DiversityNursing Blog

Choosing the right Nursing specialty can be a challenging decision, as there are many areas of Nursing to consider. Here are some steps that can help you choose the right specialty:

Assess your interests

Think about the areas of Nursing that interest you the most. Do you enjoy working with children or adults? Do you like working in a fast-paced environment or a more relaxed one? Do you prefer working in a clinical setting or a community-based one? Weighing your choices based on your interests and personality traits will help you narrow down your options.

Research Nursing Specialties

Once you have identified your interests, research the specialties that align best with them. Look for information about the scope of practice, work environment, patient population, salary, and required education and certification. You can also talk to other Nurses who work in these specialties to get a better understanding of what it's really like to work in these areas. 

Johnson and Johnson offers A Nursing Specialty Quiz to help guide you in learning more about specific specialties that fit what you're looking for.

Consider Your Strengths

Think about your strengths as a Nurse. Do you excel at critical thinking and problem-solving? Are you skilled at patient education and counseling? Do you have strong leadership skills? Are you able to work well under pressure? Looking at the areas you excel in will help you pick a specialty that suits you.

Think About Career Goals

Consider your long-term career goals and how a particular Nursing specialty can help you achieve them. Do you want to advance into a leadership role? Do you want to work in a specific healthcare setting or with a particular patient population? Understanding your career goals can help you better choose a specialty that aligns with them.

“One of the best things about being a Nurse is your career can change and flex as you grow,” says Ashleigh Woods, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing at Berry College. “Nursing is versatile. Unlike other professions, as a Nurse, you can specialize in ICU medicine, but then after a few years, you can become a specialist in another area.”

Gain Experience

Once you have narrowed down your options, try to gain experience in different areas through clinical rotations or job shadowing. Some Nursing schools offer part-time work for interested students which would allow you to make money and gain experience. Hands on experience can help you get a better sense of what it's like to work in these areas and make an informed decision about which specialty is right for you.

Ultimately, choosing the right specialty is a personal decision that depends on your interests, strengths, career goals, and experience. Take the time to explore your options and gather information before making a decision, and don't be afraid to seek guidance from experienced Nurses and healthcare professionals.

Emergencies can happen anywhere and patients need to be transported to facilities via ambulance or flight. This is when Critical Care Transport Nurses (CCTNs) are needed.  

These Nurses travel with patients on the ground or in the air, providing dire medical care until they reach their destination. It is fast paced work often in smaller, more confined areas with limited equipment and tools.

“Critical care transport encompasses any type of critical care patient who needs to be moved from one facility to another to a higher level of care,” says Wanda Keaton, MHA, BSN, RN, CCRN, CFRN, Nurse Manager of Critical Care Transport at Cleveland Clinic. “We can transport these patients by ground in a mobile ICU, in a helicopter or in an airplane.”

The motto of the Cleveland Clinic critical care transport teams is “no patient too sick, no patient too far.”

CCTNs can work in a variety of settings such as:

• Government agencies
• Hospitals
• Independent transport companies 
• International medical organizations
• Long-term care facilities

The majority of their time is spent in:

• Ambulances
• Airplanes 
• Helicopters
• Ships specially outfitted for critical care transport

"Is it stressful and scary? Yes! Do I love every minute of it? Absolutely!" -- Alice Benjamin, APRN, MSN, ACNS-BC, FNP

Successful CCTNs should posses a range of skills such as:

• Advanced Nursing knowledge
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to deal with stress and keep calm
• Confidence in your knowledge, training, and abilities
• Physical endurance
• Ability to adapt to changing circumstances
  
  

How to become a Critical Care Transport Nurse:

• Earn an Associate degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree

• Pass the NCLEX exam to receive RN licensure

• Earn your advanced life support certification

• Gain experience in Emergency, Med-Surg, or Critical Care Nursing

• Consider becoming certified 

Nursing Certifications to consider:

• BLS – Basic Life Support
• ACLS – Advanced Cardiac Life Support
• CFRN – Certified Flight Registered Nurse
• TPATC – Transport Professional Advanced Trauma Course
  
  

The average Critical Care Transport Nurse salary in the United States is $91,700, according to Salary.com. 

