A critical Pathway to Excellence® standard
Initiatives promote nurses’ well-being during the pandemic. Ensuring nurses’ well-being isn’t just a concept for healthcare systems and organizations that…
Mind/Body/Spirit
A multifaceted gem
Through poetry, Susan Wilcox Stelton, MSN, APRN-BC, CWOCN, reflects on the many facets of nursing.
A musical approach to coping with psychosocial stress
A powerful tool for nurse well-being Editor’s note: This is an early release of a web exclusive article for the…
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.
A nurse-poet writes what she knows
I started writing poetry in grammar school in Harvey, North Dakota. Our curriculum emphasized writing and poetry—I still have the…
A Nurse’s Guide to Social Media
Social media can be a tricky business, especially for a profession struggling with how and when to use our voices…
A nurse’s notes on New Year’s resolutions
It’s the most promising time of the year. A clean slate ahead and a chance for a fresh start. No…
A Pioneering Spirit: Leaders as Framers in Turbulent Times
Will it always be like this? A critical care nurse leader was recently asked this question by one of her…
A Pioneering Spirit: The SCARF Model
Healthcare professionals struggle to get their messages about mask-wearing and social distancing out to a skeptical public and even their…
A Pioneering Spirit: What new graduates need from nurse leaders
Many nursing students are graduating and will be transitioning into practice. The good news is that jobs for new graduates…
A textile tribute to the ideals and icons of nursing
Rita Bergevin, MA, RN, BC, created a banner that depicts both the gentleness and tenacity embodied by our nursing pioneers.
A troubled life, a difficult death
Editor’s note: National Homelessness Awareness Week is November 10-18. Like many of our homeless patients, “Sarah” was a bundle of…
A word about patients’ psychic experiences: Listen
In her dream, a young pediatric nurse answered the phone at the nurses’ station and was told to go to…
A world of caring nurses
A photographic celebration of nurses around the world
Accepting a patient care assignment reaffirms nurses’ contract with society
At the moment a patient handoff is nearly completed, when the exchange of relevant information has occurred and when the…
Achieving a work-life balance
Almost everyone agrees that achieving a work-life balance is a good thing. Without it, we risk long-term negative effects on…
Acts of kindness
Many of us have lasting memories of a few special patients. For me, Joe is one of those patients. The…
Add a dash of spice to your recipe for health
10 tasty ways to improve your health.
After the earthquake: Volunteer nursing in Haiti
This month marks the 1-year
anniversary of the devastating Haiti earthquake. The author describes her volunteer disaster-relief experience
in that country, which changed her perspective on life.
Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia: Discerning the differences
Assessment is key for optimal management. Takeaways: An early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is decline in cognition, most typically manifesting…
American Nurse, American Talent
A Registered Nurse since 1982, Steve Price began his healthcare career in the U.S. Navy in 1971 as a hospital…
An algorithm to help you manage your stress
Nurses face tremendous stress in their daily practice. Various environmental and personal factors can exacerbate or mitigate stress. High stress…
An encouraging word
Has a compliment ever made your day? Perhaps it was just what you needed to hear to raise your self-confidence…
An ounce of prevention
Engage in practical training through Project Firstline. A lifetime of working with patients with serious burn injuries truly ingrained in…
ANA advocates for nurses’ health and safety
Collaborating in the new year to address pandemic challenges together As nurses contend with the pandemic and its multi-layered effects…
And the music plays on…
In the mid-1970s, I was a graduate nurse starting my career at a large, urban hospital. One of my patients,…
Animal assistants in healthcare
An animal may provide just the benefit patients need. Prepandemic, I had the pleasure of traveling to the National Institutes…
Any nurse can do it: Sustaining change when volunteering overseas
Arriving back in Ethiopia for the third time after having left only four months earlier, I had many questions. Had…
Aromatherapy for you and your patient
Use fragrant oils to soothe muscles, relieve tension, and more.
Baby boom: More photos from the NICU
Editor’s note: Our May 2008 “American Nurse, American Talent” department featured newborn photographs taken by Cheryl Briggs. They were so…
Baby pictures: Preserving precious moments in the NICU
For one nurse, taking pictures of preemies develops into an art form.
Balancing the wheels of life
Have you ever ridden a bicycle with a wobbly wheel? The ride isn’t smooth, and you notice every bump in…
Battlefield nursing at the Boston Marathon
Three yellow balloons danced through the air, hovering over the finish line after being released by the bomb blast that…
BEAM: The behavioral evaluation and addiction management team
Shining a light to reduce hospital workplace violence. Takeaways: Healthcare workers are more likely to be victims of serious violence…
Beasts, gods and FaceTime: The anguish of visitor limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic
For the foreseeable future, efforts to minimize human contact will remain in place as part of the response to the…
Beasts, gods and FaceTime: The anguish of visitor limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic
For the foreseeable future, efforts to minimize human contact will remain in place as part of the response to the…
Benefits of feedback for nurse leaders
Viewing feedback as a gift enhances career growth. Takeaways: Without feedback, beginning nurse leaders’ careers can be derailed Constructive feedback…
Beyond thank you: The powerful reach of meaningful recognition
“I recognize that voice, that voice belongs to someone who is such a dream to me. [My nurse] was a…
Bonding over body image
For many college students, the ever-present pressure to be thin has trumped the goal of being healthy. Females face body-image…
Boosting your influence
Jessie was excited to be appointed as chair of the professional practice council in her hospital. She envisioned being able…
Break the cycle of stress with PBR3
Only you can relieve your stress, but this little tool can be a big help.
