Issue 10
Special Issue 10 September/October 2011
Ethical Dilemmas
in Maternal Nursing
&
Online Education
Career Advancement
Man Enough
to be a Nurse
Short Haircuts
for Nurses
Germaphobe’s Guide
to Nursing Jobs
Travel Beautiful
Canada
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
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Issue 10
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Elsie Ekwa
Editor-in-Chief
Writers
The vision behind Fabulous Nurse Magazine, Ms. Ekwa saw the need for a lifestyle magazine that all at once serves as a celebration of nurses, a guide for better living, a resource for career development, and a guilt-free escape from the sometimes grueling shifts that nurses work. Ms. Ekwa’s distinguished career as a commercial model, college newspaper editor, and intensive care nurse informs and influences the creative direction of Fabulous Nurse Magazine. This is evidenced by the magazine’s fresh approach to home life, dynamic content, inspiring stories about real nurses, and professionally relevant editorials. Ms. Ekwa is also the managing editor for the Pacific Writer’s Corner online magazine. She writes as Sonya Justice and speaks on health and wellness issues, the business of writing, and entrepreneurship.
Zee Nickerson Writer
Zee Nickerson has a B. S. in Psychology and has owned several successful businesses. She is currently a writer, fashion consultant, and public speaker. Ms. Nickerson has taught English in Japan, Communist China and state side. As a thrifty world traveler, she can travel for as little as a $1.00 a mile. Along the way, she taught herself spoken and written French, German, and Japanese. She has traveled in all 49 states and would like to add Alaska to her collection. Her watercolor paintings are currently displayed at the Creator’s Gallery in Jacksonville, Oregon. Ms. Nickerson is pleased to announce she is just starting to twitter at HelloZee! A play on the French words for Let’s Go! Contact Zee via email at Zeechic2000@yahoo.com.
Olusegun Iselaiye Editor & Writer
Olusegun is seasoned freelance writer, researcher, and entrepreneur. He taught nursing students Human Anatomy in his home country of Nigeria before going into fulltime writing. Olusegun, whose mother happens to be a respiratory nurse, is also a huge fan of the nursing profession. His ambition is to offer a meaningful contribution to Africa and his home country. When some give his country a bad reputation, it is good to see that there are many who live by higher standards. It is thanks to Olusegun that Fabulous Nurse Magazine will be bringing you its rating system. Contact Olusegun via email at isedot@yahoo.com.
Matthew Fowler Writer
Matthew Fowler, founder of A Sodality of Wordsmiths, is currently a professional writer for the US government, namely, the US Department of Labor, where he adjudicates claims and writes formal decisions regarding labor issues. He got his start in the career field of language arts as an active duty soldier, civil affairs division, writing press releases and the like. As an active duty soldier he traveled, literally, around the world in various capacities and including combat operations in Bosnia, the Philippines, and Afghanistan to deliver the Army story. His practical experience is bolstered by considerable education, a B.A in Communications and an M.P.A in Public Policy.
Margaret Smith Writer
Margaret Smith is a native Texan who loves God, family, country, and writing. She has a variety of interests, and has worked in diverse fields from retail to education. Although she is not a nurse, she has done volunteer work in hospitals, where she has always admired the dedication and skill of the nurses she has seen in action. She recently made the decision to become a full-time writer. Margaret enjoys the process of discovery and development in each new project.
Karen Kalis Writer
Karen Kalis has ten years of experience as a professional copywriter. She has worked in industries such as education, real estate, healthcare, technology, and with non-profit organizations. With an M.A. in Creative Writing, Karen’s clients include: Fabulous Nurse Magazine, RMS Technologies, Lincoln Electric, Multi-Care Management, and The EPIC Group. An entrepreneur at heart, Karen focuses on helping businesses communicate what they have to offer with precision. 6
Masthead/Contributor Publisher Sony Publishing Corporation
Editorial Elsie Ekwa
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Reach Us By Post Fabulous Nurse Magazine 29030 SW Town Center Loop E Ste. 202 Wilsonville, OR 97070-9490 info@fabulousnurse.com www.fabulousnurse.com
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
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It Takes A Nurse
Editorial Issue 10
L
etter to the editor: As a pediatric nurse, I take care of my patient, the child, and their parents. Understand this, providing support and being there for a patient’s family is an expected part of my job duties. However, this is remarkably more challenging when dealing with a precious infant. Seeing the look of despair in the parent’s eyes as they seek to understand the diagnosis or prognosis of their child’s condition is heart-wrenching. Watching them suffer from self-inflicted guilt and wishing they could alter their genetic make-up, if only to save their child’s life is especially difficult.
