Fabulous Nurse Magazine

Issue 3

Issue 3 February 2011

From MD To RN One Nurse’s Story

De-Compress The Nurse’s Way

Scrub Colors & Your Personality

Dream Job Series

Writing A Nurse’s Resume

Baby Boomer Business Ideas

From Public To Home School

Spark People

Diet

Non-Traditional Nursing Careers

BeDazzled!

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Fabulous Nurse Magazine

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Fabulous Nurse Magazine

WRITERS Elsie Ekwa

Editor-in-Chief Founder of Lissie Harrington Publishers, Elsie, is the vision behind Fabulous Magazine. As a nurse, she saw the need for a lifestyle magazine that all at once serves as a celebration of nurses, a guide for better living, and a guilt-free escape from the sometimes grueling shifts nurses work. Unless otherwise stated, articles in this magazine are provided by Elsie. She is also the managing editor for the Pacific Writer’s Corner online magazine. Elsie writes as Sonya Justice and speaks on health and wellness issues, the business of writing, and entrepreneurship. Visit Elsie at www.sonyajustice.com.

Masthead/Contributor Publisher Lissie Harrington Publishers

Editorial Elsie Ekwa

Art & Graphic Design

Zee Nickerson

Art Department Fabulous Nurse Magazine Lissie Harrington Publishers

Zee Nickerson has a B. S. in Psychology, has owned several successful businesses, and is currently a writer, fashion consultant, and public speaker. Contact Zee via email at Zeechic2000@yahoo.com

Advertising & Marketing

Donald Wood ARNP, CRNA

Marketing Department Fabulous Nurse magazine Lissie Harrington Publishers

Writer

“Writer” Donald Wood has been a nurse since 1973. Donald’s seminar, The Intelligent Nurse TM, teaches communication, critical thinking, leadership, and marketing skills for nurses in any health care setting. For more information visit http://www.TheIntelligentNurse.com. He is author of the book, “The Intelligent Nurse.”

Dylan Romero Writer

Dylan Romero is a freelance writer/marketer for the videogame industry and beyond. He is currently writing a memoir about his pilgrimage in Spain. For further information, do visit him at http://walkingthecamino.wordpress.com/

Marnie Loomis, ND Writer

Dr Marnie Loomis is a naturopathic physician living and working in the Northwest. She is an integrative medicine educator for Medlios, a medical continuing education company providing dynamic medical education to nurses and other healthcare practitioners. You can learn more about Dr. Loomis at www.Medlios.com.

Lori Freedman

Featured Nurse “Writer” The staff at Fabulous Nurse magazine will like to formerly congratulate Lori for being the first place winner of our Cash Reward story contest. Her goodwill and positive outlook on nursing and the nursing experience is refreshing. Not often do we get a chance to see nursing from the patient’s point of view.

Once again, CONGRATULATIONS!!

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How to reach us Lissie Harrington Publishers ATTN: Fabulous Nurse Magazine Department 29030 SW Town Center Loop E Ste. # 202-143 Wilsonville, OR 97070-9490 info@fabulousnurse.com www.fabulousnurse.com

Issue 3

Editorial

Hail To Florence Nightingale

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s a new magazine we are growing and evolving with each issue and learning from our mistakes and triumphs, as we carry on. In this issue, we draw inspiration from the person who made our careers and subsequently our magazine possible.

1. Nursing is an art.

2. How very little can be done under the spirit of fear.

3. I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any excuse.

4. I have lived and slept in the same bed with English countesses and Prussian farm women... no woman has excited passions among women more than I have.

5. I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results.

6. It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm.

7. She said the object and color in the materials around us actually have a physical effect on us, on how we feel.

8. So never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots itself.

9. I have a passionate nature which requires satisfaction.

10. I stand at the Alter of murdered men.

11. There is nothing like the tyranny of a good English family.

12. A little gin would be more popular.

13. The martyr sacrifices themselves entirely in vain.

Or rather not in vain; for they make the selfish more selfish, the lazy more lazy, the narrow narrower.

14. The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm.

15. Were there none who were discontented with what they have, the world would never reach anything better.

16. Women have no sympathy and my experience of women is almost as large as Europe.

17. The world is put back by the death of every one who has to sacrifice the development of his or her peculiar gifts to conventionality.

18. The first thought I can remember and the last, was nursing work.

Our first and last thought each day is creating a nursing magazine you can all be very proud of. Here is to our continued growth and here is to a wonderful year for all nurses.

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CONTENTS Fabulous Nurse Magazine

TABLE OF

COVER ARTICLES

FEATURES

P.13

BeDazzled!

P.24

Love Or Lust At First Sight

P.40

From MD To RN - One Nurse’s Story

P.21

De-Compress The Nurse’s Way

P.29

Don’t Eat The Latex

P.38

Best Scrub Body

P.9

What Scrub Color Fits Your Personality?

P.63

Non-Traditional Nursing Careers

P.66

Patient Satisfaction & Nursing Implications

P.59

Dream Job Series - Writing A Nurse’s Resume

P.17

Nurse Your Posture Lessons From Finishing School

P.72

Baby Boomer Business Ideas

P.51

The Ice Storm – A Traveler’s Texas Tale

P.44

From Public To Home School

P.75

Financial Calculators

P.35

Spark People Diet

From MD To RN

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ften times, when nurses think of advancing in their careers they choose Advance Practice or proceed to Medical School. The nurse we have profiled for this article did the exact opposite. She successfully graduated from medical school, opened a thriving practice which she later closed. She then went back to become a nurse.

FEBRUARY 2011

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EDITORIAL

PETS

P.5

Hail To Florence Nightingale

P.48

Exotic Pet Ownership – Part 2

FASHION WATCH

P.50

Adopting An Adult Dog

P.11

DIY Designer Jeans

TRAVEL

ATTITUDE RE-DEFINED

P.55

Rapture In Arizona

P.15

Love Your Fellow Nurses

The Nurse’s Station

P.69

Healthcare Debate

LIVING WELL

P.19

Erectile Dysfunction

FINANCE

P.20

Cat’s Claw Health Benefits

P.73

Income Booster: Carpet Cleaning Biz

P.74

Budgeting Basics

POETIC VOICE

P.10

I Remember You

Marriage & Dating

P.27

Missing Valentine

FABULOUS FOODIE

P.31

Menu Planning For Busy Nurses

LAUGH OUT LOUD

P.32

Fabulous Recipes

P.79

Nursing Humor

P.34

Acai Berry Diet Plan

P.79

General Humor

FABULOUS & FIT

RESOURCES

P.37

Fitness Boot Camp

P.81

Sample New Nurse Cover Letter

P.82

Sample Experienced Nurse Cover Letter

P.83

Sample Nurse Manager Resume

P.84

Sample Nurse Assistant Resume

P.85

Sample New Nurse Resume

PARENTING

P.43

Chores For Toddlers

HOME ORGANIZATION

P.45

7 Garage Organizers

HOBBIES

P.46

Making Clay Pots

P.47

Sell Your Crafts!

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FASHION Watch

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What Scrub Color Is Your Personality?

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f you work in a healthcare facility that gives you leeway to choose the color of the scrubs you wear, chances are that you own more than one color. We all have a favorite color scrub. Have you ever wondered what your favorite scrub color says about your personality? We have. Our research revealed a few secrets about colors and our personality types. These thought provoking color personality ideas apply to both male and female nurses.

Here’s what we concluded. Tell us what you think.

Green Scrubs. Green is the color of healing. People who favor the color green tend to work in the health or service industry. Green personalities want to help everyone. They make good listeners and wonderful counselors. Green personalities act as peacemakers, are jovial, friendly, and make great friends.

Caution: If you have a green personality, don’t be a martyr for other people’s causes. Once in a while, share your thoughts, don’t just listen.

White Scrubs. White is the color of purity. Virginal attitudes abound with these personalities.

White personalities feel pure regardless of action and intent.

This virtue of purity also gets assigned to white personalities by others even when it is not

deserving. White personalities have a strong sense of right and correctness in their belief system. They tend to navigate towards issues that concern ethics and the right way for doing things. Cleanliness and sterile environs make a white personality very happy. Caution: Feeling you are right does not mean you actually are. You will endear more people by being less critical.

Red Scrubs. Reds are quick minded, brilliant, passionate, and love to make money. Red personalities are energetic and prefer when things move quickly. Red personalities tend to be sexy, seductive, and command attention. Caution: Your passions run deep, which can put you at risk for addictive behaviours such as drugs, alcohol, eating disorders or emotional instability.

Yellow Scrubs. These are the business minded personalities who are well educated and oftentimes, are autodidacts.

They relish mental challenges.

If you are a yellow personality, you adore tailored clothing. You accessorize with large accessories and dress professionally but with flair. Caution: You can be stubborn and must always remember that not every encounter in life is a game of chess.

Expressing distress is not a sign

of weakness. It bodes well to reach out to people you trust in times of need.

Pink Scrubs. Pink is the color of peace. Pink personalities see the world through rose colored glasses. They are shy, intelligent, hard-working, and studied in their approach to things. Despite popular belief, pink personalities do have a brilliantly dry sense of humor.

If a pink personality is not in a state of bliss, they are probably looking for such a state. You’ll find pink personalities putting smiley faces on as many things as they can. Caution: The world is not really as bad as it looks without the glasses. Do not be too frightened to take a chance on an adventure.

Black Scrubs. This is the color of detail. Black has the distinction of being one of the most beautiful colors and yet it is void of color, too. Black personalities tend to pay attention to details. They are best suited as copy editors, accountants, and IRS agents. In a healthcare facility, you want the chair of your budget committees & your infectious disease coordinator to have black personalities. Black is also the color of holding things in. These personalities can hold on to their hurt and feelings. The best part is that when you wear black scrubs, it 9

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

holds “within” the excess you don’t want the world to see.

Caution: A love of puzzles is wonderful but it is not okay to invent errors for the mere pleasure of fixing them.

alities make good friends. They think of others first. Caution: A good knowledge of religion does not mean you know what God wants for you and for everyone else.

may seem impulsive but they usually know exactly what they are up to. Caution: Although you can get any good thing you want from life, it does not mean you are always entitled to it.

Purple Scrubs. Purple is a royal color and the color of spirituality. These personalities strive to be better and try to achieve perfection. Their love for knowledge drives these purple personalities who tend to be avid readers. Purple personalities always strive for balance between the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual realms. Although not always clear with their expression of thought, purple person-

Orange Scrubs. Orange is the color of nature and these personalities love sports and the outdoors. These personalities actually become sick if they stay indoors for too long. Orange personalities make great healthcare volunteers as they combine their love of the outdoors with the nursing profession. Orange personalities are loud, helpful, make friends easily, and have yet to meet a stranger. They

Blue Scrubs. Blue is the color of emotions. Blue personalities can wax and wane between the highest heights of bliss and the deepest wells of distress. The richer the shade of blue, the more prone to mood swings the blue personality is. Blue personalities tend to keep their thoughts to themselves. A blue personality is the lovely nurse who just wants to come in and do a great job. People with a blue personality stay within themselves; they do not trust people very much.

Caution: It is neither prudent to always think with your emotions nor is it wise to expect others to feel exactly as you do. Find a balance between your deepest lows and highest highs. Life will be simpler and cheerier that way.

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DIY D

esigner jeans are all the rage today with many different designers offering many different styles. Despite their usually hefty sticker prices, they remain popular. On a nurse’s wage, not many of us can afford to buy the jeans for ourselves or our kids; especially after taking a gander at the sticker price.

No worries. You and your kid can save money by designing your very own designer jeans from the comfort of your home. There are several ways to achieve this. You can distress your own jeans with a bit of bleach and some sandpaper or affix crystals to your jeans in designs. You can also go the extra mile and design your own decals to iron onto your jeans.

Experiment with the ways and you will never find yourself envying a pair of designer jeans off the rack again.

Get the entire range of designer looks the do-it-yourself way.

Distressed Jeans. Designer jeans come in different styles.

The distress look is one of the timeless trends. There are many

Designer Jeans

ways to make your ordinary jeans into distressed jeans. To start, put your jeans on a flat surface. Use a cheese grater to fray the jeans slightly and then a piece of sandpaper to further create the distressed look. Once you have the jeans looking as distressed as you want them to, take a cotton ball soaked in bleach and rub around the area of the hole. This will create a distressed look in no time at all. For more emphasis, rip off a pocket in the back and slightly bleach the area too. After you finish distressing your jeans, be sure to throw them in the wash to complete the look and get rid of the excess bleach.

Bejeweled Jeans. Another popular style of designer jeans uses crystals to add some “bling” to the jeans. You can purchase these crystals yourself in a crafts store

Issue 3

and attach them to your jeans in any pattern you like. The crystals are available in many different colors and sizes as well as shapes. This is a great way to express your creativity and show how unique you truly are. Since this is a work of your own, you can bet nobody else will have the same pair.

Patch-Work Jeans. Other great ways to manufacture your own designer jeans are to iron on patches and decals. It is very easy to design your own decals online with photo editing software and specialty printing paper to create a pair of jeans all your own.

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Fabulous Nurse Magazine

BEAUTY SECRETS 12

Bedazzled!

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here are so many ways to intrigue your loved ones this Valentine’s Day. And there are many ways to show your creativity in the salon. For years, women, including those of us who are nurses, have resorted to different waxing trends to spice up the boudoir; the latest of which is the Brazilian bikini wax pattern. That is until Jennifer Love Hewitt blurted out on the George Lopez show that after a painful breakup, Swarovski bedazzled her “v……y.” The media ran away with the story.

It was even mentioned on an episode of The Doctors TV show. Women (and men) all over the world were instantly intrigued by the idea. It is interesting to note that those who oppose the idea can sit through excruciatingly painful wax sessions in the salon but absolutely refuse to pat themselves on the back afterwards by getting bedazzled.

A bedazzled past.

If you think placing

crystals there is odd, consider this. Back in the sixteenth century, aristocratic women used to grow their hair so they could wear bows in it. Think Pippi Longstocking but not on the head. It is said that in Rome, well before the days of waxing, women used chemicals and sometimes fire to “wax” off hair.

Today, many ladies are not brave enough to read about bedazzling, let alone try it. Still, the trend is here to stay. There is a name for this particular beauty technique. It is called vajazzling.

We’ll refer to it as bedazzling.

The change of terms lets us feel less like a teen fashion magazine and more like a lifestyle magazine for professional nurses.

If you have been married for many years, imagine your spouse’s surprise and renewed vigor should you come home completely or partially bedazzled! Fabulous Nurse magazine believes that when you are happy at home it translates to being happier at work. We are sharing this novel idea to spice up your Valentine’s Day and subsequent anniversaries which will in turn lead to more productive nursing shifts.

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you can purchase to do on your own. Bedazzling looks best after waxing. It is a painless process which comes as a relief to us since waxing can be quite painful. There is no age limit. And yes, we are talking to you seasoned nurses and administrative staff, too. We all have a love life, right?

How it works The crystals come in stick-on patterns and are applied on skin in the pubic region. There are dozens of pattern and options to choose from. Much like painting or drawing, the process requires some artistry.

It is so simple you can do it yourself: Simply wax or shave the area first.

Apply the stick-on crystals of your choice to your own lady bits.

Popular patterns include hearts, butterflies, peace signs, and sunbursts. You can read more about Jennifer Love Hewitt’s experience in her book, The Day I Shot Cupid: The Smart Girl’s Guide To Dating.She devotes an entire chapter to vajazzling.

What it is Bedazzled. An adjective which implies that something is dazzled with beads. In this case, the something is bedazzled with decorative crystals. The crystals need not be expensive Swarovski crystals, rhinestones are perfectly okay. Many beauty places and salons now have sets 13

ATTITUDE RE-DEFINED

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

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Love Your

Fellow Nurses

I

t is February, once more.

The cycle of life and love continues. Valentine’s Day serves as a gentle reminder for us to keep the New Year’s resolutions: to share more, love more, and to tolerate our families & fellow nurses more.

These quotes spread goodwill and have a special way of giving to others exactly what they need to hear, at the right time; your spirit of goodwill.

Love, like a river, will cut a new path whenever it meets an obstacle.

Crystal Middlemas

Love is the flower of life, and blossoms unexpectedly and without law, and must be plucked where it is found, and enjoyed for the brief hour of its duration.

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The thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as the deed. The deed develops into habit. And the habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care.

And let it spring from love, born out of concern for all beings.

Buddha

True love never lives happily ever after - true love has no ending.

K. Knight

D.H.Lawrence

The best proof of love is trust.

Joyce Brothers

It is astonishing how little one feels alone when one loves.

John Bulwer

We are, each of us angels with only one wing; and we can only fly by embracing one another.

Luciano de Crescenzo

Stay inspired. Stay fabulous.

You rock!

Love is a game that two can play and both win.

Eva Gabor

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

Mother Theresa

Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.

Franklin P. Jones

To err is human, to forgive divine.

Alexander Pope

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Fabulous Nurse Magazine

Living 16

Well

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Nurse Your Posture Lessons From Finishing School

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urses are at high risk for back problems. We lift heavy patients who are sometimes quadruple our body weights. The chairs at the nurses’ station and the administrative offices are not always comfortable. How many times have you returned home from work nursing a sore back?

Yes, we all took the classes on proper posture and techniques.

Yes, we do our darnest to follow the rules of posture that have been drilled into our heads. Yes, safety is paramount in carrying out our duties. Yet somehow despite all our efforts, our backs still hurt. We wondered why.

