Practice Matters

Firstline_PPDNursse

#WeAreFirstline

ANA joins CDC’s new infection control training collaborative  Healthcare professionals agree that infection prevention and control measures, when implemented correctly and consistently, have the potential to dramatically lower…
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125 years of progress

ANA’s track record shapes its pandemic response.  “We have been so busy that we don’t know where we are at. I work 10 hours per day and then…
20 million strong

20 million strong

Nurses and midwives create a healthier world. No matter what continent we call home, the experience is the same—nurses and midwives are on the front lines of promoting…
influenza zoster vaccines

2009 H1N1 Flu – Situation Update

Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a report called FluView. During the week…

2009 H1N1 Flu – Situation Update (01.04.10)

Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a report called FluView. During the week…

2009 H1N1 Flu – Situation Update (01.08.10)

Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a report called FluView. During the week…

2009 H1N1 Flu – Situation Update (11.20.09)

Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a report called FluView.* During the week…

2009 H1N1 Flu – Situation Update (12.04.09)

Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a report called FluView. During the week…

2009 H1N1 Flu – Situation Update (12.11.09)

Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a report called FluView. During the week…

2018 nursing trends and salary survey results

What are your colleagues saying about workplace violence, bullying, and job satisfaction? RNs, as a whole, are a satisfied group. We’re satisfied with the nursing care we provide…

2020 ANA Innovation Award winners update

Making strides forward during a challenging year    The American Nurses Association (ANA) Innovation Awards, powered by BD, highlight, recognize, and celebrate exemplary nurse-led innovation that improves patient safety…

4 million reasons

Let’s celebrate and promote workforce diversity. AS WE COUNT DOWN to the start of National Nurses Week (NNW) on May 6, I’d like to share some numbers. The…
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A contemporary look at gerontological nursing

Nurse experts identify and respond to changing needs of an aging population. By Carol J. Bickford, PhD, RN-BC, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, FAAN What exactly is gerontological nursing? Because of…
ethics of nurse staffing

A conversation about the ethics of staffing

Editor’s note: In March 2016, Leah Curtin RN,ScD,FAAN, a living legend in nursing for her work in ethics, was asked to address the American Nurses’ Association meeting on…

A conversation with Rep. Lois Capps

Over the past several months, I’ve written extensively about the importance of nurses increasing their political advocacy to protect health care amid ongoing threats. To gain an insider perspective…

A kinder, gentler workplace

According to an analysis in the May 2016 issue of BMJ, medical errors in U.S. healthcare facilities are incredibly common and are now the third leading cause of death—more than respiratory…

A kinder, gentler workplace, part 2: Impatience

When I was a nursing student making rounds with a surgeon, he decided to remove a patient’s stitches. I hurried to the treatment room for a sterile suture pack and laid it…

A quantum life

Quantum theory explains how you create your life through what you choose to think, then intend and, ultimately, do.
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A whack on the side of the head

The last iteration of repealing and replacing Obamacare has gone down in failure because of Republicans appalled by cost and Democrats obsessed with numbers of Americans without access. I…
Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN President, American Nurses Association

Addressing the opioid epidemic

Funding and access to care are crucial to solving substance use disorders. The word crisis can be defined in several ways. But when looking at the extent of…
ACP

Advance care planning across the care continuum

Nurses can play an active role in engaging patients and families in helpful conversations. Takeaways Nurses are in a unique position to promote advanced care planning (ACP) discussions…

Advancing antiracism

State nurses association initiatives build on community ties. In June 2024, the American Nurses Association took a significant step forward in addressing racism within the nursing profession by…

Adventures in virtual meetings

Tired of unproductive staff meetings held at inconvenient times? Had it  up to here with being interrupted when trying to express your opinion? Maybe it’s time to explore…
ANA_MembershipAssembly

Advocacy agenda

Collective action reaps rewards in public policy.  Ernest J. Grant Advocacy—the process of influencing public policy—occurs at all levels of government and has real-world consequences; it’s not an…

Advocacy matters

Concerted efforts yield wins on nursing priorities.  In an era of political rancor, an important piece of legislation involving nursing practice passed the U.S. House of Representatives in…

Advocating for access to safe, quality care

As I write this, the next steps in the GOP’s crusade to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) remain unclear. However, together with our nurse advocates…
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Affirmation of focused practice competencies

In August 2017, the American Nurses Association (ANA) Board of Directors approved the inclusion of an additional component to ANA’s newly revised recognition of a nursing specialty, approval…
Workplace

Afraid at work

Sometimes certain people have personality problems — and anger problems. If that person happens to be in a position of authority, the result can be violence. This was,…
Home Equity

Agendas for change

Nursing’s path for growth, diversity, and health equity. Even as nurses worldwide confront one of the gravest crises in modern times, the nursing profession keeps looking forward and…
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Amazing you!

Celebrate yourself…you deserve it! By Leah Curtin, RN, ScD(h), FAAN Things are so different today. I remember being thoroughly and soundly spanked for an infraction that, as it…
An activity menu for older adults

An activity menu for older adults

You are caring for Mrs. R, a 75-year-old woman admitted to your hospital with pneumonia. After a few days, Mrs. R starts frequently ringing the call bell. She…

An extraordinary nurse leader

I’ve been fortunate to have worked with Pam Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, for nearly 25 years. As the founding editor-in-chief of American Nurse Journal, Pam continues to…

An invitation to error

What happens when you’re short staffed and there isn’t anyone to help?
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An ounce of prevention

Engage in practical training through Project Firstline.  A lifetime of working with patients with serious burn injuries truly ingrained in me the importance of infection prevention and control.…
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ANA’s 125th anniversary

Building on our history and recognizing nurses When I first began serving as president of the American Nurses Association (ANA), I frequently spoke about this role as being…

ANA’s Health Risk Appraisal: Three years later

What have we learned in the 3 years since ANA launched the HealthyNurse® Health Risk Appraisal (HRA)? Since November 2013, more than 13,500 RNs and nursing students have participated…

Anti-racism in nursing

Barriers to and strategies for sustainable progress Racism in nursing not only contradicts the core values of our profession but also undermines the quality of care we provide.…

Anticholinergics: Adverse effects

Anticholinergics, widely used in clinical practice for an extensive range of diseases, exert effects on circulation, respiration, alertness, and vision by blocking the action of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter)…

ARDS and prone positioning

In 2013, prone positioning—which has been shown to reduce mortality, decrease or prevent lung injury, and improve oxygenation—was written into national and international guidelines as a frontline therapy…
aromatherapy

Aromatherapy: Essential oils and nursing

Aromatherapy—which uses plant-based essential oils (inhaled or applied topically) to achieve therapeutic effects—is a growing holistic healthcare trend, but most nurses will learn little about it in academic…
AI

Artificial intelligence in nursing

Artificial intelligence (AI) comprises many healthcare technologies transforming nurses’ roles and enhancing patient care. In healthcare, AI typically refers to the ability of computers to independently convert data…

Asking difficult questions

Inclusive nursing assessment in a new era of healthcare Takeaways: Collecting information about race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity is a critical step for building an inclusive…

Assess, reflect, act

The National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing (the Commission) defines allyship as “an ethical duty through intentional interventions, advocacy, and support to eliminate harmful acts, words, or…

Attitude adds to a toxic work environment

Richard Aldington, a well-known British writer, poet, and reviewer, insisted that the best review he ever wrote wasn’t published. He explained, “In the early days of Dada [the…

Attitude: The power of human energy

Our thoughts, feelings, and disposition influence other people, not just because people see and read our facial expressions or body language, but because thoughts themselves are energy.
Avoiding flu complacency   

Avoiding flu complacency

Vaccination coverage is key to managing outbreaks.     As of June 17, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated at least 7.8 million cases of the flu…

Back to the future

I recently spoke with some colleagues about the impact of the Federal Public Health Emergency declaration ending and how to face the challenge of figuring out where to…
Battling burnout and languishing 

Battling burnout and languishing

Brief evidence-based tactics that work Even before COVID-19, rates of burnout, depression, stress, and anxiety in nurses, and other healthcare clinicians indicated a public health epidemic. Findings from…

Benzodiazepines

Providers prescribe benzodiazepines (BZDs)—also known as anxiolytics, hypnotics, muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants, and amnestic medications—to manage several symptoms and conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, alcohol withdrawal, sedation, muscle spasms, agitation,…

Beware of predatory journals

Choosing best evidence requires watching for these red flags.   Takeaways: Predatory journals (reading them, citing them in your writing, or publishing with them) threaten the integrity of nursing…
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Beyond a box of chocolates

