Six months after the telemetry unit at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital in Louisville, KY, implemented hourly nurse rounding, the number of patient falls decreased, patient satisfaction increased, and call light use dropped by more than 3,000 per month. “The managers round on all of the patients every day,” says Amy Robinson, RN, a nurse manager at the 200-bed facility. “One of the questions we ask the patient is, ‘Does someone always...  Read More »

Editor’s note: Author Kathleen Bartholomew will be speaking at the 26th annual NSNA MidYear Conference in November in Reno, NV. Until then, we’ll occasionally be featuring excerpts from some of Bartholomew’s captivating and influential publications. Here’s one from Stressed Out About Communication Skills: Of all the professions on the planet, those of us in nursing have the honor of dealing with the most challenging and interesting people....  Read More »

Here’s where the rubber hits the road as far as drug names go. As a nurse, you need to know: The generic and common brand names for all medications frequently used in your area of practice How to look up any unfamiliar medication prior to administering it And, as a patient advocate, you must teach those under your care: To learn the generic and brand (if taking a name brand drug) names of their medications or at least keep a current list of medications...  Read More »

Our Last Semester columnist, Chelsea, is no longer in her last semester. She’s no longer looking for a job, either. After passing the NCLEX a couple of weeks ago, Chelsea is quickly moving on to the next phase of her life. Here’s a look inside her first REAL nursing gig: Not only am I a real nurse, but now I actually have a job! (This grown-up stuff isn’t quite so scary anymore.) I came to the realization that my first job doesn’t have...  Read More »

There are several nurse-specific products out there. Scores of books, clothes, and medical products all appeal to the bedside caregivers. Toss a new vitamin on that list, too. Employee Vita, a Chandler, AZ-based company, recently introduced Nurse Vita, a new nutritional supplement targeted at nurses. The vitamin claims to tackle fatigue and dry skin—two problems that often plague nurses—with specific ingredients and nutrients. The web-based vitamin...  Read More »

“Check the coffee pot in the administration waiting room. I believe it’s spiked again, third time this week …” And the winner is … (drum roll, please) … Joy Bailey! Congratulations, Joy! 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 »

By Richard Freedberg, RN, MSN, MPA My family is already asking me for advice! What should I do? Hmmm, only part of the way through nursing school and you are already being hit up for free healthcare advice. Anyone else out there running into this type of situation? Absolutely! This is a common circumstance. Think about your own experiences. There is a certain nice guy with construction experience in my family who saved me from disaster when I was doing a home...  Read More »

Our Last Semester columnist, Chelsea, is no longer in her last semester. She’s no longer looking for a job, either. After passing the NCLEX a couple of weeks ago, Chelsea is quickly moving on to the next phase of her life. Here’s a look inside her first REAL nursing gig: Not only am I a real nurse, but now I actually have a job! (This grown-up stuff isn’t quite so scary anymore.) I came to the realization that my first job doesn’t have...  Read More »

Studies show that a gut feeling usually happens because, at some point in the past, a similar sequence of events unfolded and ended in a bad outcome. So even though just a few clinical events may have happened, your subconscious mind is much more attuned than you think Trust your instincts. If you disagree with the physician: Reassess and recommunicate. Ask another nurse for his or her opinion. Make sure you clearly state your rationale to the physician. Check...  Read More »

By Richard Freedberg, RN, MSN, MPA Can we take a quick inventory of your life? Let’s see, you might be just starting nursing school, in the thick of it, or just out of it. Since college is expensive, you may be working in addition to attending class. Then, there is the family and friend situation, those people you care about and need to spend time with. Could we agree that many of us have way too much to do and far too little time in which to do it? Seems...  Read More »