A better normal
Emerging trends are defining nursing’s future. It’s hard to imagine that just a year ago the world was in a…
Reader Survey
Please share your feedback! We’re interested to learn more about your experience with American Nurse Journal.
Editorial
A Capital idea?
What’s the correct way to use the word “Nurse”? When should a lower case “n” be used? Or should the…
A new sense of gratitude
In 2021, giving thanks is different. In November, Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to stop and reflect on the people…
A powerful question: “Have you ever served in the military?”
To help ensure military veterans get appropriate diagnosis and treatment, ask patients if they’ve ever served in the military.
A season of thanks
Expressing gratitude is good for you. AS I REFLECT on the Thanksgiving season, I think about how thankful I am…
A summer of learning
The period from Memorial Day to Labor Day is a special time—a stretch of (ideally) sunny days when school is out and vacation…
Acute care needed: The call for valid acuity systems
ALTHOUGH HEALTH CARE has been changing rapidly, staffing models have stayed essentially the same for decades. Those models rely solely on financial…
Advanced practice nurses: Show your spirit
Declare the importance of your independence. WE CELEBRATE American Independence Day on July 4 every year. Fireworks, parades, carnivals, concerts,…
Advantages of a nursing shortage
Since the day I became a nurse, it seems there’s been a nursing shortage. No matter where you practice, everybody talks…
An ending and a new beginning for American Nurse Today
A look back, a look ahead, a graceful exit
Arrivederci, Dr. Cipriano
All of us at HealthCom Media are extremely fortunate to have worked closely with American Nurse Today’s founding Editor-in-Chief Pam…
Asleep on the job
A professional wake-up call (more…)
Avoiding career stallers and stoppers
A newly graduated nurse asked me how she could avoid the “job stupid stuff,” as she called it. She wanted to know…
Better focus in a too-busy world
Are you doing multiple things? Thumbing through this month’s edition of American Nurse Today while watching television? Listening to a colleague while…
Better together: What the Ebola crisis is teaching us
Infectious diseases are responsible for more deaths worldwide than any other single cause. In Dallas on September 30, the first…
Beyond the pandemic: Looking forward
How a global health crisis has changed nursing. It’s hard to believe we’ve been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic for…
Beyond the tip of the iceberg
For decades, nurses have been attempting to demonstrate their value in promoting high-quality, patient-centered care in terms everyone understands. Florence…
Big data: Big roles in big demand for nurses
In February 2015, my editorial focused on issues related to big data in nursing. Featured at the ANA Quality Conference…
Blink…and our world changed
How to manage and stay healthy in uncertain times. (more…)
Breath at the belly
Mindfulness training can help nurses, patients, and loved ones cope with loss, grief, and suffering.
Bright spots for the new year
COVID-19 care innovations worth keeping. We’ve lived through three waves of COVID-19 and learned from each one. New ways to…
Celebrating the art and science of nursing
The day before undergoing lifesaving, high-risk surgery, a young woman sat with her fiancé by her side. The charge nurse,…
Characteristics of nursing excellence
What’s behind Magnet®-recognized organizations? By Lillee Gelinas, MSN, RN, CPPS, FAAN I’ve learned a lot through the years about the characteristics…
Climate change and health
We’re not the only species being impacted. Tina M. Marrelli My husband and I have been involved in Sea Turtle…
Collaborating to improve the financial health of health care
Nurses are collaborative by nature, especially when providing patient care. We embrace team-based care, and we welcome family members as…
Connecting leadership at the bedside to improvement
Now more than ever, the U.S. healthcare industry realizes that public scrutiny, payer analysis, and heightened government oversight are shining…
Critical Caring
The importance of nursing to patient well-being is a time honored concept, but often difficult to measure. If it were…
Do salary surveys matter?
Research shows that hospitals with better nurse staffing and work environments have better outcomes. For you, that means less burnout, more job satisfaction, and less desire to quit your job. But how does your salary fit in? Researchers are trying to understand how salary, work environment, and staffing levels work together to influence nurse-related outcomes.
Dress codes matter!
October’s article “What works: Implementing an evidence-based nursing dress code to enhance professional image” (http://goo.gl/z0frxu) got me thinking about dress…
Editorial
I always loved taking care of patients. It was fun, exciting, intellectually stimulating, and rewarding. To this day, I remember…
Editorial
To achieve higher quality of care and help transform our healthcare system, we need to don our customized tool belts, get to work, and be willing to abandon the outdated methods of the past.
