The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has released preliminary survey data showing that enrollment in all types of professional nursing programs increased from 2011 to 2012, including a 3.5% increase in entry-level BSN programs.
The AACN’s annual survey findings are based on data reported from 664 of the 856 nursing schools in the U.S. with baccalaureate and/or graduate programs (a 77.6% response rate). In a separate survey, the AACN found a strong hiring preference for new nurses prepared at the baccalaureate level, and a comparatively high job-placement rate for new BSN graduates.
"AACN is pleased to see across-the-board increases in nursing school enrollments this year given our commitment to encouraging all nurses to advance their education as a catalyst for improving patient care," AACN President Jane Kirschling, RN, PhD, FAAN, said in a news release.
Baccalaureate nursing education
The AACN said its annual survey is the most reliable source for actual — as opposed to projected — data on enrollment and graduations reported by the nation’s baccalaureate- and graduate-degree programs in nursing. This year’s 3.5% enrollment increase for entry-level baccalaureate programs is based on data supplied by the same 539 schools reporting in both 2011 and 2012 (see www.aacn.nche.edu/Media-Relations/EnrollChanges.pdf for year-by-year enrollment changes in baccalaureate nursing education from 1994 to 2012).
Among the most noteworthy findings, the number of students enrolled in RN-to-BSN programs increased by 22.2% from 2011 to 2012 (471 schools reporting). This year marks the 10th year of enrollment increases in these programs, signaling a growing interest among nurses and employers for baccalaureate-prepared nurses, the AACN noted.
Stakeholders inside and outside the nursing profession — including the Institute of Medicine, Tri-Council for Nursing, National Advisory Council for Nursing Education and Practice, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and many others — are calling for higher levels of academic progression in nursing.
Graduate nursing programs
Preliminary data from the AACN’s 2012 survey show that enrollment in master’s and doctoral degree nursing programs increased significantly this year. Nursing schools with master’s programs reported an 8.2% jump in enrollment, with 432 institutions reporting data. In doctoral nursing programs, the greatest growth was seen in DNP programs, where enrollment increased by 19.6% (166 schools reporting) from 2011 to 2012.
During this same time period, enrollment in research-focused doctoral programs (PhD, DNS) edged up by 1.3% (96 schools reporting), even though 195 qualified applicants were turned away from these programs, based on preliminary findings.
"Momentum is clearly building for advancing nursing education at all levels," Kirschling said. "Given the calls for more baccalaureate- and graduate-prepared nurses, federal and private funding for nursing education should be targeted directly to the schools and programs that prepare students at these levels.
"Further, achieving the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations related to education [calling for 80% of nurses to have BSNs by 2020] will require strong academic-practice partnerships and a solid commitment among our practice colleagues to encouraging and rewarding registered nurses committed to moving ahead with their education."
Turned away
Although interest in nursing careers remains strong, many individuals seeking to enter the profession cannot be accommodated in nursing programs, despite meeting all program entrance requirements. Preliminary AACN data show that 52,212 qualified applications were turned away from 566 entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs in 2012. The AACN expects this number to increase when final data on qualified applications turned away in the fall of 2012 are available next March.
The primary barriers to accepting all qualified students at nursing colleges and universities continue to be a shortage of clinical placement sites, faculty and funding, according to the AACN (see www.aacn.nche.edu/Media-Relations/TurnedAway.pdf for information about the number of qualified applicants turned away from entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs over the past 10 years).
Hiring preferences
In addition to its annual survey, the AACN has collected data on the employment of new graduates from entry-level baccalaureate and master’s programs to assess how these RNs fare in securing their first jobs in nursing.
Conducted for the third consecutive year, survey findings show baccalaureate nursing graduates remain more than twice as likely to have jobs at the time of graduation as those entering the workforce in other fields. While the employment rate at graduation increased slightly, from 56% in 2011 to 57% in 2012 for BSN students, the employment rate at four to six months after graduation was identical over the two-year period (88%). By comparison, the National Association of Colleges and Employers conducted a national survey of 50,000 new college graduates across disciplines and found that only 25.5% of new graduates in 2011 had a job offer at the time of graduation.
