Guest Blogger at MinorityNurse.com

Nurse Residency Program: The First Eight Weeks!
http://www.minoritynurse.com/blog/kimberley-ensor/nurse-residency-program-first-eight-weeks

Nurse Residency Program: The First Eight Weeks

Submitted 3 days 22 hours ago by Kimberley Ensor.

I am now in week #7 of the program, almost halfway through the orientation process, and it has been everything I wanted from nursing school and so much more. The time and talent that is being invested in me and my cohort is immeasurable. There are days where we feel like we’re back in school with lectures, PowerPoints, and exams. Then when we are on our various units—not as students or helpers, but as the actual nurse giving patient care and putting our critical thinking to work—all the sacrifices, the long hours studying, the lack of sleep, and the chaos of interviewing is worth it.
No week is exactly identical, which is good since no day on the unit will be an exact carbon copy of the previous day. Each clinical experience takes us from novice and advanced beginner to competent and proficient on our journey to expert.
The program lasts a year but is divided into two portions. The first 16 weeks are orientation. We are assigned one acute care unit and one critical care unit. My cohort of 13 was given five acute areas and four critical areas to choose from. We are each assigned preceptors. Under the guidance of clinical nurse specialists (CNS) and the managers we prep for final placement, which will come at the end of week 15 to 16.
So if you think the interviewing is done, it’s not. The units we transfer to will hold interviews and we will be officially and permanently placed by the end of orientation. I 90% love it, 10% hate it. I love it in that I am getting multiple experiences on various floors and working with many different nurses. I am gaining a well-rounded history that will forever play a role in my role as a nurse. I hate it in that I have to decide which one unit to make my home. I wasn’t one of those students that only had their eye on one specialty and closed the door to all others.
So here is how my weeks have been going so far.
Week One: Getting to know you
During this week our cohort met each other for the first time. We spent this week expressing relief to be in the program and excitement about unit placement and giving patient care. Each eight-hour day, our minds are filled with policies, procedures, maps of the facility, and training on computers and equipment. We are shown the online learning center that contains all the learning modules we must complete in 60 days. By the end of the week, we are mentally exhausted from the large quantity of information but eager to put our new licenses to work.
Week Two: Getting to know your unit
During this week we spent four glorious days on our assigned units and worked as nurses for the first time. Under the supervision of a preceptor, we actively engaged in patient care, getting to know the unit and becoming comfortable with our new positions. We call the physician, the pharmacy, or the family. We spend this week getting comfortable with the fact that we are the nurse and all that being a nurse truly means.
Week Three: Getting to know the fundamentals, again
This week is split into clinical days on the unit and classrooms days. Clinical nurse specialists speak to us on topics from patient safety and satisfaction to palliative care and medication safety. Patient and family-centered care along with the professional role and practice model are reviewed constantly. On the unit the preceptors are allowing us to care for 1-2 patients independently using them as resources as we practice time management and delegation.
Week Four: Building on the foundations
We are now a fourth of the way through orientation and this week is divided into more classes with a couple of days on the unit. The topics this time around cover vascular access, infection prevention, and isolation practices to pressure ulcer prevention, ostomy care, and glycemic standards. Some of the cohort will work their first weekend and others will loop or have a day visit to a different unit, such as the operating room or the emergency department.
Week Five: Practice makes perfect
This week is full of nothing but clinical days. We are thankful for the break from class time and are glad to get back to patient care. As we are getting to know the interdisciplinary team and our unique patient populations, we are also being evaluated by the CNS assigned to our units along with our managers and preceptors. We’re starting to feel the crunch of wanting to take on more (3-4) patients, being confident when using SBAR, and completing those ever-present learning modules.
Week Six: More certifications, more practice, more of more
It is back to two clinical days and two classroom days. ECG, stroke, bariatric patients, trauma, and more medication safety are on the agenda. We are notified that we will have to take an ECG exam in a few weeks and it would behoove us to do as many practice problems as possible. We are also encouraged to get our NIH stroke certifications, sooner versus later, and be prepared to move through all phases of the certification process.
Week Seven: Back to school
More ECG, looping experiences, learning modules, and clinical days. Time has passed quickly and after week eight we will transition to the next unit assignment. While preparing to say “see ya later” to our first unit stop, we are given study time to prepare the approaching ECG exam that requires 80% or better. We are all feeling the pressure of wanting to do well on everything and be perfectionists. We’re using our Reflective Learning time to process, decompress, and recess from our growing schedules and learning experiences.
Week Eight: Preparation for the next phase
This week will entail three clinical days and a classroom day. The ECG exam will be administered at the end of the day. The expectation is that we are consistently caring for 3-4 patients and growing in confidence in our skills and nursing judgment.
When I post again, I will have transitioned to my new unit, passed my ECG exam, and finished all my learning modules. Hopefully, I will have decided just where this new grad wants to make her first stop on her nursing journey.

- See more at: http://www.minoritynurse.com/blog/kimberley-ensor/nurse-residency-program-first-eight-weeks#sthash.1uiSUzMg.dpuf

Nurse Residency Program: The First Eight Weeks

Submitted 3 days 22 hours ago by Kimberley Ensor.