Editorial: Presidential leadership
Lessons and insights for the profession from ANA’s past presidents (more…)
Ending the crisis
Think Tank proposes short-term actions for improved staffing. To call the nurse staffing shortage a crisis in no way exaggerates…
Enhancing innovation skills to inspire future thinking
I’ve seen it, you’ve seen it — the pace of change has ramped up exponentially. The leaps to new ideas…
Enough already! Let’s start using ANA’s CAUTI tool—now
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being bombarded with data, tools, and promotions claiming these things…
Facing up to widespread obesity
Facing up to widespread obesity – a reality check on a very real epidemic.
Faith, community, and health: Partnerships with good neighbors
Our editor-in-chief turns a spotlight on faith and community partnerships.
Falling forward: Why is it so hard?
Yes, I’m talking about falls here! Why is it so hard to take what we KNOW, and make it…
Feeling overwhelmed?
Try replacing busyness with critical habits. I DON’T THINK the title of the song “Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer” is…
Fraud alert
The predatory journal explosion over the past few years has now infiltrated the conference arena. You should know how to recognize a legitimate conference versus a bogus one. Your time, professional growth goals, and monetary resources are all precious commodities that can be easily exploited by unscrupulous organizers of programs that, on the surface, appear legitimate but are actually a sham.
From #MeToo to #UsToo
Unifying our approach to bullying, incivility, and violence Lillee Gelinas How long have we been talking about the chronic problem…
From dream to reality
Appreciative inquiry can give your organization a fresh approach to change. In this affirmative process, everyone’s opinions, thoughts, and ideas count.
Future forward: I am data
It’s always exciting to see nursing and nursing practice on the national stage at events like the ANA 2015 Quality…
Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Report
Good for you, good for the profession The recently released National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, The Future…
Genomics and precision health
Looking into the future At the June 2021 American Nurses Association (ANA) Membership Assembly, we discussed an important topic that…
Gifts that keep on giving
December turns our hearts and minds to the holiday season. We juggle work time and family demands to prepare for…
Go ahead, make my day
A Nurses’ Week reminder to recognize nurses every day.
Guns and nurses
The ambush shootings in downtown Dallas last July, which killed five police officers and wounded seven other people, cast a spotlight…
Handle with care
In 2005, the State of Texas passed the first safe patient handling law. SB 1525 became effective January 1, 2006.…
How dirty is your cellphone?
You wash your hands…maybe you should clean your phone PATIENT SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK is March 10-16, 2019. Are you aware…
Improving health care with systems thinking
We strive to reach the theoretical goal of perfect patient care. But is defect-free health care possible? Or are avoidable deaths from preventable…
Improving patient safety wherever care occurs
Nurses, providers, and pharmacists collaborate to improve patient safety. By Lillee Gelinas, MSN, RN, CPPS, FAAN Patient safety is critical…
In the blink of an eye: The hazards of laser pointers
Laser pointers can cause tragedies. Help raise awareness of their
hazards.
Infection prevention reality
We know what to do, but we don’t always do it. (more…)
Introducing the new voice of nurses
Welcome to the premier issue of American Nurse Today—the official journal of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the new…
Invisible injuries, invisible patients
Are we asking the right questions? Lillee Gelinas In this month’s issue of American Nurse Journal, Andrea Kossoudji and Julie…
It’s alarming – Nurse Fatigue
Have you become desensitized to alarms? I stepped onto an elevator with three other people, their eyes glued to their…
Joy stealing: Stopping happiness thieves
Learn how to deal with coworkers who take the joy out of work. (more…)
Launching a new season: Fall, football, and a focus on being the best
This issue of American Nurse Today marks the start of my new role as Editor-in-Chief, following Pam Cipriano’s long, successful…
Layoffs: Is the sky really falling?
The last several months of economic upheaval bring back memories of the 1980s and 1990s when many organizations reduced their…
Listening as a caring competency
Effective listening can make you a better nurse. WHAT DOES IT MEAN to be fully present when listening to someone…
Looking beyond the pandemic: A virtual roundtable
The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, but many are starting to ponder its lasting effects on nursing. The editorial…
Magnetic moments
The 2015 American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) National Magnet Conference® was held in October, but I have no doubt that…
Making resolutions, making meaningful changes
Did you make a New Year’s resolution? If so, how’s your resolve holding up? According to researchers, after 1 month,…
Meaningful use is a workforce issue
As you’re probably aware, meaningful use refers to use of electronic health record (EHR) technology to improve the quality and…
Mentoring for cultural awareness
Make a commitment to self-awareness. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) definition, mentoring is a one-to-one, long-term relationship between…
Money can’t buy happiness
Money might buy a brief thrill, but not long-term happiness.
My brain is on overload… How about yours?
