A Nurses Guide To Nursing

A few decades ago, nurses across the country and around the world wore uniforms. Typically, these professionals were noted for their solid white dresses, starched white caps and white uniform shoes. And all nurses conformed. Whether it was the country nurse who made rounds with the doctor or the nurse in the largest city hospitals, white was the recognized color and there were few variations in the style of clothing.

Those days are gone. For nurses and those who use their services, there are two words to be said - Good riddance. But what caused the change and what are the new options?

The change may have been a simple matter of fashion making its way into the industry, but there were probably some general mindsets about health care that also played a role. Over the past few years, it’s come to be accepted that the attitudes of those who are sick, their families and their caregivers play a role in the potential for recovery. Sick people simply don’t need to be reminded that they’re sick. There’s no need for the white color or the “swishing” professionalism of the starched uniforms.

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Nurses are in high demand and that demand has created an excellent opportunity for those in the health care field. It’s not only a chance for better wages than ever before; it’s also an opportunity to choose your benefits. That means that you’ll look more closely at the individual companies and what they can offer.

So what benefits can you expect as a nurse? Take a look at some options you’ll find from the various nursing agencies and health care facilities.

Favorable working conditions and hours - While there’s no doubt that more nurses and other health care professionals are constantly in demand, many companies and facilities are offering nurses and technicians time off as an incentive to work for them. These companies do whatever it takes to keep working hours to a reasonable level, including hiring temporary workers from other companies. This means that there’s less demand to work overtime, leaving even nurses time for themselves and their families. The goal is two fold. Not only do these companies want to attract and retain quality employees, they also realize that nurses and others health care professionals are more likely to be at the top of their game when they’re handling reasonable working hours with adequate backup staffing.

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Travel nursing is an up-and-coming profession that appeals to many nursing professionals for several reasons. Excellent pay and benefits, the chance to travel at the expense of someone else and variety are among the positive points of travel nursing. Sound great? It’s not all the “bowl of cherries” that some believe.

The idea of getting paid to travel appeals to many people. The problem is that we want to have time to take in the sights, relax and enjoy our travels. Travel nursing is similar in some ways to driving a truck. You may get to see some incredible sunsets and view awesome scenery, but you’re seldom going to have the opportunity to stop and smell the roses, visit those tourists destinations and take photos (unless you snap them from the window of a moving vehicle). In many cases, those panoramic views will be nothing more than spots from an airplane window.

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People are living longer, mainly due to changes in lifestyles but also because of incredible advances in health care. One of the results is the need for more healthcare professionals, including nurses. One way the industry is changing is by offering career choices in the form of more educational opportunities and options.

The Associate’s Degree in Nursing has only recently become an option, though it’s quickly gaining favor in the health care industry. While there are naturally some differences in the training for an associate’s degree as opposed to a bachelor’s degree, many health care agencies - including hospitals and doctor’s offices - are recognizing the fact that those graduating with associate’s degrees can perform many of the same duties and handle many of the same responsibilities as those with bachelor’s degree. But is there really a difference?

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We need more people to choose nursing as a career. There is a national shortage, so the career choice would guarantee future employment fresh out of school.

Just last week, as I was taking care of a patient of mine, a doctor asked, “Kim, how did you decide to become a nurse?” That question caused me to reflect over nearly 25 years, and it still causes me to wonder sometimes. You see, I was not one of those little girls that wished to be a nurse, although I really liked the head nurse on Emergency. I told her, “You know, I think nursing chose me.”
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Yes, Nurses can be entrepreneurs. In today?s market place nursing has a unique service to offer not only to hospitals but nursing homes, private care and doctor offices. We as nurses have the skill, knowledge and motivation to be successful entrepreneurs. Nurses are tired of being told how much our services are worth. The economy is ripe for the nurse entrepreneur. Why wait? The nursing shortage is just beginning and there doesn?t appear to be a quick fix in the near future. Much of the nursing workforce is coming up on retirement time, which is only going to compound the lack of skilled nurses to deal with the oncoming baby-boomers.
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Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Careers

Licensed Practical Nurses provide the most amount of direct patient care within the nursing category of healthcare. If you?re interested in a healthcare career dealing directly with patients, becoming an LPN is a rewarding opportunity.

LPN Job Description
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