The AACN also collected data on entry-level MSN programs, which remain a popular pathway into nursing for those transitioning into nursing with degrees in other fields. Graduates from these programs were most likely to have secured jobs at graduation (73% for MSNs vs. 57% for BSNs) and at four to six months after graduation (92% for MSNs vs. 88% for BSNs). These data further illustrate a renewed employer preference for hiring the best educated entry-level nurse possible.
Once again this year, the AACN queried nursing schools about whether hospitals and other employers express a preference for hiring new nurses with a bachelor’s degree. A significant body of research shows that nurses with baccalaureate level preparation are linked to better patient outcomes, including lower mortality and failure-to-rescue rates, according to the news release. With the Institute of Medicine calling for 80% of the nursing workforce to hold at least a bachelor’s degree by 2020, moving to prepare nurses at this level has become a national priority.
In terms of this year’s survey, schools of nursing were asked whether employers in their area were requiring or strongly preferring new hires with baccalaureate degrees, with the findings showing that 39.1% of employers require the BSN for new hires while 77.4% strongly prefer BSN-prepared nurses.
Resources
To download the complete research brief on the "Employment of New Nurse Graduates and Employer Preferences for Baccalaureate-Prepared Nurses," visit www.aacn.nche.edu/leading_initiatives_news/news/2012/employment12.
The AACN works on several fronts to enhance the number of baccalaureate-prepared nurses in the workforce, including:
• Working collaboratively with leaders from associate degree programs and the community college arena to encourage academic progression in nursing (see www.aacn.nche.edu/news/articles/2012/academic-progression).
• Partnering with the National Organization for Associate Degree Nurses to disseminate a new brochure titled "Taking the Next Step in Your Nursing Education" (see www.aacn.nche.edu/students/your-nursing-career/Academic-Progression-Brochure.pdf).
• Advancing the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s "Academic Progression in Nursing" initiative as part of the Tri-Council for Nursing, which is focused on implementing state and regional strategies to create a more highly educated nursing workforce (see www.aacn.nche.edu/news/articles/2012/rwjf).
• Joining with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to enhance diversity in the nursing workforce through the "New Careers in Nursing" program, which provides financial support and guidance to students from under-represented groups enrolled in accelerated nursing programs (http://www.newcareersinnursing.org).
Nursing education enrollment keeps rising in 2012
Thu, Jan 03, 2013 @ 01:41 PM
Telephone calls from nurses reduce readmissions
Fri, Dec 21, 2012 @ 03:11 PM
A series of simple phone calls from a nurse can reduce readmissions and cut $1,225 in costs per patient, according to a study in this month's Health Affairs.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health looked at more than 600 patients enrolled in the Coordinated Transitional Care (C-TraC), a low-resource Madison (Wis.) VA program that uses registered nurses for quality transitional care, according to the C-TraC website.
Patients discharged from the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital and considered high risk received weekly phone calls from a nurse case manager for four weeks or until the patient transitioned to a primary care provider, according to last week's research announcement. High-risk patients had dementia, were over 65 years old and living alone or had a previous hospitalization in the past year.
In an open-ended discussion, the nurse talks about medication adherence--most often the biggest issue--symptoms and other follow-up.
The program has been popular with almost full patient participation, according to lead investigator Amy Kind, assistant professor of medicine (geriatrics) at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.
"Patients don't mind a phone call," Kind said. "Our role is not to complicate the process but to more seamlessly bridge the patient's journey from the hospital to the home and to primary care," she added.
Such nurse-led contact has saved the hospital nearly three-quarters of a million dollars ($741,125) in healthcare costs over 18 months, according to the program.
Patients in the program had 11 percent fewer 30-day readmissions at 23 percent, compared to 34 percent of the those not enrolled.
Because the nurses don't spend a lot of time traveling, they can therefore reach out to more patients by phone, Kind noted. Most of the patients live in remote areas where a home visit is easily accessible.
"Simple, protocol-driven, telephone-based programs like C-TraC may be able to reach larger patient populations, including patients living a greater distance from hospitals and could be used in a wider variety of care settings than traditional in-home transitional care programs can," study authors wrote.
