DiversityNursing Blog

• Classes:  Although classes in the summer are not usually work related, there are many that can help with relaxation.  There are classes available from Feng Shui and Tai Chi to crocheting, woodworking or pottery making.   If you live in or near a fairly large city, you should have literally hundreds of choices. Anything that involves learning something new, movement or concentration is good to relieve stress.
  
  
• Hobbies:  Already have a hobby?  Summer is a great time to pursue them.  Hiking, gardening, camping and rock collecting are all good summertime hobbies. These are all outdoor, fresh air pursuits.  Some for indoors include reading, stamp or coin collecting, knitting, baking or cooking, making jewelry or scrapbooking. 
  Starting an aquarium is fun and watching the fish is very soothing.  Learn to play a musical instrument like the piano.  The right type of music can be very relaxing.
  
  
• Meditation: Learning to meditate is terrific for stress relief.  There are CD's you can buy or get from the library that can teach you meditation. There are also music CD's available for meditation.  Meditation also helps to lower blood pressure and relieve anxiety. Tai Chi is an active meditation and it's highly recommended to help deal with stress.

• Exercise: Bicycling, walking, yoga and swimming are all good stress relievers along with most other forms of exercise. Take a dance class or Zumba. Get out in the sunshine with boating, fishing, water skiing, flea markets and garage sales. Go antiquing or to auctions. Plenty of sun and vitamin D are great for stress.  Be sure to wear a sunscreen!

Want more tips on dealing with stress in the Nursing field? Just ask one of our Nurse Leaders, they will be glad to help! Just click below! 

In honor of LGBTQ – Pride Month, this article touches upon the struggles this community deals with in their personal and professional lives. We all know how important support is from family and friends particularly for teenagers who are questioning who they are attracted to and sometimes, their sexual identity.

As Nurses dealing with the public all the time, this article talks about the importance of listening, accepting and guiding your family, friends and patients to the right resources. We hope you find it helpful.

While LGBTQ people have enjoyed the benefits of more acceptance from society, LGBT youth remain vulnerable to suicide, homelessness and negative health outcomes. This is largely due to their lack of acceptance from their parent or guardians. In our own practice and in numerous studies, it has been proven that more than anything else, the love and support from parents and families are critical to the health and success of LGBTQ youth.

One of the most tragic cases we have seen was Manuel’s (names and other identifying details have been changed), a 16-year-old Puerto Rican teen who was raised in the South Bronx by his mother. All his life he was taught by his family, culture and society that his future would be defined by a wife and kids, by his ability to support his own family and become the “man” of his house. However, while everyone was telling him who and what he should be doing, he had already started to dream of a very different life. From an early age, he knew he was attracted to men – but he kept his feelings buried for fear his family would disown him if they found out or that his sexuality would bring shame to his family. 

One day, his mother went through his cell phone and found text messages from his "best friend" describing how in love they were. His mother put all of her son’s belongings into garbage bags, put them on the curb and told him, “never come back until you like girls!” Manuel became homeless at 16, and with nowhere else to go, he began exchanging sex for money to live. Three years later, he was diagnosed with HIV. When he finally got help, he told his social worker he had two wishes: “That I had been born straight so none of this would have happened, and that my mother believed that I didn’t choose to be this way.”

Now meet Wanda, a 15-year-old African American teen born and raised in Brooklyn by two parents who were actively involved in their church. Every Sunday after church, Wanda and her parents had dinner together and used the time as an informal family meeting where everyone was encouraged to talk openly about their week. While she was sometimes attracted to boys, there was a girl on Wanda’s soccer team that she couldn’t stop thinking about. She tried to ignore her feelings for this girl and put more energy into dating a boy in her class who liked her a lot. One day after church, Wanda’s mother asked her how serious she was about the boy she was dating. 

Wanda shrugged that it wasn’t serious, but then she built up the courage to ask her parents: “What would happen if I liked girls, too?” Her parents sat in silence for a few seconds before her father replied, “We would love you no matter who you like.” “Of course we will always love you,” Wanda’s mother said, “but are you sure about this? This is very new for me, so you’re going to have to help us understand this.” 

How do you think you would react if your child told you they were LGBTQ? Parents play an extremely important positive or negative role in the lives of their children, especially when children are becoming aware of who they are attracted to or love (sexual orientation) or if they feel themselves to be a male, female or somewhere in between (gender identity). In fact research shows that children whose parents belittle or shame them are more likely to suffer from depression, attempt suicide and have poorer health than children whose parents are supportive. 

