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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.

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

Stressed Out Nurses Weekly

Issue 45, November 16, 2009

• 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...

• ICU nurses get less sleep, make more errors

  Nurses who work in a hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) may get less sleep than other nurses, and...

• In the mix: Halloween costume winner!

  I hope you all had some fun on Halloween and dressed up a bit. As you know, StressedOutNurses.com...

• Treating patients with ADHD

  Treatments for ADHD include medication management and behavioral treatment. Structuring a patient's...

Issue 44, November 9, 2009

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "No, Dr. Johnson, there's no H1N1 vaccine down here either..." And the...

• Massachusetts nurses rally to support staffing bill

  The Massachusetts Statehouse held a hearing on November 6 about a bill to limit the number of...

• NCLEX myths

  The anxiety factor tied to the NCLEX lends itself to widespread rumors about how the exam works and...

Issue 43, November 2, 2009

• 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...

• Nursing shortage inspires RWJF, others to help create and retain RNs

   By 2020, the nursing shortage will hit 1 million, according to the 2004 Health Resources and...

• Medical mission trip motivates nurse

  In the mix: Medical mission trip motivates nurse

• Develop a plan for patients who relapse

   People with chronic illness may experience additional anxiety during periods of relapse of...

Issue 42, October 26, 2009

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "Get in, we can discuss the hospital's quality issues on hole 4." And the...

• Nurses’ union plans strike

   A 16,000-strong nurses' union, representing 39 hospitals in California and Nevada, is...

• In the mix: How safe do you feel at work?

  A woman at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston was allegedly assaulted inside the hospital...

• Medication safety and children

  Tricycling, or the interdisciplinary approach among physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in the...

Issue 41, October 19, 2009

• 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...

• State universities turn away qualified student nursing applicants

  Many of Florida's public universities are turning away about half of qualified student nursing...

• In the mix: Obama’s healthcare reform receives strong reaction from nurses

   In a recent post on StressedOutNures.com, I wrote about President Obama's healthcare reform...

• Tips to help nursing students study smarter

  How many times have your read a couple of pages of text, only to discover you have no idea what you...

Issue 40, October 13, 2009

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "Wow! I knew healthcare reform was going to cut out-of-office visits and...

• Nurse’s error with bags, tubing could have infected thousands

  A nurse at Broward General Medical Center (BGMC) in Fort Lauderdale, FL, has been reusing saline...

• In the mix: Obama relies on nurses, physicians for healthcare reform support

  On Monday, President Obama touted his healthcare reform plan, which he emphasized was supported by...

• Alcohol and the elderly

   Many family members, friends, and nurses overlook problem drinking in older adults. Sometimes...

Issue 39, October 5, 2009

• 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...

• Nurse practitioner named CNN Hero

   Throughout the year, CNN.com has named everyday, inspiring people CNN Heroes, highlighting...

• Flu vaccine policies initiate protests

  In August I posted about a survey of UK's National Health Service nurses that showed only 37% of...

• Managing your money during your first year as a nurse

  You are finally making your money, but are on the brink of drowning in student-loan and credit-card...

Issue 38, September 28, 2009

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "This is our uninsured patient. Yesterday we told her how much her bill would be. Her...

• Long Island nurses rally to protest mandatory H1N1 vaccinations

  Nurses from New York’s Stony Brook University Medical Center plan to rally next week in...

• In the mix: Educational program takes students from high school to hospital

  Texas Health Resources, which operates 14 Dallas-Fort Worth-area hospitals, has launched a program...

• Dealing with a potentially psychotic patient

   Dealing with a patient who exhibits psychotic symptoms is never easy. During the workup and...

Issue 37, September 21, 2009

• 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...

• New technology detects dirty hands

   A new technology will soon be available that could detect whether you have washed your hands...

• In the mix: When should nurses quit?

  When nurses become jaded and angry every day, what are they, and those around them, to do? A new...

• Know when to say "cut" when administering pills to elderly patients

  Patients can take dosages that are too high, medications that are incorrectly prescribed or filled...

Issue 36, September 14, 2009

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "Of course I encourage all of my patients to participate in their care decisions...

