DiversityNursing Blog

A study commissioned by Herman Miller Healthcare showed that nurses walk up to four miles a day on their shift. Much of this is due to supplies not being readily available and the need for better communication, like keeping tabs patient location. Technology is beginning to make the job of the nurse easier by giving them better information, leading to less steps.

Real Time Locating Systems

Real Time Locating Systems, also known as RTLS, uses small tags attached to devices, making them easier to find. For example, a typical scenario finds the nurse walking from room to room to locate a blood pressure machine for use in their rounds. With an RTLS tag, the nurse can locate the machine on a dashboard at the nurses station. They may still have to walk to the end of the unit to retrieve the machine, but it will be a direct route.

Patient Locators

Similar to RTLS are devices that patients can wear to indicate their location, according to Villanova University. Tracking down a patient can be time consuming on a busy nursing unit. A nursing aid that has taken a patient to physical therapy and radiology calls up for the patient to come down for a test. The locator tags can prevent the hunting down of people who know where Mr. Johnson is by indicating that he is in PT.

Another use suggested for these locator tags is in monitoring patients who may wander out of their rooms and be difficult to track. Mental health units, neurology units and Alzheimer's treatment centers benefit from these devices.

Tools in Your Pocket

With smartphones and tablets, you can have a number of tools in your pocket to help you get through your day easier.

The Pocket Pharmacist is available for your iPhone, and gives you a drug reference list with interactions. Calculate by QxMD uses current clinical decision trees to determine the best course of treatment.

Other tools to help you with your nursing career include a wage calculator by Intuit to help you precisely calculate your time and paycheck amount, which is handy for those extra shifts and holiday hours you're asked to work. ShiftPlanning is a nursing shift scheduling tool that the charge nurse will find useful for tracking time and adjusting schedules.

Mobile Devices and EHR

Electronic Health Records (EHR) became mandatory as of January 1, 2014, notes USF Health. Institutions must begin making patient records available online. A study by American EHR on more than 800 health practitioners showed that 33 percent with access to EHR used a tablet to access patient information.

As tablets and mobile charts become more available on nursing units, the constant walking back and forth between patient and their information is reduced. Devices such as the iPad EHR by drChrono allow bedside status updates to be made once vitals and other observations are completed.

Patient Workflow

Nursing Critical Care highlights a software system used in a Pennsylvania hospital that helps save steps during a patient's discharge. When the patient is ready to be released, the nurse uses a workflow panel to contact the transportation department to pick up the patient. Once they have arrived and are leaving with the patient, they use the panel to contact the cleaning crew. Once the room is clean, they use the panel to contact the admitting patient, to tell them the room is ready. This keeps the nurse from walking to the room to see the status, so they can report back to admitting that the room is ready for the next patient.

By Jennifer Larson

Once again, nurses are tops.

Every year since 2002, nursing has ranked at the top of the list of professions deemed the most trusted in the United States, according to an annual Gallup poll. The poll began including nurses in 1999, and they have claimed the top spot every year except 2001.

“It’s wonderful that nurses remain the most trusted profession in the annual Gallup poll,” said Diana Mason, PhD, RN, president of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN).

Linda Norman, DSN, RN, dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, said that the recognition is much appreciated by the profession, too.

“I think nurses, as a whole, are very proud of the fact that they are the most trusted profession, and that’s not something they take lightly,” said Norman, who also holds the Valere Potter Menefee Professor of Nursing position at Vanderbilt.

Consistently high ratings 

More than 8 out of 10, or 82 percent, of the Gallup poll survey respondents gave nurses a “very high” or “high” rating on their honesty and ethical standards; the next highest professional categories were pharmacists and grade school teachers, tied with 70 percent.

The Gallup organization noted that nurses have received ratings above 80 percent every year since 2005. The profession’s highest rating for honesty and ethical standards was 85 percent in 2012. 

“It’s been a very consistent finding,” Norman said. “We are the patient advocates. We’re the ones with patients for longer periods of time than other health care providers, so we have that opportunity to establish trust with them.”

Afaf Meleis, PhD, the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, agreed. 