I am now in week #7 of the program, almost halfway through the orientation process, and it has been everything I wanted from nursing school and so much more. The time and talent that is being invested in me and my cohort is immeasurable. There are days where we feel like we’re back in school with lectures, PowerPoints, and exams. Then when we are on our various units—not as students or helpers, but as the actual nurse giving patient care and putting our critical thinking to work—all the sacrifices, the long hours studying, the lack of sleep, and the chaos of interviewing is worth it.
No week is exactly identical, which is good since no day on the unit will be an exact carbon copy of the previous day. Each clinical experience takes us from novice and advanced beginner to competent and proficient on our journey to expert.
The program lasts a year but is divided into two portions. The first 16 weeks are orientation. We are assigned one acute care unit and one critical care unit. My cohort of 13 was given five acute areas and four critical areas to choose from. We are each assigned preceptors. Under the guidance of clinical nurse specialists (CNS) and the managers we prep for final placement, which will come at the end of week 15 to 16.
So if you think the interviewing is done, it’s not. The units we transfer to will hold interviews and we will be officially and permanently placed by the end of orientation. I 90% love it, 10% hate it. I love it in that I am getting multiple experiences on various floors and working with many different nurses. I am gaining a well-rounded history that will forever play a role in my role as a nurse. I hate it in that I have to decide which one unit to make my home. I wasn’t one of those students that only had their eye on one specialty and closed the door to all others.
So here is how my weeks have been going so far.
Week One: Getting to know you
During this week our cohort met each other for the first time. We spent this week expressing relief to be in the program and excitement about unit placement and giving patient care. Each eight-hour day, our minds are filled with policies, procedures, maps of the facility, and training on computers and equipment. We are shown the online learning center that contains all the learning modules we must complete in 60 days. By the end of the week, we are mentally exhausted from the large quantity of information but eager to put our new licenses to work.
Week Two: Getting to know your unit
During this week we spent four glorious days on our assigned units and worked as nurses for the first time. Under the supervision of a preceptor, we actively engaged in patient care, getting to know the unit and becoming comfortable with our new positions. We call the physician, the pharmacy, or the family. We spend this week getting comfortable with the fact that we are the nurse and all that being a nurse truly means.
Week Three: Getting to know the fundamentals, again
This week is split into clinical days on the unit and classrooms days. Clinical nurse specialists speak to us on topics from patient safety and satisfaction to palliative care and medication safety. Patient and family-centered care along with the professional role and practice model are reviewed constantly. On the unit the preceptors are allowing us to care for 1-2 patients independently using them as resources as we practice time management and delegation.
Week Four: Building on the foundations
We are now a fourth of the way through orientation and this week is divided into more classes with a couple of days on the unit. The topics this time around cover vascular access, infection prevention, and isolation practices to pressure ulcer prevention, ostomy care, and glycemic standards. Some of the cohort will work their first weekend and others will loop or have a day visit to a different unit, such as the operating room or the emergency department.
Week Five: Practice makes perfect
This week is full of nothing but clinical days. We are thankful for the break from class time and are glad to get back to patient care. As we are getting to know the interdisciplinary team and our unique patient populations, we are also being evaluated by the CNS assigned to our units along with our managers and preceptors. We’re starting to feel the crunch of wanting to take on more (3-4) patients, being confident when using SBAR, and completing those ever-present learning modules.
Week Six: More certifications, more practice, more of more
It is back to two clinical days and two classroom days. ECG, stroke, bariatric patients, trauma, and more medication safety are on the agenda. We are notified that we will have to take an ECG exam in a few weeks and it would behoove us to do as many practice problems as possible. We are also encouraged to get our NIH stroke certifications, sooner versus later, and be prepared to move through all phases of the certification process.
Week Seven: Back to school
More ECG, looping experiences, learning modules, and clinical days. Time has passed quickly and after week eight we will transition to the next unit assignment. While preparing to say “see ya later” to our first unit stop, we are given study time to prepare the approaching ECG exam that requires 80% or better. We are all feeling the pressure of wanting to do well on everything and be perfectionists. We’re using our Reflective Learning time to process, decompress, and recess from our growing schedules and learning experiences.
Week Eight: Preparation for the next phase
This week will entail three clinical days and a classroom day. The ECG exam will be administered at the end of the day. The expectation is that we are consistently caring for 3-4 patients and growing in confidence in our skills and nursing judgment.
When I post again, I will have transitioned to my new unit, passed my ECG exam, and finished all my learning modules. Hopefully, I will have decided just where this new grad wants to make her first stop on her nursing journey.

- See more at: http://www.minoritynurse.com/blog/kimberley-ensor/nurse-residency-program-first-eight-weeks#sthash.1uiSUzMg.dpuf

Nurse Residency Program: The First Eight Weeks

Submitted 3 days 22 hours ago by Kimberley Ensor.

I am now in week #7 of the program, almost halfway through the orientation process, and it has been everything I wanted from nursing school and so much more. The time and talent that is being invested in me and my cohort is immeasurable. There are days where we feel like we’re back in school with lectures, PowerPoints, and exams. Then when we are on our various units—not as students or helpers, but as the actual nurse giving patient care and putting our critical thinking to work—all the sacrifices, the long hours studying, the lack of sleep, and the chaos of interviewing is worth it.
No week is exactly identical, which is good since no day on the unit will be an exact carbon copy of the previous day. Each clinical experience takes us from novice and advanced beginner to competent and proficient on our journey to expert.
The program lasts a year but is divided into two portions. The first 16 weeks are orientation. We are assigned one acute care unit and one critical care unit. My cohort of 13 was given five acute areas and four critical areas to choose from. We are each assigned preceptors. Under the guidance of clinical nurse specialists (CNS) and the managers we prep for final placement, which will come at the end of week 15 to 16.
So if you think the interviewing is done, it’s not. The units we transfer to will hold interviews and we will be officially and permanently placed by the end of orientation. I 90% love it, 10% hate it. I love it in that I am getting multiple experiences on various floors and working with many different nurses. I am gaining a well-rounded history that will forever play a role in my role as a nurse. I hate it in that I have to decide which one unit to make my home. I wasn’t one of those students that only had their eye on one specialty and closed the door to all others.
So here is how my weeks have been going so far.
Week One: Getting to know you
During this week our cohort met each other for the first time. We spent this week expressing relief to be in the program and excitement about unit placement and giving patient care. Each eight-hour day, our minds are filled with policies, procedures, maps of the facility, and training on computers and equipment. We are shown the online learning center that contains all the learning modules we must complete in 60 days. By the end of the week, we are mentally exhausted from the large quantity of information but eager to put our new licenses to work.
Week Two: Getting to know your unit
During this week we spent four glorious days on our assigned units and worked as nurses for the first time. Under the supervision of a preceptor, we actively engaged in patient care, getting to know the unit and becoming comfortable with our new positions. We call the physician, the pharmacy, or the family. We spend this week getting comfortable with the fact that we are the nurse and all that being a nurse truly means.
Week Three: Getting to know the fundamentals, again
This week is split into clinical days on the unit and classrooms days. Clinical nurse specialists speak to us on topics from patient safety and satisfaction to palliative care and medication safety. Patient and family-centered care along with the professional role and practice model are reviewed constantly. On the unit the preceptors are allowing us to care for 1-2 patients independently using them as resources as we practice time management and delegation.
Week Four: Building on the foundations
We are now a fourth of the way through orientation and this week is divided into more classes with a couple of days on the unit. The topics this time around cover vascular access, infection prevention, and isolation practices to pressure ulcer prevention, ostomy care, and glycemic standards. Some of the cohort will work their first weekend and others will loop or have a day visit to a different unit, such as the operating room or the emergency department.
Week Five: Practice makes perfect
This week is full of nothing but clinical days. We are thankful for the break from class time and are glad to get back to patient care. As we are getting to know the interdisciplinary team and our unique patient populations, we are also being evaluated by the CNS assigned to our units along with our managers and preceptors. We’re starting to feel the crunch of wanting to take on more (3-4) patients, being confident when using SBAR, and completing those ever-present learning modules.
Week Six: More certifications, more practice, more of more
It is back to two clinical days and two classroom days. ECG, stroke, bariatric patients, trauma, and more medication safety are on the agenda. We are notified that we will have to take an ECG exam in a few weeks and it would behoove us to do as many practice problems as possible. We are also encouraged to get our NIH stroke certifications, sooner versus later, and be prepared to move through all phases of the certification process.
Week Seven: Back to school
More ECG, looping experiences, learning modules, and clinical days. Time has passed quickly and after week eight we will transition to the next unit assignment. While preparing to say “see ya later” to our first unit stop, we are given study time to prepare the approaching ECG exam that requires 80% or better. We are all feeling the pressure of wanting to do well on everything and be perfectionists. We’re using our Reflective Learning time to process, decompress, and recess from our growing schedules and learning experiences.
Week Eight: Preparation for the next phase
This week will entail three clinical days and a classroom day. The ECG exam will be administered at the end of the day. The expectation is that we are consistently caring for 3-4 patients and growing in confidence in our skills and nursing judgment.
When I post again, I will have transitioned to my new unit, passed my ECG exam, and finished all my learning modules. Hopefully, I will have decided just where this new grad wants to make her first stop on her nursing journey.