“All of our Nurses feel like they learn something new every day,” says Keaton. “There’s never a dull day for a Critical Care Transport Nurse.”

To learn more about this field, visit Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association

The Gallup polls are in and for more than two decades, Nurses have achieved the highest ethics rating from Americans.

According to the findings, the 79% of U.S. adults who now say Nurses have “very high” or “high” honesty and ethical standards is far more than any of the other 17 professions rated.

Nurses have topped the list every year except one since they were added to the annual ratings in 1999. That was in 2001, when firefighters earned a record-high 90% rating in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"Nurses have earned the trust of the American people by putting patient safety above all else," said Katie Murphy, a practicing ICU Nurse, and President of the Massachusetts Nurses Association. "The public has seen Nurses give everything to their patients during the COVID-19 pandemic while fiercely advocating for improvements to care quality and access."

Nurses, medical doctors and pharmacists remain the most ethically revered professions of those measured by Gallup.

Professions to earn the lowest ethics ratings were Car salespeople, members of Congress and telemarketers. 

Thinking about changing careers? At any stage in life, Nursing is a great choice because Nurses are always in demand. It's a challenging, but rewarding field and previous education can help you become a Nurse faster.

"I'm a second career Nurse. What's wonderful about Nursing, is that it's very accessible after you've already been to school or college for another type of degree," Telemetry Nurse, Victoria told Johnson and Johnson. 

If you already have a Bachelor’s degree in any field, an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program is the quickest route. It usually takes less than 2 years. If you don't have a prior Bachelor’s degree, you can become a Registered Nurse (RN) with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or you can enter the workforce even quicker by becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). 

After you earn your Nursing degree, you’ll be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), which is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).

There are two of the NCLEX exam: The NCLEX-RN is a computerized exam required by all state boards of Nursing to qualify for an RN license. The NCLEX-PN is required to practice as an LPN.

After you pass the NCLEX, you must apply to your state board of Nursing for a license to practice.

If you're asking yourself, "Am I too old to become a Nurse?" The answer is no, it's never too late to join  the Nursing workforce. According to the NCSBN, the median age of working Registered Nurses is 52 years old. 

It's also important to remember this point by Indeed, your career length doesn't reduce the impact you may bring to the unit once you work as a Nurse. Your contribution makes a huge difference regardless of how long you can be active in the field.

"If you are a baby boomer or Gen X, there’s a place in Nursing for you. Your past work experience, dedication and passion are all needed resources within the healthcare arena. As Uncle Sam once said, “We Want You!," wrote Judy McDaniel, RN, MSN in a Nurse.com article.

According to The Department of Labor, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that more than 275,000 additional Nurses are needed from 2020 to 2030, and that employment opportunities for Nurses will grow at 9%, faster than all other occupations from 2016 through 2026.

This high demand is due to a variety of factors such as an increase in chronic conditions, an aging population and a stronger emphasis on preventative care.

Commitment, Conscience, Competence, Compassion, and Confidence

Learning and adapting these concepts will allow you to provide better care and will improve the relationships you have with your patients as well as co-workers.

If you're interested in learning more about different Nursing Specialties, Click Here! 

Many people look forward to the holidays, however it can be a stressful time for Nurses working through the holiday season and missing festivities. Here are several tips to help make working through the holidays a little brighter.

Holiday Feast

Take time during a shift to fuel up with some yummy foods. Have everyone bring in their favorite meal or side dish, holiday treat, or order some take out. 

Work Fun

Organize a secret Santa with your unit or you may also consider planning a holiday party outside of your work setting. It’s nice to take the time out to blow off steam and enjoy your co-workers’ company. 