My typical day is filled with sounds of joy, relief, fear, guilt, anguish, and desperation. It is no easy feat to stay strong when faced with the possibility of a child’s death. This is made even more difficult as I watch even the most private of parents publicly reach their breaking point. I don’t usually discuss my work but your published article on, Parenting the Attachment Challenged Child, struck a nerve. My patients are not typically attachment challenged but sometimes their little bodies are so ravaged with disease that they are a mere ghost of the active, happy, affectionate child their parents used to know. This is why Fabulous Nurse Magazine has been such a God sent to me and my patients’ families.
The staff at Fabulous Nurse understand the nurse’s life because we know firsthand that it takes a nurse to understand the intricate complexities and myriad of emotions nurses experience every day in their respective roles and at their respective places of work. This is why I will like to share a little known secret: “It is okay to cry.” Tears are released reflexively by your body when faced with extreme sensory stimulation. This sensory stimulation can be physical or emotional resulting from a positive or negative experience. It is okay to let go sometimes. It is okay to cry. It is okay to seek comfort and advice from your peers. It is okay to share your emotions. Nurses are after all, people first. When you take care of youself and deal with your own emotions, only then can you truly provided the added experience that makes us distinct from other healthcare practitioners – tender, loving care – TLC. Go ahead and nurse with heart. We have your back. Nurses, you rock!
I have shared some of the coping strategies from that article with them. I have also borrowed from other articles like, Grief for Caregivers, too. That in combination with the grief services and support system our community hospital offers has been helpful. We have found reasons to laugh when we read the jokes. I just wanted to say, “Thank you for being there for us, Fabulous Nurse.” From Robina Mayfield, RN, MSN - Pediatric Oncology Nurse. While the very personal experience that Robina shared with me may make for excellent drama on TV or in a movie, we nurses know only too well how real, in-discriminatory, and unforgiving disease can be. The best people and the worst amongst us are afflicted at one point or another. The challenge is especially tough for the family members who live through this experience and carry the memory with them. They are forever changed whether their loved ones live or die. As practitioners of the Art of Healing, we want the best possible outcomes at all times. We want to prevent pain and alter the progress of disease. We want to do what we do best, always - nurse. This can be made especially difficult when faced with the death of a patient or grief of family members. Even when the patient does make it, the current joyful state does not undermine the pain of previous days or weeks. 9
Table of Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Contents
COVER ARTICLES
FEATURES
P.18
Germaphobe’s Guide to Nursing Jobs
P.66
Vasquez: Changing the Landscape for Nursing
P.31
Online Education & Career Advancement
P.77
Libido at 50
P.54
Sweat Resistant Makeup
P.38
The Nurse’s Cap: Symbol to Artifact
P.27
Man Enough to be a Nurse
P.47
Short Haircuts for Nurses
P.70
Travel Beautiful Canada
P.99
Burger King Diet
P.15
Ethical Dilemmas in Maternal Nursing
P.83
Does Marriage Make you Gain Weight?
ICU NURSING
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CU nurses have the uncommon privilege of working with some of the most critically ill patients in a hospital. They work diligently to monitor sophisticated medical technology and provide compassionate care for those who need it most. Becoming an ICU nurse is one of the most challenging and yet potentially rewarding areas for RN’s.
