life at work

AI can identify signs of staff burnout

Leverage existing and emerging tools to help address this persistent nursing challenge. Lillee Gelinas Artificial intelligence (AI) can help identify signs of staff burnout by using a range…

Black Americans in nursing education

Reflecting on the past and looking toward the future. Takeaways: There is a need for increased Black nursing faculty and students in an effort to promote diversity within…

Combat healthcare untruths with community outreach

When confronted with false or misleading information, nurses sometimes find themselves in challenging conversations with patients and families, which may disrupt their ability to provide safe, high-quality care.…

Communication tips for nurse leaders

Build trust with active listening and a positive work environment. Takeaways: Emotional intelligence—which includes active listening, empathy, and compassion—refers to your ability to understand and manage your own…
confidentiality

Confessions of an accidental eavesdropper 

Thoughts about confidentiality and respect. Takeaways: The design of hospitals means that we frequently overhear private conversations between clinicians and patients. What can these overheard conversations teach us…

Confronting racism in nursing

The inaugural National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing, comprised of representatives from over 30 national nursing organizations and 80 subject matter experts, has accomplished much. This content…

Connections ease nurses’ burdens

You’ll find much in the current literature about the initial impact of chronic exposure to traumatic events while caring for patients with COVID-19 in frontline healthcare workers. Experienced…

Cultivating change

Staying ahead of healthcare delivery changes and current trends can help nurse leaders determine where to allocate time and resources.

Digital dissemination platforms

Use social media and news sites to promptly share your scholarly work.   Takeaways Social media platforms and news outlets contribute to the swift and vast dissemination of scholarly…

Discharge hospitality center

Patients ready for discharge frequently remain in their rooms for various reasons, such as waiting for transportation, outpatient medications, and durable medical equipment (DME). These delays lead to…
Documenting Dilemmas

Documenting dilemmas via email

Use this simple acronym to get results.  Takeaways: When faced with a workplace dilemma, communication is key to achieving resolution. Clear communication requires emotional intelligence. Documenting communication should…

Getting shots in arms

Stay current with vaccinations. Viral respiratory illness season has arrived. Many people may be behind with their annual and routine vaccinations. What can nurses do for patients, families,…

In search of staffing solutions

Innovation, change management, persistence define successful strategies Appropriate staffing—a dynamic process that aligns the number of nurses, their workload, expertise, and resources with patient needs to achieve quality…
job loss

Job loss and preparing for the future

Seek support, take your time, and plan strategically. Editor’s note: This is the second article in a two-part series on nurse job loss. You can read Part 1…

Let’s huddle up

Tiered huddles, brief conversations that occur throughout levels of an organization or across health systems, move up and back down the organizational structure to improve patient safety, communication,…
librarian

Librarians on the healthcare team

Partner with these professionals to aid evidence-based practice. As a nurse in the emergency department (ED), you notice that patient falls have doubled over the past month. You…
Life after retirement, healthcare, registered nurse, nursing, nursing journal

Life after retirement

Planning for what lies ahead. Takeaways: According to the American Nurses Association, 500,000 experienced RNs are projected to retire by 2022. Retirement is a major life transition that…

LPNs in modified care delivery models

In 2019, Winslow and colleagues highlighted the integral role care delivery models (CDMs) play in a healthcare organization’s daily workflow and their direct impact on patient safety outcomes,…
Micro-credentials and Badges

Micro-credentials and badges in healthcare

An opportunity to highlight your skills and experience.  Healthcare evolves continually, and our knowledge base is always expanding. With each new treatment discovered, intervention pioneered, and virus encountered,…

Moral distress and end-of-life care

The power of dignity-conserving care to promote nurse and patient well-being Takeaways: When providing end-of-life care, nurses face ethical dilemmas related to the dying process and the relief…

Native knowledge

Indigenous nursing programs are making room for new perspectives When Angela Acuna, BSN, RN, heard about the Indians in Nursing: Career Advancement and Transition Scholars (INCATS) program, she…
journalist, AmericaN Nurse Journal, healthcare, nursing, nursing journal

