How do you keep up with current information?

Generally, the nurse manager or the clinical educator of the unit you're working on will bring new information to their nurses attention, especially if it impacts the current workflow of that unit. I have also received mailings from various CEU companies containing new information on different specialties.

Professional organizations often have seminars and classes. Professional journals help, too. I'm a big fan of Nursing(Year), because they present new information in an easy-to-follow format.

I am a member of AWHONN and also subscribe to a number of journals. Also, I visit listservs that cater to OB RNs and learn so much there. AND I am on an educational working group.

I've been out of bedside nursing (or even actual patient care) for about 2 years. In addition to keeping my ACLS/PALS/CPR up to date and going to inservices, I come to allnurses.com!

In between the nursing students who want us to do their homework and the nursing student-wannabees, you will actually find some great give-and-take conversations between experienced nurses about all kinds of nursing-related issues. I consider this website a great educational tool.

In my practice, I've not been blessed with good educators so most of my continuing ed is on my own. I belong to professional organizations, get about , oh 5 journals a month, and belong to things like Medscape which emails out about once a week topics of recent studies in areas I'm interested in. Plus I have a TON of reference material and I'm constantly looking things up. I also query more experienced coworkers to find out why they have made the decisions they have...at first, they were a little put off when I asked why but I have repeatedly explained I want to understand their thinking process so I can improve my own decision making. Now, they are very receptive to sharing their thought processes with me, which in turn has helped me learn to ask better questions and I hope make better decisions.

Honestly, I think part of being a professional is taking charge of your own education. We need to step-up and take responsibility for ourselves and I consider this an aspect of that idea. I don't ever think I want to know everything. I had to laugh the other day...I was at work and some nurses went into my work backpack...(I told them to go ahead and get what they wanted out). They started pulling out all these references I carry and asked what those were for...I told them, "you know when you come in here and ask me questions and assume I have all the answers?? Well, I don't...I just look them up! That's why I know what I do".

Also as a side note, Lippincott Williams website will send you emails about new references that are being released and sometimes you can get discounts on things like new journal subscriptions.