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In the years 2014 there is expected to be an explosion in the field of nursing. The baby boomer generation will start to retire opening opportunities up as registered nurses but there are several other types of nursing jobs.The hospitals are fiercely trying to compete to get registered nurses.Over the next 10 to 20 years there is expected to be a growth.This article is going to tell you about just a few of them.

The largest percent of health care workers in the United States is made up by registered nurses. The registered nurse is typically the first contact that the patient and their families will have. They are also the primary contact between the patient and the health care world. That is both at the bedside and the settings that are outpatient. A registered nurse will perform evaluations of the patient and track their vitals. The registered nurse will also perform any medical procedures such as IVs and administering medicine to the patient. They are very important to a doctor because they know the status of a patient.

A nurse aide or assistant will perform their duties under the medical staff or nurses supervision. Their duties include answering patient requests, message delivery, and serving meals. They are also there to help the patients eat, shower, and dress themselves. They may also perform vitals, skin care, and assist in cleaning the patients room. A nursing aide can be important to the nursing staff in reporting any changes in a patients behavior indicating failing health.

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A regulated test on person for a specific disease or condition is a clinical trial. The goal that a clinical trial has can vary. It can be for a better way to treat a condition or it can be conducted as a new way to treat a disease. A clinical trial enhances medical knowledge no matter what the purpose of the clinical trial. Clinical trials can test new treatments, medical therapies or drugs. Medication is not always involved they will alter a person’s sleep or eating habits. Each clinical trial is specific to age, gender, medical history demographics, and so on.

Being a participant in clinical trial research has numerous benefits. The trial participant will be treated by a top health care provider and researcher and will play a important role in helping with the advancements in treatments and therapies. If nobody volunteers for these trials then it would mean not being able to learn something important about a disease. The volunteer participant will get to use the newest and most advanced treatments used. The treatments and medications that the participant uses in the trial is usually free. Some of the participants may have ran out of other options in their treatment and are now participating in the trial to get the newest technology available.

Why do we need clinical trials? A clinical trial can help us determine how a treatment will affect a patient. Some people may be given a medication that could be harmful to them. A treatment may improve someone’s condition and they may be missing out on taking the medication.

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When you have decided what types of jobs within the medical field that you are interested in look through the help wanted ads. This will give you a idea of the job descriptions and the type of training that is needed for it. Some of these jobs may require a two year degree or some may even require a undergraduate or graduate degree. This will give you an idea of what degree qualifications are required so you can begin researching what schools offer your degree of interest. Some of these jobs may require having a special certification. The certification is usually a exam that is given to test your knowledge in that field and gives an employer the indication that you have knowledge in that field.

These job descriptions and want ads will give you an idea of the day to day activities that you will encounter within the career. If a lot of interaction with people is required you may want to consider if that is something that you want. Is lifting heavy objects something that you can do? Are you strong enough to do it? You may not have the skills to handle this career now but you can develop them while in skill and in internships.

It takes timr to prepare for a career and should be taken seriously. In the beginning you will need to do some self assessments and soul searching. Researching the career and certifications will help you to see if this is something that will interest you. In the end you want to find a career that suits your interests, personality, and preferences.

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Not all nurses are created alike. Anyone who has spent time in a hospital knows that nurses vary one from another. In addition to a solid background and understanding of the sciences, the mark of a high quality nurse includes compassion, close attention to detail and a decisive demeanor.

An Understanding of Healing

First and foremost, a nurse must have a solid understanding of human physiology. Additionally, a deep interest in the connection between the body, mind and the environment allows a nurse to use a more intuitive and holistic approach in helping patients.

The Importance of Decisiveness

Decisiveness is of utmost importance in the nursing field. A high quality nurse quickly reviews and understands important information and acts upon it. This may involve administering procedures or immediately calling on doctors to address an urgent matter. Any delay or uncertainty can mean the difference between life and death in certain cases.

Wisdom and Intuition

Strong intuition is an important quality for a successful nurse. In emergencies and with particular illnesses, a nurse may not have the luxury of time and information to make important decisions. Intuition allows an experienced nurse to make wise decisions that will benefit the patient. This intuition is generally derived from years of study and experience in the nursing field.

Compassion and Hope

Hope is an important part of the healing process for a patient, making compassion an important quality in a nurse. A compassionate nurse instills positive feelings in a patient and makes a possibly dark time in an ill person’s life more bearable.

Nursing home neglect can lead to fear, discomfort, injury or even death. When looking for the nursing home that is right for your loved one, it is imperative to get the proper assurance from the care providers that your loved one will be safe and respected.

In February, 2011 neglect at a Santa Monica nursing home lead to the choking death of a resident. Sadly, many similar cases exist.  The best elder abuse attorney Los Angeles can provide justice, however nothing can replace the loss of a loved one.

Two common causes of nursing home neglect include stress and lack of education.

Caregiver Stress

Stress can cause caregivers to lash out emotionally, verbally and physically. Familiarize yourself with the working conditions of the facility. Are employees given adequate time off? How are their working conditions? Ask nurses and aides how they feel about the facility and if they have the resources they need to properly administer care. Care-giving is stressful – you want to be assured that the nursing home is doing everything it can to relieve employee stress.

Lack of Education

While some neglect is intentional, much may be accidental and the result of a lack of education or improper training. Ask detailed questions of the facility managers to ensure that all employees, including orderlies and assistants, have received proper training and take advantage of continuing education opportunities.

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Long gone are the days of limited choices in health and healing. In past centuries, people turned to a local town doctor to solve their medical problems. With advancements in technology, medical professionals can interact instantaneously with other experts around the globe when treating patients and in conducting medical research.

Increased Communication Between Medical Professionals

The fact that technological advances have increased a physician’s ability to correctly diagnose illness is a given. The ability to instantly communicate with experts throughout the world, sharing x-rays, documents and treatment plans makes it possible for the accomplished physicians of the globe to put their heads together when solving difficult cases.

Patients Talking to Other Patients

The Internet also makes it possible for the average person to stay connected with the latest medical research and health information. Patients are no longer reliant on a single doctor to solve their problems. They know that they have choices and if the medical advice they are receiving does not ring true, they can get online to consult with others who are in the same predicament.

The Spread of Holistic Treatments

The Internet is also leading to an increase in conversation about the effectiveness of food and nutrition in preventing disease. Additionally, individuals who have cured their cancer holistically or approached other illnesses in unconventional ways can share their experiences with others who have been told that their conditions are incurable.

While the Internet should not be used as a replacement for a qualified doctor, when utilized wisely, it can assist in advancing the work of medical research and healing.

If you are a man that suffers from this unfortunate problem, then you should know that there are ways to deal with this and bring it up to your partner. You can start by setting the conversation at a time when intimacy isn’t expected so as to relieve the pressure from the moment. You can try talking to your partner in a semi-public setting where you might not feel so isolated. The important thing is to understand that they might feel as if they are part of the problem, but it’s up to you to assure them they are far from the issue.

Of course, once you have voiced your troubles, you should consider seeking different treatment options for it. In addition to making the decision to buy cialis, you can also try a change in lifestyle. Sometimes it’s the diet, or the lack thereof, that can impact your impotence. You can also try doing your best to quit smoking or limit your alcohol consumption. These things are often helpful.

In many cases, combinations of methods are necessary in order to relieve the effects of impotence. You must know that while it’s not a pleasant occurrence, it happens to many men and can be treated if you, the patient, are committed to solving the problem.

Teenagers or school, college going students, usually uses internet for getting more information on the assignment topics or for school projects. This way they can get updated with all the information that happens across the world. This way they will start getting addicted to computer. For each and every doubt they will start depending on the computer. Through computer they can get a better and clear picture about the topic, when compared to their text books.

One of the bad and very common addictions that teenagers have on internet is the interest in playing various computer games. Teenagers will sit and play various games for hours. They will also do chatting for hours and there is a chance of developing a relationship through the chat, with people whom they do not know. This can be at risk as there is no idea that the other person is. All these activities just take a click and fraction of second.

This will make them more comfortable and they will continue to do the same. There is a risk of children becoming more obese, since teens sit in front of the computer for the whole day, and then there is no exercise for his body. This will make him unhealthy and prone to many diseases. Internet addiction can be considered very similar to other addictions like drugs, alcohol and smoking. The only difference is that internet addiction is not that harmful when compared to alcohol, smoking.

Majority of the people uses internet for sending emails, chatting and for talking face to face using webcam, to people across the world. All these can be done within a small time. Best part of this emailing feature and calling feature is that, they are absolutely free. Many calling sites are paid ones but you don’t need to pay money for chatting and emailing. This way you can maintain your relationship with your dear ones and also develop many social networks with people from various parts of the world.

Any type of information can be made available through the internet with the help of browsing. Many search engines Google, Yahoo, Bing and msn are available online. Just by punching the keyword into the search bar and then press Enter, you can get lot much information about anything in this world in a fraction of second. Internet will keep you updated with all the development in science and technology.

Apart from these uses, internet plays a significant role in education, business and entertainment. Children can make use of internet to do their assignments and school project. They will get more details from internet than from their text books. Shopping, banking, and learning can be done through internet just by sitting at home. Internet will give more options for shopping and learning, and you can also see the review comments and compare the prices of the things that you are going to buy which help you to buy the best items in the market.

Computers are widely used in sectors like medicine, education, engineering and entertainment. Invention of computer totally changed the mode of life. Work became easier with the evolution of computers. Large number of data can be stored and retrieved easily with the help of computers. Mathematical calculations can be done faster and correctly with this device. Today with the invention of internet, through computers you can chat, send emails.

With the help of computer networking, you can connect the computers with each other and share the folders and files with your colleagues. This will be very useful for performing a team work, where docs can be maintained and referred easily and more efficiently. These networks will permit the user to get into other remote programs and databases within the organization. There are a category of people who cannot lead a life without computer. They use computer for various purposes in their daily life like hearing music, watching movies, browsing and many other features which make them relaxed after a tiring day.

The medical and engineering fields are also highly influenced by the computers. In hospitals they keep the record of the patient and his illness report in a soft copy, rather than maintaining in papers. In engineering design, drawings can be done with the help of computers. For designing, you might need to install software, but drawing with the help of computers is faster and more efficient, when compared to conventional drawing method.

Internet which is a widely known term, evolved due to the invention of computer. Internet comes up with many things that will help to make your life more comfortable. Using internet, you can send email, do chatting and make calls to any person across the word, within no time and with more clarity. Banking, shopping, learning and lot many more can be done by just sitting at home and performing through online.

The most important use of computer is word processing and this feature will help to create documents very easily and quickly. If the topic needs to be edited or copied, that is also attainable with the help of word processing. Apart from these functions, it will also perform spell check and grammar check of the text. Word processing is faster than the conventional type writers and it comes will all these added features which make it easier to use. Documents can be made more attractive by changing the style, size and color of the font and by adding images.

Games and other entertainments like hearing music and watching movies can also be done through computer. Now a day’s most of the factories and organizations started automating their works with the help of computer technology.  This will make the process easier and will output will be more efficient when compared to the conventional method of working.

There are many social networking sites available for the people. In these sites you can make friends with other. First of all you need to take membership of that particular site and make friends with other depending on their profile. It is quite impossible to meet your friends daily as life is very busy now. From your office, home or any other place you can chat and share many things with your online friends. Nowadays these social networking sites have got immense popularity. The people of all age group especially young people are just fond of these sites. Through video calling facility you can also talk live with others.

You can take internet connection with computer, laptop, mobile or some other electronic device. All kinds of information can be taken from many sites of internet. There are no such news and information that are not available in internet. Before going to purchase any product people want to get the detail of that particular thing. It is quite impossible to go to various shops to find out the best one for you. You can search and look many designs and model of products in various sites which will help you to choose from these. Many online shopping sites are ready for you with various types of products with good quality.

The next disadvantages of internet are really less if used properly. The first disadvantage which we cannot ignore is spam. Those are unwanted mails send to you in bulks. The next big disadvantage is the fear of theft of your personal data. The personal is very insecure in social networking sites and we have seen many cases where using once data others have done real menace. The threat of virus is found in the use of internet hugely. We get to see really that our computer is in real danger with this. The last threat is obviously a threat to our moral values and the mental growth of the society. Thousands of pornography channels are available in the internet which makes it mostly threatening.

Computers are not only for friendships with people. The world of business is getting highly supported with it. You can buy a product of London sitting in your house in Pakistan within seconds and within clicks. This makes it a more sensible purchase also, as you need not to go to the shop and find for foreign imported items and you get to see enough of varieties of the product that you are searching for. As also for a businessman the scope of growing has gone up. He can get the option of buyer from anywhere round the globe.

The medical sector has also received huge help from the use of computers. Those patients which cannot be moved from one place to another is getting help through online conferencing of doctors and the doctor is treating the patients sitting in Italy successfully with the view of the surgeons sitting in the farthest corner of USA. This way he is saving one life even if he cannot reach to that man.

Those who still thing that computer is snatching the position of man then you are absolutely wrong, computer is bringing work for man, it’s you who need to take advantage of it in whichever field you may be and then move ahead, with your small business to the world of global leaders and stay in the top every time.

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Besides the famous Florence Nightingale there was another influential nurse named Ana Néri. She was the wife of a Navy Commander, isidoro Antônio Néri and married Ana when she was 23. Antônio Néri was constantly on military duty which required his wife to become responsible for many of the household duties. Antônio Néri died six years later at war leaving Néri a widow at the age of 29.

Ana Néri’s role as a nurse began when she worked with for the Army’s health corps. After ending her time with the Army she started her work with Vincentian nuns in the Corrientes where she nursed over 6,000 soldiers back to health.

With her family inheritance Ana Néri founded “a nursing house in the Paraguayan capital.” After the war, in 1870, Néri returned from the Corrientes to Brazil and received many awards “of silver and humanitarian campaign medals.” Emperor Pedro I gave Néri a lifelong pension which she used for good helping four orphans that were from Paraguay.

