Welcome to the ShiftMed blog where we discuss everything nursing, from professional insights to healthcare holidays to helpful hints for working with us.
When you claim shifts with ShiftMed, you're part of a team working as a W-2 employee—not a 1099 lone wolf. Unsure of the differences between W-2 employees and 1099 contractors? Don't worry; we'll break it down in the simplest, most entertaining way possible and discuss how these employment classifications influence your payroll taxes.
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 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?
As an ICU nurse, you know the excessive stress of caring for critically ill patients. But did you know the litany of ethical dilemmas you face day in, day out put you at higher risk for moral distress than nurses in other specialties? It's true. And if you're not careful, your chance of experiencing burnout syndrome also increases.
Are you participating in a mentorship? Studies show that having a mentor increases job satisfaction, decreases burnout, and opens doors to career opportunities and promotions. Who wouldn't want a nurse mentor who provides support, goes out for coffee, and serves as a personal cheerleader?
As a society, we've become immune to how vaccinations have improved our world. It wasn't until I went to a third-world country in the late 1980s that I saw the effect of polio, cholera, and tuberculosis—diseases we seldom think about in North America.
As the International Day of Friendship (July 30) approaches, let's all take a moment to celebrate the incredible bonds between nurses. Nurse besties bring the knowledge, support, motivation, and fun that make nursing not just a profession but a lifelong adventure.