Issue 10
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Special Issue: Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Sept/Oct 2011
Fabulous & Fit
P.102
Adidas Running Shoes
P.104
Best Fitness Programs
Finance
P.108
Virtual Assistant: Idea to boost your income
EDITORIAL
P.9
It Takes a Nurse
P.111
Saving Money with the Kids
FASHION WATCH
P.40
A Clog’s Point of View
THE NURSE’S STATION II Facility Ratings
P.42
Scrub Colors to Flatter Your Skin Tone
P.116
5 Star Hospital Rating: Good Samaritan Hospital, LA Mayo Clinic, Phoenix
BEAUTY SECRETS
P.50
Natural Anti-Aging Skincare
P.118
5 Star Staffing Agency Rating: American Traveler
P.121
5 Diamond Nursing School Rating: University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
P.123
Nursing Home: Matulaitis Nursing Home
POETIC VOICE
P.126
Beauty Tips (A Lesson on Morality)
LAUGH OUT LOUD
P.128
Nursing Humor
P.128
General Humor
ATTITUDE RE-DEFINED
P.58
Cloudy With a Chance of Blue
WALK IN MY CLOGS
P.62
Amber Butler: Nurse Firefighter With a Cause
TRAVEL
P.69
Canadian Nursing Shortage
BREAKROOM DISCUSSIONS Living Well P.79
Food & Drinks that Increase Anxiety
Home, Hobbies & Parenting
P.86
5 Theft Deterrents for Home & Property
P.88
Obesity in Pets
P.90
How to Make a Shaving Brush
Fabulous Foodie
P.94
Fabulous Recipes
12
RESOURCES P.130
Book Review – Inspired Nurse
P.132
October Nursing Conferences
P.133
Job Opportunities – Perm & Travel
P.134
Nursing News – Press Releases
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
The
Nurse’s tation I SProfessional
Development
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Ethical Dilemmas
Issue 10
By Matthew Fowler
S
ince the very first days of your undergraduate nursing program, you have discussed ethical quandaries.
From Aristotle to Mills, Socrates and Sanders, and of course, Hippocrates, you have
in Maternal Nursing
pondered what to do and say in situations where your head and your heart are at odds. You probably even digested some theory you couldn’t abide just so you could spit it out again on a test or a paper. Among ethical constructs of modern medicine, Hippocrates has special relevance and prominence, and taking the Hippocratic Oath is often a right of passage for health care providers. The basic tenet of the oath is respect for all human life with an emphasis
From Theory to Praxis
on safeguarding both a patient’s health and dignity. Simultaneously, the care giver also acknowledges that s/he is part of a larger, collective society and must act accordingly. Soon after, however, you were faced with real life situations; situations where applying one or two sentences of a dictum seemed nebulous at best, and probably hit you in the gut like a runaway train. These problems could even have made you question your choice to become a nurse. With that in mind, please do not think of the following ethical questions and scenarios as yet another strict dictum to repeat to yourself as you face ethical problems at work. Instead, our intent is to summarize and explore some of the most salient ethical dilemmas you might face, and in that exploration, offer you a path already traveled. Part of that exploration is to think about the Hippocratic Oath and its ethical prescription. Is the oath still relevant? How does it fit into the world of modern medicine as technology changes so quickly?
Nurse.com offers the following real life sce-
be removed from the heart-lung machine; he
nario for analysis and possible solution. A
had to spend his last few moments in the OR.
surgical liaison nurse at Boston Children’s
The hospital, however, had very rigid rules
Hospital found herself between a rock and a
disallowing such a visit. Though unfathom-
hard place, the needs of the patient and fam-
ably tormented, the nurse did not allow the
ily versus the hospital’s rules. The mother
parents entry to the OR, and the parents were
of a dying baby had asked to be with her
only able to see their son after he had expired
son in the operating room (OR) as he passed
and his wounds were closed.
the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God. The baby had undergone open heart surgery which had failed, and he could not
Heartbroken, the parents returned to the hospital the following day and asked to say 15
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
one last goodbye to their baby boy. The
conceived via in vitro fertilization, seemed
worked directly with social services because
nurse sent the parents to the chapel, warmed
uninterested about her baby’s welfare, and
the mother only seemed concerned with le-
the baby in an incubator, wrapped the baby
the nurses were not only disturbed by the
galities and paperwork.
in a clean blanket, and then presented the
mother’s attitude, but confused about what
baby to the parents in the chapel. The par-
to do. Let’s rewind a bit.
ents painfully and tearfully talked to the baby
The stark contrast in these scenarios emphasizes the range of scenarios you may have to
When the mother was brought to the hospital
face as a nurse. It may also tend to empha-
for preterm labor and instructed to rest, she
size the need to adhere to your employer’s
continued to work, though she did remain
stated policies. How else would you address
in bed. As attempts to stop the premature
the uninterested mother? Can we return to
Weeks passed, and the nurse was still pro-
delivery failed, the mother asked that no
Hippocrates? Did the nurses safeguard the
foundly disturbed by what had transpired.
