‘Uniformity’ in nursing: It’s about time…again.
Read Donna Cardillo’s June blog here.
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Career Sphere
“My research article was accepted for publication!”
Beth, a former hospital nursing director-turned-faculty member, learns she has to present her research at a national conference and write it up for publication and funding. Like many…
10 best and worst nursing bosses
Check out these five worst and five best leadership styles, and then take the quiz and find out which one you are.Read more…
10 steps to planning a successful conference
Use this guide to plan large and small events. Takeaways: Because no universal guide exists for coordinating a professional meeting, these 10 steps may prove useful as you…
10 tips for handling job interviews by phone
More employers are using phone interviews to screen job candidates. Discover how to make the most of this technique.
12 tips for a successful nursing conference experience
Attending a major nursing conference can provide professional growth opportunities. Follow these 12 tips to have a successful conference experience.
6 tips for new clinical nurse educators
Don’t be overwhelmed by your new role—make a plan for success. Takeaways: Transitioning into a clinical educator role is both rewarding and challenging. Prepare for the clinical educator…
8 steps for making effective nurse-patient assignments
Successful assignments require attention to the needs of both nurses and patients. Takeaways: Making nurse-patient assignments is challenging but rewarding. Nurse-patient assignments are created based on knowledge and…
A 5-step plan for expanding your network with Facebook
Even if you are one of the millions of people who use Facebook to connect to others, you may not realize how friending colleagues on Facebook can expand…
A little humor please
Laughter is a way of dealing with life’s stressors. Learning how to use humor to enrich our personal and professional lives can benefit us in our roles as…
A special week for perioperative nurses
Learn about Perioperative Nurse Week and perioperative nurisng.
A user’s guide to cell-phone etiquette
Be a smart, savvy cell-phone user.
Ace that interview!
Tips on making the right impression.
Amazing apps: Space-age tools for clinicians
Health apps hold the promise of greater access to medical services, better monitoring of chronic conditions, and improved patient outcomes.
Are 12-hour shifts safe?
Is working 12 consecutive hours in a fast-paced, high stress, physically and mentally demanding environment a good idea? Click here to read this exciting blog posting.
Assisted living: A unique setting for quality care
This growing field provides opportunities for nurses. Takeaways: Nurses provide clinical leadership in assisted living. The assisted living healthcare setting offers many nursing rewards and challenges. Assisted living…
Avoiding copyright violations in educational presentations
What you don’t know about copyright can get you into legal jeopardy.
Avoiding preceptor burnout
Lack of preparation and training, added responsibilities, and poor compensation can cause burnout in nurse preceptors.
Be a coach for novice nurses
The transition from the educational setting to the practice setting can be intimidating. Make it easier by guiding novice nurses.
Become a successful preceptor
Novice nurses anxiously enter the workplace on their first day, nervously approaching the unit desk to ask for their preceptor, who will play a key role in their…
Becoming a wound and ostomy nurse
People sometimes ask how I can tolerate my work, but I love being a wound and ostomy nurse. I’ll admit that, when performing an assessment, I don’t always love…
Blunder-free business meals: A guide to dining etiquette
When you think of essential business skills, knowing where to put your napkin when excusing yourself from the table may not come to mind. But any nurse seeking…
Boost your career with community outreach involvement
Does patient teaching energize you? Could you see yourself leading a hula hoop contest to motivate children to exercise? Do you enjoy working with patients and professionals who appreciate your contributions? If you…
Can a nurse be too old to work at the bedside?
Read guest blogger Donna Cardillo’s thought-provoking article about when age comes into play during a nurse’s career. A recent New York Times article begged the question, “How old…
Clarifying the clinical nurse leader role: guardian of care
The role of clinical nurse leader (CNL) has received a mixed reception within nursing, primarily because of a lack of understanding as to how to transfer the role…
Clinical nurse leaders and clinical nurse specialists: harmonious partners
Collaboration between these two valuable resources depends on understanding how their roles differ.
