Nursing Facts

Nursing is the nation´s largest healthcare field with 2.5 million registered nurses (RNs) nationwide. There are four times as many RNs in the United States as doctors.

Florence Nightingale Pledge for Nurses

I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.

~Florence Nightingale

Burnout Nurses Effects

The symptoms of burnout in nurses are as varied as the sufferers. Some people become angry, blowing up or growling at anyone who crosses their path. Some resort to blaming any annoyance, large or small, on external factors. Some become quiet, introverted and isolated, which can indicate the start of a serious depression. Others manifest burnout in nurses by under or overeating or abusing alcohol or other mood-altering substances. Still others may experience a range of physical symptoms, including chronic illness, high blood pressure and frequent headaches. Some people on the verge of burnout actually become obsessive workaholics. Others become chronically late or psychologically absent.

Nurses Prayer

Be me in the world.
Be my voice to the deaf.
Be my faith where there is doubt.
Be my hope where there is despair.
Be my light where there is darkness.
Be my joy where there is sadness.
Be me in the world.
Be my eyes to the blind.
Be my consolation to those who need to be consoled.
Be my understanding to those who need to be understood.
Be my healing to those who need to healed.
Be my love to those who need love.
Be my forgiveness to those who need to be forgiven.
Be my death to those who need me.
Be me in the world.

~Author Unknown

Workplace Violence for Nurses

Nurses are particularly vulnerable to violent attacks when staffing is low and at times of high activity, such as visiting hours and meals, OSHA researchers explain. Some nurses also work alone in remote locations and in high-crime areas where they are vulnerable to assault.

Many nurses can´t avoid working alone or in emergency rooms and mental health centers where the potential for violence exists. Most health care centers have installed security systems that control access and require employees to wear ID badges.

Familiarize yourself with your patients, especially those with a history of violent behavior, dementia, or drug or alcohol intoxication. You can also make sure you always have an escort or another worker around when you feel you´re in an unsafe situation. Make sure you have a system that protects confidentiality but alerts your co-workers if you know there´s a patient who may become aggressive.

Nursing and Back Injuries

The majority of injuries reported are head, neck, or back injuries by nurses related to lifting patients, according to nurses. Although federal guidelines suggest workers do not lift anything above 50 pounds, most patients weigh much more than that.

Whenever you can, push instead of pull. This puts less stress on your back and you have twice as much power. Stay close to the bed or machine you are using and avoid reaching. Use both arms to prevent strain. When you lift from floor level, lift from a squat with your back straight, bend your knees, and let your legs do the lifting. If you have to lift from waist level, try to get help from another nurse or aide on the floor. Make sure you put the bed rails or wheelchair arms down. Explain what you´re doing to your patient and to your co-worker who´s helping you lift.

Latex Allergies in the Workplace

The powder that manufacturers put on latex gloves can cause a rash on your hands, and in some severe cases, could send you into anaphylactic shock. Even if you don´t develop an allergy when you first start using them, you could develop them later, and you may be sensitive to them even if they´re on other people´s hands.

Ask your workplace to use powder-free gloves. But if you do have to work with powdered gloves, wash and dry your hands thoroughly after removing them. While at work, avoid using oil-based lotions that contain mineral, coconut, or palm oil or lanolin. These oils break down the glove barrier. If you can, wear synthetic gloves or cotton liners with latex gloves for work that gets your hands wet. People who develop latex sensitivity may have to go to more trouble to avoid exposure. Consult a doctor and tell your employer if your symptoms get worse.

Nursing Shortage Update - August, 2002

The nation´s nursing shortage has had significant consequences during the past five years, even contributing to patient injuries and deaths. Inadequate nurse staffing has been a factor in 24 percent of the 1,609 cases involving death, injury or permanent loss of function reported since 1997 to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

The report says there are 126,000 nursing positions unfilled in hospitals nationwide. Ninety percent of long-term care organizations lack sufficient nurses and have shortages of nurses "to provide even the most basic care" and some home-health care agencies are being forced to refuse new patients.

