Writing patient educational materials can be a great niche for nurses who love to write and a natural means to grow a freelance career as a nurse writer. The following article, Nutrition in Pregnancy, by Melissa Murphy RN, is a great example of solid patient education. Patient Education Patient education is a huge part of nursing. Education can begin with the physician or other practitioner, but the major portion of the education falls to the nurses. Be sure to go over the materials with the patient to ensure they understand. Patient education is best when it’s interactive and not just handing the patient something to read. Healthcare literacy is maximized…
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Nurses Need to Be the Change!
I recently had the privilege to attend a Zoom session hosted by Lorie A. Brown RM, MN, JD of Empowered Nurses. The guest speaker was RaDonda Vaught, the former Tennessee nurse who was convicted in 2022 of criminally negligent homicide after injecting the patient with the wrong medication. This was after the Tennessee BON cleared her in 2020 and told her they “had bigger fish to fry.” How and why that changed two years later needs your attention! You can watch the replay of the Zoom session. I encourage all nurses to watch the replay and to share it with colleagues and co-workers. Learn how Nurses Need to Be the…
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Check Out The Nursing Beat
I was recently introduced to a new daily emailed (M-F) nursing newsletter. You should check out The Nursing Beat! To be honest, I was skeptical, and I’m not always fond of daily emails. However, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. They have some interesting information and cover some relevant topics to keep nurses informed and up to date. I wish them success and look forward to reading what they have to say. It’s FREE. Check it out and subscribe. Full disclosure… the link places me in their queue for thank you gifts for spreading the word about the newsletter. Get your own link free.
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Navigating the 7 Ethical Dilemmas in Hospice Care
Introduction Hospice care serves as a unique specialty of nursing by focusing on providing comfort and support to patients nearing the end of their lives. While deeply fulfilling, this field presents nurses with an array of ethical dilemmas that require thoughtful consideration and empathy. In this article, we will explore the 7 ethical dilemmas in hospice care and discuss effective strategies for managing them. Truth-Telling and Patient Autonomy In healthcare ethics, one of the fundamental principles is respecting patient autonomy. However, the dilemma of truth-telling often arises in hospice care. The question of how much to disclose to patients about their prognosis, especially when they prefer not to know, presents…
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All shift long nurses use critical thinking skills
Every day, all shift long, nurses are using critical thinking skills in their job no matter where they work. The stronger those skills are, the higher the quality of care they provide to their patients. Even from the start of the shift and prioritizing the tasks at hand, the ability to problem-solve and make decisions on the fly are critical to each of the nurse’s assigned patients and to those s/he will interact with for other nurses throughout the shift. As nurses know, everything can turn on a dime without warning. Some things are never anticipated such as falls and codes and other incidents especially to patients who don’t fit…