After her lifelong journey as a nurse Ana Néri passed away in 1880 in Rio de Janeiro. She has continued her work post-death with having a nursing school named after her in Brazil by Carlos Chagas. She has a portrait (painted by Victor Meirelles) that is in the Salvador City Hall.

Most recently though, Ana Néri has attained her greatest feat, she is “now a character of the Book of the Fatherland Heroes, and will have her name added in the Pantheon of the Fatherland and Freedom, a monument in Brasilia consisting of a steel book designed by Oscar Niemeyer.”

1.     Exercising can help your outlook on life: Working out helps to calm your nerves. Exercise stimulates your brain and leaves you smiling and stress free since working out. This physical activity will stimulate that you feel and look better and possibly even help with depression too.

2.     Exercise helps with the prevention of chronic diseases.

3.     Exercise helps to manage your weight loss and muscle gain: There are so many things that you can do towards exercising. When you are at any two or three story building, take the elevator instead of the stairs, walk a few blocks away instead of getting into your car.

4.     Exercise can help your energy level.

5.     Exercise can help you to sleep better at night.

6.     Exercise can help with your sexual libido.

7.     Lastly, exercise can be fun: Who knew? Exercise can be an opportunity to get together with some of your friends, to ride your bikes together, to even play a kickball game in your neighborhood. Not only are you helping yourself, but you are also helping the other people that surround you in means to their healthy lifestyle.

On the next beautiful day, start it out right, take a nice walk outside, enjoy the scenery…

A consultant can be found in a variety of businesses, but is usually found in the corporate world assisting executives in fields for informational technology, entertain, assistance in HR job assessments, financial affairs, and in many career/public relation areas. Realistically any person or business could need or hire a consultant regardless of what their position would actually entail.

In today’s business world a consultant is either an independent contractor or an entire company that is brought into a situation when a business is failing, in trouble, or in need of a general face lift. For example, on television today, more specifically on Bravo there is a television show called “Tabatha’s Salon Takeover” where Tabatha comes in and corrects all of the internal problems of a business within one weeks time frame. Tabatha serves as a salon’s professional consultant in helping to create more business and a better functioning business with the owner.

If you were to be working at a job for a certain amount of years, and decided to leave your position and work independently you could call yourself a “consultant” and help other companies with your professional advice.

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It is Friday night and you are trying to figure out where to eat for dinner tonight. You don’t know what you want to eat, but you know everywhere that you don’t want: not Italian, not Mexican, not American, and definitely not a drive-thru. Maybe you are in the mood for something more eclectic. Asian? More specifically Korean or Chinese or even Japanese? SUSHI, that’s it!

You have made your big decision. You have begun to explore the dozens and dozens of available sushi rolls, and you have even made a few choices. But you want something different, and you want something now. You look at the appetizer list and see “Kimchi.” Well you wanted Korean right? And you just read a few lines from a news article on Kimchi

So what exactly is Kimchi?

Kimchi is a vegetable that has been pickled and fermented. Kimchi can technically be any dish, but is most commonly served as a cabbage or radish dish. The Kimchi dish is always red due to the many spices and chile pepper spices that are added to the fermentation process in the Kimchi creation. This dish is high in fiber, has many vitamins (A, B and C) and is filled with the “good” type of bacteria. Kimchi is often compared to yogurt in how it treats the digestion system and the body. Because of all of these great factors, Kimchi is held responsible for keeping Koreans at a healthy weight level.

If you don’t want to buy kimchi from a restaurant (although often it is made in-house), you can buy it from an Asian Supermarket, from a local grocer (on the ethnic food aisle), or even from a small Korean restaurant (the best idea). Kimchi can be mixed with eggs, rice, hot dogs, and can even be made with pancakes.

If you go to a Korean restaurant know that this is a dish that they will keep refilling for your eating pleasure.

In online RN to BSN programs, knowledge is gained in various forms of nursing. Teaching and training skills are taught as well, in addition to management skills. Taking on these capabilities provides a broader scope of experience for career advancement. Employers also view prospects with broader education and experience more favorably, so it may be easier to get a job.

The job outlook for registered nurses is quite optimistic as well. Employment is expected to expand by 22 percent from 2008 to 2018 according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Online RN to BSN programs not only strengthen the chances of finding a job in a competitive market, but they also open the door for higher salaries. On the low end, nurses earned under $43,400 in 2008, while the top tier earned over $92,000 a year. That is quite a large spread, and the more education one obtains, the better the chances are that a registered nurse can gain more responsibilities and earn a higher salary.

The online RN to BSN programs are beneficial because they also allow someone to continue their current jobs and responsibilities while studying at their own pace. For people living in rural areas that don’t have easy access to schools offering these programs, an online study program provides the necessary training as long as there is access to the Internet. Get online and improve yourself, it could improve your quality of life as well.

The future looks excellent for job opportunities for registered nurses. The U.S. Bureau of Labor estimates that about 581,500 new jobs will be created for nurses by the year 2018. Hundreds of thousands of additional job openings will result from experienced nurses leaving the profession during that same time.

The growth rate of employment is expected to be much faster than average for all occupations, as much as 22 percent from 2008 to 2018. Technological advances in patient care and an increased emphasis on preventive care are the driving factors.

Jobs in physicians’ offices are projected to grow by 48 percent over the decade in question. There may be more competition for these jobs, though, because the working hours and environments are generally preferable to those in a hospital setting.

In-hospital jobs will still see significant growth (17 percent), but not as much, partly due to more procedures being done in outpatient facilities. The aging population will also require more nurses in long-term care facilities and in home health care.

In some parts of the country, employers in 2008 were reporting it was difficult for them to attract and retain enough RNs, mostly because of an aging work force and not enough younger workers available.

RNs with a bachelor’s degree will generally have better job prospects than those without a BSN. The advanced practice specialties (nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives) will see a high demand in the coming years, especially in rural area and inner cities.

The types of jobs you can find with a Master’s degree in health services are highly variable. Salaries range from the mid five figures (if you’re planning on working for nonprofits) and well up into the six figures for, say, an experienced hospital administrator. Of course, not all the jobs you can find with a degree like this are in hospitals. You may find yourself working on the business development end of clinics or nursing homes. Or, you may find yourself managing a medical supply company. If you’re interested in the stability and great benefits that usually come with government jobs, rest assured that various government agencies (and even some political groups focused on health care policy) have use for individuals with an advanced degree in health services. Other degrees might lead you to a career like being a physician’s assistant; this job had an average income over eighty thousand dollars in 2008. The health care field is rich and varied, and the rewards are many. The only question is which career path would be right for you.

Taking care of a parent’s health might put the children in a position to admit them to a nursing home, but that won’t take care of all of the parent’s needs. Many elderly people have their own homes that require a certain level of maintenance, including the care of the yard. For those adult children who are interested in taking care of their parent, but don’t have the time or the energy to take care of the estate, property management can help provide relief.

The key to good property management, especially a well-known one like Portland Property Management, is that they keep things in working order without ever disturbing the parent. The last thing a parent needs to do is worry about the state of the lawn while they are sick, or worse, bedridden and unable to make decisions. Problems with the water heater or the roof will only cause more stress on a parent. A property management company will not only keep the property in tiptop shape, they can schedule routine maintenance, handle an outbreak of mold, or prepare the home for reselling if necessary.

For a child of an ailing parent this provides a great deal of peace of mind. Of course, this won’t relieve all the stress that they feel, so they will need to share responsibilities and feelings with siblings or a friend. They might want to look into counseling just to cope with their own stress and grief. And, it is important to spend with their children.

A property management company won’t relieve all the stress associated with an elderly parent who has fallen ill, but they can help in many ways.

But no matter where you are in your career trajectory, there’s always an opportunity to change course. If you’re interested in pursuing nursing, but your experience and degree lie in a different field, programs exist to help you build on your previous education without having to repeat it.

If you’re good at math and science, like working in an intense atmosphere and enjoy working with people, nursing might be an option for you, even if you’re 40 or older. The March 2000 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses found that the average age of nursing program graduates was 30.5, and it’s increasing every year.

You can find post-baccalaureate, second degree or accelerated degree programs at nursing schools across the country. Post-bac programs (BA-to-BSN or BS-to-BSN) allow people to expedite their progress to begin their nursing career within one to two years of starting their nursing education.

As in many fields, second-career nursing students tend to have energy and focus that younger students may lack. They often do better academically as older students than they did in their previous schooling.

It’s not difficult to get into accelerated degree programs. Nursing school enrollment is just beginning to go up after a long period of decline, and the nationwide shortage of nurses doesn’t appear to be ending any time soon. Nursing schools and health care providers are actively recruiting nontraditional nursing students, which includes those starting their second career.

AllNursingSchools.com has a school finder that lets you search by education level and state or zip code. Contact school administrators for admission requirements.

Legal nurse consulting has been recognized as a specialty nursing practice since the late 1980s. LNCs assist with legal research, communication, case preparation and litigation regarding health care.

LNCs often start their careers as nurses in clinical settings such as hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation centers. They may be approached by an attorney about the medical aspects of a case and may be asked to review medical records or provide explanations of procedures. Some begin the transition from clinical nursing to the medical-legal field by starting to work part-time for a legal firm.

Areas of support LNCs can provide to attorneys include personal injury, medical negligence, product liability, toxic torts, risk management, workers’ compensation and fraud and abuse.

LNCs use their clinical experience to interpret medical records and documents. They can utilize their nursing background and knowledge of health care standards to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a case. They also have a network of medical and professional contacts and resources.

Most LNCs have bachelor’s or master’s degrees in nursing or another health-related field. Some practice as independent consultants; others are employed by insurance companies, law firms and other institutions in a variety of roles.

The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) offers an extensive online course for RNs interested in becoming legal nurse consultants. The association also offers a certification process (LNCC).

Is legal nurse consulting right for you? The AALNC has an online self-assessment tool that lets you determine how suited you are for the profession of legal nurse consulting.

They also offer a free webinar that provides information about the profession, the education process and the work environment to anyone interested. Check the AALNC’s website to find out when the next webinar will be presented.

NINR conducts clinical research and training on health and illness across the lifespan. Its research focus covers health promotion and disease prevention, quality of life, health disparities and end-of-life care. The ultimate goal of the institute’s research is its dissemination into clinical practice and into the daily lives of individuals and families.

The National Institute for Nursing Research’s mission is “to promote and improve the health of individuals, families, communities and populations.” NINR is the leading institute at NIH on research on the important emerging field of end-of-life and palliative care.

At its campus in Bethesda, Md., NINR’s Intramural Research Program conducts research to understand the biological causes of a range of symptoms and how patients respond to different types of treatment.

The Office of Extramural Programs oversees the funding activities of NINR for research that occurs in institutions across the country and internationally. Grants, awards and fellowships are available for programs and individuals so that there will be an adequate pool of well-trained nurse scientists to meet future research needs.

Research programs range from strictly biological, as in a study on how genetics influences functional outcomes after traumatic brain injury, to economic and social-oriented cases, such as a study investigating the relationship of community-based nurse care coordination to costs in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Other recent research accomplishments from the community of NINR-supported scientists across the U.S. cover the fields of understanding and managing pain, wound care, chronic disease management, sleep and fatigue, self-management of chronic disease and complementary and alternative medicine.

If you qualify for an Army ROTC scholarship, which is based on merit and grades, not financial need, you could receive a two-, three- or four-year option based on how long you still have to complete your degree. Scholarships can cover full tuition, or you could choose to cover room and board in place of tuition, if you qualify. There may also be additional allowances for books and fees.

Scholarship recipients agree to an eight-year commitment of service with the U.S. Army. This can be full-time active duty for four years, with the rest in the Individual Ready Reserve, or you may have the chance to serve part-time in the U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard while pursuing a civilian career.

Army ROTC graduates are commissioned as Second Lieutenants. Approximately 60 percent of the Second Lieutenants who join the active Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard come through the ROTC program.

As a nurse, you may be eligible for an sign-on bonus of up to $30,000. There is also a program that lets you qualify for up to $120,000 to repay your nursing school loans.

Areas of concentration you can choose from as a member of the Army Nurse Corps include:

• Army Public Health Nurse
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
• Critical Care Nurse
• Emergency Room Nurse
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Medical-Surgical Nurse
• OB/GYN Nurse
• Perioperative Nurse
• Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse
• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

The Army Nurse Corps practices a holistic nursing philosophy. Army nurses are officers who can identify with their fellow soldiers. They lead teams that organize multidisciplinary resources for patients and their families, helping them with inpatient, outpatient and home care.

To learn more, visit GoArmy.com or call your local Army recruiting office.

A nurse in the U.S. Air Force can choose from three general career paths: academic, clinical or leadership. There are opportunities to take part in global humanitarian missions, and you can also pursue education or medical research.

To become an Air Force nurse, you must be a U.S. citizen, have a bachelor’s degree in nursing, meet physical requirements and be a licensed Registered Nurse.

A few of the specialties in the nursing field within the Air Force include:

• Clinical Nurse
• Medical Surgical Nurse
• Obstetrics Nurse
• Operating Room Nurse
• Mental Health Nurse
• Trauma Nurse
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
• Women’s Health Nurse
• Pediatric Nurse
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Midwife

Your career with the Air Force will start with a four-week Commissioned Officer Training (COT) course at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala. Training consists of physical conditioning and classroom studies on leadership principles, Air Force customs and courtesies, military law, officer/noncommissioned officer relationships, warfare and disaster preparedness and the Air Force’s role in national security.

Nurse training also includes learning to manage and operate an air transportable hospital, provide advanced trauma life support and conduct combat medical operations in field situations.

What are the benefits? Nurses enter the service at the same rank as physicians, which helps foster a team-oriented environment. Your pay increases with rank, and you’ll receive monthly tax-free allowances for food and housing. Comprehensive medical and dental benefits are free, and the military provides deals on insurance, home loans, savings plans and a retirement plan.

