Keeping nurses safe

When you think of safety in the workplace, what comes to mind? Protection? Security? Well-being? All nurses and healthcare professionals deserve to feel safe in their work environment. Yet, many nurses face violence at work—in one study, on average, more than two nurses were assaulted every hour—and the majority of incidents aren’t reported. Despite this discouraging picture, solutions to address workplace violence are at hand.

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 she manages with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and recurrent migraines treated with a triptan. Two days earlier, Ms. Anderson sprained her ankle and received a prescription for tramadol.

Keeping nurses safe

When you think of safety in the workplace, what comes to mind? Protection? Security? Well-being? All nurses and healthcare professionals deserve to feel safe…

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…

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…

Female external urinary catheters: A nurse-led intervention

Indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs), although frequently overused according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are necessary for acute and chronic medical care. For example, the CDC notes several indications for their use, including urinary retention or obstruction,…

Nitrous oxide: Myths and misconceptions

Nitrous oxide (N2O) has been used as an analgesic during childbirth since the late 1800s, almost exclusively outside of the United States, until it resurfaced around 2011. A resurgence in use, coupled with widespread lack of knowledge about the modality,…

Intellectual and developmental disabilities: Nurse advocacy

Healthy People 2030 calls for the improved health and well-being of those with disabilities. The World Health Organization notes that 25% of the U.S. population lives with a disability; globally, the number is close to 1.3 billion (16% of the…

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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

Brad Goettl sees opportunities and promise for the future of nursing

State actions

Civic engagement

Read. Reflect. Learn.

State actions

H.R.1, SIGNED into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025, promises to reduce federal spending for Medicaid over a decade by…

Keeping nurses safe

When you think of safety in the workplace, what comes to mind? Protection? Security? Well-being? All nurses and healthcare professionals deserve to…

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,…

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…

Continuing Education

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 liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and deaths related to viral hepatitis. Nurses have an important role to…

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 (distinct from the gradual onset of disorders like dementia) and fluctuating levels of attention and awareness.…

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…

Premature ventricular complexes

Your patient has heart failure exacerbation, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, chronic renal failure, and depression. She says that she feels lightheaded…

Sepsis in the hospital setting: A case study

A 42-year-old man arrives in the ED. He reports not feeling like himself. Three days ago he stepped on a nail, which punctured his…

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…

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…

STIs: Antibiotic resistance and treatment challenges

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

Serotonin syndrome

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 began experiencing stomach discomfort, headache, an extremely itchy raised rash “all over,” and swollen lips and…

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…

Acute myeloid leukemia

An 80-year-old man received a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia. He’s been hospitalized for a month, including an ICU stay during which he received…

Acute kidney injury: A quick diagnosis aids recovery

A 35-year-old man arrives at the ED with severe weakness, diarrhea, nausea, hypotension, and tachycardia, which began after he finished a 100-mile race the…

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…

Pericarditis

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

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…

Practice Matters

Vital conversations

Nurses’ key role in engaging patients about vaccine safety, effectiveness VACCINATION is one of the most impactful public health interventions worldwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that routine childhood vaccinations have…

Nursing science and shrinking support

Before she reaches the room, the nurse hears Olivia’s* wheezing. It’s spring tilling season in the rural community, and dust and agricultural debris fill…

Therapy animals in the Ukraine military conflict

In the fall of 2024, I presented my research on animal-assisted therapies with farm animals at the International Association of Human–Animal Interaction Organizations conference…

Ending microaggressions

Guidance for recognition and response to subtle yet damaging harms. Microaggressions in nursing and patient care remain under-identified and under-addressed yet have ethical significance…

CLABSI prevention in hospitalized patients receiving hemodialysis

Many individuals receiving hemodialysis require a central venous catheter, which places them at risk for central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). The Centers for Disease…

Hair For You

Performing scalp and hair assessment is an integral part of patient-centered nursing practice. While frequently overlooked, missing this care may result in…

Reducing orthostatic hypotension

Significant challenges to early mobilization after joint replacement include postoperative orthostatic hypotension, which can adversely affect patient experience, participation in physical therapy,…

Progress and promise

The American Nurses Association (ANA) Innovation Awards recognize nurses who are creating change from the inside out, not only for themselves, but…

From the Ethics Inbox

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 direct injuries and broader psychological effects. Given the growing concerns about safety in healthcare settings, would…

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 and beliefs that impact how we provide healthcare. Recently, a patient’s cultural beliefs allowed for only…