Close encounters at the bedside: Partnering among clinical nurses, students, and faculty
“Oh, no, I have a student today!” “You don’t want a student? I’ll take her!” “You want my student? Don’t you just cringe when the students ask you…
Coaching patients to better health
“How do I know when I’m supposed to get screening tests?” “What do these labs mean and why did my nurse practitioner change my medication?” “What am I…
Committee work: A nurse’s secret to survival during “go live”
When it comes to computerized documentation, change is inevitable. Even if your organization has converted to electronic health records (EHRs), you’ll still have frequent updates and occasionally the…
Consider a career as a wound, ostomy, and continence nurse
In 2008, hospitals, extended-care facilities, and home-health agencies will face these regulatory and patient-care issues: (more…)
Consider a career in clinical research
Nurses are taking on a range of unique and challenging roles in the clinical research field.
Constructive feedback: How to have the difficult conversation
Prepare for a timely, goal-oriented, forward-thinking discussion. Takeaways: Having crucial conversations regarding suggestions for improvement serves as an important method for supporting professional growth of novice nurses. Delivering…
Control your email before it controls you
Follow these tips to manage your email so it doesn’t dominate your day.
Coping with unexpected job loss
Some sound advice on reacting to job loss – and moving on
Could anything be finer than to work in Carolina?
Seashores, mountains, rolling countryside, booming cities, major historic sites—the Carolinas offer something for everyone. North Carolina is one of the five fastest-growing states in the country. Its three…
Courage in everyday nursing practice
Courage is an important attribute in life and in your nursing practice. As Helen Keller said, “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature nor…
Craft a positive nursing digital identity with an ePortfolio
Take advantage of your digital footprint to demonstrate your skills and experience. By Jaime Hannans, PhD, RN, CNE, and Yosemite Olivo, RN Takeaways: Digital identity is the online…
Create a great work culture
For a successful leader, establishing the right environment isn’t part of the job. It is the job.
Create better communications
Communicating assertively is a learned skill. Use the “look, think, and act” model to evaluate and improve your communication skills.
Creating and developing a professional CV
Your CV should highlight the leadership skills you display every day. Takeaways: The CV is vital to showcase your professional career as a nurse and illustrate what you…
Deal with professional disappointment like a pro
Few nurses escape the sting of professional disappointment over the course of their careers. Despite your best efforts, you can’t always triumph. But you can prepare for a…
Distance education offers a wealth of formats and options
An increasing number of students are choosing distance education, over traditional courses.
Do you need a business card?
The author’s answers to five questions will tell you why you need a card and how to use it effectively.
Do you need a business card?
If you’ve been wondering whether you should have a business card, or if you’ve decided to get a business card but you’re not sure what to do next,…
Does higher education lure nurses away from the bedside?
Click here to read “Does higher education lure nurses away from the bedside?” from our guest blogger, Donna Cardillo, MA, RN.
E-mail etiquette
17 tips on how to – and how not to – use e-mail for professional communication.
Easing your way back to school
Place a checkmark on the line next to each statement that applies to you: You’ve seen how quickly your nursing knowledge becomes outdated. You’d like to join a…
Emergency nursing: A specialty unlike any other
The president of the Emergency Nurses Association tells why she’s proud to be an emergency nurse.
Emotional intelligence: Why walking the talk transforms nursing care
Since the first emotional intelligence (EI) research in the late 1990s, EI has rocked the business world and challenged leaders and employees from dozens of professions to work…
Energize your career with the forces of magnetism
Is a Magnet facility for you? Explore the benefits.
Evidence-based interview strategy for new nurses
For many nurses, job interviews induce fear. The competitive job market has made interview preparation more important than ever, especially for new graduate nurses. Competition for new graduate positions can be fierce;…
Expand your nursing career horizons
Read about new specialist and advanced practice roles and new areas about nursing responsibility.