Three Important Initiatives By the FNA

1. Staffing Regulations- Many nurses in the state of Florida feel that they are understaffed and often not able to provide the care they believe is required for each individual. As hospital numbers increase nurses are afraid that the lack of help will create undesirable, if not dangerous situations. Therefore, they are asking for the hospitals to be responsible for providing enough staff for the volume of individuals.

2. FNA Support- The FNA is also asking that five dollars from nurse licensing fees will be put towards the FNA as they were cut out of the state the previous year, and the money would greatly bolster their budget shortfalls.

3. Expanding Education- The FNA would like to the stain to keep all current nurses, as well as, to increase the capabilities of the government to produce new nurses as the demand by 2025 will be much greater than it is today.

The FNA is pushing to keep the protocolsfor public nursing up to date with current legislation and the times. As the need for more nurses in the home and in the hospitals increases it’s important for the state government of Florida to keep up the budget and the realization that nurses are needed. As the 2011 year continues only time will tell if the FNA is successful in updating state nursing regulations.

As times have begun to wear on the wallet nursing homes across the country have been forced to cut back drastically, and in many cases have had to shut their doors. That has put a heavy burden on not only the health care system, and elderly individuals, but also the families of those individuals who are struggling themselves. The rising cost of medication and medical devices vital to the survival of many people in nursing homes has put to much strain on everyone from the insurance companies to the owners of the nursing homes.

It seems that the best way to levy the rising cost of healthcare and combat the closure of nursing homes is to offer a little help, and here are a few ways that can be done.

Three Ways To Help Save Nursing Homes

1. Volunteer- Obviously the best way to curb costs is to have free help. A few hours a week by a few individuals is a great way to lower the costs of the establishment and give back.

2. Donate- For those who are fortunate enough to be working, any monetary support that can be offered will go a long way in benefiting the residents.

3. Visiting- Without hope anybodies life looks grim, so giving someone in a home a few minutes of quality time can go a long way in benefiting their health.

Whatever opportunities that a nurse is looking for it’s a good idea to look into the military. Today the military offers many programs both for men and women in the field of nursing. These careers may be stepping stones to other careers or could be the calling of a lifetime. Here are some opportunities offered by the U.S. military.

Opportunities For Nurses In The Military

1. Navy Nurse Corp.- The Naval Academy offers various nursing programs individuals to enter up on signing up. As well, if a nurse with a degree applies and is accepted into the Navy, he or she will be a candidate for the officer program. Being in the officer program in the navy is a great way to earn experience and get promoted quick.

2. Air force Nurse Corp.- Like the Navy, the Air force also offers a comprehensive nursing program and candidacy in the officer’s program upon acceptance with a previously held degree.

3. Go Army Nurse Corp.- The army Nurse corp is much like the navy and the air force. The army nurse corp. also offers great opportunities for advancement and promotion.

4. Army National Guard- The army national guard is always looking for nurses to give their time and join the national guard. This is great for nurses who want to get involved, but have other career opportunities.

Their are many opportunities for nurses in the military. Whether that be nurses who want are looking for a career or nurses who are just looking to offer some of their time for compensation.

If you like working with patients, their families and their physicians in detemining the best course of care, you might be a candidate for a Nurse Case Manager job. Case managers are RNs (usually with B.S. or M.S. degrees as well) who have experience with the financial and clinical aspects of medical care, and who are good at managing several different and sometimes opposing factors. Case managers usually work with a specific type of patient such as organ transplant recipients, brain injury patients or the elderly, bringing all the aspects of their care together so they get the best treatment possible for their situation.

A Nurse Anesthetist is one who administers anesthesia to patients during surgery. Nurse anethestists usually have a good amount of independence and may have their own practices, but can be on call with a hospital or medical center. You need a master’s degree in nursing to be a nurse anethetist, and good skills in pharmacology. The job involves not only “passing gas,” but doing physical assessments and interviews with patients before and after their surgery.

A relatively new field is Forensic Nursing. Practitioners assist law enforcement personnel in investigating and treating perpetrators and victims of assault and abuse. If you are interested in criminal justice and medicine, and can deal with what could be an emotionally taxing career, this could be for you. Work settings include urgent care facilities, correctional institutions, insurance companies and mental health facilities. Positions are fairly few, though, and many are so new that they are subsidized by grants.

With the increasing number of hospitals and with the ever broadening role of nurses in the hospital or doctors offices many programs all over the country have popped up to provide the education needed to perform these roles. It’s important when choosing an education venue to consider what will best suit the student. Here are just a few nursing education programs to choose from.

Three Options For Nursing Education

1. University- Many universities across the country offer nursing comprehensive nursing programs that require anywhere from a two to four year commitment. For men and women looking to get into the nursing field directly after college it can be to their advantage to apply to the nursing school at their university if at all possible.

2. Online- Since the emergence of the internet, several online programs from dependable universities such as Phoenix University have began to offer nursing programs. Online programs are a great for people who have children or other jobs who need to gain their education before entering the field. Online programs will often be cheaper so they are also great for those who have money constraints.

3. Private- Private nursing programs might often be called accelerated programs and are also great for people who have time constraints or who are looking to get into the field quickly.

Nursing is a great opportunity to break into the healthcare field and to fulfill dreams of helping others. They are many ways to get educated so just remember to choose the best path.

Since the Veteran’s Health Administration, also known as the VA, was founded in July of 1930, it has focused on the health and care for those who serve their country. With more than 150 VA hospitals nationwide serving more than five million, the VA is one of the largest hospital systems in the United States. With more than 60,000 nurses, the VA employs the largest number of nurses in the world.

Becoming a military nurse can certainly jump start a great career. As a military nurse you will have the added benefit of being able to see the world and make a difference. Whether you are stateside or travel with troops overseas, there are plenty of opportunities to help those who bravely serve. One of the benefits of serving as a military nurse is having access to some of the most advanced technology available.

Financially speaking, serving the military is a step in the right direction. Not only does the salary compare to or exceed civilian wages, as a member of the armed forces you will also receive 30 days of paid vacation. Along with a full retirement once you have served for 20 years, the military will take care of you. If you are already a registered nurse, the military may even have a loan repayment program available for you. Add on a signing bonus and the decision to join just becomes that much easier.

Nurses administer diagnostic tests and perform analysis, aid doctors in surgery, help coordinate wellness plans that outline nutrition and exercise programs, and perform dozens of other tasks that allow patients to remain healthy and comfortable.

There are a number of different fields that a nurse can go into. Neonatal nurses treat newborns and infants. Geriatric nurses take care of older patients, and in some cases even travel to the home of a patient to provide care. Agency nurses contract with outside agencies, choose their own hours, and work on a shift basis. Psychiatric nurses help those who suffer with mood, personality, or mental illness. Finally, cardiovascular nurses who assist people undergoing heart surgery or disease.

Even law enforcement has a few branches of nursing fields. Forensic nursing, popularized by television shows like  deals with DNA as well as evidence collection and analysis. The evidence that forensic nurses are able to find can greatly affect a criminal case. Forensic nurses also care for victims and help them overcome tragedy. Legal nurses are also often used during criminal court proceedings. They often review medical records, interpret their findings, and testify for the courts.

It is expected that by 2020 most practicing nurses will have their bachelor’s degrees, and a fair amount will be seeking higher degrees. At present about half of working nurses have a bachelor’s degree. Nurse practitioners will soon be likely to work without being supervised by a physician. Nursing is now the biggest health related job field in the United states; at present there are nearly 3 million working nurses. This certainly makes nursing a very ideal job choice.

Nursing has been around through the centuries. It has come from a service first preformed by Catholic monks, and then later by those who were being punished to what we now have as the conventional occupation of nursing. Florence Nightengale lead the advances of modern nursing into what it today.

Nightengale, who became well known for all her time spent taking care of wounded soldiers who fought in the Crimean War, felt that God wanted her to become a nurse. With 38 other woman, Nightengale went to the British camp in the Ottoman Empire. It was rumored that there were fewer deaths once after her arrival; however, to the contrary, the death rate increased to its highest rate. It was not until after her stay that she recognised the main cause of death: poor sanitary conditions.

After her service during the war, Nightengale focused her attention on the importance of sanitation in hospital facilities. Because of her focus, the standards of cleanliness within hospitals improved, which helped the health of the general public. Along with health improvements, the standards of cleaning within military facilities were dramatically changed as well, which helped improve the chances of survival for wounded soldiers.

Nightengale’s assistance during the war also helped begin a fund that was targeted at training more nurses. She was able to establish the Nightengale Training School, where young women came to study formally with hopes of become nurses. This was the first nursing school ever established. At the same time, she published a book called Notes on Nursing, that was a part of the core classes at the school.The school later became the Florence Nightengale School of Nursing and Midwifery. Because of everything she did for the nursing industry she has been named the founder of modern nursing, and will be remembered throughout history.

Nightengale some time serving as a military nurse, after which she founded a school and published a guide to nursing. Because of her achievements and contributions to nursing, she had a pledge named in her honor called the Nightengale Pledge, which was written by a committee led by Lystra Gretter, a nursing professor at the Harper Hospital. The pledge was first taken by the 1983 nursing school graduating class.

The pledge outlined a code of ethics that nurses would begin to use as a standard practice. The pledge swore that a practicing nurse would not give a patient a drug that could hurt them. It also stated that the nurse was to do whatever was in his/her powers to take care of patients without allowing personal matters to interfere. Many devoted nurses around the world have taken this pledge at graduation.

The Nightengale pledge was adapted from the Hippocratic Oath. The Hippocratic Oath simply states that a physician will do no harm and perform his or her job to the best of their known abilities without compromising the health and well-being of their patients. Even some veterinarian schools practice a similar oath called the Veterinarian’s Oath. Of course, their oath promises the care of animals to the best of their scientific abilities rather than to the care of human life. From pet to owner, it certainly does seem that everyone feels a need to promise to do their best when caring about health.

Jones was the first nurse at the Liverpool Workhouse Infirmary who was trained as a nursing superintendent. She was formally trained at the school set up by Nightengale in 1862. She was a very dedicated, hardworking, and intelligent student. Jones was such a dedicated student that she won special praise from Nightengale.

After Jones graduated, she was invited to the Brownlow Hill Workhouse to help lead an experiment by William Rathbone. She accepted, and in 1865 she went to help in the endeavor. The task was taking care of the poor people whose working situation was purposely made harmful to deter them from coming to work. The working situations were worse inside the workhouse than they were outside. Jones made an amazing effort to make sure the experiment succeeded, working herself to the bone to take care of the workers.

Jones worked extremely closely to the poor in Liverpool: close enough that, unfortunately, she contracted typhus fever and died at age 35. Typhus was a very extreme epidemic that impacted the poor during the time period. Nightengale later mourned the loss of her prized student. In Jones honor and in gratitude to what she contributed to nursing, a window in the Anglican Catherdral was devoted to her and a statue was built in the Oratory, remembering Jones as an amazing nurse who had an incredible impact on nursing history.

Different studies and surveys show that there is an increased trend of using home care services as compared with the nursing homes. There are many reasons that people may opt for home care services rather than leaving their elders or staying themselves in the nursing homes. Sometimes, people might not find it easy to leave their homes and to get accustomed with new place and surroundings easily. That’s why; most people prefer to be looked after at their own homes while being surrounded with their own friends and family members. It has been found that, people being treated at homes and being provided home care support show recovery speedily. Also, home care services are likely to be less costly as compared with the nursing home services.

Choosing between getting home care services and going to a nursing care centre to get the medical support totally depend upon individuals own preferences and needs. Sometimes, if the person needing support and care find it hard to cope well at home then they might think about going to a nursing home but most of the time people feel it good to be at home and being cared of through using home care services.

There are many people who have had a hand in the history of nursing. Linda Richards was the first woman to be educated as a nurse in America.

Richards decision to enter the nursing field was influenced by the death of her mother, and later the care that she would bestow on her husband who was wounded in the American Civil War a year later. Driven by compassion and loss, she took a job at the Boston City Hospital. However, after three months of working terrible hours without any training, Richards quit the job to search for other outlets into nursing.

She was the first student to attend the American Nurse’s training school at the New England Hospital for Women and Children in 1872. A year later she graduated and moved to New York and accepted a job at Bellevue Hospital as a supervisor. During the time that she worked there, she invented a way to keep track of the patients medical records, which has been used ever since by both the United States and the United Kingdom.

She later went to England, where she studied nursing for a second time. While in London, she also met with and trained under Nightengale. After her training she returned to the United States and established nursing schools all over the nation. After she finished the schools in the United States, she went and established the first nursing school in Japan, where she remained for five years.

Once she was back in the United States, Richards worked for twenty years before she retired at age seventy. In her time she also managed to write a book about her experiences, which was published and then republished. Richards passed away from a stroke in April of 1930, but she will be remembered as the amazing woman that she was for centuries to come.

Just before WWI, the Navy Nurse Corps had grown to 160 women. These women did more than just care for the sick and wounded. On top of their medical tasks, they were expected to train nurses, both land-based in the U.S. and overseas, as well as enlisted men serving as medics. Once the United States entered WWI, the Nurse Corp received a large expansion for both its enlisted and reserve officers.

By the end of the war, 19 nurses lost their lives. More than half died from the flu, which was deadly at that time. One thousand five-hundred and fifty nurses had served overseas and at Naval hospitals at home. Once soldiers were being processed home, the nurses were given assignments on board ships and on ground teams to aid the wounded. After WWI the number of Navy nurses died down to fewer than five hundred until the start of the second world war.

WWII brought nurses to serving regular service on hospital ships, and an educational increase was also impacted because of the status increases. They acted and spoken toward the same way officers would be, and wore similar attire to ranking Ensign to Lieutenant officers. In 1920, the Army first recognised nurses as regular commissioned officers, during which period the corps grew to almost eight hundred who served actively and nine hundred who were a part of the reserve corps. Any soldier will testify to how vital nurses are, especially during war time conflict.

During those times, I discovered that something was calling me towards the health care profession.  I saw firsthand how much these medical professionals meant to my mother.  I also saw how much the other patients uplifted each other and how rewarding it was to work in the hospitals and treatment locations that my mother visited.  I also knew that it was not an easy job stress wise but knew that I would one day be working in one of those locations.