Often, patients and families express their gratitude for a special nurse’s outstanding care with spoken thanks or heartfelt commendations written to a nursing supervisor. Some even offer a…
thank you gift patient giving

Beyond a box of chocolates

Often, patients and families express their gratitude for a special nurse’s outstanding care with spoken thanks or heartfelt commendations written to a nursing supervisor. Some even offer a…

Beyond customer service

Many nurses don’t like to hear their patients called “customers” or be told to provide “customer service.” This expert explains how to lose the lingo and adapt the…

Boost your mood with food

Traditionally, dietary research focused large­ly on physical health, producing well-documented findings about how what we eat impacts our cardiovascular system, weight, and activity levels. In more recent years,…

Breaking down barriers to sizeism

The chronic disease of obesity affects quality of life, health, and function for people from all populations. The prevalence of obesity and its disparities along demographic and gender…

Brighter days ahead

Marking one year of the pandemic and nurses’ response We generally think of anniversaries as causes for celebration, as is the case of the American Nurses Association (ANA)…

Brought to you by NDNQI: Data that do good

Thanks to the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators, hospitals and nurses are capturing and converting into data what nurses actually do and how their actions affect patient…
pamela cipriano phd rn ana president

Building moral resilience and healthy environments

This effort requires everyone’s support. “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger,’’ so proposed German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche back in the 19th century and reiterated since…
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C.A.R.E. to prevent medical device related pressure injuries

As patient care equipment and technology evolve, medical device-related hospital-acquired pressure injuries continue to capture national healthcare attention. These frequently preventable injuries, which develop during the application of…

Calculating and interpreting the odds ratio

Researchers use the odds ratio to analyze which of two groups of individuals is more likely to have an adverse outcome. Find out how to calculate the odds…
fire patient

Can you fire a patient?

The answer may surprise you. WHAT can you do with a patient who won’t comply with any of your directives? You’ve provided education until you’re blue in the…

Caring for adults with autism spectrum disorder

Nurses face two challenges when caring for adults with autism spectrum disorder: a lack of clinical knowledge regarding the customization of patient-centered care to meet the individual needs…

Case study: Coerced consent

“Coercion is commonly said to invalidate consent, and that is always true if the source of the coercion is the physician.

Case Study: How much is enough?

Three-year-old Christy* has been in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) since birth, when she was diagnosed with McCune-Albright syndrome and multiple other conditions that left her…
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Catching up to stay ahead

Getting back on track with routinely recommended vaccinations The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in dramatic declines in adolescent vaccinations, which began in March 2020 and continue one year…

Celebrating nurse innovators

Nurses’ creativity showcased at the ANA Quality and Innovation Conference in Orlando. THE American Nurses Association (ANA) continued its commitment to cultivating and celebrating nurse-led innovation through two…

Changing an imperfect system of care

In a 2022 Viewpoint, I highlighted actions to address the nursing workforce shortage. In that article, I said, “Nothing will change until healthcare policy identifies the economic value…
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Chaplains as connectors

In caring for the whole patient—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually—nurses collaborate with other disciplines. To ensure a patient’s spiritual needs are met, nurses work with chaplains and pastoral…
cherish differences

Cherish the differences

You’ve probably heard of groupthink—the psychological phenomenon that arises in a group, where the desire for conformity or harmony leads to irrational or dysfunctional decision making. Everyone seems…

Claiming our rights

The pandemic has cast a spotlight on human rights. According to CNN, the night-shift emergency department (ED) nurses at a Detroit hospital reached a tipping point in the…
Climate Courage

Climate courage

Act now to protect the global population.  I’ve always accepted the science of global warming, but I stayed on the sidelines. I didn’t think it was my responsibility…

CMS establishes minimum LTC staffing standards

In a significant move toward achieving safe nurse staffing levels, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) established minimum staffing standards for nurses in long-term care (LTC)…

Combatting stress

Nurses know stress—it seems like a defining characteristic of the profession. In a recent ANA Health Risk Appraisal survey of more than 10,000 RNs and nursing students, 82%…

Communication for coordination

Key takeways – Communication across the continuum of care is more than “just read my notes.” – Consistent communication is key to safe, effective patient care. – Interdisciplinary…

Compassion holds everything together

Despite our physical separation from each other, we’re still all connected and react to what happens to each other. Compassion is the unifying force that holds it all…
compassion nurse virtue

Compassion: A nurse’s primary virtue

Strengthening compassion may help you avoid burnout. Nurses, we’re told, are fundamentally compassionate people. In fact, nurse burnout could be defined as the loss of compassion. So, it…
compassionate connections

Compassionate Connections

Improve outcomes, promote trust, and keep patients safe. Takeaways: Creating meaningful, compassionate connections with patients can improve outcomes, promote trust, and help patients feel safe while their hospitalized.…

Confronting racism in nursing

The inaugural National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing, comprised of representatives from over 30 national nursing organizations and 80 subject matter experts, has accomplished much. This article…
Conscience

Conscience, legalism, and the clash of rights

Federal law prohibits hospitals that receive certain federal funds from forcing employees to participate in abortions. But in September of 2011, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of…
COVID-19 and palliative care

COVID-19 and palliative care

Primary care symptom management can enhance quality of life and prevent hospitalization.  Takeaways: Early identification and reporting of symptomatic COVID-19 patients in the primary care setting can improve…
covid-19

COVID-19 exposed our deficiencies

The U.S. healthcare system needs adequate reserve capacity to address future pandemics. The current U.S. healthcare delivery system doesn’t have the capacity to handle a pandemic like COVID-19.…
COVID-19 vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines: What you need to know

A critical intervention to help end the pandemic.     Scientists began work to develop a safe and effective vaccine soon after identifying the SARS-CoV-2 genome in January 2020. By…

Creating a smooth move for patients and staff

When Missouri Baptist Medical Center had to relocate nearly 200 patients in a single day, staff and leaders knew collaboration and planning would be key. Here’s how they…
Moral space

Creating moral space for nurses

Some years ago, I was caring for a 67-year-old wom­an dying of leukemia who had received an experimental chemotherapeutic agent as a last resort. She was in terrible…
data science for nurses

Data science for nurses

Learn how to apply this skill to nursing projects.  Takeaways: Using data science methods and techniques has the potential to improve nurses’ insights into care delivery. A team-based…

Deafblindness and health advocacy

Patients with moderate-to-severe visual and hearing impairments (deafblindness) need their nurses to understand their needs and provide safe care. Nurses have fundamental knowledge about caring for patients with…
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Dedicated education units: Advancing nurse preparation

An academic-practice partnership achieves student and staff nurse success. Takeaways:  Developing and sustaining a dedicated education unit (DEU) academic-practice partnership requires collaboration, commitment, and careful planning.  The benefits…

Déjà vu all over again

Some people simply can’t learn from the past—even the fairly recent and painful past.

Delegating without doubts

With this decision tree as your guide, you’ll delegate tasks to assistive personnel with confidence.

Delivering health equity at the bedside

Inequities pervade the American healthcare system and prevent people from achieving their full potential. Ensuring that nurses deliver equitable care is more than satisfying a mandatory education requirement.…
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Developing and expanding APRN and PA teams

Takeaways: Advanced practice RN (APRN) and physician assistant (PA) roles are increasing in both primary and acute care settings. The integration of APRNs and PAs as part of…

Diabetic foot ulcers in ambulatory settings

Foot ulcers continue to present a serious health concern for patients with diabetes. About 26 million people a year experience diabetic foot ulcers with an annual cost of…

Digital dashboards and staffing

Many healthcare organizations use digital “dashboards” to provide employees with real-time data collected from various sources, helping to guide decisions and improve the quality of care. Increasingly, dashboards…

Do I still belong?

You matter to the profession. As nurses continue their journey to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, many are asking, “Do I belong here?” Belonging, a human need, is…

Do you hear what I hear? Combating alarm fatigue

As you enter your unit to begin your shift, a cacophony of alarms from multiple devices greets you. The cacophony continues throughout your entire shift. Various devices, including…

Do you know the schedule for vaccinating children?

Learn how to promote pediatric immunizations in your practice. Part of ANA’s Bringing Immunity to Every Community campaign. this handout stresses the importance of vaccinating children and their…
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Do you want to be a preceptor?

