“While we expected an increase in employment, we were surprised by the magnitude and by the shift from non-hospital settings into the hospitals,” says study co-author Peter Buerhaus, a professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. “This surge in employment will ease, if not end, the hospital nursing shortage.” (Nashville Business Journal)

According to the same study, however, the real problem looms ahead. Nurses aged 50 and over – soon to be the largest group in the nursing profession – will inevitably create a huge vacuum upon retirement.

To read more about nurses and the nursing profession visit scrubsmag.com.

“I almost fell out of my chair when I saw ‘Nurse Jackie.’ What are my patients going to think when they see that [show]?” said Barbara Crane, president of the National Federation of Nurses. (NY Daily News)

Image: Showtime

The New York State Nurses Association this week requested that Showtime add a disclaimer to the end of its new show, Nurse Jackie in hopes of protecting the image of real life nurses.  According to The New York Daily News,  NYSNA Chief Executive Officer Tina Gerardi’s letter to Showtime stated:

“It is our responsibility as the state nurses’ association to speak out on behalf of our profession, which often is misunderstood and marginalized by the media.”

Showtime has denied the request on the grounds that the show is clearly intended for entertainment and not meant to be a documentary about nurses.  The star of the show, Edie Falco states that Nurse Jackie is not about nurses but rather, about a nurse.

Find out what nurses are saying about Nurse Jackie and TNT’s upcoming show starring Jada Pinkett Smith, HawthoRNe at scrubsmag.com.

No matter how funny, how dramatic or how well written “Nurse Jackie” is, you are doing nothing to advance or promote the nursing profession. But then I guess the goal is ratings and nothing defines a “hit” like sex and drugs. (Emergiblog)

Nurse Jackie faces stiff competition this summer from two other nurse shows – Mercy on NBC and HawthoRNe, starring Jada Pinkett Smith which premieres June 16th on TNT.  To find out what other nurses are saying about Nurse Jackie, visit scrubsmag.com.

“I don’t feel like I’m a hero,” said Ms. Pappas, who had not been identified on Sunday when the city revealed her role in spurring its investigation. “But I feel like I have very good instincts, based on my experience, and that’s why I’m here. I think school nurses should be at all schools. You’re like the hub, if something doesn’t go right.” – New York Times.

According to the article, Pappas has not come down with swine flu herself since the outbreak, stating, “I don’t live life like that, in fear,” she said. “I try to just do my job and stay calm. The[y] know me, they trust me. If we were calm, they were better.”

Share your nurse story regarding the swine flu outbreak with Scrubs Magazine by emailing to hello@scrubsmag.com.

The detective story involving St. Francis began with a school nurse, who called the city’s school health nurse on Thursday to report about 75 students with symptoms including upset stomach, nausea and fever. The city nurse was struck by the number of cases and consulted her medical director, who told her to alert the nurse at the Bureau of Communicable Disease, officials said.

You can read our tips for talking to patients about swine flu, plus print out a quick “are you prepared” checklist, at Scrubs Magazine. More information for health professionals, communities and families on swine flu preparedness is available at the American Public Health Assn’s website.

The two health systems “have systemically cheated their employees out of millions of dollars of pay,” attorney Nelson Thomas said at a news conference Wednesday. (The Pittsburgh Channel)

Has it become the norm for nurses to work overtime or skip meals to tend to patients?  Take our poll or tell us at hello@scrubsmag.com.

[polldaddy poll=1512020]

Here’s one story contributed by Erica Holl, RN. She’s Charge Nurse at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children.

“Not only do patients love the print scrubs — kids outside the hospital also respond to them. One day on my way to work I stopped at the grocery store. Of course I was wearing my scrubs, which had the characters from Blue’s Clues all over them.

As I was shopping in the dairy aisle, a little boy of about 4 years of age walked up to me, hugged my legs and would not let go. It was very sweet. I assume he was attracted to my scrubs. As the interaction continued I spoke with the little boy and his mother finally called him back. He still would not leave my side and asked if he could come home with me. His parents were gracious and eventually took the little boy back with them. As it so happens, they wound up in my checkout line and he came back to me. I believe it was my scrubs that led to this interaction.”

Do you have a story about your scrubs? Share it with us and you may get featured in Scrubs Magazine!

On the other end of that spectrum ranking in at their all time lowest?  You guessed it.  Bankers.

In the midst of the current public outcry, particularly at AIG this week and last, it is certainly an appropriate time for nurses to take stock and congratulate oneself on a job well done.  While you’re at it, why not celebrate other nurses by reading their stories across the blogosphere?   Change of Shift – a monthly roundup of nurse blog posts – has published its March issue at Emergiblog as of yesterday.   Change of Shift is chock full of timely news items and personal stories written by and for nurses.

“The rule allows workers to withhold information about abortion, and to refuse to prescribe (and pharmacists to refuse to dispense) birth control. It also extends the right to refuse to participate in an abortion to all healthcare workers — not just doctors and nurses, who already have that legal right, but even ‘an employee whose task it is to clean the instruments.’”

Do you agree with premise, and the promise, behind the provider conscience rule? On a separate note, do you believe the nurse who removed the IUD should be responsible for replacing it?

“While the rest of the economy posted rates of joblessness not seen since 1993, health care continued to expand its workforce in December, adding 31,600 positions in a month in which the overall American workforce shrunk by 524,000 jobs.

In the last four months of 2008, the national nonfarm economy lost 1.9 million jobs, while health care added 93,200 jobs in that time, according to the seasonally adjusted statistics.”

If you’re asking yourself whether nursing is indeed recession proof, read the Scrubs Magazine interview with one straight-talkin’ nurse who gives her opinion about today’s economic environment and the demand for nurses.