- See more at: http://www.minoritynurse.com/blog/kimberley-ensor/nurse-residency-program-first-eight-weeks#sthash.1uiSUzMg.dpuf

Nurse Residency Program: The First Eight Weeks

Submitted 3 days 22 hours ago by Kimberley Ensor.

I am now in week #7 of the program, almost halfway through the orientation process, and it has been everything I wanted from nursing school and so much more. The time and talent that is being invested in me and my cohort is immeasurable. There are days where we feel like we’re back in school with lectures, PowerPoints, and exams. Then when we are on our various units—not as students or helpers, but as the actual nurse giving patient care and putting our critical thinking to work—all the sacrifices, the long hours studying, the lack of sleep, and the chaos of interviewing is worth it.
No week is exactly identical, which is good since no day on the unit will be an exact carbon copy of the previous day. Each clinical experience takes us from novice and advanced beginner to competent and proficient on our journey to expert.
The program lasts a year but is divided into two portions. The first 16 weeks are orientation. We are assigned one acute care unit and one critical care unit. My cohort of 13 was given five acute areas and four critical areas to choose from. We are each assigned preceptors. Under the guidance of clinical nurse specialists (CNS) and the managers we prep for final placement, which will come at the end of week 15 to 16.
So if you think the interviewing is done, it’s not. The units we transfer to will hold interviews and we will be officially and permanently placed by the end of orientation. I 90% love it, 10% hate it. I love it in that I am getting multiple experiences on various floors and working with many different nurses. I am gaining a well-rounded history that will forever play a role in my role as a nurse. I hate it in that I have to decide which one unit to make my home. I wasn’t one of those students that only had their eye on one specialty and closed the door to all others.
So here is how my weeks have been going so far.
Week One: Getting to know you
During this week our cohort met each other for the first time. We spent this week expressing relief to be in the program and excitement about unit placement and giving patient care. Each eight-hour day, our minds are filled with policies, procedures, maps of the facility, and training on computers and equipment. We are shown the online learning center that contains all the learning modules we must complete in 60 days. By the end of the week, we are mentally exhausted from the large quantity of information but eager to put our new licenses to work.
Week Two: Getting to know your unit
During this week we spent four glorious days on our assigned units and worked as nurses for the first time. Under the supervision of a preceptor, we actively engaged in patient care, getting to know the unit and becoming comfortable with our new positions. We call the physician, the pharmacy, or the family. We spend this week getting comfortable with the fact that we are the nurse and all that being a nurse truly means.
Week Three: Getting to know the fundamentals, again
This week is split into clinical days on the unit and classrooms days. Clinical nurse specialists speak to us on topics from patient safety and satisfaction to palliative care and medication safety. Patient and family-centered care along with the professional role and practice model are reviewed constantly. On the unit the preceptors are allowing us to care for 1-2 patients independently using them as resources as we practice time management and delegation.
Week Four: Building on the foundations
We are now a fourth of the way through orientation and this week is divided into more classes with a couple of days on the unit. The topics this time around cover vascular access, infection prevention, and isolation practices to pressure ulcer prevention, ostomy care, and glycemic standards. Some of the cohort will work their first weekend and others will loop or have a day visit to a different unit, such as the operating room or the emergency department.
Week Five: Practice makes perfect
This week is full of nothing but clinical days. We are thankful for the break from class time and are glad to get back to patient care. As we are getting to know the interdisciplinary team and our unique patient populations, we are also being evaluated by the CNS assigned to our units along with our managers and preceptors. We’re starting to feel the crunch of wanting to take on more (3-4) patients, being confident when using SBAR, and completing those ever-present learning modules.
Week Six: More certifications, more practice, more of more
It is back to two clinical days and two classroom days. ECG, stroke, bariatric patients, trauma, and more medication safety are on the agenda. We are notified that we will have to take an ECG exam in a few weeks and it would behoove us to do as many practice problems as possible. We are also encouraged to get our NIH stroke certifications, sooner versus later, and be prepared to move through all phases of the certification process.
Week Seven: Back to school
More ECG, looping experiences, learning modules, and clinical days. Time has passed quickly and after week eight we will transition to the next unit assignment. While preparing to say “see ya later” to our first unit stop, we are given study time to prepare the approaching ECG exam that requires 80% or better. We are all feeling the pressure of wanting to do well on everything and be perfectionists. We’re using our Reflective Learning time to process, decompress, and recess from our growing schedules and learning experiences.
Week Eight: Preparation for the next phase
This week will entail three clinical days and a classroom day. The ECG exam will be administered at the end of the day. The expectation is that we are consistently caring for 3-4 patients and growing in confidence in our skills and nursing judgment.
When I post again, I will have transitioned to my new unit, passed my ECG exam, and finished all my learning modules. Hopefully, I will have decided just where this new grad wants to make her first stop on her nursing journey.

- See more at: http://www.minoritynurse.com/blog/kimberley-ensor/nurse-residency-program-first-eight-weeks#sthash.1uiSUzMg.dpuf