PRECEPTORS MAKE ALL the difference. Without the right preceptor, the transition from classroom to patient’s room can be difficult, but a preceptor who demonstrates how to turn classroom…

Documentation: You’ve got a lot to lose

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, fraud is “the intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result…
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Driving staffing solutions

Stakeholders join forces to address the nursing shortage.     The COVID-19 pandemic response has magnified long-standing nurse staffing deficits burdening the workforce. In a September 2021 COVID-19 survey by…

Early patient mobility

Nurses have carried the world through a pandemic and continue to experience the stressors of a staffing crisis and an overburdened healthcare system. Ongoing practices that increase patients’…

EHR burden reduction

Many of us chose nursing as a career because of a strong pull to take care of others, provide comfort, and leave each interaction better than when it…

Empowering nurses with infection control resources

As the frontline defense in many healthcare facilities, nurses and their knowledge of infection control principles and confidence in infection control protocols are essential to maintaining the well-being and…
workplace violence

End workplace violence

Charting a path to zero tolerance April 16, 2021, marked a key milestone in the journey to end workplace violence in healthcare, when the Workplace Violence Prevention for…

Ending stigma

If a flood or fire were to hit a community, RNs would spring into action, working long hours under stressful conditions to triage and treat the acutely ill…
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Enhancing nursing curriculum with an injection of technology

Use online tools to engage and motivate students. Evidence-based research has changed teaching from a traditional teacher-centered approach to a student-centered (constructivist) approach. According to neuroscience research, the…
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Errors, care, and the bottom line

Try a mock survey to ensure patient safety. PRESIDENT Calvin Coolidge once said, “The chief business of the American people is business,” but that was decades ago. Now,…

Ethics case study: ‘Just watch them die…’

According to the Associated Press, a Brookdale Senior Residence facility* worker who identified herself as a nurse, refused to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to Lorraine Bayless, an 87-year-old…

Ethics for nurses in everyday practice

In recent years, most of the world’s people have celebrated their diversity: different races and languages, religions and cultures, and social mores. These differences are what make life…
Report of Racism

Examining racism in nursing

National Commission releases foundational report.     The National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing released a series of six reports on racism in nursing in May 2022, authored by…

Fighting emerging threats

Three years ago, the American Nurses Association (ANA) and nurses nationwide found themselves on the frontlines of a crisis when the Ebola virus made its way to the…
first last line defense

First and last line of defense

Nurses are crucial to ensuring the safety of patients and the public. NURSES want every interaction with every patient to be safe, whether we’re administering a medication or performing…

Focus on nurses’ well-being

Nurses hold demanding and frequently stress­ful positions and hectic lives. Managing the stresses and strains of work and finding a positive work–life balance can prove trying. This article…

Foot assessment and care

For the foot to properly perform its main functions of weight bearing and propulsion, 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 tendons, muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves, and…

Forgive us our trespasses

When Archbishop Desmond Tutu, chairman of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Committee, speaks of Nelson Mandela, he insists Mandela has always been a free man because he was…
Fostering professional identity in nursing

Fostering professional identity in nursing

How to wholly support nurse well-being   Takeaways: All nurses should learn about professional identity in nursing and then model and apply it to their practice settings. Fostering professional…
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Foundation for the future

A bold initiative to reshape nursing and healthcare. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses nationwide have been providing exemplary service under extraordinarily trying circumstances. From the earliest days of…
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From apathy to political activism

When someone mentions the words politics and nursing in the same sentence, do you roll your eyes? Do you think to yourself or ask aloud, “What does this…

From clown to nurse to executive leader

If you had asked me in 2005 where I would be in 18 years, I never would have said executive nurse leader. Then, I was a professional clown.

From data to action

In 2023, the Nurse Staffing Task Force, a collaboration between the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), an ANA organizational affiliate,…
From idea to impact

From idea to impact

Innovation Awards recognize nursing initiatives.       The 2022 American Nurses Association (ANA) Innovation Awards, sponsored by Stryker, recognized an individual nurse’s efforts to make healthcare in eastern North Carolina…
Practice Matters - Gandhi

Gandhi and the practice of nursing

Professional ethics and daily practice. One man, Mohandas Gandhi, led us back into morality as a practical thing. In my opinion, his greatest contribution to the discussion of…
generational-learning

Generational learning preferences

Understanding generational preferences allows us to adapt our teaching methods for most effective patient learning.

Getting shots in arms

Stay current with vaccinations. Viral respiratory illness season has arrived. Many people may be behind with their annual and routine vaccinations. What can nurses do for patients, families,…

Getting to the root of the root-cause analysis problem

With national attention focused on the unacceptable prevalence of medical errors, the healthcare sector has turned to highly reliable industries, including aviation and nuclear power, to learn about…
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Give the gift of life

Make a personal commitment to support blood donation in your community.     Nurses first learn about the value of blood and the mandate for maintenance of that important gift…
pamela cipriano president American nurses association

Global issues are our issues

Nurses around the world focus on healthcare quality and access. While a lack of access to health care, widespread poverty and hunger, low literacy, and poor population health…

Going from the gut

The current emphasis on best practices, guidelines, and checklists make cause healthcare professionals to turn off their judgment and go by the book – even when it’s the…

Good intentions eclipsed

Leah Curtin discusses how negative effects of work on work/life balance and mandatory overtime affect patient care.
From where I stand

Good-bye and God bless…

Practical hope will create new realities.  It is with some trepidation and a great deal of nostalgia that I say good-bye to my role as a contributor to…

Grasping the all-important concept of risk

To fulfill your responsibility toward evidence-based practice, you need to understand statistical techniques. In the first article in our new “Spotlight on Statistics” series, the authors demystify the…
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Grooming our future leaders

The future of nursing may be in jeopardy. For almost a decade, we’ve known that when the current shortage peaks around 2020, we’ll have 1 million fewer nurses…
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Harassment: It’s about abuse of power

You should feel safe at work. By Leah Curtin, RN, ScD(h), FAAN Nurses—everyone, in fact—have a right to a workplace free of harassment, but that’s too often not…
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Hazardous drugs, a safety blind spot

Know the risks of handling many commonly administered drugs.  WARFARIN, OXYTOCIN, CLONAZEPAM—registered nurses administer millions of these drugs daily with little awareness that they are hazardous, as defined…
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Hazardous exposures and military veterans

Identify veterans and perform exposure assessments to improve care outcomes.  Takeaways: Many military service members access healthcare outside of the Veterans Health Administration, so nurses must take steps…

Healing our hazardous environment

Environmental pollution threatens our homes, workplaces, and communities. So what can you do? This article will tell you.

Healing the wounds: Quantum nursing V

Quantum nursing demands that nurses honor each person’s humanity, promote independence and autonomy, and offer the opportunity for individuals to redefine for themselves who they are and how…

Hispanic culture and health

The Hispanic population accounts for roughly 19% of Americans—the largest minority group in the United States. However, Hispanic adults are the least likely ethnic or racial group to…
Hospital at home

Hospital at home

Expand capacity, increase patient satisfaction, improve outcomes  Takeaways: Outside of the United States, countries such as England, Canada, and Australia have long op­erated hospital-at-home programs. Studies indicate that…

How do we manage in uncertain times?

As the early months of a new political landscape unfold, there are many concerns about the future direction of health care and other issues important to registered nurses. This…

How dolls can help patients with dementia

One evening while making rounds in the geriatric psychiatry unit, a nurse manager heard a patient crying in a little girl’s voice and pleading for her mother and…
mourn-dead

How shall we mourn our dead?

Take your time and follow the path that’s right for you. Since May 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have required nursing homes to provide data…

How to balance a bed shortage

Bed shortages remain a concern in hospitals across the country. For example, since the COVID-19 pandemic, most of Washington’s larger hospitals and tertiary centers operate well above daily…

How to comment on government regulations

You can get directly involved in developing public health policy by submitting your comments on proposed government regulations to federal departments and agencies.

How to deliver bad news

Healthcare providers often must give bad news to patients and families. Doing this in a direct, concise, compassionate way is a skill that equired practice.

How to improve your listening skills

Find out how the “GRRRR for great listening” model can improve your communication with colleagues to help you deliver high-quality care. This article is available to American Nurses…

How to meet the challenge of disruptive patients

Disruptive patients can be challenging for even the most experienced nurse. Learn how identify those at high risk for disruptive behavior and strategies for defusing a person who…

Huddle up for patient safety

You have received report on your patients and are starting your shift on a busy medical-surgical unit. To help control your workflow and manage your time more effectively,…
human rights

Human rights

ANA and nurses call for migrant family reunifications IMMIGRATION across our southern border took the spotlight earlier this year. People chose sides based on personal views about how…

Hypnosis and pain

To combat the opioid epidemic, the ANA encourages alternative approaches to treating pain, such as increasing prescriber training, improving access to treatment, and exploring other pain management options.…

ICU Diary: The Gift of Care™

As an ICU nurse you’ve probably encountered the critically ill patient who is experiencing hallucinations, delusions, and confusion. Healthcare providers are learning just how detrimental this state of…
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Immunization nurse champions

Are you an immunization nurse champion where you work? For 15 years, RNs have been ranked by the public in a Gallup Poll as the most trusted profession.…

Improving PrEP adherence

PrEP-RN intervention would allow more healthcare professionals to counsel and initiate PrEP, which might help improve adherence.

