Holder was hospitalized due to conditions related to alcohol abuse when he summoned the nurse to his room. When she arrived, the curtains were drawn around the bed. As she pulled back the curtains, Holder used a knife to stab her in the upper arm.

Holder, who lost hospital privileges as a result of the attack, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, menacing and second-degree assault. However, a further review of the case revealed that Holder could not be held criminally responsible because his mental state was altered due to his medical condition and treatment.

The nurse received a formal apology from Holder earlier this week. According to The Denver Channel, Holder wrote, “I want to apologize to Nurse [name removed] for any injuries she sustained because of the incident that occurred at Sky Ridge Medical Center. It is my sincere hope that Ms. __ go forward rebuilding her life, with the support of her family, so she can continue to serve her community in whatever fashion she desires…I want to assure all hospital personnel that I have never intentionally hurt another human being…”

Holder is currently treatment for alcoholism and hopes to return to the practice of medicine.

Do you think the doctor’s apology was sufficient?

Image: Corbis Photography | Veer

Do I listen to the lecture by itself? Or with the class notes? What about that week I couldn’t make it to class because of mandatory work training? Should I go over what’s in the book again? Or just the outlines? My notes? Maybe I should take new notes? My brain is going through a whirl of questions. Ok- Deep breath. Let’s take this one chapter at a time. Where’s that confidence I was talking about keeping up at the beginning of the quarter?

It’s like this every 10 weeks. Just like week 7′s rut, and week 9′s cloud of ‘almost-vacation’ loveliness, week 10 finishes and in the days leading  up to finals, the panic ensures and us students are left frazzled, sitting on top of a pile of papers, textbook open with all words highlighted, and a growing tab at Starbucks as the coffees keep coming. This has now become a part of our lives, quarter after quarter. But despite all the frustration, the late nights and early mornings (or the 24 hour die-hard study sessions), it’s totally worth it for that breath of fresh air when you step out of the final, finally done, and knowing you’re that much closer to those two little letters behind your name.

Image: Jupiterimages | Polka Dot | Getty Images

The newest proposal in the nursing profession has been to phase out the Masters-prepared nurse practitioner option and make the role a Doctorate degree. Introducing the latest and greatest (?) letters behind a nurse’s name, DNP. The Doctorate of Nurse Practice degree adds one more year of schooling to the Masters degree programs and nearly doubles the clinical hours. But some claims suggest these clinical hours are based on hours of research to complete the graduation required research project, not actual patient contact hours. It has been released by the AACN that by the year 2015, all advance practice nurses will have to obtain their Doctorate. The good news for those nurse practitioners already in practice prior to 2015 is that they will be “grandfathered in” and will not need to return to school for the additional year.

The year that I graduated from University of Florida, the nursing school introduced the first class of incoming DNP students, but the option still existed to get “just” a Masters degree in nursing. From my research, I have read many objections to the newly arising licensing title, some of the main objections stemming from the fact that a stigma for current NPs will be that they are “just” NPs, as I have stereotyped above. The idea that NPs are experts in the nursing realm may be replaced by the new Doctorate-prepared nurses being viewed as those with the expertise. Other complaints stem from the extended amount of schooling with no guaranteed increase in pay compared to Masters-prepared nurses. The question of competing for jobs is a looming issue between DNPs and NPs as current nurse practitioners are worried about being able to compete for positions that newly graduated DNPs may apply for.

With so much objection from the current nursing community, why the need for the Doctorate-prepared nurse? I questioned this myself as I scrolled through page after page of pessimistic comments from advance practice nurses. And the response that I found from a women’s health nursing publication was not only valid, but convincing and encouraging.

The rationale for this change is described as the following: the need to have parity with other professional groups that have moved to doctorate education, such as pharmacists; an increased complexity of care and new technologies requiring additional hours of education; and recognition of the fact that many master’s level NP programs were just a few credits short of meeting doctoral requirements. Again, there is no data that demonstrates that currently functioning NPs who do not have doctoral level education are anything but excellent health care providers within their scope of practice.

So, as I get closer to advancing my own practice, I have a new respect for and a desire to learn more about the DNP. Yet another great example of the wealth of opportunities at our fingertips in this profession, a profession that I am thankful for everyday.