Top 6 tips for avoiding burnout

by Scrubs Contributor • October 17, 2013 Wellness Tips, Your Health

BananaStock | ThinkStock

Whether you’re a nurse, student, or parent, we all face the same challenge: time. In a profession that revolves around caring for others, it’s not unusual for us to neglect ourselves. It’s a dangerous and slippery slope to go down.
We get swept up in countless responsibilities, obligations and assignments, often forgetting that our tank is running on empty. It’s important to stop, take a breath and recharge. Life is not a sprint…it’s a marathon. Avoid burnout by taking a few moments to take care of yourself:
1. Fuel up. Limited time? Not a problem. Smoothies are a great way to get essential vitamins and minerals on the go. Healthy snacks like baby carrots, peanuts, cheese sticks, apples, oranges and yogurt require no preparation time and can be taken anywhere. Three meals a day are ideal, but when that isn’t possible, be sure to continually snack on healthy foods throughout the day.
2. Get some ZZZs. There is no substitute for sleep (sorry!). Most medical errors are made during the last hours of the shift. Don’t feel guilty for taking a little extra time to recharge. You’re doing a favor not just for yourself, but your patients and loved ones as well. In situations where sleep gets skimpy, power naps of less than 30 minutes have been shown to improve alertness, restore wakefulness and increase productivity.
3. Unwind. Get your mind off of work. Disconnect. Unplug. People unwind in different ways–what’s your niche? Explore what works for you. Yoga, hiking, art, working out and music are just a few avenues. Even if it’s just for a few minutes before bed, let your brain rest so you can dominate at full force later.
4. Process. Whether it’s delivering bad news to family members or witnessing a patient’s condition crumble, nursing is emotionally taxing. Talk to a friend, family member, coworker, someone. If a long conversation isn’t possible, journal. Utilize the notepad feature on a smartphone, carry a pocket sized memo pad, or incorporate journaling into your bedtime routine. It’s important to process heavy emotions so they don’t weigh you down later.
5. Flex Time. Lifting weights isn’t the challenge…finding time to is. If you have a one-hour lunch break, spend the first half working out. Multitask on the bikes or treadmill. Make gym time a fun event and go with friends. If getting to the gym is difficult, find a YouTube workout video you can do at home. Exercise is a great way to rejuvenate your body and blow off steam.
6. TLC. Everyone needs some tender love and care. Juggling an active work, family and social life gets tricky. One way to balance it? Never eat alone. We all have to eat…might as well eat with company! Another great way to keep in touch with loved ones is to utilize transportation time to catch up on the phone (hands-free, of course) or send emails (if taking public transportation). With technology it’s even possible to hang out without having to leave your house (i.e. Skype, Google Hangout or Facetime).
It’s impossible to continue helping others when our batteries are near empty. Don’t feel guilty. You’ve got to help yourself before you help anyone else…and helping yourself may be the biggest favor you can do for someone else!
Sources:
Rogers AE, Hwang WT, Scott LD, et al. “Hospital staff nurse work hours and patient safety.” Health Affairs. 2004 July;23(4):202–12
Dhand, Rajiv; Sohal, Harjyot (2007). “Good sleep, bad sleep! The role of daytime naps in healthy adults.” Current Opinion in Internal Medicine 6: 9
National Institute of Mental Health, “Power Nap Prevents Burnout; Morning Sleep Perfects a Skill.”
Divya Kulshreshtha is a nursing student at Columbia University. She has a double bachelor’s degree in biology and psychology from the University of Maryland. She was inspired to pursue a career in nursing after her father was hospitalized, and has since done volunteer medical work in Kenya. In the future, she hopes to work with underserved populations and be involved with international health.

10 things that’ll surely happen five minutes before the end of a shift

by Sean Dent • October 16, 2013 Featured Articles, Fun & Humor, Lists and Ideas

Fuse | ThinkStock

Any nurse who’s been on the job for more than a couple of months knows all about “the witching hour.” You either hear about it, or you get the slap-in-face personal experience. It’s that time on your shift when things are more likely to be, well, bad. It’s that time on your shift when things are going to go wrong, no matter what you do.
This is notoriously the last leg of your shift. You can slice or dice it any way you like, but roughly 60 minutes (or less) prior to the so-called end of your shift, the “Code Brown hits the fan” (if you know what I mean).
You do your best to get all your ducks in a row, but it never fails. The witching hour always seems to toy with you. Here are 10 things that are sure to happen during the witching hour:
1. Your patient just had the worst Code Brown of your career: Get out the mop.
2. Your “stable” patient becomes not-so stable.
3. You realize there were tasks and/or orders you missed from the beginning of your shift.
4. Somebody just entered in two pages of new orders on your patient.
5. A Code Blue is called on your patient or unit.
6. A new admission just showed up–without a report–and there is another one on the way.
7. The unit secretary’s shift just ended…and the phone is ringing off the hook.
8. There was a massive power outage – and now you’re bagging your mechanically ventilated patient.
9. The EMR just went down – and you have charting to finish.
10. Your patient’s one and only IV access just blew and you have to give blood products.
I mean, you’re human, right? We all like getting out on time, don’t we? It just seems that the forces of the universe don’t usually allow nurses to get out on time. Am I the only one who thinks the universe has a sick sense of humor?

Teaming up to serve the underserved

Nursing partnership benefits urban residents.

By Carrie Stetler

​Cindy Sickora, DNP, RN, makes sure that every weekday, the Rutgers School of Nursing’s health care van is there to help the people who need it. Its patients, mostly from Newark, New Jersey, USA, are elderly residents in buildings without elevators, gunshot victims in need of follow-up care, and children booked for vaccines in a city with one of the lowest vaccination rates in the United States.   Many are public housing residents with no health insurance or primary care doctor. Although the traveling clinic treats more than 1,500 patients a year, the city’s need for affordable, accessible health care is overwhelming.    Sickora, an associate professor at Rutgers School of Nursing, part of the former University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, was searching for a way to reach more people. She found it when she met Suzanne Willard, PhD, RN, APNC, FAAN. Both are members of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI).   Willard had opened FOCUS Wellness Center last year on the other side of Newark. The wellness center is part of the Rutgers College of Nursing, which was founded at the university in 1955. By joining forces, Willard and Sickora hope to accomplish a shared mission: transforming urban health care.   The pair began working together as Rutgers was preparing to integrate with most of the schools, centers, and institutes that made up the former University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Their new partnership allows the facilities to share resources and serve patients far better than they could on their own. For instance, the center has a social worker on staff for patients with mental health needs. The mobile clinic, which has no social worker, can now refer patients to the center.     “We have the potential to help a whole lot of people,” says Sickora, who directs the School of Nursing’s community health program. “Our mobile clinic can make inroads in educating people to use FOCUS, which could be a health care hub, especially for areas of the city we don’t cover.”     Nurses have a reputation for cutting through red tape and getting things done, says Willard, associate dean of Rutgers College of Nursing’s advanced practice program. “There is a solidarity among nurses.”   The center’s first patient was a referral from Sickora. The mobile clinic staff, which couldn’t provide gynecological exams at the time, sent her to FOCUS. “Cindy said, ‘I’ve got someone who’s had problems accessing services, and your center would be perfect,’” Willard recalls. Days after the visit, mobile care nurses checked in on her at home to make sure her symptoms had subsided.    Newark has one of the most underserved populations for basic health care in the United States. Many residents lack reliable transportation and must take multiple buses to see a primary care doctor, if they have one at all. Some wait days, even weeks, for appointments. Others are prescribed expensive medication they can’t afford.   Studies show that nurse-managed care can be just as effective as physician-administered care, according to Willard and Sickora. Nurse-managed care is especially successful at providing treatment continuity—as well as a personal touch—at a much lower cost. “Our approach is more holistic,” Willard says. “Nurses look at patients and think of their overall ability to improve health outcomes; that’s how we’re wired. We ask, ‘What do I need to do to help them take care of themselves when they leave?’ We want to keep them out of the emergency room.”   The FOCUS Wellness Center, funded with federal and local grants, is designed to meet the multifaceted needs of patients who are often grappling with mental health issues and neighborhoods filled with violence. These issues aggravate conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma that are common throughout inner cities.   Willard recalls one patient who said her father had been murdered when she was 7. “I thought, ‘How can you just treat the physical symptoms with a patient whose father was killed in front of her when she was that young?’ We have a lot of case histories like that,” Willard says.   The nursing school’s mobile clinic is part of a larger network, based on a pioneering health care model, in which residents work closely with nurses, Sickora says. The nerve center of the program is Rutgers’ Jordan and Harris Community Health Center, headquartered at the Hyatt Court public housing complex in Newark. It’s staffed by two nurses who make house calls to shut-ins and serve as liaisons between patients and outside health care providers.   Community health workers in Sickora’s program are trained to pinpoint residents in need, schedule appointments, and coordinate follow-up care. “They knock on doors. They’ll say, ‘We need to make sure the babies get their measles vaccine.’ They’re the reason we’re able to see so many patients,” Sickora says.   She and her staff, which includes nursing students, have worked hard to form relationships with residents, many of whom rely on them to treat chronic conditions.    During a recent physical exam, Andrew Jackson was diagnosed with high blood pressure. Since his Medicaid was cut off last year, he’s made weekly visits for checkups and advice. “They tell me to go slow on the salt,” says Jackson, 42.   No other mobile health care program in the nation, according to Sickora, uses the community health worker model, which she believes can be a valuable source of data for researchers. Two nurse scientists are already involved in evaluating programs.    Says Sickora, “We’re really asking the question: Can we change health care for underserved populations?” RNL   Video   Published 9/19/2013, Vol. 39, No. 3

