“If you were an RN, it would be TWO bags …” And the winner is … (drum roll, please) … Bonnie Clair! Congratulations, Bonnie! 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 »

Sarah Whitlock has three words to describe her reaction to seeing a hand in a ditch while driving late one August night: “I was petrified.” The 21-year-old nursing student who attends Presentation College in Aberdeen, S.D., was driving along South Fork Road in Cody, WY—her hometown—around 11:30 p.m. on August 12. Despite the darkness, she saw a hand sticking out of a roadside ditch. “It scared me half to death,” says Whitlock. “It...  Read More »

By Richard Freedberg, RN, MSN, MPA I’m not sure I still want to be a nurse. Has this thought ever crossed your mind? Whether you have heard fellow students or new graduates openly disclose it, it’s fairly safe to assume many share the same doubts and apprehensions. Here’s what we all need to agree on: It is never wrong to have doubts since they are an important part of the human experience. They sometimes prevent us from blindly racing down...  Read More »

You wouldn’t get accounting advice from a shoe salesman or a zookeeper. Sure, they may have some helpful suggestions for you, but when your neck is on the chopping block with the IRS, you’ll wish you had consulted an accountant, right? The same principle applies to medical and scientific information. You need to know where the information is coming from to decide just how valid it is. Ask yourself these things when finding information: Who is writing...  Read More »

Imagine having the opportunity to stand in front of a television camera and declare your love for nursing. That’s just what happened to three individuals at tiny Lakeview College of Nursing in Danville, IL. Student Katie Marlatt, recent grad Erica Dixon, RN, and Sarah Rich Wheeler, DNS, RN, PMH, BC, LCPC, the school’s dean of nursing, all shined under the bright lights. “It was neat to think that such a small school would have such a large...  Read More »

New mothers face a number of changes and challenges when they bring a newborn home from the hospital. In Durham, NC, a new program is providing some much-needed assistance. Durham Connects, a program that provides free nurse visits to any Durham resident following the birth of a child, began in August. About a month after delivery, a nurse visits the new family to provide a physical, discuss important health issues, and provide a basket filled with newborn...  Read More »

After performing pop rock country tunes on a bright stage surrounded by tens of thousands of screaming fans, Jason Marks should be able to perform clinical rotations with a steady hand. “It was very exciting and more fun than I’ve had in a long time,” says Marks with a slight Southern drawl. Marks, who attends Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) in Wilmington, N.C., has been a practicing musician for several years and has been playing with...  Read More »

Imagine having the opportunity to stand in front of a television camera and declare your love for nursing. That’s just what happened to three individuals at tiny Lakeview College of Nursing in Danville, IL. Student Katie Marlatt, recent grad Erica Dixon, RN, and Sarah Rich Wheeler, DNS, RN, PMH, BC, LCPC, the school’s dean of nursing, all shined under the bright lights. “It was neat to think that such a small school would have such a large...  Read More »

by Deanna R. Miller, RN, MSN/Ed, HCE, manager of inpatient units at University Hospitals Geneva (OH) Medical Center My experiences as a hospital patient—in relation to nursing care—have never been negative. I received my medications on time, and the nurse came in each shift and assessed me. But what was lacking with my care was complete and effective patient education. Each day, as my nurse was performing an array of tasks, I often asked questions related to...  Read More »

Nurses who have good organizational skills can manage even the worst of days. They always look like they are in control and are never at a loss locating what they need. How do they do it? Some use a clipboard with a built-in calculator. On this clipboard is also their patient assignment, as well as quick references or “cheat sheets,” which are laminated and attached to the back of the board. Others develop a paper worksheet that keeps them on time...  Read More »