It is anticipated that the Palmetto State has the seventh largest shortage of registered nurses in the nation which leaves one-in-five (20%) positions unfilled due to nurses retiring and current low staffing levels.
An article published in Becker’s Hospital Review talked about the top ten states for R.N. shortages by 2036 of which South Carolina sits in the seventh position. The surveys suggest that nurse staffing levels are improving, the health systems continue to face recruitment and retention challenges.
I wonder what effect pumping $30 million into collegiate nursing programs will accomplish? Will more nurses attend school? And what about the decrease in the number of qualified faculty and would master’s prepared nurses be able to work at these facilities to train nurses?
I speculate what effect pumping all this money would have. I would much rather see that money go towards salaries for nurses and retention efforts rather than injecting it into education because, as I have said many times, I really believe that nursing is in your DNA.
You couldn’t pay many people enough money to do the job that nurses do. Providing people with educational opportunities to go into the field of nursing causes me concern that if nursing is not in your DNA, you might become disillusioned and quit the
profession. So, I am not sure what pumping money into education is going to achieve because it does take a special person to be a nurse.
What do you think? How about sharing your thoughts with the rest of us! Let us read your comments below.
“The best defense is a good offense” is a maxim that everyone has heard. But a better position to come from is to never have the problem in the first place. How do you do this? By being proactive.
Proactive means that if you smell the handwriting on the wall: leave! Leave before you get fired. As I often say, “You can get another job, but you can’t get another license.”
Proactive also means that you are not taking shortcuts, that you’re crossing your t’s and dotting your i’s and making sure you follow your facility’s policies and procedures. Proactive also means that if a client’s condition is deteriorating that you should respond immediately rather than wait until the patient codes. It’s important to get the rapid response team in early. By being proactive, you can significantly impact patient outcomes, workplace efficiency, and professional satisfaction.
Proactive nurses anticipate potential problems and implement preventive measures, while a “reactive” nurse responds to problems only after they arise. Shifting from a reactive to a proactive mindset will help you immensely in your practice.
A proactive nurse is one who anticipates changes and doesn’t wait as a patient’s condition deteriorates but intervenes early. A proactive nurse is always prepared and maintains a state of readiness. She’s/he’s sure to have everything she/he needs, including supplies, equipment, and keeping up with continuing education. A proactive nurse maintains effective communication with the healthcare team, patients, and families so that everyone is informed, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings or delayed interventions. A proactive nurse asks for help! A proactive nurse uses critical thinking by consistently analyzing situations and potential outcomes to make informed decisions. They recognize subtle cues that may signal a future problem.
And lastly, a proactive nurse uses her time wisely to manage or reduce the stress that comes with rushing to fix a problem that perhaps could have been prevented altogether.
To develop a proactive mindset, I recommend one regularly review patient data. If a previous nurse says a patient had regular bowel sounds and now you don’t hear bowel sounds, that’s a change that needs to be addressed. When you know patterns, you can anticipate patient needs and act accordingly.
Stay informed. By being informed, you can take preventative measures confidently. Collaborating with the care team regularly, productive nurses seek input and offer insights that could prevent future issues.
Reflect and learn from experiences because, if you have a situation that does not turn out the way you want, become a Monday morning quarterback, and figure out what went wrong so you know how to mediate it in the future.
Being proactive in nursing isn’t just about staying busy or being prepared, it’s about a mindset that embraces anticipation, readiness, and strategic planning to improve patient care, reduce stress, and elevate your practice to a higher standard.
In this profession, every moment counts. Being proactive can make all the difference in the world, or in a patient’s life.
The only non-renewable asset that we have is our time. We can always make more money, right? What differentiates us from Oprah Winfrey or Tony Robbins is how we spend our most valuable asset: our time. Are we spending our time watching Netflix and scrolling on social media or are we spending our time being productive?
My philosophy is do, delete, and delegate. I don’t believe in “to do lists” because they just rob your energy when you see how many things you must do. In reality most of those things will never get done.