extraordinary measures be taken to save the
dignity and welfare of the baby? The moth-
So, she addressed her concerns to her su-
baby’s life. The baby lived, but the mother
er’s? Did they act as responsible citizens to
pervisor and through persistence was able to
seemed uninterested in the baby’s welfare;
the rest of our society? How does that fit
get an appointment with the OR governance
she even refused to talk to the nursing staff
into a scenario where modern science helped
committee and the ethics advisory commit-
and social services about the baby’s medical
a woman conceive a child, but subsequently
tee. The nurse invited the parents to the
status.
didn’t even seem to want that child? Could
for about an hour, explaining everything that happened, and eventually said their ultimate good-bye to him.
meeting, and their combined story was so compelling, the hospital changed its policy; parents are now allowed into the OR during the most dire circumstances. This is a true story. The nurse’s supervisor presented this scenario during the Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses’ Annual Spring Conference in the spring of 2009. The obvious ethical question is one of weighing your duty to your employer versus the needs of your immediate patient and his/her family. The rule of thumb in such a scenario is to follow policy and subsequently petition to redress the policy which you find unethical, just like the nurse did. But can you honestly say you would have done the same? Did the nurse adhere to the tenets of the Hippocratic Oath, preserving the health and dignity of the patient, while being a responsible member of a collective society? Is that even directly applicable here? Could Hippocrates have conceived of a heart and lung machine? As heart wrenching as the above tale was, the ethical problem was fairly clear cut. Not all situations will be. Nurse.com describes another series of events in Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, where the nursing staff was faced with an essentially opposite situation. The mother of a preemie baby, whom she 16
The mother drifted even further away when the baby suffered some brain damage during
they nurses have done anything other than help the mother give her baby away?
a bleeding episode; she was even mad that
Summarily, the breadth of circumstances you
the staff had fought to save the baby’s life.
will face as a nurse is as wide as the diversity
She considered their efforts extraordinary,
of patients you will have. Though no ethi-
and thus, against her wishes. The mother put
cal construct can comprehensively address
the baby up for adoption.
all possible scenarios, the Hippocratic Oath
The nurses had attempted to spark the mother’s maternal instincts, but to no avail. They often presented the baby to the mother for some bonding time, but the mother only went through the motions for appearance sake.
The nurses were disturbed by the
mother’s attitude and actions, but ultimately assisted her in giving away her baby. They
does seem to form the appropriate guideline in a profession where technology constantly raises the ethical bar. However, weighing the dignity and welfare of your patient against the needs of society is something you must do individually and frequently; there is no ethical decoder ring… or app for your iPhone.
Issue 10
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
The Germaphobe’s
Guideto Nursing
Jobs By Margaret Smith
few years. So here’s the dilemma: you’re a dedicated nurse with a strong desire to help people. But how do you work in the health field and avoid catching all those germs that are trying to get a foothold in your own immune system? One way is to choose a job where the utmost care is taken to create and preserve a sterile environment. There really are some jobs out there where a nurse is less likely to be exposed to those tiny organisms that have such potential for damage.
The OR Nurse Perioperative nurses work in the OR in several capacities. They are directly involved in patient care before, during, and after surgery. One OR position is dubbed the “scrub nurse.” The term comes from the fact that the nurse has “scrubbed in” for the surgery, wearing sterile garments and washing up with special soap so that she can work at the
N
ot everyone is an Adrian Monk,
was meant to be funny, and he was; but germs
the OCD detective who needed
are no laughing matter these days. With the
an assistant just to hand him a
recent attention that several varieties of “su-
wipe whenever he had to shake hands with
perbugs” have been receiving, it’s no wonder
someone. The endearing, pathetically ger-
that hand sanitizers have been flying off the
maphobic character on the popular TV show
shelves, sales having nearly tripled in the last
18
side of the physician right in the operative field. The duties of this nurse include handing instruments to the surgeon as needed while visually monitoring the condition of the patient. Another type of OR nurse is the circulating nurse, who works outside of the operative field, on the perimeter of the op-
Issue 10
Share their story at
Facebook.com/MedicalInflatableExhibits and nominate them for
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
erating room. The duties of the circulating
rooms. Nevertheless, for those seeking an
as there would be in a pediatric or fam-
nurse include monitoring the patient, keep-
environment where the risk of infection is
ily practice office. But any office that has
ing an account of instruments and sponges,
low, the cath lab is a good place to work.
scores of people in and out all day, touching things, reading magazines, opening doors,
and safeguarding the stringent sterile conditions of the operating room.