Researchers said resource-strained hospitals, such as safety nets, that can't afford home visits can implement similar telephone protocols. However, they also recognized that the VA is unique from other hospitals in that the VA has a single electronic health record system, shared among all VA-affiliated inpatient and outpatient providers.
Topics: phone calls, less readmission, nurse, patients
Future nurses learn with smart dummies
Mon, Dec 10, 2012 @ 03:41 PM
"I need a nurse. I can't breathe! Send a nurse!"
Maria Gonzales is in distress, and her caregivers need to figure out what to do.
She is sitting upright in her hospital bed, knees bent toward her chest. Beside her, a team of nurses and technicians scan the bar-coded bracelet on her wrist, and Gonzales' patient history flashes across the computer
screen beside the bed. They quickly assess its contents — she was admitted two days ago with an inflamed pancreas — and check to see if she is flagged from receiving any medications.
A nurse applies a pulse oximeter to Gonzales' index finger to monitor oxygen saturation. Her levels are low. They place an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. They check the screen again.
She has a history of high cholesterol. The medical team notes the clinical signs: alert and responsive, but expressing pain. What to do?
Complicating matters, her heart rate is low.
From an adjacent monitoring room, an instructor observes the scene through one-way glass but makes no move to help. The nurses, actually students, are on their own. The scene isn't playing out at St. Luke's or Lehigh Valley Hospital, but in a nursing simulator on the campus of Northampton Community College.
And Maria Gonzales is really in no danger. This "46 year-old wife and mother of two" is a mannequin.
This mannequin, however, is a smart dummy. "Maria Gonzales," one of six mannequins recently purchased by NCC at a cost of $75,000, has a full personal profile and medical history available to the students online. Instructor Marie Everhart in this class provided Maria's voice by speaking into a microphone from the observation room, where she also can alter the mannequin's health status.
Maria also has speakers in her ears and a camera installed in her head. This allows the instructors to video the exercise and then debrief the students afterward, said Mary Jean Osborne, program director for the nursing lab.
Gonzales is equipped to simulate 30 scenarios, such as pancreatic inflammation, sickle cell anemia, fractures and allergic reactions to blood transfusions. Instructors can alter the sex of each smart dummy to practice gender-specific exercises.
The technology, which began in the aviation industry with dummy test pilots measuring G-force, goes back about a decade in nursing applications. Neighboring centers of learning such as Lehigh Valley Health Network have been using simulators for some time, but they are new to NCC.
Using a high-tech mannequin "allows us to standardize experiences we'd like each student to have so they have an opportunity to practice what their responses should be," said Mali Bartges, director of nursing practice at the college.
"And to use their reasoning skills — what should I do first?"
As the exercise continues, Maria says she is in extreme pain and her oxygen levels drop.
Everhart leans into the microphone again and coughs for Maria. She presses another button, and Gonzales begins to blink.
"They better call for help," Everhart says.
Ultimately the students do, and the exercise reaches its conclusion. Afterward, the students realize that a rapid response team should have been summoned once the patient's heart rate dropped.
Worrying about administering pain medication, they agreed, is secondary.
There's an obvious benefit to using mannequins for learning.
"When you're using a mannequin you never have to worry about anyone dying or getting hurt," said Joan Yankalunas, education specialist for the Division of Education at Lehigh Valley Health Network.
"You can't do CPR on a live person, but you can certainly do that on a mannequin," she said. "So in those situations, getting the practice helps the student know how they're going to react and what they need to do in an emergency situation. And it's a safe way to learn it."
Student Jennifer Lamont, one of Gonzales' nurses, said the exercise with the mannequin provided a valuable learning experience.
"We are the nurses," she said. "Their lives are in our hands."
Topics: mannequin, nursing student, technology, nurse
Nurses gain experience from the Benefis Native internship program
Mon, Dec 10, 2012 @ 03:20 PM
Story from Great Falls Tribune
Under the direction of Benefis Health System’s Native American Programs, the Montana American Indian Nurse Internship is an 11-month program designed for new or recent American Indian registered nurse graduates with no acute-care hospital experience. The program is guided by experienced nurse preceptors who provide life-long lessons to these new graduates to ensure the quality of knowledge within the nursing profession will remain strong for years to come.