While you might be afraid that talking about LGBTQ issues with your child will encourage them to be gay or transgender, who they are or who they love is inherent to each person and emerges over time. The best thing for you to do is talk openly and love unconditionally. Don’t be hurt if your child discloses their feelings to someone else first. Most children who are exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity tell a friend, family member or health/mental health professional before they tell their parents because they would rather know for sure before they risk telling their parents. 

As a parent, you can emphasize that there's no risk in talking about these things, because you will love your child regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity – and that you're there for them when they are ready to talk. Being LGBTQ no longer means your child will automatically get HIV or will have a limited life. With pills to prevent HIV and the full range of family options (including marriage) increasingly available to LGBTQ youth, your support is crucial in supporting and accepting your child to emerge as a healthy teen and adult who can achieve their full potential.

While it can be difficult for young people and their families to speak about issues like sex, sexuality and sexual orientation, you are not alone. Many resources exist, such as PFLAG.org (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), GLSEN.org (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), Family Acceptance Project (FAP.org) and our program, adolescentaids.org, which provides care for LGBTQ youth as well as HIV care and prevention services. If you know or think your child is LGBTQ, we hope you will use this year’s Pride Month as an opportunity to proudly celebrate your child and help them navigate this wonderful and challenging time known as adolescence.

Related Article: LGBT People In Rural Areas Struggle To Find Good Medical Care

Nursing assistant Tom Alligood wears camouflage scrubs during his emergency room shifts at the Dorn VA hospital because he says it helps other veteran patients realize they've "walked over the same dirt," the 62-year-old former Army tanker says.

And he doesn't just mean the desert sands of Iraq.

Alligood means homelessness, job loss and the mental anguish of being a long-time military veteran trying to adjust to the trials of a dog-eat-dog, backstabbing civilian world he says nearly ate him alive.

"I need to be around veterans like me. That's where I get my strength, my 'positiveness' from," says the burly former first sergeant who now sports a long, gray braid on his back.

Alligood says he has found a new mission - working in the sprawling Columbia VA hospital and helping as many of his one-time brothers and sisters in arms as he can.

And the VA is looking for more people like Alligood.

In an attempt to respond to the crisis of lengthy patient wait-times and a malfunctioning bureaucracy, VA Secretary Robert McDonald told Congress the agency hired about 14,000 health care workers last year, including 1,300 doctors and 3,600 nurses.

At Dorn, nursing administrator Ruth Mustard said the hospital hired an average of 85 nurses as well as 25 licensed practical nurses and 25 nursing assistants each year for the past two years.

Alligood's background as a military veteran is a plus, she says, and they can always use more like him.

"Veterans know what it takes to serve and what sacrifices they've endured and what some of their challenges have been that have affected their health," the nurse supervisor says.

Alligood said he can relate to his veteran-patients because the route he took from being a VA patient to VA caregiver has been a challenging one.

After leaving the Army, he took a job managing a concrete block plant. The job was eliminated when the plant was sold. Falling deep in debt, Alligood said he took to sleeping in abandoned buildings after losing his car and his home. Life in homeless shelters didn't sit right, either.

"I wasn't in the best of shape, mentally and physically," he said, his rumbling voice catching. "That was the lowest I've ever been."

Alligood said counselors told him about a VA program that put homeless veterans into counseling and back to work. He grabbed the chance to put in 40 hours a week transporting other veterans around the hallways of the sprawling Dorn VA Medical Center in wheelchairs and gurneys.

"It was for $5.15 an hour, minimum wage. But trust me, that $5.15 meant more to me at that time than anything," he recalls.

As he traversed the hospital's maze of corridors, Alligood said he made a point of greeting as many people as he could.

Alligood's banter with other veterans caught Mustard's ear. She told him the VA would pay for his schooling if he wanted to learn to become a certified nursing assistant and come back to help other veterans.

He went back to school and the Florida native returned to the Dorn VA Medical Center, where he's logged three years in an eldercare unit and six years in the emergency department.

"He has a fabulous rapport," Mustard said.

Emergency room nurse Karen Teal says the former first sergeant has a personal touch that put stressed-out patients "instantly at ease."

"He's our jewel," Teal says, beaming at her co-worker.

