CorgiMom

The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses provision 3.5 states: "...when errors do occur nurses are expected to follow institutional guidelines in reporting errors...and for assuring responsible disclosure of errors to patients." To withhold information about errors from the patient or family is an ethical issue. By all means, disclose the error.

It's important, as other have noted, that you know the requirements of schools you are interested in. A prerequisite is just that - a requirement that must be completed before starting a course or a program. Some students think courses are prereq. when in reality, they are support courses that may be taken with nursing courses.

My question is "Why would you be giving care to a friend"? In order to establish an objective and helpful therapeutic relationship with a client, nurses cannot approach that relationship like they would if the other person was a friend. Nurses provide care to people they don't like all the time. It's hard but that's how it is. To be therapeutic, we must set aside our judgment of clients and accept them just as they are. If you find a client that you know you just can't good care to, ask a colleague to switch with you.

While it sounds like the manager wasn't listening to your "truth" about what happened, it is reality that each of us perceives situations differently. How you perceive a situation is different than how another person may.

Does your State allow you to test for NCLEX-PN if you graduated from an RN program? I would check with the BON in your state to see what they require.

Google "centers of nursing". You will find several states have either conducted studies or cite studies about the shortage to support their work.

Exploring diseases is not really about nursing. You could research information about types of nursing jobs and then interview and videotape nurses about their experiences and what they like or dislike about their career choice. You would have to get their written permission to tape them. It might be very enlightening to discover more about nursing than what the media usually portrays.

I agree that many people are frightened by the stories they read in the popular press and react by being over involved whether it's helpful or not. However, I don't think there is one right answer to the question. Every person and family have different values and different perspectives. What is right for one family is not for another. This is not a black and white situation where one approach is right and another is wrong.

Over the leg.

There is no one scarier than someone who doesn't know what they don't know. Pretending to know something is dangerous. None of us knows everything. The ability to humble yourself and ask questions is a sign of a good critical thinker.

It would be pretty unusual to earn an initial nursing credential via an on-line program. While there are on-line BSN and MSN programs, they are generally for people who are already licensed as RNs.

And maybe acute care nursing is not for you. There are other environments that you might like better.

Another resource might be the nurse recruiter at the local hospitals.

What area of nursing did you enjoy while you were in school? Are there positions for new grads in those areas? If so, apply and see what happens. Best wishes for a rewarding career in nursing.

The nursing shortage is real. It is multifactorial. Nursing programs have been under fire for not producing enough nurses. But as one poster indicated, retention of new nurses is a problem. The solution must also be multifactorial. In addition to increasing access to nursing education, we must address the working conditions that force nurses out of the profession. We also need legislation to increase funding for health care and health care eduation. I believe the US health care system is broken and needs a major overhaul. Without that, we will never have enough health care workers.

I have been licensed in three states. I only keep an active license in the state I am currently working in. Despite this, I have never had a problem with endorsement by the next state. The Nurse Practice Acts in each state have rules that detail the licensure process. Check with the BON for requirements.

It depends on the Nurse Practice Act in your state. In our state, the law specifically states that LPNs have only an assisting role in L&D.

What a blessing for her and you, both. These situations are why nursing can be so rewarding. It's difficult but you made a huge difference in this person's life. Thank you.

Yes, you are the RN. So, you need to remain professional. Don't react defensively. Just be assertive and firm. As the previous poster mentioned, provide her with a plan at the beginning of the shift so she knows your expectations and the orders regarding care requirements for each patient. I once worked with a seasoned CNA who behaved this way with me. She usually worked with a new grad that she could boss around. I was an experienced RN that she could not bully. I stood my ground with her. We never had a warm and fuzzy relationship but she knew she couldn't get by with the same things with me as she did with the new grad. Good luck with your growth as a professional RN. You will get there.

It's difficult to draw any conclusions from the information in the article. Pharmacy personnel may also be involved since they dispense drugs. However, its important to be alert to the significant problem of drug diversion in a number of health careers. Nursing, while not alone, does have a significant problem of drug abuse. It is a major reason that nurses' license are sanctioned.

We have the same breaks as any other college student. Nursing students may need to study on college breaks but they don't have to go to class or clinical

What is the purpose of National Nurses Week? While some believe it is intended to recognize nurses for the work they do, others would argue that it is an opportunity to inform the public about nursing and our value to the health of our citizens. Nursing is a misunderstood profession. We are so diverse in our roles, our education, our places of employment, and our expertise. I think we need to reframe this discussion to ask: what am I as a nurse going to do during National Nurses Week to provide the public with a better understanding of what my colleagues and I do? Caring for the profession is one of our professional responsibilites. So its not so much "what are 'they' going to do to recognize me" but "what am I going to do champion the profession"?

I would suggest a look at the Code for Nurses. It is unethical and unprofessional to accept gifts from clients or their families. However, I agree with the poster who suggested the money be donated to the resident activity program and a thank you note be sent to the family describing that a donation was made. Everything we do as individual nurses has an impact on the image of nursing as a whole. I for one want nursing to be held in the highest regard in terms of ethics and integrity.