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Exploring childcare health consultant as a career option
The child care health consultant (CCHC) is a specialized role with the primary goal of promoting the safest and healthiest environment for the staff and children in child…
Exploring massage therapy as a career option
A nurse-turned-massage therapist found that hands-on interaction with massage clients reconnected her to one of the most fulfilling aspects of nursing – contact through caring, noninvasive touch.
Fighting the war on dogma
Want do away with outdated dogma in your workplace? Learn how to present an effective case for changing the current thinking.
Find the best route to your career destination
To move your career up a notch, should you go back to school or pursue nonacademic options? The authors’ advice can help you decide on the best professional…
Flying high to save lives
Flight nursing offers rewards that few other nursing jobs can match. Across the globe, patients are transported from accident scenes or between healthcare facilities every day. Most medical…
Forensic nursing: Overview of a growing profession
Combine your nursing skills with forensic science to help victims of violence and trauma Takeaways: Forensic nursing is a specialized nursing field focused on providing nursing care to…
Four steps to preparing irresistible presentations
The secrets of successful presentations: reflecting on your practice, making the most of your individual presenting style, organizing your thoughts, and finding the right mentor.
Frequently asked legal questions
Editor’s note: The following questions are excerpts from the book Frequently Asked Legal Questions Keeping Nurses Awake at Night, by the author, copyright 2015. Reprinted with permission. Question:…
From expert RN to novice clinical instructor: Tips for success
Organize, communicate, and document for a successful clinical nursing instructor experience. Takeaways: The transition from expert clinician to novice clinical instructor requires a shift in thinking. Today’s nursing…
From our readers: Novice to expert—a nurse educator’s personal journey
Like new nurses, faculty move through various steps to become “experts.” Here is one teacher’s experience.
From our readers: Pack your bags: Preparing for a global health nursing experience
A nurse with overseas volunteer experience gives advice to those who want to follow in his footsteps.
From our readers…Beauty in the eye of the beholder: The life of a wound, ostomy, and continence nurse
I think it’s in the eyes. That’s where the connection begins. A view into the real person, not defined by his or her disease or deformity. A calm…
From our readers…Developing professional PRIDE
Creating a professional development program at our hospital began with the house-wide partnership (practice) council chartering a task force of front-line staff to design a program as a…
From our readers…Mentoring the community: Sharing secrets with rival hospitals
If you are involved in a project or program that is truly awesome, why not share it with other nursing units or even neighboring hospitals? Nurses in our…
From our readers…Moving beyond professional friendships: Creating a professional development group
A revision of the Florida Nurses Association’s (FNA) organizational plan provided an incentive for members of a local FNA district to reconsider the personal and professional benefits of…
From our readers…Strategies for Implementing an Effective Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Program (SANE)
SANE nurses help ensure victims of sexual assault receive the compassionate care they need and collect evidence that can be used in court.
From our readers…The value of self-knowledge
Have you thought about what would bring joy into your life? Do you wake up excited to start the day ahead? Knowing yourself is the foundation of self-care…
From the bedside to the boardroom: Are you ready to serve?
Use the skills you have—and learn new ones—to advance health care and your career. Key Takeways Nurses are uniquely qualified to serve on boards and commissions. Board skills…
Get creative about nursing
Key takeaways The media—television, radio, the Internet, books, and more—often depict nurses unprofessionally. When nurses create the media, they can ensure professional depictions that ensure the public understands…
Get Smart: Increase your emotional intelligence
You have the power to be happy and successful.
Going with the flow of infusion nursing
Thanks partly to the new Medicare and Medicaid hospital reimbursement rules and the trend toward home health care, infusion nurses are in greater demand than ever. As hospitals…
Grace under fire: Surviving and thriving in nursing by cultivating resilience
Resilience can be an asset to you in your career.
