By Elizabeth Knight, PhD, DNP, FNP-C You’re dreading your next shift, and as you stare at the ceiling waiting for sleep, you think about calling out sick again. Work is not going well– everything and everyone is getting on your nerves. You get there late and don’t have time to get organized. You keep losing track of what you’re doing. You snapped at a patient the other day when he asked you a simple question. What’s going on? Where is the dedicated, competent, compassionate nurse you know you are? You might be experiencing a condition known as compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is a state of emotional, physical, and spiritual distress triggered…
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4 Tips to Survive and Thrive in Nursing School
The road to becoming a nurse is not an easy one. But for those who make it through the struggles, the rewards are plentiful. Depending on which qualification you are working toward, your nursing school journey could last as little as one year or as many as eight. In any case, though, being a nursing student is not for the faint of heart, and there will likely be days when you will wonder how you’ll make it through. But there is good news. Here are 4 tips to survive and thrive in nursing school. Despite the challenges, there are strategies for not just surviving nursing school but thriving as a…
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Making a Scene at the Doctor’s Office
“What is it about the doctor’s office,” Chelsea groused, “They’re always so cold.” Of course she was right and for those in this particular kind of doctor’s office, it seemed particularly cruel. Jeff and Chelsea walked in, checked in and shuffled to the nearest double seat. “And, what’s up with the magazines from last century,” she said, “And, who reads this stuff?” The magazine selection consisted of People, Car and Driver, Highlights for kids (and that was a sad thought) and various financial and business publications. For six and a half years Jeff and Chelsea had been making trips to this particular doctor and a bunch of others. Mostly their…
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Welcome New Nurse Grads to the World of Nursing
As Nurses Month comes to a close soon, we will continue to celebrate 2021 as the Year of the Nurse. It’s also graduation season and we welcome new nurse grads to the world of nursing. This past few months has been one of the most difficult times in history for nurses and all health care workers especially. If we have learned anything, it is that together we can get through this! As we emerge from the pandemic, the world will be forever changed in so many ways, but we will have survived. We must continue to work together and build the best for everyone! It’s time now to embrace the…
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5 Ways to Survive Your First Year as a Nurse in 2021
The first year is rough for new nurses even during normal times. Throw an unprecedented pandemic into the mix, and it is enough to make many recent nursing school graduates second-guess their career choice. While nursing school itself is undeniably difficult, it is nothing compared to working in the field. And, in 2021, many new nurses are facing additional challenges brought on by missing out on clinical hours due to COVID-19. Here’s 5 ways to survive your first year as a nurse in 2021. Whether you have already landed the nursing position of your dreams or were forced to accept an offer that wasn’t quite what you wanted so you…