Decorate

With permission from your manager, decorate your work station, the hallways or even yourself with some holiday swag. Hang up paper pumpkins and turkeys. String twinkle lights and set up a holiday tree. Just be sure to be sensitive and inclusive of everyone’s holidays, not just your own. 

Celebrate On A Different Day

If you can't celebrate a holiday on the actual date, pick another day that works for your family or friends. Being with the people you love is what's important, no matter the date. 

Spread Holiday Cheer

This season is all about giving and as you know, giving makes you feel good. Try giving small gifts like scented hand sanitizers, cards, or decorative trinkets to your coworkers. Brighten patient's day with a note, little ornament, or holiday craft. 

Stay Connected

Make the most of your breaks during your shift. If able, FaceTime or Zoom with friends and family, follow their posts on social media, or ask someone to share videos of the holiday gatherings with you. Utilize available technology to stay as connected as possible. 

Silver Lining

Focus on the bright side, there may be benefits to working a holiday shift, such as extra pay or the next holiday off. You may also, hopefully, get to enjoy a slower work pace or less traffic during your commute.

Remember You're Important

Healthcare will always be 24/7 and someone must be there to care for patients. You're saving and changing lives by showing up to work. During the holidays that care can mean the world to a patient especially if their family or friends aren't able to visit or stay long. What you do as a Nurse is so important, don't you forget it! 

What is Nursing Ethics?

Ethics in Nursing helps Nurses maintain professional accountability and navigate the complexities of the Nursing profession. Ethics are the moral principles by which people should carry themselves. Ethics is one of the most critical concepts in Nursing as it dictates our role as caregivers.

The Nursing code of ethics consists of 4 main principles. These principles are used to guide Nurses in delivering quality Nursing care while also fulfilling the ethical obligations expected within the profession. The principles include autonomy, beneficence, justice, and non-maleficence.

Four Main Principals of Nursing Ethics  

Autonomy in Nursing refers to the right each patient has to make decisions based on their personal beliefs or values. As Nurses, we are responsible for educating patients on care measures and allowing them to accept or refuse medical interventions.  We must respect the choices of our patients and adapt our care to what best suits their wants. An example of autonomy in Nursing is educating a patient about the side effects of medication and allowing the patient to accept or decline taking it.  

Beneficence is the principle that every action performed by the Nurse should be to promote good. This means that every task a Nurse completes during her shift should be done for the sole benefit of the patient. Simple things we do in Nursing, like holding the hand of a dying patient or taking a patient outside to get fresh air, are considered beneficence.

Justice in the Nursing code of ethics means that patients have the right to impartial treatment. We do not judge our patients in the Nursing profession. Patients must be respected and treated equally regardless of their financial or insurance status, gender, age, or ethnicity. Justice in Nursing is treating all our patients equally and ensuring they receive the best possible care regardless of their situation.

Nonmaleficence is closely related to beneficence but is a different concept altogether. Nonmaleficence means that a Nurse should do no harm to the patient. This principal guides Nurses to maintain their obligation to protect their patients. Nurses should always prevent bad outcomes for their patients whenever possible by removing them from any harm. An example of nonmaleficence in Nursing is preventing medication errors by ensuring the “7 rights” of medication administration are correct or by applying a bed alarm to a patient's bed with dementia to prevent falls.

What are Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing?

The 4 main principles of Nursing ethics prepare us to deal with the ethical dilemmas we encounter while caring for our patients. Ethical dilemmas in Nursing create a conflict between 2 courses of action.  

The competing courses of action are both correct but can create different consequences that must be considered. Ethical dilemmas are important to recognize because, as Nurses, we cannot interject our personal beliefs into the ethical dilemmas at hand. Examples of ethical dilemmas can include:  

• Protecting the privacy of an adolescent
• A parent refusing to vaccinate their child
• End of life decision making
• Informed consent
• Pro-life vs. prochoice
  
  

Becoming an Ethical Nurse

Nursing is consistently regarded as one of the most trusted professions. Nursing ethics are essential to know and understand as it helps guide our everyday Nursing practice. Nurses are thoroughly prepared to deal with the ethical situations they encounter through many years of education and training.

