Virtual nursing is a modern healthcare approach that leverages technology to support bedside nurses and improve patient care. This model addresses the growing shortage of physical nurses by providing a solution that enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the healthcare system. What is Virtual Nursing? Virtual nursing involves experienced nurses operating remotely, using advanced communication and information technology to interact with patients and healthcare teams. This concept is an extension of telehealth, which became more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual nurses, typically stationed in a command center, use tools like wall-mounted cameras, speakers, and large-screen monitors to communicate with patients in real time. Why Do We Need Virtual Nursing? The need for virtual nursing arises from several factors: Nursing Shortages: The healthcare industry faces significant staffing challenges, with an increasing demand for nurses, especially in rural a [...]

The nursing profession has long faced challenges, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified these issues. Staffing shortages and heavy workloads are causing severe burnout among nurses. A 2022 survey by the American Nurses Foundation found that 75% of nurses felt stressed, frustrated, or exhausted. Over half of these nurses were considering leaving their jobs. Sadly, there's no sign of improvement. The shortage of nurses has been a persistent issue, becoming more evident after the pandemic. Between 2020 and 2021, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported that over 100,000 nurses left the profession. As more nurses leave, those remaining face increasing patient loads, leading to more burnout and putting patient safety at risk. Research shows that each additional patient per nurse increases the in-hospital mortality rate by 19%. The "Silver Tsunami" Effect The aging baby boomer generation will need more healthcare while also contributing to the nursing shortage. By 2030, [...]

If you are gearing up to take the NCLEX exam and you are looking for free resources to help you with your study, you have come to the right place. Don't let NCLEX prep break the bank! While comprehensive courses and study materials exist, they can be costly. Here's the good news: there's a wealth of free resources available to help you excel on the NCLEX. These resources come in various forms. Fellow nursing students, passionate about sharing knowledge, have created valuable study tools like online guides and practice questions. You can also take advantage of demo versions offered by paid NCLEX review programs to get a taste of their structure and content. To save you time, we've searched for these free resources and compiled them here for easy access. Each listing includes a brief description and a web address. We plan to continually update this page with new resources as we discover them. Bookmark this page for future reference. If you know of any additional free study m [...]

Preparing for the NCLEX exam is something that every nursing student must take seriously. This is not a simple little test that has some cutesy true and false; it is a comprehensive exam that will test your knowledge and assessment skills to the limits. You will need to be able to integrate nursing processes through ascertaining the cognitive ability and needs of your patients. Whether it's psychosocial integrity, health promotion, and maintenance, or physiological integrity — you've got to know the difference and rightly apply it in every patient scenario that you are presented with. As much as your instructors have prepared you for this test throughout your nursing school years, it is strongly recommended that each nursing school graduate uses an additional post-school program to help them prepare for the NCLEX exam. These tests are worded slightly differently than you may be used to seeing on your school's exams, and this benefit can be the key for you. This article will help [...]

Nursing jobs offer job security, prestige, personal satisfaction, and excellent wages and benefit packages. The nursing profession needs quality nurses, and that translates to educated nurses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a nursing shortage through 2020. A gallop poll survey ranked nurses as “the most trusted profession for 15 years in a row.”  Jobs are plentiful as nurses work in every state, city, and town in a wide variety of roles earning good wages and excellent benefits. Also, nurses have the incredible satisfaction of saving and changing patient’s lives. The Nursing Profession Needs Educated Nurses There is a nationwide campaign for nurses to achieve higher education. Studies show that patient outcomes improve dramatically when the bulk of the nursing workforce is BSN-prepared. Some hospitals may require baccalaureate degrees and some states are mandating BSN in 10 programs. Advanced nursing education to BSN and beyond is becoming the norm and quality edu [...]

The field of Nursing is very noble profession that can offer you countless doors of opportunities whether it is at hospitals, the army, cruise lines, airlines, and guess what? Even in the showbiz! But the focus of this post is not how you can get into showbiz as a nurse rather to tell you about your everyday celebrities who used to be a nurse before they became famous as an artist. Kim Zolciak Kimberleigh “Kim” Zolciak is an American TV personality who first appeared in reality television series The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She is also known for her hit single country album Tardy for the Wedding in 2009. This housewife of Italian descent studied nursing at the University of Connecticut and graduated in 1996 as a Licensed Practical Nurse. Jenny McCarthy Jenny is an actress, host, and model we currently catch at television shows such as the very well known “The view”&“Extreme Makeover Home Edition”. She has also appeared in hit movies such as “Scary Movie 3” and “Santa B [...]

Soldiers were not the only heroes of the First World War, there were hundreds of inspirational women truly devoted to their cause...not the taking of lives, but the saving of lives – the brave nurses of World War I. Between the years of 1914 and 1919, war raged throughout the world, resulting in over 37 million casualties – 20 million of which were wounded and an estimated 17 million killed. It was one of the deadliest wars is human history, yet there were some brave women who risked becoming one of these casualties, to help preserve and save human life. Nurses throughout the First World War, eased the pain, and treat the wounds of a constant stream of soldiers as bombs exploded around them, with enemy fire never to far away. These women not only overcame barrages of enemy fire and the threat of capture, but also great prejudice to give their service to their country and the soldiers who fought for them. These are some of the most heroic and inspirational nurses of WWI.  Edith C [...]