• Healthcare workers still face disruptive behavior

   Out of more than 1,500 healthcare providers, three-fourths reported being the target of...

• In the mix: Hundreds follow Fran on Twitter

   Hundreds of Twitter users are following StressedFran, and her number of followers continues...

• Graduate school options for nurses

  You may decide at some point in your nursing career that you would like to expand the scope of your...

Issue 35, September 7, 2009

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

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

• APIC urges healthcare facilities to require staff vaccinations for flu

  The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is urging healthcare...

• In the mix: New nurses union will be 150,000 RNs strong

  Three major nurses’ organizations will be combining to form a new organization newly named...

• Choosing the right route for drug administration

  The route through which a drug is administered is essential for nurses to consider. Often, the...

Issue 34, August 31, 2009

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  "I used the last free copy to wallpaper my bathroom." And the winner is...

• Ohio bill would require culture classes for nurses, healthcare workers

  A new bill proposed in the Ohio Senate would require nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and most...

• In the mix: Getting vaccinated for H1N1

  Will you get vaccinated against the H1N1 virus this fall? According to the UK’s Daily Mail...

• How to handle angry situations

  Everyone encounters angry people. And everyone gets angry form time to time. Patients get angry...

Issue 33, August 24, 2009

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

    Need a little vacation from your stress?   Welcome to our new caption...

• HCPro, Inc. announces winners of 2009 Nursing Image Awards

  HCPro, Inc., a leading provider of nursing education and management resources, is pleased to...

• Nurses help to solve crimes

  Being a nurse in the emergency department (ED) unfortunately involves treating patients who have...

• What to consider when inserting an IV in pediatric populations

  For new nurses, inserting IVs will soon become quite routine; however, when it comes to pediatric...

Issue 32, August 18, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  " Patient Safety Officer is a promotion for goodness sakes...you have two months to get...

• Texas to prohibit mandatory overtime for nurses

  Following the lead of Pennsylvania, which banned mandatory overtime for nurses as of July 1, 2009...

• Take charge of your image

  We all try to shape up our physical appearance at one time or another. But we sometimes forget to...

• Be prepared with answers for addicts

  Taking care of patients with addictive behaviors can be difficult. Whether the patient has a...

Issue 31, August 10, 2009

• Dallas hospital ditches McDonald’s

  Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas has ended its 20-year relationship with McDonald's, the...

• CA nursing groups meet to create solutions to the RN job shortage

  The California Institute for Nursing & Health Care conducted a survey of employers of nurses...

• What’s the evidence for EBP?

  Many nurses think they don't have time in their day to think about evidence-based practice (EBP...

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Head over to the newly redesigned StressedOutNurses.com and create a caption for this cartoon...

Issue 30, August 3, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  "Poor Dr. Jones, he's just received the results from the walk around--now he has to tell...

• Nursing pressures, mismatched expectations result in turnover

  Pressure from all directions and mismatched expectations seem to be the culprit for nurse turnover...

• Study: More than half of ED nurses have been physically assaulted

  An Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) study has found that more than half of emergency department...

• Understanding patients who are obsessive compulsive

  Patients can be quite hard to understand, making them difficult to treat. It's important to look...

Issue 29, July 27, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

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

• Nursing schools use ’Second Life’ simulation scenarios for training

  Second Life, a 3-D virtual world in which participants create avatars (visual depictions of your...

• Announcing the winners of the Stressed Out Nurses cost-saving strategies contest!

  A couple of months ago, we asked you to share your cost-savings ideas for our contest to win one of...

• Violence in the workplace

  Violence in the workplace is a concern faced by all healthcare professionals. When you are dealing...

Issue 28, July 20, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  "As you may know, we are in the middle of a C. diff. outbreak and ...." And the winner...

• Study finds social networking in nursing school curricula

  A recent study published by the Journal of the Medical Library Association found that both medical...

• Hitting the pause button

  Despite all the talk about critical thinking, nurses operate in a very task-oriented system. In our...

• Handling depressed patients’ expressions of negativity

  Appropriate treatment can help people who are depressed, and includes continual assessment. It's...