Alligood said his days in Iraq and Saudi Arabia help him understand veterans who might be dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. He recounted one veteran he found experiencing a "flashback" in the ER.

"I was able to tell him, 'I got your back, I got your back,'" Alligood said, telling how he'd gotten down on the floor with the ailing veteran, assuring him he'd reached a safe place.

"I don't feel that this is a job for me. I feel that this is a calling, because I get to help so many people," Alligood said.

This video follows Stephane, RN, MSN, to give us a look into a day in the life of a Pediatric Nurse. 

Stephane, RN, MSN, was originally a business major but, she fell in love with Nursing while in college, and now works as a Pediatric Nurse in a small unit in Connecticut where she cares for young patients.

"What I love about pediatric nursing is the kids. Kids are just so resilient. And even though you're doing all these things that might hurt, just giving them a little bit of comfort and giving them your time can make such a big difference," said Stephane. "You have that one moment where they look at you and they give you a smile -- and it's like everything is okay. That feels really special."

Stephane also said, "You have to keep learning in any profession because things change and in healthcare in particular, things change pretty quickly." 

Check out the video below!

Correctional nursing is a specialty providing healthcare in jails, prisons and juvenile confinement facilities. But outside of the specialty, few recognize the importance of correctional nurses in treating an underserved population. 

“When I came into corrections, what I found were nurses that were not appreciated for what they did — that the profession and the community thought less of them,” said Mary Muse, nursing director at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. “As I talked to them and as I talked about nursing practice and care delivery, people would remind me that this is a jail, not a hospital. It became my passion, not only to ensure that people got good care, but that I contributed to improving the image of correctional nursing.” 

Muse, who also sits on the board of directors for the National Commission on Correctional Health Care as the American Nurses Association representative, entered correctional nursing by chance. A former nursing school classmate introduced her to the field, later encouraging Muse to apply for her position. This opportunity led Muse to gain an appreciation of and passion for one of nursing’s least understood specialties. 

Working in Correctional Nursing 

Typical Duties and Environments 

How is correctional nursing different than other fields? “Nursing is nursing, because it’s all about supporting, caring and helping people get better and managing their health issues,” Muse said. “The difference is the environment in which you practice.” 

Getting comfortable with the work environment and patient population in corrections can take time, and it’s not for everyone. Yet, given the diverse population that correctional nurses serve, this specialty is similar to others. Muse points out that nurses with medical and surgical skills or a background in emergency medicine or public health are well-prepared for correctional nursing. 

The environment also dictates a nurse’s caseload and how work is executed. A cellblock may require seeing a group of patients at once, while other situations require one or two patients at a time. Muse emphasizes how correctional nurses must be looking for opportunities. A patient complaining about a headache may lead to an opportunity to educate that person. Or the headache could be something the patient says because there’s something else wrong, but the individual doesn’t know how to share it. 

Safety 

Safety is a natural concern for those not familiar with correctional nursing, because it involves being around and treating convicted criminals. However, this reaction may be unfounded. 

Through specific protocols and extensive training, safety takes center stage in correctional nursing. “In terms of safety, corrections usually does a very good job of educating you on how to be safe in the environment, and how not to be gullible,” Muse said. “What the nurse has to do is balance understanding these safety precautions ... with recognizing who we are serving but yet still seeing that individual as a patient.” 

Because there are always guards present, correctional nursing is “no less risky than other [nursing] environments,” Muse pointed out. This is why many believe that correctional nursing is actually safer than other specialties and environments. In her experience, Muse is aware of limited incidents of violence; in the majority of cases, patients had mental health conditions. “For me, it was actually scarier as a student when I went on the mental health unit,” she said. Psychiatric settings were identified by The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing as an area of healthcare where workplace violence is more common, along with labor and delivery and maternal-child health units. Four out of five incidents occurred in the emergency department, leading all hospital settings. Surveillance studies reveal that more than 50 percent of emergency department nurses have experienced verbal or physical violence at work. Research is limited on safety in correctional healthcare settings. In BMC Health Services Research, a three-year study of violence among correctional health professionals in Australia found that most incidents took place in a forensic hospital, a facility for inmates who are not competent to stand trial due to severe mental illness. During the study, no deaths took place, few incidents of violence led to serious physical injury, and almost all incidents were given a medium (46 percent) or low (52 percent) rating on the severity assessment code. “Compared with health care settings in the community, correctional settings are fairly safe places in which to practice,” researchers concluded. 

