Advocacy is in our lane

Many nurses may think “political advocacy isn’t in my lane,” and prefer to sit out on the crucial debates now happening in their states. However, the Code of Ethics for Nurses calls nurses to “take an active role in the democratic process, including through robust civic engagement and legislative and political advocacy”

Everybody’s Work

Free CNE Opportunity: “Everybody’s Work: Healing What Hurts Us All”
Watch a powerful documentary that explores racism in nursing with honesty, courage, and hope. Participants may earn 1.25 credit hours at no cost after completing the film evaluation.

Patient fall education poster

Patient falls in the acute inpatient setting remain a common safety concern. According to 2019 Patient Safety Network data, falls occur at a rate of three to five per 1,000 bed-days; 700,000 to 1 million hospitalized patients fall each year. More than one-third result in injury. Findings of one hospital’s patient fall committee led to asking whether patients fully understood their fall prevention instructions or if they chose not to follow them despite understanding the plan.

Patient fall education poster

Patient falls in the acute inpatient setting remain a common safety concern. According to 2019 Patient Safety Network data, falls occur at a rate…

Advocacy is in our lane

Many nurses may think “political advocacy isn’t in my lane,” and prefer to sit out on the crucial debates now happening in their states.…

Everybody’s Work

Free CNE Opportunity: “Everybody’s Work: Healing What Hurts Us All” Watch a powerful documentary that explores racism in nursing with honesty, courage, and hope.…

Nurse-driven frailty screening

Home-based primary care (HBPC) involves routine and urgent primary care provided by an interprofessional team to frail vulnerable adults who would otherwise lack access due to homebound status. Despite its demonstrated success, access to HBPC remains limited. This project fostered…

Oral care and hospital-acquired pneumonia

Many consider oral care an element of grooming, not an infection control measure. However, an association exists between poor oral care and systemic disease. For example, aspiration of oropharyngeal pathogens into the lungs can lead to pneumonia. Immobile or confined…

Nursing-led M&M conferences

The implementation of nursing-led morbidity and mortality conferences (NMMCs) in our neonatal intensive care unit emerged after experiencing several adverse patient outcomes and identifying nursing knowledge gaps related to certain diagnoses. With the goal of improving the quality of nursing…

Eat, Sleep, Console

When people experience opioid use disorder in pregnancy, the fetus has prolonged exposure to the opioid. At birth, abrupt cessation of this exposure may lead to infant withdrawal symptoms, traditionally known as neonatal abstinence syndrome. However, neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome…

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From Shortages to Solutions: Supporting Nurses and Strengthening Teams

Who handles the handling?

Gastrointestinal Whole-Patient Care

Collaboration in Patient-Centered Care Planning: Navigating Oncology

Simulation: Preparing for workplace violence

Current Journal

Creating and sustaining a culture of excellence

Spontaneous pneumothorax

Reflect, renew, and reconnect

Alleviating nurse fatigue

Patient fall education poster

Patient falls in the acute inpatient setting remain a common safety concern. According to 2019 Patient Safety Network data, falls occur at…

American Nurse Enterprise News, January 2026

The American Nurses Association (ANA) reaffirmed its strong support for immunizations as essential to protecting the health of individuals, families, and communities…

Creating and sustaining a culture of excellence

Enhancing the nursing work environment requires collaboration and a commitment to excellence among all levels of the profession. This professional partnership creates…

Protecting graduate funding for nurses

More than 230,000 nurses and patients signed ANA’s petition urging the Department of Education to protect graduate nursing education and patients’ access…

Continuing Education

Oral care and hospital-acquired pneumonia

Dress for success: Wound dressing basics

Some nurses find wound dressing selection intimidating and frustrating. Businesswire estimates that more than 5,000 wound care products exist in the United States, in a myriad of shapes and sizes, each designed to address different wound characteristics and stages of…

Comprehensive nursing approach to hepatitis B and C

HBV and HCV pose significant health risks. In their chronic form, years after initial infection, both viruses can result in severe health issues, including…