Issue 27, July 13, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

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

• ANA poll results show seven out of 10 nurses report insufficient staffing levels

  An American Nurses Association (ANA) poll that received more than 15,000 responses showed that more...

• Fun is a necessity, not a luxury

  There is a reason why, “The family that plays together stays together.” Recreation is...

• Stress-proofing work

  You will find nursing a rewarding profession, but it does have it sources of stress. The key is to...

Issue 26, July 6, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is ... (drum roll, please) ... Melissa Heflin! Congratulations, Melissa! Thanks to...

• Nursing gains popularity as many search for new jobs, careers

  As many lose jobs and search for more security in their next line of work, nursing has become a...

• Do you take things too personally at work?

  None of us see the world as it is, we see the world the way we are. We all operate from different...

• Display proper etiquette during clinical rotations

  Clinicals are one of the most important parts of your nursing education. With everything that may...

Issue 25, June 29, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the newly redesigned StressedOutNurses.com and...

• ANA makes statement against nurse portrayal in TV’s "HawthoRNe"

  The American Nurses Association (ANA) has released a statement protesting what it calls the...

• Chelsea’s mail: An opinion on doctor-assisted suicideIn the mix: Chelsea’s mail: An opinion on doctor-assisted suicide

  Q: As a caregiver, do you have an opinion about doctor-assisted suicide? A: This isn’t...

• Recognizing the road to burnout

  The long hours and demanding work of the nursing profession can often lead to stress and...

Issue 24, June 22, 2009

• New TV ad reminds viewers about the importance of nursing

  In an effort to build support for mandatory nurse staffing levels, a new television ad asks its...

• Your thoughts on having family present during a code

  A past post to our Stressed Out Nurses blog by Chelsea Brancroft, RN, asked you if family members...

• Tips on how to avoid legal pitfalls

  The legal risks for nurses are high. You are the front-line provider; in court, you will be held...

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Aimee Dinwoodie! Congratulations, Aimee! Thanks...

Issue 23, June 15, 2009

• Australians tab nursing as most honest profession

  Down under, nursing is on top.

• Chelsea’s Mail: Telling your nurse manager about a mistake

  Q: Have you ever made a mistake or been involved in an accident at work? How did you tell your...

• Cover these topics in your cover letter

  As the job market continues to get more and more competitive because of the struggling economy, the...

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

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

Issue 22, June 8, 2009

• Use scripting to make new patients feel comfortable

  Whether patients are admitted routinely, unexpectedly, or urgently, each one experiences fear and...

• Fran joins Twitter

  See Fran on MySpace. See Fran on Facebook. Follow Fran on Twitter.

• New hospital gown provides full coverage

  It's become a tired joke on TV shows through the years: A patient's gown opens in the back and...

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Deb Francisco! Congratulations, Deb! Thanks to...

Issue 21, June 1, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

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

• Ten lucky nurses win best-selling book from HCPro

  As part of our Nurses Week celebration, HCPro, Inc. included a quiz about Florence Nightingale in...

• Enterprising Florida nurse earning high marks with RNReport Card

  Marsha-Gaye Elson-Joseph, BSN, knew her nursing career could take her anywhere. Different...

• Improve your critical thinking with these three tips

  Most colleges do not offer courses on the topic of "thinking" and we live in a culture...

Issue 20, May 18, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Peggy Hodapp! Congratulations, Peggy! Thanks to...

• Arizona State student, 17, set to get nursing degree

  She began taking college classes at 12. Carrying a 4.0 GPA, she earned her high school diploma and...

• Chelsea’s Mail: How early is too early to be a preceptor?

  As a nurse just entering the workforce, she provided insight on the fears, anxieties, and successes...

• Consider skill level when delegating a nursing task

  Delegation is a multi-step process. First, as the nurse, you determine how, where, and when...

Issue 19, May 11, 2009

• In the news: New nurse drama to air on NBC this fall

  Medical TV shows, such as ER, Grey's Anatomy, and Scrubs, have often painted nurses in an...

• Take a break and try some relaxation breathing

  Relaxation breathing can help people to deal with and reduce stress, anxiety, and pain. It can be...