“Nurses have a responsibility to advance their abilities and knowledge to be able to provide care that is increasingly complex,” said Jan Leishman-Donahue, MSN, RN, CNM, and Benefis MAINI Project Director. “Through the MAINI program, preceptors share their skills with new nurses so that they are better equipped to provide quality patient care.”
Internships with the Benefis MAINI program afford nurses additional tools to prepare for positions in a Montana Reservation Indian Health Service hospital in-patient setting.
Trisha Croff, RN, ASN, is a graduate of the Benefis program. Croff is now using her skills to care for patients on the inpatient ward of the Blackfeet Community Hospital.
“I chose to participate in the MAINI program because I saw it as an opportunity to gain a wide variety of experience as a new grad,” said Croff. “The program prepared me to take care of a variety of patients with varying diagnoses. I gained excellent skills in time management, prioritization, communication, and most importantly, patient care.”
Working in a large hospital such as Benefis provides many clinical care opportunities, time with experienced staff, and a strong support system.
“My experience at Benefis was priceless,” said Croff. “I could not have asked for a better start to my career in nursing.”
Benefis was awarded a three year grant in 2010 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, which partly funds the MAINI program. The Benefis program was one of 31 grants nationwide that were funded by the HRSA that year. So far, three American Indian nurses have graduated from the Benefis program to date. In addition to Croff, Alexis Dustyhorn and Tina Red Star Hendricks graduated from the program.
“For the nurses, the MAINI program aims to improve job satisfaction, decrease orientation time and have a direct impact on how well they will practice at Montana IHS hospitals,” said Leishman-Donahue. “We want to ensure that these nurses can return to their communities and perform with confidence the best possible care for their patients.”
For more information about the MAINI program, call 731-8264 or log on to www.benefis.org and click on the Employment heading.
Topics: nurse, American Indian, internship, Montana
Registered nurses can earn bachelor’s degree in nursing online through UTB-TSC program
Wed, Dec 05, 2012 @ 03:20 PM
When Delia Jasso began her first class in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program in spring 2012 at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, she gained a vision of a better, healthier future for her family, her patients and herself.
Jasso, 39, is a registered nurse who took classes online from her home in Donna. She will graduate with a 4.0 grade point average and receive her bachelor’s degree in nursing on Dec. 15 at the university’s 2012 Winter Commencement on the Cardenas South Hall Lawn.
“In a lot of places, they won’t hire you if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree,” Jasso said. “This program has given me the skills to be an effective leader in any future nursing position I apply for. I believe my quality of life has drastically improved not only for me but for my family and patients as well.”
The RN-BSN Program provides registered nurses the opportunity to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing by taking courses online. The deadline to apply for the program for the spring semester is Dec. 9.
“Being in the program taught me a lot about my potential for leadership as a nurse,” she said. “It’s taught me how to be an informal as well as a formal leader in my working environment.”
Jasso wants to set an example for her six siblings that a good education is vital for a better quality of life.
“I come from a very poor, migrant family,” she said. “I had to work in the fields since I was 11. When I turned 18, I promised myself I would never go back there; I would never give up. I’m pushing my brothers and sisters so hard to educate themselves. You have to get off your feet, educate yourself and improve your life. That’s what I’m doing.”
Jasso worked for 14 years as a surgical technician under Dr. Leonard Tesoro at his otolaryngology clinic in McAllen. During that period her employer saw her potential as a healthcare professional and consistently urged her to continue her education.
“Dr. Tesoro pushed me to go back to school; he gave me many opportunities to go back to school and keep my job,” said Jasso. “I’ve always been the sort of person to help those in medical need, and working with him as a surgical tech made me realize I could do much more as a nurse.”
Jasso received her nursing certification in 2010 and after working for a year she enrolled at UTB and TSC.
“We go into the nursing profession because we’re caring individuals,” said Jasso. “We need to take care of our population and promote help. Before the BSN program, I never thought about what my community needs, but now I’ve realized the ways I can help these vulnerable areas with little innovations such as teaching in our communities.”
