Category: Online Classroom

The decision to go to nursing school is an important one. It means that you are determined to become a nurse in the future and that you know full well what you will be doing in that chosen profession. As a profession that involves assisting patients and being a witness to matters of life and death, it is not surprising that going to nursing school is arduous. However, getting a nursing degree can be done with hard work and perseverance.

Whether you are taking up ASN basics or BSN nursing is your first course or you are a second courser looking to advance your career, nursing school is a challenge. So, here are some tips to help you overcome the hurdles in nursing education.

Take notes.

Unless you have a photographic memory, you need to take down notes during lessons or even duties. You will be learning about so many things that include medical terms, medications, illnesses and their symptoms. It would be impossible to remember two to four years’ worth of lessons and lectures without jotting down notes.

Notes are also a good way to help you review for exams in school, as well as state board exams.

Teachers are your friends.

Listen to your teachers. Their experiences in the nursing field serve as their life lessons. They can share them with you so you can gain perspective on how it is to work as a nurse. Just because they seem strict and unapproachable, this does not mean you can’t ask them pertinent questions. If you have doubts or clarificatory questions to your teachers about any of your lessons, have the courage to ask. You will get an answer and it is worth summing up the courage for.

Take care of your health.

Health is wealth, as they say. So the best way to start your day is to have breakfast. You need to have enough energy to survive nursing school requirements. Get the right sleep and learn to have a daily schedule of your tasks. When you become a nurse in the future, you will carry that discipline with you, which can help you survive any working day.

Learn to have fun.

School is not only hard work, it also involves fun. When exams are over, do something fun. Go out with friends, have a wonderful dinner with the family or go to the movies with classmates. Always have a balance of work and play to keep you emotionally well.

Respiratory therapists have many various tasks and responsibilities in the healthcare field. They work with doctors and nurses in assisting patients that have lung cancer, pulmonary diseases or breathing problems. Many of those who hold a BS Degree in Respiratory Therapy even do further studies in the nursing field to advance their career.

Basically, respiratory therapists give evaluations and assessments to patients before they are being treated. They check the patient’s lung capacity with the use of several medical tools and equipment. They also take into consideration the patient’s age, height, sex and weight. Machines like blood gas analyzers are used in this evaluation.

Respiratory therapists can perform chest physiotherapies on patients who have too much mucus in their lungs. This helps patients breathe better and have clearer lungs.

Respiratory therapists work hand in hand with doctors. Being knowledgeable in the area of respiratory diseases and treatments, therapists give advice on the best treatment for the patient.

The reason why respiratory therapists are now venturing into the nursing field is because both fields are interconnected. By holding degrees in both professions, they get more career opportunities. They are able to work in a variety of facilities and with different medical practitioners.

There are many specialties in the nursing field that you can focus on as a nursing. One of which is rehabilitation nursing. This specialty is increasingly becoming popular these days.

What is rehabilitation nursing?

This specialty involves assisting patients and their families deal with short-term to long-term impediments and disabilities. As a rehabilitation nurse, your tasks will include managing the care of patients, performing nursing skills, checking and responding to changes in patient’s condition, and give psychosocial support to patients.

You may have patients who are afflicted with Parkinson’s disease or may be recovering from a surgical procedure.

What are the requirements of a rehabilitation nurse?

A rehabilitation nurse must have finished an approved nursing course. Licensed practical nurses and registered nurses may be employed as rehab nurses. They may be hired at acute care hospitals, specialty rehabilitation hospitals, long term acute care hospitals and outpatient rehabilitation centers.

If you have a certification in rehabilitation nursing, this is highly favored although it is only optional.

Being a rehab nurse is a rewarding profession. You will be able to interact and create a deeper patient-nurse relationship. You will have a chance to see and observe how your patients succeed in overcoming hurdles.

The role of Licensed Practical Nurses is important in the medical field. They play an important role in giving the best healthcare for patients. Despite their big contribution to the field of nursing, most still misunderstand or have the wrong idea about what Licensed Practical Nurses really do.

 

Here is a list of common misconceptions about LPNs.

1. LPNs do not have enough knowledge and experience to take care of patients.

It is quite disappointing that nurse managers, educators and even some physicians, often make this misconception. They feel that LPNs do not have enough training to provide care to patients. The truth is, LPNs have gone through the proper training that makes them capable enough to handle patients. Their hands-on clinical hours during their training course gave them enough exposure to the proper care of patients. More so they are knowledgeable on the complex issues or diseases that the patients are afflicted with.

2. LPNs are not real nurses.

Some people, especially patients, prefer to call LPNs, pretend nurses. They see LPNs as merely an assistant who takes care of patients when there no real nurse around. Truth be told, LPNs are real nurses. They have successfully completed a practical nursing program and have passed the NCLEX-PN exam. Also, they have also passed the state-licensing exam. With all these exams and licenses that they have gone through and attained, it goes to show how competent they are as a professional nurse.