Obtaining your BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) will open many doors in your nursing career. A BSN makes nurses more attractive to employers who prefer candidates with advanced education. Many nurses, after working the floors for years, experience burnout and seek a change of pace. With a BSN, transitioning into management is possible, a role that is highly respected and often accompanied by a significant salary increase. You'll earn respect from colleagues and develop leadership skills. An ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) provides students with the fundamentals of nursing, including care plan development and basic nursing skills. A BSN, however, encourages more innovative thinking through credible research, leadership training, theory, and public health knowledge, enhancing critical thinking skills that improve patient safety and everyday nursing practices, thereby reducing the risk of critical errors. It is advisable to pursue a BSN directly after high school. However, ma [...]

Ethics is the study of practical reasoning. Nurses face ethical dilemmas on a daily basis. Ethical behavior is determined by many factors. What one person considers ethical may be vastly different from a person approaching a situation with a different point of view. The word ethics is derived from the Greek word for character. Nurses are charged with using ethical concepts in their delivery of patient care. Ethical concepts include providing care which is good, correct, and rational. Patients need to be provided opportunities to express their freedom of choice in procuring services and determining how they want to be cared for. The ethical nurse recognizes that he or she is obligated to provide individualized care which will assist the patient reach and/ or maintain his or her highest level of wellbeing. Ethical nursing care is based upon rational science and decision making. There are four core concepts which are essential to a professional nursing practice. They are respect fo [...]

Recent statistics and news stories lead people to believe that there is no current nursing shortage. Nothing could be further from the truth.  I say this despite having friends who have been unable to find employment as nurses. New graduates are frustrated since employers are not hiring. Nurses in the workforce are frustrated due to working without enough staff. All statisticians agree that the nursing workforce is aging. At least one million nurses will be retiring within the next ten years. In addition, as baby boomers age, the need for nurses will increase dramatically. However, at this time, health care organizations are feeling a budget crunch. Nurses are needed, but positions are not being filled due to financial setbacks and fears. When jobs are posted, employers seek to hire experienced nurses as new graduates take longer to orient. Orientation of new graduates is costly. What can a nursing student or new grad do to increase the chances of getting hired? B [...]

Many young people want to experience a career for a day or more before deciding to dedicate years of studying in college. That’s what a shadow a nurse program is all about, experiencing the career of nursing for a short time to see if it’s right for you.These types of programs are usually offered to high school students during their senior year. If you are not a high school student and would like to participate in this program, call the human resources department at your local hospital and inquire if they can arrange for you to shadow a nurse. Most hospitals are happy to oblige, since nurses are always needed and will be in more demand as years go by. A day in the life of a nurse is a busy one. Shadow a nurse programs allow prospective nursing students to really see what nursing is all about. Hollywood tends to glamourize nursing as women and men with hair and makeup in place, as they’re portrayed taking care of the most challenging medical cases. Nursing is far from that. It’ hard [...]

Are you an older adult stuck in a dead end job wondering why you have not made a step towards your future? You are never too old to become a nurse. Nursing has increasingly become a high interest for older adults who are interested in making a career change. Do not delay your career advancement, now is the right time to go back to school. Why Nursing? Job security is a frightening topic these days. Nursing is a field of high demand. You do not have to fret about finding and holding onto your job when you are a nurse. People are always going to get sick, have babies, need school nurses, camp nurses, and more. Nursing is always changing so if you want to keep your mind sharp, nursing is for you. The pay is not too bad for even the entry level nurse. Most nurses with RN license are making, depending on the location of the job and the type of healthcare facility, between $52,000 and $75,000. There are nurses who make much more by advancing their education to an MSN degree. Most n [...]

There are several things you need to think about when determining where to get your nursing education. The obvious choice would be your local community college. But one thing you will want to check out is how their graduates do when taking the test for their license. This should be fairly easy to find out. Call the college and they should be able to tell you or better yet you can find it here on our nursing programs directory. You will surely want to go to a college that you can feel confident will prepare you to pass the NCLEX exam. An acceptable passing rate would be at least 80%. Everyone’s needs are different depending on lifestyle, family needs, career goals and financial status. Here are some basic things to consider and questions to ask yourself: 1. Location Are there nursing schools available near your home? How far can you travel to attend classes? Do you want to live on campus or commute? Do you want to relocate or live somewhere else during school time? There [...]

Ok, now you’ve finished your education and you are ready to get licensed so you can find a job and start nursing! There’s one more test you have to take. The NCLEX exam (National Council Licensure Examination) which is given across the country. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing is responsible for the content and design of these exams. There are only two tests—the NCLEX-RN and the NCLEX-PN. After you pass the RN licensure exam, you will not have to worry about it ever again! BSN, MSN and doctorate prepared nurses are still Registered Nurses. There’s no other licensure exam to take. Even though the name includes the word “National”, passing this exam does not give you a license to practice nursing everywhere in the USA. You will choose which state you want to be licensed in. Many states have reciprocity, meaning gaining your license in one state will allow you to practice in some neighboring states. You should contact your state board of nursing to find out exactly what you [...]

If you need help coming up with the money for tuition to nursing school, don’t panic. There are several ways to find assistance but it may take a lot of research on your part. You can cut costs tremendously by going to a public college or university instead of a private one. Private schools are much, much more costly. Nursing is not like pre-med or pre-law where there are elite or prestigious colleges everyone is trying to get into. The best way to choose a school is to find out which ones have the best passing rate for the NCLEX. You will also save money in expenses if you choose a school near your home. If you are able to live with your parents, that’s even better because you will save on living expenses too. The growing nursing shortage is becoming a great concern across the country. Because of the concern that we desperately need more nurses, more and more money is becoming available for grants, loans and scholarships. Many colleges want [...]