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Careers In Focus

To become a private duty nurse you have to become an RN or LPN first. After becoming qualified for home care nursing jobs, you'll be able to provide individual care for patients who require nursing services in their home.

Physicians prescribe private duty nursing for patients with injuries, physical or mental conditions warranting additional coverage, and certain other illnesses. RNs and LPNs can build an independent [...]
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Managing Your Career

What To Expect As An International Travel Nurse
International travel nursing can be a great opportunity to experience life in another country. Many of these opportunities also provide the experience of giving service to those less fortunate. Plus, international travel nursing can offer high pay rates.

Many countries today have shortages of nurses. Nursing shortage statistics are quite interesting. Nurses form the largest skill block in the [...]
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Careers In Focus

There are so many reasons why I want to be a nurse! As a nurse, I will get to help other people while enjoying a good salary and a steady paycheck. Because healthcare is always evolving, I will never get bored and can learn new skills whenever I choose. Nursing will also allow me the flexibility to work only three days a week or I [...]
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Managing Your Career

You may just be embarking on your nursing career but have your sights set on travel nursing. You'll be able to see the world, get great benefits, and hone your problem solving and clinical skills.

But there's a catch: you'll need two years experience first. Here Jeff Long,  marketing manager of Medical Solutions, a staffing company that places nurses in travel nursing jobs, talks about what [...]
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Managing Your Career
Hope for regaining your license after a conviction.

I was a pediatric ER/Trauma nurse working on a travel assignment in Pittsburgh when I was caught diverting medication.  After I was confronted by the director of the emergency department, I was immediately released from my contract, asked for my badge, and escorted to the door.

Looking back, I realized I could have died.  They should have held me in the hospital-or at least offered me [...]
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Managing Your Career

Have you participated in a nurse residency program? Where at? How intense was the competition? And would you recommend it?

Nurse residency programs-geared to ease the transition from new nurse to competent nurse-are increasing in number and popularity. When you take a look at the benefits, you can see why the competition for a spot is fierce.

According to Jean Roberson, MS, RN, BC, who coordinated a [...]
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Managing Your Career

There’s desperation in the nursing industry. But who’s desperate?

Hospitals or new nurses?

A recent headline touted “Nursing Industry Desperate to Find New Hires” (AP, 1-05-09). According to the news report, nurse recruiters are so frantic to fill the gaping job vacancies they are bribing nurses with lavish giveaways: champagne parties, one-year vehicle leases, vacation getaways, gas cards, TVs, GPS devices, and shopping sprees.

Imagine landing the job [...]
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Managing Your Career
Author Donna Cardillo, RN, MA, on why you may be unable to find a hospital job—and what to do about it.

RealityRN member Auntymai writes, “I haven't been able to find a nursing job and the situation doesn't look good. I've been in contact with my professors at school, and I've been told that the new graduates are not able to find jobs either,”

It’s a sentiment voiced repeatedly by our RealityRN community—and the phenomenon is perplexing. After all, nursing students have been told there’s a nursing [...]
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Managing Your Career
Advice from a nurse recruiter on the first 2 steps to landing your dream job.

Most new nurses spend countless hours gearing up for the interview. But really, the interview is just a fraction of the evaluation process. Before you even meet face-to-face with a potential employer, you must demonstrate through written communication— your application and resume—that you’re a competent professional.

Unfortunately, many new nurses skimp on this important phase of the job-acquisition process.

According to Carolyn Steffel, a nurse recruiter at [...]
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Managing Your Career
It takes “superstars” to make a difference.

Surf the networks at primetime. Bet you won’t find many—if any—dramas about public health professionals, implementing health programs at the grassroots level.

But the job has big payoffs, according to Julia Muennich Cowell, PhD, RNC, FAAN, and Professor and Chair of Mental Health Nursing at Rush University in Chicago, IL.

To recognize the pluck and passion of public health nurses, the VNA Foundation developed the Super Star [...]
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