Then it was obvious. We are told how to lift objects/patients off the ground, table, and beds. No one really discusses how standing, walking, and sitting affect our backs. This article offers some finishing school lessons to ensure a safe posture at home and at work. It does not hurt to do your job properly and still look refined!

You have seen those old TV shows or movies where girls are sent to finishing school to get “refined.” They walk around with books on their heads while a woman with a tight chignon and even tighter pursed lips follows behind with a conductor’s wand. We watched Mia’s transformation in the Princess Diaries with glee. Those books perched

on her head we know were meant to improve the debutant’s posture. Ballerinas also have incredible posture. What do ballerinas and debutantes know that we nurses do not? What lessons can finishing school teach a nurse, if any? Can a nurse gain the posture of a young debutante, at any age?

You know the spine has a natural curve in it, which is designed to help us move and bend and flex. You know muscles support the spine, allowing us to do all that moving and bending and flexing with ease. Knowing all of this, it is fascinating that most of us don’t know what proper posture really is. Ordinarily, we think of our posture when we lift heavy objects, patients included. But when was the last time you took stock of how you stand, sit, lay, and bend throughout your shift or during your school day? These movements add pressure to your musculoskeletal system and over time poor posturing will lead to pain in your back, neck, shoulders, hips, and legs.

a grown person limp. And, let’s not get started on how we sleep at home.

After a typically horrendous day at work, the last thing on our mind is where we sleep. Is it surprising that we do not give a second thought to how our bodies are aligned?

Let’s go back to finishing school with Mia and Julie Andrews’ character, shall we? Here are a few ways to improve your posture and alleviate that back pain before it becomes a more serious problem.

1.

Get new shoes. Trade Mia’s pumps for functional and fashionable nursing shoes. Choose nursing shoes that have built in arches and

When we stand in line, we find ourselves leaning to one side or needing to lean back against a wall. At our work stations, we are hunched over the computer or have the telephone pinched between our neck and shoulder.

We have enough things in our pockets and work totes to make 17

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

a shock-absorbing sole. There are many shoes dedicated to healthcare professionals. Nurse Mates, Dansko, Skechers, and a few others come to mind.

Choose one you like and try it on for size. You will love yourself for it.

2.

Upgrade your workspace. This is the equivalent of Mia and the other movie debutantes getting a fully stocked closet and bedroom.

There are many systems of office furniture that have been developed to deal with posture and alignment. These systems are often referred to as ergonomic designs. There are chairs, computer keyboards, phone attachments, and more, that are designed to keep your posture aligned perfectly. If your unit and hospital can afford it, invest in these systems for a healthy back. The beauty of this is that there will be increased efficiency and productivity at work, as it is hard to be productive when you’re in pain.

3.

Buy a new mattress or mattress top. Okay so this is not mentioned in any of those movies but have you heard the story of The Princess And The Pea? Her mattress was out of wack (uneven, lumpy, worn out) and she immediately felt it. Like you, she did not get a good night’s sleep. Don’t forget the pillow. A great mattress and a lousy pillow will only leave you with neck and back pain. Find a specially designed pillow which cradles the head in such a way that the spine is kept perfectly aligned throughout the night.

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4.

A prime lesson from finishing school. Be aware of how you are walking, standing, and sitting at all times.

Pull your stomach in, chest out, and shoulders to the back. If it seems uncomfortable at first, it is because you are accustomed to your poor posturing. Also, remember to hold your head up high and chin up away from you neck and chest. My modeling/finishing school instructor always said that I should imagine that there is a string attached to my head and pulling it towards the ceiling; head up, chin up. You can pretend to be Mia with a book on her head. Your will be imaginary, of course. Can’t have nurses running around with books on their head while at work.

Patient care will be, uhm, difficult at best. Keep the imaginary book level and don’t let it fall. Don’t trip on yourself, either. You can walk properly and still see where you are going without looking down or tripping. That’s why nature invented peripheral vision. Also, as you sit at your desk, set a timer to remind yourself every three to five minutes to sit up straight. Many of us round our shoulders and hunch over the computer keyboard. The timer going off is the rookie way to begin. Over time, you will be so good at this that you will not need a constant reminder to resume a finishing school worthy posture.

With these lessons you have

learned from finishing school and the proper posture techniques that have already been drilled into you; you can certainly nurse your back and prevent future problems. Isn’t it wonderful to be a fabulous nurse?

Erectile dysfunction sexual drive and can feel quite vulnerable about the impotence.

I

f you are not a male nurse, this is definitely one of those articles you read in a magazine and leave the page open for your spouse to find. We all do it. We want our partners to be happy so we pay attention to articles like this. There is the matter of the male ego which makes this topic a difficult one to brooch.

So leave it on the bed stand or kitchen table or next to his favorite chair and let him read it when you are not around. It will do your relationship a world of good. Here goes: Coping with Erectile Dysfunction Impotence, or erectile dysfunction, is defined as the loss of a man’s ability to have and maintain an erection. This can either be due to physical or psychological factors, or a combination of both. Although these psychological factors may be difficult for the man to admit, men who cannot have an erection may still have a strong

More common in older men, predisposing factors include marital problems, stress, anxiety, certain types of medication, alcohol, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and financial concerns.

Severe depression may also play a part in this condition as well. It should be noted, however, that even though a man cannot maintain an erection for psychological reasons, he may continue to have erections during the night.

While he may have a problem with one partner, he may not have the same problem with another. Therefore, the cause can be with either him or his partner.

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condition, preventative measures should be taken to avoid any continued or lost-lasting problems later on. To this end, it is suggested that men should limit their alcohol use and stop smoking.

Moreover, if it is determined that the condition is a result of psychological problems, couples counseling may help relief symptoms. Medical treatments involve using an external vacuum erection device which draws blood into the penis or injecting the medication prostacyclin E into the penis; A prosthesis may also be injected into the penis by surgical means to improve blood flow.

Finally, the most important way in which to deal with erectile dysfunction is to talk about it with your partner. Express your fears and anxieties. More likely than not, dialogue may help make the condition disappear.

Don’t let the fear of being seen as “inadequate” affect your future sexual happiness. There is nothing to be ashamed of.

Erectile dysfunction is easily diagnosed, and prescribed treatment depends on causal factors. There are medications available today which offer relief, such as the now popular blue pill – Viagra. While there are other medications now on the market, such as Levitra and Cialis, a more focused treatment may be indicated. This would entail delving into the man’s lifestyle and making necessary changes. As with any 19

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

Cat's Claw An Herb of Distinction

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ative to Peru and Brazil, this climbing vine has been used in South American medicine for many years to treat infections, arthritis, and gastrointestinal disorders. However, more and more studies are underway to determine its efficacy in the treatment of HIV/ AIDS and known cancers. Thus, the health benefits derived from cat’s claw is the subject of this article.

Recent studies in Asia, Europe, and North America indicate this herb may actually reduce inflammation, stimulate the immune system, kill viruses, and protect against heart diseases. This is exciting news and scientists are exploring its use in a number of treatments. Claw is a root bark used as medicine that grows in the rain forest of the Andes Mountains. It is so called due to the woody vine that twines up trees and has two curved thorns that look like cat’s claws at the base of its leaves.

As an anti-inflammatory, cat’s claw stimulates white blood cells to fight infection. The com-

20

pounds within it act as steroids in the body, which are used to treat arthritis. Recent studies reveal it can reduce swelling by half. Acting as a detoxification agent, cat’s claw boosts the immune system and aids in those who suffer from gastrointestinal disorders involving inflammation. A study was conducted in which the use of cat’s claw inhibited the formation of plaque deposits in the arteries.

Research has also revealed that cat’s claw may be utilized as a treatment for cancerous tumors.

The National Cancer Institute did find evidence of its anti-tumor effects. It allows for improving chemotherapy in cancer patients, and because of its antioxidant properties, it helps the body eliminate toxins which are initially caused by chemo and radiation therapy. However, official studies and testing by the FDA has not been conducted or published.

The ingredients in Cat’s claw enhance the immune system by stimulating the immune response, and act as antioxidants to rid the body of free radicals, or bad cells. Compounds found

in Cat’s Claw also work to kill viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms that cause disease, and they work to inhibit healthy cells from becoming cancerous.

This herb has anti-inflammatory properties that help to relieve arthritis, gout, and other inflammatory problems. In addition, cat’s claw promotes healing of wounds; helps in the treatment of ulcers; and may help in relieving chronic pain. Also, many health practitioners have reported successes using the herb to treat Crohn’s disease. Moreover, used as a tea, a cat’s claw rinse clears up eye infections, and the powdered herb has been used between toes to clear up athlete’s foot.

As with any herb or supplement, it is strongly advised to check with your doctor before taking cat’s claw. While no reports of toxicity or adverse effects are known, it is always advisable to be cautious when adding any supplement to your diet regimen.

De-Compressing

Issue 3

The Nurse's Way

H

ow busy does your day get? If it is like my typical shift in the hospital, busy does not even begin to describe the flourish of activities and countless number of sounds all clamoring to get my attention. There are the repeated phone calls from physicians as they change their minds about treatments. My pager does not stop beeping as it is rightfully sensitive to every change in rhythm on the patients’ monitor. It does not matter if the rhythm is real or imagined (artifact). The call lights go off incessantly. My nurse assistant cannot be in more than one room at a time. I am almost running behind on medication administration time-schedule.

It is past noon, I have not had lunch. I am stressed. I am tired.

I am too busy to think. Then we have a fire drill. As if I needed this time away from work. Oh wait, if it is not a fire alarm sounding off, it is the code blue alert. This is a typical first part of my shift. I feel bad I have not even gone to the other rooms to help out my fellow nurses. We are swarmed with sick patients and understaffed. So at the end of the day we all decide to go for happy hour. Sometimes it is in the morning, sometimes

it is at night. It all depends on when the shift ends. I am tired, my feet hurt, and I could use a bloody mary. So it got me thinking.

Before I end up in the bed next to one of my patients, what other things can I do to de-compress?

Let’s enumerate them:

1.

Breathing exercises. In the middle of my shift when I feel that I am losing my patience, a few short rounds of deep breathing exercises usually calms my mind. I am then able to focus on what counts. Giving my patients the best possible care. The beauty of breathing exercises is that you can do them while sitting, lying down or standing in the hallway! Repeat 3-10 times, as necessary.

2.

Massage treatments.

Name your poison. We all go for something different when it comes to massages. While getting a quick massage from a fellow nurse or co-worker may be okay, you need to be careful whom you ask to touch you at

work. You definitely do not want to be accused of sexual harassment by the opposite sex or your same sex colleague. I have worked in places when during downtime the nurses gave each other a chain shoulder rub. It was the culture on that unit and actually fun. You may prefer to get a professional massage, jujutsu or acupuncture treatments.

Although it is not free, going to a professional will keep you out of trouble, except perhaps with your credit card company.

3.

Stepping off the unit. This is a great thing to do.

Sometimes just stepping off the unit to a bathroom that is not on your floor is all that is necessary to clear your mind. My 21

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

co-workers have been known to take a quick walk up and down the stairway. They always resume work feeling less stressed.

If your hospital allows it, take a walk around the hospital building on your minibreak. Being outside will do your mind and soul a world of good.

4.

Exercising. Joining a gym works for many nurses.

Some join gyms that are affiliated with their hospital and receive discounted membership. As a travel nurse, I found that going to the gym of my apartment building was not only great for my body; it saved me a lot of money, too. I no longer needed my premium nationwide membership to Bally’s. However, I did miss some of the group classes. As a nurse, you know the benefits of exercising. Do so for yourself. If not to lose weight, do it as a means of decompressing from a hard day’s work.

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5.

Schedule a day off. That’s right, I said schedule a day off. Most likely than not, you understand your body’s response to your work patterns.

Ideally, we all want the shifts we requested. If this does not happen, see about switching shifts with someone. This will allow you to work on the days you are able to which will make being at work less stressful. Try not to call in sick if you can. If you need an extending period off, take a leave of absence or go on vacation.

6.

Meditation. This is so easy to do without training. If you can pray, you can meditate.

If you don’t pray, no worries, meditation does not require a knowledge or acceptance of the divine. This is strictly a matter of you quieting your mind for a few minutes over the course of your busy shifts. The key is to push all thought out of your mind as they arise. Don’t force the process. Just take a few cleansing breaths and concentrate on its movement through your body; notice the uses of your abdomen and diaphragm.

Keep still and close your eyes during this process. It takes me no more than five seconds to meditate. I do this often and for longer periods of time if I can. I always greet my co-workers with a smile, even the one that has been getting on my nerves, after each mini meditation session. It is a great way to re-focus.

7.

Reading. Many nurses bring novels, books, and magazines with them to work.

This is a guilt-free way to indulge your mind on something that takes you away from the present, for the time being. Just be sure it does not interfere with you carrying out your duties. I always have a copy of Fabulous Nurse magazine with me now.

You would think after reviewing all the articles, I would be tired of reading it, right? Sometimes, just looking through the headlines and pictures is all the distraction my mind needs.

Whatever your choice of reading material use it to help you stay happy and focused.

8.

Power nap. This is one thing I really wish I could do. Unfortunately, I sleep like a log. You do not want to be the one waking me up in the middle of my sleep. My hands form a fist and reach into the air around me. Watch out. That said, taking a power nap if you can will go a long way to resuscitate your spirit.

9.

The great outdoors. This is my favorite. When not at work, I love being outside. I sometimes take my writing to cafes or to the beach so that I am doing something different.

Anything you love doing outside is a beautiful thing as long as no one is hurt in the process.

Spend more time communing with nature and your fellow human beings. It is a great way to decompress.

This list is by no means exhaustive. If you have more ideas and wish to share, write us.

&

Marriage

DATING

Issue 3

23

Love or Lust Fabulous Nurse Magazine

at First Sight

N

ow that is a curious question.

The mysteries of love and lust have been written about by prophets and poets for centuries and still there is no real answer. So I set off on assignment. Is there love at first sight or is it lust at first sight or even love at first sound?

“What could I do? I heard the sound of her voice and thought ‘okay, I’m done’.”

“What would you have done if I weighed 300 hundred pounds?” Debbie asked.

“It wouldn’t have mattered. I fell in love with you the moment I heard your voice,” insisted Harold.

Falling in love at the sound of a woman’s voice was a phenomenon I’d never heard of before. Intrigued I asked more questions.

Debbie’s husband had tried to make her think she was going crazy and she had been in the mental ward briefly. When Harold heard her voice he knew he’d found “his woman”. After what had happened to her, she was gun-shy so

24

By Zee Nickerson

it’s a lot of wooing.

“We are happy now and he is so good to the kids and me,” says Debbie “Love is transforming. We wouldn’t be without each other.”

Next, I queried from the street. Chet said, “love or lust at first sight?” he repeated *names have been changed to protect the lustful. frowning. “I don’t think there is either. Certainly, it hasn’t happened to me.”

Bonnie responded, “I definitely think there

is love at first sight and lust. I know a couple who fell in love at first sight. They are made for each other. They are perfect for each other. “

“Then there are people who just lust, they go from person to person just lusting.”

“Yes,” David agreed. “I know why I’m going home with her. Relationships don‘t last for me.”

Years ago, I overheard at the hot tub, two buddies talking, “I met Hillary and we were hot all over each other. We had great sex, like all the time. But after a while we realized we had nothing in common. So eventually, we split up.”

“Now I have Phyllis. The sex isn‘t as hot , but we have more in common, fun and a deeper companionship. This will last whereas the other just didn’t have enough to keep it going,

Issue 3

like you get high on sugar and then it dumps you down.”

Beth answered, “it’s both.”

Beth and Greg met at church. They dated but Beth decided she needed to go back to her ex-husband. She remarried her husband. Greg married someone else. Years later when she heard Greg had split up with his wife. She called him. Beth said she was sorry to hear about his splitting up with his wife, Greg responded, “Beth you were my first choice.”

When Greg found out Beth’s husband had moved into the garage a year ago, and hadn’t talked to her in a month nor had they made love in 2 years, he convinced her to get a divorce. After years of abuse, Beth finally got out.

Beth recalls, “we barely got to the booth in the restaurant and we were all over each other. The waitress could hardly get our orders we were so busy kissing. Like a couple of kids and here we were in our forties.”

Everywhere we went we were kissing and hugging, hugging and kissing. Greg laughs, “Beth had this couch downstairs and “it became the lovvvvvve couch.”

“After years of emotional starvation, it was both love and lust at first sight when we finally got together. It felt so heavenly to be loved, to be with someone who honestly cared, and we treat each other tenderly and put each other first.”

“At last the painful years are over and we love each other and we have joy.” Beth and Greg have been married for 6 years.

Michael played the bass for the church band, “I liked to hide behind the fake Ficus tree because I could watch people but they couldn’t see me.

One day, this woman walked in late. She wore a black beret tilted ‘jauntily’ on her head and a sparkling black, purple, and hot pink swirled sweater.

She had a glow about her, like a halo surrounded her. I stuttered on my strings. She disappeared.

I couldn’t find her after the service.

For weeks, I looked for her. That made her mysterious.

Then, finally, one day she reappeared. My heart flipped, speed up so much I could hardly play.

She still had that halo that glows about her.