“Nurses have earned their spot at the top by their stellar devotion to the patient, their mastery of evidence to deliver the best practice, but particularly because they advocate for the patient,” she said. “Patients trust nurses because they deliver the best information at the bedside in difficult times.”

Looking forward 

But where do you go from the top? Achieving this distinction should not be viewed as an endpoint or just as an honor, but as a charge to maintain this high level of trust with patients and their families, said Norman.

“Once you’ve gotten there, you need to make sure that it’s important to the profession as a whole to stay there,” she said. “You really embed it into what you do, and what you teach, and how you deliver care.”

And there are still challenges ahead. For example, Meleis cited the variation in laws from state to state that affect how much autonomy and independence that advanced practice nurses have when practicing.  In some states, nurse practitioners have much more autonomy than in in other states, where physician supervision is mandatory by law.

“With the Affordable Care Act putting more patients into the healthcare system, we need to develop and implement policies that allow nurses to [practice to] the maximum of their ability without undue restriction,” she said. “This will benefit populations, enhance access, and ensure best implementation of the Affordable Care Act.”

Mason would like to see an elevation in the presence of nurses and the nursing perspective in the shaping of health policy. She noted that a different Gallup poll in 2010 found that thought leaders in health care don’t always include nurses in the role of key decision makers. But nurses can bring a lot to the table when it comes to transforming health care, and they have a responsibility to do so, given the public’s trust in them.

“The American Academy of Nursing is committed to get nurses appointed to local, state and national governing boards of health care organizations and consumer advocacy groups, as well as policy-related advisory bodies,” Mason said.

Encouragement for future nurses 

Many nursing leaders also hope that this poll will help convince many people who are considering a career in nursing to take the plunge.

“As this poll shows, the public counts on nurses and respects them,” said Karen Daly, PhD, RN, president of the American Nurses Association (ANA).  “Clearly, there are boundless opportunities for those who wish to consider nursing as a profession.”

Norman said she believes that a poll like this one that shows the great trust that people put in nurses can definitely help with recruitment. The results show potential nurses that there is opportunity for finding great meaning in the work, and in making a difference in people’s lives.

“We’ve got to make sure that this really is something that we sell with new nurses--and nurses throughout the profession,” she said.

© 2013. AMN Healthcare, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

by Meaghan O'Keeffe, RN, BSN

As the institution of healthcare continues to evolve, nurses across the country are being asked to change with it. It can be easy to lose focus on the larger picture, however, when faced with the day-to-day challenges on the job.

These five reports are an eye-opening look at the healthcare system in crisis, but most importantly, they offer the nursing profession inspiring, actionable plans for how to change it.

Each of these reports is a must-read. They’re engaging and provocative and will help you come to informed opinions about the state of healthcare and your role as a nurse. Consider choosing a report every other month to distribute to your co-workers and then hold semi-formal discussion sessions to explore the themes and how they relate to your experience as a nurse.

5 Must-Read Reports for Nurses

1. Silence Kills

In this ground-breaking study, published by Vital Smarts and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses in 2005, seven areas where communication breakdown occurs in healthcare delivery were identified. They found that fewer than 10 percent of healthcare works speak up when they’ve observed medical errors, incompetency and other potential harmful behaviors. One of the more interesting findings of the study was that the few who do speak up in challenging circumstances have better patient outcomes and are more likely to stay in their jobs.

2. The Silent Treatment

A follow-up to Silence Kills, The Silent Treatment takes a closer look at the many reasons why nurses fail to speak up during crucial moments in healthcare delivery and what identifies the characteristics shared by nurses who find the courage to say something when it counts.

3. The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health

Published in 2010, The Robert Johnson Wood Foundation, along with the Institute of Medicine, presented a call to action. In The Future of Nursing, the authors present data, and outline constructive ways, in which the nursing profession can become a leading voice in the revolution of the healthcare system.

4. AACN Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments: A Journey To Excellence

The American Association of Critical Care Nurses published the AACN Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments: A Journey To Excellence in 2005. In it, they identify the factors necessary to create and sustain a work environment that empowers nurses to deliver the best care possible. As you read through it, critically think about which standards your institution or unit meet, and which might be areas for improvement.

