Related: Charting, Goals, Motivation, New Nurse Tips, Organizational Skills, Prioritizing, Time

Do you ever feel overwhelmed?

Like you're trying to move forward with something but you're walking through deep, thick mud.  You have some task in front of you (like writing a blog post) and you just can't seem to get it done.

I'm just coming out of a period of time where my whole life felt that way.  I couldn't seem to keep my house clean, couldn't [...]

Related: Nurse, Patients, Support

What was I thinking?

What is the point of getting my Masters? After one class and I was ready to tell the tutor where to go.

"You haven't learned how to think critically," said Mrs. Crump.

"Ah, I'm still not sure what you mean by thinking critically," I said.

I'd been working in an east London hospital on an agency shift. I'd been left with eight acute [...]

Related: Attitude, Caring, Emotions, Patience, Patients, Professionalism, Stress

Swine flu.  There are millions of people who are panicking over the mere mention of it.  Schools are closing.  People are changing travel plans.  Government officials have stopped taking public transportation....and everybody and their brother is calling their doctor's office.

I, on the other hand, am not panicked.  I am annoyed.  The phones of every doctor's office in the country, and possibly a few other countries, [...]

Related: Anxiety, Exam, Failure, Fear, Feelings, Learning, NCLEX, New Nurse Tips, Success

So how many times will you take the NCLEX?  Most all of you will surely answer at least once.  But for some of us-those select few who no matter how hard we try just can't excel at a nursing exam-it might be a few more.

I'm fessing up: I did not pass the NCLEX the first time.  I had heard from teachers and nurses alike that [...]

Related: Attitude, Caring, Compassion, Feelings, Patients, Respect

It happened last week.  I was sitting at my desk, minding my own business, doing my nurse thing.  Suddenly, my heart started acting strange.

I thought it was PVC's, which I have occasionally, but it felt a little different.  I took the stethoscope that was hanging around my neck and listened to my heart.  Wow, I thought, that's pretty fast.  As I counted the beats, I [...]

Related: Boundaries, Conflict, Inappropriate Relationships, Nurse Relationships, Problem Solving, Professionalism

I knew a male and a female nurse who labored alongside one another, day-in and day-out.  They learned the sounds of each other's voices and nonverbal cues, they laughed and had fun together, and they even shared some tragic moments that strengthened their bond.

Their relationship was close, and rightly so.

At work, the emotional bond between this man and this woman grew.  Before long, it appeared [...]

Related: Caring, Compassion, Conflict, Critical Care Nursing, Death, Feelings, Patients, Prayer

Have I ever told you the story of why I left Pediatric Intensive Care?

I walked into work one day and one of our little patients went into respiratory arrest right as I finished getting report on her.  We spent the next 12 hours saving the life of this poor little girl.

The patient had been born with problems (though all these years later I have no [...]

Related: Attitude, Career, Job Search, Learning, Mindset, New Grad, New Nurse Tips, Nursing Jobs, Second Career Nursing

I know that it is frustrating trying to find a nursing job right now for new graduates. I've been looking for over a year now.

I graduated in 2007 with my BSN and passed the NCLEX. I had a few job offers before I graduated from school, but the effects of the economy eliminated those opportunities. I haven't been picky looking for opportunities. I have been [...]

Related: Balance, Caregiving, Compassion Fatigue, Critical Care Nursing, Energy, Healthy Living, New Nurse, Night Shift, Nursing Shortage, Stress, Support

I am a nurse on a cardiovascular floor. I have been there for a couple of years and can't help but notice the increasing acuity of the patients.

Our nurse/patient ratio is 1:5/6. I know that doesn't sound like a lot to some people, but most of the patients we take care of have a list 20 miles long of medical conditions, which only adds to [...]

Related: Healthy Living, Problem Solving, Work-Life Balance

It started with the aches. I thought, what did I do to my back? Did I pull it or something? Quickly I discovered I had a low grade fever, adequately controlled by Tylenol.

Next day, same thing, not nearly as well controlled. I thought I had some kind of weird vague virus that would pass.

Three days later I sit here in my bed after having to [...]