You are having difficulty with a coworker and need to discuss it with him or her. You want to communicate effectively, but are unsure about how to approach the conversation. So as not to trigger defensiveness in the other nurse, start the conversation off along these lines: “I’m concerned about how we’ve been working together lately. I wanted to get your thoughts on this.” Then, continue the conversation using the “When you, I...  Read More »

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), only 10.5% of full-time nurse faculty comes from underrepresented minority backgrounds. To change this, Johnson & Johnson is teaming up with the AACN to increase the number of minority faculty educators through scholarship and leadership opportunities. To receive the scholarship totaling $18,000 plus other educational costs, students must be accepted to a full-time master’s or doctoral...  Read More »

The ashes of 55,000 victims buried in a small mound. The tricycle helmet. The story of a 15-year-old girl walking to her job making war planes at a factory in August of 1945. All three are memories floating around in Debbie Persell’s head after a summer trip to Hiroshima to study the long-term effects of radiation exposure from an atomic bomb. “By the time you go through all of that, you are just numb,” she says. “The horror of it is...  Read More »

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have been proactively assisting employees and family members with substance abuse issues over the last 30 years. With research finding that substance abuse is on the rise, now more than ever, employers need to be vigilant in their efforts to help troubled employees face and overcome their addiction. In fact, of the 20.2 million adults classified with dependence or abuse in 2005, 15.5 million (or 76.7%) were employed, according...  Read More »

The ashes of 55,000 victims buried in a small mound. The tricycle helmet. The story of a 15-year-old girl walking to her job making war planes at a factory in August of 1945. All three are memories floating around in Debbie Persell’s head after a summer trip to Hiroshima to study the long-term effects of radiation exposure from an atomic bomb. “By the time you go through all of that, you are just numb,” she says. “The horror of it is...  Read More »

When Beth Fiske and Debbie Persell became nurses back in the 1970s, they probably figured the profession would take them places. They could travel, work in a variety of environments, and enjoy a collection of new experiences–but traveling to Hiroshima, Japan, this past summer? Well, that, they may not have seen coming. The duo spent most of the month of June studying the long-term effects of radiation from the famous atomic blast that led to the end of...  Read More »

People with depression feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. They often feel like giving up. They need gentle encouragement. Here are some things you can do to help them handle their low energy levels: Assume a reasonable amount of responsibility. Gently insist that the patient do some things for him or herself. Set realistic goals. Do not push the depressed person to undertake too much too soon. Balance the need for diversion and company with...  Read More »

Being a nurse has its share of wonderful experiences. Saving a life, creating a connection with a patient, and making a difference are quick to put a smile on anyone’s face. But nursing has its share of difficult experiences, too. What happens when a child or an infant you are caring for dies? What then? What do you say? Where do turn? Julie Lindsay, MSN, RN, is helping to answer those difficult questions for nursing students at the University of Texas...  Read More »

What did you do this summer? Whether you took an extra class, worked a few hours at a hospital, or split your time between the beach and barbecues, it’d be tough to top University of Tennessee nursing students Debbie Persell and Beth Fiske. Persell and Fiske spent four weeks in Hiroshima, Japan, to study some of the long-term effects caused by the atomic blast in 1945. The trip was coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Radiation Effects Research...  Read More »

There’s no doubt that nurses are hot–in hot demand, that is. In fact, The Institute for Policy Research estimates that 8.5% of nursing positions in the United States are unfilled. That percentage is projected to triple by 2020. What can hospitals and healthcare organizations do to keep nurses, especially a newly licensed nurse, on the job? According to a new study published in the American Journal of Nursing, the top two priorities for hospitals...  Read More »