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Stressed Out Nurses Weekly

Our free, weekly, electronic newsletter (E-zine) provides nurses-aspiring, new, and experienced-with some respite from the fast-paced and demanding routines of daily life. Every Monday morning, a collection of humor, news, and other fun tidbits will find its way into your inbox to make you crack a smile or even laugh outloud.

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

Issue 41, October 11, 2010

• Last issue of Stressed Out Nurses Weekly

  HCPro is sorry to report that this is the final issue of Stressed Out Nurses Weekly. We thank you...

• Nurse in trouble after leaked photos on Facebook

  The growing dispute over whether Facebook has a positive or negative effect on our lives is...

• Please, call me Doctor

  My 94- year-old grandmother has been in the hospital for a variety of complications. During visits...

• Ways to ingrain ideas in your brain

  Don’t even try to memorize every drug separately. People who can do that have a special gift!

Issue 40, October 4, 2010

• Comic Relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "We are asking all administrative staff to shadow a nurse for the day. I think you might...

• Get your lunch and your flu shot in one day without stepping out of the car

  We've all heard of drive-through fast food restaurants, drive-through ATM machines, and even...

• Colorado allows CRNAs to practice without physician supervision

  Colorado anesthesiologists lost the fight in opposing a policy change allowing certified registered...

• Put your communication skills to test during clinicals

  Your communication skills are extremely important during clinical time. You must be able to...

Issue 39, September 27, 2010

• Comic Relief: Win a Quick-E! Pocket Guide!

    Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over...

• Nursing students see bright spots in protest

  Would you want to work at a hospital where nurses are protesting over working conditions? Student...

• Staff learn patient safety rules in 'Forty Wrong Room'

  Staff learn patient safety rules in ‘Forty Wrong Room’ Coffee and dirty linens all over...

• Five ways to stress-proof your job

  Though nursing can be one of the most rewarding jobs out there, it can also be extremely stressful...

Issue 38, September 20, 2010

• Comic Relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "I don't think Joyce is adapting well to the paperless record." And the winner is...

• Nurse appreciation gala canceled after nurses announce protest

  UMass Memorial Medical Center hospital management have canceled their Nursing Appreciation Gala...

• In the mix: A multitude of strikes and stress

  Once again, Rebecca Hendren of HealthLeaders Media has provided a provocative column on nursing...

• Teach your patients to breathe easier

  Using the diaphragm and not the chest is the most efficient and relaxing way to breathe. Chest...

Issue 37, September 13, 2010

• Comic Relief: Win a Quick-E! Pocket Guide!

    Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over...

• MN nurses settle with two local hospitals

  After a long labor dispute, Duluth, MN, nurses and two local hospitals have reached an agreement...

• In the mix: Designer patient gowns?

  Do you notice your patient's gowns or how they feel in them? Most nurses have plenty of other...

• Two kinds of pain

  When discussing pain and pain relievers it's important to understand two kinds of pain: nocieption...

Issue 36, September 6, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "I do believe this is a teachable moment." And the winner is. . . (drum roll...

• Two GA hospitals combat violence against nurses

  After a new study showed an alarming rising trend in violence against nurses, two hospitals in...

• Online nursing schools a solution?

  Nursing school is tough, and just finding the time for all the classes can be a challenge in...

• Don’t panic before nursing school

  As a newly enrolled nursing student, expect to be both excited and terrified as you eagerly await...

Issue 35, August 30, 2010

• Comic Relief: Win a Quick-E! Pocket Guide!

    Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over...

• In the news: Nurse files suit, citing unfair termination for reporting racial slur

  A former home health nurse has filed a lawsuit against her former employer, home health agency...

• Enhance the patient experience: Four pointers on nonverbal communication

  By Wendy Leebov I’ve been doing a lot of communication skill training recently and I’m...

• Handling a patient with depression

  People with depression feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. They often feel like...

Issue 34, August 23, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "I say it's appendicitis. What does Google say?" And the winner is. . . (drum roll...

• Texas whistle blowers split $750,000 settlement

  Two Texas nurses agreed to split a $750,000 settlement payment from Winkler County, TX, settling a...