One night while sitting by my mother’s bed, I logged into my laptop computer and did a search for online courses and degrees.  That was where I ran across educationforadults.com.  They had a great directory of various online education providers where I could get a degree on my time while keeping my job.  My mother was very excited to hear of my plans when I told her that I found a great Nursing program online and that I planned to get my degree as soon as possible.  Now that she is gone, I know she would be proud that I was now helping others that were going through cancer like she did.

The United States is not the only country that has noticed a benefit from having nurses in the armed forces. Australia for instance formed the Royal Australian Nursing Corps, or RAANC, in Febuary of 1951. This addition to the Australian military came fifty years after what was the beginning of the formation of the United States Naval Corps.

The Corps slogan was Pro Humanitate, which meant for humanity. The corp preaches empathy and sympathy along with working with others, providing dedicated health care to the sick and injured. In 1958 they received approval for the Nursing Corps flag, which depicted their slogan.

History of the corps can be followed to the establishment of the Army Nursing Service, which was founded in August of 1898. During that time there were 25 nurses, one of whom acted as Lady Superintendent. These women participated in the Boer War with the deployment of troops from the New South Wales and Victorian governments to Africa. These women were not the only ones to see action; in fact, nurses from western and southern Australia and Queensland saw the damages of the war.

Because of the impact that the nurses had during the war in 1902, the Australian Army Nursing Service was established in conjunction with the Australian federal government. The day that the service was established, July 1st of 1903, is now recognised as RAANC corps day.

In WWI, over two thousand women served in the nursing service, four hundred and twenty three of which were stationed in Australia, with one hundred and thirty Australians working under the Queen’s military nursing branch. Twenty five women died and three hundred and eighty eight were recognised. In WW2 the number of nurses increased to more than three thousand, and out of that number only seventy one women died, while thirty eight more became POWs, putting Australian nurses on the map of history.

Later on in 1909, a second branch was founded: The Territorial Force Nursing Service, or TFNS for short. TFNS was founded with the idea that it would make up for any shortcomings that The Royal Army encountered, specifically in emergency situations. The people who were a part of TFNS were civilian nurses. Later, in 1920, TFNS was changed to the Territorial Army Nursing Service or TANS instead of being a civilian establishment. In 1941, members were permitted pay and rank that was equal and identical to that of the Army.

In 1949 the armed forces finally adopted the female divisions as part of the official armed forces. With this adoption the forces took up the ranking system based around the armed forces, which made the chief matron a Senior Controller. However, in 1950 they reverted to normal Army ranks, though titles were still given for a professional attitude. In 1956 more ranks were adopted.

The nurses played a major role for the British army, insuring the health and well-being of the soldiers at war. These nurses, among others who have faithfully served their countries, have made an impeccable indent on military history and strides that have furthered medical advances to what we know today as modern medicine. Thanks to their efforts, health care is phenomenally improved.

When teenagers know that you are likely to call them on their cell phone when you need to get a hold of them, they might not be completely truthful about where they’re going to be. It’s too easy for them to say, “I’m studying at Sandy’s house,” and not actually be there. They expect you to call them on their cell phone.  It can be smart to verify where they are from time to time to make sure that they are being truthful with you. How? Call them at Sandy’s house! But how do you get Sandy’s parents’ house phone number? Well, the most obvious way to get it would be to ask your teenager, but since many teenagers have their own cell phones, they might not even know the phone number for their friends’ parents’ home lines. This is where you need to get creative.

Make sure you know the name of not only your children’s friends but also the names of their friends’ parents (remember that surnames are often different in our day and age). Once you have that information you can look up the parents’ home phone number at an online directory like Canada 411. Keep your children safe by knowing where they are and confirming that they’re actually there.

During WWI, the military had twenty thousand female nurses split into the different branches and different military hospitals. Ten thousand served in different countries, while others staffed forty seven ambulance companies at home and over five thousand signed up for the new Nursing school that was a part of the Army. Women never saw action from the front line; however, many women lost their lives due to sicknesses like the flu.

At the beginning of WWII, there were less than a thousand Army nurses and seven hundred in the Navy, and all of them were women. However, by the end of the war the Army had grown to over fifty thousand registered nurses and the Navy had eleven thousand, all of which were women. On top of that progress, there were more than two hundred black nurses who served and assisted the black soldiers. There were also many more male medics serving during the war.

Because of the medical advances made by the medics and nurses of the time, a lot of people lived through the war. Of the people who were able to make it to a hospital, 96% survived. Because of penicillin and sulfa, the need to amputate limbs with gangrene was rarely required. Nurses helped save many peoples lives and changed history.

In 1974, it was decided that the day should be recognised on May 12th, which was Florence Nightengale’s birthday. Florence Nightengale was important to nursing history because of her contributions to the health care industry, and the establishment of her school for nursing. Nightengale has been known as the creator of modern nursing.

Since 1999 the holiday has been celebrated on May 8th, because the British voted that Nightengale was not the representative of modern nursing at all, and since then the holiday has landed on the 8th, or in the very least it has landed on the 8th for the British. In 2003, it was finally designated that the holiday was to be celebrated on the Wednesday within the week between May 6th and May 12th.

Presently, each year the day is marked by the distribution of the Nurse Day Kit, which contains informational packets that are intended to educate people about their health. This is done in order to promote overall wellness in communities. These materials are used by modern health care professionals like doctors and nurses everywhere.

In the UK, on May 12, a mass is held in Nightengale’s honor. A lamp is taken and lit from the Nurse’s Chapel, while the service takes place to symbolize the passing of knowledge. This lamp is handed to each nurse at the mass. The mass is located at Westminister Abbey in London. Everyone can agree that those who take health care into their priorities make a major difference in our lives. From the common cold to life and death emergencies, these brave souls assist as best they can, and they make a big difference.

There is nothing more important in hospital then sanitation. If sanitation is not up to par, people who come in can actually become sick. Scrubs are clothing that doctors and nurses wear in order to ensure that they are completely sanitized before interacting with a patient. This precaution was not always a viewed as a necessity.

Scrubs were simply designed for there to be few places for dirt and germs to hide. Since their design began surfacing in operating rooms, surgeons have adopted scrubs as their uniform. Scrubs have gone from what was once just an operating room attire to extending to other areas in the hospital. Now nurses typically wear scrubs, and the majority of doctors wear scrubs and lab coats. Scrubs are also beneficial to those who come in contact with bodily fluids on a regular basis by allowing the nurses the satisfaction of knowing that their street cloths are not being contaminated. Scrubs have even shown up outside of hospitals. Veterinary clinic nurses and technicians wear scrubs, and some prison inmates have been required to wear scrubs. Scrubs have also reached the fashion industry and are a trendy pajama choice for some young adults.

It wasn’t until the twentieth century that surgeons started to wear specific uniforms. Before scrubs, a surgeon would wear normal street cloths with an apron of some sort to protect his clothing from stains. Neither the equipment nor the surgeon’s hands were sterilized before the procedure. Many instruments were reused, and some of the bandaging and gauze was made out of scraps found on the floors at cotton mills. Today we are relentless with cleanliness, making sure that everything is sterile and washed before patients interact with physicians. Scrubs have provided for sanitary and safe environments for patients and care providers around the world.

Registered nurses perform tasks such as recording patients’ medical histories and symptoms, perform diagnostic tests and analyze results and develop care plans or make adjustments to current care plans. They also work with patients and families of patients to promote proper diet, nutrition and exercise programs.

There are dozens of different types of registered nurses. Psychiatric-mental health nurses, for instance, treat patients with personality or mood disorders. Rehabilitation nurses care for those who suffer from temporary or permanent disabilities. Cardiovascular nurses treat patients who have had heart surgery or patients with coronary heart disease.

According to the BLS, the median salary for registered nurses in 2008 was $62,450.

Prospective nursing students can expect to follow one of three educational paths: they can earn a bachelor’s of science degree in nursing, an associate degree in nursing or they can complete a diploma program administered in hospitals.

If you’d prefer flexibility while working toward a nursing degree, consider applying for an online program. Use a site like elearners.com to search for nursing programs that will best suit your needs. An online degree in nursing will provide you with the necessary training and accreditation and can help you focus on specific nursing specialties. Online students can earn their associates or bachelor’s degree in nursing, or they could opt to become a nurse practitioner, legal nurse consultant or earn their nursing master’s degree.

A career choice is certainly one of the most important decisions a person will ever make in their lifetime. Not only will they spend most of their waking hours doing the job they’ve chosen to do, but it will also affect the income they have and the lifestyle that results from that income. With this in mind, a career in nursing is certainly something that men and women starting out should seriously consider.

Nursing is now and will continue to be one of the most in-demand of any job on the market, and the starting pay is getting better all the time. Even more importantly, it is a profession in which someone can truly make a remarkable difference in the lives of others. Below are just a few of the many reasons to put nursing on your “careers -to-consider” list:

o    Obviously, becoming a nurse is a choice to spend your career in the care of others. The fulfillment and job satisfaction that many people derive from this aspect alone is compensation for the well-known challenges associated with nursing. Seeing someone’s face when something you’ve done has improved or even preserved their life is a reward that no salary can equal.

o    Nursing is a very high-skill profession. The kind of person that chooses to become a nurse is generally the kind of person that is goal-oriented and driven to excel. Our society could certainly use more of this kind of person.

o    Nurses are known and admired for their dedication to and their passion for their profession. Becoming a nurse is a choice to work long and hard, day after day and week after week. It is not a job for the squeamish or the lazy. It’s not a profession that lends itself to an active social or family life, at least not without a careful balance.

Nursing is all about making a difference. In your own life, and in the lives of others.

Serving as a military nurse is an opportunity to receive rewards in a multitude of ways. In addition to all of the benefits of a traditional nursing career, the military nurse is also given the privilege of serving their country. Many who choose to become a military nurse cite this as one of the chief reasons they decided to pursue nursing as a career. With ongoing wars and other military engagements taking place throughout the world, the urgency of need for people willing to step up and serve has never been greater. The rewards are great. The challenges are many. But to an overwhelming degree, a military nursing career is truly the best of both worlds.

It has been over 80 years since the Veteran’s Health Administration (better known as the VA) was established. From its earliest beginnings, the VA has been focused on providing the best care for the brave men and women serving our country. It is now one of the largest health care delivery systems in the United States, with over 150 hospitals nationwide and serving more than 5 million veterans annually. It is also the largest employer of nurses in the entire world, with a total of over 60,000 currently employed. It is also one of the largest employers in the country of minority nurses.

The opportunities for a military nurse are also remarkably diverse and ever expanding. Whether one wants the intense but rewarding experience of a military hospital, the excitement of being a health educator, or the chance to specialize in innumerable niches, a military nursing career can fill the bill. There are also many opportunities for developing nursing skills that will easily carry over into a non-military nursing career. This in fact is yet another attraction of choosing the military.

Each of these factors, coupled with many, many more, make the decision to be a military nurse one for careful consideration. There is truly limitless, exciting opportunities ahead.

Have you been struggling with the decision of what to choose for a career? Or you a service-oriented person and find yourself interested in helping other people? There is an opportunity now available that may be just right for you. And not only is it a rewarding, fast-paced and exciting experience, you’re likely to discover that it is also a personally fulfilling career as well. Is it a job in the circus? Not at all. It’s the chance to serve and work as a military nurse.

The reasons that could be cited as motivators to choose this career are many. Below are just a few of the possible reasons people give when mentioning how much they enjoy the work they do as a military nurse. Many more could be cited. It would be very wise to do some personal research, coupled with discussing military nursing as a career with someone actually now serving in that capacity.

For example, one of the leading reasons people cite for job satisfaction in nursing is the chance to innovate. Innovation is a part of almost every day life for military nurses. Whether it’s using cutting-edge technology to help a cancer patient, helping a soldier adapt to life with a prosthetic limb, or almost innumerable other possibilities, a career in military nursing is the place to be if you’re passionate about innovation.

In fact, many of the innovations now employed by hospitals and healthcare providers all over the world had their beginnings in the military healthcare world. For example, VA doctors and researchers have been key players in the development of such things as CT scans, the pacemaker, artificial limbs, and cancer research. They have also made an important contribution to the world of pharmaceuticals, whether in the discovery of new drugs or through improvement of existing ones.

If this isn’t enough to get you excited about pursuing a military nursing career, do your research. It could change your life.

Nursing is one of those careers that people often assume to be far too difficult and stressful for them to consider. No doubt it does take a certain type of individual who is willing to commit their lives to the work of nursing. But as for it being a hard profession to prepare for and to break into, the opposite in fact is true. Nursing is a career that could be considered incremental in nature.

After the initial investment of time and resources for training (which can vary in length depending on the type of training you choose to pursue,) the payoff for that effort comes quickly and often. Whether it is in the form of compensation, which for a first-year student out of nursing school can easily top $50,000+, to the equally immediate payoff of seeing your work make a difference in the lives of other people virtually every day, nursing is without a doubt a high reward profession.

For someone thinking of becoming a nurse, here are a few of the many reasons that it is such a great choice. Each one has to do with the great flexibility that nursing offers, although there are many other benefits in addition to the ones listed below.

First of all, there is the benefit of a flexible schedule. Nurses have a wide variety of part and full-time schedules to choose from, all based around what they are able to commit to on a weekly basis. Some nurses are only able to work a part-time, four hours per day schedule. Some work a 12-hour, four days per week schedule. For some, a weekend graveyard shift is the only one they can handle due to other personal responsibilities. Nursing accommodates all these and many other demands on a nurse’s time.

You also have the flexibility of location.  There are an ever-increasing number of options to choose from for the work of a nurse. All are very flexible.

To the person considering nursing as a possible career, one of the many questions they may ask has to do with what their chosen profession might look like in the near future. A recent report issued by The University of Miami attempted to answer that and many other questions about nursing.

