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.
Healthcare systems and hospitals are constantly looking for ways to improve their operations and reduce costs. One important metric to track in these facilities is the nursing Hours Per Patient Day (HPPD) goal. In this article, we will discuss what HPPD is, the importance of managing your facility’s HPPD goals, and how to effectively manage your HPPD goal to maximize efficiency and reduce costs.
Traveling nurses have been around since the 1980s, historically filling gaps in healthcare staffing for things like maternity leave coverage and other staffing shortages. The idea is simple –nurses who want to earn more and experience different parts of the country sign on with a staffing agency to be a traveling nurse or contract nurse for short-term work at a facility. Contracts typically run from a few weeks to a few months.
The gig economy has been on the rise for the past decade, but its impact on healthcare has been especially notable in recent years. As the demand for healthcare services continues to grow, the gig economy has presented itself as a solution to address healthcare support staffing shortages in the industry. However, healthcare providers need to find the right partner that helps eliminate the risk that comes with leveraging the gig economy.
February is Black History Month, a time to honor and celebrate America’s Black pioneers who changed the course of this country through their leadership, innovation, and will to challenge the injustices of their time.
Nursing can be a very challenging profession. It often has long hours and, at times, harrowing situations. These circumstances can lead to the formation of deep bonds between nurses that may be even stronger than familial bonds. Often, these bonds can be good, but they can also lead to some tough situations in the nursing profession.
The working environment for nurses continues to strain nurse mental health and their ability to provide the best possible patient care. In fact, ShiftMed’s 2022 State of Nursing Survey of 500 U.S. nurses revealed that 40% of nurses believe the nurse shortage has negatively impacted their mental health and 49% cited concern over patients receiving adequate care as a result.