The Dialysis Nurse
and breathing in and out has the possibility
After you have been certified as an RN, you
Another area where utmost cleanliness is re-
may decide that you would like to be trained
quired is a dialysis center. Because people on
ful germs and contaminants. Even though
for the job of an OR nurse. According to
dialysis can be more susceptible to illness,
Wise Geek 9/10/11, it’s an intense job, but it
according to DaVita 9/12/11, it’s especially
can also be intensely satisfying. These nurs-
important to maintain an environment that’s
es can work long shifts, and may addition-
free of contaminants. Health workers in the
ally be called upon to assist with emergency
center wear appropriate scrubs and lab coats
surgeries at all hours of the day or night. But
to preserve the sanitary conditions, and visi-
as a highly trained professional, the compen-
tors are restricted or limited so that outside
sation is often more than satisfactory, and the
sources of infection are inhibited. Because of
fulfillment of playing such a vital role in the
these factors, nurses can care for patients in
lives of patients is priceless. If you’re very
most dialysis centers without worrying about
conscious of the presence of germs in some
the possibility of picking up any infectious
of the other fields of nursing, the OR is the
microbes.
ideal place because of its strict adherence to sterile conditions.
The Cath Lab Nurse
There are two types of dialysis, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. According to Wise Geek 9/12/11, a nurse in a dialysis center has a wide range of duties: monitoring vital
Advanced training is also necessary for cer-
signs before, during, and after the procedure;
tification to be a nurse in the cardiac cath-
administering medication, fluid therapy, or
eterization lab. These nurses are needed for
blood products; reporting changes in the pa-
assistance to physicians in performing stent
tient to the doctor; and communicating with
placements, angioplasties, valvuloplasties,
the patient about options in treatment so that
and other cath procedures. In a busy lab, a
they can make informed decisions regard-
nurse can sometimes assist in 12 different
ing their care. Since patients must continue
operations during an 8 hour shift.
regular treatments at the center, nurses can
While cath lab standards vary across the country, most labs are set up to have a “clean” environment, although there are a few that actually maintain the same sterile conditions of an operating room. Of course all the equipment in the lab is sterile, and hats, masks, and sterile gloves are generally
actually develop longer-term relationships with patients than they can in other areas of
of creating an environment full of unhealthstandard practices are applied, such as paper sheeting and gowns, hand washing and sterile gloves, sterilized equipment, and regular disinfecting of surfaces, it’s virtually impossible to keep up with all the possible contamination that occurs as patients come and go, sick or well. Nurses who are concerned about germs might want to think very carefully before considering a job in some doctors’ offices.
Nurse Educator For a nurse educator, the prevalence of germs in the environment isn’t as controlled as in the actual medical practice venues. Students come in and out of classrooms, and not all of them are healthy all the time. There is a lot of contact made with objects in the classroom, and with items they hand in for the teacher to evaluate. At the end of the day, the floor gets swept, the trash emptied, but there are not many classrooms, if any, that disinfect surfaces on a regular basis. If a nurse has the skill and the passion for teaching others, hopefully, there isn’t also an issue with germs.
nursing. To qualify to be a nurse in a dialysis
Considering the ongoing need for people
center, a nurse must hold certification in ne-
with skill and compassion to enter the field
phrology (CNN) or dialysis (CDN), as well
of nursing, it would be a shame if anyone
as CPR.
were to turn away from the profession because of a concern about germs. There are
worn (there are a few exceptions, accord-
Doctor’s Office Nurse
plenty of positions where the exposure is
ing to Cath Lab Digest, March 2009), but
If a nurse works in the office of an ortho-
the greater preference of cath labs does not
pedic surgeon or a podiatrist, there probably
nity will build up in most people. On the
include the sterile gown used in operating
isn’t as much risk of exposure to infection
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strictly controlled, and eventually immuupside, there will always be a CPR certified nurse nearby!
Issue 10
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
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Issue 10
Fabulous
ICU
urses N By Karen Kalis
I
CU nurses have the uncommon privilege of working with some of the most critically ill patients in a hospital. They work diligently to monitor sophisticated medical technology and provide compassionate care for those who need it most. Becoming an ICU nurse is one of the most challenging and yet potentially rewarding areas for RN’s.