Bringing nursing orientation back to life
Our hospital systems’ journey to obtain Magnet® recognition led to an excellent opportunity: the chance to revamp and improve our nursing…
Building a sense of community on nursing units
Jeff Rawson, a new nurse graduate, works on a behavioral health unit. His manager believes his transition is going well—until…
Building a strong shared governance foundation
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give…
Building moral resilience to neutralize moral distress
Moral distress occurs when one recognizes one’s moral responsibility in a situation; evaluates the various courses of action; and identifies,…
Building Your Communication Skills
In her Harvard University Division of Continuing Education Professional Development website blog, Marjorie Lee North, a consultant for political candidates,…
Building Your Communication Skills – Part 2
The second installment of Marjorie Lee North’s Harvard University Division of Continuing Education Professional Development website blog, focuses on putting…
Building Your Communication Skills Part 3
Marjorie Lee North, a consultant for political candidates, physicians, and lawyers, presented these ten tips in her blog on the…
By your patients you’ll be taught
When I was 20, I got my first job as a public health nurse for the Philippine National Cross. For…
Career Wellness
Big and small changes can help you cultivate a healthy work life. Takeaways: Burnout, stress, and dissatisfaction at work should…
Carefronting: An innovative approach to managing conflict
Nick Chase is an emergency department (ED) charge nurse. He and Michelle Stanley have worked together for the past 3…
Caregiver Resources
Nearly 44 million unpaid caregivers form the backbone of the US chronic and long-term care system. These hard working family…
Caregiving for a family member can be difficult
Nursing is my passion. I began to work as a professional caregiver 35 years ago. If I had to make…
Caring during COVID-19
Editor’s note: This is an early release of a web exclusive article for the April 2021 issue of American Nurse…
Caring for a homeless adult with a chronic disease
For homeless people, chronic illnesses can be hard to manage. Here’s what you should know about assessing these patients and developing a practical discharge plan.
Caring for my best friend
Like many of my colleagues, I became a nurse because of my desire to help people. I wanted to relieve…
Caring for older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adults
Current discussions on the unique health issues of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations have prompted the healthcare professions…
Caring under pressure
Compassion is an essential ingredient for great nursing. Without compassion, you might as well come up with another word for…
Cartoonist with a cause
The cartoons of Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CED, help patients cope with diabetes.
Change maker
Dori Healey is passionate about patient safety, public service, and volunteering. President-elect for American Nurses Association (ANA)-Idaho, Dori Healey, MSN-RN,…
Choosing the right conversation
Learn how to resolve interpersonal clashes by choosing the right type of conversation at the right time.
Choosing the right conversation
It’s 7:10 A.M. Maggie, the night-shift charge nurse, is waiting to give report to Julie, the charge nurse on the…
Choosing your political battles
Mary*, a new manager in the operating room, prides herself on being a strong advocate for her staff, quickly acting…
Civility starts with you
Over the last decade, civility has become a hot topic. I got involved with it in 2000, when more than…
Clinical experience, poetic expression
A registered nurse since 1982, Terry A. Hess has worked as an Adult Nurse Practitioner at the Zablocki VA Medical…
Clinical humility: A humbled patient care
There’s a story that goes something like this: An elderly man falls down a flight of stairs at home. In…
Cognitive rehearsal
Learn a strategy for addressing incivility and bullying in nursing. Takeaways Incivility and bullying among healthcare workers contribute additional stress…
Collaboration: The key to healthcare transformation
Transforming health care is a complex challenge that can best be met through a coordinated response from academia and clinical practice. Working together, chief…
Collective genius as a tool for engagement and improvement
When bedside caregivers are engaged in their work, patient outcomes are improved, the patient experience is enhanced, and staff satisfaction…
Colorful antidotes for a black-and-white world
Janice Spillane, MS, RN, of Ridge, New York, started her career as a critical care nurse, working in an environment…
Combating change fatigue in today’s healthcare environment
Those who work in the healthcare industry are well aware of its constantly changing landscape. Healthcare institutions are challenged to…
Compassion fatigue risk among skilled nursing facility nurses
Self-care combined with organizational support can aid prevention and resilience. Takeaways: Skilled nursing facility (SNF) nurses caring for older adults…
Compassion fatigue: Are you at risk?
For many of us, nursing isn’t just what we do; it’s who we are. Most of us became nurses because…
Confronting conflict with higher-ups
Conflict in the workplace is a fact of life, and dealing with it is never easy. Sometimes it seems easier…
Constructive feedback and disciplinary action
The thought of telling someone that he or she is not doing a great job provokes anxiety for many of…
Could your headache really be a migraine?
If your headaches interfere with your job, home life, and leisure activities, read this article to learn when to suspect you may have a migraine and what to do about it.
COVID-19 vaccine handling: Maximizing doses and public confidence
The American Nurses Association (ANA) is proud of the leading role nurses play at all levels of the coronavirus pandemic…
Creating high-performance interprofessional teams
Kate Summer, a nurse case manager on a telemetry unit, is leading an initiative to reduce the 30-day readmission rate…
Creative wellness: A missing link in boosting well-being
Tap into creativity to reduce stress and increase positive emotions. Takeaways: Artistic expression is an enjoyable component of an overall…
Crossword Answers – The heart of the matter
Answers to the crossword for American Heart Month
Cultivating personal courage
Do you see yourself as a victim? Are you hesitant to speak up, even with your well-being at stake? Learn how to be braver and overcome everyday challenges by discovering your true self, widening your perspective, and challenging assumptions.
Day in the Life: Live tweets as a professional tool
Nurses around the world can connect and communicate with each other in more ways than ever before by using social…
Dealing with difficult people
Jackie Jacobs is a charge nurse in a busy intensive care unit. She prides herself on being able to get…
Defusing lateral violence and abuse
If you’ve been on the receiving end of this behavior, you need to express your needs and set boundaries assertively.
Eating better to help manage chronic stress
Like many nurses, you may experience stress frequently, both on and off the job. Chronic stress can alter your equilibrium…
Emergency!
Our new crossword puzzle test your knowledge of medical emergencies.