Intimidation still a problem in health care workplace

Survey reveals patients also victims.

​Recently released survey results from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) show that bullying, intimidation, and other types of disrespectful behavior remain a problem in the health care workplace and continue to erode professional communication, essential to patient safety and quality.   Ten years ago, ISMP conducted a national survey regarding intimidation that indicated disrespectful behaviors were not isolated events. Between July and August 2013, ISMP conducted a similar survey to determine how things have changed in the last decade. The 2013 survey included 4,884 respondents—more than double the number of 2003 participants. Most were nurses (68 percent) or pharmacists (14 percent), but more than 200 physicians and almost 100 quality- and risk-management staff also participated in the survey. Seventy percent had more than 10 years of experience. Following are some highlights of the findings.   The most frequent disrespectful behaviors reported are: Negative comments about colleagues (reported by 73 percent at least once, by 20 percent often) Reluctance or refusal to answer questions or return calls (77 percent at least once, 13 percent often) Condescending language or demeaning comments (68 percent at least once, 15 percent often) Impatience with questions or hanging up the phone (69 percent at least once, 10 percent often) Reluctance to follow safety practices or work collaboratively (66 percent at least once, 13 percent often) Although physical abuse (7 percent); throwing objects (18 percent); insults due to race, religion, or appearance (24 percent); and shaming or humiliation (46 percent) were not encountered frequently by most respondents, nearly a quarter reported that those behaviors were among the top three encountered during the past year.   Who is involved or affected? In both 2003 and 2013, respondents reported that physicians and other prescribers engaged in disrespectful behavior most often; more than half of 2013 respondents said physicians and other prescribers had often (6 percent) or at some time during the year (51 percent) yelled, cursed, or issued verbal threats. However, they also made it clear that it is not just physicians—in many cases, encounters with other health care professionals were nearly as frequent.   Repeated occurrences of disrespectful behavior did not arise from a single individual—36 percent reported that three to five individuals were involved in incidents. The survey also showed that gender of the individual affected has little impact; only minor differences were reported in the frequency with which men and women encountered disrespectful behaviors.   Impact on safety Almost half of the 2013 respondents said their past experiences with intimidation altered the way they handle questions about medication orders. At least once during the year, 33 percent of respondents had concerns but assumed an order was correct rather than interact with an intimidating prescriber. More than one-third asked another professional to talk to a disrespectful prescriber about an order. Eleven percent reported a medication error that occurred primarily due to intimidation. It also appears that 2013 respondents were less satisfied than 2003 respondents with organizational efforts to address the problem. While 70 percent of respondents in 2003 reported that their organization would support them if they reported disrespectful behavior, just 52 percent of the 2013 respondents felt this way.   The results of ISMP’s surveys expose health care’s continued tolerance of disrespectful behavior in the workplace and reveal that little progress has been made in the last decade to eradicate intimidation and bullying. The institute plans to issue recommendations on how health care professionals and organizations can address disrespectful behavior in a future issue of the ISMP Medication Safety Alert! newsletter. RNL   2013 survey findings 2003 survey findings   Published 10/10/2013, Vol. 39, No. 4

Top 10 nursing lessons you’ve learned from your mentors

by Scrubs • October 3, 2013 Career, Featured Articles, Inspiration and Stories

Every single nurse experiences a learning curve, and that transition from nursing student to practicing nurse can be a doozy! That’s why you need someone who will be there with a pat on the back when you’re feeling rotten…and who can give it to you straight when you’re messing up.
A great mentor can be a huge asset for any nurse, so we asked our Facebook fans for the best nursing tip they’ve ever learned from their mentors. Read on for their inspiring and very smart answers, then share your own tips in the comments below!
Top 10 nursing lessons you’ve learned from your mentors
1. Always, ALWAYS treat your patient as you would want your family treated. Try not to judge—just be compassionate. Judgment is for God, care is for nurses.
—Trayce RN
2. Value your healthcare assistants. If you treat them well, they will go to the end of the world for you.
—Laura Ellison
3. If it wasn’t documented, it wasn’t done!
—Jill Nesta
4. Remember to LISTEN even when the patient isn’t talking. And like what you do. If you love it—you have found a passion like no other! Be observant and treat your peers with kindness and respect. Being a nurse isn’t a job; it’s a way of life—never forget why you go hungry for hours. Always go home with the knowledge that you did your best and GAVE all you had to give. We will all grow old and need a nurse someday; be the one that people never forget.
—Janann Phillips
5. Trust your gut, especially if the patient tells you that something isn’t okay…even if the monitors show otherwise.
—Vera Lynn Stricker-Heckrotte
6. Never miss the chance to hold your patient’s hand and sit and talk awhile.
—Victoria Lewit
7. Walk into every room with confidence, even if the president is the patient.
—Erin Lynn McDermott Jones
8. A sign at my first job: “The day you stop learning is the day you stop nursing.” Kept that saying in my mind ever since then.
—Roberto Reynaga Rodriguez
9. Stay an hour ahead of yourself because you never know what can happen!
—Cecily Cruz
10. Don’t think “I just have to get through this shift!” Think “What can I do in these 12 hours that will make a difference?!”
—Tori Jordan Houston
What’s the best advice your nursing mentor has ever given you?

11 great tips for nurses dealing with stressful work relationships

by Scrubs Editor • September 15, 2013 Blog Carnival, Coworkers

The French novelist Alphonse Karr once said, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” And while the nursing profession has evolved and changed over time, many of the same issues–such as bullying, jealousy, and how to build stronger work relationships–remain for nurses today.
Worried about work relationships or have workplace drama on the brain? Luckily, you have the advice of those who have gone before you to help guide you through your journey. Nursesontheedge.com, in collaboration with the Scrubs Blog Carnival, recently featured a fantastic roundup of wisdom especially for nurses thinking about work relationships. Check it out below:

Nurses Eat Their Young

An awesome recent article by Candy Treft, The Gypsy Nurse, inspired me as she wrote about the age-old saying, “nurses eat their young.” This is one phrase and idea which has been around for years. I love how she used a recent experience and was able to correlate the idea of “supporting their young” instead of destroying them. We as nurses need to be empowered to stand up for ourselves and others, as discussed by Lorie Brown, The Empowered Nurse, who also hits this subject head on in her post about nurses eating their young!