• In the mix: Nursing shortage: Fact or myth?

  As many nurses are graduating and taking the NCLEX, one question is on many of their minds: How...

• Budgeting exam time

  An often overlooked ingredient to successful test-taking is budgeting your time wisely. Most tests...

Issue 33, August 16, 2010

• Comic Relief: Win a Stressed-Out Nurses T-Shirt

    Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over...

• Phony nursing school pays $500,000 restitution

  A fake nursing school's administrator in Los Angeles was ordered to pay $500,000 by the state after...

• Dr. Nurse?

  There are a lot of credentials out there to be earned. An interesting article in the Philadelphia...

• Sample interview questions

  Good interviewing skills will help land any job, including a nursing position. If you are not good...

Issue 32, August 9, 2010

• Comic Relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "By the way, we won't be providing clinical services between the hours of 12:00am and...

• HCW stress leads to drugs? Informal survey gives interesting insight

  A recent informal poll by ImpactedNurse of more than 100 healthcare professionals, mostly nurses...

• D.C. nurses planning one-day strike

  To protest the firing of 18 registered nurses who stayed home during the Washington, D.C.-area...

• Therapy and adverse reactions

  It is common practice to administer drugs in repeated doses so a steady state can be achieved. A...

Issue 31, August 2, 2010

• Comic Relief: Win a Stressed-Out Nurses T-Shirt

    Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over...

• DC Nurses to Vote on Work Stoppage

  More than 1,600 registered nurses at the 900-bed Washington Hospital Center, the largest non-profit...

• In the mix: Program helps reduce stress in nurses and patients

  Nurses are well aware of the stress that comes with the job. Taking care of numerous patients at...

• Taking good notes

  Taking good notes is not just a skill; it's an art form. The first thing good note takers learn is...

Issue 30, July 26, 2010

• Comic Relief: See who won our caption contest

  "Dr. Jonas, maybe we should switch over to electronic records and lay off the Adderall...

• Nurses receive home health training from disabled man

  New nurses at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, CA, might be surprised when they arrive at orientation...

• In the mix: RWJF senior advisor for nursing honors 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale?s death

  Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior advisor for nursing at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation...

• In the know: Picking the right (or wrong) route

  Wouldn't it be great if all medications could be given orally? No mess, no fuss—anyone who...

Issue 29, July 19, 2010

• Comic Relief: Win a Stressed-Out Nurses T-Shirt

    Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over...

• Training day helps nurses learn how to handle heavier patients

  Memorial Medical Center (IL) recently held an event for its staff to learn safe ways for about...

• In the mix: Nominate someone you know for the 2010 Nursing Image Awards

  Nominations are open for the HCPro 2010 Nursing Image Awards, which honor nurses whose leadership...

• Obstacles to good behavior

  Sometimes a person's challenging behavior is due simply to a lack of understanding. The person just...

Issue 28, July 12, 2010

• Comic Relief: See who won our caption contest

    "Results are in from the state survey."   And the winner is. . . (drum...

• Minnesota nurses vote and approve new contract

  Nurses at 14 Minnesota hospitals have finally reached an agreement that will preserve their...

• In the mix: Ways to drive the complaining patient and family nuts

  No matter how long you are in the nursing profession, you will always have to deal with patients...

• Identify your instructor's style

  Identifying your instructors' personal teaching styles goes a long way toward succeeding in class...

Issue 27, July 5, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

    Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over...

• Minnesota nurses reject proposed contract, leaving hospital officials "disappointed"

  Minnesota Twin Cities hospital officials are disappointed at the Minnesota Nurses Union’s...

• In the mix: Should nurses be the ones to help patients stop smoking?

  Not being a nurse, I've never really thought about what happens when patients are admitted to the...

• Nurses are key stakeholders within healthcare

  Caring is at the heart of nursing. Indeed, the very act of connecting with another human being when...

Issue 26, June 28, 2010

• Comic Relief: See who won our caption contest

  And the winner is. . . (drum roll, please). . . Donna NelkenBaker! Congratulations...