For example, it is predicted that by the year 2020, a majority of practicing nurses will have received at least their bachelor’s degree. It is also considered likely that many nurse practitioners will be able to practice without a physician being present. Especially encouraging is the prediction that those same nurse practitioners will also be paid more fairly and also directly by insurance companies. This is great news, in part because there is such a large influx of nurse practitioners entering the nursing field due to the attractive nature of the work done by this emerging and highly-trained nursing contingent.

The report also made mention of the fact that there are almost 3 million nurses now at work in the United States, which makes nursing the largest health-care profession in the country. The report stressed the importance of giving this critical group of medical professions a voice in the future of their industry.

The report estimated that roughly 50% of nurses now have at least a bachelor’s degree. The trend of that number rising is a positive one, the report noted. Nurse practitioners have at least a master’s degree and now do many of the things that a doctor does in diagnosing and treating patients. 15 states currently allow nurse practitioners to see patients without a doctor present.

This is widely considered to be an essential step toward these nurses being able to also be paid directly for their services by the insurance companies, just like doctors. The report called upon state legislators to force insurance companies to pay practitioners the same as doctors. They believe this will improve nursing and medical care generally.

In spite of being one of the most storied and established of career choices, nursing still has a lot of new adventures and opportunities to offer of any career field. Here are a few of the most in-demand options now available to choose from in nursing.

1. Forensic nursing – The rapid advances in law enforcement, coupled with greater publicity from television programs dealing with forensics, have led to forensic nursing becoming a very exciting place to pursue a nursing career. Whether collecting DNA evidence at a crime scene to testifying at a criminal trial, this is a career with no ceiling on opportunities. You also have the opportunity to assist victims of crime as they struggle to deal with assault and other violations of the law. Your background as a nurse will also give you the opportunity to examine evidence and to then ensure that it is properly preserved for trial.

2. Legal nursing – With training and a nursing license, some nurses are earning upwards of $150 per hour as nurse legal consultants. In essence you get to become a nurse detective as you analyze challenging and complex medical records in support of legal cases. An especially exciting aspect of this career can come when you are called upon to testify in criminal trials. Rare are the rewards of being able to see justice come about because of your training and expertise.

3. Military nursing – This is one of the fast-growing segments of nursing. You’ll have the opportunity to serve your country while also assisting soldiers who have been wounded or injured in battle. You’ll also have the opportunity to receive advanced training not available to those in a civilian-nursing career. Not to mention the chance to travel the world and have most if not all of your training paid for. A military nursing career truly offers the best of both worlds. It is also a fantastic springboard into non-military nursing service.

When someone is asked about pursuing a career in nursing, their first thought is often connected to their preconceived notions about what it means to be a nurse. More often than not, an image of a woman rushing around a hospital or operating room is what comes to mind. However, in the 21st century, there are an ever-increasing number of alternatives to this traditional view of nursing. This makes choosing a career in the nursing field a more exciting one than ever before. Here are several of the many exciting options available to those opting to pursue this path:

Travel nursing – although it is not often thought of when thinking of a nursing career, travel nursing is perhaps the most exciting way to live the nursing life. There are literally thousands of locations both in the United States and around the world where the demand is great and growing for travel nurses. This is truly a way to be in total command of your career. For each assignment, the travel nurse has the freedom to choose where they work, for how long, and in what specialty. With the severe nursing shortage literally impacting hospitals around the world. a travel nurse can find short-term work anywhere they choose. The compensation is also generous, ranging from $20 to $40 per hour on average. Many of these locations also offer free or reduced-cost housing as a bonus, in addition to signing and contract-completion bonuses.

Surgical nursing – this is another in-demand and high-compensation category in the nursing field. Surgical nurses employ their advanced training during delicate procedures such as organ transplants, heart surgery, laser incisions, and countless other surgery-related services. Surgical nurses are also some of the highest paid nurses in all of nursing, due to their advanced training and experience. They are also a vital part of the recovery process for patients after a procedure has been done. Surgical nursing is red-hot and getting hotter.

Your life is a devotion of concern, a meet of hours and demands – you never dreamed of New York luxury apartments when you were young, the common indulgences. You always wished instead to offer yourself to those who needed you most: the weak and the frightened, the ill and the (slowly) healing. You are a nurse. Too often is this position belittled by the masses, left ignored in the wake of surgical precision. But the necessity of your profession cannot be denied and it is therefore afforded many essential benefits. You can be rewarded for your choices. You can be paid for your time.

Nursing, as of 2010, provides individuals with a wealth of incentives – each meant to counter the long minutes and desperate scenarios:

One: Salary. A registered nurse, just beginning his or her career, can be paid between $30,000 and $50,000. This is considerably higher than most entry level positions and is also a rare constancy. Wages will only increase over the years, yielding a possible salary of over $70,000.

Two: Overtime. The notion of giving an excess of seconds to your job can seem daunting, but the payment offered with it should compensate. The typical registered nurse can see their wages stuffed with over $10.00 extra per hour. Few careers in 2010 could generate that amount.

Three: Vacations. There will be days that seem endless and situations that seem cruel. It is necessary therefore to allow yourself to simply relax, turning all focus inward rather than toward others. Beginning nurses typically receive a week of vacation time. Those with more experience, however, can gain as much as three.

Nursing is not an easy profession but it is still your purpose. This could never be doubted. The pressures of your career can seem overwhelming, however. And so these advantages must be utilized fully to maintain your patience and your strength.

Working as a nurse in a field clinic can be some of the most exciting and rewarding opportunities in a nursing career. Field nursing often involves traveling to a third world country or to the site of a major disaster to assist victims. It is demanding and exhausting work. But those who chose to accept the challenge, it can also be deeply satisfying.

Here are just a few of the many things you might find yourself doing as a member of a field clinic:

Helping with pre-natal checkups for expectant mothers.
Assisting with pap smears and other preventative medical procedures.
Performing physical exams and assessments on a wide variety of patients.
Provide vaccines to children (both oral and injected) in conjunction with Public Health officials.
Assisting in wound care and dressing changes for injured victims.
Interviewing patients to determine what medical attention and assistance they might need.
Traveling to remote locations to assist seriously injured patients and then assisting them as they are transported to medical facilities.

These are just a very small sample of the literally numberless opportunities available in a medical field clinic. These are essentially modern-day versions of the famous MASH units made popular by the long-running television program. They can be found in a wide variety of settings, including schools, community centers, churches, homes, and locally-based residences.

They may have only latrines, no electricity except what is available on-hand, little or no running water, and exposure to the elements, heat, and dirt.

Field clinics can even present significant risks, since they are often located in areas close to a recent major disaster such as an earthquake or hurricane. For example, during the earthquakes in Haiti, nurses were right on the front lines, helping the tens of thousands affected by this horrific disaster.
Although field nursing is fraught with risks and challenges, it is also one of the most rewarding adventures available to nurses today.

Travel nursing may just be the best possible way to enjoy a nursing career. it combines the all of the best elements of being nurse, and adds to them the chance to travel and see new places and to meet new people. Although not for everyone, especially someone with an established career and a family, for the right person it can be a very rewarding job.

Some of the many reasons that travel nursing is such a great option include the following:

•    Freedom to choose the pace of your career and to make your own decisions about what you do and where you do it at.
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•    The opportunity to travel world-wide while earning a great income.
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•    Speaking of money, the pay is excellent. At the low end you may start out earning $20 per hour, but many travel nurses earn $40 or more per hour.
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•    Additionally, there are many perks offered by the hospitals you work for, including housing, signing bonuses, travel expenses, and contract-completion bonuses.
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•    The chance to see many beautiful parts of the world. There are travel nurse positions available in Hawaii, Southern California, Florida, and hundreds of other locations. Hospitals around the world are desperate to fill the shortages they are struggling with in their nursing ranks. They are aggressive in offering incentives for qualified travel nurses.
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•    There are also great opportunities available to learn new skills and technologies, which in turn give you even more to offer future employers.
•    Educational opportunities are also ready-made for the travel nurse. You get the chance to learn from highly skilled doctors and specialists and to use the latest medical tools on the market.

Without too much difficulty, you can learn quite a bit about what is involved in becoming a travel nurse. There are a large number of websites online with information about the profession and how to get started in it.

A military nursing career isn’t for everyone. If you are a person who doesn’t like adventure, great pay, unlimited career opportunities, not to mention the chance to improve the lives of other people, then indeed, being a military nurse isn’t something you should consider. Additionally, you also get the chance to help your country defend its freedoms and principles. Again, not for everyone. But if you are the person who is attracted to all of the above, then you should be knocking on the door of your local military recruiter or nursing school first thing tomorrow.

Although it has been over 150 years since Florence Nightingale first began walking from bed to bed during the Crimean War, her famous lantern held high as she tended to wounded soldiers, many of the same principles at work in 1854 are still in place today. The central and most critical work of a nurse is still the care and "nursing" of patients. Nursing is still a people-centered work, just as it was for Nightingale. And although the technology used by nurses to care for patients is radically advanced from the crude tools at hand in the 1800′s, military nurses still must make use of a blend of common-sense and compassion in order to meet the needs of those they care for.

Military nursing offers the skilled and motivated professional ample opportunity to pursue their passion for nursing while also making a tremendous income. You’ll also have the unique opportunity to travel the world, something not afforded non-military nurses.

The benefits of a military nursing career are also unique within the nursing industry. These include education benefits, which can be quite lucrative. For example, a military nurse can continue on to receive a master’s degree in nursing, with as much as 75% of the cost being paid for by the military. This degree is required in order to be considered for promotion to the rank of major or higher.

When it comes time for your children to choose the path their professional lives will take them, the field of Nursing might be a great way to make a good living in a field where there will always be need.
Some wonder why be a nurse when you could go to school for a few more years and be a doctor.  While doctors do make the bigger bucks when they are done with school, there is more stress involved in their job and more Administrative duties to be answered too.
Typically a Nursing student spends two to four years in college, while a Doctor spends at least eight.   While the Nursing student doesn’t make as much as a Doctor upon completion of their education, they do make a good living, enough to support a family in a good manner.  While a Nursing student may have some student loans to pay, they are not likely to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
While the Financial worlds have struggled in recent years with a sluggish economy, people are still getting sick.   The need for nursing students entering the field of medicine continues to grow as the need for improved Health Care across the nation continues to grow.
While Mortgage industries have been hard for the past five years with terrible financial markets, the need for nursing students continues to expand.
Choosing a careers that will have longevity and the ability to provide for one’s family are important thoughts when one is deciding what they will be doing for the next 30 years after the completion of post-secondary education.  If you have a child that is interested in making a difference in the healthcare community, working long but fulfilling hours and making a good living then Nursing might be a perfect career choice.

It’s no secret that Nursing students are in high demand upon completion of their Education.  While some students choose to study for two years to earn a basic degree, others choose to continue their education with the hopes of earning a higher degree and ultimately earning more money.
Here is a breakdown of what Nursing students can expect upon completion of their degrees.
CAN –A Certified Nursing Assistant is entry-level Nursing position in which workers provide basic services like meal service.  Atypical CNA makes between $10 and $12 per hour.
LPN – A Licensed Practical Nurse is a step up from the CNA and typically handles routine tasks like taking care of injured or sick patients.  Other duties include administering medication, and recording and observing patient condition.  A typical LPN makes between $15 and $23 per hour.
Registered Nurse – A common goal for many Nursing students is to become a Registered Nurse.  Registered Nurse’s typically work under the direction of one or more doctors and act in a Supervisory role to CAN’s and LPN’s.  As a general care nurse, a Nursing student could look forward to making between $22 and$32 per hour.
Specialties:  For those that continue their education past basic Nursing, the opportunities and financial reward can be significant.
An Emergency Room Nurse (RN) typically makes about $30 per hour while a Family Nurse Practitioner (NP) can expect to make a similar amount.
While the guides above are not exact and may be subject to change bases on location and hospital preference, they are a good guide for young people considering the field of Nursing.  For those considering a long-term career in Nursing, studying the field more adamantly and asking good questions to an advisor or Hospital Administrator would be highly recommended.
In this world that always needs nurses; a career choice in this wide-open field of Nursing is highly recommended.

Ok, you’ve decided to enter the field of Nursing, now what?  Where do you continue your education?  How much is that going to cost?  What kind of job or will I get a job when I graduate?
If Nursing is your field of choice, becoming a Military Nurse might be a great way to achieve your professional goals while traveling the world and avoiding messy school loans.
For those that become a Nurse while working in the military, the advantages are many and may be a benefit throughout your working career.
The military tends to train their people in a fashion that is methodical with a hint of perfection.  Becoming a Military Nurse means that you will be given the best tutelage, by instructors that are vested in your long-term success.   With many ‘casualty’ scenarios in place, those training and working as a Military Nurse will be well equipped to enter any surgical trauma center upon completion of their military service.
While many young people go to college and earn their degree, they often spend years paying off student loans and living at or near poverty until they reach their 30′s.  Young people that are thinking of becoming a Military Nurse are likely to see parts of the world they never dreamt they would see.  While many Military Nurses are working and living overseas, even basic training offers cadets and trainees the opportunity to experience a different part of their country.
And then there are the long-term advantages.  For many that become a Military Nurse and make a commitment to several decades of service, they are able to retire by the age of 40.  For those that spend just a few years as a Military Nurse before entering the regular workforce, there are no student loans to pay, and many hospitals are eager to hire these health-care professionals who have a wealth of experience.