Emotional wellness
Learn how to manage stress for a healthy life. Takeaways: A little stress is good for the body and mind…
Empowering nurses to transform health care globally: A United States-Haiti nursing partnership
Since the Magnet® Vision was published in 2008, it has inspired actions by nurses at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH), a…
End workplace violence
Charting a path to zero tolerance April 16, 2021, marked a key milestone in the journey to end workplace violence…
Enhance your self-awareness to be an authentic leader
In 2013 alone, U.S. organizations spent more than $15 billion on leadership development activities. Although much of these expenses focus…
Environmental wellness
Pay attention to your environment—it can affect your body, mind, and spirit. Takeaways: Increasing awareness of your surroundings can improve…
Examining nurse comfort eating
Many years ago I found myself standing in the frozen food section flirting with the prospect of buying a mouth-watering…
Exercise your right to be fit!
Nearly all of us—especially nurses—know exercise is good for our physical and mental health. But incorporating it into our busy…
Exploring intimacy and mystery in egg tempera
Years of nursing experience provide wellsprings of artistic ideas for Lora Abrador.
Eye of the beholder: Grand rounds at the museum
“What do you see in his eyes?” asks Dr. Rothenberg. After a brief pause, someone replies, “He looks sad.” Another…
Face your fears and forge ahead
Cathleen Wheatley steps up to a challenge. Cathleen Wheatley, DNP, RN, CENP, is president of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center…
Facing off against identity theft
Follow this expert’s advice on how to prevent and cope with identity theft.
Faculty role in promoting nursing student health
How can you help future nurses build a healthy foundation? Key Takeaways – Faculty can model healthy behaviors to promote…
Far from home, bringing smiles to children’s faces
During my three decades as a nurse, volunteering on a medical mission has always been on my “to do” list.…
Fighting the effects of nurse fatigue
Have you ever gotten home from a shift and forgotten the journey from the hospital to your house? Are you ever…
Finding meaning after a patient’s death
Time for personal reflection helps clinical staff cope with loss. Takeaways Dealing with the death of a patient can be…
Five credit card traps that can sink you
Anyone who uses credit cards (and who doesn’t) should read this article to learn about universal default and other credit pitfalls that can endager your financial future.
Florence Nightingale: Moments of interface between past and present
During a recent clinical orientation with a group of about 170 nursing students, I projected a slide bearing a well-known…
Fostering soft skills is a must for nurse leaders
It’s uncommon for nurse leaders to have to coach employees on clinical skills, but quite common for nurse leaders to…
From dream to device: a nurse inventor’s story
As a teenager, Man-Yee (“Karen”) Tsang, BS, RN, CPN, wrote a paper for school that described her desire to be…
From our readers: Do we really know who our patients are?
Both nurse leaders and educators need to teach and model not only day-to-day nursing skills but the importance of connecting…
From our readers: Harp song — A journey to remember and embrace the heart of nursing
“The aim of all spiritual paths, no matter their origin or the rigors of their practice, is to help us…
From our readers: How a ‘45-year-old STEMI’ showed me the human side of nursing
I worked as an emergency medical technician-paramedic for almost 8 years in a rural area before I became a registered…
From our readers: How mentorship affects retention rates of new nurses
You likely vividly remember the day you learned you were officially a licensed professional registered nurse. You were excited to…
From our readers: My first code—A retrospective report of a premature promotion and a crisis situation
The elevator’s walls were covered in bronze and silver raised metal squares that gave the appearance of a magic eye…
From our readers: Nurses leading from the middle
Nurse leaders are needed at all levels of the organization, especially in “the middle,” which is commonly used to describe…
From our readers: On being an oncology nurse, or humble pie by the slice
I came to oncology nursing in 1984 through what I perceived as bad luck; my goal was to get out…
From our readers: One nurse’s journey into patienthood
As I lay on the table staring up at the ceiling tiles and waited for my biopsy to begin, I…
From our readers: One patient’s story
Eric’s* storytelling made a difference in my nursing practice. Eric was a 27-year-old African American patient with end-stage renal disease…
From our readers: Power of forgiveness
The author describes the value of forgiveness.
From our readers: Resolving the forces of bias and duty in caring for incarcerated patients
In the nurses’ station of the 39-bed med-surg unit I double-checked my patient’s 2:00 PM medications against the pharmacy sheet…
From our readers: The art of self-disclosure
One aspect of the “art” of nursing is appropriate self-disclosure. Nurses and other healthcare providers often have an opportunity to…
From our readers: The guilt suicide leaves behind
Dedicated to John, who was loved by so many
From our readers: Two years after the Sandy Hook tragedy, PTSD remains
As my family got through the second anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, I have felt the need…
From our readers: What it means to be a nurse
A nurse shares her meaning of nursing.
From our readers: When your parent is the patient
It’s not easy when your parent is the patient. In my 10 years of being a registered nurse, I have…
From our readers. . . Is disaster relief nursing for you?
Recently I had the opportunity to provide nursing services after an earthquake disaster in the Caribbean. In this article, I…
From our readers…’Twas the night before…
‘Twas the middle of the semester, halfway through the course I was writing a paper and citing a source. The…
From our readers…A cycle of caring
It began a long time ago A woman walks through the dark room, with just a candle to light her…
From our readers…A staff nurse perspective on the IOM Future of Nursing Report
A staff nurse gives his perspective on this important report.