She sat in back, always came late, and frequently left early. When she wasn’t there, it actually hurt and I didn’t even know her. During the time when we greeted people, I’d hustle down off the platform to the back of the church and get in the line of guys talking to her.

One day she said, “I don’t want to go home. It’s too chaotic there.” On the way home, I realized I’d missed my chance.

One night they were having a rap concert at the church I didn’t want to go. I don’t know why I did. As I pulled up to the church I saw her in the window.

Alone in the kitchen she was doing dishes. I knew it was my chance. We talked and laughed while we washed. As we were putting away the dishes I said, “I wouldn’t want to hide these places where they can’t find them.”

She smiled and said, ”it’s a kitchen they will be able to find them. Now if we really wanted to hide them we could put them in the library.”

I grinned, “yeah, that would be hiding them.”

“We could file them under the Dewey Decimal system.”

“Like ‘p’ for pots; ‘f’ for forks”, I said, “yeah, ‘c’ for coffeepot.” She laughed. As soon as she said Dewey decimal system, I knew she was smart. That appealed to me. That got me right there. She was so interesting to talk and she still glowed. I was infatuated.

“I just kept talking to her after church. Everybody else would be gone and we’d still be standing the talking but she seemed lost, and lonely.

“Three months later, I invited her to a play I was in and couldn’t believe it when she came. During the intermission, I sat down and ate with her. That cracked the ice. We talked like we’d never talked to anybody and we laughed so hard we had tears in our eyes and our sides hurt. She was fascinating, beautiful, funny, smart and classy and so creative. And she inspires me more in one conversation than most people in a month of Sundays.”

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Fabulous Nurse Magazine

I told her, “you’re a lady. You’re special. Not many people have honor the way you do. You are as true as the day is long.”

“I told my sister I plan on being with her a long, long time and I want to be buried in same box side by side. I love her. I love her. I love her.”

“I wish I had found her 30 years ago.”

You know you have true love because things about them fascinate you. They are beautiful to you. You love little things about them; the color of their eyes, the color of their hair, their smile, the way they move, the way they smell, they make you laugh, and they laugh at your jokes, too. They buy your favorite ice cream and you don’t even have to ask them to. They remember your shared history, your song, your dance, the time the car broke down, the vacation ruined, the dog charging the skunk and how you both laugh together. They understand your feelings and your worst faults and love you anyway.

If you need them they come running because they want to.

There is just something about you they love.

There really can be love later in life. Love isn’t about how old you are; it’s about how much you care. It’s when you finally grow up and stop thinking about yourself first, because nothing is as important as the other person to you. You care more about them than yourself.

You know that person fits you and you fit them.

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Issue 3

I

nstead of letting you indulge in a deluge of selfpity, we have decided to share some insights with you. So you don’t have a Valentine’s this February? That’s not news to you. What may be news to you are some of the reasons why. We have named three possible reasons your Valentine’s is not here. Feel free to write us and tell us why we are wrong. Before you do though, I suggest reading number three, again.

1.

You are waiting for the one. I mean waiting as in sitting at home on your couch and making no attempts to hang out with friends or meet new people. Unless you have The Weather Girls on speed dial it is not going to rain men or women. Do yourself a favor and go out next time you are invited out by a friend, family member or colleague. Be merry and have fun. Your positive energy will pull others towards you like mat-

Missing Valentine ter towards gravity. Don’t thank us when you meet the one, thank yourself for understanding that it is not raining men or women.

2.

You are hard to get. It is quite permissible and often applauded when women play hard to get. However, there comes a time when hard to get stops being part of the dating game and becomes entrenched in your personality; at which time you don’t know when to stop. Men do like to chase but in the busy modern day social scene the turnaround time for saying yes has narrowed, for better or worse.

3.

You know it all. No one can give you advice about dating or anything because you already know all the answers and they are wrong. Not only that, you usually require a nano second to size up potential dates and dismiss them as beneath you. You know who you are.

And you know that when you do deign to date that someone who is beneath you, you spend most of the time criticizing them or showing them they are not good enough. This might be subconscious so do yourself a favor and pay more attention to your body posture, expressions, and choice of words. You might just meet a diamond in the rough.i 27

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

FABULOUS 28

FOODIE

Don't Eat The Latex!

Issue 3

By Marnie Loomis, ND

D

uring a much treasured girls’ weekend, I remember listening to my friend explain how her love of homemade guacamole was stronger than her irritation from the hives it gave her. As she talked, her skin became more and more blotchy, and my mind raced to the other symptoms I’d heard her talk of over the years. In her words she lived her life from bathroom to bathroom. She had constant stomach pain, itchy eyes and patches of dermatitis on her hands and arms. I asked her if she was allergic to latex. She wasn’t sure until I asked her if she was irritated by condoms.

Oh yes, she was sure about that.

I then asked her how often she ate bananas. On her diet, she ate one almost every day, either for breakfast or lunch. As it turns out, my friend was allergic to latex and unknowingly exposing herself to latex-food cross reactions on a daily basis.

Now, three years later, she has gone through an elimination diet during which she removed all the known latex cross reaction foods for a few months and reintroduced them one at a time, slowly, watching for reactions. As a result, she has permanently eliminated wheat, bananas, avocados, and several other fruits. Avoiding these foods has made eating out at restaurants a bit complicated, but she isn’t tempted to have them back. She is thrilled with the results: no stomach pain, clear skin, and no more itchy eyes. She even found she was able to lose the twelve pounds that she had been fighting to lose for the previous ten years, the ones that had hung on no matter how hard she worked out or dieted. Now that she wasn’t experiencing constant allergic reactions, she was able to lose the weight without really even trying.

Have you ever heard of a latex-

food cross reaction? If you are like six to seventeen percent of your healthcare colleagues, somewhere along the line you’ve developed a hypersensitivity to latex, but you probably didn’t know how much it affected your daily life, including your food choices. Due to the increased incidence and awareness of this particular allergy, avoiding latex in the medical setting has become easier to do. Many hospitals and medical centers have even become latex free. So as far as work is concerned, you probably have your exposure down to a minimum, but latex in food and latex-food cross reactions can continue to irritate you every time you have a meal.

Are you wondering if you have been affected by latex reactions or cross reactions because of your food? First, consider all the possible common physical symptoms related to exposure.

These may include urticaria, 29

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

bronchial asthma, gastritis, localized swelling of your face and airways, nasal, sinus or eye irritation, or even anaphylaxis.

Because you are a nurse, you may have already jumped to a solution for these problems, so perhaps you should assess yourself in a different way. Are you taking frequent doses of Tums, Pepto Bismol, Maalox or Claritin? Do you have issues with dry eyes, find yourself rinsing your contacts frequently or using rewetting drops? If so, then you may be reacting to latex or latex cross-reactions from your foods.

When it comes to actual latex being in your food, the biggest culprit is food packaging.

An article in the September 2006 Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture found that one out of three packaged food products contained some amount of latex. The most latex was found in packaged ice cream. Now you have one more good reason to choose freshly prepared food over processed, packaged food.

Latex cross-reactions, however, are more surprising to peo-

30

ple since there isn’t always a logical link between the plant species. Some of the cross reactions are due to close botanical ties to Hevea brasiliensis, the tree from which we get natural rubber latex. Others are not as well understood and may have more to do with the proteins within the defense mechanism of the plants.

some lists include different spices that may also trigger the reactions.

One of the many frustrating aspects of this latex-food cross reaction is that so many of these trigger foods are otherwise very healthy, highly recommended fruits and vegetables. As with many aspects of healthcare, the correct food choices depend on your individual needs. If The most prevalent latex-food you know or suspect you have cross reactions occur when people with latex allergy eat ba- a latex allergy and know that you have some of the associnanas, avocado, and chestnut. ated symptoms, try eliminating Moderate prevalence has been the foods on the list that you documented with apple, carrot, eat most often. If you’d like celery, papaya, kiwi, potato, toto learn more, there are many mato, and melons. Low prevalence has been found with pear, good sources of information about latex-food cross reactions peach, plum, cherry, pineapple, online. Latexallergylinks.org is strawberry, fig, grape, mango, one example and many medical rye, wheat, grasses, ragweed, journals are publishing articles mugwort, hazelnut, and walnut.

As these cross-reactions become about latex-food cross reactions. As you learn more and better understood, the lists are experiment with your own diet, expanding. Depending on the you may be happily surprised to source, find how much control you have over your symptoms of irritation and how much you will find this to be clinically relevant as well.

Menu Planning Tips For Busy Nurses

D

inner is the last meal of the day and a time when families can get together and discuss their day. It is also a hectic meal for busy nurse/moms who are just getting off work or who have been busy with other activities all day. If you are a busy nurse or you know other busy nurses, here are some menu planning tips to help make dinner meals easy and even fun.

where the best grocery to shop is for your menu items. If one ingredient is a common denominator in many meals, consider buying in bulk to save money.

Common staples like milk, eggs, bread and sugar can be bought in bulk as well. Some stores will have double or triple coupon days when you can save even more.

1.

3.

Schedule your meals a week in advance. This is one of the most important planning tips for meals. Knowing what you are going to eat throughout the week will mean a less chance of stopping at the closest fast food joint for a convenient, but unhealthy meal.

Decide on the last day of the previous week (let’s say Saturday for the sake of argument) what the menu will be for the following week. Create your shopping list from the list of ingredients to avoid buying what you don’t need at the grocery store.

2.

Look for bargains. Clip coupons, read advertising circulars and the like to decide

Search online. After a while your family will get tired of chicken and rice every Thursday. You can get into a menu rut sometimes. Use the Internet to search for new and exciting recipes. Learn to put a twist on old recipes for a new taste.

4.

Have a leftover night. After preparing meals for five or six days, there is bound to be some food left over. Designate one night to be leftover night and let everyone mix and match for dinner. It saves the nurse/ mom from having to throw away any food.

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5.

Cook your meals in advance. After deciding on a menu plan for the week, go ahead and fix as many meals as you can. Choose a day when the entire family can help like Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon. Each person can take one meal and fix it for the following week. Once everything has cooled, store it in sealed containers or casserole dishes to be frozen until the night it is needed.

6.

Do prep work in advance.

All of the meals can’t be cooked at once. Some foods just taste better freshly prepared. For them, so as much prep work in advance as you can. Enlist your kids to help chop (give them the kitchen shears instead) vegetables, dice cooked meat and mix together dry ingredients. The night of the meal, all that is needed is to add the wet ingredients and bake.

Meal time doesn’t have to be all on you. The entire family can help with dinner so it is a relaxing meal for everyone.

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Fabulous Recipes Fabulous Nurse Magazine

Island White Fish LOW FAT

Ingredients: 1 medium sweet onion 1 large green bell pepper, sliced 1 large zucchini, sliced 1 clove garlic, pressed 1 - 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes (Italian seasoned) 16 ounces firm mild white fish olive oil cooking spray 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Optional: large green olives sliced in half

Raw Candy LOW CARB

Ingredients: 1 cup raisins 1 cup walnuts 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup almonds, chopped/crushed

Instructions: Slice onion, bell pepper and zucchini and set aside. Mix together pressed garlic with the tomato. Spread the onion, bell pepper and zucchini slices in a baking dish. Spoon half tomato mixture over that, distribute evenly.

Top with fish fillets. Spritz fillets with cooking oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to your liking. Spoon the other half of tomato mixture over top of that.

Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 - 30 minutes.

Can also be wrapped in layer of foil and cooked on grill or over a campfire.

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Instructions: Blend together raisins and walnuts in food processor or blender. Coat your hands with oil (or spray them with nonstick spray) and roll mixture into individual balls (like forming a peanut butter cookie!) Roll each ball in crushed almond. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Makes a great sweet treat without loading up on calories.

Who says you can’t have candy when you diet ;-)

Easy Balsamic Mushroom & Chicken LOW GI

Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves your favorite no stick cooking spray 8 ounces white mushrooms, quartered 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper Parsley (optional, for garnish) Instructions: Heat skillet and spritz with cooking spray. Saute garlic and mushroom.

Add and cook chicken over medium heat until no longer pink. Add chicken broth, thyme, pepper and vinegar.

Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. *TIP: Be very careful not to add excess vinegar because the flavor from balsamic is very strong berries for blueberries for a different muffin.

Warm Me Up Valentine’s Recipes Amaretto Brownies

These delicious brownies take advantage of a boxed brownie mix and a few simple ingredients!

Ingredients: BROWNIES: 1 23-oz. package brownie mix 1/4 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 6 tablespoon Amaretto TOPPING: 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips 4 tablespoon butter

Chocolate Tarts Ingredients: Flour Package of 8 Grands Homestyle biscuits 3 tbsp of cocoa 1 c. sugar Butter Water ¾ c. Vegetable oil Rolling Pin Brush Fork Frying Pan

Instructions: Sprinkle flour on flat surface.

Open can of biscuits.

Roll each biscuit out to about a 6” diameter Mix together the cocoa and the sugar then apply a portion to ½ of each rolled-out biscuit.

Add a small amount of butter to each tart.

With a brush, apply a small amount of

Issue 3

water around the edges of the tarts one at a time completing Step 7 before going to the next tart.

Fold the empty ½ of the tart over the half containing the ingredients. Use the tines of a fork to form a seal.

Add about ¾ c. vegetable oil to the frying pan. Carefully place your tarts in the pan and allow the tarts to cook on High heat until the edges start to look golden brown.

Flip the tart over very carefully and cook the other side. You may need to flip them more than once if you don’t wait long enough initially.

Place the tarts on a paper towel and allow them to dry.

Arrange on a plate or prepare for transport. This will go fast, consider yourself warned: Your family will want you to cook this often!

Instructions: Mix together vegetable oil, eggs and fudge packet (if there is one with your mix). Add the dry mix and stir well.

Stir in the walnuts last. Spread evenly into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan (grease the pan or spray with no stick spray first). Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Sprinkle with Amaretto when it comes out of the oven and then place on wire rack to cool.

To make the topping, melt chocolate chips and butter in the microwave. Stir until smooth and creamy and spread on top of brownies like frosting. Cool until set.

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I

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

t’s no secret that berries are good for you. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, huckleberries, and all other types of berries are loaded with antioxidants and other stuff that promotes good health. But there is one berry that stands out from the rest, and that’s the acai berry.

The acai berry can only be found in the rainforests of the Amazon. The delicate fruit spoils quickly after harvesting, so if it is to be transported it must be frozen or otherwise preserved quickly. For these reasons, it has only recently gained widespread attention. Yet doctor after doctor has extolled the acai berry’s virtues, advocating its use for everything from weight loss to fighting the signs of aging.

Acai berries have numerous nutritional benefits. They contain about ten times as many antioxidants as the same amount of red grapes. They are packed with amino acids, dietary fiber, monounsaturated fats and phytosterols. The antioxidants reduce the effects of free radicals, which contribute significantly to aging. The amino acids help build healthy muscles. And all of these nutrients are great for the heart, immune system and digestive system.

Acai berries have also been used successfully in weight loss regimens. An acai berry supplement is often used in conjunction with a colon cleansing product. Together, the acai and the colon cleansing agent rid the body of toxins and other wastes.

The acai berry’s high nutritional

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Acai Berry Diet Plan content also provides an increase in energy.

The acai berry and colon cleanser combination can cause a significant amount of weight loss quickly. The wastes removed by such a regimen could weigh several pounds, and flushing them out will reduce your weight by the same amount. The absence of these wastes can also help prevent fatigue in the long run.

The high protein content of the acai berry also contributes to its effectiveness in weight loss.

When consumed, acai berries make one feel fuller than the same amount of a food with less protein. Acai berries can also have a positive effect on metabolism. These are two of the reasons that acai is often used as an ingredient in weight loss supplements.

The acai berry is most effective in its natural state. Unfortunately, it’s very hard to find whole acai berries outside of their native land. The rest of the world must settle for acai pulp, or supplements in the form of pills, powders or juices.

Some researchers have disputed claims that the acai berry promotes weight loss. But all agree that this fruit is one of the best

Popular Diet

sources of nutrition that one could hope for. An acai berry diet is safe for almost anyone, and many dieters have reported great success with it. So if you’re looking for a diet that doesn’t skimp on nutritional value, the acai berry diet might well be worth a try.

Most Unusual Diet

Issue 3

Spark People

W

eight loss and fitness businesses have been booming for decades, and there’s no sign of them slowing down. There are books, magazines and DVDs dedicated to diet and exercise. There are support programs such as Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. And online, there are lots of sites that dieters can join for a fee to help them in their quest to lose weight.

For a long time, those who needed personalized guidance to get fit but could not afford to pay for it were out of luck.

Then along came SparkPeople. com. SparkPeople is a 100% free online program that offers features that rival those of expensive weight loss websites.

Named the Best Health Website

by Business Week in 2006, 2007 and 2008, SparkPeople is one of the most visited diet websites in the world.

SparkPeople.com began in 2001 as a goal setting website. But when the owners realized that the majority of members’ goals were related to nutrition and fitness, they switched the site’s focus. Premium tools were added, and SparkPeople became a subscription site. But in 2005, a

decision was made to offer all of the tools and resources for free.

How SparkPeople Works When a new user signs up, he is asked to declare his goals. His body mass index (BMI) is calculated, and assistance is provided in setting a safe and attainable goal to lose a certain amount of weight in a certain time frame.

Next, the user sets his “Fast Break” goals, which consist of small changes toward a healthier lifestyle.

Users may create a personalized “SparkPage” and join “SparkTeams” geared toward different interests and goals. They have access to a message board where they can interact with other members and get support.

