CampusRN Job Blog
Creating a Safer Workplace for Nurses
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Patient lifting equipment and safety needles are prevalent in today’s health care facilities, but a recent study from the American Nurses Association and statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor suggest that nursing remains a tough job, with opportunities to improve the work environment.
“Healthy and safe work environments allow nurses to provide the best possible care for the patients who depend on them,” said Jaime Murphy Dawson, MPH, senior policy analyst at the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health for the American Nurses Association (ANA) in Silver Spring, Md. “Also, protecting nurses from hazards, such as sharps injuries, musculoskeletal disorders and workplace violence, prevents nurses from leaving the workforce prematurely.”
The ANA’s 2011 Health and Safety Survey of 4,614 RNs found 13 percent of the respondents indicating they had been injured three or more times on the job within a year, compared to 7 percent in 2001.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in November 2011 that of all occupations in 2010, registered nurses had the fifth-highest number of days away from work due to musculoskeletal injuries.
ANA’s survey showed 80 percent of nurses with neck, back or shoulder pain caused by the job frequently work, despite the pain.
The nursing association’s survey indicated greater availability of patient lift equipment and safer needles, with nearly two-thirds of nurses saying they have ready access to lift devices, compared to less than half of the respondents in 2001; less than a third of the nurses reported using the equipment frequently, however, suggesting the need for more education and an evaluation of the selection and placement of patient lift and transfer devices.
June Marshall, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, director of advancing professional nursing practice at Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas, expressed concern that tired nurses may cut corners and not take the time to use the devices.
“It’s so important to make sure nurses know how to lift and safely move patients and have the lift equipment available,” Marshall said
Some nursing schools are placing a greater emphasis on safety. The Sinclair School of Nursing at the University of Missouri in Columbia has converted an unused locker room into a nursing safe practices room, with transfer stations and specialized lift equipment for students to practice using the devices.
But even with striking numbers of musculoskeletal injuries, that’s not nurses’ top concern, according to the ANA survey. Nurses’ top work environment concern was acute or chronic effects of stress and overwork, reported by 74 percent of respondents; followed by disabling musculoskeletal injury, 62 percent; and risk of contracting an infectious disease, 43 percent.
The ANA survey showed improvement in the availability of safe needle devices, with 96 percent of RN respondents indicating they are available, compared to 82 percent in 2001, something Dawson attributes to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act of 2000.
However, Dawson said that the survey indicated that RNs may benefit from a better understanding of their rights under the act, which requires that direct-care professionals participate in identifying and selecting safer needle devices. Of the ANA respondents, 62 percent either don’t know if nurses are involved in the selection process, or said they aren’t involved.
Providing lift equipment and safer needle devices are easier to address than relieving nurses’ stress and overwork. Many factors contribute, Dawson said, including professional and personal issues and staffing and shift work.
The ANA survey indicated that some staffing issues have improved. The percentage of nurses working more than 40 hours per week decreased from 64 percent to 55 percent, and RNs who work some mandatory or unplanned overtime each month decreased from 68 percent to 53 percent.
The ANA has established a “Healthy Nurse” program and plans to hold a conference this year. Dawson encourages nurses to be advocates for their health and safety.
“It’s important for nurses to address stress on a daily basis,” Dawson said.
The ANA survey also found nurses worry more about on-the-job assault now than in 2001, with 34 percent indicating that was a concern, up from 25 percent. At the same time, the actual number of assaults was down from 17 percent in 2001 to 11 percent in 2011. However, the majority of nurses still say they have been verbally abused or threatened on the job within a year, though the occurrence decreased since 2001 (57 percent to 52 percent).
posted in: National, news, Employer News
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Your 1st Year as a Nurse: Advice & Tips
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
What will your 1st year of nursing be like? Has school fully prepared you for everything? What do you need to know to have a great 1st year of practice? Here’s some quick info on what you can expect and advice on how to make your transition from nursing school to bedside practice successful.
Get ready! You’re about to embark on an amazing journey! Your first year as a nurse, especially on the floor, will teach you so much about teamwork, endurance, time-management and compassion.
I’ve been a pediatric nurse for 6 years now and it’s taught me a lot about myself, but I’ll never forget my 1st year! The tears, late shifts and missed lunch breaks showed me that the transition from school to practice is a whole new ball game.
So, what advice would I give you? I can’t go too in depth, but I will sum it up with the following:
Be teachable.
The more willing you are to learn, the more your seasoned nurses will teach you.
Be confident.
