Welcome to the ShiftMed blog where we discuss everything nursing, from professional insights to healthcare holidays to helpful hints for working with us.
It's no secret that the supply of nurses isn't keeping up with demand. While hospitals may have limited influence over the nursing school bottlenecks that restrict the flow of new nurses into the profession, they can take meaningful steps to retain their current nursing staff and prevent premature retirements. One such step is incorporating innovative staffing flexibility models into their operations.
Are you participating in a mentorship? Studies show that having a mentor increases job satisfaction, decreases burnout, and opens doors to career opportunities and promotions. Who wouldn't want a nurse mentor who provides support, goes out for coffee, and serves as a personal cheerleader?
As a society, we've become immune to how vaccinations have improved our world. It wasn't until I went to a third-world country in the late 1980s that I saw the effect of polio, cholera, and tuberculosis—diseases we seldom think about in North America.
As the International Day of Friendship (July 30) approaches, let's all take a moment to celebrate the incredible bonds between nurses. Nurse besties bring the knowledge, support, motivation, and fun that make nursing not just a profession but a lifelong adventure.
Did you know that mentorship and success are linked? Steve Jobs mentored Mark Zuckerberg, the mastermind behind Facebook. Michelle Robinson (Obama) mentored Barack Obama at a summer job in a law firm. Florence Nightingale mentored Rachel Williams, who founded a nursing school in 1877.
Before you blow over this post thinking it’s not for you—think again. While you might not live or work in Hurricane Alley, are you sure you have nothing to worry about? Never say never because the only hurricane I’ve experienced came farther inland than anyone ever thought possible.
I've experienced heat-related illnesses with patients on opposite ends of the spectrum. I worked as a critical care nurse in an intensive care unit (ICU) for 14 years. During the summer, we often admitted one or more heat stroke victims. Usually, these were young military men doing intensive training exercises during the heat of the day.
