It’s the $64,000 question. What is happening with the job market for nursing in the United States? Staff Nurses According to Salary.com, staff nurses can make an average of about $66,500 per year. Per O*Net (which is run under the auspices of the United States Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration), there are over 2.7 million staff nurses in America, and projected growth for his decade is predicted to be faster than average (20% to 28%), while there are to… Continue reading
Category Archives: Nursing Jobs
Living and Working as a Nurse in Charlotte
A charming older city in the southern United States, Charlotte is home to some very fine hospitals. Some of the best nursing jobs in Charlotte can be found at Carolinas Medical Center, Presbyterian Hospital and Gaston Memorial Hospital, which are all well-rated by US News and World Report, and have several high-performing specialties. Many Charlotte area nursing jobs are in hospitals located within a reasonable driving distance, including Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, Rankin Women’s Medical Center, and Mecklenburg Radiology.… Continue reading
Living and Working as a Nurse in Philadelphia
One of the most historically fascinating cities in the United States, Philadelphia is home to some of the best hospitals in the country. Some of the best nursing jobs in Philadelphia can be found at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital, Albert Einstein Medical Center and Fox Chase Cancer Center, which are all well-rated by US News and World Report, and all have high-ranking specialties. Many Philadelphia nursing jobs are in hospitals located… Continue reading
Living and Working as a Nurse in Boston
One of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston is home to some of the best hospitals in the country. Some of the best nursing jobs in Boston can be found at Massachusetts General, Brigham & Women’s, Beth Israel Deaconess, the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, New England Baptist Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which are all well-rated by US News and World Report, and all are ranked #1 in the United States in at least one specialty by… Continue reading
How to Successfully Interview for a Nursing Position
Whether you are a new grad interviewing for your first position or a seasoned nurse with years of experience, interviewing for a new job can be a nerve-racking experience. When there is a lot of hope riding on the outcome of an interview, we are often emotionally invested in the interview process. It is natural to experience some anticipatory anxiety. And when it comes to anxiety, the best offense is a best defense. By putting forth time and effort to… Continue reading
What is a Magnet Hospital?
You may have heard of Magnet hospitals; you may even be fortunate enough to work in one. For those of you who may not be familiar with Magnet designation, here is why the distinction matters. What is the Magnet Recognition Program? The Magnet Recognition Program was created by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to distinguish nursing excellence, innovation and quality patient care. Organizations applying for this coveted status must undergo rigorous examination before being awarded this prestigious designation. What… Continue reading
Creating a Culture of Health
Nurses, like everyone else, are subject to health problems. In fact, they may be more prone to health problems, given their long hours, shift work, odd eating patterns and high stress levels. According to an article from Nurse.com, many healthcare institutions are searching for ways to improve the health of their employees, not just because they care about the well-being of their staff members, but also because it makes financial sense to do so. It has been estimated that… Continue reading
Staffing Levels and Patient Risk
Higher nurse workloads due to inadequate staffing have a direct impact on patient outcomes after surgery, a new study has found. The large-scale study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing showed that higher nurse workloads negatively impacted all patients, but interestingly, older black patients were three times more likely than older white patients to suffer poorer outcomes after surgery, including death. Over a 5:1 patient-to-nurse ration, the odds of patient death increased by 3 percent per additional… Continue reading
Nurse-to-Patient Ratios and Penalties
California has a strict nurse-to-patient ratio law, but since there haven’t really been any penalties for failing to adhere to it, the law has been hard to enforce. A measure to give the department of public health more authority to crack down on hospitals that don’t obey the law has been vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown, according to this article in the Sacramento Business Journal. The measure was called Senate Bill 1246 and was proposed by Sen. Ed Hernandez,… Continue reading
Strategies to Improve Medication Safety
Consider the following scenario: It is a typical busy morning on the ward. The unit is full to capacity. One of the nurses called in sick prior to the beginning of the shift, and thus far no replacement has been found. The other nurses have had to pick up the slack, increasing their patient load by two patients each. They are unhappy about this turn of events and are madly scrambling to meet the needs of their patients. They are… Continue reading