5. Keeping Patients Safe

The Insitute of Medicine recognizes the relationship between a healthy work environment for nurses and optimal patient care outcomes. In Keeping Patients Safe, the IOM provides recommendations that address adequate staffing, trust in organizations, and other “bundles of change” that will ensure an optimal environment for nurses to do the jobs required of them.

By Ron Dicker

Talk about high drama.

In an emergency situation called straight out of a movie, two nurses saved a United Airlines pilot having a possible heart attack mid-flight last month.

Thirty minutes into a flight from Des Moines, Iowa, to Denver on Dec. 30, an intercom announcement requested medical expertise. Linda Alweiss of Camarillo, Calif., and Amy Sorensen of Casper, Wyo., answered the call. Directed to the cockpit, Alweiss told KTLA in Los Angeles that she found the pilot slumped over and mumbling, with an irregular heartbeat.

"He was clearly suffering from a possibly fatal arrhythmia,” she told NBC4 News.

Passengers helped the two women pull the captain into the galley, where the nurses set up a defibrillator and an IV, according to KTLA. In the meantime, the jet was rerouted to Omaha, Neb.

"This is what happens in movies," Sorensen (spelled Sorenson by some outlets) told ABC News. "This isn't what happens in real life."

A co-pilot safely landed the plane in Omaha, where medics were waiting to further treat the pilot, outlets noted. As the women retreated to their seats, passengers cheered the nurses' efforts, the Star-Tribune wrote. The pilot survived.

In a statement released to media United said: “United flight 1637, a Boeing 737 operating between Des Moines and Denver Monday evening, landed safely in Omaha after the captain became ill. United accommodated the customers overnight, and they continued to Denver the next day.”

A United spokeswoman told The Huffington Post that it was not releasing anymore information on the pilot. She added that she wanted everyone to know "the passengers weren't in any danger."

Sorensen, for one, said her actions weren't really heroic.

"I really don't see myself as a hero," she told ABC News. "I did what I know for a patient that needed it."

Source: Huffington Post 

BY SCRUBS

The day has finally come: You’ve graduated from nursing school, passed the NCLEX and finally landed your dream job. Now comes the tough/awesome/rewarding part—actually working as a nurse!

When you’re just starting out, it can be tough to know who to listen to and what advice is actually relevant to you. So we asked our Facebook fans for the number-one thing they’ve learned on the job as nurses. Check out their smart, funny and inspiring responses—then let us know what you’d add to the list.

The top 10 things you’ve learned on the job

1. Never pass up an opportunity to eat or pee.
—Sylvia Moose Garza

2. You can have a nurse title if you pass state boards, but you can only be a real nurse by having empathy, compassion and treating your patients as individuals—not room numbers or bed numbers. They are humans with their own souls.
—Vicky Kelly

3. If it’s open, it could squirt.
—Melissa Thomas Goodson

4. Never underestimate the value of listening to a patient and their troubles for a few minutes. Sometimes your ear can make all the difference in somebody’s day, year, situation or sleepless night.
—Diane Byrne

5. Nursing is 10 percent skill and 90 percent communication.
—Becky Peters Lay

6. Stay calm and don’t panic—98 percent of what you do can’t kill or hurt anyone (I got this piece of advice from a 35-year vet nurse who was my proctor on my first day!).
—Anne Marie Dzmura

7. Never, never, ever assume ANYTHING!
—Demita Crofford

8. A little teamwork goes a long way!
—Kacy Elisha Holland

9. Always be an advocate. Never be afraid to speak up for your patients’ best interest!
—Monica Springhart

10. Don’t take life for granted. Stop and smell the roses. Enjoy the simple things, like the ability to take a shower or the human touch.
—Kendra Ringuette Jenkins

What’s the number-one lesson you’ve learned as a nurse?

Source: Scrubs Mag

Nurses earn a mean annual wage of $67,930, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and
the demand for compassionate and skillful nurses is expected to grow by 26 percent between 2010 and 2020. The journey to become a nurse requires a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree, which means two to four years in the classroom as well as clinical experience in a hospital or clinical setting.