• Get started with evidence-based practice

  Nurses and other clinicians strive to provide the best care possible, and in today's healthcare...

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

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

Issue 18, May 4, 2009

• Counting down to Nurses Week: How well do you know Florence Nightingale?

  Florence Nightingale is regarded as the founder of modern nursing. She helped establish the...

• In the mix: Health system lays off nurse during patient surgery

  A Dean Health System physician made an incision during a recent routine surgery. A nurse manager...

• In the know: Prioritize your patient assignments

  Once you have arrived at work, reviewed your patient assignment, and received the shift-to-shift...

• Comic relief: See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Christine Stats! Congratulations, Christine...

Issue 17, April 27, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  It’s time to get REALLY funny! Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the newly...

• Counting down to Nurses Week with 10 fun and easy ways to combat stress

  Stress can be around every corner of your facility. Nurses must care for complicated patients, work...

• Assess how you spend your time as a nurse

  The first step to mastering time management is to assess how you spend your time. One way to do...

• Help patients get a handle on their fears

  Fear is usually defined as a natural response to a real danger. Everyone has experienced it at one...

Issue 16, April 20, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Sandy Biga! Congratulations, Sandy! Thanks to...

• Save 25% on nursing products

  Are you in search of the ideal gift to show your gratitude to a fellow nurse? Is it time to reward...

• I am a stressed out nurse because ...

  If you’re not battling stress right now, you’re one of the few. As a nurse who has to...

• Thoughts on therapy for easing depressed patients

  Many people are depressed because of negative self-talk, or talk they internalized from what was...

Issue 15, April 13, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  It’s time to get REALLY funny! Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the newly...

• Free tool to help improve the professional image of nursing

  As HCPro continues its countdown to Nurses' Week, our focus moves to improving the image of...

• Practice good health with the updated food pyramid

  Most of us grew up with the food pyramid that had grains at the base of what we should be eating...

• Reduce stress with a positive mindset

  In order to take care of patients, nurses need to make time to take care of themselves. It’s...

Issue 14, April 6, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Linda Luusua! Congratulations, Linda! Thanks to...

• Counting down to Nurses' Week: Start celebrating with a free communication tool

  Nurses’ Week doesn’t start officially until May 6, but HCPro, Inc. is starting the...

• Facing questions about a patient’s code

  I know this question is very similar to the other debate about whether family members should be...

• Fitting new grads into the work environment

  Many new graduates have to learn to work with many different personalities and work cultures. To do...

Issue 13, March 30, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  It’s time to get REALLY funny! Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the newly...

• Beantown docs' donation could preserve colleagues' jobs

  Physicians have donated $350,000 to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston to prevent...

• Getting along in a multigenerational workforce

  Today’s healthcare workforce is unique. In addition to working with peers from different...

• Enhancing patients' eating experience

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

Issue 12, March 23, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Mike Russo! Congratulations, Mike! Thanks to...

• Lower student loans could come to nurses with higher education

  Many nurses like to expand their minds with further education, and unfortunately that often leads...

• Is there poison in your makeup?

  Many of the products we buy are infused with chemicals that may be harmful to our health. Take...

• Making sense of manic patients

  People who are depressed usually know that something is wrong, and they don't like the way they...

Issue 11, March 16, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  It’s time to get REALLY funny! Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the newly...

• Study finds hospital mobile phones transmit message of MRSA

  A study recently published in the Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials suggests...

• Focus on nurse health: Is organic really better?

  The term "organic" originated in the agricultural industry. Organic farmers used...

• In the mix: Nurses’ protest called off

   In an earlier blog post, I wrote about mandatory vaccine policies and some of the protests...

• Practice patient care with empathy

  An integral part of handling a patient's anger is letting the person know you understand the story...

Issue 10, March 9, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Kristen Sharpe! Congratulations, Kristen...

• Working the nightshift could pose health risks

  Nightshift nurses work hard throughout the hours of darkness to improve the health of their...

• Applaud leaders and staff for elevating nursing’s image

  Since Shelley Cohen, RN, BS, CEN, president of Health Resources Unlimited, a healthcare education...

• Sorting through similar drug names

  Though pharmaceutical companies intentionally try to avoid it, some trade names are similar or...