In pursuit of a good night’s rest

Good sleep quality is essential for overall health and well-being. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), via the Sleep Foundation, recommends that adults get 7 to 9…
care boards

In with care boards, out with care plans

To promote patient-centered care, healthcare professionals are striving to find new ways to respond to individual patient preferences, needs, and values. Traditionally, nurses created the patient’s plan of…
infection prevention

Infection prevention and control is for every nurse

Refresh your knowledge through ANA Project Firstline. Nurses have always played an important role in infection prevention and control (IPC). The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this fact. Evidence…

Infiltration of xylazine in illicit fentanyl

Be alert for the signs of this drug, a growing contributor to the opioid epidemic. In addition to the influx of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply, xylazine,…
flu vaccine

Influenza prevention

Immunization options offer coverage across the population. Last year, the incidence of influenza worldwide was unprecedentedly low. For example, less than 0.4% of respiratory samples tested positive for…

Initiative on the Future of Nursing

Dear American Nurse Today readers: Here’s your chance to help shape the future. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s “Initiative on the Future of Nursing” at the Institute of…
makerspace

Innovating during a pandemic

An on-site makerspace leads to quick solution experimentation and implementation. Takeaways: Nurses have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in inventive ways. Creating a culture of innovation enhances the…
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Innovation central

Resources and recognition for advancing nurses’ ideas and ingenuity. Ernest J. Grant Innovation—creating something new or improving on an existing process, product, or idea—is a “fundamental part of…
innovation action

Innovation in action

Harnessing the power of nurse-led innovation. The American Nurses Association (ANA) embarked on a journey of innovation as a part of its 2017-2020 Strategic Plan. Here are some highlights…

Innovation in motion

The American Nurses Association (ANA) Innovation Awards, sponsored by Stryker and offered annually, highlight, recognize, and celebrate nurse-led innovation that improves patient safety outcomes. The 2023 recipients provided…

Innovation on the move

Update on 2022 award winner progress The American Nurses Association (ANA) Innovation Awards, sponsored by Stryker, recognize nurse-led innovation that improves patient safety outcomes. In 2022, KaSheta Johnson…
pamela cipriano phd rn ana president

Inspire, innovate, and influence

Let’s work together to tackle public health issues.  With National Nurses Weekcoming soon, we’ll be publicly recognized for our many positive contributions to healthcare at the bedside and…

Insulin injection and changing injury trends

A lot can change in healthcare over 5 years, including advancements in precise and early diagnosis of disease, treatment options, expansion of outpatient and pharmacy services, robotics for…

Intimate partner violence

The World Health Organization describes intimate partner violence (IPV) as “behavior by an intimate partner or ex-partner that causes physical, sexual or psychological harm, including physical aggression, sexual…

Introducing the quantum patient

The quantum patient is an indivisible human being whose health problems might not be healed through traditional specialization.
self-care

Investing in ourselves

Self-care boosts nurses personally and professionally.  Nurses nationwide have performed arduous and impeccable work during the COVID-19 pandemic, now in its 21st month and about to cross into…

Is there a nurse in the House? Or the Senate?

Nurses can help heal the political divide. Imagine you’re on a break with work colleagues and the conversation turns to a policy topic you care about. Maybe it’s…

Is there a right to medical care?

Bridging gaps through familiarity, kindness, and acceptance To even begin to answer the question—“Is there a right to medical care?”—one must first define a “right.” Legal rights, such…

Is this quality improvement or research?

Imagine you’re a nurse working in the emergency department (ED) of a small hospital who wants to reduce medication errors in your department. You decide to implement a…

Is your patient on a clinical trial?

One simple question can make all the difference. Takeaways: The billions of prescriptions filled by Americans every year demonstrate the altruism of clinical trial participants who accept risk…
pamela cipriano phd rn ana president

It’s who we are.

Nurses are part of high-performing teams during disasters. By Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN In the past few months, natural disasters and other tragic events have…
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Key competencies for nursing

To innovate is to put new ideas into practice or existing ideas into practice in new ways. Innovation isn’t new, but its prominence and need in health care…

Killing for profit

Reinforcing hospice’s valuable services after disturbing court case (more…)

Knowing you can make it

They were the darkest days of World War II. Ships—even those sailing far to the north, above the Arctic Circle—were being sunk with disastrous regularity by German U-boats.…

Knowledge of intravascular determination

Current nursing practice uses secondary responses (heart rate, blood pressure, and urine output) to monitor intravascular volume and fluid responsiveness. However, stroke volume measurement is the primary hemodynamic…

Leadership style matters

What do nurses want in a leader and their practice environment? They want a supportive, safe workplace where they can learn, grow, and speak up without fear of…
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Leadership: Making things better

According to the Huffington Post, “A recent survey by the World Economic Forum found that 86 percent of respondents believe we are suffering a global leadership crisis…. The world…

Let’s take the lead in educating the public about nursing

Editor’s note: The authors are the executive director and senior advisor, respectively, of The Truth About Nursing, a nonprofit organization that seeks to increase public understanding of nurses’ role in health care…

Lies and the lying liars who tell them

The impact of lying on individuals and society. While human history is rife with evidence of lying, never has lying been writ so large as it is today.…
Racism In Nursing

Listening with compassion

Nurses’ experiences of racism in nursing. “Many Black girls don’t make it through this nursing education program.”  Have you ever had your intelligence, competence, and value questioned because…

Making prone positioning a priority

Perfecting protocols to support patients with COVID-19     Research on the benefits of prone positioning for acute respiratory distress syndrome—and now COVID-19—has increased an awareness and urgency to initiate…
medical-device-development

Medical device development

Things to know before you make the leap Takeaways: Nurses are perfectly positioned to engage in medical device development. The pathway to medical device development includes intellectual property…

Medical futility: A nurse’s viewpoint

Caring for a medically futile patient can be a wrenching emotional experience. Learn how to cope with the complex medical, ethical, and legal issues and help patients and…
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Medicare for all? Why not?

If President Trump really wants a healthcare plan that gives him a big win by covering all Americans, reducing insurance costs, and cutting the cost of healthcare, it…
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Medication storage and disposal safety

Preventing the dangers of accidental or intentional prescription drug misuse. By Sharon A. Morgan, MSN, RN, NP-C One of the take-home lessons of the current opioid epidemic is…
Medication titration

Medication titration

Editor’s Note:This article has been corrected to reflect accurate information regarding the block charting example. The starting does of dopamine in this scenario is 5 mcg/kg/min. Meeting The…
mindful observation

Mindful observation

Bring your full attention to the patient to gain perspective. “If you cannot get the habit of observation one way or other, you had better give up the…

Minimize medication errors in urgent care clinics

Establish a culture of patient safety. Takeaways: The number of patients seen in urgent care clinics can present unique medication administration challenges. Reducing errors requires a culture of…

Moral space

Understanding the problems of living and dying. (more…)

Motivational interviewing: A communication best practice

This collaborative approach can influence behavior change and improve healthcare literacy. Takeaways:  Motivational interviewing (MI) is collaborative conversation style that promotes positive health behavior change and strengthens an…
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Moving forward with nurse-led care coordination

Expert panel contributes to an ongoing body of work. By Sametria McCammon, MSPH, and Ruth Francis, MPH, MCHES RNs are essentialto establishing and maintaining a well-coordinated health system…

Moving toward a restraint-free environment

Sherry, age 17, is admitted to a behavioral health residential facility by her adoptive parents. She has mild mental retardation and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Recently, she reported…

No time like the present to get healthy

This month, ANA rolls out a new yearlong initiative focused on helping every nurse be a healthy nurse. Why? Good health is good for you and helps you…
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Nurse fatigue: A shared responsibility

RNs and employers can work together to promote healthy sleep. GETTING ADEQUATE REST is important for everyone, especially when fewer daylight hours in the fall and winter may…
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Nurse fatigue: The silent epidemic

Are you getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period? According to ANA Enterprise’s new Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation® survey results, 40% of…

Nurse innovator resources

Eight guidebooks assist in framing and developing ideas. Nurses frequently have insights and innovations relevant across healthcare but might not know how to expand their ideas into concrete…
Nurse Innovators

Nurse innovators shine

NursePitch ™ reveals products for better care. The third annual NursePitch ™—held in collaboration with the American Nurses Association (ANA) and HIMSS, and sponsored by Becton Dickinson (BD)—showcased…

