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Nike Discount for Medical Professionals and First Responders

Nurse Discounts / Nike

Nurses, doctors, technicians, EMTs, and more are eligible to receive a 10% discount on Nike.

To receive the discount, users must verify their eligibility status through Nike’s SheerID form. Once verified, this offer can be used up to 4 times a month (once every seven days).

*Discount not valid on select products. Other exclusions may apply. Free shipping offers can be used with the first responders and medical professionals discount. For more details and full terms and conditions, read more here.

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NP vs. DNP: An Overview

Nursing Degrees & Schools / NP vs. DNP

Registered nurses who wish to advance their careers have plenty of options. Two opportunities for registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees are a nurse practitioner and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). 

Nurses can earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and become a nurse practitioner. However, you don’t have to have a DNP in order to practice as a nurse practitioner for now. 

In this blog, we will cover the following: 

What is a nurse practitioner?

A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who often works autonomously to help manage patients’ healthcare and prevent diseases. To practice, they must earn a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). 

A nurse practitioner performs many of the same duties as a physician. Their duties include: 

  • Prescribing medication
  • Diagnosing medical conditions
  • Creating treatment plans
  • Collaborating with other healthcare workers
  • Keeping patient records
  • Administering patient examinations
  • Ordering and interpreting medical tests
  • Counseling patients on wellness practices

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What is a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree?

The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree is an advanced degree within the nursing field. It is one of the two highest degrees a nurse can earn within the field. 

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the Doctor of Nursing Practice is specifically for nurses seeking an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. 

The DNP is a practicing degree. Often nurses with DNP degrees end up in administrative or leadership positions within healthcare. 

Even though the DNP is on a doctorate level, nurse practitioners with a DNP do not receive the same authority as physicians or other doctors. 

In many ways, the DNP provides nurse practitioners with an advantage over other nurse practitioners with just a master’s degree. 

Going forward, nurse practitioners will have to receive their DNP to begin practicing in the field. 

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What are the similarities between DNP and NP?

The main similarity between an NP and a DNP is they are both advanced positions. In other words, they both require a graduate degree

Additionally, these two positions share a lot of the same job opportunities. Nurses who receive their graduate degree can become many different types of advanced practice registered nurses. Some of these include: 

These are all specialized positions within the field. Nurses should generally spend time gaining experience within the field as a registered nurse before deciding to specialize. 

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What are the differences between DNP and NP?

The key difference between the DNP and an NP lies in their education. The DNP has a slightly more advanced education than an NP with just a master’s degree. 

With a DNP, there’s the option to work in nursing leadership positions or education along with advanced clinical roles.

Nurse practitioners, on the other hand, must specialize in a type of patient care, such as women’s health or pediatrics. 

Another key difference is the clinical hour minimum for each position. The nurse practitioner role requires 500 hours, while the DNP requires 1,000 hours minimum. 

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12 leadership habits to improve nurse retention, according to research

Healthy work environments for nurses lead to better patient outcomes. In healthy work environments, nurses feel cared for and valued. Nurse leaders play an outsized role in creating a culture of caring, but may not understand what specific tactics help nurses feel cared for. This post breaks down twelve research-backed behaviors nurse leaders can practice to create a more caring environment. 

Caring environments matter because in hospitals where nurses are more satisfied with their jobs, patients’ risk of death is significantly lower. For example, patients in hospitals with poor work environments had a 16% lower chance of surviving in-hospital cardiac arrests than patients in hospitals with better work environments.

Unsurprisingly, nurses’ job satisfaction is correlated with nurse retention. Nursing turnover costs hospitals $3.6M to $6.5M per year, raising the cost of healthcare overall. 

Nurses’ stress levels are strongly correlated with the number of assigned patients. However, when nurses perceived a more caring environment, even with high patient loads, they reported less stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue. A culture of caring can buffer nurse stress, even when workloads are high.

Leaders have an outsize impact on whether a work environment is healthy. There is a significant correlation between the quality of nurse-manager relationships, nurse job satisfaction, and retention. 

However, there is a disconnect between managers’ perceptions of themselves and how their staff perceives them. Nurse managers may believe they are creating a positive culture when in fact their efforts are ineffective. Luckily, there are specific caring behaviors that nurse managers can do to improve frontline nurses’ perceptions of their leadership and caring.