Patients can spot newbies. But your confidence will set their minds at ease. Don’t be skittish, especially about new skills. I remember when I set a goal to become better at starting IV’s and I asked a veteran nurse how to go about it. She looked at me and said very simply, “keep sticking”. I say the same to you. To become proficient, keep at the skill.
Have a vent place.
Alot of times, my friends and I would go into the med room and let off steam. When things get hectic, find a spot to take some deep breaths and regroup. Speaking of hectic, if you’re having a quiet shift, DO NOT say it aloud. You’ll increase your chances of it staying quiet.
Show respect for your patients’ doctors, even if you are questioning a decision.
I know it might sound a bit trite, but I’ve seen patient care hindered by strained nurse/doctor relationships. Your role will be to advocate for your patients, but you’ll have to learn effective, respectful advocacy.
Ask for help!
As the new nurse, you might be eager to prove yourself to your peers. How quickly things can get crazy! Don’t drown in silence. If you are so busy to the point that patient care is suffering, let someone know. Don’t worry about looking needy to your peers. You’ll learn to fly on your own soon enough.
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Nursing students train in new partnership program at local hospital
Monday, February 06, 2012
Low student-mentor ratio looks to improve education, job prospects
UNLV students in the school of nursing are getting firsthand experience in an innovative partnership with Summerlin Hospital Medical Center.
The Dedicated Education Unit (DEU), in conjunction with UNLV and Summerlin Hospital, offers students the opportunity to learn directly from nursing mentors and get hands-on practice with patient care.
The pilot project, is one of only 19 in the nation and the first in Nevada. It began at the start of the spring semester.
UNLV is the only participating institution in the state.
Carolyn Yucha, dean of nursing and allied health sciences at UNLV, said though the program has seen success in other cities, there had been reluctance from area hospitals in taking on the project.
“I’ve been waiting for a hospital to show some interest in trying [the project] with us because it really is an experiment,” she said.
Lynnette Ball, the chief nursing officer at Summerlin Hospital, ultimately decided to give the partnership with UNLV a go.
“[Ball] is more of a risk taker,” Yucha said.
The nursing program at UNLV consists of four upper-division semesters and students are admitted only after prerequisites have been met.
During each of these semesters, students are required to have clinical experiences in hospitals. The usual program assigns eight students to every one nurse, which can cause lack of cohesion in the clinical learning environment.
Students might not remain at the same hospital each semester, which makes it difficult for them to build stable connections and for nurses to keep track of student progress.
There are nine nursing programs that rotate through Valley hospitals.
Under the partnership with Summerlin Hospital, two students are assigned to every one nurse. Each nurse in the program completes training to become a clinical DEU instructor (CDI).
“They work with the same people week after week,” Yucha said, “so they get to know each other and the staff start to care about what the students learn.”
Professors accompany their students to Summerlin Hospital on either Wednesdays or Thursdays each week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to make sure course goals are being accomplished.
Mirandine Fitchette, an associate professor of nursing at UNLV, said her familiarity with the clinical environment helps her to be effective with the Summerlin Hospital nursing staff.
“I am here as a resource to nurses training the students,” she said.
Fitchette said faculty utilize their time better and students learn and experience much more in the partnership program than what is presented in the traditional classroom setting.
Tiffani Lewis, a junior nursing student participating in the project, said gaining experience in a hospital is rewarding but that it is also challenging, as she tries to handle coursework and maintain a good GPA.
“Trying to juggle everything — it’s a lot,” she said.
Lewis said convenience and affordability influenced her decision to study nursing at UNLV.
“Other nursing programs either have a waitlist or are really, really expensive,” she said.
Lewis said that she is not interested in staying in Nevada after graduation, though Yucha is hoping other nursing students will decide to remain, as she expects students’ ability to offer excellent service in their field will increase their likelihood of job placement.
“If [students] like the hospital and the hospital staff likes them, there’s a good chance that they’ll be hired,” Yucha said.
Christal Camama, a senior in the school of nursing, said her experience at Summerlin Hospital has been great so far. She said that she finds it better than the program she participated in last semester at Sunrise Hospital, where she and seven other students were trained by one nurse.
Camama said the project has opened her eyes to the real world of clinical nursing, which she said includes hazardous tasks and a significant amount of paperwork.
“You get more well -rounded and experience what a real nurse does,” she said.
The CDIs have an integral role in the running of the project.
“The nurses are all really helpful,” Camama said. “They’re always pleasant and willing to answer any questions that [students] have.”