With the aging of the nation´s baby boomers and nurses themselves, it has been estimated that by 2020 there will be at least 400,000 fewer nurses available to provide care than will be needed, providing a major nursing shortage problem.

Self-Learning Materials

Most specialists are more than happy to provide patients and their families with informative pamphlets and other self-learning material.

Projected Nursing Shortages

The demand for nurses grows in the wake of a national nursing shortage. Employment for registered nurses will grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2008.

Using Needles Safely

Health care workers have long fought for laws that would require hospitals and health care centers to use safe needles -- that is, needles with safety caps and other devices that prevent puncture wounds. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection, but the agency hasn´t addressed the need for safe needles. Fortunately, there´s a new federal law that requires hospitals to use safe needles beginning on Jan. 1, 2001. If your hospital doesn´t yet use safe needles, you may want to make that an issue. Meanwhile, make sure you´re especially careful when drawing blood. Be aware that you are likely to be at your highest risk of injury at the end of a shift or when working a double shift, or at times when staffing is low.

Million Nurse March

In May 2002 one million nurses, allied health care workers, legislators, public figures and private citizens converged upon the Capitol Mall in Washington, D.C. as one collective, formidable voice to openly and honestly present the facts about the state of health care delivery in America. The Million Nurse March to Washington was the culmination of one and a half years of grassroots efforts by committed nurses, health care workers and citizens to educate the public about safe and appropriate health care delivery. The MNM was the sentinel event in the promotion of positive, proactive, productive, and sustainable changes in health care delivery in the United States.

Federal Nurse Reinvestment Act

President Bush signed a bill, the federal Nurse Reinvestment Act, on August 1, 2002. It´s designed to ease the nursing shortages. The new law will create government nursing scholarships for students who agree to work at least two years in a health care facility with a critical shortages of nurses after they graduate.

Information Abouot Nursing Shortages

There are many factors contributing to the nursing shortage:
*Growing demand - During the nation´s economic slump, many people put off getting health care because of financial troubles or a lack of insurance. With the economy up, so is the demand. Without the new graduate pipeline, there are fewer nurses available to replace those who retire or leave for other opportunities. Currently, the ratio of RNs in their 40s to RNs in their 20s is four to one.

*Lower baccalaureate enrollment - In fall 2000, entry-level BSN enrollment fell by 2.1 percent, dropping for the sixth year in a row, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

*Higher hospital census and greater acuity -Modifications in managed care and a new push for competitive quality is increasing patient days, hours of nursing care and the recognition of the role of the RN.

***This information was taken from the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, July 2001

Nurses Internet Research

The Internet has made clinical research so much easier.
If you´d like to find out information about the disease multiple sclerosis, for instance, go to a reliable search engine such as google.com and enter the following phrase in the search box, multiple+sclerosis. Don´t forget the plus sign between the 2 words. This is a good benefit of nursing research studies on Internet.

Interventions to Prevent Client Falls

Interventions that can reduce the risk of falls include fixing or replacing substandard wheelchairs and furniture and labeling it with the residents´ name, using properly fitted shoes and removing clutter from around the bed, determine appropriate level of psychotropic drug use, assist residents in certain transfers (between bed, chair, toilet) and remind residents of safe transferring techniques.

Disease Info at .org Addresses

If looking for information on a specific disease for your clinical research, national organizations usually provide the best source on the latest breakthroughs. Many can be found easily on the Internet by using the disease name followed by .org (for example, arthritis.org).

Your Trusty Librarian for Clinical Research

Don´t forget your local library as a resource for cutting-edge medical information and clinical research. A good librarian can help you narrow your search quickly.

Risk Factors for Patient Falls

Risk factors cited that contribute to falling incidents include the use of psychotropic drugs, environmental hazards, poorly maintained or improperly fitted wheelchairs, transferring techniques and suboptimal care.