education

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10 steps to planning a successful conference

Use this guide to plan large and small events. Takeaways: Because no universal guide exists for coordinating a professional meeting, these 10 steps may prove useful as you…

A need to feed the pipeline

Looking at challenges and solutions to increasing nursing faculty. How does the United States educate more nurses if there aren’t enough nurse educators? It may seem like a…

A Year of Gifts

Our editor-in-chief reviews important accomplishments in the past year and presents a nursing "wish list".

Act fast against anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis can kill within minutes unless the victim receives immediate treatment. Calling a rapid response team to the scene can avert disaster.

Anatomy lesson 101

ANA’s National Center for Nursing Quality promotes nursing quality and patient safety while helping nurses advocate for themselves.

Are you an ABG ace?

Can you interpret arterial blood gas (ABG) values with confidence? To find out, test yourself with the case studies in this article.

Are you prepared for malaria?

Global traveling brings about 1,000 cases of malaria to this country each year. Don’t be caught off guard if you encounter it in your practice.

Be a coach for novice nurses

The transition from the educational setting to the practice setting can be intimidating. Make it easier by guiding novice nurses.
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BSN in ten

Nurse leaders nationwide promote measure to benefit patient care and RNs’ careers. To garner support for a measure that promotes initiatives requiring future nurses to obtain their BSN…

Cartoonist with a cause

The cartoons of Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CED, help patients cope with diabetes.
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COVID-19’s effects on education

The enormity of this unprecedented, global pandemic cannot be overstated—the COVID-19 virus has sent shockwaves across the globe. No sector of the U.S. economy, no socioeconomic strata, and…

Develop millennial leaders with generation collaboration

Takeaways: Generation collaboration is essential for the future growth of the nursing profession. Millennials are interested in pursuing leadership roles and believe that nurses should pursue executive healthcare…

Do you have a BS or a BSN? Does it matter?

Christina is concerned when she learned that she would graduate with a bachelor of science (BS) degree with a major in nursing, not a bachelor of science in…

Doctoral degrees: Which one is right for you?

Evaluate your goals and get the facts. After graduating from a nursing program and working for a few years in clinical practice, you’ve decided to further your education.…
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Easing your way back to school

Place a checkmark on the line next to each statement that applies to you: You’ve seen how quickly your nursing knowledge becomes outdated. You’d like to join a…

Exploring massage therapy as a career option

A nurse-turned-massage therapist found that hands-on interaction with massage clients reconnected her to one of the most fulfilling aspects of nursing – contact through caring, noninvasive touch.

Free online course on FDA drug regulation

Access “The Past, Present, and Future of FDA Human Drug Regulation,” a free educational program from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is available here.
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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 specialty to specialty and sometimes leave a skill…
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From Your ANA President

No matter how long we’ve been in practice, we can all remember our nursing school experience. Giving our first injection, memorizing drugs and their side effects, fine-tuning a…

From your ANA President and ANF Chair

We both have been fortunate to enjoy a long association with the American Nurses Foundation (ANF), the charitable and philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association (ANA). It…
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Frontiers of nursing education

As student needs and priorities shift, education adapts. By Janet Boivin, BSN, RN In less than half a century, nursing education has advanced from a highly structured model…

Get Savvy to syncope

Syncope is a common occurrence and is commonly benign. But sometimes a swoon signals a serious underlying condition. Learn what causes syncope and how to assess and intervene…

Getting a grip on GERD

Most patients manage the heartburn, nausea, and belching of gastroesophegeal reflux disease with lifestyle changes and medications. But some may experience a dangerous symptom cluster that warns of more…
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Grooming our future leaders

The future of nursing may be in jeopardy. For almost a decade, we’ve known that when the current shortage peaks around 2020, we’ll have 1 million fewer nurses…

Halting postpartum hemorrhage

When excessive blood loss during delivery threatens a mother’s life, quick assessment, effective interventions, and expert aid from the rapid response team maneuver her postpartum course back onto…

Helping new nurses set priorities

After several weeks of classes and partnered orientation to patient care, novice nurses in our large acute-care health system have learned a great deal. Still, most admit their…

Helping patients survive sepsis

In its early stages, sepsis can be difficult to detect. Learn about the sometimes-subtle signs and symptoms.

Herbal facts, herbal fallacies

Many people assume herbs can’t cause harm, and neglect to tell healthcare providers they’re using them. This article will boost your herbal awareness and help you eradicate herbal…

Informatics: An essential nursing career

These experts support nurses’ patient care delivery. Nursing care requires the science of informatics, but I hear far too many nurses say, “I just don’t understand technology.” Those…

Issues up close

ANA’s “Bringing Immunity to Every Community” campaign aims to boost RNs’ knowledge of immunization, encourage them to get vaccinated, and position them as leading immunization advocates.

Making a stand against malignant melanoma

Summer sizzles on, sun-worshipers soak up the rays. Years later, your ability to detect melanoma in its early stages could spell the difference between a patient’s prompt treatment…
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Managing mental health emergencies in the ED

Safety and continuity are key to successful care. By Jessica L. Dzubak, RN Takeaways: The most important consideration when caring for this special population is ensuring, first and…

Microalbumin: Little test, big payoff

The earlier renal disease is detected, the better. That’s why the microalbumin test is so important for patients with certain chronic conditions.
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Moving ahead with your nursing education

Take advantage of the resources available to you. By Deborah E. Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN Whether you’re a newly licensed nurse or a seasoned professional, the time is…

Mumps on the rebound

After decades of dormancy, mumps is back and could be making an appearacne soon at a clinic or hospital near you.