As more and more people move from rural settings to more urban areas, the need for qualified Nursing graduates is in ultra-high demand.
While healthcare in rural areas is good, specialized services usually necessitate a trip to a larger city that is in some cases hundreds of miles away.  For Nursing students that have recently finished their post high-school education, rural areas offer a great opportunity to learn in an environment that provides numerous opportunities to practice their craft.  Many of these rural areas are desperate to find quality nurses, and provide job seekers a great opportunity to get into their field and gain valuable experience before moving to a destination of their choice.
Nursing is a field that will always be needed.  People aren’t going to stop getting sick and qualified professionals will always be needed to care for the elderly, sick and frail.
In many poverty-stricken areas like Native American Indian Reservations, nurses are in short supply and desperately needed for the many who are suffering from long term, chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.  On many of these reservations, Tribal colleges began offering Nursing classes as a means just to keep up with the demand.  Although many of the Indian Health Services hire Native Americans, Nursing students from traditional colleges are always welcome and in some cases preferred.
Sometimes getting a good first job is the most important step that a career seeker will garner during their employment history.  For many that took up Nursing for their love of helping people, it can be frustrating to not get their dream job right out of college as bills and student loans come due.
A rural setting offers a great chance to get the Nursing students foot in the door, gain valuable experience and return to pursue that dream job that got them into Nursing in the first place.

If you’ve ever been to one of the many Indian Reservations in the United States, it quickly becomes apparent that healthcare and health related issues are at or near the top of most conversations.
It is well known that those from the Nursing field are desperately needed in rural areas, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that American Indian Reservations need’s for quality Nursing graduates is at an all time high as health problems worsen.
With a shortage of Nursing graduates applying for the many open jobs on these Reservations, many Tribes have begun certified nursing programs on the Tribal colleges of their own Reservations.   Most of the programs are two years in length, and give students a chance to focus on their studies before interning in a Indian Health Services Environment.  Before work can begin on a full-time basis, Nursing students must pass their Board exams just like they would do at an accredited college in a bigger city.
For those that live on these Indian Reservations, health problems are at an all time high.  Much of the populations of these areas suffer from Diabetes, Type II Diabetes and Heart Disease.  In many instances, these problems can be greatly reduced with early detection and proper diet and exercise.
Many of those working in the Nursing field on these Reservations, can expect to encounter patients that are resistant to change while stubbornly clinging to sacred tradition.  While the health problems are significant, the need is great.
For some Nursing students finding their first job out of college can be a challenge.  If you are one of these students that didn’t find their golden job right out of college, consider looking into more rural areas.  While the Native American Tribal colleges are producing quality Nursing graduates, the need for healthcare professionals in these locations will always be high.

When it comes time to deciding what you want to do with the rest of your work life, quality of life, money earnings capability and flexibility in schedule should be near the top of your list.       In most of these instances, Nursing provides an opportunity that will meet or exceed all of your expectations.
There is nothing worse than coming home from a long day at work doing something that you don’t love.  If you like helping people, making a difference and are not turned off my sick and cranky patients, then perhaps Nursing is for you. Nursing provides a career that is rewarding in so many ways.  When your day is done after a long day of helping people, you can go home knowing that you made a difference in someone’s life.
For those that enter the field of Nursing, earning a steady and sometimes good living is a distinct possibility.  While those in the financial world are experiencing volatility and loss of jobs, Nursing and other working in the health care field are wanted and needed as people continue to get sick.  Many nurses make well over $40k per year, and have the ability to make much more with additional and specialized training.  Having a career that pays well, will help you get your first house faster and earn money for those vacation and family items you’ve always dreamed of.
While those in the Nursing field may have to work long hours, many are working 12 hours per day for three days per week.  Imagine a week where you only have to work three days, and are able to run errands, go to your kid’s athletic events and spend quality time with your family four days a week.
For all of these reasons, Nursing continues to be a solid career choice.

Nursing Schools Vital Bridge for Nursing Students to Cross

Men and women considering a career in nursing have more options than ever before to choose from. This is true both as to the number of nursing school programs being offered, but also in the types of programs and learning models now available. If an individual desires the traditional experience of attending a school full-time, this is certainly still the most frequently chosen option. But for many, especially those who are choosing nursing as a second career, there are no shortage of innovative options to pick from. These range from taking classes part-time at a local community college to taking at least a portion of required classes online. There are also a large number of business college programs that offer nursing as a possible course load.

Nursing Schools Relying More on Technology

These are all positive developments, and are allowing a greater number of individuals than ever before to pursue a nursing career. In particular, the development and application of Internet-related courses and training tools has provided opportunities for nursing to advance at a lightning pace. Rather than being limited to a full-time, classroom-only experience, nursing students now have the freedom to acquire significant portions of their education without ever stepping into a classroom. This is helping to lower the costs of a nursing school education in a substantial way, while still maintaining the high standards that must be adhered to in order to train a qualified nursing workforce.

Education the Doorway to Nursing Excellence

From its earliest history, nursing has relied upon highly-educated professionals to carry out its mission and mandate. Although Florence Nightingale is most known for her nursing work in the heat of battle, in 1860 she also established the first private nursing school ever created. The goal then, as it is today, was to train nurses who could carry out their mission of healing with both professionalism and compassion. Assisting patients along the road to healing takes great tools and techniques. Most importantly, it takes an experienced nurse who instinctively knows what will bring about healing about.

It’s a little known fact that the idea to train nurses professionally without relating directly to the needs hospitals might have did not begin, at least in the United States, until the early 1920′s. In 1923 at Yale University, a school of nursing was established with a new curriculum and students were also required to fulfill all of the other academic standards then in place at the university. This created a practice that has continued to the present day; that of putting nursing students through all of the rigors of college coursework in addition to their also successfully completing nursing school. This has largely insured that students graduating have a meaningful process of preparation in place before they enter the workforce.

Advanced Programs in Nursing Education Have Impact

Roughly thirty years after Yale had established its innovative nursing program, Columbia College in New York City advanced the cause of nursing education yet further. They began offering a graduate program in nursing, allowing the motivated practitioner to obtain a master’s degree in the field. This was an important advancement in the history of nursing education. It promoted the philosophy of education as a critical factor in the preparation of an individual to enter the nursing profession, and it provided a roadmap for an individual to follow in order to become a significant force for good in the world of medical practice.

Choosing Career Objective is Key to Nursing Educational Goal

Almost a century later, the opportunity to receive an education in nursing is more available than ever before. Whether a student chooses a traditional program, online courses, or a continuing-ed path to becoming a practicing nurse, many choices are available to pursue this goal. At times it can be almost overwhelming to attempt to select a program that fits an individual’s needs. The first step is perhaps the simplest, but also the most important. It is to identify exactly what one’s goal is in their career, and to then define the path they must take to reach it.

Philosophy in Nursing Education Changing in New Century

For much of its history, nursing education has been focused more on practicality, rather than on philosophy. Although having an understanding of the history and principles undergirding nursing has always played a role, the primary objective of nursing schools has been to ensure that students graduating from a program be first and foremost trained in the practical roles of providing nursing care. In recent years, however, there has been a noticeable shift away from this approach, or at least an adjustment in the degree that practicality has been focused on.

New Approaches and Additions to Traditional Nursing Programs

In today’s fast-paced medical environment, nurse education programs are increasingly focusing not only on the practical skills a nurse will need in order to professionally and safely carry out their responsibilities, but also on such disciplines as research and interdisciplinary understanding of areas like mental health, social medicine, and religious faith. These and many other developments are allowing practicing nurses a new and exciting degree of innovation in the performance of their responsibilities. Never before has there been as much exciting and important advancements as there have been in the past two or three decades.

Nurses Now Considered an Essential Team Member to Promote Healing

Prior to this development, orthodox training was widely considered to be mandatory in order to ensure that a nurse entering the workforce was properly equipped with mission-critical capabilities. This was largely due to the notion that a nurse was merely a servant of the doctor and was expected to serve at their leisure. Now however, this model is clearly and widely considered to be outdated. In its place, nurses are now considered to be a central member of a medical team, with all components working in tandem toward the common objective of performing medical procedures that will promote healing and recovery. These are welcome and important advances. In addition to all of the other exciting improvements in medicine, technology and science, this change more than any other has radically altered the landscape of health care. And happily so.

Travel nursing agency services are becoming more popular these days, as many nurses want to travel to different cities and experience new cultures. Doing so is a great way for younger nurses to get the “travel bug” out of their system. These days many nurses do not want to travel once they get married and start families. Clearly, traveling a lot for children is destabilizing and not highly recommended, especially in their early years. With the divorce rate in the US as high as it is, it is not recommended that people go into marriages when they have many other interests (such as traveling) that both husband and wife cannot pursue together.

This is why travel nursing is a good place to begin for nurses who wish to travel the country. Placements can occur anywhere throughout the United States, and people learn actually how diverse the country is. From the far ends of conservative to liberal cities and culture, you can learn about how politics is affected by culture and geography.

One of the most valuable skills you learn through travel nursing programs is the variety of people whom you serve. When you have a broad range of experience in different parts of the country, you gain a confidence about the ability to treat and help anyone in need. You can better understand where people are coming from, including their values and beliefs that affect their medical treatment. The formal name for an academic study of such phenomena is called medical anthropology and medical sociology. Yet, a formal degree is not necessary. What matters is that you as a nurse have taken the time to learn about different people and how to best help them. Next time you feel the travel bug and want to go somewhere, think about travel nursing as a real option to consider.

Nurse-Midwife an Exciting Way to Serve People

Nurse-midwives make an important contribution in the birth and delivery of children, and are becoming an increasingly popular alternative to traditional hospital delivery rooms. Nurse-midwives must pass through a rigorous certification process in order to practice, and also must possess at least a Master’s Degree in Nursing or the equivalent certification. Typically, a Certified Nurse-Midwife receives training in both the fields of nursing and midwifery. This duel training provides a CNM with the level of experience and expertise their duties will demand in the event of an unforeseen complication during delivery. Although the services of a CNMs are generally used for pregnant woman who are expected to have a delivery free of complications, there is always the possibility of something happening that wasn’t planned for.

Duties of Nurse-Midwives Widely Varied and Extensive

The public perception of nurse-midwives is that they function almost solely as nurses during a pregnant woman’s labor and delivery. While this is certainly a critical role played by CNMs, it is by no means their only area of expertise. CNMs can be found practicing in hospitals and clinics, in birthing centers in addition to a patient’s home. They are also authorized to write prescriptions for certain medications as well as medical treatments, diagnostic tests, and various therapies and procedures. Depending on the state in which they are licensed, they are often also able to assist woman in many aspects of their personal healthcare, ranging from young women with puberty-related difficulties through to woman experiencing menopause. They are also often licensed to provide health-care services relating to childbirth and recovery.

Nurse-Midwife a Growing Force in Nursing Profession

Roughly ten years ago, less than 3% of all children born in the United States were delivered with the assistance of a Certified Nurse-Midwife. That number has grown dramatically in the most recent decade, and it is widely expected to continue increasing. Although there are many reasons cited for this, the one most commonly mentioned is the increased interest among woman to have an intimate, home-like environment for their children to be born in.

There are a myriad of different reasons as to why someone might choose a career in nursing. Unlike a medical doctor, who has the primary responsibility of diagnosing illness with the objective of employing techniques, therapies and medications that will promote healing, a nurse’s primary focus is on the patient themselves. In addition, nurses act as an important bridge between doctors and a patient’s family, making sure that family members understand different aspects of their loved one’s condition and prospects for recovery. In both instances, this leads to a nurse becoming very close to their patients and the ill person’s loved ones. This trusting relationship is perhaps one of the greatest rewards of a nursing career.

Many Reasons Given for Choosing a Career in Nursing

Many of the individuals who have chosen a career in nursing have been asked why they did so. Among the many reasons they give include the following common responses: Being able to advocate for someone’s welfare and health, acting as a teacher to both patients and to their families, having a chance to improve or even to help save lives, and the opportunity to build lasting relationships with other health-care professionals. All of these responses reflect a common theme; namely, that a career in nursing is one of the most exciting, rewarding and challenging jobs one could ever imagine.

Common Objective in Nursing Career Decision: Caring for Others

For these and other reasons, it is sometimes surprising to learn that there is such a critical shortage in the number of nurses now employed versus what is needed. Educators, health care organizations, and legislators are all actively working to try and reverse this trend. One possible reason for the shortfall may lie in the fact that the journey to become a certified nurse is of necessity an arduous and lengthy one. The standards must of course not be lowered. Only time will tell if enough nurses can enter the workforce to meet the needs of hospitals and patients, both now and in the future. Regardless, the need is critical.

Without the benefit of a crystal ball, the future of nursing world-wide is unknown. Predictions could certainly be made as to what it might look like in 25-50 years, but they would only be educated guesses. With all of the advancements in both medicine and technology, improvements in drugs, increasing life spans, and of course ongoing changes in health-care policies and health insurance programs, the only sure thing is that many changes are coming. It is also axiomatic that the face of nursing will also be changing, just as it has since Florence Nightingale first walked from bed to bed, her lantern held above her, in the 1850′s.

Technology a Major Factor in Advancements

One thing that is for certain is that technology will continue to play an ever-increasing role in both healthcare generally and in the nursing professions specifically. For example, numberless responsibilities that were once handled manually by nurses are now at least partially if not fully automated. These include such things as documentation and keeping patient records updated, bar codes on virtually every physical object used in a hospital for tracking purposes, voice-activated equipment, and even so-called “smart beds” that do a wide variety of monitoring that can be updated in real time.

Challenges Ahead, Resources Limited

These changes are also leading to an ever-increasing number of men who are joining the nursing workforce. It is believed that technology is playing a significant part in this development. These and many other advancements are also putting a strain on nursing schools and faculties. This in turn is also decreasing the available resources for paying the cost of nursing school. Clearly, there are many challenges ahead for all involved in the future of nursing. All who have a stake in this future are working hard to determine how best to solve these problems. Although there are many areas where debate and dialogue is vital to reaching acceptable solutions, there must also be a steady focus on the big picture: Making sure that the needs of patients and health care providers are met.

Nurses’ Roles Are Rapidly Changing in Health-care Today

The nurse of today has be both smarter and more flexible than ever before. The ever-increasing demands created by larger workloads, more complex ailments, and a greater discrepancy between available nurses versus the number needed are all factors leading to the rapid adaptation required among nurses. For example, nurses are frequently the first medical professional an ailing person comes in contact with, which means that initial contact is critical to determining what is wrong with them. In this initial contact a nurse is called upon to make an assessment of the patient and make determinations based on their best judgment. In this as in many other instances, a nurse quickly applies both scientific fact and personal experience to determine next steps.