On a lighter note, a pediatric nurse that I know was commenting on the Doctorate degree and asked her patient what she should be called after graduating. The patient replied very matter-of-factly, “Nurse Doctor Ann, obviously.”  Yes, obviously :)

Image: Stockbyte | Thinkstock

Trade:

• An occupation, especially one requiring skilled labor; craft (Free Dictionary.com)

• an occupation that requires some particular kind of skilled work.(Wikipedia)

Career:

• a profession or occupation chosen as one’s life’s work (Free Dictionary.com)

• an individual’s “course or progress through life (or a distinct portion of life)”. It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work (and sometimes also formal education).(Wikipedia)

If we look at the terms ‘literally’, the only difference I see between the two seems to be Wikipedia’s side note of having formal education (which we as nurses of course possess). Our formal education is arguably the ‘weakness’ of this debate. Depending on what your job ‘title’ or nursing occupation is, will determine the length and just how ‘formal’ your education is.

I don’t mean to offend anyone or degrade anyone’s education, knowledge, or skill but there is of course major differences between an LPN, (bachelor’s prepared) RN, advanced practice nurses (CRNA, CRNP, etc.), and DNP’s. Each of those positions and ‘occupations’ are directly correlated to a higher education.

The irony of it all, is I just had this conversation with some fellow nurses on Twitter this past weekend. There was a brief conversation about continuing education, history of nursing, differences in state practices and other notable concerns.

There seems to be 2 ‘schools’ (yes, pun intended) of thought in regards to higher education (and continuing education) for nurses. You are either for or against it. There is no gray area. You have supporters of advancing the nursing profession, and those who believe things are fine the way they are.

I myself am a huge promoter of higher education and continuing education (of course, I already posted a blog about this earlier). What I want to know is how can we separate ourselves from being referred to as a ‘trade’?

I don’t know about you (once again I apologize if I offend anyone), but I am not just a ‘skilled craftsman’, nor am I simply a ‘skilled laborer’. I am an educated professional that actively contributes to my patient’s care through the application of critical thinking, heightened awareness, and a complex knowledge base (just to name a few). I not only possess these traits and others, but due to the environment I work in, I am continually challenged to question, reevaluate and re-think how things are done so that I can enhance and improve the care I deliver to the ever-changing population of patients I care for.

Does this sound like a ‘trade’ to you??

I look forward to your thoughts on THIS one!

Image: Blend Images Photography | Veer

“Is it true that when you’re craving chocolate it means you’re protein deficient? I heard that once and started eating more chicken and peanut butter and I swear I still don’t crave sweets as much…”

This particular ‘myth’ struck me as interesting and (honestly) funny. Craving chocolate linked to your body wanting or needing protein? Hmm…

This led me on an interesting search. Everything from chocolate, cravings, sweets, protein-rich foods, hunger, diet, etc. I then started thinking about protein deficiency. Everything from vegan diets to critically-ill patients, to recovering surgical patients with amino acid and albumin deficiencies. Yes, I was thinking in the extremes and WAY outside the box on this one.

Whew… I gotta tell ya my head was going in circles. I was actually trying to find any shred of evidence that links hunger-pangs for chocolate to your body’s ‘level’ of protein and ‘needing’ protein? Chocolate in essence satisfying your body’s protein need? Yeah, I know, as crazy as it sounds I wanted to see if the myth had a leg to stand on.

Sorry to say, but I didn’t find anything that links chocolate cravings to a protein deficiency. A whole lot of dead ends. And to have chicken and peanut butter stave off your cravings of chocolate? – well I’m just tickled pink by that.

I have a theory though!

Chocolate, or any sweet for that matter, is all about the tasting experience. Chocolate specifically has a very low value of ‘nutrition’ when it comes to satisfying your body’s basic needs to survive and thrive. Chocolate, while has some great immediate carbohydrates, is really all about the ‘taste’. Eating a piece of chocolate because of its nutritional value is kind of like chewing a stick of gum to burn calories, while both are a valiant effort, neither are very effective.

I believe the ‘sweet’ craving of chocolate gets satisfied by the peanut butter, nothing more, nothing less. Peanut butter has some nutritional value to it – but must not be abused. The higher fat content in peanut butter negates it’s nutritional value quickly when taken in large portions.

The chicken is packed full of protein. I can’t say it has anything to do with this equation, other than maybe helping with the ‘hunger’ portion. Foods higher in protein not only satisfy your hunger, but have been known to keep you ‘full’ longer than any complex carbohydrate out there (this is the cornerstone of those ‘Atkins diets).

Here’s my suggestion for the chocolate craving, and maybe I just like to repeat myself. The minute you get the craving do two separate things (if you can). First, drink 12 ounces of water immediately. If you still want that chocolate after you’re full of water then proceed to step two. Take off your shirt, or put on your favorite swim suit (if you can’t, then look for and carry around a picture of yourself ‘exposed’). Anything that will ‘expose’ those parts of your body that you want to ‘trim down’. If you still want that chocolate after seeing your body exposed, then by all means go for it. At this point you haven’t made your weight loss goal a priority.