Jasso plans to continue her education after she graduates because she said she feels that nurses have a responsibility to be as well educated as possible.
For more information about the RN-BSN online program, contact Lourdes Requena at (956) 882-5070 to schedule an appointment.
Topics: RN, nurse, bachelor degree, online
The American Nurse Project - 60 second trailer
Tue, Dec 04, 2012 @ 09:26 AM
The American Nurse Project-- 60 second trailer from American Nurse Project on Vimeo.
This is a videon trailer you will want to see.
Nursing Boom Gives Lake Students a Lift
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 @ 03:36 PM
THERESA CAMPBELL | Staff Writer
theresacampbell@dailycommercial.com
Dr. Margaret Wacker, director of nursing at Lake-Sumter State College, is not surprised 75,587 qualified, top applicants were turned away across the country in 2011 because many colleges are plagued with budget challenges and lack sufficient faculty to teach nursing students.
This comes at a critical time when the demand for registered nurses far outweighs the supply. In some larger Florida markets, like the Tampa Bay area, it's not uncommon to see health care facilities offering signing bonuses of $1,500 or more just to get applicants through the front door.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for nurses will intensify in 2020 with 1.2 million nursing job openings, but will there be enough nurses to fill the slots? The question more pressing to Wacker is who will teach the aspiring nurses?
"Most people do not know the average age of a nursing faculty member is 56 in the United States and, if we can't handle a lot of qualified applicants now, within the next five or six years, with retirement, it's going to be much worse," Wacker said. "Absolutely, I'm concerned about it."
LSSC has 14 full-time and 12 adjunct part-time clinical instructors, along with three staff members, one researcher and a technical assistant.
"Our faculty, with the exception of one, they're over 50, all of them," said Wacker, who noted she is "way over retirement age" and has no idea when she will step down.
"What's going to happen in six years? There is going to be nobody to teach," she said.
Wacker said low salaries are keeping experienced BSN level nurses from becoming teachers.
"If a staff nurse is making twice what a faculty member makes, there is no incentive for them to then spend a lot of money to get a master's degree," Wacker said. "Any one of us (faculty) could be making two to three times our salary if we were in a clinical setting."
Wacker said surveys from LSSC nursing students show they are averaging $44,000 when they graduate with an associate degree, while the college's nursing faculty with a master's degree start at $40,000.
The nursing educators are currently teaching 72 applicants who were accepted out of 115 in LSSC's general nursing program. The selected students had top GPAs of 3.5 and higher, while 24 more advanced nursing students out of 28 applicants qualified for the concurrent program at LSSC, where they're being taught University of Central Florida courses at the local campus.
"They are very close to the baccalaureate when they graduate from us and then in another year they get their BSN from UCF," Wacker said. "They learn so much, but it's tough. It's very, very tough. ... We take the brightest who can make it."
Meeting hospital needsHolly Kolozsvary, RN, human resources director for Central Florida Health Alliance, the health system for Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital, along with Tina Hayes, RN, who does all of the nurse recruiting for the two hospitals, praise the nursing curriculum offered at LSSC, Lake Technical Center and other colleges and universities.
"They have great programs. I would probably say that 50 percent or more of our nursing staff is from right here," Kolozsvary said. "We're always looking for ways to bring in students for various occupations. Certainly, nursing is one of our primary areas with the largest percentage of employees being nurses."
Hayes noted the schools are "constantly seeking our advice" to improve the nursing program.
Florida Waterman said nearly 85 percent of the hospital's new graduate nurses are from Lake County, with about 50 percent from Lake-Sumter State College while the remaining from surrounding counties, south Florida and out-of-state.
"Several of the graduate nurses we have hired over the past 18 months have been employees who worked in a variety of positions at Florida Hospital Waterman while attending nursing school," said Patricia Dolan, RN, vice president/chief nursing officer.
"We make every attempt to be flexible with their work schedules while they are attending school," she said. "Through the nursing scholarship program and tuition assistance we have been able to advance and promote our employees. Retention is the key to developing a stable workforce."
The hospitals work closely with LSSC and Lake Tech to provide a clinical site for nursing students to gain experience as they complete their studies. Nursing leaders from the hospitals also sit on advisory boards to promote nursing within the community.