From our readers…At the Bedside
As my parents were approaching the age of downsizing their earthly possessions, I became the recipient of the generational family…
From our readers…Balancing the power in favor of patients
Ms. Sims, a bedside nurse featured by Leah Curtin earlier this year inspired me to write this article. At the…
From our readers…Caring for the world by recycling supplies
I became aware of the acute lack of essential medical supplies when I participated in medical missions work in the…
From our readers…Creative staffing solutions for floating and low census
Many hospitals have fluctuations in patient volumes that require staffing adjustments. Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine, is no exception —…
From our readers…Do veteran nurses really eat their young? Observations of an ‘older’ new nurse
After working successfully for more than 20 years as a graphic artist and structural designer, I decided to enter nursing…
From our readers…How focusing on spiritual needs benefits the nurse
There is no question that in the complex and fast-paced world of healthcare, high levels of stress and tension are…
From our readers…How my bad experiences with call lights formed my nursing practice
I have been a critical care nurse since 2008. In our unit, patients have call lights, and of course, patients…
From our readers…How my students kept me teaching
I went to high school in a small New England town at a time when career opportunities for women were…
From our readers…How to volunteer as a nurse abroad
Azure Window, Gozo, Maltese Islands. When I took the ferry to Gozo, Malta’s sister island, the Azure Window was a…
From our readers…Hunger advocacy for nurses
Since the mid-1990s, the number of hungry people worldwide has been steadily increasing. Currently about 925 million people worldwide are…
From our readers…I remain in nursing because of you
I remain in nursing because of you. We have yet to meet but, if you are my patient someday, this…
From our readers…Know your A, B, C, and D’s for patients with progressive disease
“Something’s wrong. We have to fix it quickly!” All of our training and experiences as nurses, such as my almost…
From our readers…Lights, camera, action—and don’t giggle!
The author shares the rewards of creating a video about what telephone triage nurses do.
From our readers…Nonadherent or compassion challenged?
Over the years nurses have labeled patients who choose (knowingly or unknowingly) to disregard instructions that could potentially alter their…
From our readers…One nurse’s journey through grief: Loss of a Fort Hood family member
Special reports were on practically every news station during the afternoon of November 5th 2009; a shooting had taken place…
From our readers…Searching for life with man’s best friend
At the end of another crazy day in our Level 1 Trauma Center the call went out. Our volunteer Search…
From our readers…Strengthening nursing networks
Have you ever wondered what happened to the student who studied with you for that beginning med-surg test or the…
From our readers…Sustaining evidence-based practice initiatives
Successful implementation and diffusion of any practice change requires careful strategic planning. Considerations are involving appropriate persons throughout the effort,…
From our readers…Talking to patients about a “weighty” issue: Are you ready?
As the prevalence of obesity in the United States continues to rise, no doubt more of your patients are having…
From our readers…The Companion
Parkinson’s had taken away almost everything she loved. She, the artist, had spent her younger days in the upper rooms…
From our readers…The Dance
Linda Harrington, RNC, works in Labor and Delivery at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, Mission Hills, CA. Below she comments…
From our readers…The nature of grief
A wise person once said, “Grief is not a disease or pathology to be cured. Grief is the tangible evidence…
From our readers…The secrets of self-nurturing
The foremost Secret to nurturing yourself is to practice caring for yourself. This article focuses on self-nurturing techniques for the…
From our readers…Three elephants for safety
A familiar safety protocol in hospitals is the time-out. Mandated for many invasive procedures, this “work stop” ensures the right…
From our readers…Two Poems
Nursing’s Future & Hospital Corridor by Kristina Ibitayo is clinical assistant professor at University of Texas at Arlington College of…
From our readers…Value all your skills
Anyone who’s been a nurse for more than 10 years will agree with me: you can make big leaps from…
From our readers…What bedside nurses can teach nursing leaders
Five years ago, while working in leadership I had a pivotal conversation with my superior regarding the need to “stop…
Frontline nurses and transformational leadership
A key to quality and safety In 2011, the Institute of Medicine called for nurses in all settings and levels…
Gaining confidence in public speaking
EVA, a professional practice coordinator, and her team of clinical educators are thrilled to learn that their abstract on an iLead in…
Getting financially fit
When you’re in control of your finances, you reduce stress and worry. Takeaways: Financial stress can affect your physical and…
Give yourself the gift of self-affirmation
We’ve all had days that push us toward the edge. The chaos likely starts around mid-shift and may go something like…
Harold & Bill: An enduring portrait of another era
In 1971, I was attending nursing school and working as an emergency department (ED) orderly. One day, two elderly men…
Have we lost our ability (and our sensitivity) to communicate in healthcare?
Read Donna Cardillo’s October blog here.
Heavy Reading: Inside Nursing
Diversity, equity, and inclusion can’t be authentically incorporated into curricula when faculty assign textbooks that harm those whose health they…
Helping caregivers cope with death
A one-day retreat called Mindfulness, Meditaion, and Coping with Death helps healthcare professionals deal with patients’ deaths.
Helping homeless pregnant women: A lesson in hope
For some pregnant women, being home for the holidays means staying at a homeless shelter.
Helping patients adhere to a gluten-free diet
Avoiding gluten isn’t easy. Here’s what you need to know to keep patients compliant with a gluten-free diet.
Helping Sandwich Generation nurses find a work-life balance
If you have at least one parent age 65 or older and are raising children or financially supporting a child…
How innovation and design thinking can improve care
Empathy and collaboration create opportunities to help vulnerable populations. Takeaways: Design thinking is a problem-solving tool driven by the needs…
How long has it been going on?
Nancy J. Brent, MS, JD, RN – discusses the problems of poor nursing care.
How shall we mourn our dead?
Take your time and follow the path that’s right for you. Since May 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid…
How to avoid biased thinking
Jessica, a Millennial (Generation Y) nurse working on a medical-surgical unit, recently completed her first year of practice. Ralph, her…
How to create “sticky” messages to influence others
Nursing has been ranked as the most trustworthy of all professions for the past decade, except for firefighters after 9/11.…
How to ease conflict and experience greater harmony at work
Jeanette manages to beat traffic, clock-in on time, and begin her day. Everything is running smoothly. Then she and another nurse…
How to get off the anger-go-round
One of the most complex emotions, anger is a normal response to certain situational triggers. It’s associated with physiologic changes,…
How to give so you also receive
Contribute to your favorite charity and reduce your federal income tax in the process.