Helping new nurses set priorities
After several weeks of classes and partnered orientation to patient care, novice nurses in our large acute-care health system have learned a great deal. Still, most admit their…
Holistic nursing: Focusing on the whole person
How well do you know holistic nursing? Expand your knowledge with this article.
How about a career in nursing informatics?
Do you have an aptitude for information technology (IT)? Would you like to help transform health care and bridge the gap between IT and nursing practice? If so,…
How DNP and PhD nurses can collaborate to maximize patient care
Working hand in glove, these doctorally prepared nurses can improve care of patients and their families.
How do you look?
Recently, I rushed to the emergency department (ED) at my local hospital to meet a relative who’d been taken there by ambulance. When I arrived, in my desperation…
How to avoid the pitfalls of social media
You may face serious consequences if you use social media and other new technologies inappropriately.
How to create an effective poster presentation
Start early, plan carefully, and strive for clarity and simplicity. These are the keys to creating a poster presentation that wows conference attendees.
How to develop mentoring skills in nurse practitioner preceptors
Simulation can help build confidence and improve communication skills. Takeaways: Mentoring provides an extension to the preceptor role by focusing on the human connection and relationship building. Nurse…
How to disagree with the head nurse and keep your job
You can disagree with your boss, but learn to do so wisely. Read more…
How to fit in fast at your new job
If you’re looking for a new position in nursing, you have lots of company. According to a CareerBuilder.com survey, 32% of nurses plan to change jobs within a…
How to get your article published
Many of us have a secret desire to see our ideas in print—to be viewed as a thought leader or a recognized subject matter expert. So what stops…
How to keep your communications professional
Whether you communicate in person, on the phone, or via voice mail, e-mail, or text message, be sure to use proper etiquette.
How to leave a job gracefully
I was diligent. I completed my tasks on time. And I took on extra assignments and shifts. My boss was so impressed that he gave me a generous…
How to put on a successful CE conference
Discover the secrets to planning and implementing a successful continuing- education conference.
How to succeed as a home care nurse
Sarah, age 4, is on a mechanical ventilator after surviving a near-drowning episode. Her parents, still grieving over her accident, also have a new baby girl. A nurse…
How to survive a bully
Have you run into a bully at work? Unfortunately, chances are good that you have. Bullying has become all too common in nursing. In my first nursing position, I…
How to write a book: Get started, keep going, and get published
Writing a book is within your reach; here’s how to do it.
Improve your career with the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle
Using this method can help your goal become a reality and allow you to achieve your potential.
International Nurses Society on Addictions: Preventing and managing addictive behavior
Tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use are among the leading causes of preventable death in the United States today. So in some sense, all nurses are addictions nurses.…
Is nursing a profession or a job?
Click here to read Is nursing a profession or a job? from our guest blogger, Donna Cardillo, MA, RN.
Is utilization review the career for you?
Rising medical costs and healthcare reform have increased the need for careful review and management of medical resources. The unique and vital role of the utilization review (UR) nurse serves this need.…
Jump-start your job search
Out of work? Don’t let a challenging economy and difficult job market get you down. The author’s tips can job search into high gear.
Learning to love your job
The alarm clock goes off too early, and you jump-start the day with a cup of coffee and a short stack of reasons why you hate your job.…
Legal nurse consultant: A career at the crossroads of health care and the law
The jurors file into the courtroom, avoiding eye contact with the attorneys and spectators. I hold my breath. The plaintiff’s attorney straightens his tie; the defense attorney flexes…
Let international travel transform you
If you want to accelerate your professional development, learn about nurses and patients in other cultures, broaden your world view, and be transformed by your work experience, international…
Magnet journey creates parallel paths
Discover how the road to nursing excellence can also improve other departments.
Make a difference as a rehabilitation nurse
From September 21 to 27, we celebrate National Rehabilitation Awareness Week by promoting the value of rehabilitation, highlighting the opportunities for the nearly 50 million Americans with disabilities,…
Making professional connections
Improving your networking skills can help you climb the career ladder.