Nurse referrals to pharmacy

As the main point of patient contact, nurses can help quickly identify potential health-related issues. Taking a whole person/population health management approach provides patients with individualized care management…
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Nurse suicide attempt survivors

Easing back safely to the work environment Frequently, suicide ideation is a manifestation of mental illness, such as depression or anxiety disorder. However, even without a history or…
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Nurses and vaccine hesitancy

If you can and if you are offered the chance, take the COVID-19 vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that healthcare personnel be among those…
The Future of Nursing

Nurses are nurses—unless they’re not

The key message of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2010 report “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” is that “nurses should achieve higher levels of education…
nurses during covid

Nurses during COVID-19’s next wave

We need to accept responsibility for our choices. I’m proud to be a nurse. You’ve made me prouder of my profession than I’ve ever been before. In the…
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Nurses living mindfully—Over the holidays and always

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim is to improve population health, increase patient satisfaction, and reduce per-capita spending. The Quad­ruple Aim adds the goal of improving healthcare pro­viders’…

Nurses rising

Recognizing, elevating, and caring for RNs during a pandemic As we celebrated the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman and person of…
shaping future healthcare

Nurses shaping the future of healthcare

The power of advocacy is in the voting booth. IN THE FACE of repeated threats from Congress and the administration, the American Nurses Association (ANA) and nurses nationwide have…

Nurses’ health in the wake of COVID-19

Using HNHN survey data to examine trends, address needs The COVID-19 pandemic has put extra­ordinary strain on nurses, exacerbating the daily health challenges they already face. Indeed, poor…

Nurses’ role in managing pain

ANA offers guidance to help address a national and global epidemic. ON MY WAY INTO WORK at the burn center early in my career, I’d often worry about…

Nurses’ role in skin cancer prevention

Skin cancer has reached epidemic proportions—one in five Americans will develop some form by age 70. Nurses have an opportunity to make a significant contribution to skin cancer…

Nursing informatics career opportunities

Healthcare decisions depend on data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. Nursing informatics leverages these concepts to support the design, development, testing, implementation, adoption, and optimization of digital health tools,…
Mental Health Makeover

Nursing needs a mental health makeover

Easy access to resources and erasing stigma are key. For too long, nurses have struggled quietly with mental health issues, fearing stigma or negative consequences associated with getting…

Nursing—Built on a cornerstone of leadership

Editor’s note: In this month’s issue, ANA President Pamela Cipriano and National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) President Adam Tebben exchange editorial space. Cipriano’s editorial can be found in…
Nursing's role in healthcare reform

Nursing’s role in healthcare reform

The 2010 healthcare reform act (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or PPACA) gives nurses new opportunities to deliver care and play an integral role in leading change.…

Obesity in nurses

Occupational challenges contribute to weight gain. Research shows that about half of American nurses are living with obesity or are overweight. American Nurses Association (ANA) research via the…

Observations on nursing shortages

I graduated from my basic nursing program in 1973 (50 years ago!). Just like now, a significant nursing shortage existed then, too. As a matter of fact, I…

Of artichokes and angry patients

An angry patient is like an artichoke. An artichoke is prickly and rough on the outside, but by taking time to learn how to peel its rough leaves,…

On the power of one

The actions of a single person can be incalculable. That’s why it’s crucial that each of us instill “habits of virtue” in children.
the-Golden-Rule

One country, one people, one government

Let’s expect more from our country, our politicians—and each other. By the time this article is published, the holidays will be over, and it will be time to…

Opioids: Follow the evidence

To ensure safety and effective care, nurses must maintain their knowledge and understanding of opioid pharmacologic properties and best practices when caring for patients with acute and chronic…
Gelinas_Future-nurse-in-2021

Our future through my review mirror

Turn the troubling events of 2020 into opportunities in 2021. 2020 is finally over! It was a meaningful year because we had the opportunity to celebrate The Year…
Outreach score identifies care coordination needs

Outreach score identifies care coordination needs

Save time, increase intervention efficiency and effectiveness, and enhance patient safety.  Takeaways: Care managers spend hours cross referencing multiple sources to gather as much information as possible about…
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Pandemics and ‘One Health’

The intertwining of nature, wildlife, and humans increases the risk of disease spread.  With the world’s attention gripped by vaccinating the population against COVID-19, infectious disease experts are…
passion with purpose

Passion with purpose

Looking back on ANA’s work and presidency. THE PRESIDENCY of the American Nurses Association (ANA) is one of the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding roles in American nursing. It…

Pathological individualism

This article has been retracted. For more information, see https://www.myamericannurse.com/publication-ethics
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Patient acuity tool on a medical-surgical unit

Use a tool for consistent, objective, and quantifiable patient assignments. Patient assignments can lead to dissatisfaction among nursing staff, especially when they’re not consistent, objective, and quantifiable.
patient family tele-education

Patient and family tele-education

Remote education is an effective teaching tool. Takeaways: Tele-education can serve as an alternative to in-person subcutaneous injection training for patients and families. Patients and families found tele-education…

Patient Nutrition

Do you routinely talk to patient’s about nutrition and their health? Please click here to participate in a very short survey about nurses and patient nutrition.

Patient-centered innovation

Improving safety, access, and outcomes The American Nurses Association (ANA) and the American Nurses Foundation revealed the 2023 ANA Innovation Awards winners, sponsored by Stryker, a leading global…
patients sleep ant

Patients need more sleep

By Leah Curtin, RN, ScD(h), FAAN “Sleep, gentle sleep that…knits up the raveled sleave of care.” —Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act II, Scene II As most nurses know,sleep disturbance is…

Pick up some research to go!

Find out how to grab the latest research on the run, decide of the findings are ready to use in practice, and plan practice changes accordingly.
disposable syringes

Preventing injuries from disposable syringes

Editor’s note: This article is the last in a three-part series brought to you in partnership with the International Safety Center. The earlier articles (“Preventing needlestick and sharps…
Needlesticks

Preventing needlestick and sharps injuries

Editor’s note: This article is the first in a three-part series brought to you in partnership with the International Safety Center. Watch for the next two articles on…
Preventing preceptor burnout

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 not easy to help novice nurses…

Preventing workplace violence

Analyze, report, and educate to ensure staff and patient safety The stress and isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated violence in our society. In January 2022,…

Problem of psychiatric patient ED boarding

Leaders can advocate for changes to reduce ED boarding and crowding. IN SEPTEMBER 2012, in Update 2 to the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals, The Joint Commission published revisions…

Problems with Privacy

Leah Curtin discusses how the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has been misinterpreted to the detriment of patients.
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Professional governance and staff engagement

A new medical unit establishes an engaged nursing workforce.  Takeaways: A culture grounded in teamwork, shared governance, and accountability is needed for staff engagement and owning patient outcomes.…
Professional prioritization

Professional prioritization

Remember all the good we do.   Marla J. Weston Nurses repeatedly confront overwhelming workloads and the need to make extraordinarily complex choices amidst insufficient resources and competing priorities,…
program evaluation

Program transformation through evaluation

Assess program effectiveness using the CDC framework.  Takeaways: Nurses can drive change through program evaluation to improve patient outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Program Evaluation…
leukoencephalopathy

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Many of us tune out during commercials that list the rare side effects of a medication. However, understanding the side effects of disease-modifying and immunosuppressive drugs can help…
patient portal

Promoting patient portal engagement

Nurses can increase the use of a valuable healthcare tool. Editor’s note: This is an early release of a web exclusive article for the January 2022 issue of…
human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine

Protect yourself and your patients with vaccination

Why is immunization so crucial for nurses? Which vaccinations should all nurses get? Find out with this educational handout focusing on national efforts to reduce vaccine-preventable disease through…

Putting an end to patient overcrowding

Serious patient-flow problems call for more than just quick fixes. In some facilities, the culture must be transformed before patient bottlenecks can be banished. Read about one hospital’s…
QI

Quality improvement

Nursing’s integral role  Staci S. Reynolds Quality improvement (QI) seeks to standardize structures and processes in the healthcare setting to reduce variation in care and improve patient outcomes.…

Quality: A moral primer

Research reports that one in three deaths in the United States is due to medical error, much of which is due to sloppy, hasty, or inept care and…

Quantum leadership: Upside down

Human beings are intentionally directed energy. Leadership offers direction and purpose to that intentionality.

