obstetrics, nursing, parenting, breastfeeding, pregnancy, newborn, maternity, healthcare, nurse, health, patient, women's health, wellness, leadership
ICU vs. ER Nurse - What Is the Difference?
A requirement for students in nursing school is participating in clinical rotations. In these rotations, nurses do not have the opportunity to experience specialty areas such as the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or Emergency Room (ER). These specialties involve managing traumatic patient situations in a fast-paced setting.
Nurses often leave school wondering about the differences between an ICU and ER registered nurse. This article will explore all of the key differences.
Nurses utilize critical ...
Essential Facts About the Fecal Calprotectin Test
Abdominal bloating, pain, and diarrhea can occur in either inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It can often be difficult to distinguish the two disorders without an endoscopy, an invasive procedure that some patients might feel apprehensive about undergoing. But a test for fecal calprotectin may help:
Clarify the situation
Determine the need for other testing
And sometimes prevent the need for an endoscopy
It can also help ...
3 Ways to Achieve Patient Satisfaction Following a Customer-First Model
As a care provider, what does the term patient satisfaction mean to you?
This is an important question to ask ourselves, and can easily vary practice to practice. It’s obvious that patient satisfaction is an important element of what we do as healthcare providers, but there’s also a faint sense of confusion in the air when it comes to obtaining it. After all, every patient is different and we have rules and regulations to follow.
How do we work towards patient satisfaction on an individual ba...
List of Freebies for Nurses During the COVID-19 Crisis
For the last 15 years of my nursing career, I feel like I deserve a free coffee every once in a while. I have police friends that always receive free meals, donuts, and coffee throughout the community, and I always thought, "when is it the nurse's turn?" Well my friends, it took a pandemic crisis, but we got our chance for freebies. If you love gifts, it's time to receive one. We searched the internet and found everything from socks to coffee, all for free!
Note that several companies out the...
How to Juggle Motherhood and Online Schooling While Working as a Nurse During COVID-19
Just in case the life of a nurse isn't crazy enough, let's send the kids home and turn the nurses into teachers! While it's helpful to know we are all in the same boat, it can often feel like we're sinking quickly. I scoped the internet and polled some nurses who are on the front lines both at work and at home to see how they are managing it all. Here are some tips we came up with.
Nurse Insight
Katie K - Manages the chaos by maintaining a schedule. She is a mom of three boys in elementary sc...
Improving Nurse Retention
Features
Six Strategies to Reduce RN Turnover
When I started my nursing career almost 15 years ago, I remember my colleagues telling me, “Good luck on night shifts — you’ll be there a while.”
They weren’t kidding: I was on nights for 10 years, waiting for someone to leave so that I could move to another area.
Today, hospital turnover is so high that I often see nurses landing their first day shift spots in less than two years — sometimes in less than a year. My hospital and specialty area are...
New Advancements in the Workplace – How Will it Affect Your Nursing Job?
Healthcare is an ever-changing profession, and it’s crucial to embrace change and adapt accordingly as a nurse. Advancements in the nursing industry can offer positive benefits. Let's discuss some upcoming changes that we foresee in healthcare, and some tips on how to embrace them.
Upcoming Advancements in Healthcare
Patient Identifiers - Patient identification technology continues to experience significant improvements. For instance, think about cell phone identification. A few years ago, pa...
The Biggest Myths of Travel Nursing Debunked
Many companies offer appealing roles for travel nurses. Despite the variety of opportunities, nurses often go into travel nursing with false assumptions of what the position will entail. This article will explore some common myths of travel nursing, and break down the facts to know before diving in.
Myth: You will make at least $90/hr.
Reality: You will earn the standard rate in your particular area. This rate is not unified across the United States due to varying living costs. When you acqui...
Working the Night Shift
As a teenage night owl, working a night shift always sounded like a lot of fun. I was used to staying up past my bedtime, so it seemed like a natural fit. Eventually, I grew up and experienced it. I worked the night shift as an OB RN for over ten years while raising a family simultaneously, and actually enjoyed it.
How could I enjoy a shift where my schedule conflicted with everyone else’s? Allow me to explain.
Perks of the Night Shift Nursing Life
No One (but Me) to Put to Bed - As a working...
A Day in the Life of an OB Nurse (On a Good Day)
Many people refer to an OB nurse position as “the best job ever.” While the job certainly has its benefits, it also comes with challenges. Contrary to popular belief, the role involves much more than “sitting around and holding babies all day.” Let’s explore the reality of what the role entails, as I walk you through a day in the life of an OB nurse (on a good day.)
The Good, the Bad, and the Absolute Sad
Working as an OB nurse for the past 15 years has opened my eyes to the world in ways tha...
A Splash of Fun: 5 Summer Water Play Activities for Toddlers
The summer season is finally approaching. Summer doesn’t last too long in Northeast Ohio, so it’s important to get your little ones outside while you can. Here are a few enjoyable water activities that will keep your toddler entertained all season long.
1. Break the Ice
You may have seen this concept streaming throughout the blogging world, but let’s break it down.
You will need:
Large bowl, small toys, water, small hammer-like tools (such as a play tool set)
Take the large bowl and put one o...
Maintain your mental and physical health during pregnancy
Article in Baton Rouge Parent Magazine
The Best Tips For Aspiring Nurse Leaders
Nurses are born leaders. However, they don’t have to be in charge nurse positions to fill this role. I can find leadership qualities in all of my co-workers, just by focusing on their strengths. This article will help you look beyond patient care and how to establish yourself as a leader in your nursing profession.
Leadership Qualities
To be a leader, you need a few essential qualities. Not possessing leadership qualities doesn’t mean you can’t be a leader. However, you might need to work on ...