On the Job Typically, ICU (or Critical Care Unit-- CCU) nurses are RN’s who have a passion for working with critically ill patients and who have pursued additional training to work in the very demanding environment of an ICU or a CCU. In addition to adult ICU/CCU areas, critical care work opportunities include neonatal intensive care units, pediatric intensive care units as well as cardiac care units. While on the job, ICU/CCU nurses have
(Occupational Outlook Handbook, 20102011 edition), “Critical care nurses provide care to patients with serious, complex, and acute illnesses or injuries that require very close monitoring and extensive medication
a varied workload, including not only the
protocols and therapies.”
close monitoring of a patient, but also work-
to detail is key to assisting critically ill pa-
ing with the medical team to help patients
tients. To complete this level of care, ac-
heal and to administer treatment plans. ICU
cording to Net Industries (2011), ICU/CCU
nurses not only assess a patient’s needs and
nurses must have an excellent understanding
follow the prescribed plans, but they care-
of medical technology such as extracorpo-
fully document any care that has been or-
real membrane oxygenation circuits, cardiac
dered and completed. ICU/CCU nurses also
monitoring systems and mechanical ventila-
communicate with family members and may
tor therapies. A broad knowledge of medical
give advice on health maintenance as well as
conditions, as well as experience in a wide
case management during treatment.
variety of settings, assists ICU/CCU nurses
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
This attention
in quickly adapting to the needs of their 23
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
patients. In addition to RN’s, PayScale, Inc. (2011), reports that advanced practice nurses, such as nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists also work in ICU/CCU units.
Education and Certification
career path that is desired. Certification through the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) is well regarded in the healthcare community as it reflects depth of knowledge and superior understanding of pathology in the nurse’s chosen critical area of practice. The AACN
Most ICU/CCU nurses have completed their
website, www.aacn.org, offers detailed in-
RN degree as well as a hospital adminis-
formation on eligibility requirements and
tered internship. Hospital-based internship
examination fees. Opportunities for exam
programs, which can last anywhere from
preparation are also discussed. The com-
13weeks to a year, assist nurses in becom-
bination of an internship and certification
ing familiar with the work of an ICU/CCU.
gives ICU/CCU nurses the requisite knowl-
Whether a new grad or working nurse, if you
edge needed to respond to the challenges of
are thinking about making the transition to
critical care medicine.
ICU, a hospital based internship or training program is the minimum expectation. In addition, ICU/CCU nurses have the opportunity to be voluntarily certified through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses in areas such as adult, neonatal and pediatric acute/critical care nursing, progressive care nursing, cardiac surgery subspecialty, or nurse manager and leader, depending on the
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22 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will be driven by technological advances in patient care, which permit a greater number of health problems to be treated, and by an increasing emphasis on preventive care. In addition, the number of older people, who are much more likely than younger people to need nursing care, is projected to grow rapidly.” Given their additional responsibilities and additional training, PayScale, Inc. (2011), reports that ICU/CCN nurses can expect an income of anywhere from $44,000 - $91,000, with an average of about $65,000 per year. Overall, becoming an ICU/CCU nurse can
Salary and Job Outlook for an ICU Nurse In general, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 20102011 edition) reports that there will be growth for all areas of nursing, “Employment of registered nurses is expected to grow by
be a challenging yet rewarding career path for RN’s who are interested in working with the most ill of patients, guiding them on a path to recovery. With a combination of sophisticated medical knowledge, the highest level of technology, and a great deal of compassion, ICU/CCU nurses assist families and patients in the most difficult of times.
Issue 10
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
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Issue 10
an Enough M To Be A Nurse By Matthew Fowler
S
uch is a stereotypical perception of the male nurse: male nurses are men who couldn’t handle medical school or my personal favorite, as described to me by my brother, Jordan Fowler, RN, St. Luke’s Hospital, Newburgh is that male nurses are usually gay because gay men have a natural tendency to seek predominantly female professions. This is the year 2011, right? I must say I find such regressive thinking to be... tiring. My fatigue, however, doesn’t change things. The 2010 census says that only a paltry 13% of students currently in student R.N. programs are men, and that among existing nurses, men make up much less of the profession, slightly more than 5%. So while you may want to disregard the stereotypical perceptions of male nurses, there is nothing stereotypical about acknowledging that male nurses are in the minority. Further, being outnumbered 19:1 has implications beyond also being the butt of bad jokes and putting up with ignorant commentary. But before we get to that, we should also acknowledge from whence these stereotypes came. Prior to Florence Nightingale, nurses were not well educated, were considered hand maids to doctors and patients, and were sometimes prostitutes in less reputable institutions, according to Minority Nurse, a nursing website for male and other minority population nurses. Men were not allowed to serve in the Army Medical Corps as nurses 27
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
until 1955, and male nurses were often dis-
However, addressing men’s issues in nursing
Having more male nurses would help to
allowed from being present during baby de-
takes more than individual or even an or-
erode stereotypical perceptions, but Tarn-
liveries as recently as the 1960’s. Today’s
ganization’s efforts; it requires the industry
barger opines that recruitment is only part of
profession has evolved, at least regarding
to change itself, and Russell E. Tranbarger,
the solution. The answer to “what’s a male
competency and professionalism, but many
a Nurse Practitioner and author of Men in
nurse to do?” regarding these perceptions is
problems still linger.