"Since the fall of 2011, FHW has provided an extended nurse internship program to 90 graduates from central Florida and other states," Dolan said.
"This program consists of a 12-week extension of an orientation program that includes didactic classes to establish comfort with assessment and critical thinking skills with the use of SimMan laboratory, and a mentoring program where more experienced nurses' nurture new nurses to help them develop their skills. The nursing internship program is our attempt to "grow our own.'"
The medical field also requires nurses to constantly continue their education to keep up with new procedures, technologies and medical advances. Obamacare also is spurring the way nurses do their jobs.
"The charting has changed," Hayes said. "We are going more computerized; we are adding new systems. Eventually, it will make it easier, but right now it's just a big learning curve for everyone."
"We have to be very smart and work smarter not harder," added Kolozsvary. "All industry is like this. On a daily basis we need to do more with less and be very, very smart and be challenged and positive. We take care of people and it's not like we can cop an attitude ... The patient deserves the best when we are in that room. They do not deserve to hear any grumbling about what is going on. They need to be taken care of, so that's a challenge to teach people that attitude has to stay outside. We are here to take care of patients. That's our mission and this is the community that we serve."
Good job market
Lake and Sumter County is touted as an ideal place for nurses to work as more people move to Florida to retire. The boom of The Villages also spurs the demand for the registered nursing workforce.
"We are in a good market," Kolozsvary said. "We have had graduate nurses and new nurses from a lot of other states who apply to us, along with a lot of other counties in Florida. ... We are very marketable with our pay scales and certainly our benefits are extremely lucrative."
Hayes said it sparks applications when nurses hear about Central Florida Health Alliance's hospitals being on the top "100 Best Employers for Working Families," and being the recipient of other employee honors.
"We have a daycare on site here at Leesburg and we have the charter schools at the other hospital," Hayes said of The Villages. "We are one of the few hospitals that are still growing."
Other hospitals across the country are not faring as well"There are hospitals that are closing down right now and we are still adding beds," Kolozsvary said. "We are very fortunate to sit in Central Florida right in the middle of the state where we still have growth."
The growth is happening as the area strives to rebound from the 2007 recession.
Florida Hospital Waterman officials noted a Florida Center for Nursing 2011 survey shows Florida's unemployment rate has consistently been higher than the national unemployment rate since January 2008. However, employment in Florida's healthcare sector has remained a shining point in these tough economic times. RN employment has increased during the recession.
The number of full-time equivalent RNs employed in hospitals has increased every year since the recession began in 2007 (with the exception of 2009), according to the publication Medical. Nationally, in 2009 and 2010, RNs over age 50 comprised approximately 30 percent of the hospital workforce.
The Florida Hospital Association said current nursing employment is being driven by several factors: Nurses who are delaying retirement, nurses who had previously left the workforce returning to work, and part-time nurses who are working more hours.
Older nurses will eventually leave the workforce and need to be replaced, yet some officials believe it will remain a slow, steady workforce transformation until the economy improves and the overall unemployment rate declines.
Wacker said Lake-Sumter State College is noticing the slow transformation.
"Because of the economy, people are staying longer and they are not retiring," Wacker said. "So our new graduates, and I just looked at a survey, some of them can't get jobs and they are going into other things. So it's a bad situation at three levels: Qualified applicants are being refused admission because we can only take the best and the brightest and who can make it; the faculty aging issue and nobody going into education; and then we the economic issue of the hospitals having to limit new hires because they don't have the attrition rates they would normally have for retirement."
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the registered nursing workforce will remain the "top occupation" in terms of job growth through 2020 across the country, with the number of employed nurses rising from 2.74 million in 2010 to 3.45 million in 2020. In addition to 712,000 new job openings, the department predicted 495,000 replacement hirings, bringing the total number of nursing job openings to 1.2 million in the next seven years.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing said nursing school enrollment is not growing fast enough to meet the projected demand for registered nurses, given that 75,587 qualified applicants were turned away from U.S. nursing schools in 2011 because of an insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space and budget challenges.
Wacker believes residents can make a difference on the future of nursing education.
