Populations with unrestricted access to the benefits of society will have better outcomes than those with restricted or no access to benefits, regardless of the contributions and efforts of each group. Actions can be taken by the nurses on the personal, community, and national levels with the intent of creating a more equitable distribution of healthcare resources for rural Americans. 

 Here in the United States, we’re experiencing the “Dog Days of Summer”. As the heat and humidity persist, many of us have no tolerance for poly-blend scrubs and running our butts off for half the day. Sadly, quitting a job from May to October just isn’t realistic for most of us. That in mind, let’s talk about some more ways all you fellow sweaty nurses can make it through these final hot weeks of the year. 

I asked my pal and graduate student, Brad, what school supplies he felt were essential for nursing students. He replied “books, a binder and a pen”. Clearly he doesn’t have the love for office supplies and organization that I do, so we’re going to leave him out of this conversation for now.

In this little ramble from Adrianne, she confesses to some bad behavior and vows to make it right.

National Nurses Week will take place May 6-12, 2019 . It’s a great time to show the nurses in your life how much you appreciate all the things they do to improve the lives and health of others. While the gifts we really want are adequate staffing and a violence-free workplace, we also appreciate the smaller gifts ranging from beautiful gestures to helpful gadgets. Here are 25 ideas.

It took me a long time to design my perfect get-ready-routine, but I’ve learned through trial and error what makes me feel good and what doesn’t. I encourage and of you newbies, or any healthcare worker to pull any steps I’ve laid out that may smooth out those pre-work hours. As your shifts roll on, pay attention to what things have the most lasting positive effect on your work and dump anything that doesn’t.

I got a question from a listener about this and wanted to share it here for the students and newbies who may be having the same problem.

Q:  How do you hear breath sounds with the noise of the room? I have a hard time hearing anything at all and I'm afraid I'm going to miss something.

While I love spontaneity as much as the next person, I am very much a creature of habit. This is especially true during the hours before I show up for a 12-hour shift and the hours after. Here’s a step-by-step rundown of what I do before each shift.

This list contains items I either already use in my self-care regimen, or have on my Amazon wish list. Please check them out and to share your own favorites with me. I’m always on the hunt.

Well, folks, Christmas is just around the corner but it’s not too late to buy your favorite nurse an interesting, useful, or fun gift. Today I’m going to let you in on my Top 20 Favorite Gifts for Nurses from Amazon.

Year round, I get so hot when I'm at work, I can't stand it. I'm always on the move, turning patients, running for bed alarms, lifting, bending....and sweating! Others have told me they have a similar problem and are tired of looking gross and smelling bad after only an hour on shift.

So I have a few tips for all of you sweaty nurses.

 I'm a bit of an app hoarder, yet I only keep those that are actually helpful or entertaining in my day-day-to-day life. Needless to say, that's still a lot of apps. These are the 20 iOS apps that I find the most helpful and recommend for any college student, nursing or otherwise.

This episode is the first in a three-part series of Adrianne's favorite nursing-related iOS apps. Here she breaks down the first 9, in no particular order (actually just the order they happen to be in on her phone). She'll outline the perks, general cost and try to convince you that you need them, too. 

If you're an incoming nursing student, you probably already know the benefits of working ahead. Here are some things you should think about while sitting by the pool or hiding in the AC between now and August.

Pet Peeves. We all have them. They're things that happen on  long hospital shift that just dance on your last nerve.  Venting in a safe space (without violating HIPAA) is therapeutic for many of us and some peoples' pet peeves are hilarious.

I just came across a question in a nursing Facebook group and I had a strong enough opinion that I decided to type up a quick reply. It ended up being a short novel, but I felt good about what I said and wanted to share.

You know the shifts I mean. The second you step onto your unit, you can tell that this -ish is bananas.

AAHHHH! It's all happening!

 To someone who's lived 60 or 80 years, I must look like I belong outside playing hopscotch.  So how do you get adult and geriatric patients to put their faith in your young, capable hands? I've got a few tips that have helped me out in these situations. Hear me out, guys.

I’ve grown by leaps and bounds in the last 12 months, but there’s still an unmeasurable amount left to do and learn as I move forward. That's true of any nurse.

So Cheers to the future! My sights are on growing through my 2nd year with grace and patience.