And they gain access to a many tools that can help them lose weight. These include: Nutrition Tracker - With this tool, members can plan their meals and check the calories and nutritional value of the foods they eat. They are allotted a certain number of calories, carbs, fat and protein each day, and as foods are added, their values are subtracted, showing how much more may be consumed.

Fitness Tracker - This tool assists members in building a fitness plan. A plan is automatically generated according to each member’s needs, but it can be altered if desired.

Weigh-In - This tool helps members keep track of progress by recording weight and measurements.

Blog and articles - SparkPeople features a motivational blog and thousands of articles about weight loss and fitness.

The SparkPeople website supports itself with an online fitness store. Items available include fitness equipment, DVDs and apparel. But unlike many programs, SparkPeople does not require members to purchase anything.

SparkPeople provides all of the tools one needs to lose weight and work toward a healthier lifestyle. Everything is available online, and you can’t beat the price. If you’re on a tight budget or just unwilling to pay for access to diet and fitness plans, there’s no risk in giving SparkPeople a try.

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Fabulous Nurse Magazine

FABULOUS & FIT

36

Issue 3

seniors and kids. And there are programs that focus on specific sports, such as cycling or soccer.

With all of these options, there’s sure to be a boot camp that’s right for anyone who is interested.

Your Own Personal Boot Camp

Fitness Boot Camp

N

ot long ago, the term “boot camp” meant a training program for new military recruits.

The concept used was then applied in correctional facilities for young people. Today, anyone can go to “boot camp” to get in shape. But why would any nurse want to do such a thing?

According to many fitness boot camp participants, because it works.

Although, in most of our minds, the term “boot camp” is associated with uniformed officers barking out orders while recruits work themselves to exhaustion, the scene at most fitness boot camps is much different. While there may be some trainers who use intimidation tactics, most are much easier to deal with.

They expect participants to show up and do their best, but they are also realistic and approachable.

Why Boot Camps Are Effective So if the trainers do not intimidate participants into getting fit,

why do these programs work so well? There are several reasons.

For one thing, they encourage healthy competition between participants. Activities are often designed so that there is a clear winner, and this brings out everyone’s competitive spirit.

Winning feels good, and we’re more likely to give it our all when we’re up against others.

Yet there’s also a sense of camaraderie among participants that comes from facing challenges together.

Boot camp also offers types of exercise that you may not find in other programs. Most boot camp activities are held outdoors, and they may include such things as hiking, wall climbing, obstacle courses, and team competitions. This makes exercise something to look forward to, keeping you motivated.

There are also boot camps designed for specific groups, or those with common goals. Some are targeted toward general fitness, while others are designed to promote weight loss. There are boot camps for women,

A boot camp can be highly effective, but it isn’t necessarily cheap. While it usually costs less than one-on-one sessions with a personal trainer, the price can still be prohibitive for some. If you can’t find room in the budget for boot camp, however, you can still apply some of the principles to your own workout.

Boot camp participants are often expected to perform exercises in rapid succession to maximize cardiac benefits and calorie burning. You can easily do this on your own. Just start out with stretching, then do some running or other intense exercise for 5 to 10 minutes.

Move on to some strength building exercises and continue by alternating between intensity levels for the remainder of your workout.

And don’t forget to add a little adventure to your regimen. You could create your own obstacle course in your backyard, try a new piece of equipment or explore new hiking trails. Variety will keep things interesting.

Boot camp fitness programs have rapidly gained popularity in a short amount of time.

They’re great for those who lack motivation or thrive on teamwork. And as many people are finding out, they can whip one into shape very quickly.

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Your Best Scrubs Body E Fabulous Nurse Magazine

Ideas To Exercise By

ating healthy is only part of the equation if you want to look your best in that favorite scrubs wear. Regular exercise will help you lose fat, reshape, and tone your body.

If you long to look like the model on the cover of Vogue Italia, you’re going to need a team of make-up and graphic artists. But, if you strive to look your very best when you put on your scrubs, we can help you with that. It’s going to take some hard work and dedication, but you’ll achieve a firmer, stronger, and healthier body –

your best scrubs body.

Start Slow

To be successful at achieving that ideal body, you will need to have a cool and collected head as you begin your exercise program.

Many people get out of the gate fast but end up finishing dead last, usually with an injury.

We know you are trying to get your body to look the way you want it to look when you put on a pair of scrubs. You probably have a deadline in mind but slow down and be sensible.

Your exercise regimen should carry over into a healthier lifestyle.

Find an exercise program that you like and you will be more likely to stick with it. Since

the weather is cold right now, bundle up before you go walking. Incorporate more indoor 38

exercise programs into your plan. This is the perfect time to join a gym or start following the exercise DVD you bought some time ago. As the weather warms up, more and more options will open to you including yes, walking or bicycling. Both work the larger muscles of the lower body which are the last to start showing definition and tone but the easiest to work hard. In no time at all you will “feel the burn.”

Another good exercise is swimming. Buy yourself a ‘working’ bathing suit, something for exercising not lounging. Get yourself to the gym or neighborhood pool as the weather allows and start working out. You are working your entire body now, doing laps and water exercises. It has been documented that swimming provides the best complete body workout. In no time at all you will feel more defined as you put on your favorite scrubs and clothing.

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In a nutshell, the ideal way to your best scrubs body is to eat a proper diet filled with healthy, fat burning foods, and get serious about an exercise routine.

Adding fun bike rides, walking, and swimming to your fitness program is a great way to fight boredom and exercise fatigue.

Different types of exercises also help you stick with an exercise program over a longer period of time. Before you know it, you will have a lean mean nursing machine under your scrubs!

While you’re planning your exercise routine, think about your eating habits. No amount of exercise is going to get you in shape to have your best scrubs body if you don’t watch what you eat. You’ll be like a hamster on a wheel – going nowhere fast. A couple tricks to keep in mind about your diet and exercise program: 1) cut portion sizes and 2) eat energy-filled foods so you can exercise longer and harder.

It doesn’t take much. Consistently working on your upper and lower body at least three times a week for twenty minutes will put you on the road to a shapely body. Because smaller muscles tone faster, you’ll be able to quickly show off shapely shoulders and arms. And, don’t forget that muscle burns fat, so the more muscle you build with weights, the faster the fat you wish to get rid of will disappear.

Add Weights

As an alternative to dumbbells, you can use fitness bands. These provide the resistance you need with great range of motion to work the entire muscle effectively. Any of this equipment will come with instructions about how to use them and provide an illustration of a variety of exercises you can do.

Adding weights to your workout helps defined your muscles getting you even closer to your best scrubs body. You don’t have to lift a lot of weights, but performing weight-bearing exercises speeds up your metabolism, as well as, tones those muscles both large and small.

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From MD To RN A Modern Day Mary Walker Dishes Fabulous Nurse Magazine

FNM: I have to ask. Why did you go from being Doctor to becoming a Nurse?

Greta: (laughs). I get that all the time. The truth is that I come from a long line of nurses. My mother was a nurse and all her 40

friends were nurses, too. Many women I grew up with were nurses. For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a nurse. Nursing has always been my calling.

FNM: How does one go from always wanting to be a nurse to becoming a physician, then?

Greta: That is the confusing part of it. I took my pre-reqs for nursing school and realized that I did not need much more to satisfy medical school requirements.

At that time, I was working as a Nursing Assistant. Old school docs were very demeaning to nurses. I decided to become a doctor and treat nurses better.

Plus, I wanted to be the one making the final decision about treatments for my patients.

Knowing that physicians make a lot more money may have factored into my decision making process. When I took the MCAT and aced it, my fate was sealed. That is how I became a physician.

FNM: Did you like being a physician?

Greta: Being a physician had its moments. Podiatry is not a very glamorous field but I chose it because of the hours. When my husband and I started having children it became obvious that in order to maintain the standard of living we had become accustomed to, I had to work

a lot more hours. That got old very fast.

FNM: Your husband…Didn’t he pitch in?

Isn’t he a physician, as well?

Greta: Oh, my Michael is a wonderful man… but he is an architect.

Walk In My Clogs

O

ften times, when nurses think of advancing in their careers they choose Advance Practice or proceed to Medical School. The nurse we have profiled for this article did the exact opposite. She successfully graduated from medical school, opened a thriving practice which she later closed. She then went back to become a nurse. This informal interview took place outside a patient’s room in the busy step-down unit where Greta works. At the onset of this interview, she peruses her patient’s chart, stopping on occasion to write something on her notepad or laugh at something I said. Greta is the sort of nurse you will love to know. She is kind, friendly, competent, and always has a moment to help out her team members. I had worked with Greta many months before I found out she used to be a physician. No, she did not volunteer this information. One of Greta’s patients told me that my co-worker and fellow nurse, Greta, used to be his Podiatrist.

In fact she agreed to an interview only if I promised to keep her real name a secret.

Issue 3

We could not do much about his monthly income. I started to see more patients in the clinic which meant seeing less and less of my family. The cost of malpractice insurance was just rising and a great percentage of my income was allocated to maintaining my insurance. It was very hard. When we started talking about opening a second practice and expanding my services, I knew it was time for some very drastic changes. One day, my husband joked that life would have been easier and simpler if I had gone to nursing school instead of medical school. I could not get that out of my mind. I spent the next couple of years paying off my medical school loans. When my mortgage had been paid down to a manageable number, I went back to school and became a nurse.

FNM: What surprised you most about nursing?

Greta: Nurses think very differently from physicians. As a physician, I focused my attention on the disease or problem that brought people into my clinic. As nurses, we are patient advocates and always treat the patient from a holistic point of view. Patients are definitely seen as much more than a disease process. I found this change of focus challenging in the beginning.

FNM: What do you like most about being a nurse?

Greta: The flexibility

nursing accords me. I no longer have an overhead to worry about and nursing insurance is very affordable. I also like that I can work as much as I want or as little as I need to. I tell my friends from medical school that nursing saved my family. We are closer than we have ever been.

FNM: Now that you are a seasoned nurse, what do you find most challenging about being a nurse?

Greta: Once in a while, I run into a physician who feels the need to explain to me the specific pathology behind my patient’s illness. I love discussing my patients but I don’t like being talked down to. It sucks that because I am a nurse some physicians don’t take my opinion seriously. Sometimes I want to scream and let it out that I am a trained physician, as it is.

FNM: So why don’t you? Why keep this information secret?

Greta: There is no reason to tell people I used to be a physician. Right now, I am part of the team. I don’t want to be treated differently. Besides, that does nothing to advance my career as a nurse. I am happy with the choices I have made.

FNM: Do you consider yourself a modern day Mary Edwards Walker?

Greta: Never heard of her.

FNM: She was a trained physician who spent most of her life working as a surgical nurse.

Greta: Hmmm…I did not know that. I suppose you could call me a modern day Mary Walker.

a nurse in pursuit of a medical degree?

Greta: That’s a tough one. Both have their merits. If I do have to say something, I’ll tell the nurse to follow their heart. There is nothing worse than doing one thing and wishing you were doing something else. That’s how it was for me as a physician. The pay was great and I loved advancing my education. If I had to do it over I wouldn’t change a thing. I believe I appreciate the fact that I am a nurse even more now after having worked as a physician.

The hallway of any nursing unit makes for a very poor interview location. My interview with Greta was frequently interrupted by phone calls from physicians, patients’ family members, and the many therapists involved in her patients’ care. Even more, Greta did stop our interview to answer call lights, assist in ambulating a patient down the hall, and to administer medications. Definitely not your ideal interviewing environment but we managed.

I followed Greta down the hall as she moved from one patient’s room to the other. We were both acutely aware of HIPPA privacy laws. As such, each time she went into a patient’s room I waited outside until she was ready to resume our conversation. The process was choppy at best. My shift was over. I had time on my hands. Plus, I was very interested in her story. Little did I know that one day, I would be sharing it with nurses worldwide.

FNM: Greta, as a final parting advice, what would you say to 41

Lifestyle Fabulous Nurse Magazine

42

Getting Your Toddler to Do Chores

Issue 3

W

hen your baby is big enough to make a mess but still too small to clean it up, picking up after them can be quite a challenge. Sometimes, it seems like they go through entire load of clothes in a day or two. And let’s not forget all of those mealtime messes.

You lead a very busy lifestyle.

You are a nurse, a parent, and so much more. There is never enough time in the world to clean up after your children, yourself, and your patients; it seems. More than anything, you want to teach your children to grow up and be responsible adults. But is there such a thing as too soon to start?

Let’s see. Once your little one is walking, it may seem that the messes increase exponentially.

But soon your toddler will be big enough to start helping you with the housework. Granted, tasks will take longer when they are learning to do them. But this stage in your child’s development is prime time for teaching her responsibility. And chores are one of the best ways to accomplish that. Agreed?

What Kinds of Chores Can Your Toddler Do? It’s important to start toddlers out with the simplest of chores.

Telling your child to clean their room at this age will get nothing

except a puzzled look. Telling them to pick up their toys and put them in a basket is easier to understand, and therefore more effective.

Dusting with a feather duster is a favorite chore of children. It doesn’t even seem like a chore to most of them. Wiping off the kitchen table, watering flowers, and helping sort laundry are also easy and fun.

Getting Your Toddler Started The first time you introduce a new chore, you will need to show your child how to do it.

They will understand it much better if they see you doing it.

make chores more enjoyable, and your toddler may even start looking forward to doing their chores.

Rewards Rewards are huge when teaching child. So don’t forget to say thank you when your child successfully completes a chore.

If they do a really good job, you could reward them with extra playtime or a trip to the park.

This will let your toddler know that their help is appreciated and give them the incentive to continue helping.

Getting your toddler to do chores is usually not difficult, if you start early. Most young chilYou may have to guide your tod- dren love to help Mom and Dad dler throughout the process the around the house. Just rememfirst, or second or third try. Even ber to keep your expectations after they mastered the task, it’s low and do everything you can a good idea to stay with them to make chore time a positive while they are working. You can experience. By doing so, you get some of your work done will gain a helper and plant the during this time too. The impor- seeds of responsibility in your tant thing is being there to talk child. to your little one. You can even sing songs or make a game out of the chore. These things will

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Fabulous Nurse Magazine

and regulations they’ve come to know.

• Take some time to get to know one another again. You may think you know your child, but it’s quite possible that you don’t know them at all. There may be parts of your child’s personality that you never knew existed. They might learn some new things about you, as well.

From Public To Homeschooling

I

f your child is struggling in public school, for whatever reason, and is getting more discouraged as the year progresses, choosing to homeschool might be a valid option to consider. However, be prepared for a transition period after taking your child out of public school before jumping into homeschooling.

If your child is currently in public school, before you withdraw them, you need to determine your state’s homeschooling laws. Make sure you meet all of the state’s requirements before taking further action. After you’ve met each of the laws of your state, contact your child’s school and formally withdraw your child. Failing to formally withdraw your child may lead to truancy issues in the future.

Also, be prepared for them to ask questions.

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The manner in which you withdraw your child will probably vary depending on where you live, possibly writing a letter to the superintendent of your child’s school system. Explain to them that you have chosen to homeschool and are formally withdrawing your child. Provide proof that you are following your state’s laws and are legally allowed to withdraw your child from school. If you can quote part of the law in your letter, it will show that you understand the law and your rights as a homeschooling family.

• When you have your child at home, be prepared to take some time off of actual school work. This will give your child a chance to learn a new lifestyle. After all, your child has been used to the school’s way of doing things. They are no longer imprisoned by the rules

• Don’t be surprised if your child continues to do the things that they’ve become accustomed to doing. Some new homeschoolers will raise their hand if they have a question or when they need to use the restroom. It may take some time to do, but those habits will need to be broken.

• Keep some of the better habits they’ve gained. If your child has been used to having spelling tests on a particular day of the week, continue to keep that schedule. If you allow them to stop doing everything they did in public school, you may have a situation that is worse than they left.

• Take the time to enjoy the process with your child. Choosing to homeschool, while primarily for the student, should also be enjoyable for you as well. Cut loose and have fun.

Don’t take yourselves too seriously, and remember that you were a parent first. Most of all, remember why you chose to homeschool . . . to enjoy the freedom homeschooling affords.

7 K

Garage Organizers eeping a garage organized can be an ongoing project. Many times, people store so many things in their garage they can’t even fit a car into it. There are many things you can use to reclaim your garage. Here are seven of the best things to help keep your garage organized.

1.

Shelves - Attaching shelves to the walls of the garage can increase your storage space.

There are also stand-alone shelving units that are perfect in the garage. They are heavy-duty plastic or metal and can hold the heavier items that are often found in the garage, such as tools and sports equipment.

2.

Overhead storage - Overhead storage is a great way to get things put away that you don’t need as often, such as suitcases or holiday decorations. If you don’t want to build permanent shelves, there are hanging shelf units that can attach to the rafters and provide a great storage area.

3.

Pegboard, etc - Pegboard, slotboard or slatwall are perfect options in the garage. They can have hooks and baskets attached to allow for storage of a variety of items of all sizes. Brackets can be added to place shelves as needed. They can be completely customized to hold tools - both for the garden and the garage, parts, cleaning supplies, and much more.

4.

Tool hangers - There are a variety of hanging systems to

Issue 3

hold tools. There are roller versions that grab the handles and hold them in place. There are also standard hooks that will hold the tool, with the handles hanging down. These will keep the tools out of the way, making things not only neater, but also safer.