If you are a busy mom already juggling kids and work, finding the time to complete a nursing degree may seem impossible, but the wide selection of online Nursing programs available and the recent expansions in learning technologies are making this career path more feasible.

Online Degrees

There are online programs available that allow students to study both the science and art of nursing. In addition to covering diagnoses, anatomy, drugs, and other science-based topics, aspiring nurses can also learn interpersonal skills like how to be sensitive to patients and their families. These programs appeal to busy people who don't have the time to attend classes during conventional hours, but they are often used by nurses who are ready to take their career to the next level as well.

Masters in Nursing

Nurse practitioners armed with masters degrees can diagnose, treat, and manage a number of diseases and conditions, according to the National Library of Medicine. Nurse practitioners work in cardiology, women's health, or other areas of health care, and they usually earn more and have more responsibilities than their nursing peers. Some nurses even use their master's degree as a launchpad into the administration side of healthcare.

Simulation

Thanks to simulations, many student nurses can now bypass the requirement to shadow professional nurses. This makes pursuing a nursing degree easier for students who are juggling multiple responsibilities or nurses who live in remote areas with few shadowing opportunities.

Advance Healthcare Network reports that nurses can simulate oxygen delivery, work with infusion pumps, and practice other procedures in simulation learning centers. In addition to making learning more flexible for students, simulations also give nurses the chance to think more critically in a safe environment. Students can take a few moments to be extra thoughtful about a situation, without the pressure of worrying that they may lose a real patient with the wrong decision.

Apps Lighten the Load

With your bag already packed to the brim with sippy cups, extra clothing, and other kid-related supplies, you probably don't even have the energy or the strength to haul a massive bag of nursing textbooks around with you. Luckily, there are a host of apps, designed to lighten the load for nursing students.

Apps like Nursing Central have copies of essential reference books like Davis' Drug Guide, selected MEDLINE journals, Taber's Medical Dictionary, and others on them. Essentials for busy students, these apps also prepare aspiring nurses for the use of apps professionally. Recent studies indicate that 90 percent of healthcare professionals avoid misdiagnoses and prescription mishaps when they double check things with apps, according to Medlineplus. Studies like these prove that much of the technology that can help busy people to get nursing degrees will soon be popping up in professional settings as well.

By: Mike Creger

Six nurses began a journey to the Philippines earlier this month. They were strangers in a land torn by Typhoon Haiyan in November. They came out of their two-week medical mission as a team.

That’s how Duluth nurse Anna Rathbun described her time hopping from makeshift medical facilities across Panay Island, which took a direct hit from one of the fiercest and deadliest typhoons in history.

“We ended up working really well together,” Rathbun said of her tour with five other nurses — three from the East Coast, one from Arizona and one from California. She also worked with nurses from other countries.

Rathbun is a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at St. Luke’s hospital, a job that had her well prepared for whatever might come a world away.

“Nurses, especially intensive care nurses, learn to work as a team,” she said. “It’s so important to be flexible and adaptable to change.”

The team went from village to village across the island, setting up in whatever building still was standing, mainly churches and schools.

Rathbun said her only expectation was that she would be treating wounds from the typhoon. She was surprised to see so many people come in for chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and respiratory conditions.

“It was everywhere we went,” she said. “We got the biggest thanks for the smallest things, like handing out vitamins.”

She provided wound and respiratory care and helped deliver a baby.

Those coming to the islands had their own health issues to deal with, Rathbun said.

“The air quality is so poor that we all had sore throats and stuffy noses almost immediately,” Rathbun said. “I got a sinus infection and upper respiratory infection.”

Rathbun is one of 3,200 nurses from across the country who signed up for a relief effort organized by National Nurses United. It raised money to pay for expenses nurses would encounter traveling to the Philippines. Rathbun couldn’t have gone otherwise.

She had just a two-day notice that she had been chosen for a mission leaving Dec. 9. She was grateful her manager at St. Luke’s was understanding and could grant the leave from work. “I had the go-ahead from day one,” she said.

“It was a whirlwind,” she said of preparing for her journey.

“I’ve always wanted to do some disaster work,” Rathbun said. “I became a nurse to help people.”

But her mother was nervous about her going overseas, Rathbun said. Now that her daughter is home and she has seen and heard of the work she did, Mom is OK.