How to love and care for yourself unconditionally
Are you able to relax, have fun, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life? Or do you: have trouble falling…
How to maintain weight loss successfully
Suggestions based on a 20-year national study. Body weight is a key factor to protect us from chronic disease. Although obese…
How to make (and keep) a New Year’s resolution
More than half of all resolutions fail, but this year The New York Times offers some tips to help you…
How to practice mindful nursing
Make every moment count Takeaways We spend a lot of time “doing,” which can lead to functioning on “autopilot.” Practicing…
How to Rebuild America’s Trust During COVID-19
Start with Nursing The COVID-19 pandemic has sent shock waves across the nation. With devastation all around us, people’s lives…
How to start your personal exercise program
Getting fitter gets easier when you design your exercise program to suit your needs. A fitness expert tells how to develop a safe and effective program.
How to succeed at floating
If you’ve ever floated, you know the experience can be challenging at times. Wherever you work, you may sometimes feel you don’t…
How transformational leaders address fear amid COVID-19
You can provide the guidance nurses need. Editor’s note: This is an early release of an article that will appear…
How working nights can work in your favor
Shortly after I completed my master’s degree in nursing, I spoke with my nurse mentor about my career decisions. At…
Implementing purposeful daily leadership rounding: A broader approach to measuring quality
Patient satisfaction has long been one way that hospitals measured quality, albeit indirectly. The surgical services division of Rush University…
Imposter syndrome: When you feel like you’re faking it
Colleen Jackson recently was promoted to a clinical manager position on her unit. At first, she was thrilled with the…
In good company: Perspectives on sitting with patients
A quick Google search for “patient sitter jobs” yields 47 million results. A similar search for “registered nurse jobs” produces…
Informal leaders and cultural change
Informal leaders are crucial to the success of a change involving the nursing team, yet they are often overlooked. A…
Intellectual wellbeing
Learn how to keep your mind nimble for lifelong health benefits. Takeaways: Intellectual well-being—keeping your mind flexible, informed, and engaged—is…
Interdisciplinary rounds in the acute care setting: A powerful tool for student nurses
My colleague shook his head skeptically as he said, “I’m not sure the students know what nurses actually do.” The…
Interwoven art of understanding
Communicating with crochet.
Introverts can be nurse leaders, too
Natalie Sanchez recently was promoted to a nurse manager position. So far, she thinks, things are going well. She is…
Joint Commission releases Sentinel Event Alert in response to COVID-19 pandemic
Healthcare workers struggling, expressing fears Earlier this week, The Joint Commission released a Sentinel Event Alert addressing the fears of…
Journaling: A valuable tool for registered nurses
Write about your life and experiences to better understand them and yourself. Takeaways: Journaling is a valuable resource that nurses…
Keeping your compassion
Have you ever found yourself in the middle of your shift when you make a mistake in the care you’re…
Kick the cigarette habit!
A smoking cessation instructor helps you ditch cigarettes forever. Find out which cessation method suits you best, ways to cope with cigarette cravings, and how to get back on the wagon if you relapse.
Laugh, nurse, laugh!
Victor Borge, the famous Danish comedian, pianist, and conductor once said, “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” Infusing laughter…
Lead to succeed through generational differences
Chelsea enters the unit chewing gum and texting on her new smart phone. Deb stands there, waiting to get report.…
Leading at the bedside and beyond
A typical definition for a leader is one who has the ability to influence. Florence Nightingale, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin…
Leading the journey: Engaging staff in process improvement through visual management
The pressure is always on in busy clinical settings to improve efficiency, capacity, and patient flow. Strategic process improvement that…
Leading through failure
I have served as a nurse corps officer in the United States Air Force for 27 years. One of my…
Leading through loss: Lessons for healthcare leaders
One of the most painful experiences for any parent is the death of a child. The family is deeply affected…
Learning from mistakes
Today’s healthcare organizations need to improve patient safety, which includes effectively communicating information to nurses about safety incidents and how…
Living a healthy lifestyle
As nurses, we know how to check blood pressure, administer medications, and counsel patients about healthy living. But let’s face…
Long-term night shift work increases the risks of common cancers in women
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) conducted a meta-analysis to identify whether long-term night shift work increased the risks of…
Look for inspiration in your fellow nurses
In a perfect world, we nurses would be inspired daily by our patient experiences. They would come in such abundance…
Maintain weight loss successfully – based on a 20 year national study
Body weight is a key factor to protect us from chronic disease. Although obese people can lose weight through healthy…
Make fitness fit into your daily routine
You know exercise should be part of your daily routine. But who has the time or the energy? After all,…
Making New Year’s resolutions? Try these tips from Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation™
Many people are eager to turn the page and begin the new year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And, given…
Making the workplace healthier, one self-aware nurse at a time
From the disruptive physician throwing instruments or treating nurses with contempt to coworkers or nurse managers “eating their young,” some…
Managing chronic pain in the elderly
Chronic pain has widespread effects on older adults. This article describes how to help patients manage it.
Managing stress in health care with meditation: Got a minute?
A simple smartphone app helps reduce stress. By Donna Linette, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, and Jamethan Bryant, MSN Ed, RN, CCRN…
Mantram repetition: A portable, mindful, contemplative practice for the workplace
Have you ever been at work and wanted to be on vacation, instead? Have you ever wished that you could…
Meeting your patients spiritual needs
When a patient says, “I’m afraid I’m going to die,” do you offer empty reassurances? Find an excuse to leave the room? Read this article to learn about simple spiritual interventions that can aid a patient in spiritual distress.
Memory pegging
Forgetting is frustrating. To make memorizing fun, “peg” each item on your to-do list.