Nurses can continue to learn how to conduct themselves ethically and how to deal with ethical issues through continued work experiences. Every patient interaction can teach us something new about ethical dilemmas and how we can best handle them in the workplace.

Across the entire patient experience, Nurses have a hand in almost every aspect of the patient's healthcare journey. Nurses are compassionate, and dedicated, and work tirelessly to meet the needs of their patients. Because Nurses are at the forefront of every patient interaction, there are many things that we wish our patients knew and understood about how we work and handle our everyday tasks.  

Every Patient is a Priority, but You May Have to Wait 

Nursing is a busy and fast-paced profession. Our days are jam-packed with patient care tasks, documentation, and care coordination. More often than not, it can be challenging to find time to eat, drink water, or even use the bathroom during our shifts. We hate having to make our patients wait for things they may want or need, but sometimes we wish our patients understood that we take great consideration in prioritizing our patient's needs. So, if you are asked to wait or have been waiting for something longer than you think you should have, please understand that your Nurse may have a more pressing matter to attend to, and every patient deserves our complete attention. 

Nurses are People Too 

Nurses often sacrifice their personal needs to care for their patients. As mentioned earlier, we often forgo meals and bathroom breaks to ensure we can complete all our tasks and care for your needs. Nursing can often be a thankless job. Nurses understand that you want the best quality care, and we strive to provide that to every one of our patients. Patience, understanding, and respect are all that we ask for in return. 

We Care More Than You Think We Do 

Nurses are multitaskers. At any given time, we can be juggling more tasks than you may even realize. Sometimes Nurses may come off as flustered or in a hurry, but that does not mean we do not value your wants or needs. Nurses stay late and come in on their days off to ensure their patients receive excellent care. We even think about you long after we've met because you have touched our lives. Patients are what make the Nursing profession so rewarding. We do what we do for you. 

We May Not Know Everything

We encourage our patients to ask questions, but that does not mean we have all the answers. Sometimes we may need to find the answer for you by speaking to a Doctor or collaborating with other Nurses. This does not mean we do not know what we are doing. It simply means that every patient has a different healthcare journey, and often situations arise that we may not have experience with. Our top priority is that you receive the best quality care, so if you ask a question and we do not know the answer, please rest assured that we will do everything within our power to get you the information you are looking for. 

We Do Not Judge  

Nurses do not do their jobs to judge our patients. Please always be honest when answering questions or providing your health history. Withholding information because you may be embarrassed or may not think it relevant can significantly impact the care we can provide. We care about you and want to ensure that you are cared for in the best possible way. Nurses are also prepared to take care of all your personal needs. We do not mind doing ‘gross’ or ‘embarrassing’ tasks. You do not have to say sorry for natural bodily functions. We understand and are ok with it, I promise!

The Nursing profession is a delicate blend of knowledge, compassion, and critical thinking. We strive every day to make a positive impact on the lives of our patients. A strong Nurse-patient relationship improves your healthcare experience and helps us provide you with the best quality care.

A career as a Nurse Case Manager gives you the opportunity to make a huge impact on patient's lives and develop rewarding relationships.

The Case Manager's (CM) role is centered around working with patients and their families to make sure they are provided with appropriate health care providers, resources, and services so they receive the proper care they need. 

