Getting used to night shifts after spending your whole life in a normal circadian rhythm can be challenging. Compared to family and friends that work regular 9-5 jobs, it may seem as though you live in another world working your nursing night shift. Night shift can create coffee-addicted zombies stumbling through life in a sleep-deprived […]
Oh Baby! A Look into Obstetric Nursing
Obstetric nurses, according to some – are the spoiled princesses of the hospital. They have a reputation of having the sweet, sought-after job of rocking babies, changing diapers, and dealing with whining women with a case of TOBP (tired of being pregnant). Ask any ER nurse, however, and they will tell you that there’s nothing […]
Day in the Life of a Highly Productive Nurse
Most people, when deciding to go to nursing school, feel like they know what it is like to be a nurse. They develop their perception of nursing from family and friends who may be nurses, or even television or the movies. Let me tell you though – real nursing isn’t like what you see on […]
Empowerment of the Nurse
Sometimes as nurses, we can feel powerless in situations that arise. With the constant changes in healthcare, we have trouble advocating for our patients, as well as ourselves. Our perception is that we are unable to act autonomously or even have a voice in the policies that affect us. Bedside nurses, as well as nurse […]
7 Essential Items for Any Nursing Bag
We nurses do love our accessories! One of the essential qualities of a nurse is always preparing for the unexpected. The best way to do that is to ensure that you have the correct tools on hand for the job. Below are some suggestions of exceptional items to keep stocked in your nursing bag for […]
Guide to Being a Rockstar Preceptor
We all remember the feeling of being a new nurse. The fear, and being uncertain of every nursing decision you make due to lack of confidence. The self-assurance and belief in yourself as a nurse comes with time and experience. As seasoned nurses, we are responsible for making new nurses feel comfortable and giving them […]
Nurse Hacks for the Happy Nurse
Nurse life is full of highs and lows, no matter what field you’re in. Nursing school was great for book learning, but on-the-job training tells us the nursing tips we really need to know. Whether you’re an ER, ICU, floor nurse, or another specialty, it’s helpful to have some tips to make our lives a […]
Self-Care for Nurses: Using the Nursing Process to Help Ourselves
It’s your 3rd shift in a row. It has been a stressful, short-staffed shift with difficult patients with even more difficult families. You feel drained physically and emotionally. You find yourself irritable and empathy waning. For a moment you feel like you are becoming that nurse. You know – the one you swore you would […]
Ways to Encourage Your Nursing Unit (and yourself!) to Improve Your Work Environment
We all became nurses for different reasons. Different paths brought us all together. Sometimes with the day-to-day grind, we find morale faltering and motivation lacking. When teamwork has tanked, we may just need a tiny spark of inspiration and encouragement to turn things around. The key to a successful team is collaboration. Lack of partnership […]