ESCAPE from delirium

Falls in hospitals frequently coincide with delirium, a common yet sometimes unrecognized comorbidity among geriatric patients. Delirium is characterized by sudden, rapid cognitive impairment…

Naloxone education for nursing staff

In 2021, 4 years after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency, the Centers for…

STIs: Antibiotic resistance and treatment challenges

Since the discovery of multidrug-resistant infections, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci, concern has grown regarding antibiotic resistance among sexually transmitted infections…

Oral care and hospital-acquired pneumonia

Many consider oral care an element of grooming, not an infection control measure. However, an association exists between poor oral care and…

Dress for success: Wound dressing basics

Some nurses find wound dressing selection intimidating and frustrating. Businesswire estimates that more than 5,000 wound care products exist in the United…

Comprehensive nursing approach to hepatitis B and C

HBV and HCV pose significant health risks. In their chronic form, years after initial infection, both viruses can result in severe health…

ESCAPE from delirium

Falls in hospitals frequently coincide with delirium, a common yet sometimes unrecognized comorbidity among geriatric patients. Delirium is characterized by sudden, rapid…

Education and Career Guide

Education can be the key to professional success. Whether you’re a new or experienced nurse, returning to school to get your BSN or another advanced degree can make the difference between thriving and stagnating in your career. Tap into the articles presented in this year’s education guide for tips and thoughtful advice on nursing education. The American Nurse Education and Career Guide, provides you with facts, figures, other nurses’ experiences, and tons of other resources to help you in your journey.

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Rapid Response

Spontaneous pneumothorax

Colby Rogers*, a 19-year-old man with no significant medical history, develops sudden, sharp, left-sided chest pain while playing basketball. After 8 hours, his pain doesn’t improve with over-the-counter acetaminophen, prompting a visit to the ED.

Crohn’s disease and GI perforation

JUSTIN REYNOLDS*, a 22-year-old man, arrives at the medical–surgical unit for a diagnostic workup after reporting abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss for 3 days. Justin doesn’t drink alcohol or use tobacco products. He reports a history of Crohn’s…

Serotonin syndrome

A 54-year-old woman arrives at the ED with flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, muscle aches, and a mild fever. Her medical history includes depression, which…

Alpha-gal syndrome

A 67-year-old woman arrives at the ED in distress. She tells the ED triage nurse that about 3 hours after eating beef nachos, she…

Pericarditis

Pericarditis, an inflammation of the pericardial sac, typically occurs as a result of a viral infection. It’s most common in men between 20 and…

Malignancy-induced hypercalcemia

A 69-year-old man arrives in the ED with reports of persistent fatigue, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, excessive thirst, increased urination, and back pain for 3…

Spontaneous pneumothorax

Colby Rogers*, a 19-year-old man with no significant medical history, develops sudden, sharp, left-sided chest pain while playing basketball. After 8 hours,…

Crohn’s disease and GI perforation

JUSTIN REYNOLDS*, a 22-year-old man, arrives at the medical–surgical unit for a diagnostic workup after reporting abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and weight…

Serotonin syndrome

A 54-year-old woman arrives at the ED with flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, muscle aches, and a mild fever. Her medical history includes…

Alpha-gal syndrome

A 67-year-old woman arrives at the ED in distress. She tells the ED triage nurse that about 3 hours after eating beef…

Practice Matters

Alleviating nurse fatigue

Today's nursing workforce spans multiple generations, each with distinct needs, strengths, and challenges. Addressing generational differences as healthcare evolves remains essential for mitigating nurse fatigue and ensuring a resilient, sustainable workforce, according to a study by Sanches and colleagues.

This article is available to American Nurses Association members and ANJ subscribers only.

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Mental Health access

A culture shift from stigma to support Being a nurse is one of the most meaningful professions. Each day offers the opportunity to heal,…

Have you ever served?

