Writing patient  educational materials can be a great niche for nurses who love to write and a natural means to grow a freelance career as a nurse writer.  The following article, Nutrition in Pregnancy, by Melissa Murphy RN, is a great example of solid patient education. Patient Education Patient education is a huge part of nursing. Education can begin with the physician or other practitioner, but the major portion of the education falls to the nurses. Be sure to go over the materials with the patient to ensure they understand. Patient education is best when it’s interactive and not ..read more

I absolutely love training new grad nurses. Their excitement and fresh look at the profession transports me back to fifteen-plus years ago when I first started.  I work midnight’s so I have the pleasure of fine-tuning all the information that the day shift preceptors taught. Things I like to focus on are the importance of teamwork as well as the art of delegating as a new nurse. As a night nurse in the hospital, I have fewer resources and there are fewer staff members. Many times, there will be one to two patient care assistants to 15-25 patients. We all rely on our aids, but it is import ..read more

I recently had the privilege to attend a Zoom session hosted by Lorie A. Brown RM, MN, JD of Empowered Nurses. The guest speaker was RaDonda Vaught, the former Tennessee nurse who was convicted in 2022 of criminally negligent homicide after injecting the patient with the wrong medication. This was after the Tennessee BON cleared her in 2020 and told her they “had bigger fish to fry.” How and why that changed two years later needs your attention!  You can watch the replay of the Zoom session. I encourage all nurses to watch the replay and to share it with colleagues and co-workers. Learn h ..read more

A lot is researched and written about the major struggles for new nurses. Some are blamed on not being taught in nursing school, and others are inherent in the normal adjustments to a new profession. Time management is something that is always included in this discussion. Time management essentials for new nurses is something that is always included in the discussion about major struggles for new nurses. If you don’t learn to manage time, time will quickly manage you!  You’ll find yourself always working late especially to complete the charting you’re way behind on, skipping meals ..read more

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It’s that wonderful time of the year, and we’re here to make it even more special for our incredible community of nurses and healthcare professionals. Sheec Socks is spreading some holiday cheer with an exclusive Nursing Holiday Giveaway that you won’t want to miss! Why ComFits? Let’s talk comfort – and we mean serious, all-day comfort. Sheec’s ComFits are not just socks; they’re your perfect companions for those demanding shifts. Picture this: a bundle of 4 pairs, each catering to different rises and colors, ensuring you’re not just comfortable but stylish too. How to Score Your Bundle Enter ..read more

I was recently introduced to a new daily emailed (M-F) nursing  newsletter. You should check out The Nursing Beat! To be honest, I was skeptical, and I’m not always fond of daily emails. However, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. They have some interesting information and cover some relevant topics to keep nurses informed and up to date. I wish them success and look forward to reading what they have to say. It’s FREE. Check it out and subscribe. Full disclosure… the link places me in their queue for thank you gifts for spreading the word about the newsletter. Get your own link fre ..read more

The post Have a Happy and Safe Halloween! first appeared on The Nursing Site ..read more

Introduction Hospice care serves as a unique specialty of nursing by focusing on providing comfort and support to patients nearing the end of their lives. While deeply fulfilling, this field presents nurses with an array of ethical dilemmas that require thoughtful consideration and empathy. In this article, we will explore the 7 ethical dilemmas in hospice care and discuss effective strategies for managing them. Truth-Telling and Patient Autonomy In healthcare ethics, one of the fundamental principles is respecting patient autonomy. However, the dilemma of truth-telling often arises in hospic ..read more

Every day, all shift long, nurses are using critical thinking skills in their job no matter where they work. The stronger those skills are, the higher the quality of care they provide to their patients. Even from the start of the shift and prioritizing the tasks at hand, the ability to problem-solve and make decisions on the fly are critical to each of the nurse’s assigned patients and to those s/he will interact with for other nurses throughout the shift. As nurses know, everything can turn on a dime without warning. Some things are never anticipated such as falls and codes and other inciden ..read more