So What’s a Nurse to Do?

So how do we as nurses who want to make a difference start to change the atmosphere?  Elizabeth at Living Sublime Wellness speaks openly and candidly about her experience as a nurse and discusses that Love-Hate Relationship between nurses. Elizabeth, like so many of us, has grown tired of the atmosphere and is out to be a agent of change in the nursing industry! Elizabeth not only discusses the issue but also shares the Benefits of Building Relationships with your nurse peers.

Social Media

The recent boom in social media has brought the subject of nurse relationships to the forefront. More and more nurses are speaking out about the issue. No longer is this subject hidden or swept under the rug. Erica MacDonald, from Self-Employed Nurse,  speaks of how new nurses can build a support system and connect with others through social media. I have found personal support and developed great relationships through this avenue.

Diversity Issues

Building relationships with other nurses also means building relationships with people who are different that you are. No one is the same. Even within the same culture, you will find people don’t have the same views or ideals. Instead of embracing differences, some people put up walls and don’t allow communication to transpire. This is not acceptable. Joyce Fiodembo discusses How To Relate To The Nurse who is different than yourself in her International Support Nurse blog.

Find That Mentor

One thing that is very important is to find someone who you can talk with and receive SOUND wisdom from. A mentor is key to connect with, especially in the beginning of each career move. Brittney, the Nerdy Nurse, discusses how important it is to Find That Nurse Mentor! If you are a seasoned nurse, YOU could possibly be the mentor for a nurse and make a difference in their life!

Bridging the Relationship Gap

We KNOW there are issues. We KNOW these issues need to be addressed and improved upon. Communication and relationship challenges not going to go away overnight. We need a paradigm shift where nurses are empowered to stand up for themselves and for others. Understanding your value as a person is a place to start. In this guest post by Lisa, at The Gypsy Nurse, Lisa takes a look at her own experience and discusses Going Beyond simple communication camaraderie.

Keith Carlson with Digital Doorway discusses cooperation and communication in his post about Nurses and Relationships. I just loved that post! It reminded me about personal accountability. Each nurse should evaluate their role related to how they contribute. What is the underlying issue with the difficult nurse? Is it work or home related stress? What role do we play as the nurses who desire to promote a better work environment?

I loved the writing from Adrienne at Nurseables as she illustrates communication styles in story form. Nurse Snow and her Seven Patients is a really neat way to learn about difference communications styles.

A few years ago I received a book titled “Aspire” by Kevin Hall. It was a small book where Mr. Hall did an in-depth word study on several words I had never heard before. One of those words was Genshai. Genshai means to never communicate with someone in a way to make the other person feel small, including yourself. I immediately felt the need to share this concept with the nursing world, and so I wrote Creating a Genshai Nursing Culture. I realized when I wrote it there was some idealism, and not everyone would embrace the concept. The concept hit home to me though, and I’ve tried to employ this concept every since.

Nursing relationships can and should be nurtured. We are not expected to be best friends with everyone we work with. We don’t even have to like everyone we work with. If every nurse would begin to take an honest look at how they perceive others or are perceived in the workplace and then take ownership of those findings, make changes where needed, and embrace others without judgment…we may start seeing the positive changes needed related to nurse-relationships.

8 frustrating things about being the new nurse

by Sean Dent • September 6, 2013  

Congrats! You made it and finally landed the job of your dreams. But whether it’s your first-ever gig as a new graduate nurse or you’re looking to make a fresh start at a different workplace, being the new nurse is never easy. It’s bad enough you have to learn your actual JOB, but there are plenty of things that can complicate your journey along the way. Here are 8 frustrating things about being the new nurse:
Learning new names

I recently poked fun at this very phenomenon on my personal blog in a post called Me and the New Job. Sure, all the employees have ID badges; heck, you have one too. But how in the world does a person remember 20+ new names a day?

Needing a GPS

Bed 3456 on 13SW. Take the north elevator down two flights and make a right. Follow that hallway down the ramp and take the last elevator up to the 10^th floor. Once you get there, bear right immediately at the nurses station and take the next elevator to the 13^th floor. Follow the winding loop of a hallway until you get to the T, where you’ll want to take the second left…(does any of this sound familiar?)

Learning tradition versus protocol

We all learn the hard way that most nurses follow protocol…buuuut sort of don’t. I don’t like to call them shortcuts, but let’s be honest here: We all use them. We’re not breaking any state laws or compromising patient safety, but we all find ways to expedite a process. Just be sure you know what the official P&P is before you accept a shortcut as a standard.

Avoiding Sybil (AKA coworkers with multiple personalities)

How in the world can a fellow employee be your best friend one minute and treat you like his or her mortal enemy the next? This goes for all health care workers, not just nurses.

Walking on eggshells

We all know there are some nurses who don’t play well together. Or certain nursing units don’t jive well with other units. Learning these “schoolyard rules “at your new workplace can be exhausting.

Getting used to a whole new phonebook

I don’t know about you, but the operator becomes my best friend at a new gig. Eventually, the phone numbers will click…but it takes awhile!

Transitioning out of the honeymoon period

There seems to be this transition when, all of a sudden, certain employees show their true colors. They go from being inviting and positive to burnt-out harpies. What the heck happened, I will never know. But your work environment goes from being the greatest place known to man to something much less inviting. The honeymoon period length varies every time.

Evaluating your choice

Ultimately, a new job always ends in a decision. Did you make the right choice? Will this job be a good fit? Will you continue? Or will you set your sights on somewhere else? I feel that everyone should wait a minimum of six months before making that decision. You’d be surprised what you may discover.

In the end, it’s just a job–it’s not your life unless you make it your life. Make every attempt to have the two mesh well; just be sure you know where your priorities lie. Best of luck!

Prepping for the next chapter

Two weeks ago I was offered a position in a Nurse Residency Program. With great joy and not shortage of smiling I accepted and listened intently as my new boss told me what to expect, who to expect to call me and when orientation will be.
So as these weeks seem to fly by, my last vacation as a new grad, there are things I'm working on to prepare for this new position and life dream come true.
1) Focus on me
    Nursing school meant hours and hours of studying which mean hours and hours of sitting.  Each time I would try to exercise, my desire to do well in preparing for an exam or write a paper I couldn't focus or how many reps or sets I needed to do.   So my knowledge increased but so did my weight.  So I working on getting my BMI into a healthy region and be a healthy example for my patients.  My personal trainer shows me no mercy and I'm glad.  I'm a tell-it-like-it-is type of nurse and I appreciate his challenging workouts and well as his encouraging attitude.  It keeps me focused on being sensitive to my patients as well as completely upfront on on what they need to know to improve their health.