Making sense of the confusing alphabet soup of credentials
Imagine this scenario: A state senator, after reviewing a letter from a constituent supporting her bill to remove practice barriers for nurses, asks the nursing organization’s lobbyist, “Is…
Mastering the art of meetings
Meetings can be productive and positive—or disjointed and ineffective. The author gives tips on leading meetings skillfully.
Mentoring 101: What you need to know about nurturing new nurses
“I will be your mentor.” I was fortunate to hear these five words early in my career. As nursing becomes more complex, patients more critical, and students more…
Move up to the role of nurse manager
NURSE MANAGERS at all levels work together to address emerging trends, adopt innovative ideas, and work toward the shared goals of quality, efficiency, and excellence in practice. They…
Moving ahead with your nursing education
Take advantage of the resources available to you. By Deborah E. Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN Whether you’re a newly licensed nurse or a seasoned professional, the time is…
Moving up millennials to leadership roles
Christina, a 29-year-old RN, BSN, recently obtained her MSN in clinical management. She has worked 3 years as a staff nurse and wants to move into a leadership…
Neonatal nurses: Providing care at the beginning of life
About 400,000 low-birth-weight infants are born in this country every year. Their survival rates have been improving steadily, thanks to great strides in neonatal treatment and the high-quality…
Nephrology nurses: Passionate about their specialty
“What I find most exciting and interesting about the specialty is that we are truly dealing with every organ system,” says Anne Harty, MS, FNP, BC, CNN, Carmichael,…
Networking for nurses
Sherry stands nervously in the doorway, watching several dozen people chat each other up. The sound of her heartbeat threatens to drown out the conversational din. For the…
Never fear—the critical-care resource nurse is here
Creating a critical-care resource nurse role has helped one hospital ensure that critically ill patients get the same level of care no matter where they’re admitted.
New online resource: Genetic/Genomic Competency Center
The Genetic/Genomic Competency Center (G2C2, http://www.g-2-c-2.org/) is a new free online resource created to help educators teach the next generation of nurses and physician assistants about genetics and…
No simulation lab? No problem
Learn how to bring the patient-simulator experience to nursing units to prepare for emergencies. Takeaways: Bring the patient simulator experience to your unit to practice mock codes. Ensure…
Nurse anesthetists: Demand is up and the secret is out
Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) were once called the “best kept secret in health care,” but not today. With the U.S. population aging and more surgical procedures being…
Nurse mentorships: A two-way street
Mentoring is successful only when both the mentor and mentee contribute. Takeaways: Formal or informal mentorship can promote the longevity of mentees. Mentorship can create pride in mentees…
Nurse Researcher: A career, not just a job
For me, nursing has never been a “punch-the-time-clock” job; it’s a profession. Early on, I decided to always keep my career interesting. There are many ways to do…
Nursing culture: Time for a paradigm shift
Donna Cardillo, RN, MA, writes a thought-provoking article on the culture of nursing.
Nursing the dead: Medicolegal death scene investigation
The dead do tell tales.
Nursing’s future: The door has opened but are we prepared to enter?
Read guest blogger Donna Cardillo’s take on the future of nursing. Read more…
Occupational and environmental health nurses: Protecting workers from harm
Occupational and environmental health nurses (OHNs) promote health and wellness, prevent illness and injury, and protect workers from work-related and environmental hazards. OHNs are recognized not only for…
Original research at a small rural hospital—you can do it!
Nurses want to provide evidence-based care that reflects best practices. But they also have uniquely local clinical questions that can’t be readily answered through the literature alone. How…
Parish nursing: Reclaiming the spiritual dimensions of care
Faith-based nursing provides autonomy, creativity, flexibility, and the chance to provide whole-person care.
Parish nursing: Reclaiming the spiritual dimensions of care
Faith-based nursing provides autonomy, creativity, flexibility, and the chance to provide whole-person care.