Nurse advocacy through media communications

Develop the skills and competencies to communicate effectively. Takeaways: The 2018 Woodhull study found that the prevalence of nurses in the news media had dropped from 4% in…

Nurse turnover: Understand it, reduce it

What can employers do to increase nurse retention? Takeaways: Because of the stress involved in nursing, many healthcare organizations have high rates of nurse turnover. The cost of…
nursing contracts

Nurses and contracts

Understanding basic terminology, the pitfalls you may encounter, and the relationships among parties to a contract can help you protect your self-interests and ensure a successful experience.

Nurses’ well-being in the face of burnout

The aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic still weigh heavily on healthcare institutions in the form of enduring workforce shortages, escalating labor expenses, and a growing prevalence of staff…

One vital skill for a nurse: Work-life balance

Nursing is a physically, mentally and emotionally demanding profession. According to a 2012 research reviewOpens in a new window or tab, nursing is one of the most stressful jobs…

Patient care assistant training

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that 195,400 RNs will leave the nursing profession from 2021 to 2031. Addressing this predicted nursing shortage will require innovative approaches…

Patient prejudice toward minoritized nurses

Nurses spend more time with patients than any other group of professionals, leading to prolonged and intimate contact with patients and their families. Although respect for all patients…

Patient prejudice toward nurses

Recent crises have led to a renewed focus on disparities in health care and social status among those who belong to minority groups. Yet despite educational and political…

Promote effective nurse-physician communication

Consider evidence-based strategies. Takeaways: Hectic healthcare settings and lack of understanding of colleagues’ roles and skills can contribute to miscommunication between nurses and physicians. Several evidence-based strategies—for individuals,…

Proper documentation protects patients and your license

Nursing documentation plays a critical role in healthcare. Errors or incomplete information can affect data accuracy and ultimately best practices. Improper documentation also can contribute to adverse, sometimes…
ringing new year

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 section titles in American Nurse Today to new…
seven-steps-conversations

Seven steps for having difficult conversations

An integral part of being a nurse is engaging in difficult conversations. Important nurses in history—Dorothea Dix, Clara Barton, Mary Eliza Mahoney, Florence Nightingale, Mabel Keaton Staupers, and…

Strong voices for a healthier future

More than 350 RNs from across the country came together for the 2023 American Nurses Association (ANA) Membership Assembly, the governing and official voting body of ANA, held…

The Grinch and “grumpy staying”

“Grumpy staying,” a workforce trend cited as a characteristic of some in the workplace, refers to high-potential employees who are dissatisfied with their jobs but choose to stay…
oncology

The journey of oncology navigation

Nurse navigators help avoid care fragmentation and support shared decision making. Takeaways: Patient navigation aims to increase health equity among patients with cancer and can be applied in…

The role of nurses in firearm safety

Theoretical debates about gun violence disappear within the realities of practice: the emergency department (ED) nurse supporting a family who’s lost a loved one to suicide, the surgical…
Violence should not be part of the job

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 patient care. A multi-component intervention is needed to…
correctional-nursing

What to expect from correctional nursing

Takeaways: Correctional nursing is a growing specialty that’s evolving to meet the needs of incarcerated populations in a variety of settings. People who are incarcerated need compassionate nurses…

What’s the future of AI-assisted nursing?

AI can assist in real-time to provide decision support for accurate patient assessment and treatment plans, thereby improving the precision and speed of care, especially in critical care…

Workplace violence policy

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed several gaps in our healthcare system, including the ongoing challenge of nurse safety and workplace violence (WPV). Organizations that tracked data identified that incivility,…
Writing For Publication

Writing for publication: Strategies for success

Follow these tips to improve the chances your article will be published.  Editor’s note: Dissemination 101 is a series designed to help nurses share their expertise. To read…

Your brain on optimism

Positive nursing role models know how to train their brain to be more optimistic. (more…)

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