Nurse manager Jennifer Millet said that the other method of teaching students was difficult and that she finds the pilot model more effective, as “it gives each instructor and student that one-on-one companionship.”
“When you see that light bulb go on, it’s so self-gratifying to know that you made a difference and you made [students] think in a different way,” she said.
Long hours were cited as one of the most challenging things students face, but most said commitment pushes them toward their goal of becoming registered nurses.
“With all of our classes and exams it gets tiring,” Camama said. “But it’s worth it.”
posted in: National, Nevada, news, Employer News
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Nurses play a vital role in schools
Monday, February 06, 2012
From providing first aid to dispensing medications and preventative screenings, school nurses play a vital role in a student’s education experience.
Read more: The Daily Home - Nurses play a vital role in schools
“Nurses are an essential part of our School System,” said Michael Barber, assistant superintendent of Pell City schools. “I can’t imagine not having them now. They fill an essential role, without a doubt.”
Barber said the Pell City School System has four nurses split between eight schools, one RN and three LPNs.
One nurse is based at the high school, and the other three float between schools as needed based on school population and student needs.
“Some schools have more students with greater needs that require nurse attention,” he said.
Barber said the nurses perform a variety of functions, including first aid, screenings and teaching.
“They will go into the classroom and do lessons on issues like head lice, if needed,” he said. “And they work with the student’s home with setting doctor’s appointments on an as-needed basis.”
Joan Ludwig, an RN with the Talladega City School System, said they have three nurses for the six schools in the system.
“I’m the RN and we have two LPNs,” she said. “Each nurse has two schools and we try to split time between both schools.”
Ludwig said the nurses do health plans for students with chronic illnesses.
“The parents fill out health assessments at the beginning of school,” she said.
Ludwig said conditions such as asthma, diabetes and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are considering factors. The nurses dispense medications, perform screenings, administer first aid and perform many other duties.
“We do teaching in the classrooms upon teacher requests,” she said. “We cover things like dental hygiene and illness prevention. And all three nurses are CPR certified. We’ve taught CPR at the schools before.”
Kelly Hubbard, student services coordinator for the Sylacauga City School System, said the system has four nurses for four schools.
“We have two RNs and two LPNs,” she said. “One is stationed at each school.”
Hubbard said the nurses deliver health plans for students’ medical needs and ensure those on a need-to-know basis are familiar with the plan.
“We are very lucky — we have highly qualified nurses in the schools,” she said. “I don’t know what I’d do without them.”
Hubbard said most school administrators do not have a medical background, so having a qualified school nurse is critical when dealing with a student’s health issues.
“It helps ensure the student gets the care they need,” she said.
Hubbard said the nurses participate in health fairs and classroom instruction on hygiene and preventative measures to promote wellness.
Laurie Lewis, system supervising nurse for Talladega County schools, said the School System has 10 nurses for 17 schools.
“I’m an RN and I’m based out of Lincoln Elementary School, but I travel to all the schools,” she said.
Lewis said the other RN is based in Munford.
“There are eight LPNs: four work for the nursing department in the schools and four work with special education students but most of the day they do special education instruction work,” he said.
Lewis said the four LPNs in the nursing department are based in Lincoln, Fayetteville, Munford and Childersburg. Some of those nurses cover multiple schools under one roof.
“We regularly do first aid and give all medications except blood products,” she said. “We give a lot of asthma medications, take care of diabetic students, monitor any seizure students and more.”
Lewis said the nurses are mandated by the Americans With Disabilities Act to meet student needs.
“We have to remove any barriers to keep students from getting an education,” she said.
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Maternity nurses see a rising demand
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Increasingly wanted: Loving, discreet, experienced professional willing to travel the world and work through the night, feeding, cuddling and changing lots of diapers.
The pay is very good — about $350 a day or more — though it includes 24 hours on call.
With a house in Sarasota and roots in Yorkshire, England, Carol Lee is part of a small but growing army of “maternity nurses” (Europe) or “newborn care specialists” (the United States).
While the quaint tradition of a baby nurse who moves into the house to care for newborns around the clock is alive and well in other parts of the world, the phenomenon is relatively new in America, and experienced candidates are in short supply.
A spike in U.S. demand over the last few years, say Lee and others, coincides with a higher number of older mothers and multiple births.
According to a Centers for Disease Control report issued last month, one in every 30 babies born is now a twin, compared to one in 53 in 1980. More than a third of all births are to women 30 and older, up from just one-fifth in 1980. Fertility treatments aside, older mothers always have been more likely to have multiple babies.
