This post was updated on January 1, 2020 Traditional healthcare settings, including hospitals, operate under a hierarchy of nursing to define the structures of order and organization. Nurses are ranked according to levels of license and education, and by years of experience. This can be kind of confusing to the new nurse walking into the […]
New Nurse
The new nurse on the block has a lot to learn. Clinical skills, emotional intelligence, resilience, and communication are just scratching the surface. To thrive as a new nurse you have to constantly learn and evolve and take things with a grain of salt. But you don’t have to wander around the new nurse desert aimlessly, we’ll be your guide and ensure you get plenty of water and encouragement on your journey.
Ready to enjoy your time as a new nurse?
A nurse residency program guides your first year and helps you to deal with the emotional weight of being a new nurse. A self-guided holistic residency will help you feel confident sooner and love your nursing career, all while learning how to both live and work as a nurse.
Star the New Nurse Master Class: a Self-Guided Nurse Residency
Why We Freeze When a Patient Codes
I’ve heard so many people mention how they just freeze when a patient codes. Many look back with shame or embarrassment that they didn’t know what to do in an emergency… especially since they’re the nurse and should know what to do. I get it. I did that the first few times and was really […]
10 Unwritten Rules for Nurses
You won’t learn this in nursing school, but your life will be so much better once you read (and follow) this list. These 10 unwritten rules for nurses might seem like common sense, but someone had to say them.
How to Use Becoming Nursey
Many hospitals, healthcare organizations, and nursing schools have begun using Becoming Nursey to support their students and new graduates as they transition to practice.
S4E37: What Nursing Teamwork Practically Looks Like At the Bedside
Nursing Teamwork is one of those buzzwords, but what does it practically look like during elbow-to-elbow nursing care?
What Do Nursing Home Nurses Do?
I think a lot of nursing students, as well as nurses in general, carry misconceptions about what it’s like to be a nurse in a nursing home. Many don’t really know what nursing home nurses do. This guest post will walk you through a typical shift and see if it’s what you imagined.
Nursing Report for Newbies
Elizabeth Mills, BSN RN CCRN – highly experienced neurocritical care nurse, current Stroke Navigator for a Primary Stroke Center. What You’ll Learn What is a nursing report Etiquette Basic Info This episode discusses the basic considerations for a nursing report, including etiquette, LDA’s, meds, concerns for the health care team, and alarms. What it is […]
The Role of the Nurse Preceptor
You are probably prepared for what to expect during your orientation, whether it be from discussions during nursing school, friends, or from personal research on the web. The role of the nurse preceptor? Responsibility, Preparation, and Personalities. I want to talk to you about orientation a little differently. I want to share with you orientation from my point-of-view, as a nurse preceptor. It is important to me that you understand…
S1E8: Difficult Patients
This episode discusses practical tips and tricks and personal experience dealing with frustrating, demeaning, demanding or difficult patients and/or families.
How to be the Unit’s Favorite New Grad Nurse
Graduation is upon us and there will be many new grad nurses among hospital units very soon if they have not started already. Starting a job in nursing can be very overwhelming. I would argue that learning the ropes of the healthcare culture is quite possibly one of the most difficult jobs. In addition, the […]
What Nurses Who Recently Graduated Need to Know About Repaying Student Loan Debt
All across the country, nurses are in demand, which makes it a very attractive career choice. However, the nursing field is very demanding, requiring specialized knowledge obtained from an advanced education. That can be a financial challenge for many nursing students, especially for those who choose the Bachelor of Science in Nursing path. Many new […]
When Your Patient Starts Crying
One of the first questions you may ask yourself in your nursing career is “What to do when a patient starts crying.” Everyone has their own forte’, and for some, providing emotional support to people in crisis can be an OMG WHAT DO I DO moment. It can be uncomfortable. It can be weird. It […]
Something You’re Dying to Talk About
Being a critical care nurse, I’ve witnessed quite a few people pass away. I’ve assisted in taking people off of the ventilator to allow them to pass naturally. I’ve cared for patients that are donating their organs. I’ve been there for people when they take their last breath because their loved ones could not bear […]
You’re a Life Saver. Literally
I don’t know if any of you nurses out there struggle with what I’ve been fighting over the last year or so. Whenever I’m in a large crowd and see elderly people or someone not looking so hot, I play the worst-case scenario out in my mind. They collapse. I run over. Start CPR. Yell […]
For The Anxious Nurse
After being in the field for a while, I’ve noticed a common theme… anxious nurses. We see people die during a normal day at work. Our normal day is someone’s last. At any moment, someone’s heart can stop and we’re responsible for restarting it. Someone can stop breathing and we’ve got to know what to do […]
Working With “Difficult” Patients
Have you ever had to deal with difficult patients? Examples would be non compliance or worse. How do you handle difficult patients?
Top 80 Medical Abbreviations & Short Hand
Medical abbreviations I use most frequently. Keep in mind that not all of these are “approved”; they are the ones I use on my report sheet.
How to Clean a Poopy Patient
Learn from an experienced nurse who has been there – this is how to clean a poopy patient the fastest (and best) way possible! So you’ve gone through CNA training and while you’re awesome at cleaning theoretical poop on a mannequin, you are terrified of your first poopy patient experience. You don’t even know what […]
Advice for Male Nursing Students
Being a male nurse is completely different than being a female one. Here are my best tips and advice that I have for all male nursing students.