5.

Store-Pod - Store-pods are a great addition to your garage storage system. They are waterproof, heavy-duty plastic storage units that are attached to the beams above. They look like a large plastic bag with shelves inside. The front is a clear plastic door that zips closed. They have ventilation slots that help reduce dust and mildew, while still keeping pests out of the things being stored.

6.

Sports storage - If you have a family involved with sports, there are always balls lying around, as well as shoes and other gear.

Instead of tripping on them, the garage is a great place to store them. There are specially designed holders for sports equipment. There are some for balls, bike racks and more. There are bike racks that can be mounted on the wall or ceiling.

7.

Cabinets - Cabinets with a work surface are perfect for the garage. You can close the doors and hide any possible clutter. You also have a work area for projects that are too messy or noisy for the house. Many of the cabinets also come with locks - not only to protect your tools, but also to keep small children safe.

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Making Clay Pots Fabulous Nurse Magazine

P

ottery is a craft that appeals to all ages.

Children have the pleasure of making homemade playdoh or purchasing it in the store and letting their imagination take over. Adults tend to be a bit more practical. They create items that can be displayed, used on the table or even used as an indoor or outdoor planter.

For adults, and older children, the most basic pottery project and likely where every artisan began their craft, is to create a coil pot. And while the procedure to make a coiled pot is relatively easy (you don’t need a spinning wheel), it is also quite versatile. Let’s take a look at how to make your first clay pot.

Supplies: • Clay (can be purchased at your local craft store). Look for clay that can air dry or that can be fired in your oven • Hard, flat surface (one you don’t mind getting messy) Step #1 Warm the clay. Warm clay is easier to mold and bend to your will. Kneading it with your hands for a few minutes will get it warm and pliable. However, take care when folding the clay repeatedly because you can cause air bubbles to form. Air bubbles will weaken your pot’s structure.

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Step #2 Roll your clay into a long rope. The diameter of the rope will be the thickness of your pot, so keep the purpose and the size of your pot in mind.

It’s important to know that your pot will shrink as it dries. Generally, your final pot will be about 10% smaller than the original.

Step #3 Build your pot’s base.

Coiling the clay rope, create the base for your pot. Note that the taller your pot is going to be, the larger the base needs to be to support it.

Step #4 Once you have your base constructed, begin coiling the clay rope on top of your base. Each new circle of the rope makes the pot taller. Continue with the coiling until your pot is the desired height.

Step #5 If you do not want a coiled pot and would rather have a smooth sides pot, begin smoothing the sides with your fingers. Focus on the outside of the pot because this is what will be visible.

Step #6 Once your pot is smooth and looks the way you want it to look, it’s time to air dry or follow the clay instructions and fire it in your oven.

Once your pot has dried, you’re ready to go. You can paint it, glaze it or keep it in its raw form.

As you begin to experiment with clay and pottery, you can try adding handles to your coils.

One way to accomplish this is to create horizontal handles on each side of your pot. It takes a little bit of practice; however, by creating an extra thick coil where you want your handles to go, you can separate the thick coil, almost peel it in half, and create a nice handle.

Fill your coil pot with plants or flowers or put it on display and enjoy your hard work!

Issue 3

Sell Your Crafts!

O

nce you get good at pottery you might want to think about turning your new hobby into spending money. Like all things, entering the world of selling crafts should be carefully planned out. There are many websites and venues where you can sell your crafts both online and off.

Online venues are a great way to reach customers all over the world. Popular websites like Etsy, Artfire, and eBay are great tools that help to reach your targeted customers. Before making the plunge into selling your crafts, be sure to take the time and do some research beforehand. Keep the following questions in mind as you consider the prospect of selling your creations: • Do I have a product that people would want to buy?

This is the most important question you have to ask yourself. If there is no target market for your products, you will have a hard time selling your creations and not because your items are

not nice, but they may not be in demand.

• Who is my potential target market? This is a continuation of the question above because you need to know who to advertise to and how to successfully draw your target market to your items.

It would be a waste of time trying to sell baby clothes, for example, to those who do not have children.

• What will I charge for my creations? Pricing is an important strategy. All too often, people undercharge for their creations forgetting to take into consideration the time and materials that go into a product. Make sure you account for both the cost of the materials as well as the time and effort you put forth to create your goods. Also be sure not to overcharge.

You may find that your items do not sell because they are over priced.

• Where will I sell my items?

Online websites are plentiful when it comes to selling handmade goods. There are websites such as Etsy and Artfire who only allow the sales of handmade goods, along with supplies. EBay is also another popular venue to sell handmade goods. Be aware though, that you will be competing with the other goods that are not handmade and may be cheaper. A good description of the item and its benefits is always a good idea.

If you choose to sell locally, try finding a store that will sell your items on consignment or sign up to exhibit at a local craft show.

Both will be good for exposure.

If you choose to go the consignment route, be sure to get all terms in writing. Otherwise you run the risk of having your items kept and not paid for.

It is very possible in today’s day and age to make some spending money selling your crafts.

Be sure to do your research and follow through your plan by keeping the above questions in mind. Once you have your plan in mind, go ahead and take the plunge. But remember, like anything else, you will get in return what you put forth so make it worth your while.

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S

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

o you have decided to get an exotic pet.

What now? How do you decide which one is appropriate for you and your family? Where can you buy one legally?

Exotic Pet Which Exotic Pet Is Right For You?

Before you run out and buy the cutest or most interesting pet you can find, it pays to take a step back and make an educated decision. Here’s how to determine which exotic pet is right for you.

• Is the pet legal to own? Not all pets are legal in all areas of the country. Spend some time reviewing your local laws and regulations as they relate to exotic pets. Find out what pets are not allowed and scratch them off of your list.

• Lifespan - Many exotic pets live for decades; we’re talking 30, 40 even 50 years. This is quite an investment and responsibility.

• Other pets - What other pets do you have in your home?

Some pets are completely incompatible with others. Make sure the pet you choose will get along with the pets you already have.

• Children - Do you have small children? If so, you’ll need to tread carefully. Many exotic pets are not compatible with small children.

Be very careful when choosing an exotic pet 48

part 2

Ownership

if you have little ones.

• Space & equipment - Many exotic pets have very special needs. You’ll want to investigate these needs before you make a commitment and bring on home. Make sure you not only have the room for their housing but also that you can afford the equipment required to properly care for your desired exotic pet.

• Time commitment - Some exotics are fairly easy to care for; others require full-time attention. Lemurs for example require constant attention, whereas a sugar glider may be content by themselves for a while.

•

More than one? - Several exotic pet breeds require companionship. They live in groups and getting just one will result in behavior and perhaps even health problems. That means if you want one, you have to want two, three or more. Are you prepared for this?

• Pet Size - How large of a pet can you accommodate? If you’re in a smaller home or apartment, then size will be an issue.

Finding a Reputable Dealer or Breeder

#1

Contact rescue agencies.

Many exotic animals end up in rescue organizations, sanctuaries and the humane

Issue 3

society. This is because the original owner probably got in over their head and chose an animal they weren’t prepared to own. Starting with the rescue agencies also helps ensure an animal’s life is spared. You get the pet you want and you save a life. It’s a decision you’ll feel good about for as long as you own your pet.

#2

Buy from a breeder.

Breeders of many exotic species are required to have a permit issued by the USDA. Before you buy an animal from a breeder, check to make sure they have a permit. This permit is a significant assurance that you’re buying from a reputable breeder or dealer. Visit the USDA’s website, find your state, and investigate the breeder/dealer regulations for your state.

#3

Ask your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will likely know both what breeds are best suited for your personality and needs; they may also know reputable breeders or dealers in your area. Additionally, once you purchase an exotic pet, you’re going to be required to fill out paperwork. Part of this

paperwork is a certificate of veterinary inspection – a medical check-up. So it’s important to connect

with your veterinarian before you get an exotic pet.

#4

Don’t purchase online.

It’s important to be able to visit a breeder or dealer and view the animals. This will give you an opportunity to make sure the pets are healthy, live in a clean and sanitary environment and that they’re loved and cared for.

#5

What is the pet’s origin? Find out where the animal came from. When dealing with a dealer, as opposed to a breeder, it’s important to make sure the animals are legal. Most dealers are very up-front about this information and have the certificates and licenses to prove it. IF they don’t, or are hesitant to share the information with you, this is a red flag that the animals may be in the country illegally. The black market exotic animal trade is huge.

Finding a reputable exotic animal dealer or breeder is the responsible way to obtain an exotic pet. It helps make sure your pet is healthy, comes from a caring environment, and meets local laws and regulations.

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Top 10 Reasons To Fabulous Nurse Magazine

Adopt An Adult Dog

T

he next time you and your family are looking to adopt a dog, perhaps you can convince them to adopt an older dog. The obvious advantages of getting an adult dog is that it eliminates the amount of time and attention it takes to housetrain. Moreover, depending on the breed and age of the adult dog, the benefits are multiple.

Let’s take a look at the top ten reasons why adopting an older dog is advantageous.

1.

2.

An adult dog already has an established personality.

They will not require as much time and attention as a puppy.

3.

You can choose an adult dog whose personality is suitable to your own.

4.

5.

Most adult dogs will adapt more easily to a schedule.

An adult dog will not need to be taken out as frequently as a puppy.

6.

There are more adult dogs available for adoption than puppies.

7.

8.

An adult dog may be more appropriate for children.

You can leave the dog alone when you head off to work.

9.

They may already understand certain commands from the outset.

10. owner.

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An adult dog will bond more quickly with its

Issue 3

THE Ice Storm A Traveler's Texas Tale

O

.K, so I am lying in my hospital bed thinking.

I’m thinking I had no business driving off the icy bridge, down towards a deep ravine and into a tree. I had no business losing consciousness and almost freezing to death but for the life saving grace of a curious boy who came out to see what had flown off the bridge. Had he not done so and called his brother for help, who in turn called their parents, who in turn called the paramedics, I would be toast.

We’ll, not exactly; I would be frozen to death. I had no business spending a little over two days in a hospital in the middle

of nowhere, away from friends, family, and everyone who knew me, America. You see, I’ve got a travel nursing business to run with me as the star employee.

I’ve got things to do. People to call. Places to go. I had no business getting into an accident or laying around in a hospital bed.

This was no way to spend the only week I had given myself off from hospital work. I reach over to the nightstand and fumbled with what was left of my suitcase. I successfully retrieved my laptop. Despite the mess my suitcase was in, my laptop was unscathed. I quietly thanked the paramedics for having the presence of mind to retrieve my suitcase from the wreck that was my

car. My chest still hurt, it felt like I was breathing fire, a remnant from the impact of my clash with the tree.

“Oh, well it could be worse.”

I caught myself thinking as I stare at the updated invoices on my screen, the events of the last couple of days a slight blur. Then it hits me, I am one dedicated wench. So there was an ice storm sweeping through these parts of the country. Boo. So the entire Northwest Texas had been crippled by this sudden unleashing of nature’s wrath. So what? Boo. I’ve got a business to run. Things to do.

People to call. Places to go.

This was annoying at best. An 51

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ice storm in Texas, in November no less. You’ve got to be kidding me! The world must have turned on its heels. Rain, maybe.

Ice storm? I think not! Heck! I left the pristine temperatures and weather of New England for this? It was sunny in Maine when I left for my home in Texas.

Everyone tells me the highways away from home are very dangerous. I am almost always reminded to be safe as I drive across the country.

“You should be careful driving across the country like you do,” they say. Boo. Well, I do really enjoy driving.

And the only accident I can recall in recent memory is this one, right here at home. Go figure.

The world had certainly turned on its kilter.

Or maybe I had landed in a twilight zone, a few times over or a parallel universe of sorts. So here I am in Bowie, an hour and a half north of Fort Worth, and nowhere close to my destination. It is my second day in the hospital. The attending physician said I had spontaneously recovered from a chest contusion which had elevated my troponin level to 7. The sheer magnitude of that would hit me weeks later.

For now, I reviewed the invoices on my computer and tallied the results of my hard work while I waited for my discharge papers.

The nurse walks into my room 52

with a concerned look on his face. In an unmistakable Texas drawl, he voiced the words that placed a cherry flavor on this very popsicle of a visit to Texas.

“About your discharge,” he began. “There is no available public transportation to take you back to Decatur.” “Whatever do you mean?” The question escaped my mouth in a squeal.

“We only have one cab driver here in Bowie but he RETIRED about a year ago. He only worked part time, anyway. We don’t have buses, either.”

“In the whole town of Bowie?”

“Bowie is not all that big,” he said sympathetically. “I know this sounds strange but was our only taxi service. My unit manager asked us to call the paramedics to see if they could help drive you to Decatur but they are stuck on the road trying to help other people who have been stranded by the ice-storm.” He paused for a moment and his words slowly found their way into the recesses of my mind. A town with no taxi service and no buses?!! How is that even possible? This was too odd for words.

“Have you contacted your rental company?” His words interrupted my thoughts. “I did earlier but they don’t have any cars available. Apparently, no one has returned the cars they rented because of the weather.”

Issue 3

“Or they had an accident like you did. It could be they are afraid to drive in this weather,” he added. “Exactly,” I concurred.

At that moment I wished I had stayed one more night in Dallas instead of chancing it on the road to goodness knows where. My rental car was still in the ravine. Completely totaled, I’m told. My suitcase was torn in multiple places, its contents in complete shambles. I thanked my lucky stars for a working computer. “I suppose this means I will be staying in a hotel until the ice melts.” “Ehmm,” he cleared his throat. And yes he did say what I am about to share with you. “There are no hotels or motels in Bowie.” I did not know if I should laugh or wail. What! Not one cab in town.

No hotels. Nothing. I had really died and woken up in the re-run of a bad episode of The Twilight Zone. Taa laa, laa, laa. Bing.

The nurse was called to the nurses’ station over the intercom. He scurried out of the room only momentarily looking back to say, “I’ll be back. We’ll think of something.” Moments later, the room door opened and it was a kindly faced elderly lady. I smiled up at her and waited for her to introduce herself. “My name is Marion, I am the Social Worker. I understand you are stranded in the hospital?” She questioned laconically. “Yes,” I replied weakly. A sense of foreboding overcame

me. I was not sure that my situation warranted a Social Worker but perhaps she had ideas for accommodation. “I cannot get through to the billing department for your Insurance company.” She related in the most cryptic of tones. “I will need you to pay for your hospital stay out of pocket.” What?” I questioned thoroughly alarmed. “We must have some form of payment before you leave.” She said this as a matter of fact. It was neither a suggestion nor did it seem open to debate.

Still I tried, “But I have insurance. “You have a copy of my automobile insurance card.

Progressive will take care of all my hospital expenses. I specifically added that coverage to my policy for moment like this.”

“I don’t know what to tell you about that, Missy. This is a private hospital, not a charity.

We only make money when people pay their bills. You can make a deposit of $1,500.00 towards your bill that will qualify you to sign up for a payment plan. If check arrives from your insurance company, we will reimburse you for the monies you have paid. I have to insist on this.” The chill in her voice matched the sub-zero temperatures outside and sent a shiver down my spine.

“Are you kidding me? Do you realize that I am at present stranded in your hospital with 53

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

no way of getting home?” I was getting sufficiently agitated that it showed.

“Look, I understand your predicament but my job is to make sure that the hospital gets reimbursed for services it has provided. By the way, your room will also need to be vacated soon as there is a patient in the ED waiting to be admitted.”

Dumbfounded, I reached into my raggedy purse and pulled out my checkbook. This too had been saved from the wreck. As I filled in the information, I was painfully aware of her hovering disapproving eyes. To think my first impression of her was that she seemed nice. Looks can be deceiving. My stay in Texas thus far only seemed to get better and better. I felt a rush of fiery breath within my chest but said nothing. I was not about to her or anyone I did not feel up to par. She probably would have mistaken my illness for a stalling tactic. Even so, there really was no way I was going to spend one more minute in this place.

Still, it sucked that I could not call any of my friends because my cell phone had run out of juice. Thanks to the advancements in technology, I did not remember anyone’s number by heart, not even my fiancé’s. And I still had no way of getting to my destination. After I handed her the check, Chuck my nurse returned as she walked out the door. I told him what had happened. He looked convincingly shocked and apologized pro-

54

fusely for my situation. “I know they said to encourage you to leave now but if you want to take a quick shower, it is okay with me. I am so very sorry this is happening to you,” he said reading my mind and the furtive looks I made towards the bathroom door.

About a half hour later, I was showered and changed. My suitcase dragged behind me as I looked for a way out. Chuck found me wondering the hallways. “Hey, you left your room.”

“I need to get out of here.” My reply was short. “I know. My manager has left for the day but she wanted me to give you her card.” “Why?” “I told her you were an ICU nurse and a traveler, so she wondered if you would be interested in working here.” I had to chuckle at that.

This day just seemed to get better and better. “I want to show you something.” He changed the topic and beckoned me to follow him. As we walked down the hall, he stopped and introduced me to Chelsea, Ruby, and Ron, the other nurses on his unit. “This is Lori.” “Oh, the travel nurse. Are you going to come work with us?” They chimed in unison. I managed a smile and said, “We’ll see.”

“Where are you taking her?” “To the old unit.” “Oh, why didn’t we think of that?” Before I could ask what they meant, he parted a large set of curtains and revealed rows of abandoned hospital beds and other equipment. “My manager says that

you can rest here until you figure out what to do. You don’t have to thank me. It is the least we can do for another member of our profession.” Without waiting for my response, he continued, “I am sorry but I must go. It is almost change of shift. Time for report. Make yourself at home.”

