a travel nurse, I’ve been concerned about some…

Ethics in everyday care

The pandemic, from its earliest days in March 2020, exposed not only a health and healthcare crisis but also deep inequities in our society.…

Improving obstetric care for Black patients

As a labor and delivery nurse, I’ve witnessed some of my Black obstetric patients suffer negative outcomes during their birthing experiences from what I…

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…

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…

Everyday ethics: Privacy and trust

As a perioperative nurse, I understand I should ensure the privacy and confidentiality of my patients and their information while providing care…

Everyday ethics: Prioritizing patients

It’s my understanding that a nurse’s primary commitment is to our patients. Recently, while working as a travel nurse, I’ve been concerned…

Community

Community highlight – Shining the Light on All the Right: Celebrating the Art of Nursing Around the World

PART 6 – VISION

Separated by glass at a COVID-19 drive-through testing station

As a car, truck, or minivan pulls into the COVID-19 testing tent, you become a part of someone’s COVID story. (more…)

An RN “S.A.G.E.” goes to kindergarten

Senior Adults for Greater Education (S.A.G.E.) is a non-profit organization that promotes involvement of people 55 and over in public schools. S.A.G.E.…

News

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

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

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

Publication extenders include infographics

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

Do you want your work to resonate with as large a readership as possible? If so, consider publication extenders (also called publication enhancers)—tools that…

Why human flourishing matters in nursing

In January, the American Nurses Association (ANA) unveiled the revised Code of Ethics for Nurses, widely regarded as the gold standard for the future…

In sickness and in health: The parallels of weddings and nursing graduations

May and June mark the season of graduations and weddings—milestones that celebrate commitment, transformation, and new beginnings. There’s something vaguely matrimonial about a nursing…

The future of innovation in nursing is you!

Over the years, my definition of innovation has changed — I care less about the end product and more about the human-centered process used to create…

The case of the vanishing stethoscope

A 2001 study assessed the cardiac auscultation skills of 314 internal medicine residents from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The results…

The symbiotic relationship between nursing and design

Like nurses—who can use their degrees in a range of areas from clinical bedside care to research, education, entrepreneurship, history and more—professional designers also…

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

Do you want your work to resonate with as large a readership as possible? If so, consider publication extenders (also called publication…

Why human flourishing matters in nursing

In January, the American Nurses Association (ANA) unveiled the revised Code of Ethics for Nurses, widely regarded as the gold standard for…

In sickness and in health: The parallels of weddings and nursing graduations

May and June mark the season of graduations and weddings—milestones that celebrate commitment, transformation, and new beginnings. There’s something vaguely matrimonial about…

The future of innovation in nursing is you!

Over the years, my definition of innovation has changed — I care less about the end product and more about the human-centered process used…

Mental Health

Preventing preceptor burnout

New graduate nurses are vital to the success of healthcare organizations. We need their “new blood” to fill workforce gaps. But it’s…

Faculty role in promoting nursing student health

Nurses have a primary responsibility to promote health in the United States. In this capacity, they serve as role models, educators, and…

Critical Care

Psychiatric emergencies in med-surg patients: Are you prepared?

Rodney, age 47, was admitted to the hospital 2 days ago with rib and femur fractures and facial contusions. He appears well…

Preventing hospital-acquired pressure injuries

Evidence indicates that the cost of preventing hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI) is significantly lower than the cost to treat. However, despite available…

Pediatrics

The Virtual Health Offices of NJ Certified School Nurses are Open

New Jersey certified school nurses are working throughout the state to keep our students safe, healthy and ready to learn from our…

FDA approves head lice treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Natroba (spinosad) Topical Suspension 0.9% for the treatment of head lice in patients 4…

Cardiology

An uptick in number of cases of broken heart syndrome is associated with COVID-19

Stress cardiomyopathy, often called broken heart syndrome, is a condition “caused by intense emotional or physical stress leading to rapid and severe…

Medications for heart failure management: What nurses need to know

HEART FAILURE currently affects six million Americans, with an estimated 870,000 new cases annually. Learn about the newest medications to treat heart…

American Nurse TV

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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