One of the best parts of going to any conference is exploring a new place. Sure, you meet people, get free stuff, and learn a few things, but getting a taste of life in other parts of the country unquestionably stands out as one of the highlights. In the past two years, the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) has taken its members to Atlanta, Anaheim, and Kansas City. This week? Thousands will converge on a place called Grapevine, Texas. We did some...  Read More »

Last time, Sarah Jane walked us through the beginning of her life as a preceptor with a new nurse on the ICU. She gave some great advice on putting the patient’s best interest first, and helped lead the way through a bloody trauma. Now, the time with her new nurse was coming to a close–but not without some excitement. As I was saying, during the homestretch, we had two very memorable patients that were great teaching opportunities for me-and great...  Read More »

After finding out several weeks ago that she was accepted into nursing school, Joye has had some trouble getting into the routine. Difficult professors, lots of work, and uniforms made the going tough for our friend in her last installment. Today, she fights the boredom of class and gets excited about the prospect of actually seeing some real patients. Let’s join her. It’s two years ago on October 6 at 9:07 a.m. Teachers drone on FOREVER. I think...  Read More »

“I think my idea of becoming the first-ever caffiene-free hospital surprises you . . . ” And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Jane DeMauro! Congratulations, Jane! Thanks to everyone who submitted a caption. They were all hilarious! And, we’ll be back next week with a brand new cartoon! Will YOU be the next winner?   Read More »

For many nursing students, the last semester of college is a wonderful, memorable time. Classes are winding down, people start treating you like the adult you are, and free time and good friends are easy to find. Then a funny happens. Reality sets in. And you can spell reality with three letters: J-O-B. Our Last Semester columnist, Chelsea, gives us a glimpse into the anxiety. In the past few weeks of her clinical experience, Chelsea has been adjusting nicely....  Read More »

An integral part of handling a patient’s anger is letting the person know you understand the story, letting him or her know that you get it, or showing the person that you empathize with him or her. Recall that empathy means you recognize, perceive, and directly connect with the emotion of another. It is different from sympathy, which means you feel bad because of another person’s situation. Empathy is patient-centered. Sympathy is you-centered....  Read More »

By Kathleen Blair-Harmon, RN, clinical educator Graduation time is right around the corner, and passing the NCLEX exam is No. 1 on your list of priorities. No. 2 should be to start thinking about finding your perfect job. As a new graduate, you will be anxious to enter your chosen specialty directly after graduation. You will have a multitude of opportunities open to you, but be careful to fully evaluate each job opportunity to determine the best one for...  Read More »

The number of nursing school graduates went up in 2005-2006 according to recent data released by the National League for Nursing, but 88,000 candidates-one in three applications submitted-still couldn’t find a spot in a nursing school. The statistics are from the Nursing Data Review Academic Year 2005-2006, an annual report compiled by the National League for Nursing. The data also revealed an increase in minority and male nursing graduates. The growth...  Read More »

Our new preceptor columnist, Sarah Jane, an ICU nurse from Ohio, gave us an introduction to her experiences last time she wrote. She told us about her quick transition from new nurse to preceptor. Now, in a two-part article, she gives us a closer look at her first experience. Here’s the first installment. The time had come when the leadership on my unit thought I would be able to handle a new grad nurse. I had seen her around the unit earlier in the year...  Read More »

After much anticipation, the newest Stressed Out book will arrive this week. Stressed Out About Pharmacology features information about everything from learning strategies, to drugs (of course), to patient safety tips that will combine to make you feel prepared in your career as a nurse. We’ve looked at how to keep up your learning hygiene, spent some time with neoplastic medications, and taken it to a higher level of patient safety. Today, we’ll...  Read More »