If you’re thinking of becoming a nurse, now is the time. The healthcare industry needs qualified professionals to fill a number of positions, both clinical and managerial. Hospitals, private practices, specialty clinics, nursing homes, and many other facilities are experiencing nursing shortages at alarming rates. But chances are you already know this. The national media has been publicizing the nursing shortage for almost a decade. And as a result, the number of nursing education programs has increased, making it more convenient to become an RN.
In addition to a strong job outlook and a broad range of education pathways, there are more reasons to enter this profession than not. Below you’ll find five more incentives that will surely motivate your decision to enroll in an LVN to RN program today.
If still doubtful, check out these 10 unusual jobs you can get with a nursing degree. They include everything from advanced duties in the operating room to the legal aspects of medicine and other types of nursing jobs.
top paying health care careers which can pay upwards of $180,000 in annual salary. If you find that hard to believe, check out this article on Minority Nurse on true life CRNA Gloria Spires, who is an integral part of many operations. She discusses the career, the nursing degree required, and more.
check out this unusual nursing job. This nurse, also known as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, uses their expertise as a healthcare professional to consult on medical-related cases. Basically, they help bridge the gap between medical terms and legal jargon. Two stand out features of this career are that you can do it with an RN license, not an advanced degree, and can be paid $125- $150 an hour to review cases.
Each of the above 10 most unusual jobs you can get with a nursing degree has their own requirements on education, training, and even certification. If you know which career you are interested in pursuing, make sure the program or college is an acceptable way to get there.
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The demand for live-in and home care nurses is on the rise. As the baby boomer generation gets older, the need for live-in and home care nurses is higher than ever before and family members are ready to pay to keep their loved ones in good care. Cultivating a clientele or landing one regular client can be difficult for a live-in or home care nurse, but these blogs and websites show you have to stand out from others and create a caring relationship that will make patients feel taken care of and safe in your hands.
Live-in and home care nurses are always encountering new obstacles and dealing with concerned family members. There’s an art to being a live-in or home care nurse and these blogs and websites show you how to make the transition to working in someone’s home, while providing them with the stellar care they’re used to in a hospital or nursing home.
Online job hunting is the way to go when you’re a live-in nurse or home care giver. You don’t want to wait for patients to come to you. Instead, learn the power of the Internet and social networking to put your name and face out there, so those searching for a home care giver can come to you.
There’s nothing like chatting with other live-in and home care nurses to get an idea of what to expect once you’re exclusive to one or a few clients. Learn how to negotiate prices, how to conduct taxes and take care of liabilities from these nurses in-the-know.
Home care givers and live-in nurses can use the web as a tool to find new clients, land permanent positions with an agency or raise their business profile. It’s also imperative to read up on safety and liabilities when you’re working in someone’s home. For family members that become care givers due to a loved one falling ill, these blogs and websites will provide everything you need to know about the emotional responsibilities that come with the position. Whether you’re a live-in aide or nurse, it’s important to take care of yourself and get adequate rest so you can take care of your patient with ease.
Far more than just listening to the latest celebrity rant, Twitter can be used for everything from breaking news to connecting with a new job contact. To help in a career search, we have gathered the below top 25 Twitter feeds for finding nurse jobs. Whether just looking to see what’s out there to finding specialty jobs in your area, there is something for just about everyone.
These groups and sites offer loads of nursing jobs and info.
link to the job, and short description are all given.
These Twitter feeds have a specific area of nursing or location in mind.
Kingdom. Sarah also has other tidbits for nurses.
These organizations have loads of tips for finding a job, being a nurse, and more.
student, use this feed to connect with others. The user often asks questions of her followers and posts the answers. Although the above top 25 Twitter feeds for finding nursing jobs can bring every open position on the web to your Twitter page, they are not the only means you should use for finding a nursing job. If you know where you want to work, look up their website to see which positions they have open and check back regularly.