Quantum nursing

When you bring your life energy, focus, and intention to patients, you’re practicing quantum nursing.
technology

Rapid health technology assessments

Rapid health technology assessments (R-HTA) are focused systematic reviews of evidence for using biologicals, drugs, devices, and procedures to assist healthcare decision makers.
rapid response team psychiatric hospital

Rapid response team in a psychiatric hospital

A twist on the RRT positions nurses as leaders in responding to non-life-threatening situations. Takeaways Medical emergencies occur in many medical settings, including psychiatric hospitals. Psychiatric nurses are…
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Ready, willing, and disabled

What’s life like for a nurse with a physical disability? Most studies on this topic have focused on nursing students with disabilities. We know little about what these…

Reduce unnecessary transfers from clinics to EDs

When reflecting on the needs of patients using ambulatory care services, it doesn’t take long to realize that their requirements frequently exceed what these settings can offer, which…
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Reflection and action

Continuing to work together is key in 2021. In just a few weeks, a new year will be upon us. Our desire to focus on the future is…
History informs how we approach the future

Reflection and change

History informs how we approach the future.  Black History Month—celebrated each February—recognizes the contributions Black people have made across time and place despite persistent racism that denies them…
flu-vaccine

Reimagining flu vaccine clinics

A primary care network innovates during a global pandemic. Takeaways: Within a large regional network of primary care offices, an interdisciplinary team of nurses and physicians collaborated to…
Syringe,Needle,Medicine,Shot,Injection,Medication,Vaccine,Map,Pins,Locations

Reimagining flu vaccine clinics

A primary care network innovates during a global pandemic. Takeaways: Within a large regional network of primary care offices, an interdisciplinary team of nurses and physicians collaborated to…

Research 101: Forest plots

Patient care decisions must be made based on the current best evidence, and nurses critically appraise many kinds of research designs and their associated statistical analyses to determine…
pamela cipriano phd rn ana president

Responding to disasters

A conversation with Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams  In the wake of natural and human-made disasters, nurses confront tragedies and heal communities. No one knows this better than Rear…

Restoration rooms

A safe place for nurses to recharge SOMETIMES, 10 to 15 minutes of quiet time in a comfortable space is all it takes to recharge. That’s especially true…

Risk stratification of CVD in type 2 diabetes

An estimated 34 million Americans, age 18 years and older, have diabetes, most with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) as well as a high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).…

Risk-adjusted mortality rates: Why you should care about them

Have you ever heard of risk-adjusted mortality? Maybe you’re thinking, “No! It sounds like something only a healthcare administrator or researcher would be interested in.” Actually, every healthcare professional should know—and be concerned—about…

Safe lifting: The assessment imperative

If you lift or transfer patients, make “Assess first, lift later” your motto. Find out which critical patient and ergonomic factors you must evaluate before starting any patient-handling…
Safe sharps disposal in the home

Safe sharps disposal in the home

Nurses can easily dispose of sharps in the hospital, but it’s not so easy for patients at home. Learn how you can educate patients to keep them safe…

Saved by…um…Facebook?

Author Leah Curtin analyzes a case where a juror’s entry on Facebook affected the outcome.

Science: A universal source of ethics?

“It really doesn’t matter whether you are Muslim or Christian or Jew. In every religion, in every country, in every region at every time, there are some basic…

Seasonal flu: 2023-24

In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adopted the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ influenza vaccination recommendations for the 2023–2024 flu season This article is…
roe vs. wade

Secrets, lies, and cover-ups

The impact of the new healthcare bill can’t be hidden forever. By Leah Curtin, RN, ScD(h), FAAN As Newton observed, for every action in nature there’s an equal…

Seeking civility

The author offers strategies to create and sustain healthy workplaces.
APRNs

Seize the moment

The drive to full practice authority One of the many ways nurses have risen to the occasion during the COVID-19 pandemic has been for those with advanced practice…

Self-compassion, mistakes, and moral behavior

I read the following case study online; although I have shortened it considerably, here is the gist of it: “I made the worst medication error today and feel horrible about…
nurse value

Seven values that ensure a good life

According to Spanish philosopher Sergio Munoz “… In every religion, in every country, in every region at every time, there are some basic principles. We all know what…

Shared decision making and patient-centered care

Engage patients in healthcare decisions to ensure patient autonomy. Takeaways: Patients should be actively involved in making decisions about their care. Shared decision making is a process by…
nursing shortage

Shortage solutions

ANA, partners develop detailed road map for better staffing.  News headlines about the nurse staffing shortage portray an extreme event placing enormous stress on nurses and our healthcare…
suicide prevention

Simulation for suicide prevention training

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death, and military personnel and veterans die by suicide at a…
spirituality

Spirituality and nursing care

The bond between caregivers and the dying Spiritual care in nursing is an important part of overall healthcare, but in the second half of the 20th century, spirituality…
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Splash safety—Protecting your eyes, Part 2

Learn how to reduce the risk and what to do if an injury occurs. Takeaways: Preventing blood and body fluid exposures depends on surveillance, ongoing education, and adherence…
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Splash safety—Protecting your eyes, Part I

Take the time to protect your eyes from pathogens. Takeaways: Nurses sustain the largest percentage of blood and body fluid exposures (BBFE) in acute-care settings in the United…

Spring break? Think Zika.

More than half of U.S. college students traveled during spring break in 2015, with many heading to warm-weather destinations. Unfortunately, most top vacation locations for spring break also pose…

Staffing though Web-based open-shift bidding

If you’re a nurse-manager who continually struggles to fill open shifts, find out how online shift-bidding technology can boost staffing efficiency, decrease costs, and enhance nurses’ satisfaction and…

Stop fall prevention practices that aren’t working

Make best practices today’s common practices. In 2022, Schoberer and colleagues conducted a comprehensive review of fall and injury prevention research. The findings and recommendations confirm that many…

Stop the inhumanity

Advocating for improved conditions and access to healthcare for migrant children and families This article is available to American Nurses Association members and ANJ subscribers only. Already a…

Stranger than we can think

“When the unthinkable becomes thinkable, it moves rapidly from the realms of impossibility to probability.” Carolina Louise Zurlage, 1993 If we were living in 1900 instead of 2010,…

Strategies for time-sensitive medications

Timely administration of time-sensitive medications (within 30 minutes before or after the scheduled dose) can help prevent complications and prolonged hospitalizations. Some nurses feel that the 30-minute rule…

Strategies to combat implicit bias in nursing

Implicit biases (unconscious biases) are pervasive; we all have them, but they can be unlearned. Similar to medication, nurses words have the ability to heal or harm. Listening…
Student nurse intern programs

Student nurse intern programs

A beacon of hope.  Healthcare organizations throughout the nation are struggling with the prolonged pandemic and the worsening nursing shortage. An introspective look at how they’re currently recruiting…
succeeding complicated times

Succeeding in complicated times

Leadership success requires understanding that healthcare organizations are a world of connections. I WAS SITTING in my easy chair watching Monday night football when I experienced a tiny epiphany:…
challenging patient encounters

Successfully managing challenging patient encounters

What role do we play in mitigating or exacerbating difficult situations? Takeaways: Challenging patient encounters threaten the quality of life of those involved and are likely to lead to…
BSN

Support for the BSN

The degree benefits nurses, hospitals, and patients. The battle over nurses’ education isn’t so much over as that it’s entered a new stage. In 1962, when I began…
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Surviving the night shift

Early in my nursing career, I rotated shifts—from days to evenings and then to a 2-week schedule of nights. One of my most eye-opening experiences (literally) came one…
Sustain and Retain

Sustain and retain

An urgent action agenda for a sustainable global nursing workforce beyond the pandemic.   Franklin A. Shaffer The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed existing workforce shortages and vulnerabilities in health…
ANA Innovation Applications 2023

Sustaining innovation

An update from the 2021 ANA Innovation Award winners. The American Nurses Association (ANA) Innovation Awards—bestowed annually—highlight, recognize, and celebrate nurse-led innovation that improves patient safety outcomes. The…

Synchronicity: Meeting Mother Teresa

In 1981, I attended the International Conference of Nurses meeting in Los Angeles. I took this opportunity to visit a colleague who’d just been diagnosed with malignant melanoma.…

Take Note

2/11/10 Three steps to lower childhood obesity Preschool children who do one or more of the following have a lower risk for obesity, according to a study of…
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Take Note – April 2008

Pam Cipriano to receive ANA’s Distinguished Member Award American Nurse Today Editor-in-Chief Pamela Cipriano, PhD, RN, FAAN, will receive the Distinguished Member Award from the American Nurses Association…
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Take Note – August 2007

Good news for younger women taking estrogen     Estrogen therapy may have cardioprotective effects for women who start taking it in their 50s. A study from the Women’s Health…

Take Note – August 2008

Web exclusive! A monthly round-up of clinical and practice news and alerts at www.AmericanNurseToday.com
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Take Note – December 2006