The antidote to the overworked brain. Lately, I find myself regularly and voluntarily distracted and not because I’m multitasking. I’m…
New nursing school graduates: Let the real learning begin
Education continues on the job. Welcome to the 2021 class of nursing school graduates joining our most remarkable profession. You…
Nurse suicide: Breaking the silence
More research and awareness are needed. The recent sudden deaths of fashion designer Kate Spade and TV host Anthony Bourdain have…
Nurses Month: A time for celebration
Inspire and be inspired. Nurses Month shines a spotlight on nurses—those who devote their lives to caring for others. This…
Nurses rise to the challenge
Lessons learned and shared The past 12 months have challenged the nursing profession like never before. Appropriately deemed the Year…
Nursing care: The quest to eliminate preventable harm
Defining the value of nursing AS PART OF OUR NURSING PRACTICE, we engage in critical thinking, prioritize patient needs, communicate…
Our future through my review mirror
Turn the troubling events of 2020 into opportunities in 2021. 2020 is finally over! It was a meaningful year because…
Our heritage, our future: Why we celebrate nursing
The global community stands together to honor nursing’s important role. Every year, someone asks, “Why single out nurses for a…
Parting gifts
Our time in this life is perhaps the most important gift we enjoy.
Passion – the ultimate motivator
I didn’t grow up wanting to be a nurse. No one in my family had any occupational connection with healthcare.…
Patient assignment vs. nurse staffing: More than just numbers
For more than 15 years, I’ve been advocating for healthcare leaders to replace the term “opinion-based” with “evidence-based.” Too often, I’ve heard, “In my…
Patient safety awareness
How do we create a mindset focused on safety? Patient Safety Awareness Week is March 14-20. Its importance can’t be…
Patient Safety Awareness Week
Shining a light on a public health crisis Each year, an important event is nationally recognized but frequently overshadowed by…
Picture perfect
Help build a pictorial legacy of nursing.
Professional dress: Keep it simple and functional
At the first mention of writing or revising a dress code, my blood pressure rises. My view is that nurses…
Professionals, pyramids, and Peter Pan
If only it were this simple: Nurses get 8 hours of sleep every night, perfect work schedules are in place with…
Promoting clinician well-being
Staying emotionally healthy is important to personal and patient safety. Takeaways: Burnout affects more than half of nurses, physicians, and…
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 nourished and well groomed.
Raise your heart disease awareness: your life may depend on it
During American Heart Month, let’s heed our own health promotion advice.
Ready for what’s next?
Find the job you don’t have yet. Lillee Gelinas As healthcare evolves, so do nursing roles. In many ways, the…
Retaining our talent
We need to retain our experienced nurses.
Ringing in the new year
New look for American Nurse Today, new ANA leadership ANOTHER YEAR has gone by, and new excitement is afoot. From new…
Robotic nurses: No substitute for real RNs
For the past decade, care innovation has exploded with new tools and technology. Keeping up with all of the new…
Sacred cow round-up
Evidence-based nursing practice obliges us to embrace innovation and let go of our sacred cows.
Safe patient handling and mobility: A call to action
To avoid injuring their patients and themselves, healthcare providers must get in the habit of using safe patient handling and…
Save a life-wash your hands
Did you grow up with your mother insisting you wash your hands? She was right! As nurses, we all know…
Second thoughts about second thoughts
Step back to discover what we’ve learned. Lillee Gelinas I’ll never forget March 12, 2020. That’s when the pandemic became…
Seeing Red
American Heart Month is a time to celebrate the wealth of information that if acted on, can help prevent cardiovascular disease.
Senior care: Are we prepared for the impending healthcare crisis?
Ready or not, we’re on the brink of a senior healthcare crisis.
Shared calling: Then and now
May is a wonderful month, with so many celebrations to enjoy and share, including Mother’s Day, National Nurses Week, Florence…
Shhhhhh! Quiet zone
Nurses play a significant role in helping patients to get the sleep they need.
Shortage solutions
ANA, partners develop detailed road map for better staffing. News headlines about the nurse staffing shortage portray an extreme event…
SiCKO – A call to action
In 1991, the American Nurses Association published its Nursing Agenda for Health Care Reform, which gained the support of 76…
Size matters—or does it?
In sports, we often hear the saying “Size matters.” Usually, it means the bigger and stronger athlete triumphs. But sometimes, the smaller…
Something’s gotta give to avoid an impending RN crisis
Always energizing and informative, the annual ANCC National Magnet Conference® never disappoints. The most recent one, held in Dallas last…
Sparking change in nursing
Successful change requires new skills and levels of understanding. I recently spent an invigorating day with several nurses and clinical…
Special and unique: You
Using a unique nurse identifier recognizes your contributions to quality patient care. Intelligent systems surround us. They include automated robotic…
Stop the slide
Drifting back to old practices endangers the profession. Before COVID-19, healthcare and nursing performance were moving in the right direction.…
Stop, look and listen to your patients and their families
Providing family-centered care means listening to, engaging, and collaborating with patients and their families.