I myself can get past the water every time, but taking off my shirt is where I find myself putting down the sweets.

Sorry for my satirical look at this latest weight loss myth. I tend to mix my personal feelings with my professional knowledge and this is the end result.

What do you think?

Image: Jupiterimages | Comstock | Getty Images

Keeping up with job market news in the nursing field can quickly make you wish you had a career advisor to untangle the mixed messages—a tough job market, yet understaffing at hospitals and clinics; a looming shortage, yet potential students being turned away from schools.

Here, we throw the word “crisis” out the window and provide some quick, simple facts and projections about the job market today and tomorrow, along with answers to the questions you’ve been asking.

What will the job market look like in 10 years?
The need for both RNs and LPNs is expected to grow like never before—by 21 to 22 percent between 2008 and 2018. What is particularly interesting is that these jobs will be in various fields, not just in long-term care and geriatrics. As medical procedures advance, nurses are needed to care for patients who are recovering from previously fatal diseases and conditions.

How does the current shortage compare to ones in the past?
The last time the United States experienced a significant nursing shortage was in 1965. It’s predicted that in 2025, there will be a shortage that rivals that of the one in 1965. In fact, it’s estimated that we will be short twice the amount.

How is the nursing field faring in the recession compared to other job markets?
Healthcare facilities across the U.S., including hospitals, long-term care and clinics, added 21,000 jobs in November 2009. In that same month, 85,000 people in other fields lost their jobs.

Why can’t some new nurses find jobs?
Currently there is a job vacancy rate of more than 8 percent, and yet some nurses can’t find jobs. One reason may be that these nurses are new and inexperienced. Will the powers-that-be invest money into orienting them and accepting them into the fold? Seems the smart ones will, considering these nurses are going to be an essential part of the team 15 years from now!

Why are people being turned away from nursing school when there’s a significant shortage looming?
Almost 50,000 potential nurses were refused entry into BSN and graduate nursing programs in the 2008-09 academic year due to the lack of resources—instructors, space and clinical sites. If you’re a seasoned nurse, what this means is that if you’ve been harboring a secret desire to go into teaching, there’s no time like the present. Instructors are needed in the classrooms and in the clinical areas.

Can I still be a bedside nurse while teaching?
Some nurses work part-time as floor nurses and part-time as clinical instructors. These nurses get paid to help educate the next generation of nurses while maintaining the job they’ve always loved.

Why are some hospitals struggling with staffing problems?
The nurse staffing problem isn’t just the lack of new nurses, but the mobility of the new graduates. Apparently, 13 percent of new RNs change jobs after just one year and 37 percent would like to. Considering how much it costs to recruit nurses and to teach them the ropes, this could result in significant dings in the annual staffing budgets. According to a 2005 report, it costs almost $3,000 to hire a new nurse.

Why is it important to find the right job and stick with it when there are so many specialties to explore?
Above all else, it’s best for the patients. For example, good staffing increases a surgical patient’s chance of survival by 7 percent. There’s no better reason out there for nurses and administrators to work toward maintaining a good staff.

What can nurses do to help fill the ranks?
Don’t feel helpless—speak up. If you feel you would make a good teacher, don’t keep wondering if you should do it—do it! There are various ways to add to your education, from going to a traditional classroom to taking online courses. If you work in a hospital that doesn’t offer clinical space for nursing students, propose it. The more students we have out there, the better it will be for all of us.

References:
http://centerforamericannurses.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=20
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos102.htm
http://content.healthaffairs.org
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/IDS
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_12042009.pdf
http://www.aha.org/aha/research-and-trends/index.html
http://www.hodes.com/

For 5,000 years, people have cultivated flowers—now scrubs designers are, too. To help you get a stylish dose of smile-inducing fresh petals for your workday, here’s a look at my favorite floral print scrubs from the newest collections.

Tulips
Daisies
Pansies
Roses
Daffodils
Dandelions
Hydrangeas
Daisies and Butterflies
Gerberas

Image: iofoto | Veer + Hemera | Getty Images

So I was at work the other day. I think it was the weekend (I can’t remember). I happened to notice a physician making rounds on a patient (in this case, not part of my assignment). What the physician wore rather startled got me thinking. I’ve seen physicians (PCP, specialists, surgeons, etc.) come in for their daily rounds (weekend, holiday, weekday, etc.) wearing something ‘other’ than what you would expect.