“She’s really proud,” Rathbun said.

Coming home last Saturday was “reverse culture shock,” Rathbun said.

“You spend two weeks with people who have absolutely nothing. They lost everything,” she said. “And here, we have everything.”

That was especially true in coming home during the last commercial rush before Christmas, a holiday that had a deeper meaning for her after Panay Island.

“I follow local stories and what’s going on (in the U.S.) and I want to say, ‘Hey, there are people on the other side of the world who need help.’”

Anyone who has thought of doing a similar mission should do so, Rathbun said without hesitation.

“If you’re thinking about doing it, take the plunge,” she said. “It will change your life.”

She didn’t want to leave Panay because there is so much medical work still to be done. She’s assuaged a bit by the knowledge that the National Nurses United effort is a long-term one.

“The goal is to continue to provide care,” Rathbun said.

Her group was the third wave to enter the typhoon area. The next group will come from California, New York and Texas. They are expected to depart in early January. Nurses from 50 states and 19 nations have volunteered to help.

“There is still so much work that needs to be done,” Rathbun said. “People can’t afford their medical care, they can’t afford their meds. A lot more has to go on.”

Source: Duluth News Tribune

Apple has compiled a list of its top 11 apps available in the App Store that are designed specifically for nurses. And knowing all of the submissions and apps that run through the store every day, if Apple says these are awesome, we are apt to believe it. Or at least, to check them out!

According to Mobi Health News, “most of these nurse apps have remained on Apple’s list since it first published its iTunes section for healthcare providers.” And it makes sense that the company has worked hard to ensure there are good, popular apps available to nurses, as healthcare professionals are known to be some of the first adopters of using smartphones at and for work.

In fact, a study last year by Wolters Kluwer Health’s Lippincott Williams Wilkins (LLW) of 3,900 nurses revealed that in early 2012, 71 percent of nurses were already using smartphones professionally. They’re also being used more and more in nursing school.

Here’s the list:

Voalte One by Voalte

“Voalte One is designed to be a unified communications solution enabling phone calls across the hospital VoIP system, text messaging via the user directory, and user-friendly alarm management.”

Nursing Central by Unbound Medicine

“Nursing Central helps nurses and students find detailed information on diseases, tests, drugs, and procedures. The moment a question arises you can consult the automatically updating database of 5,000 drugs, find a definition in the dictionary with more than 65,000 entries, interpret hundreds of laboratory and diagnostic tests, and consult the latest disease information. You can also subscribe to your favorite nursing journals and search the entire MEDLINE/PubMed database directly from your mobile device.”

NurseTabs: Fundamentals by AusQuinn, LLC

“This app allows novice nurses and nursing students to access over 120 skills and procedures separated by topic areas learned through fundamental nursing courses. Once the user selects the skill, they will be presented with equipment they will need to perform the procedure and a step-by-step approach to performing the procedure safely. In addition, users will have access to basic information related to common subject matter learned in fundamentals courses to utilize in the clinical setting.”

PatientTouch by PatientSafe Solutions

“PatientTouch is a Mobile Care Orchestration solution that enables you to orchestrate people, processes, and data in real time. By connecting frontline clinicians to their patients, care team, and existing EHR infrastructure, PatientTouch improves safety, quality, efficiency, and nursing satisfaction, while reducing costs. Ultimately, PatientTouch allows you to spend more time on direct patient care. PatientTouch delivers Positive Patient Identification (PPID) workflows, clinically contextual communications, and configurable care interventions.”

Medigram by Medigram, Inc.

“Stop using that pager from the ’80s! Medigram for iPhone is a secure group messaging application designed to improve communication and care coordination in the hospital environment.”

NurseTabs: Medsurge by AusQuinn, LLC

“This application allows novice nurses and nursing students to search for over 340 common diseases and disorders, separated by body system. Once the disease/disorder is selected, the user will be able to have useful information right at their fingertips, including a nursing process approach to managing client care. There are simple explanations of what each of the diseases/disorders are and common assessment findings associated with them. In addition, useful information is included that incorporates priority assessments needed for clients with the selected disease/disorder.”

