International Nurses Association

First, let's start off by acknowledging that all nurses are heroes on a daily basis.   These are situations that bring a nurse into the spotlight for her heroism, but again, every nurse is a hero. Just ask their patients. Here are examples of renowned heroes in nursing.   Collapsed Parking Garage It was a normal day: Shoppers, workers, tourists were all out on a busy Thursday, and parked in a 4 level parking garage.   Sophia was an off duty nurse that was doing some shopping and was in a hurry to get back home and enjoy her off day.   She was putting packages in her car when she heard what sounded like an explosion.   A moment later concrete began to fall, and in seconds Sophia went from the 4th floor to the basement level.   She had literally collapsed with the building, but was surprisingly not unconscious.   She was however in pitch black, with a broken ankle and a broken arm.   She was also not alone; a pregnant woman was crying for help.   The pregnant woman

You may have the sweetest patient in the world, a nice elderly woman that looks like she could not get angry if she tried.   However, bring up physical therapy following a broken bone, and that sweet patient can become your worst enemy.    Seniors and Physical Therapy You have to see things from an older person’s perspective, they are older, and it was most likely a fall that created their injury in the first place.   Follow that up by asking them to do exercises that hurt, and seem pointless to them, and you have the makings for a cantankerous patient.   One way to help may be to offer encouragement without sounding demanding.   In most cases the doctor will order physical therapy for the patient, and then of course it falls on you, as the nurse to encourage the patient to be cooperative.   In these situations, baby steps may be the best approach.   Ask your patient to attempt to do the recommended exercises for just a few minutes, and try to increase that time a little eac

It's not always easy working full time, having responsibilities, and having a social life, but it is possible.   You know better than anyone that nurses are busy, often working long hours with exhausting shifts. It can be a challenge to put work aside and find some “me” time.   Related: Working with Stroke Patients   Organization It may seem that taking time out to organize is using up even more precious time; however you will find out, it pays off in the long run.   Take one off day, and organize, just to see how it works over the following month. Organize scrubs- a little work in the closet can save a lot of time when getting ready for work. Hang scrub tops with matching pants to make it easy to grab in a hurry. Make sure everything in the closet is organized and accessible, including shoes. If you’re not using organizing apps take a couple hours to learn about the latest ones. There are calendar apps with combined reminders, and to do lists. These are great f

What is a typical Saturday night in a busy hospital emergency room like?   Well, that is more or less a rhetorical question, because there actually is no typical Saturday night in a busy emergency room.   Some things stay the same, even some patients are the same, but everything typical?   Never!   Related: 5 Questions to ask your Interviewer 7:00 p.m.- an auto accident involving a car and a motorcycle was called into the ER.   The driver of the car had only minor injuries, however the motorcycle driver was very bad off.   Upon arrival, this 38 year old patient had multiple injuries, including a severe injury to his right leg.   He was unconscious, and doctors advised family members he would be going to surgery.   Two hours into surgery doctors advised the family that the patient would lose his right leg from the lower thigh down, and that they were still operating and attempting to stabilize.   At 4:00 a.m. the family was told the patient was, out of surgery, howe