Partnering with subject-matter experts
Key takeways Choose the right subject matter expert to deliver an outstanding presentation. Collaborate with subject matter experts throughout the design and development process. Coach subject matter experts…
Perioperative nurses: Keeping surgical patients safe
Perioperative nurses work on the front line caring for patients undergoing operative and other invasive procedures. They collaborate with patients, families, and members of the surgical team in…
Plan a career, not just a job
Through focused soul-searching, you can create a more fulfilling and enriching career. The author tells how to brainstorm to find the nursing career that really floats your boat.
Plan a career, not just a job
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.…
Presentations: From commitment to call to action
Making a connection between your opening and closing engages the audience and enhances learning. By Tresa Kaur, PhD, RN-BC, CNE, CHSE, CTN-A Takeaways: Presentations are most effective when…
Presenting yourself professionally
What do your first 12 words, your first 12 steps, and your top and bottom 12″ say about you? Find out how the “rule of 12” can help…
Professional competencies can ease your transition to a new specialty
THE NURSING PROFESSION offers many specialty roles, including both direct patient-care roles (such as emergency, neonatal, and school nurse) and indirect roles (such as nurse manager, case management, and quality improvement). Transitioning…
Professional etiquette: The protocols you didn’t learn in nursing school
If you’re aiming for advancement and career success, you need more than clinical expertise, more than management savvy, more than leadership skills. You need to practice professional etiquette.…
Professional social networking for nurses
WHEN MY GRANDPARENTS were children, they communicated in person or by letter. In my parents’ generation, the telephone became popular. Today, much of our communication takes place through…
Promoting professionalism by sharing a cup of coffee
This is the second in a series of articles on promoting professionalism. You can read the first article Nurses’ essential role in supporting professionalism. Consider this scencario: After…
Promoting professionalism through awareness
This is the third in a series of articles on promoting professionalism. Consider this scenario: Over the past 28 months, clinical colleagues have reported the following about your…
Psychiatric nurses are in demand
Built on therapeutic communication and relationship development, psychiatric nursing is the basis of all nursing. A core healthcare profession, psychiatric nursing provides primary mental-health care in the private…
Pump up your PowerPoint® presentations
Effective use of visual aids promotes audience engagement.
Q&A with David Westman, Executive Director of the Emergency Nurses Association
What is the Emergency Nurses Association? The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), an ANA organizational affiliate, is devoted to safe practice and safe care in emergency nursing. It was…
Q&A with the Executive Director of AWHONN
In May, we celebrate Nurses’ Week, Women’s Health Week, and Mother’s Day. In the spirit of these celebrations, we asked Joseph C. Isaacs, CAE, Executive Director of the…
Quick-reference I.V. tools reduce stress in ICU nurses
Condensed I.V. reference sheets, cards, and charts save time, improve accuracy, and make I.V. drug administration less stressful in one surgical/trauma ICU.
Ready, set, go! How to return to the nursing workforce
Are you an RN who has been out of the workforce? Your talents, experience and expertise are needed in all healthcare settings. While technology and treatments have changed,…
Retail-based clinics: New option for nurses
Someone who feels ill has two options: He can call his physician’s office and make an appointment—maybe for the same day, maybe not. Then, the patient can drive…
Retaining nurse managers
The nurse manager role is pivotal in staff nurse satisfaction and retention, quality of patient care, and achieving organizational goals, which is why the decreasing numbers of qualified…
Retirement countdown: Are Baby Boomer Nurses prepared for what lies ahead?
Baby Boomers (born from 1946 – 1964), eager to step away from the pressures and responsibilities of the workplace and embark on the next chapter of their lives,…
Ride to the top with a good elevator speech
Make sure to have a brief speech prepared for that chance encounter with someone you’ve been hoping to meet.