Mindful Appreciation
Tip 6 of 6 Mindfulness Exercises You Can Try Today In this last exercise, all you have to do is…
Mindful Awareness
Tip 3 of 6 Mindfulness Exercises You Can Try Today This exercise is designed to cultivate a heightened awareness and…
Mindful Breathing
Tip 1 of 6 Mindfulness Exercises You Can Try Today This exercise can be done standing up or sitting down,…
Mindful Immersion
Tip 5 of 6 Mindfulness Exercises You Can Try Today The intention of this exercise is to cultivate contentment in…
Mindful Listening
Tip 4 of 6 Mindfulness Exercises You Can Try Today This exercise is designed to open your ears to sound…
Mindful Observation
Tip 2 of 6 Mindfulness Exercises You Can Try Today This exercise is simple but incredibly powerful because it helps…
Motivational interviewing: A collaborative path to change
Michael had diabetes and a history of elevated blood glucose levels. A long-time drinker, he seemed to have no interest…
My First Day in the ED
Note: This article was written before Kenneth graduated from nursing school. My first experience in an emergency department (ED) setting…
My Son has Tourette syndrome
Read this nurse’s remarkable story of devotion and acceptance.
My Story: Supporting compassionate connections
Designing an EHR that promotes patient- and family-centered care. Takeaways: Honoring and recognizing patient preferences is an essential component of…
Navigating the loss and grief of a nurse suicide
With employer support, nurses can help each other after a colleague’s death. Takeaways: The bonds created among nurses make the…
NEW award program announced for nurses who work in Magnet hospitals
Please visit the Resources page for contest guidelines.
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…
Nine principles of successful nursing leadership
There is an extraordinary quality of spirit that prompts one to aspire to lead. These nine principles will help you…
Not just “eating our young”: Workplace bullying strikes experienced nurses, too
Even though nursing is a profession of caring and compassion, bullying exists in many forms in it. Bullying threatens teamwork,…
Nurse fatigue: The silent epidemic
Mitigating this serious threat to health and safety Are you getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep in…
Nurse Helps Families Who Lost Homes in Santa Rosa Wildfire
In October, thousands of homes in Santa Rosa, California were lost to wild fires. Payton Walton, a nurse who lives…
Nurse heroes of the Pandemic
Nurses share a common theme: Hope. Be prepared, be strong, and don’t panic Crystal Davis Campbell, BSN, RN Staff nurse,…
Nurse Keith’s Corner: Overcoming 21st Century Angst
When the 21st century dawned several decades ago, the next one hundred years — and the new millennium — were seen as…
Nurse suicide attempt survivors
Easing back safely to the work environment Frequently, suicide ideation is a manifestation of mental illness, such as depression or…
Nurse suicide prevention starts with crisis intervention
Make a plan to protect yourself and your colleagues. Takeaways: An organization-wide anonymous encrypted screening program to detect nurses at…
Nurses and customer service: A new annoyance or an old standard?
Read the newest guest blog from Donna Cardillo.
Nurses in a children’s classroom: Showcasing nursing as a career choice
We would like to share our experiences as yearly participants in our local Hillsborough County Great American Teach-In (GATI). GATI,…
Nurses Really are Superheroes! Nurse Alice Introduces “The Vitals”
We did it Joe… NURSES! Voted the most trusted profession (again). Actually, nurses have been voted the most ethical and…
Nurses rising
Recognizing, elevating, and caring for RNs during a pandemic As we celebrated the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President…
Nurses struggling on the frontline of COVID-19
Innovation is important in maintaining an open-minded perspective on the frontline of healthcare, particularly in the middle of the COVID-19…
Nurses with disabilities: Know their rights
Registered nurses (RNs) with physical disabilities experience discrimination in the workplace. Researchers have found that nurses with disabilities often leave…
Nurses’ essential role in supporting professionalism
Key takeaways – Most nurses behave professionally and ethically. – A tiered approach to intervention when unprofessional behavior occurs offers…
Nursing Apps—For Work and Home
The season of gift-giving is upon us, and don’t you think you should start with a few gifts for yourself?…
Nursing Story Slams: Creating a Space for Nurses To Tell Their Stories
Storytelling is essential to increasing health literacy, empathy, curiosity, and engagement — and who has better stories than nurses? That is why…
Nursing’s Future
Nancy Brent discusses of nurses being active participants in the profession’s future.
Nurturing the tree of life
In the United States, more than 15,000 families a year make the difficult decision to donate their loved ones’ organs.…
Nutrition for night-shift nurses
Pam has worked the night shift for more than 30 years. Over the last 3 years, she has lost 100…
On breaking a bone for the first time…at age 59
Look, I’m a nurse, and I’ve probably seen a thousand broken bones in the last 35 years. Well, not actually…
One-on-one meetings: The stitch in time that saves nine
Remember the last time you had a loose button? Maybe you thought about stopping to sew it on, but never…
Online health information and self-diagnosis
To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Concerned RN Subject: Self-diagnosis During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients are asking me about…
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…
Physical wellness: A must for sustained energy
Take steps now to ensure your future good health. Takeaways: Sitting for 3 or more hours a day increases cardiovascular…
Poetic expression: Verse 2
In her second appearance on this page, nurse and poet Kristina Ibitayo presents three more poems.
Practicing emotional intelligence may help reduce lateral violence
It’s been a stressful day at work — nothing new. Your patient fell, an I.V. line became occluded right when…
Principled leadership and the imperative for workplace civility
Civility is not situational. What a leader must manifest all day, every day, is civility, because civility is—or at least…
Promoting nurse mental health
An urgent call to shift from crisis intervention to long-term prevention Takeaways: Nurses are experiencing an unprecedented amount of burnout,…
Promoting self-caring and healing in your work environment
Make your work environment more soothing and improve your peace of mind by creating an oasis of calm.