I’m not talking about just the absence of the ‘traditional’ white coat. I’m talking anything and everything. Everything from jeans and a polo-like colored shirt, an exercise outfit, a sundress, or a wrinkled pair of OR scrubs. These ‘outfits’ are either worn as you see them, or some will actually wear the ‘white coat’.

I only bring up this irky (and possibly sensitive) subject due to the most recent articles and headlines regarding the push for uniform standardization within our nursing ranks. Some hospital systems want to go back to the tried and true ‘white’, while others are looking for a ‘national’ uniform. Debate and conflict is a-muck. I’m not here to squabble about patient satisfaction scores related to the color of our nursing uniform. I think the quality of your care cannot and should not be determined by a uniforms color.

I am here to bark a lil about a uniform though. (Maybe bark isn’t such a good word?) Why do the physicians get a pass? They are representing a health care profession aren’t they? Nope, not here pointing fingers on who’s better or worse. Not gonna talk about who’s more important and more vital on a patient’s health care team. I’m just wondering why there isn’t a standard?

A basic standard of presentation is my thought. Call it or label it what you want, but wearing clothing not suited for your professional duty and more suited for ‘play’ doesn’t seem to bode well in my book. Maybe I’m overstepping my bounds, and maybe I’m bordering on insulting certain professionals, but where do we draw the line?

I guess I want to know why there isn’t some sort of attempted equality.

I mean lets think of it this way, would they let any other health care professional show up in the hospital and work in those types of outfits?

I doubt it.

I look forward to you thoughts on this one.

Ben Stiller | Universal Pictures + Theresa Brown | Erika Larsen

Culturally speaking, this was a banner year for nurses in America with the premiere of no less than three nurse-centric TV shows: Nurse Jackie, Mercy and HawthoRNe.

And who could forget Lenny Kravitz’s endearing role as a male nurse in the critically hailed movie Precious?

Here are just a few places where nurses are turning up next.

Movies
America’s favorite male nurse returns in the form of Ben Stiller in Little Fockers, which is currently in post-production and is scheduled for a December release. The sequel to the hilarious Meet the Parents and 2004’s Meet the Fockers catches up with Greg Focker ten years after first meeting his tough-as-nails father-in-law, Jack (Robert DeNiro). Greg, now the father of a pair of twins, has taken a moonlighting job with a drug company to make ends meet, and has to prove to his in-laws that he has what it takes to be the next family patriarch.

We recommend getting your friends together before the premiere and having a ‘circle of trust’ refresher party:

Television
Hold on to your remotes: The CW currently has a new reality TV show in the works called Cali Nurse. The series is the newest project from the creators of Project Runway and the CBS mega-hit Undercover Boss. According to the show’s production website, Cali Nurse is “a light-hearted, sexy docu-series that follows a group of young nurses and nursing students as they experience comedy, romance and fun. The girls will eat, sleep and live together while we watch what unfolds at the house, at the hospital and in their social lives.”

Books
Theresa Brown, the English teacher-turned-nurse who is a contributor to the New York Times “Well” blog and an Advisory Board Member of Scrubs magazine, has authored her first book, Critical Care: A New Nurse Faces Death, Life and Everything in Between. The book is a lyrical account and medical memoir of a nurse’s first year in the ward. The hardback edition can be found on Amazon.com; the paperback edition is due out in 2011.

At present, nursing jobs seem somewhat scarce, in part because potential retirees and others are hanging on to their jobs in today’s uncertain job market. But the demand for nurses continues to look strong, and many experts believe that nursing openings will rebound after the recession. In the meantime, a recent Washington Post article offered some tips for nurse job hunters:

• Cultivate a “customer service attitude.” Smile. Try to anticipate — and exceed — clients’ expectations. Instead of answering, “I don’t know,” say “I’ll find out” — and then do your best to do so.
• Obtain experience. How do you get experience before you get a job? Accept a job as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), personal care technician or unit clerk. Even a job in dietary can help you get your foot in the door.
• Consider other geographic areas. Finding a job near home and family may not be practical, especially for a new grad. Be willing to extend your search. You never know – you might find some fabulous opportunities!
• Expand your expertise. Instead of pigeon-holing yourself as a “med-surg” or “OB” nurse, consider expanding your horizons. A background in med-surg can prepare you for a career in telemetry, transplant or orthopedics. You might even want to try a job in a surgi-center! If you’re an OB nurse, try women’s health, or consider obtaining additional certification as a lactation consultant. The most successful nurses find ways to build on their past knowledge.
• Keep looking! The perfect job is not going to pop up overnight. It might take you a little longer than usual to find a job, but jobs are out there! Stick to it!

How long did it take you to find your current job?

Sources:

www.washingtonpost.com