Although change is inevitable, experiencing several changes simultaneously can lead to significant stress. Each year, according to the Government Accountability Office, approximately 200,000 U.S.…

Breast cancer: Personalized prevention for women

Through evidence-based education and shared decision-making, nurses play a vital role in closing knowledge gaps and empowering all patients at risk for breast cancer.…

We want you! Professional writing in nursing

Professional writing plays a vital role in nursing. By sharing clinical expertise, innovative strategies, and critical perspectives, nurse authors make meaningful contributions to both…

Geriatric urosepsis: Prevention and detection

Despite extensive research and updates to practice guidelines, urinary tract infections (UTIs) remain a common occurrence within long-term care (LTC) facilities. The…

Vital conversations

Nurses’ key role in engaging patients about vaccine safety, effectiveness VACCINATION is one of the most impactful public health interventions worldwide. The…

Ethics of disclosure in pediatric end-of-life care

A 17-year-old girl with a terminal diagnosis has an estimated 3 weeks to live. Both parents, who understand the situation, are religious…

From the Ethics Inbox

Fostering a workplace where nurses can flourish

I’m the Nurse Manager for a 34-bed medical–surgical unit and pursuing my DNP in nursing leadership. My school has a strong focus on ethics, and I want to incorporate the Code of Ethics for Nurses (Code) into my schoolwork and…

Everyday ethics: Interconnected care in a changing world

It seems like the revised Code of Ethics for Nurses, with the addition of Provision 10, is taking us beyond the bedside and our healthcare facilities and into the wider world. Why do we need an additional provision to the…

Balancing life and death transitions

I’m an ICU Nurse at a hospital that frequently procures organs from patients who’ve given consent to donate on their driver’s licenses. In some…

Everyday ethics: Addressing gun violence

As an RN working in the labor, delivery, and post-partum unit, I’ve witnessed the impact of gun violence on patients and families, both through…

Everyday Ethics: Supporting cultural values and health equity

I work in the obstetrics department of a community hospital. Our patients include immigrants and refugees who don’t speak English and have cultural practices…

Everyday ethics: Hear something, say something

Recently, I witnessed something that made me uncomfortable. I was surprised when one of my more senior nurse colleagues referred to a newly graduated…

Fostering a workplace where nurses can flourish

I’m the Nurse Manager for a 34-bed medical–surgical unit and pursuing my DNP in nursing leadership. My school has a strong focus…

Everyday ethics: Interconnected care in a changing world

It seems like the revised Code of Ethics for Nurses, with the addition of Provision 10, is taking us beyond the bedside…

Balancing life and death transitions

I’m an ICU Nurse at a hospital that frequently procures organs from patients who’ve given consent to donate on their driver’s licenses.…

Everyday ethics: Addressing gun violence

As an RN working in the labor, delivery, and post-partum unit, I’ve witnessed the impact of gun violence on patients and families,…

Perspectives

Beyond the metrics: The human work of leading from the middle

Where leadership meets the work: Lessons from my first year as a nurse leader

The silent epidemic: Social isolation is harming our seniors

Limiting access to graduate nursing education: A policy shift that threatens workforce stability and public health

Beyond the metrics: The human work of leading from the middle

The most transformative nursing leadership doesn’t happen in the boardroom; it happens in the middle. Middle leaders, especially nurse managers, live at…

Where leadership meets the work: Lessons from my first year as a nurse leader

When I stepped into my first nursing leadership role, I thought I understood what leadership meant—to coordinate, organize, and support. Yet within…

The silent epidemic: Social isolation is harming our seniors

The last time Mrs. Gates spoke to another person was 5 weeks ago. At 70, she’s lived alone since her husband died…

Limiting access to graduate nursing education: A policy shift that threatens workforce stability and public health

The pathway into nursing is rarely straightforward. I grew up in a working-class family, and college felt out of reach, but with…

Community

Transitions as literary signposts: Powerful guides for the reader’s journey

Classifying AI use in writing for publication

Strengthen health systems worldwide: Invest in nursing professional development

Healthcare workers are the bedrock of an effective healthcare system and nurses comprise nearly 60% of the global healthcare workforce. Despite this…

Remembering Eloise Richardson

During World War II, countless women answered the call to serve, stepping into roles that reshaped history and helped turn the tide…

News

New federal loan limits will worsen America’s nursing shortage and leave patients waiting longer for care

Excluding nursing from professions list limits graduate loan eligibility

Once a Patient’s in Custody, ICE Can Be at Hospital Bedsides — But Detainees Have Rights

In July, federal immigration agents took Milagro Solis-Portillo to Glendale Memorial Hospital just outside Los Angeles after she suffered a medical emergency…

May 1, 2025: Gov. Jared Polis prepares to sign a bill at the Colorado Capitol in Denver.