Selecting and preparing professional references
When applying for a nursing job at a hospital, Gina Lawson, RN, provides the name of a former nursing school professor—we’ll call her Lynn Reynolds—as a reference. The…
Serving the profession
Help protect the health, welfare, and safety of the public. Takeaways: Serving on your board of nursing is challenging and rewarding. Success requires learning and understanding the many…
Seven reasons why oncology nurses should get certified
For oncology nurses, specialty certification has become the gold standard. The Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation awards the following certifications: Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN), Certified Pediatric Oncology Nurse (CPON),…
Snakes at the nursing station
It’s not easy, but confrontation is your best response to a backstabbing coworker who specializes in sabotage or an overbearing bully with an itch for intimidation.
So you want to be an emergency nurse?
How to get going in this exciting specialty.
Social media missteps could put your nursing license at risk
Learn the rules and what to do if you make a mistake. Takeaways: For nurses, social media use has daily applications in their personal and professional lives, facilitating…
Staff development educators: Helping to improve patient outcomes
Nurses have long focused on providing high-quality, evidence-based care to help achieve better patient outcomes—and staff development educators are crucial to this endeavor. We asked Barbara Brunt, MA,…
Stepping up professional practice: Implementing nursing peer review
In a healthcare climate that insists on transparency and high-quality nursing care, the timing is right for nurses to take ownership of their profession and use a nursing…
STOP: A strategy for dealing with difficult conversations
Monica is late for work again. June has body odor. Brian doesn’t comply with the hospital’s cell-phone policy. As a nurse manager, you know you need to do…
Stranger in a strange land
What’s it like for faculty to teach in another country? This article gives the reader a glimpse into the experience through the international travel of four faculty members.
Succeeding as a primary care nurse
Isabelle didn’t say much, but you could easily see the kindness in her eyes. With her husband Jacob by her side, she let me thread the I.V. catheter…
Surviving the world of academia
Some basic strategies will help you thrive in academia.
SWAT nursing: A unique specialty
What does SWAT stand for? So Where Are They? Smart, Witty, and Talented? Smiling, Willing, Able, Technical? (more…)
Ten tips for a successful professional nursing conference
Attending a professional conference can yield many benefits if you follow these 10 tips. 1. Obtain new knowledge. Conferences provide opportunities for nurses to gain new knowledge about…
The elevator pitch: A 60-second advocacy tool for nurses
An elevator pitch can help nurses fulfill their duty to advocate for change and solutions that will benefit patients and clinicians alike.
The enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact
These changes may affect your practice. Takeaways: Enhanced NLC will replace original NLC eNLC implementation date is January 19, 2018. Nurses and employers should stay abreast of changes…
The evolving role of the forensic nurse
Even if they’re not portrayed on the TV shows "CSI" or "Law & Order: SVU," forensic nurses are pivotal in real-life forensic cases. Catch up on the dynamic,…
The many merits of mentoring
Have you ever felt unsure about your next career step or just needed advice from a more seasoned professional? Natalie Murphy, co-author of this article, felt that way…
The many merits of mentoring
Have you ever felt unsure about your next career step or just needed advice from a more seasoned professional? Natalie Murphy, co-author of this article, felt that way…
The Nurse Executive’s Coaching Manual
With the incredibly changing and challenging environment of health care, today’s nurse leaders are required more than ever to consistently think about developing others and sustaining a committed…
The perfect pitch
How many times have you been frustrated by some inefficient aspect of your job? Or wondered why no one has created a shortcut through the mound of paperwork…
The power of one voice
Dizziness, profuse sweating, a gnawing sensation in the pit of your stomach. Are these symptoms of the latest virus? No—they’re classic indications of glossophobia, or fear of public…
The rewarding role of clinical documentation specialist
Many organizations now have clinical documentation improvement programs (CDIs) designed to help an organization accurately reflect the quality of patient care, illustrate healthcare services, and make precise reports…
The U.S. Nursing Workforce: Trends in Supply and Education – results in brief
Read a special report about current trends in nurse supply.