Superbugs trump wonder drugs
Our grandparents’ generation first witnessed the wonders of antimicrobial agents. These drugs saved millions of lives and rendered harmless a…
Technology: Powering global healthcare transformation
In the United States and United Kingdom, nurses have the chance to influence their nation’s health information agendas in a strong voice.
Telling our story
The public needs a better understanding of what nurses do, so tell your story.
Temper tantrums at work
How do you handle a bullying doctor? Most nurses have witnessed or been the victims of doctor bullying. I know…
The Choluteca bridge: What’s wrong with this picture?
Have you ever heard of the Choluteca Bridge in Honduras? Designed to withstand even the strongest hurricane, it survived Hurricane…
The disappearing inpatient
As hospital admissions shrink, nursing jobs are shiftingto other areas, such as outpatient offices, clinics, postacute facilities, and home care.
The elusive cure
Supporting breast cancer research and screening can help us get another step closer to curing this disease.
The importance of advocacy: Your voice matters
Reflections from a day on the hill. On June 21, 2018, 277 nurses from 45 states unified their voices into…
The nursing shortage
This one is different We all talk about the nursing shortage. In fact, we’ve been experiencing it for decades. However,…
The oxycodone epidemic: Up close and personal
Prescription drug abuse and diversion is a silent epidemic touching thousands of lives and tearing apart families all across America.…
The pressure is on
Pressure ulcers are painful, life-threatening, and expensive —with medical costs of up to $11 billion annually in the United States.…
The voice of the consumer
This month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) begin reporting patient experience data from its Hospital Consumer Assessment of…
Tide of change
Report calls on nursing to confront and eradicate racism. Racism: “Assaults on the human spirit in the form of biases,…
Tomorrow’s Hope
Twice a year, I meet with the new graduates in my hospital and am encouraged by their expectations and their…
Using a pyramid to address the disrespect disconnect
I’m excited to see the focus on professionalism that will be featured in this and upcoming issues of American Nurse…
Vital and invaluable
Recognizing nurses’ service during Nurses Month. Ernest J. Grant May marks Nurses Month, a time to offer RNs nationwide well-deserved…
Walk a mile in a nurse’s shoes
Redefining the physician–nurse relationship. Traditionally, physician–nurse relationships have been viewed as superior–subordinate. Despite clinical work environment advances that demonstrate teamwork…
What #MeToo means for nurses
The #MeToo movement has taken the world by storm, and many say it’s been a long time coming. The New York Times revelation last fall seemed shocking at the time—famed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct in what appeared to be an alleged pattern of psychological manipulation and strategic harassment spanning decades. Apparently, some victims were paid for their silence. Most reactions I heard about the “Weinstein phenomena” from news reporters and colleagues agreed about one key point: It was wrong.
What does an RN look like?
What nurses can learn from the uniforms and ceremonies of other healthcare professions. “WHAT DOES AN RN LOOK LIKE?”When I…
What I learned during the 2017 hurricane season
I watched with great pain the damage, and for many the devastation, created by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. I was reliving August 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina destroyed my hometown and changed normalcy for my family forever. Twenty-six of my New Orleans family members—stripped of incomes, homes, schools, familiar medical and dental services, normal daily schedules, and social networks—called our Southlake, TX, home their home for many months.
When COVID-19 strikes home
My personal story The pandemic’s impact on frontline caregivers has captured headlines and hearts for months. I read as many…
When it’s my time to die
Failing to make our end-of-life wishes known to others can deny us and our loved ones important choices.
Why is nursing’s voice absent from population health management strategy?
Recently, I heard a group of nursing leaders discuss the progress they’d made in developing their future nursing strategy. They…
Why should we care? Metrics that matter
In my December editorial, I discussed dress codes for nurses and why they matter. In response, several readers asked me…
Work/life balance? Yes, please!
The young nurses now entering our profession have a lot to teach us veterans about the value of balancing work and home life.
Workplace violence: A nurse tells her story
It’s not okay, and it is a big deal. By Lillee Gelinas, MSN, RN, CPPS, FAAN “Personal boundary violation is…
Zero tolerance for disruptive behavior
Nurses engage in nearly as much disruptive behavior as physicians. Let’s put an end to it.