Issue 9, March 2, 2009

• Web site shares nurses’ recommendations for top docs

  Nurses know upon entering the profession that they will work in close quarters with physicians...

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  It’s time to get REALLY funny! Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the newly...

• WOW team rids facility of staff irritants

  When staff satisfaction is high, staff turnover rates are low, collaboration is more effective, and...

• Carry effective communication skills throughout your career

  No matter where your nursing career takes you, make sure you keep your communication skills sharp...

Issue 8, February 23, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Carla...

• CoughCover could help the sick combat flu and cold viruses

  Coughing and sneezing into a shirt sleeve may sound repulsive, but it's one nurse's hope for...

• Avoid burnout by caring for yourself

  Burnout is a term nobody wants to hear, see, or experience, but it's real. Burnout happens for a...

• Focus on orientation to help new grads make a successful transition

  One of the greatest fears of new graduates is the fear of leaving the security of their instructors...

Issue 7, February 16, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  It’s time to get REALLY funny! Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the newly...

• Volunteering nursing students increase activity at Special Olympics

  The competitive spirits of 150 special needs children from the Aiken, SC, school district will be...

• Not all supplements are created equal

  Supplements are a great tool for getting all your vitamins and minerals into your diet. Some...

• Try these tricks to manage your time

  Time management is an essential skill for nursing school success. The first step toward effective...

Issue 6, February 9, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Gwen...

• Nursing researchers to get a feel on mood and well-being of middle-age women

  Many people crave the high that comes after an intense workout or find great pleasure curling up to...

• Stay healthy when the crunch comes

  Class started back up last week. It’s hard to go back after the long break between semesters...

• Shining a light on schizophrenia

  People with schizophrenia have atypical thought patterns and thought content for their culture and...

Issue 5, February 2, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  It’s time to get REALLY funny! Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the newly...

• ANA study puts price ticket on nursing profession

  The care a nurse delivers is undoubtedly critical to his or her patients’ health. Not so...

• When a nurse loses her first patient ...

  Being nurses, we have to struggle with so many obstacles such as working long hours, working...

• Make your move as a mentor

  Being a mentor means you have a skill set that allows you to nurture those who may be lost or may...

Issue 4, January 26, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please...

• Can cleaning products soil nurses’ health?

  Environmentally friendly people around the globe have gone green to protect the planet. Is it time...

• Pajamas put a smile on a nurse’s face

  Our contests on StressedOutNurses.com are some of the most popular features. Students and nurses...

• Accelerate toward an advanced degree

  Nursing career opportunities abound with an advanced degree in hand. But if an advanced degree is...

Issue 3, January 19, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  It’s time to get REALLY funny! Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the newly...

• Bills to leverage Texas nurses’ power in patient care

  Nurses in the Lone Star State could soon have more clout in their facilities. State lawmakers...

• You may not be eating enough

  Skipping meals places your body in starvation mode and slows down your metabolism, which causes the...

• Traits for taking charge as a charge nurse

  Being a charge nurse is often as stressful as being a director. You are "charged" with...

Issue 2, January 12, 2009

• See who won our caption contest!

  And the winner is . . . (drum roll, please...

• Recession, retention seal new graduates’ positions

  Tucson (AZ) Medical Center (TMC) is turning several job-seeking new graduates away despite spending...

• Stay present in the nursing profession

  It’s a new year, which one can anticipate will come with more changes in the dynamic field of...

• Sustain learning hygiene with some shut-eye

  Most people need six to eight hours of sleep daily to effectively function. The right amount of...

Issue 1, January 5, 2009

• Win a Stressed Out Nurses T-shirt

  It’s time to get REALLY funny! Welcome to our new caption contest! Head over to the newly...

• Nurse-designed pillows bring patients long-lasting comfort

  A patient’s recovery from abdominal surgery is often a painful one, but ICU nurses at Morris...

• Envision a happy and healthy future

  Do you find you set New Year’s resolutions that never happen? If so, there may be two reasons...

• Meet the educational needs of preceptees

  Teaching adults presents certain challenges that a preceptor should be able to recognize and adapt...