Nurses Needed in More Places and Roles Than Ever Before

Nurses are also being found in many more settings than they once might have been placed. This includes such environments as schools, emergency rooms, work places, the military, nursing homes, and many many more. In all of these environments, nurses are regularly called upon to employ their many different and diverse skills on behalf of patients. They are also filling a greater variety of roles than any time previously. These include such things as nurse practitioners, community health nurses, clinical specialists, research nurses, nurse midwives, and nursing staff managers. Some nurses have even chosen to pursue the start of their own nursing practice or nurse-consulting services.

Benefits and Challenges of Nursing Are Many

Although there are many aspects of the future of nursing that are unclear, there is one part that will not change. That is the critical role that nurses will play in the health care system. There have been and will continue to be substantial debates about the role of medicine in our society today. Virtually all major news sources are daily filled with commentary and debate about the future of medicine. But in spite of this, the one constant will certainly be the valuable role that nurses will play in how successful our health care system will be.

Role of Nurses Ever More Diverse and More Critical

In spite of the seemingly never-ending debates over the future of health care, there is one absolute certainty: The role of nurses in health care can only become even more critical than it has been since the days of Florence Nightingale and before. Nurses are being called upon to do fulfill a widening diversity of roles and responsibilities while still carrying out their core activities relating to a patient’s healing. This is leading to a fervid and ongoing debate over how best to help nurses to balance all that is being asked of them.

Hospitals Increasingly Unable to Meet Needs of All

In part this is due to the nursing shortage, but it also is being influenced by many other factors. Hospitals are asking nurses to spend more and more time at their patient’s bedsides, meaning other providers must pick up the slack once managed by nursing staffs. The fact that hospital stays are also decreasing means that nurses must translate more and more data for a patient and their family, in order to be sure they will continue recovery at home instead of in a hospital bed as was previously the case. In addition to all of these adjustments, nurses are also being called upon to spend more time in both supervisory and administrative responsibilities.

Nursing Rapidly Changing, But Still Focused on the Essential

It is likely that hospitals will also be less and less able to meet all the demands being placed upon them. Nurses are not exempt from this. Instead of being able to be all things to all people, hospitals will eventually be able to care for only the most critically ill, with those dealing with less-serious ailments being sent to outpatient and other similar care facilities. Obviously, nurses will be needed in these environments just as much as they are needed in hospitals. Demand is far out-weighing supply, and this trend seems to be irreversible, at least for the foreseeable future. It must therefore become a higher priority for all stakeholders to work toward workable solutions.

Nursing Field More Critical Than Ever Before

At the beginning of a new century, the role of a nurse has become more critical than ever before. Not only do nurses need to be more skilled in a greater variety of ways than ever before, but they also provide an even greater service in their role as healers. As many doctors are almost overwhelmed with the patient load they are called upon to balance, nurses are now being asked in many instances to make up the difference between what a doctor does for a patient versus what they need in order to be made well. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on nurses, leading to a greater degree of stress in their profession than has ever been experienced previously.

Nurses Act as Consultants to Doctors and Patients

Nurses have also taken on a consulting role for doctors, providing them with critical information about a patient’s history and current state of health. In spite of the remarkable advances in technology as it relates to the medical field, there is still an old-fashioned need for nurses and doctors to speak face to face about the needs of an individual. In the 24 hour, 365 days a year medical world, nurses act as a bridge to fill in the gaps that technology cannot fill. In addition, they also are the best source of empathy to individual patients. This element is a critical factor in the healing process.

Exciting Alternatives to Traditional Nursing Careers

These are also exciting times for those considering alternatives to a traditional nursing career. For example, Military nursing is a very viable option to consider when deciding where to serve. Whether one chooses to receive training in the Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force, each branch of the military is highly regarded as a source of both training and career opportunities. Military Nurse Information and Education is easily found by searching the Internet, through speaking to a military recruiter, or by contacting someone you know in the field directly. It’s the perfect time to consider nursing as a career

Military Nursing Providing Exciting, New Career Opportunities

There are a significant number of advantages to the man or woman choosing to pursue a nursing career in the military. These range from substantial pay bonuses to a much wider degree of on-the-job training. There are also a wide variety of benefits that are unique to those trained and serving as a military nurse, including best in class benefits, many retirement benefit programs, and up to a month each year in paid vacation time. But perhaps most importantly, you’ll have the unique perspective as a military nurse of also being a soldier. This provides the nurse serving in the military with the ability to empathize with your patients as no other nurse could do. This empathy has been proven to be a critical aspect of the healing process for patients.

Research and Consulting Opportunities for Military Nurses

Another unique aspect of a career as a military nurse is the opportunities you’ll have for research and consulting. On the research side, military nurses have a tremendous opportunity to use cutting-edge, state of the art technology that is otherwise often not available to someone who works as a traditional nurse. This will likely be a decided advantage for the nurse who may eventually decide to enter the traditional nursing field. Military nurses also have unique opportunities to study in a wide range of medicine-related categories, giving them advancement potential. On the consulting side, military nurses also have the chance to work closely with highly-trained medical professionals to determine best practices for helping a patient to heal.

Greater Autonomy for Military Nurses

Military nurses also enjoy an autonomy unique to their profession. Because of the degree of training required in order to be certified as a military nurse, military nurses frequently are called upon to make important decisions as to a patient’s state as well as determining possible scenarios for recovery. Although it is true that being a nurse is a fulfilling opportunity for anyone serving in this capacity; having the chance to be a military nurse may be the best of both worlds.

Now is a Great Time to Consider a Military Nursing Career

It’s a little-known fact that Florence Nightingale actually only spent three years of her life serving as a nurse in the military. This proves how influential an opportunity this is for someone choosing a career as a military nurse. If this relatively short span of service garnered her so much rightly-deserved attention and accolades, clearly there is vital and fulfilling career possibilities for the man or woman considering a vocation as a nurse in the military. All four branches of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force) as well as the Coast Guard have significant and ongoing needs for highly-qualified, work-ready staff. Additionally, in spite of the stereotype that assumes most of those choosing a career in nursing are female, in the military close to a third of all active nurses employed in hospitals are male.

Financial Benefits of Military Nursing Career Can Be Very Healthy

The financial benefits of a military nursing career can be substantial. For example, a military nurse can often receive upfront bonuses of as much as $30,000, in addition to a competitive salary upon commencing employment. There is also the possibility of having up to $120,000 in nursing school loan reimbursement. This is typically paid out in $40,000 installments over a three-year period. There are also a significant list of benefits offered to the active-duty military nurse, including housing allowances, low or no-cost health and dental benefits, ample paid vacation days each year, and much, much more. If the financial aspect of a career in nursing is one of the factors you’re considering, then taking a serious look at the military should be considered a must-do.

Additional Opportunities Available to Military Nurses

In addition to all of the above reasons for considering a career as a military nurse, there are also unique opportunities available in the research, consulting, and specialization fields. Such things as drug research, critical care nursing, psychiatric or mental health nursing, OB/GYN care and many others are all avenues available for the military nurse to pursue as a career.

Constant and Growing Need for Nurses

For a number of years now, there has been an increasing and increasingly alarming need for nurses. This shortage has come about through a combination of attrition in the nursing field, the average age of active nurses steadily increasing, and a decrease in the overall number of men and women entering the nursing field. There has also been a growing concern over the demands and stresses being placed on nurses and the impact that this has on those active in the nursing profession. All this being said, there has also never been a better time than now to consider pursuing a career in the exciting field of nursing. This is true both for the traditional path to becoming a nurse, as well as for the much in-demand military nurse.

Great Reasons to Consider a Nursing Career

Here are some of the many reasons to consider a career in nursing. Many more could be listed.

1 – Great income: Although it’s certainly not all about the money, that is also a critical factor for someone considering a career. As a nurse, you can expect to be earning at least $50,000 immediately upon graduating, with the potential of earning $70,000 or better within just a few years.

2 – Job security: Nursing today is one of the most recession-resistant careers out there. Hospitals are desperate to find qualified staff, and once they’ve found someone good they work very hard at keeping them happy. There’s also the fact that people will always have ailments.

3 – Employment opportunities: As mentioned previously, there is a critical shortage of nurses that is expected to continue growing for the foreseeable future. Hospitals are aggressively recruiting from nursing schools, using incentives and signing bonuses to attract the best and brightest.

4 – Career satisfaction: There are not many professions that can provide more job satisfaction than can a career in nursing. Having the opportunity to positively impact someone’s life, or even in many cases to save or to preserve lives, is not something many people can say about their work.

Many Exciting Choices Available in the Nursing Field

Unlike a medical doctor, who can expect to spend a minimum of six years or more in medical school before he or she even begins their residency, the career professional that chooses nursing as a vocation can be in their chosen field and earning a significant income in as few as two years. Instead of adding to their student loans for endless years to come, a nurse can actually begin to pay them off. Even better, many hospitals offer some degree of loan payoff assistance to those who commit to long-term contracts, allowing a nurse to have that burden lifted even sooner. This is especially true of military hospitals and clinics. Nursing professionals also have the advantage of getting substantial on-the-job training immediately upon entering the work force. The demand on nurses is greater than it has ever been, especially with the critical shortage now in place in this important field. Now is the time to act.

Variety a Big Plus for the Nursing Profession

There are also innumerable opportunities to diversify your nursing career. These range from such things as choosing the hours and days of the week that you work, to focusing on an enormous range of specialties, including such fields as the military, research, consulting, OB/GYN, cancer recovery, hospice, and being a nurse midwife. These and many other sub-fields within nursing allow for ample freedom to choose a path that will be both financially and personally satisfying.

Military Nurse Information and Education Easily Available

Pursuing a nursing career in the military can be especially rewarding. Not only are the financial opportunities significant, but there are also a wide range of avenues to pursue that are not available in traditional nursing fields. These include such things as teaching, education, consulting, and research. Many who initially pursue a position as a military nurse as a bridge to ultimately becoming a nurse in a private or state hospital often end up choosing to stay in the military. There they have discovered the way of life is invigorating, demanding, and uniquely rewarding.

Nursing Provides Flexibility to Live Life

Of the virtually beyond number career choices available in the 21st century, few if any could be considered more flexible than that of a career in nursing. As a nurse, you have the opportunity to choose from all-but-limitless locations and settings in which to work. You can choose to work full-time, part-time, or even not at all during times where your family or education may need to take precedence over your own employment. Not to mention the tremendous variety of opportunities within the field of nursing itself. You can work in the very rewarding (financially and otherwise) field of military nursing. You can specialize in such areas as cancer care, labor & delivery, mental health, nurse midwife, among many many more.

Financial Benefits of a Nursing Career are Substantial

Flexibility isn’t the only reward available for choosing a nursing career. There is also the matter of money. As in, a good amount of it. Even for a nurse just out of nursing school, it is generally expected that the starting pay in most settings will be at least $50k or better annually. That figure can begin to rise within just a few years of employment. Additionally, many hospitals include some nursing school loan repayment assistance, which can make a huge difference in helping someone new to nursing get out from under what is often substantial debt. Benefits are also generally considered far above average.

The Greatest Rewards Don’t Come in an Envelope

With all this being said, the best reward of all is that which comes from seeing the impact that a nurse’s personal attention and skill can have on a patient. This ability to assist healing is, in the end, the most important of all the benefits of a nursing career. Not only does a nurse do a hundred little things on any given day, with any given patient, to promote their complete and rapid recovery, but they also can often be the difference maker between life and death. Talk about job satisfaction!

Nursing Career Choice Requires Research and Thought

Even a casual search of the Internet for information about a career in nursing can be overwhelming. There are literally tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of articles, stories, links, journals and websites devoted to this profession. One could easily spend countless hours in research alone. It becomes quickly apparent that a nursing career provides someone with literally hundreds of options to choose from. The process of deciding where to go for nursing school can also be a challenging one. The wise person will be sure to research as many of their options as possible, insuring that they’ll make the most informed decision possible.

Talking to a Trained Nurse a Great Way to Become Educated

Of the many available resources to investigate when considering nursing, perhaps the most valuable is speaking to someone already employed as a nurse. Talking with a man or woman who have gone through the rigors of nursing school, as well as the day-to-day challenges faced by every nurse, provides priceless perspective on what one might expect in their own career. It is also wise to request information from nursing schools that you might be considering applying to. Doing so will yield a sizable amount of information and resources to help you make the best decisions regarding your future. You’ll also have the benefit of discovering what the philosophy is for each nursing program, which can go a long way toward helping you to choose the school that is a good fit.

Internet an Excellent Resource for Researching a Nursing Career

The Internet is an excellent resource for information gathering about nursing. It can also be overwhelming. A good strategy might be to find two or three websites that offer a variety of insights and resources for you to delve more deeply into, rather than looking at dozens of websites and likely becoming overwhelmed and frustrated with information overload. The key is to work toward defining what it is that you are most interested in about nursing, and to then focus your research on that specific interest.

Military Need for Nurses Constant and Growing

When considering a career in nursing, one option that should always be included in your research is the military. The need for highly-skilled, seasoned nurses in a wide variety of specialties within the military has never been greater. It is also expected that this need will continue to expand for as far out as experts can project. There are many factors to consider when deciding whether becoming a military nurse is the right call.

Military Nursing a Unique Opportunity to Serve

First of all, it is helpful to define just what a military nurse does, and how it differs from a more traditional nursing career. A military nurse essentially does what any other nurse does, only within a military setting, both in peace and during war. Each branch of the military (Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force) have their own division of nurses. A military nurse can be classified in one or more of the following classifications during the course of their career: Active duty, reserves and eventually civilian employment. It is wise to do a great deal of research and considering of one’s options before making the commitment to military service. It isn’t for everyone. Some are better off taking a more traditional path. This being said, military nursing should be something you consider seriously.

