Confessions of a Hospital Administrator

There is a reason nurses are the most respected profession in America. A former hospital CEO offers advice on how to help take care of patients by serving nurses. This advice includes: 1- Get Out of Your Office: 2- If You Want to Solve a Problem in a Hospital, Ask the Nurses; 3 - Protect Your Nurses; 4 - Remember, What Happens in a Hospital is Not About You.

Gallup announced the results of its annual “Honesty & Ethics in Profession” recently. I was so pleased to see nurses ranked number one in the survey because they certainly deserve the honor. With the exception of grade school teachers, who ranked third, nurses are the embodiment of what it means to have a calling of dedication, grace and love. Read More

How do I start a new topic on allnurses.com?

You are ready to submit your first topic. But, you don't know how to start. This article will help you get started. We will break down the steps for you and explain the different type of topics that you can submit. Please feel free to post any questions that you have. This article is targeted for new and repeat visitors. Read More

[Toon] What to do after a stressful night at work?

Stressful night at work? What do you do to relieve stress? Exercise, eat food, watch a movie, shopping? Please tell us your secret... Read More

Are sign-on bonuses a thing of the past?

I remember when I started nursing school 6-7 years ago, sign on bonuses for RN's of ANY degree level were $10,000+ in my area. Well, we all know what happened to that "shortage" and the glut of RN's looking for employment! Is there such a thing as an attractive bonus for accepting a position with a facility? When I took my current position about 4 months ago, with it came $4500 for coming aboard, payable in increments over a period of time, of course. Anyone else? Read More

Sleeping with HMEs (Trach noses) safe?

I'm new to caring for tracheostomy patients and just started caring for a 4 year old with a trach in her home. We were trained that the patients should never sleep with an HME (heat moisture exchanger), but per mom she sleeps that way every night... What have you all seen with regards to that, whether in a home or hospital setting? The mom looked at me like I was crazy when I told her it wasn't safe for the patient to sleep with it. Read More

Behavior That Just Shouldn't Fly

We can never assume a co-worker's intent. Someone "just joking" or "they didn't MEAN anything by it" is rarely a good excuse. The issue can be that information that is heard can be subjective. So it is really a double edged sword. It is hard to look at things objectively when you are a target. It takes a strong leader with zero tolerance to support a nurse's stance that they are the target of bad behavior.

There's something to be said about being professional. That one's conduct as a nurse is appropriate. There is a tremendous amount of undue stress and drama when a co-worker is less than stellar in action or words. Read More

Bedside Nurse Practitioners

So this is just a thought... like many potential great ideas...

But just imagine a new advanced practice specialty, a bedside clinician acting as a registered nurse AND a nurse practitioner, the "Bedside Nurse Practitioner." They would be practicing in the ICU/stepdown units, taking care of very high risk complication patients. They would stay with the patients for 12hrs (regular shift) and will be able to assess, diagnose, treat and prescribe medications/treatments while at the bedside.

I know it's a far fetch idea ... but very interesting nonetheless. Thoughts? Read More

Learning from the Past - Resolutions for a Better Year of Nursing in 2014

A new year is upon us.   That means many folks will take time to reflect on the good and the bad over the past 365 days.  It also means many people will be consumed by an overwhelming desire to make a New Year's resolution. For nurses, every new year provides an opportunity for growth and improvement in their work environment. What resolutions will you make for 2014? Read More

How to follow policy when off duty?

How much responsibility is a nurse obligated to, and or how much liberty does one have to treat a person in the community when off duty and not jeopardize their license. For example, if someone were to have a heart attack in the shopping mall, would it be wrong to give the person aspirin or nitro? I'm concerned because I don't want to go out if my scope of practice when not on duty, but also it may be against the law not to assist someone in distress if you are medically trained. Read More

Trying to figure out the best job applying strategy.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and know I have almost no chance of getting a new grad job here, so I am looking elsewhere including out of state. I just started seriously job hunting and I'm not sure if I should focus on big cities, but in other states or small towns. I have been applying to places in Seattle, and will apply to places in Portland and other large cities, but I'm thinking I should be looking away from the cities and in the smaller towns. Any advice? Read More

Food Insecurity and Child Malnutrition in the United States

Children and the elderly are at increased risk for malnutrition, an affliction that takes place when a patient's body is deprived of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed to sustain healthy tissue and organ function. Unfortunately, millions of children in the United States reside in households where food insecurity is a constant issue. The problem of food insecurity has gotten worse in the years since the official end of the Great Recession. Read More