NCLEX Tip of the Week: Prioritize! April 3, 2010
Posted by americannursing in NCLEX review, Student Tips.add a comment
Before even looking at the possible answers, take a good at the question itself and read through it carefully. Remember to look for words that establish priority, such as “most”, “first”, “best”, and “initial”. These words will help you sort through the information to decide what you Do and Don’t need. Keep in mind Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the nursing process, and patient safety.
“Which patient should you see first?” is a popular question, so it is also important to understand the rules of management.
How Have You Been Affected By the Shortage of Nurses? April 1, 2010
Posted by americannursing in Articles.add a comment
Everyone knows about the shortage of nurses in the United States, but few have asked themselves, “How does the shortage of nurses affect me?” To answer the question, you may need a bit of information about what nurses do.
Registered nurses (RNs) provide direct care for patients in acute care settings (59% are in hospitals), in public health programs, home health, long term care, correctional facilities, schools, doctors’ offices, summer camps, and in the military. RNs also work in jobs that do not provide direct patient care such as: infection control nurses, nurse administrators, legal nurse consultants and nurse educators. The roles and settings for RNs to work are varied and every potential site for a nurse to work is affected by the shortage.
Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) provide basic bedside care for patients in a variety of settings. LVNs work in clinics, long term care/rehabilitation facilities (75% are in nursing-homes), correctional facilities, doctors’ offices and in home health care. LVNs care for patients under the direction of RNs or MDs. Patients need care 24 hours a day, and nurses (both RNs and LVNs) work a variety of hours and days. LVNs also work in jobs that do not provide direct patient care such as: staff developers, administrators, educators and consultants.