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Health and Fitness
Diseases
MedicineYou can also meet other nurses and health care professionals online. Professional organizations and nursing social communities can be a great way to connect with others. You can get support, and you can ask questions of your peers. If you are looking for some helpful web resources, here are 50 to consider:
Find information about general medical concerns, and nursing ideas. You can access a wealth of knowledge online through these resources. Brush up on items you already know, and learn something new.
In addition to general sites, there are medical resources that are organized by specialty. If you are focusing on a specific area of nursing or health care, it can be useful to understand the issues related to your specialty.
If you are looking for sample care plans, or if you want help creating a care plan, the following web sites can be quite helpful. These sites include great information on creating care plans, as well as templates you can use to improve your own care plans.
Get the latest information on treatments and new breakthroughs. You can get access to case studies, as well as to peer-reviewed journals. Make sure you know what’s happening in the world of medicine so that you can apply it as you work with your own patients.
If you are looking to make professional connections and get access to conferences and some other perks, you can visit the web sites of different professional organizations. Check with these organizations for career advancement opportunities, helpful nursing hints, and the latest headlines, nursing issues and more.
Sometimes you just need to kick back and make social connections. Other times you may want to vent about the rigors of your job. Joining a nurse social community can help. You can ask questions, and find friends. These are great places to get practical tips that you can use every day, or meet other nurses.
However, it can still help to have the references you need right at your fingertips. Thanks to technology and the rise of the smart phone, this is possible. Blackberry devices can help you get access to just what you need to better care for your patients as a nurse. Here are 25 Blackberry apps that are designed to help health care professionals:
If you want general information about medicine, as well as definitions and other useful features, these Blackberry apps can be quite helpful.
While nurses can’t “officially” diagnose disease, these Blackberry apps can help you with understanding different conditions, as well as identifying symptoms that can help you provide better care.
Learn more about different prescription and over the counter drugs, as well as get dosing information. Great Blackberry applications that can help you ensure the best medication for your patients.
DevinGlage.com: Devin distills health, fitness and nutrition information into easy to understand language for people who find diet and exercise overwhelming. He hopes to show you that your personal well-being is an easily attainable goal (March).
Eating Simple: In conjunction with starting her own nutrition consulting business, several people have told this blogger to start a blog. She includes healthy recipes, nutrition advice, and reviews of the latest and greatest diets on the market (January).
Nutrition Warehouse: Nutrition Warehouse provides customers with access to the most sort after quality sports bodybuilding supplements and General Health supplements available at the best price with a professional approach to service and quality (June).
Helpful insights into general information that nurses often need to have. Get information from these books, and brush up on procedures and other health related items.
From drug reference to dosing, these ebooks can be quite helpful. Get access to drug information and hints with these ebooks.
Study human anatomy and physiology. These are great ebooks for understanding how the human body works, helping you become a better nurse.
Learn how to help those with mental health issues. These helpful ebooks can provide you with good references and useful insights.
You can be a better nurse when you understand how to help your patients live healthier lives, and when you improve your manner.
The following individuals are listed in alphabetical order by surname.
Kristen Hedger Archbold, PhD, RN, is an assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Nursing and an expert in the area of sleep disorders and sleep research. She recently received a five-year $2-million grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Heart Lung and Blood Institute to study the effects of a ventilator therapy on behavior and cognition in school-aged children who stop breathing during sleep, a condition called obstructive sleep apnea. This study is the first known to use a placebo or sham PAP ventilator, created by Kristen and her research team, in school-aged children and compare it to actual PAP.
Linda C. Baumann, PhD, APRN, BC, FAAN, is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Nursing, and an expert on global health in developing countries, chronic disease management, health promotion of physical activity and healthy eating. She has conducted both experimental and descriptive studies of how a person’s beliefs about symptoms and illness influence health-related actions. Recent work focuses on health disparities of race/ethnicity and income in relationship to healthy lifestyle changes in diet and physical activity and she has expanded her research into Vietnam, where she is a member of the National Institute of Research Strategies for Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Control.