Primary responsibilities include:

• Evaluating a patient's medical history

• Acting as a liaison between patients, health care providers, and health insurers

• Creating care plans and scheduling appointments

• Educating patients and their families on relevant health-related matters

• Keeping track of health outcomes and suggesting possible treatment changes

“Because Nurses are trained to work on interdisciplinary teams and understand how to deal with patients’ psychosocial needs, they are the perfect choice to manage their care,” says Tracy Towne, PhD, faculty member at Purdue University Global School of Nursing. “It’s a more holistic approach to care and services, and it is an incredibly valuable role when it comes to supporting those with chronic illnesses.”

You’ll also be able to choose which area you would like to specialize. According to Western Governors University, some of the most common Case Management Nursing specializations are:

• Patient specialty—focuses on a specific patient population such as the elderly (geriatrics) or children (pediatrics).
• Service specialty—focuses on a specific service area such as hospice, home healthcare, or rehabilitation.
• Duration specialty—focuses on the length of patient care such as short-term injury rehabilitation or long-term illness management.
• Disease specialty—focuses on patients suffering from a specific disease or chronic illness such as diabetes, cancer, substance abuse, or mental illness.

Choosing to become a CM is a great choice for Nurses, since it is less physically demanding, has great pay, and is in high demand. 

According to Zippia, CMs in the Nursing field are expected to rise nearly 16% over the next ten years. This increase is due to the growing elderly population as well as a rise in those with chronic illnesses. 

The estimated average salary for a RN Case Manager is $107,568 per year in the United States, according to Glassdoor.

Becoming a Nurse CM requires a Registered Nurse (RN) license. It is more common to switch to case management later on in your RN career.

This role requires experience so it is suggested you advance your career with certification programs. Certifications aren't mandatory for employment, but they can increase your pay and make you more eligible for future job opportunities.

Interested in learning more about Case Management? Check out these resources:

Case Management Society of America

National Association of Case Management

American Case Management Association

The Higher Education Case Managers Association

Being a parent and a Nurse are demanding roles and it may seem almost impossible to thrive and manage both at the same time, but it is possible! If you're a parent in the Nursing field consider these tips below. 

Parent Guilt

This feeling of missing out on important moments in your children's lives while away at work can really build up negative emotions such as anxiety and depression. 

Author and Journalist Amy Westervelt has some advice to overcoming this guilt. First, stop beating yourself up over your choices and circumstances. Instead, remember the reasons behind your choices. Every time you think to yourself, “I feel bad about __” replace that with, “I made that decision because ___” and then move forward.

 Amy mentions it's important to remember that guilt is inherently tied to empathy. Feeling guilty means you have compassion, care, and concern for those around you. 

Set Standards Early

You must show up and give it your all at work as well as at home so it's best if you set clear parameters and priorities from the start. Openly talk with Supervisors, Coworkers, and Family about what shifts and commitments you are able to attend.

It's great to help coworkers with an extra shift from time to time but work shouldn't come at the expense of your family. If it's your day off, don't check emails and voicemails, focus solely on enjoying your time with loved ones. 

Connect With Fellow Nurse Parents 

There are plenty of Nurses who have children, it's a good idea to get to know them. They can give you tons of great advice and suggestions to improve your work life balance.

These parents know exactly what you're going through and can offer empathy and support. Just being able to talk to someone who can relate is a stress reliever. 

Declutter Your Days

In a perfect world you'd attend every parent teacher meeting, do car pool, eat pizza after soccer matches, etc. but in reality you can't say yes to everything. Life can become hectic with everyone's different schedules.

So in order to stay on top of everyone's availability, creating a calendar at home and on your phone is a great way to stay organized. You can plan out meals for the week, keep track of extra curricular activities, kid's chores etc. Organization is key to a good work life balance.  

Hired Help

If you can afford to outsource help it can alleviate a lot of stress and free up time to spend with your family. For example, if trips to the grocery store are taking up too much time try getting them delivered. Overwhelmed with house cleaning? Hire someone to come and help clean for a couple hours. You find you don't have the energy to walk your dogs, local dog walkers are always available. 

Don't Forget About You

Balancing family and your career can tire you out physically and mentally. There's the old saying, "You can't pour from an empty glass." So it's important to take care of yourself. 