Caring behaviors include:

  1. Debriefing after a patient death
  2. Making sure staff get meal breaks
  3. Flexible working arrangements
  4. Calling employees by name
  5. Making eye contact 
  6. Telling nurses they are valuable to the organization
  7. Listening
  8. Soliciting feedback
  9. Consistent communication
  10. Advocating for staff
  11. Being visible
  12. Creating inclusive celebrations

Nurse managers can implement some of these tactics immediately (like learning and using nurses’ names), while others require time (like consistent communication). Hospital leaders can incorporate these tactics into nurse manager education, to improve nurse and patient outcomes more broadly.

This post draws heavily from Staff Nurse Perceptions of Manager Caring Behaviors: A Scoping Study by Kelley Kostich, Sue Lasiter, and Renee Gorrell, published in The Journal of Nursing Administration in May 2020, as well as from The State of the Science of Nurse Work Environments in the United States: A Systematic Review by Holly Wei, Kerry Sewell, Gina Woody, and Mary Ann Rose published in The International Journal of Nursing Sciences in April 2018.

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Become a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA)

Nurse Types / RNFA

Registered Nurse First Assistants (RNFA) have exciting careers. They serve as a right-hand person to surgeons. Their jobs are an extension of the traditional operating room nurse. From delicate brain surgeries and knee replacements to emergency surgery to repair internal and external trauma, an RNFA is in every stage of the action.

They assist with medical corrections and interventions needed to help people live better, healthier lives.

In this article we will explore:

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What does an RNFA do?

The primary role of a registered nurse first assistant is to monitor patients’ vital signs during surgical procedures. If complications arise, the RNFA must spring into action, helping the surgeon and other medical personnel stabilize the patient.

Some of the other common tasks for RNFAs include:

  • Preparing patients for surgery
  • Providing patient care and support before and after surgery
  • Administering medications before and after surgery
  • Preparing all surgical tools and supplies needed for performing surgical procedures
  • Practicing surgical procedures that include controlling bleeding, draping, handling tissue, and suturing incisions
  • Performing CPR or other life-saving measures when necessary
  • Educating patients and families about surgery after-care
  • Conducting post-operative assessments

These are just a few of the duties for first assistant RNs. Some employers may require additional responsibilities. Be sure to ask about all expectations before accepting an RNFA job.

How do I become a RNFA?

The first step in becoming a registered nurse first assistant is to complete an accredited nursing program. There are a few options. You can get your Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Most employers prefer nurses to hold a bachelor’s degree. BSN educated nurses have more education and experience than their ADN counterparts.

Then, you must pass the NCLEX-RN to earn your RN licensure. That is not the end of the journey. To become a certified RNFA, nurses must meet two other criteria before they are eligible to work alongside surgeons and other medical staff in the operating room.

You cannot work as an RNFA without CNOR credentials. Skipping this step will invalidate you as a candidate for RNFA nursing positions.

Where do RNFAs work?

Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers are an obvious choice for registered nurse first assistants. They also can practice their craft in other healthcare settings like obstetrical delivery rooms, critical access hospitals, dentists’ offices, plastic surgery centers, and ophthalmologists’ offices.

What are the job and salary outlooks for RNFAs?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not provide salary figures for nursing specializations but rather all classifications of RNs into the same category. The average for all RNs is $82,750. RNFAs earn an average salary of $90,631, according to data from Incredible Health.

Some states pay more than others for the privilege of having RNFAs on staff in hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and other healthcare facilities where surgeries are routinely performed. Among the top five states offering the best annual compensation for RNFAs are California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington, D.C.

RNFA jobs come with some amazing benefits. Health insurance, retirement options, and tuition reimbursement are among the many perks you can expect from employers.

FAQs

What is a registered nurse first assistant (RNFA)?

The primary role of a registered nurse first assistant is to monitor patients’ vital signs during surgical procedures.

What do RNFAs do?

– Prepare patients for surgery
– Provide patient care and support before and after surgery
– Administer medications before and after surgery
– Prepare all surgical tools and supplies needed for performing surgical procedures
– Practice surgical procedures that include controlling bleeding, draping, handling tissue, and suturing incisions
– Perform CPR or other life-saving measures when necessary
– Educate patients and families about surgery after-care
– Conduct post-operative assessments

How much do RNFAs make?