I stood there baffled. Staring at the beds and trying to make sense of what just happened.

This turned out to be a good thing because no sooner had he left that a security guard appeared by my side. He held my arm and said, “I must escort you off the hospital premises. You cannot be here after discharged.

The hospital cannot be liable if anything happens to you.” Without much ado he escorted me outside the hospital and into the freezing cold evening air.

No I did not die of a heart attack or freeze to death. I wouldn’t be writing this story if I did. To make a rather long story short, I did eventual find my way home.

The truth is that I do look fondly back at the care I received from Chuck and the nurses at that hospital. Still, it was not enough to make me want to go back there, let alone work there as a regular staff. The moral of the story is that you must always be prepared for any eventuality that life hits your way. Get insured to the teeth. Always have emergency funds in the bank. Whatever you do, drive safely. This is a true story of my experiences during an ice storm in Texas, so many Novembers ago.

Rapture In Arizona A Travel Nurse's Story

T

Issue 3

he flat expanse of nothingness grew eerie and wider. I made my way out of Arizona towards Nevada and the Grand Canyon. My despair and feeling of desolation hung heavy in the air; forming a shared cry of silence with the near abandoned Indian settlements scattered in the distance.

Silently it began. Then with a roll of thunder becoming of an approaching storm, the silence became loud and louder; deafening. The silence cut through me like a crisp evening wind.

I shook in fear. I tasted bile as I became acutely aware of my minuscule presence in what seemed to be the land of the lost. My feet grew heavy and my car roared in response sensing my eagerness to escape the desert and encroaching nightfall.

As I made my way out of the dry wasteland, suddenly as though out of nowhere, I happened upon it. WOW! A quick shift of my foot brought the car to a screeching halt. Even before the rising dust settled all around me, the majesty of what I saw took my breath away; my cry of isolation & roaring car engine muted as I bowed to its grace.

It seemed improbably that such beauty surrounded me after miles and miles of nothing but sun dried mud, red clay, and flat unrepentant desert soil. I felt its beauty pull me into a lasting embrace. I basked in the sheer beauty of the majestic rocks that had forcefully thrust their way skyward from the barren flats of earthy ground. Hardly did I feel the ground beneath as I stepped out of the car. I stood in 55

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

no longer read the message on the rocks or see the people of the valley perform their century old ceremony in celebration of its beauty. Still, its ethereal beauty has remained with me.

a perfect state of awe, tempted to head off the marked road; to partake on foot in what could only be a testament of natural beauty, a monument to the brute force of nature’s chisel. In the setting sun’s light the rocks revealed their truths;

That was my first encounter with the majestic Monument Valley and my tribute to American, the beautiful.

“I am Monument Valley Behold the simple grandeur of my jagged contours I have been named a 7th wonder of the world My stance a tribute to all my people” In a trance I watched as its people danced to the song they had sung for centuries; well before western civilization arrived.

Perhaps it was a reflection of the dancing rays of the sun’s fading

56

light. Perhaps this was indeed a magical place. Perhaps I should have taken a closer look at my map, perhaps then I would have known to expect this place. But that is beside the point.

The setting sun swept across the valley to its rest, leaving behind shades of paltry bright; soft hues in orange, reds, and pure gold.

As it faded into darkness, I could

Issue 3

57

THE NURSE'S

STATION

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

58

A

s we follow Janet and Cori through their search for the ideal nursing job, we have discussed effective search efforts and networking options. In Part 3 of our Dream Job series, we’ll discuss

Issue 3

the importance of presentation.

I chose the word presentation because in effect you are marketing yourself. You often hear that first impressions count. This is particularly true when you apply for a nursing job regardless of your years of experience or

Part 3 of 5 Presentation: A Nurse's Resume, Cover Letter, & References

lack thereof. Your resume and accompanying documents are the employer’s first impression of you. As such, this article concentrates on the nuts & bolts of writing a winning nurse’s resume, cover letter, & references.

Let’s begin.

The Nurse’s Cover Letter Preceding the resume is a cover letter. The cover letter should always accompany any resume you send out, be it by post or via electronic job application formats. It should be the very first document a hiring manager sees. Your nurse cover letter, therefore, acts as an introduction to your resume and emphasizes the parts of your experience and skills set which most suit the employer’s job requirements. Your cover letter should also mention your knowledge of the health facility and expressly share how & where your personal skills would be most useful to the organization. Your cover letter text should be no more than 3/4s of a page long. Many people will tell you one page is the max but I find that busy employers, myself included, appreciate your concise introduction in less than one full page.

Parts of a nurse’s cover letter:

1.

Dream Job Series

Nurse’s name & mailing address. This is the same mailing address as in your resume.

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Fabulous Nurse Magazine

2.

3.

4.

Date. Current date in proper format.

The employer’s full mailing address.

Dear (name of person – NOT Sir/Madam). It is crucial that your salutation address the person who is responsible for hiring the nurse that will fill the position. Contact human resources and ask the receptionist for the correct spelling of the name & title of the person you should address your cover letter to.

5.

Three main text paragraphs. As mentioned before regardless of your years of experience, endeavor to keep your text no more than 3/4s of a page. Specifically three main paragraphs.

Introduce yourself in para 1; state your reason for applying and why the position is of interest to you. Additionally, include how you heard about the position.

In para 2, the longest paragraph, briefly describe the scale of your experience in the workforce or at school. Identify the characteristics that made you good at your job or clinicals.

Explain how this position fits into your career goals. A nursing student may mention a clinical rotation that is relevant to the position they are applying to.

Para 3 ties in the main points presented by expressing how your skills and background will be an invaluable asset to the organization. An assertive last sentence is important unless this cover letter is for an on campus 60

recruiter.

6.

7.

9.

Closing (Sincerely, Yours truly, Best regards,) Nurse’s Signature

8.Full Name – typed with your credentials.

Enclosure: Resume. This indicates that there are other documents included with your cover letter .

Write and re-write your cover letter until you get it right. If you have doubts about your business writing skills seek assistance. Some applicants have contacted us directly by email and through the Fabulous Nurse’s Facebook page requesting job search assistance. We are more than happy to help.

Remember to keep the color

and type of stationery you use for your cover letter and resume the same. Sample cover letters can be either be found in the Resources section of this magazine issue or through a visit to the Fabulous Nurse magazine blog; see the career category.

The Nurse’s Resume Next to the interviewing process, resume writing gives nursing job applicants a great deal of anxiety. This is true for both seasoned nurses like Janet and brand new nurses like Cori. But resume writing does not have to be difficult. Once you figure out the essential components, it gets easier. One thing I recommend is finding a format you like and writing a generic resume in that format. You now have your own personal template to work from. Each time you ap-

Issue 3

ply for a position, edit the skills and experience to match the job duties. Update your resume regularly and never fib about your skills. Yes, it is okay to use adjectives like “accomplished,” “excellent,” “superior,” ‘best,” “notable,” supreme,” etc.

Don’t forget that your resume is a marketing tool and you are perfectly in the right to toot your skills and knowledge in the best possible way. You deserve the accolade.

Parts of a nurse’s resume: Like your cover letter, keep your resume concise, to the point, organized, and visually appealing; bullet main points. As a rule of thumb keep it to one full page, period. I have more than a decade worth of experience under my belt including various travel nursing experiences but my resume is never more than one page long. It can be done.

The key is to lead with your strongest characteristics/skills.

Note the differences in the order of appearance for each section of the resume as it relates to a nurse’s level of experience below.

The following parts of a resume have been written down in the format I most prefer. Select a header/resume format that works for you.

Header (Nurse’s Name) postal address, phone, & email address Job objective: No need to agonize over what you should write here. What nursing position are you looking for? How will this benefit the organization? This should be on one line.

Sample for staff position: Challenging nursing position that will utilize my skills for (optimum/ preferential/ideal/positive/excellent/superior) patient outcomes.

Choose one word from the parenthesis (bracket) and you are done.

Sample for nursing leadership position: To secure a (challenging) position that will utilize my (superior/excellent/exemplary/ outstanding/commendable) nursing leadership abilities.

Seasoned Nurse’s Resume

New / Graduate Nurse’s Resume

Header Job objective Clinical Skills & Experience Employment History Education Licensure & Certifications Honors, Awards & Activities Related Skills References

Header Job objective Education Honors / Awards / Activities Nursing Skills Licensure & Certifications Employment History (only if you have nursing experience; work as CNA counts) Related Skills & Experiences Employment History (if you have no nursing experience) References

(in order of appearance)

(in order of appearance)

Clinical Skills & Experience Type of unit: ICU/PCU/OB/ER, etc.

Expertise comes with experience so this is easier for seasoned nurses to write down.

That is not to say that new nurses do not have skills of their own. As a nursing student, what skills did you feel most comfortable performing? What did your instructors commend you on?

Once you as a seasoned nurse or new nurse writes down the skills, eliminate the superfluous ones; narrow the list down to prime skills that are necessary in carrying out the duties of the position you want to secure.

Concentrate on the skills you perform best. Write these down in bullet form. Command the employer’s attention with your choice of words.

• Superior IV starting skills.

(Sample for seasoned nurse.)

• Able to work autonomously and as part of a team.

(Sample for seasoned nurse.)

• Excellent communication skills. (Sample for new nurse).

• Ability to learn quickly on one’s feet. (Sample for new nurse).

• Demonstrated patient and family education skills.

(Both).

Employment History I recommend that all nurses should consolidate all the relevant skills performed throughout their career into the skills 61

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

section. In chronological form, highlight the companies/organizations you have worked for under experiences. Include the name, length of employment, and location of employer; city & state where employer is located will do.

Education Most people choose to begin with the highest degree attained. This is perfectly fine.

Include your GPA only if it will reflect very positively on you or the position demands it. As a rule of thumb if your GPA is under 3.0 don’t mention it. Still, if you have a less than stellar GPA but was able to graduate while working long hours or as a single head of household, you should share this information; preferably on your cover letter.

List the complete name of your school. Include year of graduation and highest degree awarded to you by said institution.

Honors, Awards & Activities Write the types of work and/or school recognitions you have received. Were you part of a scholarship program? Did you receive recognition for outstanding Patient care? Are you a member of a work committee?

Do you belong to any nursing organizations? If yes, which ones? Do you volunteer? With what organizations?

Related Skills This is a great area to mention non-nursing skills that impact 62

the day to day care of our patients. Do you speak a foreign language? Which ones? Are you computer literate? Mention this. Given the current transition to electronic charting systems, computer literacy is a highly desirable skill for nurses. Only mention the system you have worked with if it is the same as the one the organization uses. In this section of your resume, you are simply sharing your knowledge of computer systems.

References References available upon request.

As with other professions, the nurse’s list of references is separate from the resume. Never forward a list of references unless you are requested to do so. The list of references should include a supervisor or instructor, co-worker or classmate, and friends or family members who can attest to your character. This list contains limited information about the individuals and only the most basic contact information. Always alert the people on your list of references that you are job searching so that they can expect the call from a potential employer. Be sure you have their permission to use their names. Reference information is a very important part of the job search process. Be careful whom you choose to place on the list.

Information included in a nurse’s list of references:

• Name and title of individual • Place of employment (if professional) • In a word or two, describe your relationship with them? Which of your references are a relative, manager, supervisor, charge nurse, DON or friend?

•

Street Address

• Contact number: work and/or cell phone • Email address (if appropriate) Presto! You are done. You now know everything you need to write that winning resume. If you need further assistance, see the sample resumes in the Resource pages of this issue. Fabulous Nurse magazine staff can also be reached via support@fabulousnurse.com. Join us next month as we debunk all misconceptions about the interview process. Good luck!

Issue 3

Nurse Liaison, Bioethics, Writer, Medical Analyst, Public Health, and more. We shall discuss these career options in great detail over several issues.

The School Nurse

5

Duties: Unlike most nursing fields, schools nurses have the unique distinction of being the only available authority on health for hundreds of students and their families. Remarkably, when we spoke to some school nurses about their job duties; many regaled us with heroic stories of saving a student’s par-

Non-Traditional Nursing Careers

Almost always, when people think of a nurse, the image that comes to mind is that of a bedside nurse in a hospital. Few, if at all there’s any, recall the image of nurses who work in nontraditional roles. Even media coverage and television shows limit their coverage of nursing to nurses at the bedside. The popular fictional star characters of HawthoRNe and Nurse Jackie also work in traditional nursing settings. Granted a good number of nurses (RNs & LPNs) working in hospital settings easily making up the vast majority of any given hospitals workforce.

Still, many nurses work in nontraditional (non-bedside) roles and go on to have flourishing nursing careers.

In this article, we’ll discuss the following five:

1.

Employee/Occupational 2.Health.

School Nurse

Usually in a hospital setting or through large non-healthcare companies in a corporate setting.

3.Health-line Nurse

Through insurance compa-

nies.

4.

Dialysis Nurse 5.

Plasma Center Nurse / Infusion Center Nurse

Other non-traditional roles we have not discussed include Advanced Practice, Informatics, Legal Consultation, Entrepreneurship, Executive/Administrative roles, Forensics, Educator,

ent who was exhibiting symptoms of myocardial infarction or cerebral ischemia. Yes, it is true that school nursing involves band-aids and making “boo boos” better; but they do so much more. Many students are on long term medications which require administration throughout the day. Medications such as Ritalin, asthma inhalers, and insulin are commonly given.

As one nurse succinctly stated, “my students have cancer, diabetes, seizures, cystic fibrosis, heart diseases, and chronic mental health issues. Some days, I attend to fractured bones and on some others, severe allergic or anaphylactic reactions rule my day. It is my sole responsibility to develop emergency care plans, identify health problems, administer medications, train staff, provide health 63

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

tional settings. These include working in office buildings (corporate settings) or the plant sites of any number of businesses that value the health and safety of its employees. The duties of an Occupational Health Nurse are varied spanning areas such as environmental health, disease prevention & management, emergency response & preparedness, health care services, employee treatment, disability, workers compensation, and rehabilitation issues.

Education & Experience: Every These nurses assist employees state requires that school nurses in interpreting and evaluating hold a registered nursing license their medical & occupational (RN). Some states require a BSN histories, personal complaints, physical examinations, results of and some require an MSN. A diagnostic screening tests and Master’s degree in Education, industrial hygiene. On any given Public health or Counseling is helpful. To be nationally certified day, the occupational health nurse documents employee through the National Board for injury or illness, appraises work Certification of School Nurses environs for potential hazards, (NBCSN), a nurse must have a and interprets medical diagnoBSN or Bachelor’s degree in a ses to both employees and their health related field. The nurse employers must also work in the capacity of a school nurse, and of course Education & Experience: A Bachelor of Science in Nursing pass the certification examina(BSN) and passing score of the tion.

NCLEX-RN exam will allow the Salary & Career Outlook: nurse to practice in areas such According to Salary.com, the average salary for school nurses as occupational health as well as ranges from $35,037 to $55,361 community health, emergency nursing or critical care licensed per year, with the top 10 perto practice. Furthermore, an cent earning $65,600 or more.

MSN specifically on a related In terms of career outlook, field like public health or busithere shall always be a need for ness and a certification through school nurses. The American the American Board for OccupaFederation of Teachers reports tional Health Nurses identifies that approximately half of the 45,000 school nurses employed one as an expert Occupational Health Nurse. Knowledge of in the United States cover the OSHA policies and procedures, health care needs of three or Worker’s Compensation laws more different schools. in the state in which the nurse Occupational Health practices, and FMLA regulations Nurse are most helpful. education for students and staff, and make referrals to other health care providers, as needed. If I fail to identify child abuse, my student suffers. I also have to be able to identify and help the student at risk for illegal drug abuse, STDs, and depression. But the crowning glory of my job is the hugs and kisses I get to offer freely to some whose only source of affection is from their instructors and school nurse. It is a challenging job and I love every minute of it.”

Duties: Occupational nurses work in a variety of non-tradi64

Salary & Career Outlook: According to Salary.com, the

median expected salary for an average staff nurse in occupational health is $66,513 annually.

Nurses who advance their career and become team leaders in supervisory roles can expect to earn about $75,305 per annum.

Given that employee safety is vital to any company’s operation and success, this non-traditional career option has a rosy outlook.

The Health-Line Nurse Duties: As a patient’s first line of defense against illness, the Health-line nurse provides free telephone triage services to callers. These services are usually offered by health insurance companies and increasingly by some healthcare systems. On a typical call, the nurse listens to the patients and asks a list of questions which helps them determine the severity of the symptom. These questions are normally prompted by a software system which the Healthline nurse can override if their instincts, experience, and professional knowledge lead them to differ with the conclusions of the system. The nurse determines if the patient needs to take an over the counter med, make an appointment with their PCP or go to the Emergency Room stat.

Education & Experience: Years ago when this system was first introduced, formal healthcare training was not required to perform in the role of health-line personnel. These individuals dispensed information based solely on the suggestions of the software system. Needless to say, the inability to make lifesaving decisions based on clinical expertise led to many documented mishaps. Public outcry and litigation encourage many

Issue 3

insurance companies to hire professionally trained nurses.