Nursing: History, Challenges, and Oppor-
simply “be a good nurse.” Though poten-
tunities says the nursing profession is mov-
tially tautological as a solution, Tarnbarger
ing in that direction. Tranbarger points to
points to how his own competence helped
numerous efforts to recruit more male stu-
him overcome many obstacles in his career
dents to nursing programs, such as the 20-20
because at the end of the day, patients react
program and the Oregon Center for Nurs-
to how they are treated, not the gender of
ing campaign “Are you man enough to be a
the caregiver. Summarily, the referents here
nurse?” featuring a black belt in a martial art,
suggest that to succeed as a male nurse, men
a rugby player, and a male nurse. Indeed,
have to reach out to their sister nurses, be
Tarnbarger points out that recruiting efforts
competent, and convince other men to join
are enjoying some success as more and more
the profession. My brother makes a point to
men enroll in nursing programs.
mention his girlfriend on a regular basis.
Minority Nurse describes a work environment where men feel victimized by gender discrimination. The website points to studies which demonstrate a slower rate of career progression for male nurses than female nurses. Male nurses often feel that they have little to no opportunities in some areas of nursing, particularly obstetrics and other women’s health specialties. Is this all of product of gender bias, or are there some “natural” consequences of the differences in gender? Can a male nurse really teach a female patient how to breast feed? Is it common sense that a female patient would feel more comfortable with a female nurse teaching her how to breast feed? And what about the converse? Would a male patient feel comfortable describing the erectile dysfunction (ED) associated with his prostrate condition to a female nurse? Would a male patient even make an appointment over the phone when a female nurse answers if he had to describe his ED? In short, how much of the “battle of the sexes” in nursing simply “is what it is?” The American Assembly of Men in Nursing (AAMN) suggests that joining an organization like itself can help bridge the gender gap in nursing. The AAMN directly addresses the issues men face in working in a field predominately comprised of women. However, the focus is not confrontational or “us vs. them;” the idea is to reach out to women in nursing through courtesy, professionalism, and commonalities, what unites all nurses, the urge to help the sick. Moreover, the AAMN does have considerable female membership. 28
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
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Issue 10
The Blueprint for Change
vancement are almost limitless.
investment of time.
Professional Development Helps Nurses
Online Programs: A Solution for the Time-Challenged Nurse
Pre-requisite: Self-Discipline & Computer Literacy
Unfortunately, nurses are extremely busy.
Are online nursing programs really a viable
It’s difficult to find time to commute to a
option, or is the idea too good to be true? The
site, sit in a class taking notes, and commute
truth is, they’re not for everyone. According
back to job or family. Unless, of course, the
to Find Nursing Schools 7/3/11, online stu-
professional development is part of an online
dents need to be highly disciplined self-start-
nursing program, the answer to a prayer for
ers, able to regularly dedicate part of their
many nurses.
schedule to the courses and study. Addition-
Good online programs provide the profes-
ally, if students are uncomfortable with com-
Stay on the Cutting Edge. In order to maintain a high level of proficiency and stay on the cutting edge of the field, nurses can explore opportunities for advancement through professional development.