So, pick your battles and figure out what you can do, who you can delegate a task to, or what needs to be deleted because these days we have so much on our plates that we have to undertake. So much that we need to simplify our lives and work more effectively to accomplish everything we need in your business.
I suggest that you calendar everything. I believe in Parkinson’s Law, which states “work will expand to fill the time allotted for its completion.”
It’s interesting how you can go to a movie that you love and it’s over before you know it. But if you go to a movie that you’re not enjoying and it seems to take forever to get through it, you just want to pack up your popcorn and go home. The movies can have the same running time, yet the passage of time feels different in each situation.
The more you can get into the zone where time seems to stand still, you can get everything you want to get done. It makes a big difference.
I block schedule and figure out how much time something is going to take. And I get it done in that amount of time. I schedule everything and that way I know everything has a home and will get done.
If I need to reschedule something, I will reschedule once. But if I want to reschedule it again, I ask myself why, what is the resistance? The only way to address the resistance is to just do it. I think the Nike slogan is correct. Just do it!
According to Indiana Code § 25-23-1-19.8, before December 31st of every even numbered year, the Board is required to randomly audit at least one per cent (1%) but not more than ten per cent (10%) of the APRNs with authority to prescribe legend drugs. This was enacted last year, and the board is still in the process of auditing.
Currently, an Indiana APRN is required to complete at least 30 hours of continuing education of which eight (8) hours must be in the area of pharmacology and if you prescribe controlled substances, two (2) hours of the eight (8) hours must be in opioid prescribing practices. The continuing education must be provided by a nationally sponsored organization.
APRNs are not required to submit the continuing education however, if they are audited, they must provide all the certificates of their continuing education done within the audit period.
The Board conducts this audit to make sure that the APRN has completed the continuing education and that the APRN has a valid collaborative practice agreement in place and is operating within the terms of the agreement.
Apparently, some APRNs have collaborative practice agreements where the collaborating physician does not review the charts or do some things that are required by the collaborative agreement. Therefore, during the audit, the APRN must provide a
sworn statement from the collaborating physician that they are working within the terms of the agreement.
If you are receive an email and/or letter saying you are being audited, you will be required to upload your continuing education certificates, Collaborative Practice Agreement and the sworn statements to the Professional Licensing Agency portal. If you have more than one collaborator, then you must submit sworn statements from each.
If the Board feels you have not complied with the requirements of the audit, they will call you in for an order to show cause signifying you have complied with the requirements. Of course, we would be happy to assist you with this process.
In the meantime, I just wanted to share valuable information on how this process works so that you can be prepared should you be in the process of being audited now or in the future.
As a nurse, we’re trained to handle emergencies in various settings—from the controlled environment of a hospital to the unpredictable chaos of an accident scene. However, one of the most challenging and unique situations I’ve encountered happened not on the ground but 35,000 feet in the air.
Imagine this: you’re seated comfortably on a plane, finally taking a break from the demands of healthcare. The gentle hum of the aircraft and the anticipation of your destination are your only thoughts. Suddenly, the calm is interrupted by an urgent call over the intercom: “If there is a doctor or nurse on board, please identify yourself to the cabin crew immediately.”
Your heart skips a beat. You know that when that call goes out, it’s serious. It’s a moment where your training, instincts, and commitment to caring for others all converge.
Nurses are inherently prepared for emergencies, but in the confined, resource-limited space of an airplane, it’s a different ballgame. There’s no crash cart, no immediate backup team, and the nearest hospital is thousands of miles away. Yet, in those moments, something incredible happens—our training and experience kick in, and we do what we’ve always done: provide the best care possible, no matter the circumstances.
A husband and wife nurse team where travelling with their 2 small children when they heard such an announcement. The flight attendant stayed with their children. An elderly gentleman fell and hit his head on the side of the service cart and was unconscious and bleeding heavily.
