Male Nurses on the rise and they make more money

According to a new US Census report, male nurses make more money and have more than tripled since 1970. Women still dominate nursing in terms of employment — but not in terms of earnings. The average female nurse earned $51,100 in 2011, 16% less than the $60,700 earned by the average man in the same job. Read More

Would you throw an allnurses.com party?

Would you throw a party for your allnurses.com friends? How would you envision the party? Theme? Ideas? Read More

The Hardest Day, The Happiest Day

The process of how my dad coded and died, how we coped and the choices we made, and the process of donating his organs. This experience has put me in the shoes of patients who are facing tragedy and has made me a better nurse. This story was written on February 22, 2013, less than 24 hours after we let my dad go. Read More

My first pedi death

I have been a nurse for a long time, and have seen my fair share of traumas, deaths, and unspeakable disasters. I witnessed my first pedi death a couple of weeks ago during a trauma. Usually, it takes me a couple of weeks to digest and come to terms with a traumatic event, be it personal or professional. I have had nightmares every night since I experienced this horrible event. The news broadcasts of this child's death has only made my heart weep more.

To all the pedi nurses out there: how do you cope with this? Read More

Delayed Sternal Closure?

Does anyone have sort of experience with delayed closure following open chest procedures? I just have a few questions. Is the retractor from surgery still left in place? Is there some sort of chest binder used? Can I get some knowledge? Read More

The Stranger Within: One Year Later

It's always been a source of wonder and amusement to me that during my frequent searches for an item I've misplaced, I always seem to find something else that brings back a memory or two. And, like many of the elderly Moms and Pops at the assisted living community where I work, I often get so lost in the new distraction that I completely forget what I was doing before.

It happened again earlier this evening as I was going through some of my old blog entries here on AN and ran across a piece I barely even remember writing, called "The Stranger Within: Living With Mental Illness". Read More

Malpractice insurance

I am a fourth year student in a BSN program. Today, in my leadership class we were discussing malpractice insurance. I am curious, how many RNs carry their own malpractice insurance? Why or why not? Read More

I don't know how you nurses deal with death

I sat and watched as my mother lay dying in her bed at the NH. Horrible-not like in the movies at all. I sort of knew what to expect but actually seeing someone die is a lot harder than most can imagine. Her lungs were so full of liquid and she rattled when she breathed. Then, at the exact moment she exhaled for the last time, all that fluid came up and out of her mouth and after a few seconds I knew she was gone. I am sad that will be my last image of her. Did she look peaceful when she was gone? No, she was just "gone". I've read so many stories about how peaceful they look at time of death and was a little shocked that it wasn't like that. It was a surreal experience and I will never forget it. Read More!

Today's Hospice. It's not what you think

As patient advocates, we need to understand the appropriate use of hospice. Families and patients are suffering needlessly without it. Recent research by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization shows over 1/2 the deaths in American in 2009 occurred without the support of hospice. It is my goal as a hospice nurse and patient advocate to better educate medical professionals to the appropriate use of this valuable medical service.

Five common myths surround the subject of hospice and inhibit its appropriate use... Read More...

Define "helping people" (turning tables)

I see a lot of people on here that want to change careers and go into nursing to "help people" or that's their reason for doing nursing as a first career. I have to admit, I wanted/still want to "help people", but I realized that nursing is about more than "helping people". You can "help people" in any career...so, I am turning the tables, all you people who are looking into nursing or nursing students, can you define what you mean that you want to "help people". Do you have any idea what kind of nursing you want to do, where do you see yourself in five years after nursing school, how exactly do you want to "help people"? Read More

How do experienced nurses do it to memorize everything?

At the end of the shift, I see these experienced nurses just filling out all of the paper work very very fast. How do you experienced nurses remember at what time all patients were sitting, out of bed, and all information and assessments that you did to each patient without writing anything down? Any tips? Read More