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…

Everyday ethics: Informed consent

As a study coordinator, I recruit participants to a randomized clinical trial that’s evaluating experimental drugs for renal cancer. One of the individuals who…

Everyday ethics: Balancing beliefs with care

I’m a nurse in a med–surg unit. A patient I recently cared for who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis decided to voluntarily stop eating and…

Everyday ethics: Responsibility and accountability

A few weeks ago, I was floated to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), which was seriously short-handed due to surgeries from a multiple-car accident.…

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,…

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…

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…

Everyday ethics: Informed consent

As a study coordinator, I recruit participants to a randomized clinical trial that’s evaluating experimental drugs for renal cancer. One of the…

Perspectives

School nurse access can make a difference in zip code health disparities

Strategies to assist entry-level nursing students as they transition into practice

What being a nurse taught me about my infertility

The faculty role in recruiting the next generation of nurses

School nurse access can make a difference in zip code health disparities

It’s high time school nurses take their rightful place, alongside teachers and counselors, within every American school. It isn’t just about student…

Strategies to assist entry-level nursing students as they transition into practice

We’re facing more of a challenge than ever with our new graduate nurses as they transition into practice. We’re experiencing a nursing…

What being a nurse taught me about my infertility

Being a nurse for the past 15 years, I’m used to having answers for my patients and troubleshooting problems when they arise.…

The faculty role in recruiting the next generation of nurses

The United States nursing shortage is one of the most talked about issues in healthcare. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that…

Community

Strengthen health systems worldwide: Invest in nursing professional development

Remembering Eloise Richardson

Still new, still standing: A novice adjunct nurse educator in Texas

I entered nursing education with two feet in and my heart wide open. After years of bedside patient care, nurse preceptor experience,…

Reducing publication rejection

Nobody likes rejection, whether it’s by your lover, the organization you hoped to work for, or the journal where you submitted your…

News

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

Why Are More Older People Dying After Falls?

FDA approves updated COVID-19 vaccines with new restrictions, potentially limiting access for healthy children

Guidance around COVID-19 vaccines has once again shifted after the Food and Drug Administration on Aug. 27, 2025, approved updated shots for the…

A view of 5600 Fishers Lane in Rockville, Maryland, which houses the headquarters of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and other health agencies. According to a senior AHRQ official who spoke on condition of anonymity, a climate of deep depression has settled over the agency’s offices. (Antony-22/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0)

What’s Lost: Trump Whacks Tiny Agency That Works To Make the Nation’s Health Care Safer

Sue Sheridan’s baby boy, Cal, suffered brain damage from undetected jaundice in 1995. Helen Haskell’s 15-year-old son, Lewis, died after surgery in…

My Nurse Influencer

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: failure to comply may result in being sent home from the unit or the simulation lab.…

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 leading preventable cause of death worldwide and a major contributor to mortality in the United States.…

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.…

What will you do with the time you saved?

Necessity is the mother of invention, so the proverb goes. Inventiveness is probably encoded in the human genome and has allowed our survival. Creating…

Publication extenders—A powerful tool for extending your article’s reach

You’ve worked hard to get your article published, so why should you put in more time? Because extenders can boost the uptake of your…

Why human flourishing matters in nursing

I had the honor of serving on the expert panel entrusted with the 2025 revision of the Code of Ethics for Nurses. Amid a…

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…

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…

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…

What will you do with the time you saved?

Necessity is the mother of invention, so the proverb goes. Inventiveness is probably encoded in the human genome and has allowed our…

Mental Health

Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic Research

In early September 2019, Johns Hopkins opened its new Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, which explores the use of psychedelics on…

Managing chronic pain in the elderly

Chronic pain has widespread effects on older adults. This article describes how to help patients manage it.

Critical Care

Understanding end-tidal CO2 monitoring

This noninvasive technique gives early warning of respiratory compromise.

Act fast against severe hypoglycemia

With quick thinking and immediate action, you can save this patient.

Pediatrics

What it’s like to be a school nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic

Nurse Holly Giovi of Deer Park, NY takes Good Morning America into her office to see what it’s like to work on the frontlines…

Effects of low to moderate alcohol intake during pregnancy examined

Preschool children of mothers who consumed low to moderate quantities of alcohol during pregnancy had no difference in test performance compared to…

Cardiology

Myocarditis and COVID-19

In a COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination world, nurses should raise their clinical suspicion for myocarditis when healthy, young, or athletic patients present…

Caring for patients with solid organ transplants

Donald Brooks, age 57, comes to the emergency department after fracturing his right hip in a skiing accident. He is admitted to…

American Nurse TV

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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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