Lab Values Reference by Imago LLC

“This app is perfect for both academic and clinical settings, providing clear, concise coverage of 375 of the most commonly performed laboratory tests. Organized by body system and lab panels, and presented in a consistent format with normal findings, indications, test explanation, test results and clinical significance, as well as an overview of order of draw.”

NCSBN Learning Extension Medication Flashcards by National Council of the State Boards of Nursing

"Preparing for NCLEX? Discover a simpler way to master drug information as part of your NCLEX review. Study thousands of drugs grouped into manageable categories, all with common actions and effects. Quickly access interesting facts about medications that will stick with you as you prepare for NCLEX.”

The Merck Manuals for Mobile + Web by Unbound Medicine, Inc.

“The Merck Manuals deliver trusted disease management information to any iOS device and the web. Choose The Merck Manual for Mobile and Web standalone app or bundle it with the Merck Manual of Patient Symptoms and Davis’s Drug Guide to create a versatile point-of-need solution.”

Shots by STFM by Group on Immunization Education of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine

“SHOTS by STFM is an up-to-date digital immunization reference. Perfect for clinicians, teachers, and health care providers or for anyone who need quick answers to tough vaccination questions. SHOTS by STFM is the most comprehensive immunization app available. In addition to the complete set of CDC vaccine schedules and footnotes, it also includes graphics, images, and commentary. Important up-to-date information is available for each vaccine, including: basics, high risk indications, adverse reactions, contraindications, catch-up, administration, epidemiology, brand names, and additives.”

Lexicomp by Wolters Kluwer Health

“Lexicomp, the most trusted and comprehensive resource for mobile drug and clinical information for pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.”

Do you use any of these apps? Have other options nurses should be checking out? Tell us about them in the comments below!

Source: Mobi Health News

By Jennifer Larson, contributor 

If you enjoy posting photos of your family on Facebook, watching videos on YouTube or pinning pictures of mouth-watering desserts or stylish outfits on Pinterest, you’re not alone. But nurses are increasingly, and more strategically, using social media for professional purposes, too.

AMN Healthcare recently released the results of its 2013 Survey of Social Media and Mobile Usage by Healthcare Professionals, which looks at job search and career trends. The survey found that registered nurses, along with other clinicians, have “dramatically” increased their use of social media for job searching since 2010.

The vast majority of nurses, 88%, report they use social media for personal and/or professional purposes, and nearly half (43%) say they use social media for job searching.

Social media researcher and nurse Pamela Ressler, RN, MS, said she expects that nurses’ use of social media for a variety of purposes will continue to increase.

“Social media in and of itself is maturing,” said Ressler, who recently authored an online curriculum titled “Social Media for Nurses” for Sigma Theta Tau International. “Health care professionals, in particular nurses, have been very slow in the adoption of social media in the way other professions have. We’re a little late to the party but we’re learning.”

“I think the expectation is that people are going to be more involved” in using social media, added Marie-Elena Barry, RN, MSN, senior policy analyst for nursing practice and policy for the American Nurses Association.

Social media for nurses augments other job resources 

The AMN survey found that, generally speaking, nurses and other clinicians are using fewer resources to search for jobs, but they’re becoming more discerning in the way that they do so.

Social media is just one of the tools that they’re incorporating into their job seeking, and they tend to use it for looking at job postings, researching companies and seeing if anyone in their network could help them out.

The top RN job search resource is applying directly to a company website, and has stayed steady at 2011 levels of 72%, followed by online job boards at 55% (also remaining steady). Referrals are used by just under half (47%) of all nurses down significantly from 70% in 2011. Other significant shifts in this year’s survey include decreases in nurses’ use of search engines and recruiters.

Eventually, anyone who applies for a job is going to have a direct conversation with a recruiter or human resources member. But long before that step in the process, nurses can use social media to their advantage in gathering information, said Ralph Henderson, president of healthcare staffing at AMN Healthcare. Nurses can use their network of contacts to find out who’s hiring, who may be hiring soon, and what it’s like to work for those health care employers.

“When you do find a job that you’re interested in, use your network to find out more about that organization,” he suggested. “You can use social media to find out what the culture and work environment is like before you apply.”