"I think it's important if they write to their legislators to see if more money can become available for BSN level nurses to get master's degrees in education to be able to teach, because that is the minimum requirement," said Wacker, who believes there needs to be an incentive for experienced BSN nurses to return to school to become teachers to teach future generations of aspiring nurses.
Topics: growth, nursing boom, applicants, nurse, college
How a Nurse Can Increase Salary
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 @ 03:28 PM
Article from Jackson University
In economically challenging times, many nurses are looking for ways to boost salary and increase the versatility of their valuable skill set. Keeping skills current is a mandatory part of nursing but even with superior skills there is intense competition for top jobs.
Broadening your résumé with additional credentials can make you attractive to employers who want a versatile staff able to fill in where needed. As a result, nurses are finding creative ways to gain experience that makes their skills more attractive and, at the same time, opens the door to increased salary.
Boost Credentials
Many highly ranked and regionally accredited online programs provide a win-win situation for nurses, allowing them to bolster their résumé while remaining with their current employer.
Completing a BSN or MSN can increase employment flexibility and earning potential. Opportunities also exist for nurses who undertake additional training in specialty areas such as: Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP).
Consider the Whole Package
The versatility of nursing is a great selling point for those who enter the field. Qualified nurses with a reputable education and strong experience may find themselves comparing more than one employment offer at some point in their career.
Carefully examining benefit packages at prospective employers will help you choose the best fit for your needs. Better health insurance coverage, comprehensive tuition assistance packages and top-notch retirement plans have long-term financial advantages that can augment a salary offer.
The ability to adjust a compensation package as your needs change over the course of your professional career is also an important factor to consider.
When looking to increase salary, you may be overlooking options at your current employer. For instance, many employers offer a wide range of training and ongoing educational opportunities. There might be in-house technology or software training available that could bring extra income over time. Flex time while taking courses or tuition assistance for online and traditional courses is a common benefit in healthcare settings.
It is often more economical for an employer to invest in current employees than to hire someone new. Meet with a supervisor or HR professional to determine which advancement opportunities are available.
Be Creative
If you need extra money consider working night, weekend and holiday shifts. Becoming a traveling nurse where need is great also may boost your salary. If you prefer to stay close to home, many nursing training programs hire tutors or maintain a list of tutors for students who need extra help.
Some community organizations need health speakers and may pay for your services; community event organizers also often need to hire a nurse to work at a first aid station during a foot race or other special event.
In recent years, some health plans have begun offering work to nurses willing to field online questions, return phone calls or offer intermittent services to outpatients and those recovering from surgery.
In short, there is often a diversity of part-time opportunities available for making extra money once you take the time to start looking.
Taking a Holistic Approach
Nursing remains a great investment of tuition dollars even in a tough economy. Many top-notch, online nursing programs offer the versatility needed for busy nurses to boost their résumé and earning power.
Solid increases in salary typically coincide with securing additional skills and credentials that make you more valuable in the marketplace. For nurses, a holistic approach and a little creativity can often reveal short- and long-term ways to gain training and boost income potential for years to come.
4 nurse communication startups to improve patient outcomes
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 @ 03:23 PM
October 9, 2012 4:12 pm by Stephanie Baum
Communication is a critical component of healthcare, particularly when you consider the potential for miscommunication in a hectic environment when a delay or misunderstanding can cause needless complications for patients with the potential for catastrophic results. About 70 percent of sentinel events in a healthcare setting are caused by communication lapses.
With nurses taking on more responsibility, theneed for finding ways to improve communication is likely to increase. Here are fourhealth IT and communicationstartupsthat are developing and providing devices to improve patient outcomes.
Voalte: After raising $ 6 million in a series B round, Sarasota, Florida-basedVolate is adding 100 jobs to its 50-strong ranks. The communications firm works with companies to modernize their outdated communications systemas its platform for iPhones and iPadsand desk based computers relies on the providers’ Wi-Fi system. The platform integrates phone calls, alarms and alerts. It shows users which clinical care team members are available. The clinical care team platformhelps nurses delegate by showing which staff are available at any given time. If a patient needs the bathroom orif they trigger an alert a nurse can delegate that task and eithertype their own message orchoose froma list of frequently sent requests. Thesystem also confirms when a messagehas been read.