Carlton G. Brown, PhD, RN, AOCN, is an assistant professor at the University of Delaware’s School of Nursing and the president of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS). He uses the ONS platform to lobby for better legislation to assist patients and the nurses who care for them.Dr. Brown’s book, A Guide to Oncology Symptom Management, provides detailed coverage of symptoms and conditions affecting people with cancer. This summer, he received an Award of Excellence in the 22nd annual APEX Awards for Publication Excellence, sponsored by Writing That Works.
D. Anthony “Tony” Forrester, RN, PhD, ANEF, a professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Nursing in Newark and is clinical professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at UMDNJ’s Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS). He is also Professor in Residence and Interdisciplinary Health Research Consultant at Morristown Memorial Hospital and an expert faculty member for the Nurse Faculty Mentored Leadership Development Program. His areas of expertise and specialization in nursing clinical practice are: adult emergency/trauma, critical care, and psychiatric/mental health nursing.
Mary Beth Happ, PhD, RN, FAAN, is a professor in the Acute and Tertiary Care Department at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Nursing, with secondary appointments in Critical Care Medicine, the Center for Bioethics and Health Law, and at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing (adjunct). Widely published in gerontology and critical care, Dr. Happ’s research is focused on developing and testing the “SPEACS” nurse training program, to improve communication with nonspeaking, critically ill patients. She received the 2010 Eastern Nursing Research Society John A. Hartford Geriatric Research Award for her significant contributions to nursing research directed toward the older adult population.
Kathryn Laughon, PhD, RN, is an associate professor of nursing at the University of Virginia and an expert in intimate partner violence and risk factors for intimate partner homicide and safety planning. In 2008, she was one of 15 junior faculty in the nation to receive an inaugural Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar award. Dr. Laughon currently is principle investigator on a National Institute of Mental Health-funded study to test an intervention for guardians of children orphaned by intimate partner homicide. She is also a forensic nurse examiner and conducts evidence collection and provides care to victims of sexual assault.
Courtney Lyder, ND, GNP, FAAN, was the first minority to earn tenure at Yale’s School of Nursing and the second youngest member inducted into the American Academy of Nursing. As the new dean of the UCLA School of Nursing, Lyder is the first African-American male to lead a U.S. nursing school, and one of fewer than 3 percent of U.S. deans under age 45. He is a nationally recognized expert on minority aging and served as a senior consultant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he has influenced federal regulations and policies related to elder care throughout the U.S.
Linda Sarna, DNSc, RN, FAAN, AOCN, is a professor at the UCLA School of Nursing and an expert on oncology nursing and tobacco control. She helped establish one of the nation’s first oncology nursing specialty programs at the UCLA School of Nursing more than 30 years ago, and recently was appointed to the school’s Lulu Wolf Hassenplug Endowed Chair in Nursing. As principal investigator for the Tobacco Free Nurses initiative, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Sarna led the first-ever nationwide program to help nurses quit smoking and to promote nursing involvement and leadership in tobacco control.
Mary Lou Sole, RN, PhD, CCRN, FAAN, a professor in UCF’s College of Nursing, also oversees the adult-gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist track for the new post-baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice program. She is an expert in the area of airway management and mechanical ventilation, infection prevention in acute care, and critical care nursing. She also is the lead investigator on a National Institutes of Health nursing research grant related to airway management in critically ill patients. Her book, Introduction to Critical Care Nursing, currently in its fifth edition, was named the 2010 Book of the Year by the American Journal of Nursing.
Lin Zhan, RN, PhD, FAAN, is a professor and director of PhD Program in Nursing in the Department of Nursing, School of Health and Environment at UMass-Lowell. She is a Fellow of American Academy of Nursing and serves on the Academy’s Expert Panel on Aging. Her research focuses on quality of life for older adults and ethnic minorities. Her scholarly work is evident by funded research projects and publication in and research-based peer reviewed publications. In 2000, her book, Asian Voices: Asian and Asian American Health Educators Speak Out, received “”he Book of the Year” award by the American Journal of Nursing for outstanding professional development.