CDC recommends HIV screening for everyone New recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) call for routine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening for all patients…
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Take Note – December 2007

Previous pneumonia vaccination reduces ICU admissions Among adults hospitalized for pneumonia, those who’ve been vaccinated against the disease are less likely than unvaccinated patients to require admission to…
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Take Note – February 2007

Low-carb diets don’t affect cardiac risk Although diets low in carbohydrates and high in fats and proteins have been popular for the last few years, some experts have…
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Take Note – February 2008

Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, RN, named executive director of National Women’s Health Resource Center The National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC) has appointed Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill as its executive…
lymes disease tick

Take Note – January 2007

Controversy over new Lyme disease guidelines The new guidelines released by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (ISDA) have run into some criticism. In fact, the International Lyme…
type 2 diabetes

Take Note – July 2007

On-line video-based course on emergency preparedness   The need for better coordination between governmental agencies and hospitals became apparent after 9/11 and again after Hurricane Katrina. To fill this…
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Take Note – July 2008

Measles outbreak       Between January 1 and April 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received reports of 64 measles cases in nine states—the highest number for the…

Take Note – June 2007

A monthly round up of clinical, practice, and career news, updates, and alerts.
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Take Note – June 2008

Failure to rescue is most common safety mistake in hospitals       HealthGrades’ fifth annual Patient Safety in American Hospitals Study found that failure to rescue and other patient safety…
alzheimer disease brain testing

Take Note – March 2007

Previous hospital-room occupants may spread MRSA and VRE The risk of acquiring methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections increases if the prior hospital-room occupant tested…
insulin notes therapy shot

Take Note – March 2008

Updated guidelines on end-of-life care To improve the quality of palliative end-of-life care, the American College of Physicians has revised its guidelines. According to the new recommendations, clinicians…
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Take Note – May 2008

One in four U.S. teenage girls has an STD According to a recent federal study, one in four American teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease (STD), even…
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Take Note – November 2006

American Diabetes Association releases food guidelines for specific medical categories “When you’re talking about diabetes, there is no ‘one size fits all’ diet,” said Ann Albright, PhD, RD,…
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Take Note – November 2007

Medical illiteracy can kill A 6-year study of 3,260 patients ages 65 and older found that almost 40% of those considered medically illiterate died during the study. Only…
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Take Note – October 2006

CDC recommends annual flu shots for children ages 2 to 4 For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is endorsing yearly flu shots…
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Take Note – October 2007

Medicare to stop reimbursing hospitals for eight preventable conditions Medicare will stop paying hospitals for the extra costs of treating eight conditions stemming from preventable errors—falls, pressure ulcers,…

Take Note – Sept/Oct 2009

Patients lose when nurse staffing is insufficient Heavy workloads and insufficient staffing affect patient care, according to about 2,000 nurses surveyed worldwide by the International Council of Nurses…
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Take Note – September 2008

Johnson & Johnson’s Campaign for Nursing’s Future     In 2002, Johnson & Johnson launched the Campaign for Nursing’s Future to enhance the image of nursing, help recruit new nurses…

Taking on health disparities

2024 ANA Innovation Award winners - The American Nurses Association (ANA) and the American Nurses Foundation announced the 2024 ANA Innovation Award winners in March during a LinkedIn…

Teach-back: An underutilized tool

In an effort to encourage nurses to use the teach-back method when educating patients, we conducted a literature review on the topic of patient education and health literacy,…
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Team assist: Manage nurse burnout and improve care quality

Nursing teamwork addresses admission, discharge, and transfer workloads. Takeaways: Multiple simultaneous admissions, discharges, and transfers can create complexity and heavy workloads in acute-care facilities. To ensure patient safety…
ana nurse connection

The ANA-nurse connection

Advancing the nursing profession and healthcare together FIRST, I’d like to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year and thank you in advance for all the great work…
palliative sedation

The cause of death

The other day I was watching The Murdoch Mysteries, a television show. Set at the turn of the 20th Century, this particular episode focused on the death of…
he challenge of sustaining practice improvement 

The challenge of sustaining practice improvement

Implementation success requires frontline staff participation during change development.  Not all proven, evidence-based healthcare practices are successfully implemented and sustained. In the 150 years since Ignaz Semmelweis was…

The compassion balance

Try these techniques to help maintain satisfaction in work and life. This article is available to American Nurses Association members and ANJ subscribers only. Already a member? Log…

The emergence of AI and practice

Since beginning my doctoral work in 2015, I’ve pursued AI to solve nurse staffing and scheduling challenges. The literature revealed that these issues present some of the most…

The ethic of responsibility

The idea of the common good is an ancient concept, going all the way back to Aristotle, Plato, and Cicero. What exactly is it? The contemporary ethicist John Rawls…

The Fundamentals of Care Framework

If we define nursing as the science and art of promoting positive human responses to health and illness, at the core of our profession sits the ability to…
giving time ant

The giving time

Real nurses nurture their young. By Leah Curtin, RN, ScD(h), FAAN My mother once told me that the first half of your life is all about acquiring things—an…

The GSA KAER Framework

People are living longer worldwide. Individuals age 65 years or older now comprise approximately 17% of the U.S. population, a proportion expected to grow to 22% by 2040.…

The healing didn’t stop during Sandy

As Superstorm Sandy ravaged much of New York City, nurses went above and beyond the call of duty. Many jeopardized their own welfare to provide patient care.
JointCommission_COVID19pandemic

The Joint Commission: COVID-19 response and accreditation

Resources and advocacy to support healthcare organizations. Takeaways: The Joint Commission has taken actions to support health care organizations with accreditation surveys and certification reviews during the pandemic.…

The launch of Nursing Now

Raising the profile of nursing to improve health and healthcare here and globally (more…)
lean tool

The magic of kaizen

For more than 20 years, cutting-edge healthcare systems have used lean tools and principles adopted from the Toyota Production System. Ample literature supports the efficacy of these tools…

The magnetic draw of information technology

With a shrinking workforce and more complex healthcare, how can nurses raise the bar on clinical excellence? One hospital uses health information technology to improve efficiency and reduce…
The Maslow effect: A humanist legacy for nursing

The Maslow effect: A humanist legacy for nursing

In the late 1960s, psychologist Abraham Maslow was moved by the kindness of the nurses and nursing students he encountered when hospitalized for heart disease. Curious about why…

The nurse’s role in medication safety

Patients have long associated trust and respect with nursing. However, recent incidents of nurses delivering inappropriate medications (wrong drug, wrong dose) have led to catastrophic consequences. Most notoriously,…
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The Nursing Now campaign launches

Investing in nurses to achieve global health. Health should be a recognized universal right. Having an equitable health system should be a universal standard. And having highly skilled…
Multi,Ethnic,Group,Of,Nurses.

The pandemic and early career nurses

Find support, shape the profession via input, action. During the peaks and valleys of the now 15-month COVID-19 pandemic, nurses remain the bedrock of competent care, enlightened public…
pandemic-end

The pandemic: Is there an end in sight?

Vaccination is key for a return to normal. We don’t know when the COVID-19 pandemic will end, but it’s unlikely to occur in the immediate future. In the…

The power of language

The nursing profession is rife with language that reinforces an outdated, hierarchical system that devalues nurse expertise. Consider how we describe our nursing colleagues who provide direct patient…

The role of palliative care in heart failure

The rising incidence of heart failure in the United States carries a significant disease burden, has a high economic impact, and increases healthcare resource use. Palliative care can…

The seasons of life, change, and grief

Just as the seasons of the year change from fall to winter to spring and finally to summer as we journey through life, we experience the seasons of…

The shape of things to come

It’s a grim prediction, but healthcare organizations are headed for stormy days. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was supposed to solve the problem of poor access to healthcare for most Americans. Signed into law…
unique device identifier nursing

The unique device identifier and nursing

What you need to know for reporting and patient safety TO PROMOTE patient health and safety, nurses need to learn about and incorporate activities related to medical devices’…
interoperability, healthcare, American Nurse

The value of interoperability to nursing

Get involved to improve care delivery. Tiffany Kelley Interoperability is the term used to describe the ability of two or more disparate systems to exchange data. Interoperability primarily…
handshake nurse relationship

Tme magnetic matrix: Building blocks of Magnet™ hospitals

Even during a nursing shortage, building magnetism into a healthcare environment promotes better patient outcomes, lower mortality rates, and higher patient satisfaction. Although Magnet™ hospitals don’t escape the…

Toward a more inclusive nursing profession

National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing reaches 2-year mark. It’s been a momentous 2 years since the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing (the Commission) formed…
pamela cipriano phd rn ana president

