Gabriela Bren is living a double life. On Sunday afternoons all across the country you can catch sidelines at Eagles games, cheering the team on. But when she’s…
Maritza A. Lara, MS, RN, PHN, recipient of the Jeannine Rivet National Leadership Award in 2021, immigrated to the United States with the hope that nursing would be…
According to a study in Nursing Economics, many nurses with associate degrees who would have otherwise been employed in hospitals seem to have shifted to long-term care settings.…
Three yellow balloons danced through the air, hovering over the finish line after being released by the bomb blast that brought the 2013 Boston Marathon to a catastrophic…
Biosimilars may help lower drug costs for patients. Takeaways: Biologics and biosimilars are classes of drugs used to treat many complex conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, and…
“For bombing suspect’s nurses, angst gave way to duty,” published in the Boston Globe, highlights nurses’ emotional response to caring for the Boston bombing suspected terrorist. Read more.
Jeff Rawson, a new nurse graduate, works on a behavioral health unit. His manager believes his transition is going well—until Jeff asks to transfer to another unit. When…
ANA, nurses nationwide work to improve transitions in care Mary Maryland, PhD, APRN,BC, ANP, has had to rely on good old-fashioned nursing ingenuity to ensure that her 84-year-old…
Like many of my colleagues, I became a nurse because of my desire to help people. I wanted to relieve suffering, offer comfort, and restore health. I wanted…
The day before undergoing lifesaving, high-risk surgery, a young woman sat with her fiancé by her side. The charge nurse, who learned that they wanted to tie the…
Do you routinely instill normal saline solution into endotracheal tubes before suctioning? Use only the Glasgow Coma Scale for neurologic assessment? Evidence on these and other sacred cows…
What’s behind Magnet®-recognized organizations? By Lillee Gelinas, MSN, RN, CPPS, FAAN I’ve learned a lot through the years about the characteristics of healthcare organizations whose nursing excellence is evident,…
Rose Sherman has a thoughtful blog on nursing’s “third rail”—the 12-hour shift. In the blog, she notes that although nurses like 12-hour shifts, they create a patient safety…
You matter to the profession. As nurses continue their journey to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, many are asking, “Do I belong here?” Belonging, a human need, is…
Thousands of accidental chemical spills and leaks take place in this country each year. Providing nurses with adequate first-receiver training can help ensure that we can care for…
Most well-respected journals are peer reviewed, although controversy exists as to its true value. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which publishes “ICMJE Recommendations for the…
The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators® tracks the care nurses provide, helping to improve nursing practice, patient outcomes, and the work environment.
Plan ahead to ensure a successful and respectful experience. Takeaways: Embarking on a global health trip includes both logistical and ethical considerations. Preparation before a global health trip…
“What do you see in his eyes?” asks Dr. Rothenberg. After a brief pause, someone replies, “He looks sad.” Another states, “He’s kind of emaciated.” After directing us…
During a recent clinical orientation with a group of about 170 nursing students, I projected a slide bearing a well-known photo of Florence Nightingale, and asked “Who knows…
Both nurse leaders and educators need to teach and model not only day-to-day nursing skills but the importance of connecting with their patients. In today’s often-chaotic healthcare environment…
I worked as an emergency medical technician-paramedic for almost 8 years in a rural area before I became a registered nurse. Just before I completed nursing school, a…
The elevator’s walls were covered in bronze and silver raised metal squares that gave the appearance of a magic eye puzzle and smelled of the stainless steel cleaner…
Studies have shown hourly rounding decreases call light usage and unit noise levels, increases patient satisfaction, and reduces falls. Some researchers also report increased staff satisfaction and productivity,…
Since the mid-1990s, the number of hungry people worldwide has been steadily increasing. Currently about 925 million people worldwide are hungry—about 1 in 7 of the global population.…
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…
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…
December turns our hearts and minds to the holiday season. We juggle work time and family demands to prepare for holiday celebrations. We reflect on the diversity of…
Has the future of part-time work shifted? The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the healthcare workplace. Stress, burnout, and lack of work–life balance and flexible work hours contributed to…
Find out what has been accomplished during the 112th Congress and what healthcare professionals stand to lose if our country goes over the "fiscal cliff."