Assessing the Situation
The first step is always assessment. You quickly gather information from the patient or those around them, checking for responsiveness, airway, breathing, and circulation. It’s the ABCs we’ve been drilled on from the beginning. You may not have a full set of vitals at your disposal, but you have your skills and intuition.
Improvising with Limited Resources
On an airplane, resources are scarce. There might be a basic first-aid kit, some oxygen, and an automated external defibrillator (AED), but that’s about it. This is where creativity comes in. Maybe you’ve used a piece of luggage as an elevated footrest for someone going into shock, or perhaps you’ve crafted a makeshift splint from a magazine. Whatever the situation, nurses are nothing if not resourceful. The husband and wife team had nothing to stop the bleeding. In retrospect, they could have used a diaper or sanitary napkin to improvise.
Teamwork in the Air
One of the most beautiful aspects of nursing is our ability to work as a team, even with people we’ve just met. On a plane, that team might consist of the flight attendants, fellow passengers, and possibly another healthcare professional. Clear communication and collaboration are vital. You might be directing someone to maintain an open airway or coordinating with the captain about the possibility of an emergency landing.
There is also a company called MedAire which provides inflight medical assistance to flight attendants by satellite phone.
Staying Calm Under Pressure
Perhaps the most crucial element of handling an in-flight emergency is staying calm. Your composure can be contagious, helping to soothe not only the patient but also the anxious passengers around you. In such a confined space, panic can spread quickly, but so can reassurance.
The Aftermath
Once the situation is under control, there’s a moment of reflection. As the plane resumes its course and you return to your seat, the adrenaline begins to wear off. You’re left with a sense of fulfillment, knowing that you’ve made a difference. It’s not about being a hero—it’s about being a nurse, always ready to help, no matter where you are.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
For all my fellow nurses out there, I encourage you to always be prepared for the unexpected. Keep your skills sharp, stay calm under pressure, and never underestimate the impact you can have—even in the most unlikely of places. And for everyone else, know that when you hear that call for help on a plane, there’s likely a nurse on board, ready to step up and do what we do best: care for those in need. Your license is protected as a good Samaritan.
Safe travels, and may we all find comfort in knowing that nurses are everywhere, even in the skies above.
Little Rock, Arkansas nurse Amber Nelson had been caring for a patient she had previously known when, for some reason, she chose to reveal the patient’s MyChart on the social medium, Snapchat.
There are all kinds of misinformation out there about this case, including the patient whose confidential information was disclosed. I’m not sure exactly when this happened and there is a little information about the event.
Regardless, nurses on TikTok are outraged! This was a blatant disclosure in violation of privacy laws and HIPAA.
I researched this nurse at nursys.com and was able to find there was a nurse named Amber Nelson in Arkansas, but her license expired in 2021. So, I’m not sure if this is the specific nurse or not, but there was no discipline taken against her if this was the accused nurse.
It’s hard to tell what’s true and what’s not true but the point is that you should never disclose confidential patient information no matter what! Anything you say and do when it is posted on social media is not yours. It is not your platform, and you do not own it.
And even if you try to remove it later, once it’s been publicly noted, it is too late. Attorneys can subpoena any information even if it is removed.
You work too hard for your license, so protect it as if it was the most valuable item in the world to you because, in all likelihood, it is.
I have always said you can get another job, but you can’t get another license.
When you are upset, take time to cool down and never go to social media to air your bitterness. Once you make that kind of mistake in haste, you will have the rest of your career to regret it.
In a recent article, the number of Nurse Practitioners (NPs) is rapidly growing in healthcare right now. There are more than 300,000 nurse practitioners and this figure is expected to climb 45.7%. This is the fastest growing profession outpacing the growth of physicians.
However, with the increase in nurse practitioners, there has been an increase in the number of programs to more than 600 schools. 39,000 Nurse Practitioners graduated in 2022. However, nursing education is not standardized.