• In the news: Charges dropped against nurse accused of involvement in death of patient

  In 2007, nurse Lorie Hentges was accused of killing 72-year-old Alvin Flamembaum, a patient in the...

• In the mix: NC nursing students create fun patient education videos

  North Carolina nursing students from Duke University, Western Carolina University, and the...

• Over-the-counter drugs: Too many actors can be confusing

  In an age where there is a preoccupation with beauty, fitness, health, and nutrition, media of all...

Issue 25, June 21, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• Twin City hospitals will talk with nurses under one condition

  On June 10, nurses from 14 Twin Cities (MN) hospitals participated in a one-day walkout, and now...

• In the mix: Mother and daughter tackle nursing field together

  The phrase "like-mother-like-daughter" definitely pertains to Barbara Toney and Rachel...

• New-nurse survival skills: Stress management

  Stress is the number one health problem in America, and job stress is the major culprit. Nursing...

Issue 24, June 14, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "I just completed all of his admission paperork and now you are sending him...

• FL struggles to keep nurses, despite competitive wages

  Despite high unemployment rates, fully attended nursing schools, and competitive wages, healthcare...

• In the mix: Update: After MN nurses strike, a game of wait and see

  On June 10, nurses from 14 Twin Cities hospitals participated in a one-day strike, the effect of...

• In the classroom, your thoughts count

  In nursing school, and in any classroom, true participation goes beyond just asking questions...

Issue 23, June 7, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• Joint Commission releases alert on healthcare violence

  The Joint Commission has released a Sentinel Event Alert warning healthcare providers about the...

• Historically large nurses’ strike planned for June 10

  A 12,000-strong nurses’ strike is planned for June 10. The nurses will represent 13 Twin...

• Don’t forget the three checks in medication administration

  Before administering medication, it is critical to have five areas of information correct: patient...

• Have a great policy?

  Take this opportunity to share your expertise and be recognized by your peers in the...

Issue 22, May 31, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "It says here that Mr. Smith prefers over hard..." And the winner is...

• Despite shortage, some nurses struggle to secure jobs

  In some regions of the U.S., nursing graduates are having a difficult time finding jobs, according...

• In the mix: Stressed out nurses more likely to have heart attacks

  If you're visiting this site, chances are you're a nurse who has had his or her share of stress...

• Helping patients eat

  How many times have nurses heard that the food tastes lousy, or from more polite patients, that it...

Issue 21, May 24, 2010

• Hospital fined for failure to report nurse workplace injuries

  Tufts Medical Center in Boston will pay $5,000 in fines after an OSHA investigation found the...

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• In the mix: Nurse-led quality efforts at Kansas hospital receive positive feedback

   Many nurses already know that as the ones with the most direct contact with the patient, they...

• Taking the pulse of physicians

  Taking the pulse of physician relationships is a good starting point for change. Doing so allows...

• Call for submissions: Have a great infection control policy, checklist, or tool?

  Take this opportunity to share your expertise and be recognized by your peers in the...

Issue 20, May 17, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "Just give the call bell and no one gets hurt." And the winner is...

• Staff ratios arguments prevail between Twin City hospital, nurses

  Nurses at Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota and Minneapolis want hospitals to agree to...

• NJ hospital finds creative ways to improve nurse satisfaction

  There are many ways to improve satisfaction among nurses, but Rebecca Hendren, of HealthLeaders...

• Battling bacterial infections

  There are eukaryocytes (posess cell nuclei), and then there are bacteria. Bacteria are strange...

Issue 19, May 10, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• In the news: Nurses receive free Cinnabons during Nurses’ Week

  As Nurses Week is upon us (May 6-12), many organizations and companies are coming up with ways to...

• Finally, best nurse mentor contest winners and honorable mention!

  This contest started at the end of last year, and we had so many great submissions I just had to...

• The history and importance of the pinning ceremony

  The pinning ceremony is a time-honored nursing school tradition. Often more personally meaningful...

Issue 18, May 5, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "Those? They're Joint Commission and CMS inspection campaign ribbons."...