Health care workers often put the health and safety of their patients first, neglecting to take care of themselves. By providing continuous services around the clock, many…
Nursing is a rewarding profession based on caring, giving, helping, and educating. It involves caring for others, from beautiful newborns to pain-wracked hospice patients. It involves giving of…
Novel and unconventional strategies continue to emerge in response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19). One recent innovative response is high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) use for adults experiencing the…
It had never occurred to me before, but it makes perfect sense—hospice care moves at a slower pace than typical nursing. Nurses (and patients) have all experienced the…
By Julie Cullen, Managing Editor, American Nurse Today I thought the best way to answer that question would be to speak to a nurse and a pharmacist, so…
Recently, I rushed to the emergency department (ED) at my local hospital to meet a relative who’d been taken there by ambulance. When I arrived, in my desperation…
Empathy and collaboration create opportunities to help vulnerable populations. Takeaways: Design thinking is a problem-solving tool driven by the needs of the targeted population. The authors used designing…
You can get directly involved in developing public health policy by submitting your comments on proposed government regulations to federal departments and agencies.
Colleen Jackson recently was promoted to a clinical manager position on her unit. At first, she was thrilled with the opportunity to advance her leadership skills, but now…
A quick Google search for “patient sitter jobs” yields 47 million results. A similar search for “registered nurse jobs” produces 454 million results. These numbers tell us that…
According to a study in Health Affairs, the cost per episode treated by nurse practitioners (NPs) in retail clinics was lower in states where NPs practice and prescribe…
Interprofessional collaborative teams that include nurses, physicians, social workers, pharmacists, and physical and occupational therapists can help healthcare organizations improve patient and family experiences, ensure good outcomes, and…
Welcome to the premier issue of American Nurse Today—the official journal of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the new voice for today’s nurses in all specialties and…
Original nursing research explores nurses’ rationales for using sterile technique instead of clean technique in particular circumstances – and reveals wide practice discrepencies.
As a non-nurse, my perception of why nurses decide to work in hospice care centers around patients and families—relieving pain, assuaging fears, answering questions, being a comfort. But…
Genomic science has crossed the horizon of health care into our everyday lives, transforming our understanding of health and illness. The era of personalized genomic health care has…
In the beginning, there was a single entity called “medicine” and everything health care–related was medicine. Then there were wars; those practicing medicine became too busy and nurses…
The American Nurses Association (ANA) Leadership Institute is designed to enhance leadership knowledge and professional skills to prepare nurses for career advancement. At ANA, we believe enhancing leadership…
A typical definition for a leader is one who has the ability to influence. Florence Nightingale, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King readily come to mind for their…
Caring, supportive mentors can help ease faculty shortage. Takeaways: Mentoring is one strategy to help solve nursing faculty shortages. Good mentors lie at the heart of every good…
Seeking to address major healthcare challenges, the National Priorities Partnership recognizes the many contributions nurses are making to advance its goals and transform health care. This article details…
About 400,000 low-birth-weight infants are born in this country every year. Their survival rates have been improving steadily, thanks to great strides in neonatal treatment and the high-quality…
“NURSES: If Florence Could See Us Now” is a new documentary that showcases the challenging and diverse world of nursing. The film highlights the compassion of real nurses,…
There is an extraordinary quality of spirit that prompts one to aspire to lead. These nine principles will help you tap into that spirit and improve your effectiveness…
Editor’s note: This month’s column is cowritten by Rebecca Patton and Margarete L. Zalon, President of the American Nurses Foundation. We have stories to tell about nurses and…
Nurse practitioners should be eligible to serve as “medical homes” for primary care By Eileen Shannon Carlson, JD, RN Congress is working to develop a comprehensive bill to…
From the U.S. to Uganda, in sleek American hospitals and makeshift Afghan clinics, nurses give of themselves to transform lives. Compelled by a deep passion to aid people…
An annotated bibliography. Editor’s note: This article has undergone peer review. Key Points Infectious disease outbreaks are an emerging global threat. Nurses are one of the most invaluable…
By Julie Cullen, Managing Editor, American Nurse Today The past few days have seen a lot of news coverage of the climate strike by young people around the…
Nursing is in the midst of revolutionary changes. How are these changes affecting the profession today—and how are they likely to affect it in the future? For the…
In August 2014, ANA participated as a strategic partner with 50 nursing leaders who came together in Baltimore for a summit meeting on Nursing Ethics for the 21st…
"In God we trust. All others must bring data." The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators® (NDNQI®) collects data that can improve the quality of care.
Nurses need more than solid technical skills to provide ethical care. A recent AMA Ethical Force Program report casts a spotlight on effective patient communication as an essential…
To promote optimal patient outcomes, ANA’s National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators identifies crucial nursing and patient care efforts that affect patient outcomes and safety.