Today, health-line personnel and their team leaders are almost always experienced Registered Nurses with a preferential background in Emergency or Critical Care nursing. To be a successful health-line nurse, a nurse must possess exceptional patient interaction & communication skills, the ability to work as part of a team, excellent record keeping skills, critical decision making skills, customer service skills, and of course have the innate desire to help people.

tients undergoing IV infusions.

In these centers a registered nurse administers medications intravenously in a physician supervised setting. These medications include but are not limited to blood administration, antibiotics, and chemotherapy.

An integral part of any Center nurse’s duties also include interaction with the patients, maintaining an orderly filing system, and handling medical emergencies.

Education & Experience: Both centers require a valid license to practice and valid Basic Life Salary & Career Outlook: Support (BLS) card to begin Health-line services have been practice. In addition, oncology functional in the United States infusion centers require hemafor over twenty years. On the av- tology/oncology or RN experierage, Health-line nurses make ence and an Oncology Nursing about $57, 000 per annum.

Society’s (ONS) certification in With the renewed push towards chemotherapy. Non-oncology preventative medicine more certification through the Infusion and more nurses will be needed Nurses Certification Corporation to manage these phones. The (INCC) is for nurses who wish to attain distinction but is not global appeal of this non-tradinecessary in obtaining a job as tional field is obvious. In addian infusion center nurse. tion to the United States, the United Kingdom as NHS Direct, Many newly minted nurses have Australia, New Zealand, South started their nursing career as Africa, Scandinavia, France, Plasma Center nurses.

Belgium, and Portugal all operate phone triage systems as part Salary & Career Outlook: On the average, an Infusion or plasof their mandate for a healthier ma center nurse can expect to citizenry. make about $50,000 although Infusion Center Nurse / this number varies greatly by Plasma Center Nurse regions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that job Duties: Plasma center nurses are opportunities for infusion nurses expected to comply with fedis expected to grow much faster eral, state, local, and companythan average for all professions, specific regulations related to increasing 23% from 2006 to plasma quality, employee and 2016. donor safety; monitor electronic Dialysis Nurse donor questionnaire system perform physical examinations, Duties: A dialysis nurse, also and drug screens on potential referred to as a renal nurse neplasma donors. phrology nurse, or urology nurse Infusion center ensures the utis a registered nurse that spemost comfort and care of pacializes in the care of patients

requiring Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT). Work settings may be in a hospital or private dialysis clinic. The dialysis nurse is responsible for the proper operation of the dialysis equipment, performing routine medical procedures using established protocols, and educating renal patients on dialysis. Other duties include maintaining medical inventory, notifying managers when supplies are needed, administering medications, arranging for follow up appointments, and reporting to the manager, and renal doctors, as necessary.

While providing care for the hospitalized patient, the dialysis nurses also works in collaboration with the patient’s primary nurse.

Education & Experience: Like all areas of nursing, be it traditional bedside or non-traditional nursing, the dialysis nurses must hold a valid license to practice in their state. Licensure of course is obtained post-graduation from an accrediting school of nursing and upon passing the NCLEX exam. More often than not, dialysis nurses are expected to have a minimum Baccalaureate diploma. Previous work experience is helpful but some centers do hire and train new nurses with little or no work experience.

Salary & Career Outlook: The average salary of an experienced dialysis nurse is about $49,450 per year. The “Big D And Me” website compiled data on the number of people on dialysis in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. There are roughly 4-5 million documented people on dialysis and rising; enough to create a small country. Alongside the rising need for dialysis is the need for dialysis nurses.

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Fabulous Nurse Magazine

By Donald Wood

ARNP, CRNA

Patient

Satisfaction - The Nursing

B

ackground

Patient satisfaction or the patient experience is a very difficult item to rate.

There are seemingly endless variables that must be considered. Once that is done, how can you compare your hospital to any other hospital who measures the patient experience in their own way? And if hospitals are obtaining this information, how can the general public view the results? You end up comparing apples to grapefruit to bananas if you can find the information at all!

The Agency Healthcare Research and Quality was tasked in the mid-1990’s to develop a method to have an applesto-apples comparison of various health related activities.

The original survey was titled the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®). The CAHPS survey eventually was utilized to measure patient’s experiences in several different areas.

A survey for hospitals, HCAHPS, was developed to focus on the hospital experiences of adult inpatients. They input of many different national groups was used to develop a 27 question survey for all hospitals to use. In May of 2005, the National Quality Forum formally endorsed the HCAHPS. Thus, the playing field

66

Implications

was leveled and meaningful comparisons could be made.

payment update that is reduced by 2%.

In October 2006, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented the HCAHPS survey with its first public reporting of results in March 2008. Since July 2007, hospitals subject to the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS)must collect and submit HCAHPS data to receive their full IPPS annual payment update. Failure to collect and submit this data results in an annual

The reported information, once collected, is placed online at the Hospital Compare Website for viewing by the general public.

The online format allows comparison of up to three hospitals.

Links to graphs and tables that provide the national and state average for each quality topic, as well as, the information for the selected hospitals are available.

Issue 3

Survey Questions The survey questions are divided into seven areas. The first six areas concern the care received while the last contains demographic questions.

• Your care from nurses (4 questions) • Your care from doctors (3 questions) • The hospital environment (2 questions) • Your experiences in this hospital (8 questions, 3 are qualifiers) • When you left the hospital (3 questions, 1 is a qualifier) • Overall rating of hospital (2 questions) • About you (5 questions) When summarized, the responses to the questions are divided into 10 HCAHPS measures (six summary, two individual and two global items). The summary measures are derived from two or three questions in the survey.

The summary questions address: • Communications with nurses • Communications with doctors • Responsiveness of hospital staff • Pain management • Communication about medicines • Discharge information Individual measures address cleanliness and quietness of the hospital environment. The two global measures concern the overall hospital rating and

whether the patient would recommend the hospital to others.

While the summary may have a heading of “Communications with Nurses” the individual survey questions are: “During this hospital stay, how often did nurses treat you with courtesy and respect?”

“During this hospital stay, how often did nurses listen carefully to you?”

of the role that nursing plays within the hospital setting. Physicians may see the patient for a few minutes several times a day, dietary interacts with the patient three times a day and laboratory personnel may encounter the patient once or twice a day.

But the nursing staff (CNA, LPN, RN) is present 24 hours each day and is the main conduit of interaction between the patient and the rest of the hospital. The impact of the nursing staff is tremendous since they are the “face” of the hospital.

“During this hospital stay, how often did nurses explain things in a way you could understand?” This puts the spotlight on the nursing staff to provide a posi(Underlining is present in the tive experience for the patient. survey instrument.)

Looking back at the survey questions, one of the questions Correlation to Nursing asks if the nursing staff listened CMS performs statistical analysis to the patient. All too often, we of the information it receives. may think that we are listening One analysis of this information but our non-verbal communicaseeks to provide insight into key tions (looking away from the drivers of patient satisfaction. patient or typing on a computer One such analysis is a section keyboard) may suggest othertitled “HCAHPS Patient-Level wise. Sending mixed messages Correlations.” This information like this does not encourage a contains patient-level Pearson positive patient experience.

Correlations of linear means of Another question inquires about HCAHPS measures. Over two the nurse explaining things in million completed surveys were a way the patient could underutilized for this review. stand. How many times are we The very obvious item that guilty of spouting off medical jumps out is that nursing has terminology that is technically the highest positive correlation correct but not understood by in seven out of nine measures. the patient? We tend to use The information basically shows what the military refers to as a that how a patient views nursing TLA (Three Letter Acronym). We usually impacts most all of the must make the effort to have our areas on the survey. The highest verbal and non-verbal communipositive correlation (0.65) is with cations in line and complimentathe measure “Overall Hospital ry. We need to use the language Rating.” of the patient. We also need to ascertain that the information It actually should not come as that we give to the patient is any big surprise when you think accurately received. This may 67

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require asking the patient to tell us, in their own words, what we just told them.

Future Use of HCAHPS HCAHPS scores were designed with three goals in mind. The first is to allow a meaningful comparison between hospitals on items that are meaningful to the patient. The second goal is to create an incentive for hospitals to improve the quality of care. Accountability in healthcare through transparency of the quality of healthcare provided in

return for the public investment is the third goal.

Passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA - also known as healthcare reform) in March of 2010 has placed much higher emphasis on the second and third goals of HCAHPS. Starting in fiscal year 2013, hospitals will be eligible for incentive payments in a program called the value-based purchasing (VBP) program. This program will look at specific patient conditions or

procedures (heart failure, pneumonia, hospital acquired infections, etc.), increased hospital efficiency and measure selected from HCAHPS. From these three areas, a composite score will be determined. Hospitals that score in the lowest quartile will probably not receive any VBP incentive payment.

Some experts are predicting that the HCAHPS will account for 20 - 40% of the scoring for VBP payments. It doesn’t take a great deal of thought to see that nursing will have a huge impact on the future of healthcare and hospitals. Nursing can already modify market share and revenue. Now we can add incentive payments. Unfortunately that modification can go both ways. If the nursing staff is well versed in communications skills, critical thinking, leadership and similar soft skills (which produce hard results), the effect can be a big positive. Unfortunately the reverse is also true. A nursing staff that shows up for work and only performs to a minimal level will have a negative impact on all three areas of VBP. All hospitals face cutbacks in funding from CMS. These reductions will start at 1% (FY 2013) and increase to 2% (FY 2017).

The big question that healthcare organizations have to answer is, will they recoup those funds (and possibly more) through VBP payments? While the fine points of the program are yet to be released, the writing is on the wall for all to see. Will hospitals in general, and nursing in particular, take the necessary steps to secure their financial future?

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The Healthcare Issue 3

Debate N

urses station. End of shift. I have just finished doing my final rounds before report. I sit down in front of the computer (finally) and I breathe a sigh of relief. As the next shift drifts in, I am thankful the shift is over. It had been a very trying night.

“Isn’t this something?” Doctor Taft, the Doctor Taft, head of our Anesthesiology department and generally revered Dr. T., commented as he glosses over a news magazine that was lying on the corner. “Isn’t this something?” he repeated.

“What?” I asked, only half curious. There was so much left to chart.

“Well, this hoopla about the universal healthcare. Cursed be the day it comes to the U.S! Why would anyone of intelligence want universal healthcare?”

It was obvious to me that was a rhetorical question, so I returned to my charting.

“Oh, not that again… I can’t stand hearing that!” One of my fellow nurses, Tia, chimed in, as she approached the nurses’ station. “I was of the same

opinion as you until I saw Michael Moore’s movie. There are millions of children and under privileged people who are not getting the treatments they need because of this phobia so many people have about universal care. I hate to be a spoiler but the country needs it.” Doctor Taft looked appalled.

“We are not a communist country.”

“How would you like to wait one year for life saving operation you could have received within weeks in the U.S? Why would any intelligent person want that?” Dr. T. roared.

“My taxes that’s what!” Doctor T. was animated. His pitch was slightly higher and his eyes widened as he spoke. Had Tia found the ultra-cool, ultra collected Dr. Taft’s Achilles heel? “I refuse to pay someone else way in life!”

“And how would you like to know that although the lifesaving procedure is available to you, you are never going to get it because you cannot afford healthcare?” Rachel shot back.

“No one said anything about bringing communism to the U.S.” “So what would you call universal healthcare? How do you think it is going to be paid for?”

He did not wait for a response.

“Not even if it is the right thing to do?”

When did America cease being a capitalist country?” A heated 69

Fabulous Nurse Magazine

argument had ensued; the same one that is going on in the country.

“But we are the only industrial nation without a healthcare system that covers everyone.”

“Not like England. The doctors there make a pittance. And definitely not Canada.”

“Doctor Taft, everyone makes a pittance compared to you. Even in the United States.”

“Good point.” He laughed. “Tell me this, when did we start imitating other countries?”

“Doctor Taft that is the beauty of it; we don’t have to imitate anyone. But we can still learn from the mistakes of others and come up with an all American system.” Tia said with flourish.

“That’s just another form of welfare. People need to pay their own way.”

“How can you look at me and say that? Especially working here. We see hard working patients come back repeatedly for the same problems. Mostly because of their inability to purchase the drugs they need.

Some are on so many medications that they can’t handle their co-pays?”

“Your point?”

“My point is we stand up strong as one nation. If someone is falling through the cracks we all suffer in the long run.”

“That philosophical argument has no basis in fact!”

“Okay,” Tia waved her hands in the air. “I give you some factual 70

truths.” When patients come to the hospital critically ill from a preventable disease, you pay for it. The hospital goes in the red because they have to absorb the cost. No hospital, no place to send your patients. The community hospital down the street is closing its doors. Isn’t that warning enough? Our taxes also pay for Medicare; so when Medicare patients are overrun with medical bills, guess whose taxes gets to pay for the next extended stay in the hospital?

Yours. You are already paying for others. However, if these patients received preventable healthcare and were able to buy their medications, you get to save on taxes, and the deficit gets lowered, too.”

that Americans have to cross the border or fly to another country to get affordable healthcare and medications? Why don’t you have a problem with that?”

At this point Tia was proselytizing. I had temporarily stopped charting as I watched their heated exchange. This was a very interesting conversation.

“It shows. You know, sometimes I do think it will be nice to know my exact income on a monthly basis.”

“You have given this a lot of thought, haven’t you, Tia?” “It irks me to no end that’s all.

It is exasperating that people can’t see the good this will do America in the long run. It is a shameful thing that so many people in the ‘best’ country in the world don’t have access to healthcare.” The passion in her eyes matched her flaming red hair.

“I simply refuse to have the government dictate the kind of care I shall provide my patients. Let the markets decide.”

“So it is ok for the insurance companies to indirectly dictate what test or procedures a patient gets? How can it be okay

“You do have some valid counter arguments. But I won’t change my mind about this. I’m strongly of the philosophy that people should help themselves.

I was not given what I have. I earned every bit of it. Given my humble beginning, I don’t see why others don’t follow suit.”

“You are lucky you didn’t fall sick along the way, Dr. Taft. Not everyone is.”

“I firmly believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege.” Tia continued.

“Makes it easier to plan to those frequent trips to Hawaii, doesn’t it?”

By this time the next shift had received their assignment and it was time to give report. Doctor Taft waved as he left the unit.

“Remind me not to bring this topic up, next time.”

As I drove home that day, I wondered who was right. Doctor Taft or Tia? To non-Americans this may seem a pointless discussion. But America was founded by people of very strong and sometimes opposing philosophies. Yet they somehow got it right. I am sure that will be the case with the healthcare debate, in the long run. Don’t you agree?

Issue 3

Finance

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Baby Boomer Business Fabulous Nurse Magazine

Ideas To Boost Your Income

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hat’s the best small business to start if you’re a baby boomer and nearing retirement? There are so many choices out there that it can be hard to know what to do.

One of the most popular business opportunities today is online marketing. This is because the start-up costs are low. In some cases, you can do most of your advertising for free.

However, there are many choices when it comes to starting an online business. Here are three of the best you can begin with:

#1) Affiliate marketing This is easily one of the top ways for any beginner to start earning money online. You don’t even need your own product. All you have to do is to send traffic to other people’s websites. You get a commission for each sale.

You don’t have to deal with customers, and in some instances you don’t even need your own website. This can be a slow method, but if you use paid advertising you can start making money very fast. Being a “traffic broker” is one of the top strategies for earning online.

Selling to your current customers multiple times is how to be profitable. The backend is not something most eBay sellers focus on, but it offers a lot of income potential. It’s much easier and cheaper to sell to a current customer than to find a new one.

#3) Google Adsense What is Adsense? It’s a simple concept.

All you do is create a webpage about a particular topic, and Google will put ads on it related to your page.

#2) Sell on eBay

So if you have a page about camping tents, the ads that appear will also be about tents. Then you get paid a certain amount every time a visitor clicks on an ad.

EBay selling is one of the most popular small business start-ups for people, and for good reason: it works. However, the vast majority fail to earn money on this site. One of the main reasons is they don’t have a good backend.

This is one of the fastest ways to start earning online, but it takes some time to start seeing serious results. This is because you don’t make that much money from any one click. You need a lot of clicks every day to really see progress, which requires a

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lot of traffic. The visitor value is relatively low when compared with other methods.

The bottom line is, there are lots of opportunities for baby boomers to start an online business.

These are three of the best ones to start earning relatively quickly with. However, there are plenty more options out there as well.

Hopefully this info will jump-start you to having your own profitable business very shortly.

Carpet Cleaning business Issue 3

S

tarting your own eco friendly home cleaning company can be a great way to make money, while helping the environment at the same time. Many cleaning supplies have ingredients that are harmful for the environment, and are unhealthy as well. Therefore, you are doing a good deed while still being profitable.

So how do you become successful? The truth is, the vast majority of cleaning businesses never get off the ground. Many people’s dreams of having successful businesses are shot within the first year. Here are four tips to prevent you from joining the unsuccessful majority:

#1) Hire employees If you are the only one working for the company, your income is going to be limited to how many homes you can clean in a day. If you have fifty employees, you can handle a lot more homes.

Therefore, the profit potential will be much greater. It might be a good idea to outsource the cleaning aspect altogether, and focus on the marketing. However, you can still make good money, even if you are a oneperson show.

#2) Determine your niche There are plenty of different cleaning services you can offer.

Therefore, figuring out your area of focus is important.

Ideas To Boost Your Income

#3) Price yourself smartly Determining the right amount to charge is critical. A lot of businesses pride themselves on having the lowest prices in town.

