Nursing

Why emotional intelligence is critical for safe nurse staffing

Conditions
October 27, 2023

In Daniel Goleman’s model of emotional intelligence (EQ), there are two main competencies: Personal competency, which includes self-awareness, self-regulation, and motivation; and social competency, which includes social skills and empathy.

We can think of both competencies in terms of communication. Personal competency relates to our abilities to identify and value our needs, wants, limits, etc., and to express them respectfully, i.e., speaking up. Social competency refers to our ability to observe, …

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Life and death in the ICU: a night of heroism, tragedy, and budgetary battles

Conditions
July 8, 2023

ICU: Our acuities were high, and staffing was low. Our ICU, with 24 beds, was already full. The staffing situation for that night was so poor that instead of our RNs having a 2:1 patient-nurse ratio, we were forced into 3:1 assignments.

Despite the challenging circumstances, we couldn’t have asked for a better team of ICU nurses. They were the best in their field, supported by two dedicated Respiratory Therapists assigned …

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The heartbreaking reality of a nurse’s struggle: a father’s tale

Physician
June 28, 2023

I love two nurses. One of them is my son, and the other is someone very close to me. She’ll have her own article.

My son has just finished his seventh 12-hour ICU shift. He’s wiped out, devastated, and shell-shocked. Let me introduce him to you before sharing his pain.

The kid was always enthusiastic about medicine. He wanted to be a physician more than anything. Maybe it runs in the family; …

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The fight for reinstatement: Advocating for early opportunities for excluded health care professionals battling opioid use disorder

Policy
June 28, 2023

I’ll begin by saying that I have a diagnosis of opioid use disorder (OUD) secondary to PTSD. I began diverting Norco from a pharmacy with which my hospice company had a contract. At the time, I had access to various narcotics as an RN case manager, which was quite concerning. This environment became a breeding ground for nurses seeking to divert medication for their own substance abuse.

My battle with OUD …

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From failure to success: How a nurse overcame challenges and thrived in the medical field

Conditions
June 22, 2023

I remember the day clearly – sitting in a convenience store parking lot after buying a pack of pencils on my way to my first day of nursing school. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Or, perhaps more realistically, I had no idea how ill-prepared I really was. As a mediocre high school student who got by with the bare minimum, I was rudely awakened when …

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The inspirational journey of an 82-year-old WWII veteran battling cancer

Conditions
June 21, 2023

He was 82 years old when he came into our ER, writhing in excruciating abdominal pain. After an ultrasound and a subsequent CT scan, the devastating diagnosis was revealed—end stage pancreatic and liver cancer.

Despite enduring a pain level of 10, he managed to maintain his sense of humor, joking about “biting the bullet.” However, he admitted that the pain had become unbearable.

This resilient individual was not just any patient; he …

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Surviving the chaos: an inspiring journey of health care heroes

Conditions
June 13, 2023

Calling all health care personnel: EMTs, paramedics, nurses, CNAs, respiratory therapists, police, firefighters. All of you.

You’ve been cursed at, spat upon, hit, and scratched by fingernails. You never got that 30-minute break during those 12 long hours. You had to beg to use the restroom. Your staffing was minimal, and your 24/7 manager was nowhere to be found. Your fellow doctors are shouting at you, and patients’ family members are …

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Unveiling the hidden heroes: Nurses – the lifeline of medicine

Physician
May 12, 2023

It is National Nurses Week, a time when we recognize and appreciate the vital role nurses play in health care. As medical doctors, we understand firsthand the significance of nurses in enabling us to fulfill our responsibilities effectively.

I have a saying that emphasizes the importance of nurses to physicians:

If the doctor is good and the nurse is good, the patient will be well.
If the doctor is bad but the nurse …

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Breaking up with nursing: a heartfelt letter

Conditions
April 23, 2023

I write this letter with a heavy heart. Our story began during my sophomore year in college, but after a decade with you, I can’t help but feel our dynamic has changed. Intrusive thoughts of leaving you have etched their way to the forefront of my mind. The harder I try to quiet them, the louder they declare themselves. They’ve grown from whispers to screams, and I can’t ignore them …

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Surviving infidelity: a story of strength and hope

Conditions
April 16, 2023

I was sitting alone in a rundown trailer in the woods, surrounded by five acres of trees that crowded the blue sky. I had 60 aminophylline pills in my hand, hoping they would end my life. As an asthmatic, I believed that this was the best way to escape my problems, and no one would ever find me in this remote location.

My husband and I had moved to this place …

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Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

Policy
March 20, 2023

As anyone in health care knows, a strong nurse-physician dynamic is critical to achieving successful patient outcomes. To provide a quality care experience, it is essential to have a clinical team that knows how to collaborate to achieve that goal. If we don’t know how to work together, or how to coordinate our care, it’s going to be very difficult to maintain a safe environment for the patient.

Nurses are at …

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Report on nurses: Make the profession more visible in media

Policy
March 16, 2023

For an impressive 21st year in a row, Americans rated nursing as the most trusted profession in the country. The 2022 Gallup poll found that 79 percent of adults said nurses have “very high” or “high” honesty and ethical standards; significantly higher than any of the other 17 professions rated.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment rate for nursing (including …

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Nurse’s whistle of hopelessness: a tale of a dangerous workplace with no safety measures

Conditions
March 9, 2023

I finally found time after retirement to clean out my nurse’s book bag. It contained items such as a stethoscope, extra playing cards for patients, highlighters, various pens, a penlight, a notebook with important phone numbers throughout the health care system, tourniquets for IVs, and a plastic whistle.

This health care system, which has a revenue of $5 billion per year and spans throughout America, is quite complex. Let me explain.

The …

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Nursing for change: Prioritizing Black nurses’ health and well-being

Policy
February 22, 2023

As we spend February reflecting on Black Americans’ history, humanity, and contributions, let’s also consider how to improve the systems and structures that impact Black lives moving forward.

We can start with health care. Retention and recruitment are challenging, especially for nurses from underrepresented groups in nursing, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

As a Black, Chicago-based nursing researcher, I see first-hand the changes needed to make …

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The ICU nurse shortage: How cost-cutting is endangering patient care

Conditions
February 11, 2023

Recently, I read an article by an ICU nurse that discussed the disturbing trend of replacing seasoned nurses with inexperienced ones in the name of cost-cutting. This issue is not limited to the ICU but is rampant in every area of nursing.

As a psychiatric nurse with 45 years of experience, 35 of which were as a board-certified psychiatric nurse, and a former mentor and preceptor, I have witnessed the …

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Improving the physician-nurse relationship: insider tips from a physician advisor [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 5, 2023
YouTube video

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!

In this episode, we dive into the physician-nurse relationship and explore the different communication styles and preferences of physicians. Our guest, Ronald Hirsch, is a medical director for case management at a community hospital and shares his …

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