• 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…

  • 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…

  • Soft Skills vs Hard Skills — What’s the Difference?

    We often hear a lot about soft skills vs hard skills today. What’s the difference and how do they apply to the nursing profession? Both are required for nurses to provide quality care to patients. They are also very different by definition. Soft skills are basically innate personality traits  such as interpersonal (people) skills and behaviors. Soft skills are very difficult to learn or to perfect. Hard skills are learned skills and often defined as specific abilities and skills that enable a person to excel in a profession. Nurses need to have strong communication skills, work well with others and be a good team member. Nurses should be flexible and…