LinkedIn now in top spot 

Another notable finding in this year’s survey: LinkedIn has finally upstaged Facebook in popularity as the main social networking choice for career purposes among health care professionals. Among nurses, 46% ranked LinkedIn as the top general social media site for career purposes, compared to Facebook at 42%.

Given that LinkedIn was designed as a professional networking medium, it’s not too surprising that nurses are turning to it for professional reasons, said Barry.

“It’s a really good way to share your information and people can reach out. It’s a great way to network and get new ideas,” she said.

In fact, Barry noted that she has personally started using LinkedIn much more in recent months for professional purposes. The ANA recently launched a staffing group on LinkedIn, and she’s become very involved in that.

“LinkedIn has become much more robust and has a lot of similarities to the conversational tone of Facebook now, with its groups,” said Ressler. “People are using it in a different way than LinkedIn was originally being used, which was just posting your profile up there and looking for jobs. Now there’s a lot more professional discussion going on on that site.”

Barry and Ressler both suggested that nurses search for groups on LinkedIn that they might already be affiliated with--a professional association, an alumni group or a specialty organization. Then follow companies or universities or organizations of interest, and follow links to new articles and journal postings to keep current.

Even if you are not actively seeking a new job, it’s important to stay active and keep learning, they stressed. Eventually you might need to call upon your network that you’ve already built and nurtured. 

When asked which health care-focused social media sites they prefer for career purposes, nurses chose NursingJobs.com as their top choice at 51%; NurseZone.com was also among the top favorites, cited by 32% of the nurses surveyed.

No risky moves 

In the nursing profession, you may still hear the occasional tale of social media use gone terribly wrong: a nursing student posts a picture of a patient without the patient’s permission, or a nurse makes an offhand, cutting remark about a colleague on Facebook that comes back to haunt her. 

Luckily, those mistakes appear to be fewer and farther between, as nurses have become more social media savvy. But just avoiding egregious problems doesn’t mean you’re making the most out of your social media presence. Managing your online reputation also means putting your best foot forward--at all times.

Henderson said that nurses should carefully consider images or information that they post on a social media platform. Like many, he suggests having a personal (private) presence and a separate professional presence.

On the professional side, Barry said she would encourage nurses to put together a very complete résumé and ask someone to carefully edit it before posting anywhere. Then check with references to make sure they’re on board, and put all that together on LinkedIn--or in shorter formats on other platforms.

Ressler also pointed out that it is important to regularly update your online profile--both to keep it as current as possible and to remind your network of contacts that you’re out there.  More and more nurses appear to be taking this advice to heart, with 59% reporting in the AMN survey that they have recently enhanced their social profile for professional purposes.

“Even if you’re not looking for a job right now, people will think of you when something comes across their desks,” she said.

Another important reminder: just because you have privacy settings, it doesn’t mean that the information will necessarily stay private.

“I just think that people need to be cognizant of what you’re posting, any comments or any pictures, because it’s there forever,” said Barry.

Fast facts from the 2013 Survey of Social Media 

AMN Healthcare’s 2013 Survey of Social Media and Mobile Usage by Healthcare Professionals was conducted in the spring of 2013. Out of the 1,902 completed surveys, more than 500 were completed by registered nurses and advanced practice nurses.

A few key findings:

• Nearly 9 out of 10 (88%) of the nurses surveyed say they use social media for personal and/or professional reasons;

• Among RNs who use social media for job searches, 49% use it to look for job postings, 39% to research a company, 25% to see if they know anyone who could help them in their search, 13% to reach out to a recruiter, and 6% to reach out to the HR department;  

• More than half of the RNs surveyed (54%) said they have looked for a job in the past two years, down from 61% just two years ago;

• Most nurses are still applying directly to companies via their websites; this key job search resource remained steady at 72% in 2013;

• Nurses who use social media for job searching cited NursingJobs.com as their top site of choice (51%);

• Twenty percent (20%) of clinicians have chosen to receive mobile job alerts, a doubling since 2010; RNs and allied health professionals are the most likely to choose this option.

© 2013. AMN Healthcare, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

Source: NurseZone.com