Nancy Hamm, an officer with the Newborn Care Specialist Association and owner of the Exclusively Baby Nurses agency in California, said requests for help from parents of twins have more than doubled in the past three years.
“There are not enough qualified people to service the growing number of multiple jobs here in the U.S.,” she said.
Lee, who specializes in caring for twins, has worked for “British royalty, rock stars and footballers” on 12-week contracts, as well as middle-income families who employ her for the first week or so after birth.
Her workplaces have ranged from palaces and luxury hotels to “a very small, IKEA-type house in Copenhagen.”
“You’re like a bird in a gilded cage because you can’t go anywhere,” she says. “The furthest you can get is to take the baby for a walk in its buggy, if the parents allow it.”
One thing most of her clients have in common, Lee says: They are high-profile, can-do people with plenty of disposable income but not so much energy for those 4 a.m. feedings. Often they live far away from families who might offer support and advice.
posted in: National, news, Employer News
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Nurses needed
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Nurses and other women with a history of working night shifts can join a study investigating the causes of breast cancer and how to prevent it.
The Army of Women, a program of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, seeks volunteers for a study that will look at breast tissue samples from women who have not had breast cancer and who have worked night shifts. The goal is to understand whether wake/sleep cycle disruptions increase the risk of developing breast cancer.
Participants should:
• Be women between ages 30 and 65.
• Never have had a diagnosis of breast cancer, including DCIS. A history of other cancers would not make someone ineligible to participate, however.
• Not have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Women can participate if they do not know whether they have the mutation.
• Have worked night shifts for at least five consecutive years at some point in their lives. Rotating night shift workers, meaning at least three night shifts a month in addition to day and evening hours, are eligible.
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Where the jobs are: Health care solid, hospitality strong, nanotech horizon
Monday, January 30, 2012
Julie Wells, 43, of Mohawk, was looking for a career where she would be able to find a job, have benefits and enough income to support her family.
Want job security in the Mohawk Valley?
Become a nurse.
Julie Wells, 43, of Mohawk, was looking for a career where she would be able to find a job, have benefits and enough income to support her family.
She decided to go into health care, a field she has worked in for 23 years. Wells is a nurse manager of maternal child services at Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare.
“I knew in nursing I would always be able to find a job,” Wells said. “I think there are still opportunities in health care. In some fields it’s very difficult, if this is where you want to live, for jobs.”
Wells is right on target.
In the Utica-Rome area, other than government jobs, health care is at the top of the list. Manufacturing, and hospitality and entertainment, also employ large numbers of workers, said Dave Mathis, director for Oneida County Workforce Development.
These major industries don’t seem to be changing anytime soon.
Businesses in health care industries, for example, employed 22,205 workers in the Utica-Rome area in 2011, a number that increased 113 from 2010, according to data from Mark Barbano, state Labor Department regional analyst.
And the prediction is health care will continue to grow as the population ages.
Jobs have been a major issue across the nation, with the unemployment rate standing at 8.5 percent. In the Mohawk Valley, unemployment rates and industries have not seen drastic changes.
“This area has been kind of interesting because we never get to the big highs in terms of jobs, or big lows,” Mathis said. “We get along steadily.”
The annual average unemployment rate in the Utica-Rome area was 7.9 percent in 2010 and remained the same in 2011, compared to 8.6 percent statewide in 2010 and 8 percent in 2011, according to state Department of Labor data.
Total jobs in all area industries decreased 1.4 percent from 2010 to 2011 during the January through June time period, according to the data. It was down mainly due to a decrease in federal jobs because many temporary workers were hired for the census, Barbano said.
posted in: National, news, Employer News, New York
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Top 10 Nursing Specialties
Thursday, January 26, 2012
From CampusRN user Erin McKinney
If you’re planning for a career in nursing, you might want to consider which jobs are the highest paying
out of all the nursing specialties. Here are the top ten highest paying specialties in nursing, with salaries
from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
1) Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist – $135,000
Nurse anesthetists have the responsibility of administering anesthesia to patients. They work under
the supervision of physicians, surgeons, dentists, anesthesiologists, and other specialists in a variety
of settings, such as hospitals, clinics, outpatient centers, or research centers. They are trained to
administer all approved anesthetic techniques.
2) Nurse Researcher – $95,000
Nurse researchers usually work at laboratories and universities conducting or assisting in scientific
research and evaluation. Their studies may cover a variety of fields, such as biology, psychology, and
health care systems. They may also be lecturers and professors of nursing at academic institutions.
3) Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner – $95,000
Psychiatric nurse practitioners work with individuals with psychiatric disorders, mental conditions, or
who suffer from substance abuse. They are licensed to diagnose and treat psychiatric disorders and
they can practice autonomously in 20 states. Some may specialize in a certain group of individuals, such
as children, adolescents, or adults, and they work in a variety of facilities, from hospitals and clinics to
emergency services and community health centers.
4) Certified Nurse Midwife – $84,000
Nurse midwives offer care to women with low-risk pregnancies through the postpartum period. They
offer a range of services, from gynecological care and child delivery to menopausal care. They may
work independently or work under the supervision of a physician. Nurse midwives can also prescribe
medications and treatments to their patients.
5) Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse – $81,000
Pediatric endocrinology nurses care for children who have diseases related to the endocrine system,
which cause problems with physical growth and sexual development. The most common diseases
they deal with are diabetes, intersex disorders, hypoglycemia, and puberty difficulties. These nurses
help children and their families learn how to deal with the problems related to the disease and offer
treatment.
6) Orthopedic Nurse – $81,000
Orthopedic nurses help patients who have musculoskeletal disorders, which can range from acute
fractures to bone density disorders. They are trained in specific skills such as muscle rehabilitation,
casting, and neurovascular monitoring. They work in a variety of settings, from trauma and emergency
departments to sports medicine and acute care.
7) Nurse Practitioner – $78,000
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have received advanced training in nursing. They
generally specialize in a specific field, such as pediatrics, geriatrics, or women’s health and must be
licensed or certified through a state medical board. Some work under the supervision of doctors, but
they can also serve as primary care providers and supervise other nurses. They focus on educating
patients toward prevention and healthy lives.
8) Clinical Nurse Specialist – $76,000
Clinical nurse specialists care for patients in a manner similar to nurse practitioners, but they also work
to improve the work of other nurses and the overall health system. They offer advice and education to
health offices and clinics in order to help them provide better care.
9) Gerontological Nurse Practitioner – $75,000
Gerontological nurse practitioners specialize in the field of gerontology, which studies the effects of
aging. They care for older adults with acute and chronic diseases related to aging, which may range from
cardiovascular disease and diabetes to dizziness and stroke.
10) Neonatal Nurse – $74,000
Neonatal nurses care for newborn infants up to a month old. They offer care to both healthy infants and
those with minor or serious health conditions who need extra care in order to survive. They are usually
registered nurses (RNs) who may or may not have neonatal specializations.
This article was written by Erin McKinney, who is a licensed nurse practitioner. Erin also owns the site
Masters of Nursing for students interested in getting an
advanced degree in the nursing field.
posted in: Career, National, news, Employer News
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Supporting nurses across cultures
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Community College of Baltimore County School of Health Professions has received its third Nursing Support Program grant from the Maryland Higher Education Commission since 2007. The three-year grant worth $571,448 is for the school’s “Minority Student Retention and Success” project.
This grant, which runs through June 30, 2014, will be used to maximize the use of CCBC’s simulation technology capabilities; increase retention and graduation rates among minority students in the nursing program; and provide culturally relevant teaching for faculty, staff and students to enhance their sensitivity when communicating with those from other cultures, especially their patients.
“CCBC has been revising its nursing curriculum for the past several years to better reflect the current and future workplace,” said Elizabeth Webster, RNC MS, nursing program coordinator and project director for the grant. “Initially, we tackled the didactic part of the curriculum. This grant will enable us to focus on the clinical education component that is designed to mirror direct patient care and give students a more hands-on, sensory educational experience.”
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SIC Taking Applications for New Hybrid Online Nursing Degree
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
HARRISBURG—Southeastern Illinois College is seeking students to enroll in its part-time hybrid online associate degree nursing (ADN) program.
The new program is a product of the Southern Illinois Online Nursing Initiative (SIONI) and is approved by the Illinois Board of Nursing.
Applications are available at www.sic.edu/onlinenursing. The deadline for submitting applications is March 31. Classes will begin in August.
“We are excited about the implementation of the SIONI hybrid-online ADN nursing program,” said Gina Sirach, director of nursing and allied health at SIC. “This part-time program will increase our capacity to prepare students to further their careers as nurses, and it will allow students the flexibility, over a four-semester period, to access newly developed courses outside of the traditional classroom.”
Sirach indicated that all nursing theory classes will be offered online, while all required on-campus labs and clinicals will meet one or two days per week.
posted in: National, news, Illinois, Employer News
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