Promoting staff interaction to encourage inclusion
Years ago, when I was working at a community hospital, we decided to host a job fair because we were…
Providing ethics consultation in the middle of a pandemic
As a new graduate RN, I was confronted with the case of allowing a natural death for a 6-month old…
Providing workplace renewal opportunities for nurses
Stress among nurses is caused not only by the demands of clinical care, but also the continual outlay of compassion…
Quiz Time
When comparing patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and intermittent opioid injections, you should know that: Answer to Quiz Time: d. PCA can…
Raising awareness about health disparities: A call to action
The COVID-19 pandemic has raised consciousness about health disparities, institutional racism, and diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI) in the nation.…
Recovery lessons from the Sandy Hook trauma
Children are people with small hearts and big emotions that often come from the people around them, particularly family members.…
Reducing holiday stress
Limiting the stress that comes with the holidays requires a bit of planning. The Cleveland Clinic offers some suggestions built…
Reflection
Hair, she mused looking at her reflection, What is it really? Just dead cells growing out of one’s head. Yet,…
Reflections on nursing in Vietnam
Mary Jo Rice-Mahoney, RN, MSN, Colonel U.S. Army, Retired, knows what it’s like to practice nursing in a war zone.…
Reflections on the heart of nursing
In 1995, I toured the Florence Nightingale Museum in London. On the walls were letters that chronicled a lifetime of…
Reiki: Ancent healing art for today’s new healthcare vision
Perhaps you’ve heard of a complementary therapy called Reiki, or maybe you’ve experienced it yourself. Reiki is one of the…
Relax with lavender
We all experience a certain amount of stress and anxiety, and in small doses it may even enhance school or job…
Releasing our attachments to the past
Jake, a critical care nursing director, works for a large healthcare system that has invested heavily in testing the use…
Resting not regretting
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” — William…
RNs offer creative solutions to healthcare challenges
Creativity reigned at the second annual NursePitch™, a collaboration between the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the Healthcare Information and…
Room with a view: Clutter included?
Your “new” room is now ready—hospital room, that is. Architects are finally designing and redesigning hospital rooms that could match…
Safeguarding patients: The courageous communication solution
Preventable medical errors account for 440,000 deaths each year and are the third leading cause of death in the United States. According…
Safety huddles: A safety net for nurses amid the COVID-19 pandemic
In March 2020, our 31-bed geriatric medical unit was designated the first COVID-19 unit in a teaching hospital located in…
Scope and standards-of-practice documents: Guiding you to leadership success
Starting a new job in a new specialty can be a daunting experience. I recently transitioned to a new role…
Scrapbooks capture nurses career milestones
For nurse graduates, starting their first staff position is an exciting time, but it can also be a time of…
Self-management = a balanced life
Follow this formula for success. Takeaways: • Self-management coupled with a wellness approach can mitigate the stress associated with nursing…
Shaving as a metaphor for nursing
Over the course of history, people have used metaphors to explain, contrive, reflect, and refute human phenomena. Health care (and…
Silence and Solace
“We think she’s gone,” he said. It was 6:20 p.m. I was walking down the hall on the med-surg unit,…
Simple steps to improve your retirement readiness
PERHAPS, like many nurses, you’ve become quite business savvy over the past few years. Increasing numbers of nurses are responsible for…
Situational awareness and the Nursing Code of Ethics
Solving ethical dilemmas requires a thoughtful process. Takeaways Ethical dilemmas are a common occurrence in nursing, often resulting in moral…
Smart pumps, smart management, safe patients
When organizations and clinicians team up, patients are protected. Takeaways: Medication administration errors continue to occur due to mistakes in…
Social wellness: Nurture your relationships
Friends and family are critical to your quality of life. Takeaways: Social well-being can be defined as our ability to…
Soul habits
Use your mind and body to support your soul. Takeaways: Your outer circumstances don’t need to control your happiness, even…
Spiritual wellness: A journey toward wholeness
Through spirituality, we connect with the world around us. Takeaways: Spirituality involves a sense of connection outside ourselves and includes our…
Springing into action: How one procedural area kept working during COVID-19
As COVID-19 hit Georgia in early March 2020, Emory University System made the difficult decision to stop all surgeries and…
Squashing the communication triangle
In the infamous and deadly Bermuda Triangle, things seem to disappear, never to be seen again. In the communication triangle,…
Staying healthy: Advice for telehealth nurses
Telehealth, telemedicine, and home-based telehealth work have grown dramatically in recent years. These programs enable nurses to provide patient care remotely…
Stopping the pain: The role of nurse leaders in providing organizational resources to reduce disruptive behavior
As articles ranging from those in American Nurse Today (“Civility starts with you”) to The New York Times (“When the…
Storytelling: Resilience and influence in minutes
During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses too often are the last and only person in the room when a patient dies.…
Stress busters and sanity savers
How to survive your shift unscathed – with less stress
Stress-Reducing Creativity
While art therapy is its own field, you can use the benefits of art to express your creative side and…
Take time to appreciate the importance of what you do
Lessons learned from 1918 d In 1918, the “Spanish flu” killed most people who were infected. Thanks to the efforts…
Taking the first steps to serving on a board
Nurses have a singular perspective on patient care and community health. With our training and experience, we can inform and…
Tap your way to fast relief
Want to reduce physical and psychological stress? Emotional Freedom Techniques may be able to help.
Tap your way to fast relief
Can symptomatic relief from fear, stress, anxiety, and a laundry list of other ailments really be at your fingertips? The…
Telling nursing’s stories: Reality or fiction?
“You’re going to do what?” my colleagues asked when I told them I planned to quit my job to write…
Ten tips for transitioning from home care nurse to nurse manager
Sarah made the transition from inpatient hospital nurse to home care (HC) nurse 6 years ago. She enjoys her practice…
The Bedpan and its Significance
During the holiday doldrums I came across a 2015 Smithsonian magazine article entitled “The strange saga of George Washington’s bedpan.”…
The caring-quilting connection
Even if you’re not a quilt connoisseur, you’re sure to appreciate the beauty and handiwork of this nurse’s quilt. Its creator sees profound parallels between quilting and nursing.