Transitions and transformation

A thank-you to Marla Weston.  The indelible mark left behind by a transformation­al leader is as unique as a fingerprint. Marla J. Weston, PhD, RN, FAAN, who stepped…

Transparency and accountability in nurse staffing

Organizational transparency and accountability have come to represent efforts to measure and hold providers responsible for their actions through accessible and often comparative channels. Along with performance- based payment programs,…

Transport teams and patient handoff reports

Patient safety requires complete communication. Takeaways: To protect patients, referring organizations, and transport professionals, a patient care report suitable to the scope of practice of the transport professional…

Uncertainty, confusion, and the ACA

John C. Calhoun, seventh Vice President of the United States, said, “The interval between the decay of the old and the formation and establishment of the new constitutes…

Understanding qualitative research

The holistic, interactive, individual approach to research provides you with an understanding of and insight into the experiences of others.
qualitative research

Understanding qualitative research

Research can be conducted using either quantitative or qualitative methods. The distinction is crucial. Perhaps because of today’s emphasis on numerical data in health care, most nursing research…
updated-nursing-scope-standards

Updated nursing scope and standards

Foundational document reflects changes in healthcare.  As the professional nursing association that represents all RNs in the United States, the American Nurses Association (ANA) has the accountability and…

Using data in nursing practice

Data and care quality go hand in hand. Nurses, as the largest group of healthcare professionals, are key to quality and safety and to ensuring the best patient…
usp compounding standards care

USP compounding standards: Prepare with care

Know the current standards. IF YOU PREPARE medications to meet unique patient needs, stop and ensure you are up to speed on United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards to…

Vaccine hesitancy

Breaking through public health barriers Nurses play an essential role in promoting recommended immunizations across patients’ life­spans. That effort includes providing education about vaccine benefits, understanding why individuals…
vascular access device stabilization and line securement

Vascular access device stabilization and line securement

Proper primary and secondary securement can reduce complications, increase patient comfort, and save money. Takeaways: Millions of peripheral IVs and central venous catheters are inserted every year. Securement…
violence prevention

Violence prevention measures move in Congress

Assaults on the job are a hazard for nurses. The COVID-19 pandemic opened a window for elected leaders to see the safety risks—including workplace violence—that nurses face every…
violence not job ant

Violence—It’s not “part of the job”

Advocacy is key to safer communities and workplaces. By Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN Violence knows no boundaries. It spills into our streets, homes, and community…

Virtual reality: A strategy to improve patient-centered care

Technology can help nurses gain empathy and navigate difficult conversations. Takeaways: Extended reality (virtual, mixed, augmented) technology is rapidly expanding and finding a space in healthcare professional education.…

Virtual reality: Treating pain and anxiety

Virtual reality technology offers a cost-effective, low-risk intervention to treat pain or anxiety in pediatric and adult populations. Using visual, tactile, and auditory stimuli aids distraction, focus shifting,…

Was this error, fraud—or deliberate retaliation?

Nurse Jennifer Robbins* was fired—just like that—and after many years of excellent performance reviews. Why? Allegedly she falsified patient records when she failed to execute a physician’s order…
sleep

We are how we sleep

What nurses need to know about social determinants of health and sleep. Takeaways: Sleep is a necessary and complex physiological function. Social determinants of health can impact one’s…
we are innovators

We are innovators

ANA helps advance nurses’ ideas. THE OLD PROVERB “Necessity is the mother of invention” resonates with many of us. Nurses are resourceful on a daily basis—from finding innovative…

We vs. they

Here, in the United States, a lot has been happening lately; the kinds of things that represent some of the worst problems that beset our world—ISIS, Syria, North Korea,…

We’re almost there

With Congress on the brink of authorizing substantially more money to train advance practice nurses, we’re coming ever closer to gaining equal footing with primary-care physicians.

Welcome to the profession

ANA is here to support all nurses every step of the way. This article is available to American Nurses Association members and ANJ subscribers only. Already a member?…

What is a healthy nurse?

A new, dynamic, and meaningful definition of a healthy nurse, built on the American Nurses Association’s (ANA’s) well­ness work and research, helps inform health resources for nurses, programmatic…

What nurses owe one another

With all the concern about ethics today, little attention is paid to the way healthcare professionals treat one another. Nonetheless, the ethics of a profession delimit the role…

What works: Code green prevents workplace violence

Over the public-announcement system at our inner-city, 500-bed hospital you hear, “Code Green, Main 5, Room 506.” That’s probably not a code you’ve heard before. A Code Green…

What works: Managing opioid overdose in the community

To help reduce the rise in opioid prescriptions, misuse, and overdose, healthcare professionals must improve their pain management knowledge, decrease opioid prescriptions as appropriate, and provide patients with…

What you need to know about electronic documentation

Electronic health records (EHRs) are here to stay. Beginning January 1, 2014, all public and private healthcare providers were required to adopt and demonstrate “meaningful use” of EHRs…

What you say to yourself

The other day, my sister Jeanne and I were discussing what we said to ourselves when we did not do something quite right, forgot something, or made a…
patient tbi ant

What your patient would like you to know about TBI

Staff Sergeant Sarah Zimmerman, United States Army, suffered a moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) last summer during deployment in Afghanistan. A vehicle containing an explosive device rammed into…
influenza zoster vaccines

What’s new for influenza and zoster vaccines

Stay up-to-date with immunization resources this season. Peak flu season is near, and now is the time to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our patients against the…

What’s new in SPHM

ANA’s revised safe patient handling and mobility standards are coming soon. (more…)

What’s the economic value of nursing?

Addressing the nursing shortage requires healthcare policy change. How do you approach a massive problem with many confounding variables to achieve improvement and measurable outcomes? That’s the question…
jehovah's witnesses

When blood transfusion isn’t an option

Jehovah’s Witnesses and their scriptural beliefs frequently are challenged within our current healthcare system. Blood transfusion for the Jehovah’s Witnesses patient isn’t an option, but it may be…

When cost-cutting ‘rules’ cost patients

Thom Newsom, MSN, RN,* was not given to hyperbole, but in all honesty, this situation was crazy. His next-door neighbor, Mary Bremant, a 63-year-old woman, complained of acute…
Tripping over the welcome mat: Why new nurses don’t stay and what the evidence says we can do about it

When good people make hard choices…*

Leah Curtin discusses the difficulty of making choices in health care and includes a challenging situation she experienced as a student.

When to refer patients for hospice care

What happens to patients once they reach the maximum benefit of traditional curative treatment? For many, hospice should be considered. A point on the healthcare continuum, hospice offers…

Whistleblowing Texas Style

Eeyore’s Gloomy Little Instruction Book contains this sage advice: “No matter how good your friends are, and no matter how right you are, they may not stand behind…

Whole-person care

Meeting the mental health needs of all is critical. (more…)

Why do people lie?

Don Esco sought skilled nursing care at a Placerville, California facility for Johnnie, his wife of nearly 61 years, when she was recuperating from a bout with pneumonia.…

Why making the rounds makes sense

Nursing rounds are making a comeback – but this time, they’re based on research and structured for maximum efficiency.

Why Mentorship?

Successful mentoring relationships require chemistry and accountability. Over the past half-century, nursing education has undergone significant transformation at all levels. The shift from the apprenticeship model to university-based…
patient engagement

Words matter: Scripting to enhance patient engagement

Learn how to foster patient empowerment, engagement, and activation. All clinical nurses strive to provide person-centered care (PCC) that meets the patient’s and family’s preferences and needs. (In…

Workplace violence policy

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed several gaps in our healthcare system, including the ongoing challenge of nurse safety and workplace violence (WPV). Organizations that tracked data identified that incivility,…
Workplace Violence

Workplace violence: What can nurses do?

Be aware, report incidents, and get involved. Workplace violence remains all too common in healthcare, as most every nurse can attest. I’ll never forget feeling as though my…
nurse make difference

You make a difference

Honoring nurses and our profession in May This Nurses Month, we honor RNs for their skillful, creative, and compassionate care during the most significant public health crisis in…

You’re not necessarily entitled to your opinion…

Understanding the difference between fact and opinion Originally published May 17, 2017; updated August 6, 2021 Seriously, facts aren’t opinions…and all opinions are not equal. In today’s world of…

Your frontline is your bottom line

Most organizations focus on results, frequently overlooking the crucial role employees play. To yield tangible results, healthcare organizations must intentionally put people first. When organizations genuinely prioritize the…
support matters

Your support matters

Strengthening the Foundation and nursing. AS THE HOLIDAY SEASON and the end of my service as American Nurses Association (ANA) president approach, I’ve been thinking more about how…

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