However, this is a hard way to make money. This is because it’s always possible for somebody to come in and undercharge you.

Also, healthier cleaning supplies will be more expensive than the standard ones. Therefore, it will be very difficult to be profitable being the lowest-priced company.

Instead, you might want to charge a premium price, and offer more bang for the buck. This will give you “perceived value.”

Many times customers automatically think that the higher priced companies must be the best.

That doesn’t mean you should charge higher prices without offering better service. However,

as long as your service is above average, there is no reason you shouldn’t be compensated fairly for it. The higher your prices, the fewer customers you need to achieve your target income.

#4) Determine your USP If you can come up with something your company does better than anyone else, people will readily pay more money for your services. For instance, your USP (unique selling proposition) could be “satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.” Most cleaning services don’t offer a money back guarantee, so this will help you stand out. Just make a promise you can make that nobody else is doing.

The bottom line is, an eco friendly cleaning business can offer good income potential when done correctly. Hopefully these four tips will get you on the right track.

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Budgeting Fabulous Nurse Magazine

Basics

P

erhaps you’re on your own for the first time. Perhaps you’re just starting a family.

Or perhaps you just never thought much about budgeting before. No matter what your life-situation is right now, sitting down to work out your budget may seem intimidating.

However, a simple budget is actually quite straightforward.

If the whole idea of creating a budget seems overwhelming to you, take it one step at a time.

Don’t try to complete all the steps in a single sitting. Instead, set aside an hour for each activity and follow this step-by-step guide to generate a basic budget.

Gather your information.

Pull together all your paperwork, including paycheck stubs, checkbook, bank statements, credit card statements, bills, and any receipts you have. If you haven’t taken these items out of their envelopes, now is a great time to do so! Get everything 74

you have together in one place.

Don’t worry about sorting it now or making any sense of it. Just get those little pieces of paper altogether in one place.

See what's coming in.

On a single sheet of paper, list all your income. This includes income from work, tips, house-

Financial Issue 3

sitting, babysitting, selling things on eBay, a part-time job, stock dividends, interest, etc. for an average month. List the amounts in gross (before taxes or any other deductions). If you have sporadic income because you don’t receive a regular paycheck, take your best conservative guess at what you earn in a normal month.

See what's going out.

This list is usually much longer than the previous one, unfortunately! Using your paycheck stubs, bills, bank statements, and credit card statements, list your expenditures for a typical month in two columns: Fixed Expenses and Discretionary Expenses. Your fixed expenses normally include payroll deductions, rent or mortgage, property taxes, insurance, car payment, utility bills, credit card payments, and savings. Your discretionary expenses would normally include things like groceries, gasoline, eating out, clothing, hair care, memberships, and entertainment. Now you see where the money is going!

Time to re-think.

Compare your income to your expenses. Are you spending more money than you make each month? Are your credit card payments a large portion of your fixed expenses? Do you have “mystery” expenditures in your discretionary expenses side of the list? If so, make it a habit

to start writing down ALL your spending. Chances are, you’ll find you’re frittering away $5 or $10 on lunch or at the drugstore on items you don’t even remember purchasing. If you’re out of balance (you’re spending more than you’re making), you have two choices: spend less or make more. Keep re-thinking your spending until you have a workable budget - one in which the “money in” side is AT LEAST equal to the “money out” side and you are paying down your debt.

Calculators What Are They And Why Do They Matter

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f you have a fear of the standard graphing calculator, tremble at the sight of a scientific calculator, or cower at the thought of an abacus, then financial calculators are probably not for you.

If your legs do not go weak at the thought of any of the above, then the only difference between your solar powered Stick to the plan! pocket calculator and a financial This step is often the hardest. It’s calculator is just how you use easy to write out a budget on them. paper, but it’s much tougher to say no when the office gang is heading out for margaritas after What Are They?

Financial calculators use the work on Friday and you’ve alsame math, but have pre-loaded ready spent your fun money for formulas to figure complex the week. Remind yourself that ideas such as annual percentage budgets are like diets: If you yields and how much a monthly splurge in one place, you need payment would be on a loan. to make up for it somewhere These types of calculations are else, or you’ll have to suffer the extremely important to people consequences. who may be trying to qualify for a loan or mortgage.

Once you know where your budYou don’t see many people carget is leaking, you can turn off rying around financial calculators the faucet! When you are serious because they are typically only about developing a budget that useful to those in the financial sets you on the path to financial sector. Due to the extra funcpeace of mind, there are many tions that are pre-programmed, good money management and they cost a little more than a budget sources available to use. standard basic calculator, but Search the library or the internet coming in around $35, they are substantially less than the typical for easy to follow, simple budgraphing calculators. geting tools and put them to work for you.

Many specific financial calcula75

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tors can be found online depending on what you would like to calculate. Banks often host mortgage loan calculators while car dealerships many times have auto loan payment calculators. A physical calculator is not always necessary, especially if you do not work in the financial sector, but they do come in handy from time to time.

Why Do They Matter?

I’m glad you asked. While financial calculators do numerous tasks in the hands of loan officers and are a complete necessity in the banking field, what good would these calculators be in your hands, especially when it comes to retirement?

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Financial calculators, believe it or not, can help predict the future. Not the future of what stocks will be good to invest in or even how well your 401(k) will turn out, but it can tell you how much you would have if you put $1,000 in to savings every month for the next 30 years at a certain interest rate. Okay, so not exactly predicting the future, but it can help you plan.

Knowing how much you will have saved up at retirement age can help you get adjusted to a certain style of life. If you are just starting out in your career, it will let you play around with different numbers for savings and give you the chance to see how much you can afford to put away

every month.

Conclusion While it is not imperative that you go out and immediately buy a financial calculator, they are helpful to use sometimes. Most of your financial numbers can be run on a free online calculator, the trick is finding the one that is set up right for your needs.

If you have some free time and want to know what types of payments to expect for certain loans or how to make your bank account grow until retirement, hop online and play around with a financial calculator for a while.

You might be surprised at how well into the future you can see, and plan.

Issue 3

I Remember You

By E. Laureate

Here is to dreamboat.

No more text messages.

No more visits on the phone.

No more goodbyes.

The human spirit is not meant to be caged.

So I write this in honor of his soaring spirit.

(Not sure it will be published but hoping freedom of speech will win out – hint, hint.)

I remember The startling brilliance of your mind The unique peach of your lips The luxury that is your kiss The drops of hazel hints your iris dream up Your eyes musing, perceptive Intoxicating, discerning, unsettling I choke on the harshness of your tone Overwhelmed by the desire to be made complete Whole by the very essence of you I’m unnerved by how much my candor Renewed proclivity and ardor startle you Even as I know I am fine just as I am The memories of you flood in For I remember you

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L O L

JOKES General Humor Pigs In A Bar A pig walks into the bar and asks for a pitcher of beer. He drank it all then asked the bartender where the bathroom is. Bartender replies “down the hall and to the left”.

Another pig walks into the bar and orders 2 pitchers of beer. He finishes them off and then asks where the bathroom is. The bartender replies “down the hall and to the left”.

Another pig walks into the bar and orders 3 pitchers of beer. Finishing them off he was just going to stand up when the bartender asks him “well aren’t you going to ask where the bathroom is?” The pig replies “ no, i am going to go wee wee wee all the way home.”

General Humor

Issue 3

Par For the Course Fred got home from his Sunday round of golf later than normal and very tired. “Bad day at the course?” his wife asked.

“Everything was going fine,” he said. “Then Harry had a heart attack and died on the 10th tee.”

“Oh, that’s awful!”

“You’re not kidding. For the whole back nine it was hit the ball, drag Harry, hit the ball, drag Harry.”

Gone Deaf A drunk is driving through the city and his car is weaving all over the road.

Eventually a cop pulls him over.

“Did you know,” says the cop, “that a few intersections back, your wife fell out of your car?”

“Oh, thank heavens,” sighs the drunk. “For a minute there, I thought I’d gone deaf.”

Nursing Humor Top 10 Reasons To Work Weekend Nights 1. Think of all the weight you’ll lose from not getting to eat because of short staffing.

2. Think of the closeness you’ll develop with your co-workers after being knee-deep in Code “Blues” and Code “Browns”.

3. Everyone is so frazzled; next to them you look fabulous!

4. Think of what a challenge it will be to your nursing skills to run a Code without a Crash Cart because they are all down in Central being replaced.

5. For the simple joy of having the previous shift’s charge nurse tell you, “I don’t understand why no one would return my calls to work today/tonight.

Oh, and by the way, you are short two nurses and a CNA for this shift with a full house of patients sick as dog dirt.”

6. Because you’re a new grad and you want to be a “TEAM PLAYER” like your head nurse told you to be. (That and you have “sucker” stamped on your forehead!)

7. When you go home with your back aching from not having any nursing assistants who work weekends and your feet aching from running your butt off for “emergency procedures” (like the gas pain your patient has had for a week that is suddenly unbearable) you’ll know that you really ARE a caregiver.

8. Think of all the computer skills you’ll gain from putting in your own orders and ordering supplies from Central. (That can go on your resume’ as….”Know how to operate multiple outdated computer models.”)

9. You don’t have time to adequately chart so you may get to learn how our judicial system works. On the bright side, your handwriting will be so bad that it can say whatever you want it to say!

10. Think of what a GREAT “Learning Experience” this will be. Translation: You just got shafted!!

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RESOURCES

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Issue 3

SAMPLE COVER LETTER New Nurse

Fabulous Nurse 29030 SW Town Center Loop E. Suite 202-143 Wilsonville, OR 97070 (503) 877-3617 Date: January 1st, 2011 Paula Abdul Nurse Recruiter Community Hospital 2000 Paramount Way Dallas, TX 75206 (214) 555-555

JOB ID: 1234

Dear Ms. Abdul, I am writing in response to the ad you placed for a Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse in the Dallas Morning News. I recently graduated from nursing school where I received distinction for my nursing skills during clinical rotations. I have an ADN, BLS, and valid Texas licensure.

As enumerated in my resume, I have demonstrated good clinical judgment, knowledge of pathology, and proficient nursing skills which are well suited to a position as a staff nurse on your Med-Surg unit. While I collaborate well with other team members, you will find that I also learn fast on my feet and can perform many skills autonomously, as the patient situation and unit staffing may require. I possess excellent written and oral communication skills. My patients related to my instructors that I have great patient education skills and I’m also very empathetic to their needs and concerns.

It is my hope that you will find my skills, love of nursing, and desire to advance in my career worthy of a position in your very fine organization. Do please contact me with any questions and/or concerns. I can be reached at (503) 877-3617 or via email at info@fabulousnurse.com. I look forward to sharing how my particular skills set can further advance the mission of your healthcare facility.

Yours truly,

Fabulous Nurse Fabulous Nurse

Enclosures: Resume

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Fabulous Nurse Magazine

SAMPLE COVER LETTER Experienced Nurse

T: SAMPLE COVER LETTER S: Experienced Nurse Fabulous Nurse 29030 SW Town Center Loop E. Suite 202-143 Wilsonville, OR 97070 (503) 877-3617 Date: January 1st, 2011 Ridley Scot Director of Nursing University Hospital 2000 Paramount Way Charbonneau, OR 97070 (214) 555-555 JOB ID: 1234

Dear Mr. Scot, I have been a critical care nurse for more than five years and will like to apply for the ICU staff position posted on your website. I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing with a minor in Communications. I am PALS, BLS, ACLS, CRRT, IABP, and TNCC certified, as well as, being CCRN certified by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

I have worked in a variety of critical care units including NeuroSurgical ICU, CCU, CVCU, Trauma, and mixed ICUs, as staff and as a travel nurse. My travel experience took me to multiple healthcare organizations across the U.S. which differed vastly in size, philosophy, and culture. You will find that as a result of my travel experience, I am very flexible and can adapt to almost any situation. My supervisors applauded my dependability, astute critical thinking skills, and demonstrated leadership capability. As a seasoned critical care nurse, I work well as part of a team and independently, too.

Given your organization’s emphasis on service and preeminent patient outcomes, I believe my experience will further your goals and make me an invaluable asset to your organization. Do please contact me at (503) 877-3617 or via email at info@fabulousnurse.com, with any questions and/or concerns. I look forward to discussing how my exemplary skills and extensive ICU experience can continue to promote your organizations emphasis on excellent patient care.

Yours truly,

Fabulous Nurse Fabulous Nurse

Enclosures: Resume

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Issue 3

SAMPLE Resume Nurse MANAGER

Fabulous Nurse 29030 SW Town Center Loop E., Ste. 202 Wilsonville, OR 97070 Tel: (503) 877-3617 Email: info@fabulousnurse.com

OBJECTIVE Managerial position in a challenging nursing unit that will utilize my skills & experience for optimal patient outcomes MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES: PCU / MED-SURG / ORTHOPEDIC UNITS  Competently managed 22 beds medical and surgical units  Supervised, educated, & provided support to staff, patients, & patients families  Facilitated committees creation, education seminars, & training opportunities  Planned & implemented monthly & annual healthcare milestones for unit  Efficiently collaborated with multiple members of different inter-disciplinary teams  Created nurses’ schedules for improved quality and continuity in staff scheduling  Units consistently boasted a 95 -100% central line infections free rates  Participated in system wide quality assurance & disaster response programs  Championed evidence based practice in nursing unit  Effectively incorporated nursing theoretical models into unit culture  Ethical management and appropriation of unit funds  Excellent oral & written communication skills EMPLOYMENT HISTORY 2004 – Current ~ Inaugural University Medical Center ~ Racine, WI 2000 – 2004 ~ Poway University Medical center ~ Poway, CA 1993 – 2000 ~ Westminster Community Hospital ~ Westminster, ND EDUCATION The University Of Somewhere ~ Somewhere, America MSN in Education – enrolled The State University Of Racine - Racine, WI Bachelor of Science in Nursing CERTIFICATION & LICENSURE Wisconsin RN license ~ Certified Nurse Manger & Leader (CNML) certification ~ ACLS BLS ~ Geriatric Management Certification ACTIVITIES & AWARDS Member American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) ~ Five Star Spirit award for distinction in leadership Quality & Assurance Committee ~ Disaster Management Committee ~ Infectious Disease Control Committee Employee Wellness Committee RELATED SKILLS Computer literate ~ MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point) ~ MS Outlook ~ Clinical electronic documentation Proficient written & spoken English REFERENCES Available upon request 83

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SAMPLE Resume Nurse Assistant

Fabulous Nurse

29030 SW Town Center Loop E. Ste. 202 -143 Wilsonville, OR 97070 TEL: (503) 877-3617 info@fabulousnurse.com

Objective

Challenging Nurse Tech position that will utilize my skills & experience

Skills & Experience

• Patient advocate & effective team player • Distinguished care of 6-12 patients on busy nursing units • Proficient assistance with patient ADLs & hygiene • Worked autonomously & seamlessly under the guidance of LVN/RN • Accurate & timely documentation and / or reporting of vital signs • Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams • Safely transported patients to and off nursing units • Skilled removal of foley and IV catheters • Competently performed capillary glucose test, UA dipsticks & hemoccult • Excellent communication & patient education skills • Proficient computer charting of I&Os, ADLs, & vital signs

Employment History

2005 – Present • University Medical Center ~ Phoenix, AZ 2003 – 2005 • New Horizons Rehab Center ~ Tucson, AZ Education & Certification 5/2008 University Medical Center ~ Phoenix, AZ • Nurse Technician Certification 5/2003 UNOME School ~ Flagstaff, AZ • Nursing Assistant Certification 5/2001 Badgers- Monroe High School ~ Flagstaff, AZ • Diploma Certification

Activities & Awards

• Member Infection Control Committee • Ogden Women’s Center Volunteer

References

Available upon request

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Fabulous Nurse 29030 SW Town Center Loop E., Suite 202 Wilsonville, OR 97070 fabulousnurse.com

Tel: (503) 877-3617

Email: info@

Personal Profile • • •

Seeking challenging nursing position that will utilize my skills for optimal patient care Awarded “Outstanding Student in Clinical Setting” distinction by Nursing Instructors Current unencumber Louisiana Registered Nurse (RN) license

Education Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College - Gautier, MS Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) – May 2010 Louisiana State University – Baton Rouge, LA Pre-Nursing Studies – August 2004 – May 2005 Buras High School – Buras LA High School Diploma – May 2004

Nursing Skills Clinical Rotations: MED-SURG / CCU / OB-GYN / ICU / PSYCH / ONCOLOGY Ocean Springs Hospital – Singing River Hospital – Providence Hospital • • • • • • • • • •

Competently administered care to 4 patients in busy Med-Surg units Skilled in care of patients with ostomies, tube feedings, chest tubes, telemetry, peripheral IVs, central lines, permanent pacemakers, & tracheostomy care Demonstrated competence in foley & IV insertions and removals Acted as student resource to other nursing students Provided optimal care of patients receiving blood products, po/IV/pr/SL/im medications, and IV fluids Distinguished care given to patients pre and post surgical procedures Care plan initiation, follow through, and review Excellent discharge planning skills, patient education, and communication skills Experienced in electronic charting and electronic medication administration (eMAR) Compliance with HIPPA, JCHACO, & OSHA regulations

Awards, Certifications, Related Skills, & Activities • • •

Basic Life Support for healthcare providers certification (BLS) Active member of the Student Nurses Association (SNO) Proficient in written & spoken English & Spanish

References •

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