Many programs are now online and even their clinicals. A Nurse Practitioner student is required to work 500 hours in clinical training but many times the students have to get their own training. Some NP students have expressed difficulty in finding their own clinicals. There is no consistency and it is unregulated.
My concern is that while Nurse Practitioners are very trusted and have better outcomes than physicians, if the training is not up to par, it could lead to more problems, more malpractice cases and license discipline for NPs. I would love to hear your thoughts.
The way to get known in your business is to be omnipresent which means being everywhere. I ask all my new clients how they found me, and I learned that there are a number of ways that they came to select me to assist them.
Think about this. Coca-Cola is the name of company that has several soft drink products. But when one goes to order one of their products, they just refer to it as a “Coke.” It is a trademarked name.
“Kleenex” is another example. Kleenex is a trademarked name but when people ask for a facial tissue, they don’t say “can you hand me a facial tissue?” They almost always ask for a Kleenex.
Your goal is to have your name become synonymous with what you are offering. For example, I am the go-to-person for nurse license protection and for nurse business owners. I do this based on a “marketing pie.”
Try this: on a piece of paper, draw a circle, like a pie, and put 4 lines through it so that you have 8 slices. What activities can you put in those slices to show your marketing activities?
When you are new, just take 1 slice at a time. It’s too overwhelming to do 8 slices at a time.
Other slices of my marketing pie include what you are reading right now: a newsletter! This allows me to keep in touch with my current, past and prospective clients.
Someone’s marketing pie could include exhibiting, speaking, advertising, website, social media, Facebook ads, writing articles, etc. Any of these activities are
considered marketing and can increase your presence so others know who you are and what services you offer.
However, when you do any marketing activity, be sure you have a call to action so people will know how to take the next steps with you.
So, for today your homework assignment is to work out your marketing pie and how you want to spread your message.
If you like this newsletter, I would be honored if you would share it with any current or future nurse business owners (my call to action!). Thank you!
The nursing profession stands as a cornerstone of the healthcare system, with nurses providing essential care, comfort, and support to patients and their families. Yet, despite their critical role, nurses often face challenges that can lead to burnout, stress, and dissatisfaction. However, recent initiatives focusing on self-scheduling and increased control over the working environment and schedules are paving the way for a brighter, more fulfilling future for nurses.
The Power of Self-Scheduling
One of the most transformative changes in the nursing profession is the implementation of self-scheduling. Traditionally, nurses have had little control over their work schedules, often leading to conflicts with personal responsibilities and contributing to job dissatisfaction. Self-scheduling, however, empowers nurses to take control of their time, allowing them to balance work with personal life more effectively.
Self-scheduling initiatives enable nurses to choose their shifts based on their preferences and needs. This flexibility not only improves work-life balance but also enhances job satisfaction. Nurses can now attend important family events, pursue further education, and take care of their well-being without the constant stress of rigid schedules. Hospitals and healthcare institutions that have adopted self-scheduling report higher employee morale, reduced turnover rates, and improved patient care outcomes.
In addition, there is a new initiative of 10 hour shifts 4 days a week. Although with 12 hour shifts, a nurse gets 4 days off one week and 3 the next.
Creating a Supportive Working Environment
Another crucial initiative is enhancing control over the working environment. Nurses often work in high-pressure settings where they face emotional and physical challenges daily. Creating a supportive and nurturing work environment is essential for their well-being and professional growth.
Healthcare institutions are increasingly recognizing the importance of providing resources and support systems for nurses. This includes access to mental health services, opportunities for professional development, and platforms for open communication. Establishing a culture where nurses feel valued, heard, and supported can significantly impact their job satisfaction and overall well-being. Check out my Nurses Bill of Rights.
Flexibility and Autonomy in Scheduling
Empowering nurses with more control over their schedules goes beyond self-scheduling. It involves rethinking the traditional hierarchical structure and promoting a more collaborative approach to scheduling and workload management. Nurses should have a say in their work assignments, breaks, and the ability to take time off when needed without bureaucratic hurdles.