Myths about being a new nurse

During my 8 years as an RN, I’ve had the opportunity to precept several nurses and student nurses. After the students graduate and start their careers, I continue…
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Nursing Schools See Enrollment Bump Amid Pandemic

Last December, Mirande Gross graduated from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, with a bachelor’s degree in communications. But Gross has changed her mind and is heading back to…
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Off to school: A guide for nurses

Preparation, organization, and involvement are your keys to success. Going back to school is an exciting—and sometimes scary—endeavor. First, pat yourself on the back: You had the courage…

Ogilvie’s syndrome: No ordinary constipation

A patient complains of bloating, abdominal tenderness, and constipation. Nothing unusual? Maybe. But if you’re too quick to dismiss these symptoms, you could be overlooking a serious condition called…

OJIN: The best kept secret of nursing

American Nurses Association (ANA) members may not realize it, but they have access to some of the most cutting edge, up-to-date practice information available anywhere—and it’s offered to…

Our Readers Respond

Mindfulness practice Thank you, Dr. Cipriano, for your editorial on mindfulness practice to assist in the grief process (“Breath at the belly,” July 2010). A long-time Buddhist, I…

Paget’s disease: A therapy update

Pain, arthritis, fractures, and skeletal deformities are calling cards of Paget’s disease. A new one-dose drug therapy can produce extended remission.
PhD vs. DNP

PhD vs. DNP

Find fulfillment by making the right choice. Nurses have two options for pursuing a terminal degree—doctor of philosophy (PhD) and doctor of nursing practice (DNP). Choosing between a doctor…

Preventing airway obstruction

Complications of an anterior cervical fusion did not lead to an airway obstruction because of one nurse’s assessment skills and critical thinking.

Putting the breaks on pulmonary edema

I.V. fluids should help a dehydrated patient, but for one with a history of atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease, they could contribute to pulmonary edema. For Grace…
reader feedback October 2018

Reader Feedback: October 2018

THIS IS WHERE we share some of the comments, insights, and thoughts we receive from readers. Contact us at myamericannurse.com/send-letter-editor. (more…)
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Returning to nursing school? Keys to success

Preparation will help ease the transition. By Teresa Shellenbarger, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, and Meigan Robb, PhD, RN   Congratulations! You have decided to pursue additional nursing education…

Saving lives with continuous ST-segment monitoring

Manay dangerous ischemic events are clinically silent. Continuous ST-segment monitoring gives early warning of the silent ischemia that many other diagnostic methods fail to detect.
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Scope of Practice Decision-Making Framework

In early 2015, the Tri-Council for Nursing, consisting of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the American Nurses Association (ANA), the American Organization of Nurse Executives…

Sepsis signposts: Can you spot them?

Sepsis can show up in any setting. So even if you don’t work in a critical care unit, you need to know how to detect it. This article…

Standardization of virtual simulation

The importance of incorporating the NCBSN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, educators from all disciplines faced a compelling challenge: How to ensure…

Study: Supplemental nurses compared to permanent nurses

Supplemental nurses and permanent nurses share similar education levels, but supplemental nurses are slightly less experienced, more racially and ethnically diverse, and more likely to be male, according…
SWAT nursing specialty

SWAT nursing: A unique specialty

What does SWAT stand for? So Where Are They? Smart, Witty, and Talented? Smiling, Willing, Able, Technical? (more…)
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Take Note – July 2007

On-line video-based course on emergency preparedness   The need for better coordination between governmental agencies and hospitals became apparent after 9/11 and again after Hurricane Katrina. To fill this…
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Take Note – November 2007

Medical illiteracy can kill A 6-year study of 3,260 patients ages 65 and older found that almost 40% of those considered medically illiterate died during the study. Only…

Taking action against acute COPD

Each year, emergency departments see about 1.5 million patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Update your knowledge of the disease and its treatment.

Taking it to the top

The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree has aroused confusion and controversy. Learn why.
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The many merits of mentoring

Have you ever felt unsure about your next career step or just needed advice from a more seasoned professional? Natalie Murphy, co-author of this article, felt that way…
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The power of one voice

Dizziness, profuse sweating, a gnawing sensation in the pit of your stomach. Are these symptoms of the latest virus? No—they’re classic indications of glossophobia, or fear of public…

The science of skin peels

Learn how slathering a chemical solution over the face or abrading it with a stream of crystals rejuvenates the skin. This article takes you under the skin surface…
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Tme magnetic matrix: Building blocks of Magnet™ hospitals

Even during a nursing shortage, building magnetism into a healthcare environment promotes better patient outcomes, lower mortality rates, and higher patient satisfaction. Although Magnet™ hospitals don’t escape the…

Top 5 education apps for nurses

The world needs nurses now more than ever, and nursing students should be as prepared as possible before entering a clinical space. If you are in nursing school,…

What you can learn from failure

Editor’s note: At American Nurse Today, we believe every nurse can be a leader. Rose Sherman, founder of the Emerging RN Leader blog (www.emergingrnleader.com), contributes articles on a…
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What’s the latest on lipoproteins

A new lab technique called segmented gradient gel electrophoresis identifies subclasses of cholesterol and more precisely predicts your patient’s cardiac risk.

When all signs point to long QT syndrome

A patient’s brief loss of consciousness leads to discovery of long QT syndrome. By thinking fast and making all the right moves, you can stave off the threat…
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Why you need an electronic professional portfolio

You can think of an electronic professional portfolio as being similar to an electronic health record. An electronic health record captures all the clinical conditions and interventions over…
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Your doctorate and the path to persistence

Completing your doctorate requires support and more. By Nancy Bellucci, PhD, RN, CNOR High attrition rates for doctoral nursing students (reported to be as much as 50%) in…

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