It's okay to ask friends and family for a helping hand in taking care of the kids so you can have some time to do things for you.

Use that calendar we mentioned above to schedule some self-care or time for the hobbies you enjoy. And if you find yourself with an open time slot, that doesn't necessarily mean you should fill it, leave some space to breathe. 

Give yourself some of the love you are constantly giving to others. You are a wonderful Parent and a terrific Nurse, so keep going - you got this! 

Nursing is a profession that requires compassion as well as expertise, making it both an art and a science. Empathy and compassion are critical characteristics of an excellent Nurse. These qualities help us to connect with patients on an individualized basis and improve patient outcomes.

Nurses must also be educated, motivated, and have a strong understanding of evidence-based practice. Nurses must find a unique balance between using their heads and hearts, as well as the balance between the art and science of Nursing to provide our patients with the highest quality care.

The Art of Nursing

Florence Nightingale was the first to coin the phrase, the Art of Nursing. She understood that Nursing is a profession in which physical tasks must be adapted into individualized patient care, making Nursing an educated art form. Empathy and compassion are at the forefront of what makes Nursing an art. Although compassion and empathy are similar concepts, they are vitally different and often confused with one another.

Empathy is the ability to feel the emotions of others. As Nurses, we care for patients when they are most vulnerable. When patients seek medical attention, they can often be fearful, sad, or even angry. To care for these patients respectfully and efficiently, Nurses must be able to empathize with patients to facilitate a strong Nurse-patient relationship to promote healing.

Compassion is the ability to feel the emotions of others while experiencing a desire to help. Nursing is a helping profession and to be an excellent Nurse, you must genuinely want to help others. The task-oriented approach to Nursing can sometimes challenge Nurses to maintain a human connection to our patient. Still, we must always strive to connect with and understand our patients to ensure they are cared for comprehensively. The emotions behind why we do the things we do is what makes Nursing an artform.

The Science of Nursing

The science of Nursing is the ‘why’ behind the tasks we carry out daily. The Nursing profession is built on evidence-based practice. Evidence-based practice collects, processes, and implements research findings into clinical practice and improves patient outcomes.

As Nurses, we strive to provide our patients with the best care possible, so we must ensure that our actions and tasks are well researched and have been shown to improve the health and safety of our patients. This is what the science of Nursing is all about, having a reason behind our actions and an understanding that our interventions improve the outcomes of patients.

Education is also at the foundation of the science of Nursing. To become a Nurse, we must complete coursework that prepares us to meet the diverse needs of our patients and become safe healthcare professionals. Nursing coursework includes detailed education on the intricacies of the human body, disease processes, health policy, and hands-on instruction to develop clinical skillsets.

The nursing curriculum has been well studied and tailored to ensure that new graduate Nurses can provide safe patient care. We know that Nursing programs are effective in producing safe healthcare workers because we have been able to research and understand what education and skills are needed to produce safe novice Nurses.

Once a Nurse has graduated from a Nursing program, they must complete continuing education courses to continue to improve their knowledge and skills. And as medicine is constantly ever-changing, Nurses can never stop learning and growing.

The Nursing Profession

Nursing is not just a career option. It is a true craft where individuals must be able to incorporate evidence-based practices into compassionate and individualized patient care. It is truly a scientific art that must be carried out precisely and efficiently for our patients to receive the highest quality and most up-to-date care.

Nursing is as much of a science as it is an art. The science of Nursing explains a Nurse’s daily work and why tasks are performed, while the art of Nursing is centered around the human connections needed to truly be an effective Nurse.

The art and science of the Nursing profession is ever evolving as we are continually developing new healthcare interventions and continuing to improve upon our human approach to healthcare.

Nursing is a delicate balance of skill, expertise, compassion, and empathy. Without each other, the Nursing profession would not be the respected profession it is today.