• In the mix: Thoughts from a disgruntled, retired RN

  About a month ago, I wrote about the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) AACN Nurse Residency...

• Work for NYC nurses, other healthcare workers may become sparse

  One hospital has closed and others are tightening their budgets in New York City, creating a...

• Handling a suicide threat

  It is important to remember that most suicide threat attempts are expressions of extreme distress...

Issue 17, April 26, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• CA nurse-patient ratio saves lives, study finds

  A new study on nurse-patient ratios found that California's mandatory nurse-patient ratios save...

• The battle over the role of nurse practitioners

  With a shortage of primary care physicians, and the possibility that healthcare reform will...

• Getting to the root of the routes

  Drugs can be administered by different routes to accommodate various medication and patient needs...

Issue 16, April 19, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "It's always better input if we give him the opportunity to critique as a patient...

• IOM’s nursing workshop pushes for greater nurse involvement in care

  Overcoming challenges in nursing is essential to overcoming challenges in the healthcare system as...

• Simulated death studied as educational approach

  How do you help nurses understand and feel competent in end-of-life care? Simulate death...

• Use others to help depressed patients

  The support and involvement of family and friends can be crucial in helping someone who is...

Issue 15, April 12, 2010

• iPhone app helps IV medication dosage

  A new iPhone application designed to help with IV medication dosing is being widely used by nurses...

• Man enough for nursing?

  A recent Orlando Sentinel article discusses the Oregon Center for Nursing's (OCN) "Are you man...

• Medicines vs. natural remedies

  You can expect many of your patients to be using complementary remedies, including herbs, vitamins...

Issue 14, April 5, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "Don’t stress. Our new flexible work program allows you to only work every OTHER hour...

• In the mix: Achieving a near-perfect retention rate

  The University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) AACN Nurse Residency Program™ (NRP) has helped...

Issue 13, March 29, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the...

• Healthcare reform bill creates nurse training opportunities

  Representatives from the American Nurses Association (ANA) were among the many honored guests to...

• AACN launches centralized application for nursing school

  The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) recently launched NursingCAS, the first...

• Does the U.S. need an Office of the National Nurse?

  On February 4, 2010, Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced into the US House of Representatives HR...

• Avoid patient drug interactions

   Your patient may be taking multiple medications. Each of those medications could have active...

• Dealing with narcissistic patients

  In nursing, you often have to deal with some people who possess personality types that wreak havoc...

Issue 12, March 22, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  " AUDITORY TESTING WILL BEGIN IN TWO MINUTES! " And the winner is. . . (drum...

• Recent nurse survey shows increase in diversity, age in nursing

  The National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN), which has been conducted every four years...

• ANA focuses on understanding patients’ cultures, creates new resource

  Here’s a unique resource I think readers might be interested in. The American Nurses...

• Document your care

  The clinical record needs to reflect an accurate and complete account of the care rendered. Like a...

Issue 11, March 15, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• Nurses say distractions cut bedside time by 25%

  Out of the typical 12-hour shift, nurses spend three hours away from the patient's bedside, reports...

• Book clubs help healthcare professionals empathize with patients

  A growing popularity of book clubs is hitting the medical field. This ABC News report explores why...

• Keep motivation up

  In nursing school, it's easy to overdo it. You get burned out and lose our motivation. You are...

Issue 10, March 8, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "If you can catch these in your mouth when I throw them, you get to be discharged...

• Nurse salaries flatten out

  According to one expert, Joanne Spetz, faculty researcher at the Center for the Health Professions...

• Nurses fired over missing work during blizzard

  A Washington DC hospital's decision to fire 21 hospital employees—15 of whom were...

• In the know: What to do with intoxicated patients

  It might be a challenge to have a patient who is intoxicated, but it's important to remember a few...

Issue 9, March 1, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• Physician shortage pushes expanded nurse role

  As the primary care physician shortage continues to increase, the role of nurse practitioners is a...

• Keeping older nurses in the workforce

  If you're a young nurse, I'm sure you rely on older, more experienced nurses for help. Not only is...

