We all have stress on a daily basis. That’s a given. Some of us are busy trying to balance school and work, while others are trying to figure out how to get the 6-year-old to soccer practice and the 9-year-old to ballet rehearsal in a five-minute span. Plus, there’s grocery shopping, paying bills, the holidays, trying to figure out this crazy nursing profession, and that movie you just returned. You did return it, right? With...  Read More »

RN is an easy one. BSN is pretty simple, too. But how about APRN, PNP, and DEd? Or CEN and QXLPTV? Okay, that last one is made up, but you get the point. Tongue-twisting collections of credentials–due to various degrees and certifications–are growing almost daily in the nursing world. “We seem to love our alphabet,” says Diana Swihart, PhD, DMin, MSN, CS, APRN, BC, a CNS (clinical nurse specialist in nursing education)...  Read More »

No matter where you live or who you know, you’ve heard about it. The whispers start in August and slowly get louder and louder as the months go on. Those lazy Sunday afternoons in the summer turn into fist-clenching, hair-pulling hours in front of TVs and computers in the fall. Instead of talking about your day at dinner, you suddenly hear about bad draft picks, botched extra points, and receivers who just aren’t producing like...  Read More »

The holiday shopping season is upon us, and looking for the perfect gift has you tossing and turning at night. It can be such a hassle sometimes. Of course, there are always the old stand-bys like socks, oversized sweatshirts, and those adorable pink bunny outfits. But, why not try something new this year? The average salary for a staff nurse in the United States is $41,642, according to Allied Physicians, Inc. Did you ever wonder, in one...  Read More »

A quick chat with… Jennifer Sheehan, a 3rd-year nursing student at Molloy College in Rockville Centre, NY: In five words or less, why do you want to be a nurse?Opportunity, smiles, making a difference What one thing do you need to do everyday before your first class?Relax, breathe, and refocus on why I’m doing this. What’s your favorite color scrubs?Hot pink! What’s the toughest class you’ve taken at nursing...  Read More »

It looms large at the end of every nurse’s education. It’s a daunting, intimidating collection of questions meant to test knowledge on anything, everything, and then some other things. It is, without further ado, the National Council Licensure Examination. Or, as you like to call it, the NCLEX®. So, why is the test so scary? Is it the amount of information on it? Is it the reality that, upon successful completion, you are an...  Read More »