Career in Military Nursing Both Challenging and Rewarding

There are also a significant number of different roles that a military nurse can fill during their work life. These cover the entire range of medical professions and specialties, and provide opportunity to either pursue general practice or a more advanced specialty. The freedom to choose is entirely based on what you desire in your career. It is also important to note the unique challenges associated with a military nursing career, which of course can include being stationed in a battle zone, thousands of miles from home and family. There is also a required period of active duty. But to those who choose this path, the rewards and experiences for growth seem to come everyday.

And while nobody is suggesting that you could get a doctorate of medicine online, going to college online can be a highly viable option if you are looking to break into the nursing profession. The problem that a lot of people have is that they keep holding on to an old-fashioned hang up about going to school online. While online professional training does not allow for the same level of networking as a real world school does, this is the only disadvantage. And as has been written about since before there was an Internet, there is one highly sizable advantage to distance learning.

The simple truth is, a lot of people can go to classes and be watched over by an instructor. This does not take all that much discipline to do. However, it takes a great deal of discipline to do something when there is absolutely nobody looking over your shoulder or giving you any kind of encouragement or placing any kind of demands on you. Anybody can study, take tests and absorb some knowledge when there is a physical presence reinforcing it. But when you are on your own, you learn a lot about yourself. Employers respect a work ethic.

Whenever something like the “War on Terror” is discussed, most people generally think of soldiers in harms way, fighting a distant war in countries thousands of miles away. Not nearly as often is there thought given to the fact that a significant support team is required to make sure that those soldiers are properly cared for as they go about their duties. Among the many who so nobly support these men and women warriors are those serving as military nurses. This profession is truly vital to the health of a nation’s fighting forces. Without their talented and compassionate care, it would literally be impossible for these soldiers to successfully fulfill their assigned missions. On a daily basis, military nurses face challenges and tests of their skills that a traditional nurse might not ever experience in their entire career.

Military Nurses Are There Both During and After Battle

Another vital role that military nurses fill is that of support during a soldier’s recovery and rehabilitation. The road to this can be long and often painful. In some cases, a soldier has lost a limb or has suffered some other permanent disability, putting them at the mercy of a skilled and caring professional who will be there for the long haul, not just during medical procedures. This is where a military nurse can shine. They have the unique perspective of also serving as a soldier, which endows them with an empathy for the predicament the injured soldier has been placed into.

Access to New Research and Technology Unique to Military Nursing

In addition to the invaluable contributions made by virtually everyone in the nursing profession, a military nurse has the unique opportunity to assist in the latest and greatest research in the medical field, as well as cutting-edge technology. This can become a significant advantage to someone in later stages of their career, as they can call upon this experience when competing for nursing positions outside of the military. Any one advantage can often be the one that makes all the difference.

Choosing a Nursing Career is the First Step to Adventure

In earlier times, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, many young girls were likely to answer that they wanted to be a nurse. This was perhaps a hold-over from previous ways of thinking, when nursing was largely a domain of woman, just as medical doctors were for the most part male. All that has changed in the last twenty-five years, and dramatically so. Now there are an ever-increasing number of men entering the nursing profession, just as there are, happily, a rising number of woman performing superbly in a wide range of positions as medical doctors. With old perceptions and prejudices melting happily away, a person is left with the opportunity to choose a career in either nursing or medicine based solely on what they are most passionate about.

Research and Education in Nursing Career is Critical

Not only is there an ever-increasing need for nurses to serve in hospitals and other “frontline” capacities, but there is also a pressing need for trained nursing professionals in the critical areas of nursing research and education. In research, nurses fill a vital role in providing data and real-world experience to enhance the value of the work that skilled researchers are involved in. Likewise, nursing educators bring their training and experience to bear in nursing classrooms, providing both instruction and role-modeling for young nurses in-training.

Nursing Mentors a Vital Part of Career Success

For a young person considering a career in nursing, it is important that they receive the best guidance possible as they choose the path they’ll follow to become a nurse. Living examples are especially helpful. Whether a person chooses to pursue a traditional nursing career, or instead opts for a future in military nursing or some other alternative nursing pursuit, they will need wise guides all along the roadway. Although the 21st century is more complex than ever before, the old-fashioned idea of having a wise friend with a listening ear and a helpful hand is as important to a successful nursing career as ever.

Nursing School at Cutting Edge of Technology Today

In the last quarter-century, advances in medical science have truly been astounding. Employing the potent combination of startling scientific discoveries in tandem with remarkable improvements in both computing speed and capability, doctors and nurses are being empowered with tools that were considered science-fiction within the last one hundred years. In turn, this has placed ever-greater emphasis on the critical role that nursing schools play in the education of a nurse prior to beginning their career of caring.

Demand for Skilled, Well-Educated Nurses Ever-increasing

In combination with the the increase in life span, the demands being placed on these caring, professional health practitioners are constantly increasing. Among the many challenges they face is the daunting reality that the gap between available nursing staffs and the demand for more is continuing to widen. Legislation has been passed, and more is sure to follow, attempting to identity ways to motivate a greater number of men and women to consider nursing as a career. Regardless of what is attempted, anyone pursuing such a career path will of necessity first experience the rigors of nursing school to insure they are qualified to serve.

Nursing Focus Must Be on Effectiveness First, Efficiency Second

Nursing is a very satisfying field to those who feel it beckoning to them. Not only is the nurse available to a family during one of the happiest times in their life, the birth of a new baby, but they also are there to comfort them during one of the most traumatic times, which is the death of a loved one. This may not seem like a benefit to many people, but when a group of nurses were polled, they felt that being a comfort to people in a time of sorrow was one of the greatest gifts their job gave them. One nurse tells of how she used to hand out prepaid credit cards to new fathers in her ward. They only had a few dollars on them, but after years of working in the maternity ward she noticed that these new fathers rushed out of the house with their wives in labor forgetting their wallets and change.

The hospital is not the only place for a nurse. Nurses are also needed on the battlefield, in private homes, schools, and as teachers. There is a place for every personality type in the nursing field.

History of Nursing A Legacy of Caring

Many think of Florence Nightingale, and rightly so, when asked what they know about the history of nursing. Nightingale’s most important contribution, or at the least her most widely-known, came in 1854, during the Crimean War. With a staff of 38 other volunteer woman nurses, she went to Turkey and there attempted to provide a measure of hope to the thousands of wounded and dying solders. It was during this effort that she was nicknamed “The Lady with the Lamp,” due to her frequent practice of attending the wounded in the dark hours of the night. Nightingale would go on to establish her own nursing school in 1860, the first private institution ever created to teach the practice of nursing. Her example set a standard that is still aspired to today.

Others Made Important Contribution to Nursing History

Although Florence Nightingale is widely considered to be the most well-known historical figure related to nursing, there are many others that made an equally important contribution. For example, a 18th-century slave by the name of James Derham was ultimately able to purchase his own freedom from income he had earned as a nurse. Interestingly, it wasn’t until Florence Nightingale and others had established their nursing schools that it was understood that an education as a nurse could be gained in a manner other than through an apprenticeship. In today’s world, nursing education is widely available and is very rigorous. Someone who sets out to receive training as a nurse can expect a minimum of 4 to 6 years of schooling before employment.

Nursing Education Critical to Nursing’s Future

At the dawn of the 21st century, it is clear that the demand for highly-trained, experienced nurses is only to increase. It is estimated that the shortage of nurses will soon approach over 800,000. This has all the makings of a crisis. There are now and will continue to be ongoing debates in the halls of congress and academia as to what can be done to meet the need for nurses within the health care system.

If you yourself are thinking about going into the field, then you might want to keep some things in mind. As the field grows and expands so do the changes in the field and what your job description will be. So by keeping in mind a few sound pieces of advice you can make sure that the next 25 years of your career go as smoothly as your decision was to go into it in the first place.

Be outfitted – A home health nurse should have all the basic tools of the trade. Some hospitals you are affiliated with can outfit you with the tools of the trade but if not, then you may have to purchase them yourself. These things include but are not limited to a blood pressure monitor, blood glucose monitor, tape, scissors, gauze, stethoscope, as well as a pulse oximeter. These are staples of a good home health nurse and will serve you well as you start your new career.

Have Good Wheels – A good car that gets good gas mileage and is less likely to break down could mean the difference between keeping your job and losing it. You will be spending the majority of your day traveling from place to place and unless you work down south or on the west coast you run the risk of being involved in bad weather and that could be very tough for your work. So get a car that won’t make you late and you’ll be ready for your new profession.

Would you be interested in a career where you could expect to receive a sign-on bonus of $20-30 thousand, a competitive salary, school loan repayments of up to $120,000, 30 days paid leave a year, life insurance, dental insurance, and health insurance — plus good retirement benefits? If this sounds good, then look into military nursing.

Every branch of the US military needs medical staff, which means that in addition to all of the above, you could do some traveling and see some areas of the world you might never see otherwise. As long as you are a US citizen, have a registered nursing license and are over 21, you can become a military nurse — male or female. Here’s a quick run- down of the main military nursing careers.

Army Nursing

Become one of the almost 3500 active duty Army Nurse Corps nurses if you like the idea of working in the field, going overseas or working on a military base in the US. If you choose to go through the army ROTC program, you can start your nursing career as an officer. After a year of on the job training, you can choose from one of four specialized areas: OB-GYN, Preoperative, ICU, and Psychiatric.

Air Force Nursing

As a member of the US Air Force Medical Service, you can choose from one of 6 nursing fields: Women’s Medical Specialist Corps, Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Veterinary Corps, Medical Service Corps and Air Force Nurse Corps. You’ll need a BA in nursing to join the Air Force nurse corps because all nurses in the corps are commissioned officers.

Navy Nurse Corps

To become a Navy nurse, you have to be enrolled in an accredited BA nursing program when you sign up because all nurses in the navy nursing division hold the rank of ensign or higher. Once you sign on to become a Navy nurse, you can receive a monthly stipend after your sophomore year of $1000. After college, you can start your career by working on a Navy ship or at a naval hospital.

As a nurse, chances are you work long hours every day and don’t have time for other things – like traveling. Travel nursing can combine work time and play time into one adventuresome job – that just happens to pay very well. There are both good and bad aspects to travel nursing, so be sure to do your research to see if it might be right for you.

One good point is the ability to literally choose anywhere that you would like to visit – and go work there. Most of the jobs last for 13 weeks and all nursing specialties can work as a travel nurse — though you need to have at least a year of recent experience in your field.

The pay and bonuses are very good, but vary from region to region. The benefits are also excellent and cover housing expense, health insurance, professional insurance, and 401(k). Most agencies are starting to offer a completion bonus and a loyalty bonus if you stick with jobs from just their agency. Travel expenses are included, as are license reimbursement expenses. Housing options can range from an apartment close to work, to a recreational vehicle that you can call home and move from job to job.

All of these sound like the good points, so if there is a bad side, what is it?

Some people like to travel, but think having to move into new housing all the time is stressful. It might help to have a cozy RV, as mentioned above, to provide a “constant” in your life – if you like RV life.

If you have a hard time making new friends, having new neighbors all the time could be difficult. Another negative point for some people is having a new contract – and new pay structure – every three months. This can affect your budget in a big way. Another potential negative point is having to worry about where your next job will be. If you work for an agency, you can have a management secretary who will locate your next job for you.

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The Peace Corps volunteers live and work with people in the poorer areas of the world, helping to improve their communities, promote peace and show the good side of Americans. While living and working in another country, you’ll have the chance to get to know the people, experience their culture and see another environment – often one that is very foreign to most Americans — all on a first hand basis.

Some of the areas in the world served by the Peace Corps include Africa, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe and Asia. The interesting thing about the Peace Corps is that they accept almost anyone who wants to volunteer – even if that person has a chronic health problem like diabetes or heart disease. Seeing to the medical needs of some 7000 volunteers is the business of a Peace Corp Nurse.

A Peace Corp nurse screens volunteers before they are accepted and handles emergencies both in the field and at a facility in Washington D.C. It’s the Peace Corps Nurse’s job to make sure the volunteers stay healthy and able to do their work overseas. When volunteers become sick, they come to the facility, receive treatment and care from a Peace Corps Nurse, then return to service as soon as possible.

In the field, duties include evaluating and setting up health care facilities, diagnosing and treating disease, dispensing vaccinations and dealing with injuries that require hospitalization. Nurses work in clinics or as educators — teaching the local populace about healthy living.

As a Peace Corps nurse with a one year contract , you’ll receive benefits like airfare, storage for your possessions while you are overseas, an allowance of $6,000, dental and medical care, 2 days a month vacation and the experience of living in a country somewhere in the world that really needs your help.

Peace Corps nursing is definitely not for every nurse. But many nurses feel it gives them a chance to work in an area where their expertise is truly needed — and appreciated — and that the experience has enhanced their careers in an eye-opening way.

Back in the early part of this century, women could aspire to get married, become a secretary or become a nurse. Because of that limited way of thinking, in the 60s and 70s nursing fell out of favor among young people deciding what career they would like to pursue once out of college or high school.

As the “boomer” generation in the US continues to grow older, there is more of a demand for nurses than ever before and nursing once again offers a good career choice for people – both men and women — looking for a satisfying job that can also make a difference.

Studies show that 1.7 million registered nurses will be needed in the US by 2020 — and nowhere near that many people are currently choosing nursing as a career. Which means if you have a four year college degree in nursing, you can expect to be employed in a field with one of the highest paid starting salaries available — and if you choose to further your education by specializing in one of the many nursing fields, you can expect to earn much more.

You can custom design your nursing career around your interests and talents; work for a private physician, work in a hospital’s emergency room, or become a military nurse and travel around the world. You can work with children and newborns, or visit and care for in-home patients, work for a forensic research team or work with the Red Cross as an international nurse. These suggestions don’t even begin to scratch the surface of what is available, so it’s really all up to you.

Becoming a nurse means accepting a high degree of responsibility. Nurses are often the first to recognize an emergency situation and deal with it until the doctor arrives. That in turn will require a lot of work and dedication to acquire a nursing degree. But for all of that work and dedication, you will step into a satisfying career that will guarantee that you will be in a position to make a real difference in your patient’s lives.