• Overcoming 'reality shock' in your first year

  Reality shock is described as a condition in which a person enters a profession, but finds him or...

• Need to reach nursing professionals? We can help.

  HCPro can help you engage your brand and create dialogue with nursing professionals with a range of...

Issue 8, February 22, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "It's the new Catapult MR--patients get through faster, increasing our reimbursement...

• Nursing associations applaud verdict in Texas whistleblower case

  It took less than an hour for a jury to acquit Anne Mitchell, RN, a former administrative nurse at...

• Want a prettier hospital? Save your discarded medical supplies

  West Boca (FL) Medical Center's Jill Wiser, RN, had a unique view of the utility of medicine vial...

• Break down barriers for proper drug administration

  Developing expert practice habits will serve nurses well and protect patients from harmful drug...

Issue 7, February 15, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• Boston nurses protest staffing changes

  Tufts Medical Center and Boston Medical Center (BMC) have decided to raise the ratio of patients...

• Exploring why nurses eat their young

  The Well blog in the New York Times this week explores an interesting and ever-present topic: why...

• Sample questions for nurse interviews

  If you're looking for a new nursing job, interviews are obviously a concern. When you start your...

Issue 6, February 8, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "He approved the budget!" And the winner is. . . (drum roll, please...

• Nurses split on Obama’s proposed budget

  Though the American Nurses Association (ANA) has praised President Obama's commitment to strengthen...

• In the mix: Half of nurses surveyed plan to change careers

  A recent survey found that one-third of registered nurses say they won't be working in their...

• Dealing with patients who are unwilling to participate

  An obstacle to good behavior in patients is often their unwillingness to cooperate or participate...

Issue 5, February 1, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• NY Nurses Association commends state Senate for passage of bill

  The New York State Nurses Association has commended the New York State Senate's passage of an act...

• Nurse goes to Haiti to teach class, comes back with invaluable lessons

  What an incredible story by The Missoulian about nurses' connections throughout the world. The...

• Make the best of lectures

  To truly benefit from your lectures, you need to employ active listening. Hearing is passive: the...

Issue 4, January 25, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  Mary's vision of light reading was a little warped. And the winner is. . . (drum...

• Nurses should have more influence on healthcare, survey says

  A new Gallup poll sponsored by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has found that opinion...

• Smoker? No need to apply

  Many employers try to discourage their employees from smoking, but what about denying employment...

• Fitting into the work environment

  As a new graduate you will learn to work with many different personalities and work...

Issue 3, January 18, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• Thousands nurses willing to fly to Haiti, but flights remain scarce

  Nearly 5,000 nurses have signed up through National Nurses United to fly to Haiti and provide much...

• New nurses helped with sleep education program

  An interesting piece written by Rebecca Hendren for HealthLeaders Media bridges nurse retention and...

• Failing the NCLEX exam?what’s next

  Failing the NCLEX exam does not automatically mean you are not a fit for the nursing profession...

Issue 2, January 11, 2010

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "I think I'll transfer to the OR... the patients there are all asleep!"...

• Nurse fired over flu shot refusal

  A nurse at Seton Medical Center in Daly City, TX, was fired last month after refusing to get flu...

• NCSBN raises standard of NCLEX-RN exam

  The National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc., otherwise known as NCSBN, has raised the...

• Understanding stress’s impact on patient learning

  Proper communication and education with patients is a critical step to ensuring good patient...

Issue 1, January 4, 2010

• Comic relief: Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Need a little vacation from your stress? Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to...

• Minnesota college helps unite male nurse

  Amir Zadaka is fighting the stereotype that all nurses are female, reports the Minnesota Daily. He...

• In the mix: Hospital sees increased patient satisfaction through nurse handoff program

  Communication between staff members in hospitals is a topic that has been studied and practiced in...

• The role of kidneys in drug elimination

  To avoid drug overdosing, it's important to understand the importance the kidneys play in drug...

Issue 6, March 18, 2010

• Revenue Cycle Institute posts free monthly tool

  Each month the Revenue Cycle Institute publishes a free sample tool or form for readers.