nursing

A multifaceted gem

Through poetry, Susan Wilcox Stelton, MSN, APRN-BC, CWOCN, reflects on the many facets of nursing.

A Year of Gifts

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

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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…

Care during crisis

ANA brings nurses, experts together to shape practice policy during disasters

Care without gaps

ANA, nurses nationwide work to improve transitions in care Mary Maryland, PhD, APRN,BC, ANP, has had to rely on good…
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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…

Challenging nursing’s sacred cows

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 of nursing practice might surprise you.

Characteristics of nursing excellence

What’s behind Magnet®-recognized organizations? By Lillee Gelinas, MSN, RN, CPPS, FAAN I’ve learned a lot through the years about the characteristics…

Dangers of the 12-hour shift

Rose Sherman has a thoughtful blog on nursing’s “third rail”—the 12-hour shift. In the blog, she notes that although nurses…

Do I still belong?

You matter to the profession. As nurses continue their journey to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, many are asking, “Do…

During an emergency: Be safe!

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 contaminated patients without endangering ourselves.

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Effective peer reviews in 3 easy steps

Most well-respected journals are peer reviewed, although controversy exists as to its true value. The International Committee of Medical Journal…

Ensuring quality and saving time

The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators&#174 tracks the care nurses provide, helping to improve nursing practice, patient outcomes, and the work environment.

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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,…
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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…
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Gifts that keep on giving

December turns our hearts and minds to the holiday season. We juggle work time and family demands to prepare for…

Gig nursing

Has the future of part-time work shifted? The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the healthcare workplace. Stress, burnout, and lack of…

Good intentions eclipsed

Leah Curtin discusses how negative effects of work on work/life balance and mandatory overtime affect patient care.

Headlines from the Hill

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, safety, & wellness

By promoting and consuming nutritious foods, nurses can improve their own and their patients’ health.

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Health, safety, & wellness

Nursing is a rewarding profession based on caring, giving, helping, and educating. It involves caring for others, from beautiful newborns…
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How do you look?

Recently, I rushed to the emergency department (ED) at my local hospital to meet a relative who’d been taken there…

How to comment on government regulations

You can get directly involved in developing public health policy by submitting your comments on proposed government regulations to federal departments and agencies.

Interprofessional collaboration made easy

Strategies for improving results. Takeaways: Interprofessional collaboration can be added to bedside rounding and other existing teams. Patient engagement and…
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Introducing the new voice of nurses

Welcome to the premier issue of American Nurse Today—the official journal of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the new…

Is hospice care a two-way street?

As a non-nurse, my perception of why nurses decide to work in hospice care centers around patients and families—relieving pain,…

Issues up close

What’s your health risk? Find out with ANA’s new online assessment tools.

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Issues up close

Genomic science has crossed the horizon of health care into our everyday lives, transforming our understanding of health and illness.…
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Leadership insights

The American Nurses Association (ANA) Leadership Institute is designed to enhance leadership knowledge and professional skills to prepare nurses for…

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…

New film spotlights nurses

“NURSES: If Florence Could See Us Now” is a new documentary that showcases the challenging and diverse world of nursing.…

Nurses caring and sharing

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 in need, nurses help sustain human dignity and humanity through their caring presence and heart-to-heart sharing.

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Nursing – today and beyond

Nursing is in the midst of revolutionary changes. How are these changes affecting the profession today—and how are they likely…

Nursing quality: Strength in numbers

"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.

Nursing’s ethical commitment to effective patient communication

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 component of care. This article points out parallels between the AMA report and the ANA’s Code of Ethics.

Nursing’s quality crosswalk

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.

PhD vs DNP

Takeaways: The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) is a terminal degree designed to prepare experts in nursing practice. The doctor…
Pyelonephritis

Pyelonephritis

Early identification results in a positive outcome.     Candance Walker* is a 28-year-old woman who arrives in a wheelchair in the…

Sacred cow round-up

Evidence-based nursing practice obliges us to embrace innovation and let go of our sacred cows.

Safe staffing saves lives

ANA’s “Safe Staffing Saves Lives” campaign fights for safe nurse staffing legislation.

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…

Staffing though Web-based open-shift bidding

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 retention.

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SWAT nursing: A unique specialty

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

Tap your way to fast relief

Want to reduce physical and psychological stress? Emotional Freedom Techniques may be able to help.

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.

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The essence of nursing

In health care today, technological advances grab headlines while clinicians’ documentation duties mount almost daily. Is basic nursing care receding…

The Nurse Executive’s Coaching Manual

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 and engaged workforce.

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.

Trust me. I’m a nurse

Reconciling trust, ethics, and caring. Takeaways: For 17 consecutive years, nurses have received the highest rating in the Gallup honesty…

What new nurses like

According to a Nursing Research and Practice study of 1,152 newly registered nurses, what they like best about nursing can…

Why making the rounds makes sense

Nursing rounds are making a comeback – but this time, they’re based on research and structured for maximum efficiency.

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