Photo © Melanie Stetson Freeman / Christian Science Monitor / The Image Works.
In 1958, after pulling his drowning son from water and clearing his airways, Norwegian doll manufacturer Asmund S. Laerdal was asked to develop a manikin to teach others how to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The doll became known […]
Been procrastinating?We’re entering August, when many people take at least a few days for vacation before the busy school year begins. For those of you who’ve been procrastinating on writing that article you swore you would write over the summer, and for those who will face writing a capstone paper in your next semester, now’s the time. Here are some suggestions and resources that may help.
At www.ajnonline.com, under the Collections tab at the top, you can access our “Writing Resources” collection, where you’ll find our award-winning step-by-step series, Writing for Publication. It’s a free four-part series that guides you through the writing process. Also listed under the Collections tab is another step-by-step series, Writing Systematic Reviews.
Forget trying to churn out a paper in one weekend—it’s a stressful and unfulfilling way to write, and the end product will fall short. If you want to really become a good writer, you need to write. It takes practice, like any other skill.
Commit to set aside a bit of time for writing. It doesn’t have to be a lot; start with 30 minutes, maybe three times a week, and get started writing. Commit to that time faithfully—make an […]
Photo by Ashley Gilbertson / The New York Times / Redux.
There’s an article in the July issue that I highly recommend to all new graduate RNs—or to anyone who is returning to acute care. The article, one of the offerings in our Transition to Practice column, which is geared to new nurses, is “Surviving Your First Code.” It offers a detailed look at what happens during a code and the various responsibilities of the resuscitation team.
I clearly remember my first code—and I bet every nurse does as well. I had seen cardiac arrests before, but that was when I was a nurse’s aide and my job during a code was essentially to get out of the way. It’s very different when you are a nurse and play a role.
It was my fourth day as a new graduate nurse working in the ED. We heard the sirens coming from a long way off. When the ambulance arrived, the stretcher came crashing through the ED doors with the paramedics yelling that the patient had just arrested as they arrived.
My role that day was to be the crash cart nurse, so I put myself […]
Everyone involved in health care is likely aware of the disparities that exist in the system, from private patients who get fast-tracked and admitted to private rooms (all hospitals seem to have a “VIP” floor) to individuals who must wait until they are very ill and then can be treated as an emergency. And even though our ethics dictate otherwise, we know that, often unconsciously, we treat some patients differently.
“Addressing Implicit Bias in Nursing: A Review,” written by Mary Curry Narayan and published in our July issue, discusses how preconceived notions and instinctive preferences can interfere with relationships and change how we treat patients.
Are you as comfortable walking into a room full of people similar to yourself as you are into a room full of people who speak a different language or are from a different background? Do you feel and act the same way towards a private patient with an MI who has a stable job and family as you would towards an unemployed person who has a substance abuse disorder? Will you spend the same amount of time speaking with them?
Recall conversations with colleagues at change-of-shift reports—in my experience, discussions there often color how we feel about patients before we even meet them.
Narayan points out that the first step in managing our biases is to acknowledge that we all have them—they’re part of our past experiences and are […]
It’s late June and by now most new grads are beginning their careers. Based on tradition, most of you will be working in the acute care setting. Some may have found positions, like my niece did when she graduated, in out-of-hospital surgical centers, or perhaps you’ve taken a position in a nursing home or long-term care facility. Wherever you’ve landed, we know you’re likely to be a mix of nervous and excited.
First, don’t worry—everyone, even the nurse manager who scares you, was new once. Over time, you’ll get more comfortable with your skills and gain confidence.
Photo by Ashley Gilbertson / The New York Times / Redux.
Be prepared, show up on time, ask questions; be the person you’d like to work with. Offer to help others when you can and you’ll find it easier to ask when you need a hand.
One of our younger editorial board members, Amanda Anderson, has written several articles for our Transition to Practice column, all aimed at recent nursing school graduates. The articles range from preparing for the first day on the job to delegating and how to give report, and other topics. The latest, “