3. LPNs are not as smart as Registered Nurses.

Most people think that registered nurses are smarter than LPNs. Those who have this misconception should realize that being either type of nurse requires the same level of intelligence. They should also consider recognize the importance of choices. Any person’s job is a product of one’s choice and freewill.

It is saddening that many people in and out of the medical field think lowly of Licensed Practical Nurses. LPNs always find themselves defending their profession. They also tend to defend their reasons for choosing to be LPNs instead of RNs. These misconceptions directly and indirectly affect LPNs and their self-esteem. Hopefully, more and more people will see the fact that licensed practical nurses are as profession and skilled as registered nurses. Above all, those in the medical field should also change the way they think about LPNs. By starting to change our mindsets about them, we contribute to increasing their self-confidence and self-image.

For Licensed Practical Nurses, always hold your head up high and do not be embarrassed about your chosen profession.

As a nurse leader or trainee, how do you make trainings more effective? In the nursing field, it is always important to conduct trainings to new nurses so that they can have a clear idea of what they are supposed to be responsible for at work. While scheduling a training can be very easy, making it effective and relevant is challenging. There are times when trainees, by the end of the session, never learned anything from it. It ends up becoming a waste of time and resources.

So how should trainers go about with the training? Here are some tups.

Have careful planning.

What are topics to be covered in the training? How many people are participating? How long should the training be? Where is it going to be held? These questions need to be answered so as to know what kinds of resources should be needed during the training. By knowing all of these elements, trainees can make a schedule of activities that is appropriate for the trainees.

Make sure that the venue is conducive for learning and training.

If your school is offering a paramedic to RN program, with trainings on trauma nursing, it is important that the venue is big enough to accommodate the number of students, as well as the paraphernalia needed for the activities. Nursing trainings need to have application, which means that the venue needs to be big enough for application.

Trainers need to be able to connect with the trainees.

Trainers do not need to be affable to have a connection with the trainees. Trainers must be able to look for effective ways on how relate to nurses. They could inject some personal stories or experiences related to the training session topic.

Visual aids and other paraphernalia must be used.

In nursing trainings, simply describing situations is not enough. There must be visual aids to help trainees get a concrete idea of what the topic is about. Cases and scenarios must also be shown or shared as examples.

There must be an application of the learning.

The best way to know that the trainees have understood the session is by having activities that will allow them to have an application. This could be in the form of role-plays or tests.

Participation must be encouraged.

Trainees should not only be the ones talking during the whole session. Participation must be encouraged, so as to have a more dynamic training.

Does the idea of traveling excite you? For some nurses, the idea of being a travel nurse sounds exciting. It gives nurses an opportunity to see different places, interact with different people and discover something new. What’s more is that the job assures you of a good salary. If you have wanderlust in you, you will probably love this kind of career. You get to make friends and develop life-long connections with people you meet along the way.

Being a travel nurse also poses problems. For some, it can be hard to always adjust with the weather, the work atmosphere and the environment.  While it may seem very exciting at first, some travel nurses get tired of the job eventually. They realize they want to settle down, have a family of their own and spend time with their children. This is perhaps one of the main reasons why travel nurses are usually the younger ones and the ones who have opted to stay single.

Becoming a travel nurse is a big decision. It is a career choice that will significantly change your life. So, it would be wise for you to weigh its pro and cons before making that choice.

The Internet has now become the most used tool for getting information. Those looking for nursing jobs use it to look for ads, facilities and hospitals looking for new nurses. Students who want to go to nursing schools, take up nursing or nursing bridge programs like paramedic to RN programs, use the Internet to browse for the best schools suited to them. Working nurses use the Internet to search for information, as well.

Also, patients and consumers look for health information online, rather than in libraries or certain offices.  Research also shows that almost 60 percent of American adults use social media that are related to the health field. What makes the Internet the best search tool is its convenience and efficiency. This is very important for patients who do not have the opportunity to go out much or those who are confined in hospitals or hospices. The Internet has spawned social networking sites that are now part of people’s lives. By simply logging in to your account, you can see pictures, videos or read messages from loved ones and friends. This becomes an instant stress-reliever for patients who really need all the support they can get from people they love.

It is also common for patients these days to search about their diagnosis. By knowing more about their illnesses, they become more aware of the issues relevant to what they are going through. That is why medical websites, such as pharmaceutical sites, nursing sites and certain online support medical forums are now increasing in popularity.