The wide world of travel nursing: Islands, cruise ships, and foreign countries
In my earlier article on travel nursing (“Travel nursing, anyone?”, November 2014), I described some of the traits and qualifications travel nurses should possess. In this article, we’ll…
Three easy steps to finding a nursing scholarship…PLUS five great scholarships to get you started
Going back to school is hard enough – then you have to pay for it. Here are three easy steps to finding the perfect nursing scholarship for your…
Tips for floaters
Although few nurses look forward to it, floating gives you a chance to experience another practice area, break out of your daily routine, and learn something new.
Today’s Traveler: Pack your bag!
As a traveling nurse in the operating room since 1997, I have gained more knowledge and experienced a variety of cases I would not have experienced if I…
Tools to improve your collaborative skills
No matter what your practice environment, you need to collaborate effectively with other nurses and other disciplines to excel in your career. Nurses are expected to participate in joint initiatives that embrace research…
Travel nursing, anyone?
If you’ve been working as a nurse for more than a minute, chances are you’ve heard the term travel nurse or worked with one. But while you may…
Travel nursing: Is it right for you?
A number of readers have written us with questions about travel nursing. For answers to these questions, we turned to an expert in the field—Dr. Franklin Shaffer, EdD,…
Understanding the role of the Clinical Nurse Leader
Learn how the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) role came into being, what educational preparation is required, and what CNLs do.
Update on home health care: How it’s changing
By understanding how home health care has changed, acute-care nurses can partner more effectively with home care nurses.
Voice mail etiquette
Don’t get tripped up by voice-mail missteps. Find out how to use voice mail to enhance your professional image.
Voice mail etiquette
For any professional, voice mail (VM) is no longer optional; it’s necessary. How you use VM can work for or against you. The tips below can help you…
Waltzing through the behavioral job interview
More employers are using behavioral interviews to learn not just what applicants can do but who they really are and whether they’d enhance or detract from an existing…
WEB EXCLUSIVE! Cardiovascular nursing: Dynamic and in demand
February is Cardiovascular Professionals Month. To mark the occasion, American Nurse Today asked Joanna D. Sikkema, MSN, ANP, President of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA), to describe…
What can Magnet do for you?
The Magnet Recognition Program identifies healthcare facilities committed to nursing excellence.
What does a Nursing Professional Development Specialist (Nurse Educator) do?
Let’s assume for a moment that you just graduated from nursing school. You have a brand new degree, a little clinical hospital training, lots of new information, and…
When nurses precept students: Views from both sides of the equation
The author highlights differing viewpoints of the precepting experience.
Why go back for a baccalaureate degree?
Find out if a return to school makes sense for you.
Why more nurses should write for publication (but don’t)
No matter where nurses practice or how stressful their work lives are, many use words like “delighted” and “exhilarated” to describe how they feel when they write about…
Why must I make a service commitment?
During my senior year of nursing school, I tried to do everything right to prepare for my first nursing job. I thought I understood the system. I was…
Why you need an electronic professional portfolio
You can think of an electronic professional portfolio as being similar to an electronic health record. An electronic health record captures all the clinical conditions and interventions over…
Why you need your own malpractice insurance
Many myths surround professional liability insurance for nurses, also known as nursing malpractice insurance. Here are a few: Only physicians get sued for malpractice. If you have your…
Write a clinical narrative that clinches your advancement
Is difficulty writing a clinical-situation narrative holding you back from seeking a promotion? This article can help.
Your path to becoming a nurse educator
Looking for new professional challenges? Consider teaching nursing. This country has a growing need for academic nurse educators—nurses who teach students enrolled in formal academic nursing courses. The…
Your professional CV: A road map to success
How to use your CV to achieve your career goals Takeaways: A well-developed CV is a roadmap of where you are and where you want to be. The…
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