2) Organizing my Family
    My oldest just started high school and my youngest is in 1st grade.  This time has allowed up to get a schedule together and work on keeping it.  Soccer games and practices, homework due dates and exam days, whose cooking dinner or cleaning up the kitchen.  This time is great for working out the kinks and seeing what works and fixing  what doesn't.  We'll be more prepared when I start those long work hours and need them to do more and not "try" to pile more on me to do.

3) Connecting and reconnecting with friends
     I have had more "coffee" dates for a non-coffee drinker in the past few weeks than all my life.  It has been therapeutic and encouraging.  Hearing from classmates and colleagues who have been where I am going, giving me advice and sharing their stories are invaluable jewels that I will always treasure.  These great people will be the listening ears I'll need in the coming week and I hope to be a good listener to them as well.

4) Have fun
    I've made sure to do something non-nursing and non-demanding.  Me and the kids are enjoying the video games and board games.  We've also splurged (alittle thanks to friends, deals and coupons) and visited Disneyland, Magic Mountain and SeaWorld.  I made sure to have as much fun as the kids, jumping in full force.  I've also started back to writing, developing stories and putting poems together.  Writing has become my secondary stress reliever along with exercising.  Not that I count exercise as fun, its a necessary evil I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life.

5) Scale Back
    As I was organizing I started looking at what do I really want to do, really need to do and waste my time really doing.  It was amazing how much "Free" time I found.  I can get my homework done, watch an episode of Judge Judy or Rookie Blue and not feel rushed or like I've got somewhere to be at all hours of the day.  I continue to stay involved in my professional organizations but I don't run myself ragged.  If I can volunteer and still be true to me and family then I do it.  Otherwise I don't feel bad saying no.  I am a healthcare professional and if I don't take care of my health I'll be no good to my patients let alone anyone else.

So as I get closer to my first day of work I keep employing these things so I can be the best new nurse I possibly can.  I am so grateful for this opportunity to do what I love and be an asset to my new workplace.
Nurse Kim signing out for now.

Ways to sabotage your job search and Other Job Hunting Types

Abridged: Forbes

CHICAGO, IL -- To help you avoid a costly faux pas, here's a list of the six missteps that will sabotage your job search: 

1) Failing to proofread job-hunting materials. We all make mistakes. Make sure your resume and cover letter are error free or it could lose you a job opportunity. 

2) Ignoring your online footprint. If you don't show up online somewhere, the hiring manager will either conclude that you're a technological dinosaur or have little to offer. Limit the damage of a weak online presence by being proactive. 

3) Sounding wishy-washy about your job objective. When networking to find employment, you'll probably be asked, "What type of job are you looking for?" The more confident and clear you are, the likelier others can and will help you. 

4) Playing the pity game. Yes, it's a tough economy. Yes, age discrimination is real. Yes, it's increasingly difficult for the long-term unemployed to find jobs. But interviewers don't want to hear it. Focus on the positive and keep your emotions in check and try to convey an upbeat attitude.

5) Not preparing a list of questions for your interview. Nothing spoils a job interview faster. Spend time compiling great questions for the interviewer. 

6) Forgetting to say "thank you" Don't be a networking nitwit. Make it a point to thank everyone who takes the time to speak with you.

Try a different approach to your job search

Staff Writer, The Career News

SAN DIEGO, CA -- With a new job search engine called MyJobHunter, you can search all top career sites at once & apply to all matching jobs with one click. Just enter your search criteria, review the matching jobs and select the ones you want. Then, click a single button and you'll instantly apply to all selected jobs with your resume and cover letter (without having to log into each job site separately).

Click another button and you can automate the whole process! MyJobHunter can remember what you searched for, search for it again each day, and AUTOMATICALLY APPLY FOR YOU to new jobs matching your criteria. Review jobs in advance or put searching & applying on auto-pilot. The choice is yours.

You'll also get an application history report that makes follow-up a breeze! It shows the jobs you were applied to, full job descriptions, employer contact info, and application dates. You can even add personal notes to each job! This service is proven to reduce hours of job searching and resume submitting to just minutes. Simply upload your resume, enter your job search criteria and let MyJobHunter take it from there. Try a new approach this year when searching for a job online with MyJobHunter.

A personal website should be a part of your search

Abridged: CareerBliss

ATLANTA, GA -- These days, a job seeker has to stand out. And in a difficult job market, a strong resume may not be enough. One option for getting an edge on the competition is to build a personal website or online portfolio. Here's how having your own website can help your job search:

1) Helps employers come to you. Recruiters can't reach out to you if they can't find you. Building a website or online portfolio makes it easier to be found by a wider array of potential employers. 2) A personal website allows you to show instead of tell. Resumes and job applications tell potential employers about your experience and skill-sets. A personal website allows you to show your talents instead of simply listing them. An online portfolio can let your work speak for itself.

3) Adds to your existing resume. Using a personal website allows you to supplement your resume without leaving anything out. 4) Builds your personal brand. You want to showcase who you are and what you do in a clear and consistent manner. Building your personal brand can help you control how you are seen by others. 5) A personal website grows with you and your accomplishments. It lets you keep an up-to-date listing of every new career achievement. You can highlight a success immediately without having to rework your entire resume around it.

Things employers look for in an interview

Abridged: Wet Feet

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- When interviewing, hiring managers are hoping to explore these basic areas: Do we want to work with you? You might enter an interview prepared to recite a litany of skills and work experience, but interviewers aren't looking for a walking, talking resume. They're already intrigued by your skills--that's why they're interviewing you in the first place. The reason they need to meet with you in person is to gauge your personal qualities, to see if you'll be an asset to the workplace.

Will you mesh with the team? The corporate workplace is increasingly a team-driven environment. Because of this, organizations are especially eager to hire people whom they think will fit within a team. This might mean a tough adjustment for academic high achievers who are used to working on their own. But as much as interviewers might be gauging your individual strengths, they are also evaluating your ability to be a team player.

What's your EQ? Interviewers are probably less interested in your IQ than your EQ--your emotional intelligence. You can have a high IQ and still lack common sense and empathy. Employers are learning that intelligence isn't always the most desired attribute for prospective employees, especially when it comes at the expense of good sense. Although you'll want to impress your prospective employer with your smarts, you also must convey you are a thoughtful, collegial coworker with a sense of personal responsibility.

Why aren't you getting more interviews?

Staff Writer, The Career News

LOS ANGELES, CA -- According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) 66% of organizations are having difficulty recruiting for specific job openings. If you think these are highly technical positions that only apply to a very limited few, think again. In their poll of 2,286 HR professionals, the job categories listed as being difficult to fill ranged in expertise from the highly skilled to day laborers.

Do you have what these recruiters are looking for? If so, then why aren't you getting more interviews? It may be hard to believe, but there's a good chance your resume is the culprit. Even the most carefully crafted resume and cover letter can be overlooked if you're not tailoring it to a specific job posting. When your qualifications are not opening the doors for an interview, consider enlisting the assistance of a professional resume writer to help you stand out and get recruiters to take action.