Carex: The Indianapolis startup’s cloud based platform, Handoffsfor Extended/Assisted Living, has honed in on an area vulnerable for communication errors: shift changes. It pulls basic information about each patient from the facility’s electronic medical records toa computer or iPad. Nurses can carry the iPad and use the program to make notes about patients during their shift. When they are ending their shift, nurses digitally hand over the patients to the incoming nurses, who are prompted to accept them when nurses log in to HEAL and begin their shift.Once the new nursesaccept the patient load, thedepartingnurses are notified by text message. The incoming nurses get access to any notes made about that patient by the previous nurses, with the most recently edited patient records appearing at the top of the screen.
Gweepi Medical:Its adult diaper sensor for healthcare providers such as nursing homes can help track incontinence. The Cambridge, Massachusetts health tech company uses a wireless sensor and software system and when it is wet it sends an alert to nursing staff. It alsokeeps track of the time and severity of each episode, providing the opportunity for a more personalized care plan with the additional data.
Starling Health: The New York City company’s two-way communication devices are positioned at the bedside so patients can contact nurses when they need to get out of the bed for medication or a bathroom visit. One goal of the system is to improve staff efficiency in carrying out these tasks. There are also touchscreen icons for patients who aren’t as computer savvy. Calls can be routed to different staff members, depending on the type of call, in order to dispatch the most suitable level of care. And it’s multilingual.
Topics: communication startups, nurse, patient, improve
5 Strategies to Help Cope with Compassion Fatigue
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 @ 02:19 PM
“I get so attached to my patients that I just can’t get them out of my head when I go home.”
“Every week I find myself getting distraught over a new favorite patient who isn’t doing well.”
Is this you? As a nurse, you witness the fear, pain and suffering of others every day. But when you get too immersed in the lives and trials of your patients, you can become a victim of “compassion fatigue.” Compassion fatigue is also thought of as “secondary post-traumatic stress.” And once it sets in, you can lose mental energy and get burned out.
How do you know if you’re suffering from compassion fatigue?
• Mistakes go up and job performance goes down.
• You can’t stop thinking about your job or the problems of your patients.
• You have trouble sleeping.
• You have a general feeling of weariness.
• You don’t feel like doing anything—you feel blah.
• You feel less satisfied, less energetic and less efficient.
If you’re unsure whether you suffer from compassion fatigue, it’s time to become more self-aware. Watch how you are reacting to your patients and colleagues…and how they are reacting to you. Are you more sensitive than usual? Are your colleagues getting frustrated with you? Are your patients becoming too clingy? Too familiar? When you recognize how others perceive you and the affect you have on others, you can identify the above symptoms of burnout early.
Use these strategies to cope with job stress and to combat compassion fatigue:
• Exercise. You may feel like you just don’t have time to exercise. The physical and mental benefits of exercise will make you more productive and are worth every minute. [Editor's note: Scrubs Magazine has a great series of articles for quick workouts you can do while on the job].
• Maintain a personal life, even if you don’t feel like it. When you’re stressed, you may tend to eliminate the very things that will revitalize you—like family dinners, eating lunch out, prayer, meditation, or time with friends. Spend time with supportive people.
• Have a sense of humor. People in stressful jobs, such as psychiatric nurses, may often have a wicked sense of humor—but it’s still a sense of humor. When people who work with them recognize they’re joking around less often, it’s a sign that it’s time for a break.
• Set limits between work and home activities. Easier said than done, I know. Don’t play nurse or therapist in personal relationships.
• Broaden your network. Get involved in professional or social organizations where like-minded people meet and discuss events and mutual problems.
Editor’s note: Some of the symptoms that included in this article could be indicators for depression. Please see a mental health professional if you believe you are clinically depressed. Also, it’s okay to show emotion and share it with families and patients, but try your hardest to not get attached to patients too frequently. Sure, there will always be that special patient that touches your heart, but if you’re suffering from compassion fatigue, it is time to reevaluate your role as a professional in these particular peoples’ lives for your own sanity.
Additional resources to download:
Topics: compassion fatigue, nurse, patient