Resources and Population 

A lack of resources for delivering quality patient care has typically distinguished correctional nursing from other specialties. “If you're looking for ease and comfort, you might not have a nice operating room, you might not have all the tools, the most equipment,” Muse said. Although facilities weren’t built for healthcare treatment, correctional facilities are starting to improve. Nurses need to be a part of the decision-making process, Muse said, to ensure that the right types of equipment and resources are available. 

Correctional nurses see a wide range of patients. “Chronic disease is an issue for individuals in corrections. Now we are dealing with hypertension, renal disease, hepatitis, cancer, HIV,” Muse said. “Corrections really mirrors the community. But I would say that whether it’s a physician or nurse, if you really want to be able to see a variety of health issues, if you want to improve your clinical skills, there is probably no better place to work than in corrections. If you're interested in patient education, there’s no better place to work than in corrections.” 

Employment Information 

Salary 

Due to misunderstandings about correctional nursing and a lack of interest in the specialty, correctional facilities need to offer competitive salaries. “The nurse leaders I know actually benchmark against hospitals in their areas,” Muse said. Sources show the competitive nature of correctional nursing. 

• Registered nurses for the Pennsylvania State Civil Service Commission earn $54,038 to $82,058 per year, with higher pay at specific locations. 
• Registered nurses for the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision earn up to $74,000, based on location, shift and experience. 
• The average salary for job postings on Indeed for “correctional nurse” is $67,000. 

Demand 

Similar to the entire nursing profession and other nursing specialties, Muse expects demand to be high for nurses in corrections. “I think the role of the advanced nursing practitioner could be huge in corrections,” she said. “I think having registered nurses is very important to the management of this population. Certainly, registered nurses can have more of an expanded role.” 

Education The 2010 Institute of Medicine landmark report, “The Future of Nursing,” called for 80 percent of registered nurses to have at least a bachelor’s degree by 2020. Since the report, hospitals across the country have begun encouraging and requiring the degree, and this applies to other nursing environments. Muse said she certainly encourages correctional nurses to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, because the specialty requires a great deal of cross-sectional skills and knowledge. “Sometimes you draw more individuals who are prepared as an ADN [associate degree in nursing], and that's OK,” she said. “But in terms of what the patient needs, they need a nurse that is better educationally prepared.” 

Getting Into Correctional Nursing 

“If you really are passionate about care and you really believe that people deserve care regardless of their circumstances, then corrections is a great place to make that happen,” Muse said. “If you are interested in driving change, then corrections is a great place to practice.” Correctional nursing also offers considerable potential for career advancement. 

Alvernia University is committed to advancing healthcare across the nursing profession. The online RN to BSN Completion Program helps nurses gain the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in fields such as correctional nursing. With a flexible and convenient learning environment, students are able to reach their goals while they maintain their current work and personal schedules.

This video follows a Nurse named Keith Koga. He delves into his personal experiences about Nurses and how they inspired him to pursue a career in Nursing. Watch the video below to follow his journey!

If you have any questions about becoming a Registered Nurse or anything else about Nursing, just click the image below to ask one of our Nurse Leaders!

This video shows Will Cristobal who is an Emergency Room Nurse. Will discusses what it is like to be an Emergency Room Nurse and the path that got him there. The video also goes over some common things that happen on a daily basis in the Emergency Room. 

If you are interested in becoming an Emergency Room Nurse and have a few questions, feel free to ask one of our Nurse Leaders by clicking on the image below! 

Pediatric Nursing is not a field for the faint of heart.  You will have times of total heartbreak, and when you think you've seen the worst, a miracle will happen and a child thought to be dying makes a total recovery.  You must love children, but be strong enough to handle it when things don't go well and there will be many times they don't.  

If you want to pursue Pediatric Nursing and can handle the intensity and emotions, here are some things to consider.

• Education:  An Associate's degree with additional classes in child development or a BS in Nursing from a four year college.  You must be eligible and pass the RN licensing exam.  Requirements may vary by state.  Perhaps some work in a day care or school while taking your courses will be helpful.  
• Continuing Education:  Attend every in-service you can find on child development, work with patients from newborns to adolescents, and communicate with children regularly.  
• Experience:  After you get licensed, find a job in a pediatricians office or general practitioners office to get some on-the-job experience. If you can get a position in the pediatric unit of a hospital, that would be great.  It will give you the best experience. If you want to go on to cancer or neonatal, that's the place to get the knowledge.    