Pathway to Excellence® is an evolving process that roadmaps opportunities to enhance nursing recruitment and retention, nursing autonomy and satisfaction, interdisciplinary collaboration, strategic focus, team engagement, ownership and…
I didn’t grow up wanting to be a nurse. No one in my family had any occupational connection with healthcare. After starting college en route to becoming a…
Perioperative nurses work on the front line caring for patients undergoing operative and other invasive procedures. They collaborate with patients, families, and members of the surgical team in…
Takeaways: The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) is a terminal degree designed to prepare experts in nursing practice. The doctor of philosophy (PhD) is a terminal degree designed…
John Rowe, a physician who is professor in the department of health policy and management at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, has written “Why Nurses…
It’s no surprise to nurses who choose to work with older adults that many of their current or future colleagues would rather focus on caring for those at…
Jeri Milstead is inducted into the ANA Hall of Fame. Jeri Milstead, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, has built her legacy on advocating for nurses’ involvement in local, state,…
The patient’s family makes an initial judgment about a nurse within 60 seconds—so your first words are crucial. Find out how to make every second count.
Early identification results in a positive outcome. Candance Walker* is a 28-year-old woman who arrives in a wheelchair in the emergency department accompanied by her husband. She’s crying…
What is the Emergency Nurses Association? The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), an ANA organizational affiliate, is devoted to safe practice and safe care in emergency nursing. It was…
In May, we celebrate Nurses’ Week, Women’s Health Week, and Mother’s Day. In the spirit of these celebrations, we asked Joseph C. Isaacs, CAE, Executive Director of the…
In 1995, I toured the Florence Nightingale Museum in London. On the walls were letters that chronicled a lifetime of dedication, spent caring for others—letters that were preserved…
Many patients are too intimidated to ask a healthcare provider about their care, fearing retaliation if they’re seen as confrontational or complaining.
Over the course of history, people have used metaphors to explain, contrive, reflect, and refute human phenomena. Health care (and all its challenges) has stimulated prolific metaphors to…
If you’re a nurse-manager who continually struggles to fill open shifts, find out how online shift-bidding technology can boost staffing efficiency, decrease costs, and enhance nurses’ satisfaction and…
Nursing literature abounds with descriptive and predictive studies of structural empowerment and its relationship to nurses’ trust, commitment, control over practice, intent to stay, productivity, job satisfaction, engagement,…
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…
In 1981, I attended the International Conference of Nurses meeting in Los Angeles. I took this opportunity to visit a colleague who’d just been diagnosed with malignant melanoma.…
Nurses have a singular perspective on patient care and community health. With our training and experience, we can inform and improve healthcare decisions in ways that complement those…
In today’s dynamic nursing environment, we are seeing four generations, creating a remarkable “cross-pollination” of RNs from across the Traditionalist (Veteran), Baby Boomer, Generation X (“Gen X”), and…
“Call the Midwife,” a television show on PBS, shows nurse midwives as positive influences in 1950s London. The show is sponsored by the American College of Nurse Midwives.…
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.
Have you ever heard of the Choluteca Bridge in Honduras? Designed to withstand even the strongest hurricane, it survived Hurricane Mitch, a category 5 storm that devastated the…
In health care today, technological advances grab headlines while clinicians’ documentation duties mount almost daily. Is basic nursing care receding into the background? Recently, American Nurse Today’s Editorial…
Amy Duncan, RN, is an ED and neonatal ICU nurse at Trinity Mother Frances Health System in Tyler, TX. When she joined the Texas Nurses Association/American Nurses Association…
Nurses, on the whole, are a darn nice group of people. After all, nurses have a reputation for being caring, self-sacrificing, nurturing, hardworking, and honest. So why don’t…
In the late 1960s, psychologist Abraham Maslow was moved by the kindness of the nurses and nursing students he encountered when hospitalized for heart disease. Curious about why…
With the incredibly changing and challenging environment of health care, today’s nurse leaders are required more than ever to consistently think about developing others and sustaining a committed…
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…
Reconciling trust, ethics, and caring. Takeaways: For 17 consecutive years, nurses have received the highest rating in the Gallup honesty and ethics survey. Individual nurse behavior can influence…
February is Cardiovascular Professionals Month. To mark the occasion, American Nurse Today asked Joanna D. Sikkema, MSN, ANP, President of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA), to describe…
According to a Nursing Research and Practice study of 1,152 newly registered nurses, what they like best about nursing can be summed up in five themes: “providing holistic…
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…
Get your free access to the exclusive newsletter of American Nurse Journal and gain insights for your nursing practice.
NurseLine Newsletter
*By submitting your e-mail, you are opting in to receiving information from Healthcom Media and Affiliates. The details, including your email address/mobile number, may be used to keep you informed about future products and services.