Healthy nurses find meaning and joy in their work. However, a joyful workplace is not a given for all healthcare providers (Kupperschmidt, Kientz, Ward, & Reinholz, 2010). In this post, I discuss why joy in the workplace is important for nurses and all healthcare workers. Strategies to increase joy in the
Job stress, or occupational stress, is a major contributor to disease and injury among healthcare providers (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2008; Farmilo, 2014; Jacksonville University, n.d.; The Joint Commission [TJC], 2011). In this post, I’ll identify sources of job stress for nurses and look at ways organizations and nurses
This month is all about personal health and wellness topics. A healthy work environment is an, often overlooked, part of the quest to be a healthy nurse. In this post, I’ll discuss the concept of a healthy work environment and introduce you to national standards that you can use to see
Nurses care for both the patient and their family members. I know you’ve advised at least one family member sitting at a patient’s bedside to get something to eat or go home and get some rest so that they could stay healthy to support their ailing loved one. A healthy nurse cares
Ever think about how much you used to read in school? As a registered nurse (RN), you’re working at caring for patients. How much time do you read now? And I mean reading scientific literature so that you can keep up with the rapid changes in medicine and in your
One main difference between research-based practice and evidence-based practice (EBP) is that EBP may rely on additional forms of evidence besides research findings to answer the question-at-hand. Which evidence sources are acceptable for EBP? In this post, I’ll define evidence, explain the types of evidence sources that are used in
Evidence-based practice (EBP) and nursing research are intertwined. Research knowledge is important to EBP because EBP is predicated on research concepts. In EBP, we are trying to choose the best evidence, integrated with our clinical expertise and patient preferences, to provide the best care for our patients that we can. But
It’s not too hard to come up with questions about our clinical or professional practice if you put your mind to it; many come from our day-to-day observations. In fact, asking questions is a minimal expectation of a nurse, regardless of nursing degree. For undergraduate or graduate nursing students, a course
You’ve survived your senior year in Nursing School and graduated with your degree – Congratulations! You may have already secured your first nursing position, or you are in still in the hunt. Either way, the tips in this post will help you establish yourself as a registered nurse in your
This blog theme contains career advice about the things you need to do to transition from student to professional nurse. In this blog post, I’ll share six tips to help you get to the top of the applicant pool by standing out in your nursing job interview. This series of