We are also aware that nurses have a very hectic schedule. Because of this, many of them are stressed out. To relieve stress many join social networking sites to connect with friends. A lot of nurses are also into nursing forums. Nursing forums allow nurses to interact with fellow nurses. This is a venue where they can talk about how their days went and the life lesson experiences they have.

 It is impossible to imagine a world without Internet. Not only does it make lives easier, it also brings people closer.

The tasks and responsibilities we have at work are usually the causes for physical and mental exhaustion. Sometimes we get too preoccupied with work that we tend to miss our meals, sleep less and forget to laugh.

Injecting humor into the workplace not only fills the workplace with more positive vibes, but most importantly, it helps patients cope with what they are going through.

Studies show that laughter can actually lower blood pressure. It also boosts lung and heart performance. Many patients are stressed out with their situation. By smiling or being able to laugh once in a while, they lessen their stress levels and even exercise their facial muscles.

Endorphins, known as the happy hormone, are released when people exercise, perform rigorous activities and laugh. Yes, laughing releases endorphins. When one has a high level of endorphins, he or she feels more positive and essentially happier. Enjoying a good hearty laugh makes you feel lighter. It makes you feel as if you have just unloaded a heavy weight from your shoulders.

Perhaps the people who need laughter the most are the patients and their families. Nurses and even nursing students taking up BSN or ASN basics, should know that the nursing profession not only assists patients physically but most of all, emotionally. No matter how hopeless a patient’s case is, it is still important to at least inject some form of lighthearted moments in their lives. There is no single formula for best way to make people laugh. Some things may not be funny to other people. This is when nurses should apply what they have learned in their psychology subject in school.

Try to ask yourself when was the last time you had a hearty laugh. What makes you laugh? Are there movies or TV shows that you enjoy? Do you have friends who are funny? Was there an unforgettable memory that still makes you laugh?

But why is it seemingly hard for people to put some fun or humor into their conversations and interactions? Perhaps the key to finding reasons to laugh and smile is the ability to know how to interact with people. Nurses should learn how to verbally communicate with coworkers and patients and connect with them. This can be done by cracking jokes, sharing personal experiences or simply by learning to listen to people’s stories. These are some of the elements that can help bridge people.

When used wisely, social media can be very useful and helpful. Nurses are witnesses to life and death situations that are sometimes too important not to share with others. Social media can help nurses spread great, inspiring stories through social networks without having to divulge the names of those in the story. Here are some tips on how to use social media effectively.

1. Avoid being specific about names and other personal details.

You can share stories without having to state names or details of the patient. You want to talk in general terms so that whatever you share offends no one. If for example you have met so many great patients and colleagues in the pediatrics department, you can express it by making a generalization. Instead of stating your patient’s name, you can say ‘The pediatrics department has truly been…”

2. Avoid stating the exact time of the incident.

By saying phrases like, “two weeks ago”, you will be giving ideas to people as to who you are referring to. It would be wise to use words like previously, over the years, in my experience or before.

3. Never take pictures or videos of patients and post them online.

So many nurses and other professionals have lost their jobs because of this. Posting pictures or videos of your patients is taking away their right to privacy. You may get sued for this and lose your job and license.

4. Do not post morbid pictures online.

It is quite disappointing to see some people who post pictures of their patients’ condition online. Not only are the pictures morbid, but also your friends would think you are very unprofessional. And worse, they might generalize that your hospital’s staff members do the same thing.

5. Never state the name of the facility you are working in.

This is also goes the same for your previous workplace. By stating the name of the hospital, your friends will be able to significantly narrow down their hunches on which facility you are talking about.

6. Only share stories that are worth hearing about.

Choose the stories that you want to share. There are so many negative vibes that we get these days, that a positive, heartwarming story  is direly needed. You are lucky to be working in a place where you see miracles of life everyday. Share those small joys and miracles and make your friends feel good about life.

Being a nurse gives you many opportunities to celebrate life. Give others a chance to experience this by sharing positive experiences.

 

Whether you are contemplating on being a travel nurse or you are already one, here are some things that you need to take into consideration.

1. Make a good, lasting impression.

If you are preparing for an interview, make sure that you make your interviewer remember you for all the right reasons.  Remember that first impressions last and it is essential that you give make it a positive one.  During the interview, show your interest in the field. Make the interviewers feel that you really want the job and that you feel that you are destined for it.

2. Be honest.

Ask yourself if you really want the job. Being a travel nurse is a challenging profession. There will be times when you get homesick, stressed and lonely. Make sure that you know what lies ahead of you if accept the job of being a travel nurse.

3. Maintain a positive attitude.

Think of the positive things of being a travel nurse. Being more positive about your career decision makes you work without the added stress and treat everyone nicely.  If you are now a travel nurse and currently not like it, take a moment to reflect on the perks of your job. Counting your blessings will help make you feel more thankful for your job.