The Career News recommends having your resume written or revised by the resume experts at GuaranteedResumes. Your new resume is--guaranteed to grab an employers attention--while emphasizing your work experience, skills, abilities and achievements. Their expert resume writers know how to strategically apply keywords to your resume and effectively market you for the job you want. Whether seeking a new job or climbing the career ladder--you need a resume that sets you apart from other qualified applicants. It's easy to get started and they even back their work with a 60 day interview-guarantee. To get a superior resume that gets you noticed, get started now.

When to say 'No' on interviews

Abridged: What's For Work

DANVILLE, CA -- Keep your principles and priorities in check. Any time intent and motive come into question on an interview, say "no" even if it means losing out on the job. Intuitive warning signs are also something to which you should give serious consideration. Recalling a past experience, I was asked to meet a traveling recruiter in the lobby of a luxury hotel. Upon arriving, I asked the front desk to let the recruiter know I had arrived. The front desk manager relayed the recruiter wanted me to meet him in his room.

Without hesitation, I said, "no" but that I would wait until he came down to the lobby. Taking the lead on interactions puts you in a position of professionalism. The recruiter came down to the lobby and profusely apologized. From there the interview deteriorated. He conducted a one-way conversation, grilling me, as if I were his prisoner not allowed to offer input or ask questions. Only at the end of a 45 minute discourse was I allowed to ask a question or two and as it turned out, the answers were less than truthful.

Needless to say, this job was not even close to my ideal and one from which I walked away. We all could use extra cash but the question is, to what lengths are you willing to go to get some? Your answer will dictate the right job for you!

The ultimate guide to job interview answers

Staff Writer, The Career News

LOS ANGLES, CA -- The interview is extremely critical given employers and recruiters use your presentation to make their final decision. When you enter an interview armed with a wealth of information on the company and a solid understanding of how you can make a valuable contribution, you're automatically put at the front of the pack. Imagine what life would be like if you could ace any job interview you take, blowing the competition out of the water and giving the interviewers no other option but to hire you!

If you really want to land the job of your dreams you must give yourself an advantage over your competitors. What too many people fail to understand is that it doesn't matter what it says on your resume, you only really have one chance to impress your prospective employer and it all boils down to 'how well you perform in your job interview' and the answers you provide to their tough interview questions.

With 'The Ultimate Guide to Job Interview Answers' you can arm yourself with the answers they want to hear to some of the toughest questions any interviewer could possibly throw at you. This guide is "so much more than a list of questions and answers". With a bit of practice you'll be able to adapt to the mind-set of the interviewer and know exactly how they want you to respond based on the types of questions they ask. You will lose any nerves you once had, increase your interview confidence and the job interview will become a game you will win! To ace your next interview and beat the competition, get The Ultimate Guide To Job Interview Answers today.

Tips to get your resume past scanners and screeners

Abridged: Feisty Side of Fifty

DENVER, CO -- In order to ensure your resume gets passed along, you'll need to "learn the rules of the game." Applicant tracking systems are programmed to allow only those resumes that match the search criteria (i.e. keywords) to make it through the screening process and eventually wind up on the recruiter's computer screen. If yours does not reflect what they're looking for, it will disappear into the black hole of cyberspace.

Give them what they want. You'll need to match your skill sets to the skills advertised in the posting. Whatever you put on your resume needs to be 100% truthful, however it's your decision as to which skills you choose to emphasize. Remember, software cannot make assumptions, your resume needs to duplicate the advertised skills as closely as possible.

Placement is Important. If your resume makes it through the screening process of the applicant tracking software, it will eventually be viewed by a human screener/recruiter. Most reviewers claim to give resumes only a 30-second scan. Therefore your key skills and experience need to be readily visible and placed at the top of your resume. Ask yourself the "so what" question. Although keywords and skills are critical, you'll need to sell the reviewer on your abilities by stressing your accomplishments. Asking yourself "so what" after each bulleted statement on your resume will help you focus on the positive results you've achieved.

What if a Patient Won't Follow My Advice?

Question
What is a nurse's responsibility when a patient wants to do something that is unsafe?

Response from Carolyn Buppert, MSN, JD Healthcare attorney, Boulder, Colorado

The nurse who asked this question provided the following example: A patient who was admitted to the hospital because of increased seizure activity leaves the unit to go outside to smoke, against the nurse's advice.

The nurse's responsibility is to give the patient evidence-based advice, to explain the rationale for the advice, to advise the patient of the consequences of not following the advice, and to give the patient a time frame -- when the patient should do whatever is advised. The nurse should then document the advice given and the patient's response. What happens next depends on the nature of the advice and the risk. For example, if the patient with increased seizure activity goes outside to smoke, against advice, the nurse has no responsibility or authority to detain the patient. However, if the patient is threatening to jump out the window or otherwise hurt him- or herself, clearly the nurse's responsibility moves to a higher level: Call for help and make every effort to dissuade the patient from jumping.

Usually, the situation is somewhere between the extremes of these 2 situations. For example, a patient needs some sort of follow-up (diagnostic test, consultation from a specialist, medication, or lifestyle change) but doesn't comply. Then, the nurse's responsibility is to persist; that is, attempt to find out why the patient isn't complying, urge the patient to comply, repeat the explanation of the necessity for compliance, continue to teach the patient, and enlist other healthcare providers to reinforce the advice. The level of assertiveness of the nurse must be titrated to the severity of the consequences if the patient doesn't take the nurse's advice.

One class down.....

 All the grades aren't in yet but I am glad with all the work I've done in my first class of  my  Master's Program. 
The class, which was Theoretical Foundations for Nursing Roles And Practice, was very interesting.  I learned a great deal about nursing theories and the different schools of thought on the how, what and why of what we do as nurses.  There were days were I felt like I was not given all I needed to be the best nurse.  I most days than not asked "Why weren't we taught this sooner?"  There is so much ADN and BSN should be exposed to before they hit the unit and I hope as a future educator to impress upon my students and colleagues the value of being committed to live long learning.  Right now I have the skills, the critical thinking, the passion to be a nurse, but there is so much more and I want it!
My new class starts today...Nursing Research & Evidence Based Practice!  If its similar to my research class while getting my BSN I hope to do well.  I liked learning about research and it was interesting to see all the different types of questions researchers ask and investigate.  I don't see myself, at this point, being an active researcher, but I could see myself collaborating with others on certain projects.  That brings up my other topic, team work.  I realize as a nurse, I must work with others and I want to work with others,especially when dealing with patients and their health.  Now when it comes to my grades/points I want to be the responsible party.  Having to work with others who may not be as zealous as I am, concerns me because I want to give my very best each and every time....no half stepping.  I learning that isn't always the case, even in this setting,which is sad to me but you see it work, in organizations, everywhere.  No one puts care into anything unless they can get something out of it.  Why waste the time?  Well I see this as a learning ground for me to have to deal with this people, maybe be a good example/role model and store this information for when I am practicing, which I hope will be soon!
Well got some more reading to do for this first week.  Here's to another great 8 weeks & prayerfully an "A" not an A- (missed by .07 last class)!