Welcome to the ShiftMed blog where we discuss everything nursing, from professional insights to healthcare holidays to helpful hints for working with us.
I've experienced heat-related illnesses with patients on opposite ends of the spectrum. I worked as a critical care nurse in an intensive care unit (ICU) for 14 years. During the summer, we often admitted one or more heat stroke victims. Usually, these were young military men doing intensive training exercises during the heat of the day.
As a nurse, you probably face ethical dilemmas that challenge your decision-making and leave you feeling stressed and alone. Even worse, there's seldom an easy answer to the many sad or difficult situations you encounter in healthcare. So, is it possible to make navigating ethical dilemmas in nursing easier? Yes! You just need to prepare for different situations mentally and professionally.
Given the long hours you spend delivering safe, competent patient care, you probably don't give employment taxes much thought (unless you have a question about your paycheck). While numbers are probably the last thing you want to read about, it's essential to have a basic understanding of payroll and income taxes to ensure you meet your tax obligations and maintain financial stability.
In today's dynamic healthcare landscape, the persistent challenge of nurse shortages has emerged as a critical concern for healthcare facilities across the industry. With the growing demand for quality patient care, the shortage of skilled nursing professionals has implications that ripple through the continuum of care. Addressing this challenge has never been more crucial, as providers seek effective strategies to ensure a stable and proficient workforce.
As a frontline nurse, it's easy to get wrapped up in the daily challenges of work and forget your role as a powerful change agent. You might even question the significance of your voice when nurses in high-profile positions make headlines for influencing healthcare policy and practice. Sure, their voices might echo through the halls of legislative chambers, but they don't hold the monopoly on patient impact—and their role is not mutually exclusive from yours.
As hospitals and healthcare facilities navigate the ebbs and flows of patient influx, the challenge of maintaining an optimal workforce arises. Seasonal demand fluctuations can stretch resources thin and strain patient care quality. Addressing these fluctuations efficiently is not only vital for patient well-being but also for the financial stability of healthcare organizations.
As a nurse, you know our profession comes with unique struggles that set it apart from other vocations. And while we've always had to walk a fine line between public perception and reality, the hidden struggles of the staffing shortage have us treading on eggshells. We're carrying loads we were never meant to bear, and it's wearing us down. So, what can we do to build ourselves back up?