The median salary is about $90,631.

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How to Become a Genetic Nurse

Nurse Types / Genetic Nurse

If nursing is anything, it is diverse. Take genetic nursing. Genetic nurses are licensed professional nurses who possess special education and training in genetics. They explore the why and how of disease, digging into the science behind what makes people sick. If helping people diagnosed and living with genetic diseases sounds interesting, then genetic nursing has the potential to be a fulfilling career path for you.

In this article we will explore the following topics:

What does a genetic nurse do?

Scientists have linked many common diseases – Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, heart disease – to genetic components. Genetic nurses spend many hours assessing the “why” of genetic diseases. Performing risk assessments, analyzing genetic contribution to disease risk, and exploring the impact of genetic risk on healthcare management for individuals and their families, are among their tasks.

Genetic nurses have other job responsibilities. They include:

  • Providing genetics education to individuals and families affected by genetic diseases
  • Delivering nursing care to patients and their families 
  • Serving as patient advocates for individuals and their families with genetic diseases

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How do I become a genetic nurse?

Genetic nurses must be licensed RNs to work in this specialized field. This means they must earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited nursing program. BSNs can take up to four years to complete. There are a few possible scenarios for earning a BSN depending on your current level of nursing education and experience.

  • ADN to BSN route – Nurses who already possess an ADN and are currently practicing as a licensed RN can complete a BSN program in 3 semesters. If completed consecutively, it takes about a year.
  • Non-nursing majors – Students who are already working toward a bachelor’s degree in another discipline can switch their majors to nursing and earn a BSN in 12 to 19 months.
  • Undergraduates – Students in this situation will take the longest to complete a BSN since they have no previous experience or education. They can expect to attend 8 full semesters (approximately 32 months) worth of classes to complete their education.

Some genetics nursing positions require candidates to possess a Master of Science in Nursing degree with an emphasis on genetics. There is an RN to MSN program that lets you finish your BSN and MSN simultaneously, and at an accelerated rate. Research labs are a prime example of the kind of employer that requires an advanced level of education.

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What kind of skills do genetic nurses need?

Genetic nurses must first and foremost love science. As a genetic nurse, you will be spending a lot of time engaged in research and analysis. If this is not your cup of tea, then genetic nursing is not the right career path.

Other qualifications and skills genetic nurses need include:

  • Acute care and genetics nursing experience
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  • Strong research skills and attention to detail
  • Compassion and empathy.

Genetic nurses will want to focus their continuing education efforts on courses and skills that enhance their knowledge of genetics and genetics research in a healthcare setting.

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Do genetic nurses need special certification?

Credentialing is recommended but not required. Genetic nurses who wish to obtain specialized credentials have two options. The Nurse Portfolio Credentialing Commission, Inc. (NPCC) is the credentialing body for genetics nurses. NPCC offers the following choices for credentialing:

  • Clinical Genetic Nurse (CGN)
  • Advanced Clinical Genetic Nurse (ACGN)

Both prestigious credentials require stringent criteria in continuing education, practice hours, professional development, and extensive knowledge of genomic nursing. Credentialing through this program is ideal for genetic nurses who work in cardiology, neurology, oncology, and pediatrics. Credentialing requirements for each are available on the NPCC website.

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Where do genetic nurses work?

Genetic nurses can work in a variety of settings. Ambulatory care settings, hospitals, and long-term care centers specializing in specific medical conditions are among the most common places that genetic nurses work. Research facilities and universities with medical research departments also hire genetic nurses. They can work for private and public institutions, healthcare providers, and state or federal research facilities.

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What are the job and salary outlooks for genetic nurses?

The future is bright for genetic research nurses. With science uncovering new genetic links to disease and illness every day, genetic nurses play a major role in this groundbreaking work. Demand for genetic nurses is expected to steadily increase by 7% between now and 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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According to job recruiting site ZipRecruiter, the current national average for genetic nursing salaries is $73,386. Some annual salaries for genetic nurses are as high as $142,000 depending on their location and the employer. Browse our listing of open nursing positions across the U.S. to find the right genetic nursing position for you.

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At Incredible Health, it's a team effort to achieve our vision: Help healthcare professionals live better lives. Many are licensed practitioners themselves; others are simply passionate writers and leaders dedicated to providing valuable resources to nurses.

Read more from Incredible Health