What to Expect Daily 

Looking at a Pediatric Nursing job on a daily basis depends entirely upon your position.  If you're in a PICU, it changes daily and minute-by-minute.  In PICU as a rule, you only have one or two patients at a time.  The are several reasons for this. The best one being to provide the best quality of care for both the child and the parents.  When you're dealing with children in a PICU, the parents become your patients too because of the stress and fear they're feeling. Some responsibilities include going over treatment plans for the children under your care; checking notes from the previous shift; giving medications and checking emergency supplies.  Ask the parents if they've noticed any changes or differences in their child.  

In a pediatricians office, things for the most part are less intense except for the occasional bout of sheer terror as most children are afraid to go to the doctor. It will be up to you to calm and console them. One day may be devoted to newborns and toddlers.  The next day may be teenagers. Children will arrive at the office with a variety of problems  from the flu to allergies, bad cuts to broken bones. You'll eventually see it all.  

Preparing 

It takes a certain personality to be a Pediatric Nurse.  Not only do you need to love children, you must also be extremely strong and compassionate.  There will be many tears, but if one child is saved, it will be well worth it.  Pediatric Nursing has one of the biggest burnout rates of any occupation.  There's only so much grief a person can handle.  

If you're thinking about becoming a Pediatric Nurse, you should talk to several in your area or online.  It's one of the most rewarding jobs in the world, IF you can handle it.  

Check out our job database filled with Pediatric Nursing positions. 

Have questions or want to know more about Pediatric Nursing, ask one of our Nurse Leaders by clicking below. 

When Nurses decide to be educated in a certain area, it is very likely they will acquire a position that allows them to utilize the skills and knowledge obtained during school and training. While many continue on in their area of expertise, some decide to change specialties and focus on another area.  

With the human body being so complex and so much to learn, some Nurses may decide to work in a number of specialties throughout their career. For some, it can be exciting and rewarding to switch things up. However, before deciding to switch specialties and take on a new list of duties and responsibilities, please consider the pros and cons before doing so. 

What are the Pros of Changing Specialties? 

* Adding to your Skill Set

Working in one specialty may become boring because you are doing the same thing every day and perhaps not learning anything new. Changing specialties will allow you to put an end to that boredom, add to your skill set, challenge you, and give you a reason to love your work more. It looks good on a resume to be someone who is versatile and able to work in more than one area of the medical field. 

* Potential Opportunity for a Higher Salary

There are many things that factor into what makes someone change their specialty. Money is possibly one of them. Changing specialties doesn't always mean you'll make more money, but there is a chance you will. Be sure to check the average income of someone working in the specialty you're considering.

* Opportunity for Growth

With some specialties, there is no room for growth or advancement. This is acceptable for some people, but a lot of Nurses want a job where they can be promoted and continue to earn more money. Take a hard look at where you were when you first started working and where you are now. If your current specialty doesn't offer the type of advancement opportunities that another specialty would, it may be time to make the switch.

What are the Cons of Changing Specialties?

* Decreased Chance of Promotion

Oftentimes, when a company promotes Nurses, they look for Nurses who have been with them for several years, and who are knowledgeable and experienced in their field. Even if you've worked for the same company, changing specialties can be like starting out as a new employee. Before a promotion becomes a possibility, you'll most likely have to work your way up and gain experience in your new field. This could take years, depending on the difficulty of the your new specialty.

* Stress

A new specialty means you'll be doing things you're not used to doing. This can lead to an extreme amount of stress because you want to perform well and be noticed for the great work you're doing. Being the new kid on the block means every move you make will be monitored closely. It can be uncomfortable and stressful to be in this situation. 

* Financial Instability

Higher pay is possible, but it may not happen right away. Because you have to learn the ropes and gain experience in your new specialty, you may not make the salary that everyone else in this specialty is making. This is especially true if you need to go to school for a year or two. 

When you change your specialty, it doesn't always mean you can't go back to working in the specialty in which you started. Ideally, people making this change are hoping for the best and plan to stay in the specialty for some time. Whatever is decided, the goal is to be happy in what you do.

 Have questions about changing your specialty? Ask one of our Nurse Leaders! Click below.