In this episode, we interview Karen Kesten, DNP APRN CCRN-K CCNS CNE who is currently the chair of the certification board of directors for the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). We talk about nursing certifications and why they are important to our profession, plus how to become certified
Professional Development for Nurses
Once you’ve got things figured out at work, you may start to feel the itch to discover and conquer your next challenge. Plus, best practices are constantly evolving and new evidence is brought to the forefront, so nurses are constantly in a state of learning and growth. Nursing certifications, advanced degrees, and continuing education are all vitally important aspects of nursing professional development.
These articles are focused on professional development for nurses and will aid in your journey in growing as a nurse.
What Do Labor and Delivery Nurses Do?
Labor and Delivery nurses work in the happiest place in the hospital. Where else do you get to go to birthday parties all day and night long? If you love adrenaline, babies and a little bit of everything, the “Baby Factory” might be the place for you! Labor and Delivery is a mix of the Emergency Department (ED), Medical-Surgical, Operating Room (OR), Recovery Room, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and Critical Care all mashed together into one exciting unit!
8 Tips for Nurse Influencers
The term nurse influencer is relatively new in the nursing profession. With the constant evolution of social media, technology, and communication, there is a new opportunity for people in all walks of life to share their journey. The nursing profession is no exception.
Nurse influencers are popping up all over the place: from those sharing their nursing school journey, experienced nurses sharing tips for newbies, nurses in mainstream media looking to educate the public, to hilarious and touching nurse memes and stories that only other nurses truly get and appreciate.
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…
I know I want to be a Nurse Practitioner, but which program do I choose?
Hey all – this week’s guest post is by none other than Sean Dent, MSN, ACNP-BC, CCRN! We realize how confusing the whole nurse practitioner world is right now, especially for those of you just beginning nursing school who know you want to eventually become an NP. Check out this post that outlines the options! […]
Tips to Maximize Social Media for Nurses
Most posts about social media for nurses focus on don’ts and the fear factor… OMG YOU’LL GET FIRED! DON’T’ DO IT!But, let’s be real. Most nurses use social media. Most people use social media. Heck, try to walk down a hospital hallway and NOT see someone in scrubs on some form of social. Instead of […]
Master of Science in Nursing: Choosing a Program for Success
Few nurses hold a master of science in nursing degree, so finding someone to discuss graduate nursing education with can be challenging. Even for myself, I remember many of my questions went unanswered when I first began to consider graduate school, as I knew no one who had pursued that level of education. In the […]
Master of Science in Nursing: Trying Out FlexPath Online Learning
This post on the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) FlexPath program is sponsored by and crafted with Capella University; however, all opinions are my own. At the beginning of last year Capella University launched a new learning format for their RN-to-BSN program they describe as self-paced called FlexPath. Being a self-starter that style of […]
A Complete Guide to Nursing Credentials and Degrees
This post has been sponsored by Alvernia University. Please see my disclaimers page for more information on our partnership.
5 questions you should ask yourself when looking at nursing graduate programs
This post has been sponsored by Capella University. Please see my disclaimers page for more information on our partnership. Continuing your nursing education is an exciting time. Making that decision is a big deal! Congrats! However, a lot of thought should go into which school and program you choose. Deciding you want an MSN, applying […]
How to Start a Nursing Blog
This post contains affiliate links I get quite a few emails from people looking to start their own blog and looking for some tips and advice. Below is my advice on how to start a nursing blog! Before I start, I want to say one very important thing. If you’re doing this for the money […]
Professional Nursing Organizations: Why Every Nurse Should Be a Member
Please note that this post is sponsored by Capella University. All opinions are my own. Please check out this video about my 2016 partnerships and why I’ve decided to work with these amazing organizations. When I graduated from nursing school I was given a packet of information about the various professional nursing organizations. I was […]
7 Financial Ideas for Nurses Planning for Graduate School
Today we have a guest blog post from Nick Angelis, CRNA MSN, about a topic that is near and dear to my heart – financial planning. I know it’s a weird thing to be passionate about, but I believe any and everyone should be able to get a higher education without going into financial ruin […]
Product Review – CEUFast.com, a Nursing CEU Website
For this week’s product review, I am going to discuss a website called CEUFast.com. Thank you to CEUFast.com for partnering with me for this post. All opinions are my own and this review is completely honest. CEUFast.com is a website in which you can get all of your nursing continuing education credits. It’s your one-stop […]
Nurses Needing a BSN: I’ve Discovered a Revolutionary Path
I was watching TV the other day and saw this commercial for an online college I had never heard of out of the north east. It was for some sort of business or finance graduate degree, but what they offered was an interesting concept. Basically, you take exams (or competencies) and if you pass […]
What it Takes to be a CRNA from a CRNA Student!
One of my former coworkers is now in CRNA school! CRNA school is no joke, you guys. It’s tough to get in, it literally takes over your life, and is incredibly stressful. I’ve had a few people ask me about CNRA school and I thought who better to discuss it than someone going through school […]
So Many BSN Programs, So Little Time!
I would like you guys to meet Courtney, a nurse that started a website (http://fromnewtoicu.com) to help anyone interested in becoming a nurse! You can check out her About Me page here: http://fromnewtoicu.com/heritage The main purpose of her website is to make finding nursing school information as easy as possible. This makes it faster for both high school […]
What is the Difference Between ADN and BSN Nursing
This guest blog post was written by Mitch Lee. Mitch Lee is a community health education specialist and writer on behalf of University Alliance. With several years of experience in public health, Mitch has worked on several community wellness campaigns and participated in education advocacy projects for non-traditional students. Transitioning from ADN to BSN ─ […]
The Nurse’s Famous Last Words: “But the Doctor Said it Was Okay..”
One of my BFFs is a rapid response nurse (I know, coolest job ever). Whenever a patient is going downhill or looks not-so-hot, she gets a call. Many times, the call could and should have occurred hours before. However, what she is told most frequently is “but the doctor said it was okay”. Notify MD, […]
Sitting Down for Your Patient
I went to NTI in Denver, Colorado this last week. For those of you that don’t know, it’s an annual national conference for critical care nurses. And it’s awesome. I went to a lot of sessions. Some on brain death, some on vasoactive drips, on sepsis, and hyponatremia.. but the ones that hit me the hardest […]