• Gift Ideas for Nurses Week

    If you are looking for inexpensive ideas to add to your celebration of Nurses Week with your staff, check out the options on my website HousecallsOnline.com. There are two different Print Your Own kits which includes a card, a bookmark, a certificate of appreciation and postcards. You can also print paper nurse’s caps for decorations. There are also options available from Cafe Press which include tote bags, journals, apparel, and an adorable Teddy Bear. Similar items are available from The Nursing Site shop at Cafe Press as well. Be sure to take the opportunity to celebrate the nursing profession. One of the best ways to do this is to devote…

  • Nurses Day and Nurses Week Themes Announced

    Annual celebrations of the nursing profession will take place in a few weeks. In the U.S., National Recognition Day for Nurses (aka Nurses Day) is May 6 and Nurses Week is May 6-12. In 1996, the American Nurses Association initiated National RN Recognition Day as May 6 as well. May 12 is the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. In honor of this, the International Council of Nurses recognizes May 12 each year since 1965 as International Nurses Day. This year the American Nurses Association has set the theme for Nurses Week as Nurses Making a Difference Everyday. The Canadian Nurses Association will reprise its 2007 theme Think you…

  • Nurses: Educate Your Patients About Medications!

    Heath Ledger’s death from an acidental overdose of medications points out the need for patient education! Americans are often way too medicated. If one doctor won’t provide a prescription they seek out another. But the problem isn’t just with those seeking pain killers, sleeping pills and/or anti-anxiety medications and mixing them. As a home health nurse I have seen people with several versions of the same or similar medications such as anti-hypertensives or other cardiac drugs because they see so many different doctors and no one is overseeing the care. I’ve had many patients on Lisinopril for instance who were also prescribed Prinivil or Zestril by another physician. (These are…

  • ANA Endorses Senator Clinton for President

    The American Nurses Association which represents the interests of the 2.9 million nurses in the U.S. has been endorsing presidential candidates since 1984. Last week, the ANA endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY). According to the press release, ANA President Rebecca M. Patton MSN, RN, CNOR, stated, “Too many Americans must do without high quality health care, and this country deserves a president that will make health system reform a priority.” Last week, Patton criticized President Bush for giving so little focus to health care in his State of the Union Address. Nurses have repeatedly said that health reform is one issue, but it will not succeed unless we have the…