Implementing policies that prioritize nurse autonomy and flexibility can lead to better patient outcomes. When nurses are well-rested and satisfied with their work environment, they are more likely to provide high-quality care and build stronger relationships with patients. Flexibility in scheduling also reduces burnout, allowing nurses to recharge and maintain their passion for the profession.
In a surprising and significant development, several members of the nursing faculty at Dickinson State University (DSU) have recently resigned. This wave of resignations has sparked concerns and conversations among students, faculty, and the broader community. Let’s explore the potential causes, implications, and what it means for the future of DSU’s nursing program.
Understanding the Context
Dickinson State University, located in Dickinson, North Dakota, has long been recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality education in various fields, including nursing. The nursing program, in particular, has been a cornerstone of the university, known for producing competent and compassionate healthcare professionals.
However, the recent resignations have cast a shadow over this esteemed program. While the specifics of each faculty member’s decision to leave may vary, there are several underlying factors that might have contributed to this collective exit.
Potential Causes
1. Administrative Changes and Disagreements: One of the most common reasons for faculty resignations in academic institutions is disagreement with administrative decisions or changes in leadership. If the nursing faculty felt that their voices were not being heard or that the direction in which the program was heading was not aligned with their educational philosophy, it could lead to their departure.
2. Workload and Burnout: The demands placed on nursing educators can be overwhelming. Balancing teaching responsibilities, clinical supervision, research, and administrative duties often leads to high levels of stress and burnout. If the workload at DSU was particularly heavy, it could have contributed to the faculty’s decision to resign.
3. Funding and Resources: Adequate funding and resources are crucial for the effective functioning of any academic program. If the nursing department at DSU faced budget cuts or lacked essential resources, it could have hindered the faculty’s ability to provide quality education, prompting them to seek opportunities elsewhere.
4. Career Advancement: Faculty members might also resign to pursue better career opportunities. Whether it’s a more prestigious position, better pay, or a more supportive work environment, career advancement is a significant factor in such decisions.
Implications for DSU and Its Nursing Students
The resignation of several nursing faculty members is not just a loss for the university but also for the students currently enrolled in the nursing program. Here are some of the potential implications:
1. Disruption of Education: Students might face disruptions in their education due to the sudden departure of their instructors. This could lead to a temporary gap in the continuity of their learning experience.
2. Accreditation Concerns: Consistent faculty turnover can raise concerns with accrediting bodies regarding the stability and quality of the program. Maintaining accreditation is crucial for the program’s reputation and the value of the degrees awarded.
3. Morale and Confidence: The morale and confidence of nursing students might be adversely affected by these resignations. Uncertainty about the future of their program can lead to anxiety and dissatisfaction among students.
Moving Forward
While the resignations present a challenge, they also offer an opportunity for DSU to reassess and strengthen its nursing program. Here are some steps the university might consider:
1. Open Dialogue: Engaging in open and honest dialogue with remaining faculty, students, and stakeholders to understand their concerns and expectations can help rebuild trust and morale.
2. Recruitment and Support: Prioritizing the recruitment of qualified and dedicated nursing educators and providing them with the necessary support and resources is essential to ensure the continuity and quality of the program.
3. Transparent Communication: Keeping students and the community informed about the steps being taken to address the situation can help alleviate concerns and demonstrate the university’s commitment to maintaining a strong nursing program.
4. Evaluation and Improvement: Conducting a thorough evaluation of the factors that led to the resignations and implementing measures to prevent similar issues in the future is crucial for the long-term success of the program.
Conclusion
The resignation of nursing faculty at Dickinson State University is undoubtedly a significant event with far-reaching implications. While it poses challenges, it also offers an opportunity for the university to reflect, reassess, and strengthen its commitment to providing high-quality nursing education. By addressing the underlying issues and fostering a supportive and collaborative environment, DSU can emerge stronger and continue to produce the skilled and compassionate nurses that the healthcare industry so critically needs.