Wary of RFK Jr., Colorado Started Revamping Its Vaccine Policies in the Spring

As Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s dismantling of federal vaccine policy continues to roil the Centers for Disease…

My Nurse Influencer

Transitions as literary signposts: Powerful guides for the reader’s journey

Even with GPS, drivers still need signposts to know where they’re going on their travels. Similarly, readers need signposts to guide them on their reading journey. Transitions are essentially “literary signposts” that make it easier for readers to move from…

The Gifts We Do Not See

The holidays may be behind us, but this blog by Fidelindo Lim, DNP, CCRN, FAAN, offers some critical insights into the enduring humanism of nursing. Dr. Lim channels the spirit of Francis Pharcellus Church, who wrote the famous editorial, “Yes,…

Gratitude and meaning can keep nurses going

Research continues to affirm what many of us intuitively know: gratitude is good and good for our health. A study has shown that people…

You’re wearing that to work?

Few undergraduate programs pay as much attention to attire as nursing. At every clinical orientation, dress code policies are reiterated with the familiar warning:…

What’s new in the 2025 hypertension guideline?

The American Heart Association released its latest hypertension guideline in August 2025, establishing best practices for diagnosing and managing a disease that remains the…

What a résumé can’t tell you about a nurse

Composing a résumé may have become the great American performance art. Many are bloated with adjectives and carefully engineered to impress rather than reveal.…

Transitions as literary signposts: Powerful guides for the reader’s journey

Even with GPS, drivers still need signposts to know where they’re going on their travels. Similarly, readers need signposts to guide them…

The Gifts We Do Not See

The holidays may be behind us, but this blog by Fidelindo Lim, DNP, CCRN, FAAN, offers some critical insights into the enduring…

Gratitude and meaning can keep nurses going

Research continues to affirm what many of us intuitively know: gratitude is good and good for our health. A study has shown…

You’re wearing that to work?

Few undergraduate programs pay as much attention to attire as nursing. At every clinical orientation, dress code policies are reiterated with the…

Mental Health

A North Dakota nurse makes photography her second calling

Becky Graner’s photographs capture nature in all its facets – fierce, serene, or on the cusp of extinction.

Breath at the belly

Mindfulness training can help nurses, patients, and loved ones cope with loss, grief, and suffering.

Critical Care

Psychiatric emergencies in med-surg patients: Are you prepared?

Rodney, age 47, was admitted to the hospital 2 days ago with rib and femur fractures and facial contusions. He appears well…

Unplanned Extubation: Eliminating preventable deaths

Unplanned extubations (UEs) can be reduced through the implementation of standardization of best practices, policies and procedures for institution-wide reliability for airway…

Pediatrics

Children and post-traumatic stress disorder

Many children and adolescents around the world have been victims of at least one traumatic event—child abuse and neglect, war, school shootings,…

School-nurses-Keeping-children-families-communities-healthy

School nurses: Keeping school children, families, and communities healthy

School nurses play an integral role in the health of children and youth, by increasing access to healthcare, addressing social determinants of…

Cardiology

When all signs point to long QT syndrome

A patient’s brief loss of consciousness leads to discovery of long QT syndrome. By thinking fast and making all the right moves,…

Viewpoint: Caring Science meets Heart Science: A guide to authentic caring practice

Discipline-specific, theory-guided practice models, motivated in part by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s national Magnet program, have led to improved patient care…

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HealthCom Media, the publishers of American Nurse Journal, the American Nurses Association and Al Roker Productions collaborated to bring a few shining examples of the exemplary work being done by nurses in today’s very challenging healthcare environment to the American public.

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