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...  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...  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...  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...  Read More »

Facebook, the popular online social network, helps old friends reconnect and opens up networking possibilities for the future. It could also cost one Swedish nurse her job. A nurse at Karokinska University in Stockholm recently added 14 photos from a brain surgery and a back operation to her Facebook account. Although the patients couldn’t be identified, hospital officials are angry about the violation of ethics and judgment. Officials...  Read More »

People enter professions for different reasons. Some do it for money. Some do it because of a natural skill or talent. Some do it because they can’t think of anything better. But sometimes, people enter professions because they seem destined. Erin Nestor, our $500 scholarship winner at StressedOutNurses.com, is one of those people. After a 25-minute conversation with her last week, it was clear she was born to do one thing: be a nurse. Nestor...  Read More »

It’s important to get organized in your financial life. Go out and buy an accordion-type file folder—one that is big enough to hold one year of expenses. Pick out a brightly colored one with tabs that you can mark as follows: Auto Credit cards Contributions Education Income Insurance Medical Mortgage/rent Taxes Utilities Miscellaneous This is now your file folder for everything you will need for tax day. Put your paid bills...  Read More »

A few months ago, we kicked off an exciting promotion here at StressedOutNurses.com. With a $500 scholarship in hand, we went on a search to find a deserving student who coped with stress and exemplified the qualities of an excellent nurse. Professors from around the country sent in dozens of essays on behalf of their students. One stood out above the rest. "It’s hard to describe," says Stephanie Oliver, a professor at Northwest-Shoals...  Read More »

Blogs maintained by nurses and physicians can be used to share interesting information about the world of healthcare. They can help stressed out providers let off steam and share a laugh. But do they reveal too much information? A recent study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine looked at 271 Web diaries maintained by nurses or physicians and found that 42% of them contained accounts of private interactions with patients....  Read More »

Several weeks ago, we here at StressedOutNurses.com asked professors from around the country to nominate students for a $500 scholarship. The guidelines we laid out were simple: We want to hear about your students who have a handle on stress—even in the most chaotic situations. And the nominations poured in. And poured in some more. We waded through piles of excellent submissions before selecting Erin Nestor, a third-semester nursing student...  Read More »