The Difference Between Being Thankful and Being Grateful
In her article on the Odyssey website (a collection of writing from young people), Tessa Masula contemplates what it means…
The freeing force of laughter
By reciting wacky dialogue from a scene in a Monty Python movie, Mary Delisle, RN, interrupted the negative thought patterns of a patient mired in dread and dispair.
The importance of being unreasonable
Nurses, on the whole, are a darn nice group of people. After all, nurses have a reputation for being caring,…
The joys of journaling and poetic expression
A journalist before becoming a nurse, Kristina Ibitayo has never abandoned her love for writing. Her poems celebrate true friendship and probe life’s possibilities.
The little things we do
In December 2001, the graduating class of New York University’s College of Nursing asked me to give a speech during…
The mindful nurse
Mindfulness is an increasingly common topic in both popular and professional literature. In clinical populations, evidence suggests mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs)…
The Most Important Leadership Competencies, According to Leaders Around the World
In a March 2016 article published in Harvard Business Review, certified executive coach Dr. Sunnie Giles explores the top 10…
The pandemic and early career nurses
Find support, shape the profession via input, action. During the peaks and valleys of the now 15-month COVID-19 pandemic, nurses…
The Power of Introverts
Are you an introvert? If so, you may think you don’t have the right personality to be a nurse leader.…
The power of Lean Six Sigma
Lean and Six Sigma are well-established quality improvement tools. Combining the two creates a synergistic effect, boosting effectiveness. In the…
The power of the positive
Being positive in a negative situation is not naïve. It’s leadership. — Ralph S. Marston, Jr., author and publisher of The…
The Relentless School Nurse: #NursesAreNotOK
The pandemic has disrupted life as we know it, with no specific end in sight, outside of glimmers of hope…
The Relentless School Nurse: Feeling simultaneously empowered and disempowered
When I power up the Zoom room for my bi-weekly school nurse support groups, I am never sure who will…
The Relentless School Nurse: Please SAVE OUR SCHOOLS!
This week my school district announced that four more schools will be closed at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school…
The ring
A lesson in loss and love.
The selflessness and dedication of military nurses
Thirty years ago, Brigadier General Sarah Wells began the tradition of gathering nurses together to place flowers on the graves of…
The Stories That Never Get Told – Compassion
Compassion and caring at the heart of nursing. It was too late. I could never speak to him again. By…
The times—and the nursing job market—they are a changin’
Donna Cardillo, MA, RN writes about the nursing job market.
The will to live – and living well
Groucho Marx said, “Marriage is the chief cause of divorce.” When we mentioned this to a friend of ours, he retorted, “Yes—and life…
The wisdom of renewal
We all know people who have become discontent with their careers. And we know people who remain energized, excited, and…
Therapeutic storytelling in nursing practice
Storytelling is a useful way to promote holistic care. The next time your patient shows poor coping ability, you might want to ask him to tell a story about what he’s experiencing.
Thinking it through: The path to reflective leadership
Reflective leadership is a way of approaching the work of being a leader by leading one’s life with presence and…
This nurse writes exceptional verse
Nurse Cortney Davis creates deeply moving poems from the pain and pathos that caregivers encounter every day.
This sculptor creates with surgiucal drill and diamond burrs
Meet pediatric nurse Anthony Walker who expresses himself in wonderful sculptures.
Thoughtful feedback loop: A nurse’s approach to personal and organizational improvement
As a nurse, your partnership with another in the Thoughtful Feedback Loop gives you the power to exponentially increase the…
Tips for long-term exercise success
Walking, swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, aerobic dancing, or any of dozens of other activities can help your heart. They all…
Tired of being tired? Try Pilates!
These basic Pilates exercises will not only make you stronger and more flexible – they will enregize you.
Tired of caring? You may have compassion fatigue
Do you have trouble remembering what drew you to nursing? Do you take alternative paths through the unit to avoid…
Too young to be a nurse leader?
Marla Johnson began her career on an oncology unit after graduating from a BSN program 4 years ago. She achieved…
Touch of kindness
Helping a little victim of sexual assault brings a profound realization.
Unpacking the pounds that weigh you down
How long have you dreamed of losing weight and keeping it off—of what it would feel like to be healthier…
Uplifting nurses
Associations respond to member needs in a pandemic. In 2020, what kept me up at night was nurses’ well-being and…
Use it or lose it: Physical fitness for nurses
Chronic lifestyle-related diseases account for most deaths today, with cardiovascular disease the leading cause of all deaths. As you know,…
Using power skills for personal wellness
Here’s expert advice on how to manage your own self-care.
Viewpoint: Adding respect to freedom of speech
The right to freedom of speech is a common topic in the news, but the reporting often doesn’t include a…
Viewpoint: Caring Science meets Heart Science: A guide to authentic caring practice
Editor’s note: Viewpoint highlights the thoughts, opinions, and expertise of well-known nurse leaders. We welcome your comments about these thought-provoking…
Viewpoint: Lessons learned from nurses in rural Uganda
It’s still dark outside our tiny pup tent, and the air feels humid after the sudden torrential downpour the evening…
Violence should not be part of the job
Universal violence precautions in acute care Takeaways: Workplace violence can surprise and overwhelm nurses, leaving them unable to safely provide…
Visitor restrictions during COVID-19: ethical considerations
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals across the nation established strict visitor restrictions for all inpatient units, which…
Volunteering resources
More than 1.3 billion people across the world lack access to basic healthcare services – mostly because the number of…
Walking the labyrinth: An exercise in self-healing
Does your job have you running around in circles? Are you super-stressed out, but too jittery to ease your tension…