According to
Discover Nursing 6/29/11, when nurses with ADNs raise the bar by going for a BSN, they instantly open more doors and find greater flexibility in changing specialties and practice locations. Nurses with a BSN can apply for positions as nurse managers or hold titles such as assistant director of nursing. By obtaining an advanced degree, nurses have even more options as to how they make their contributions. Moreover, Find Nursing Schools 7/2/11 reports that nurses with an MSN can become nurse practitioners, where they’ll be able to offer primary care, make diagnoses, and prescribe treatment. They may also opt to become a researcher or a nurse entrepreneur. MSN degrees enable nurses to meet the continually increasing demand for nurse leaders, educators, or executive positions, such as policy advisers and innovators. The choices for career ad-
sional instruction of the traditional classroom, but without the time or geographical constraints. Through online bridge programs, RNs can advance their careers with BSN, MSN, and sometimes even PhD degrees. Working with a laptop computer, they can participate from virtually any location. Ac-
puters, there may be a problem with online classes. A working knowledge of computer technology is necessary to navigate the complexities of discussion boards or chat rooms, as well as upload, download, and email assignments. And some people really do need the face-to-face interaction with faculty and
cording to Accelerated Nursing Guide, most
peers.
RNs can complete a bridge course to an
Other than those considerations, there are
MSN degree in under three years, and BSNs
many advantages to obtaining advanced de-
can earn their MSN in approximately two
grees through online courses. The major
years. Considering that a higher-level degree will pay off with higher-level duties, a better pay rate and more options for career advancement, two to three years is a minor
&
Online Education
Career
Advancement By Margaret Smith
31
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
benefits are the convenience and flexibility they provide. Students can locate and enroll in programs that address their personal interests without ever having to drive to the campus. Although there are programs that require some online classes to meet at specific times, most lectures can be attended at the student’s convenience. They can log in to classes early in the morning, late in the evening, or at random opportunities. Moreover, lectures can be interrupted, then continued— or revisited, if students feel they’ve missed anything.
Program Accreditation In researching online programs, students will find that some may be more expensive than brick and mortar institutions, and some may be less expensive. This is where a little caution is required. While there are a multitude of reputable programs out there, according to Discover Nursing 6/29/11, there are also some charlatans, sometimes referred to as “diploma mills,” just out to get your money. Many prospective nurses have invested their time and money only to find that the online “degree” they’ve acquired is not recognized
The accelerated nature of courses is another
by potential employers. What a waste! But
advantage to online professional develop-
if you do your homework, you can avoid
ment. Again, this aspect may not be in some
swindlers.
students’ comfort zone. The pace may be too intense and the assignment deadlines too tight for some, but if a student is up to the challenge, the time necessary to graduate will be reduced.
The only sure way to a degree is through a recognized accredited program. You can obtain a list of accrediting bodies from the Council for Higher Education, and see if the program you’re considering meets the prop-
er standards. Another way to make sure the program is genuine is to verify that it leads to the NCLEX exam which is required to obtain a nursing license. It’s also a good idea to check out the pass rates for the exam, the failure rate of students in the program, the cost, the demand on your time, and credit transferability. But students should beware of programs that offer credit for life experience; according to an article on Ezine 7/2/11, this is not always legitimate, and some employers may be prejudiced against it. By keeping their eyes open, students can avoid the pitfalls. In many cases, employers will even pick up the tab! Online professional development programs can be the answer for RNs who want to remain employed while furthering their education or a valid option for those looking to transition into the nursing profession. Many outstanding institutions offer excellent accredited online nursing programs, such as the University of Central Florida, Drexel University, Keiser University, University of Phoenix, and Jacksonville University. With many esteemed online programs to choose from, along with a commitment and drive to go the distance, aspiring nurse leaders will be exceptionally well-prepared to help guide America’s health care system.
32
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA UCF College of Nursing Offers Advanced Doctoral Degree Online ORLANDO, Aug. 29, 2011 -- A new doctoral degree
support the growth of practice-based doctoral degrees to
track at the University of Central Florida prepares nurses
address national concerns about quality of care and pa-
in a leadership role to succeed at the highest level of ad-
tient safety. UCF’s program will prepare nurses to use the
vanced practice by becoming “change leaders.”
latest technologies, trends and research to address chang-
The degree track, a post-master’s Executive Doctor of
ing regulations and anticipated nursing shortages over the
Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), is the most recent example of
next decade.
the College of Nursing’s efforts at creating cutting-edge
Designed for working professionals, the part-time, flex-
programs that give its graduates the ability to adapt and
ible degree consists of online courses and an intensive
lead during challenging times in healthcare. The track
three-day seminar at the start of each semester. The semi-
will prepare students to shape practice, and their proj-
nar brings together theory and practice to round out the
ects will make a difference in improving care for patients
comprehensive program.
where they work. “For busy nurse leaders, the program promotes out-of-
leadership and organizational analysis. In addition to
the-box thinking to shake up what they are already do-
opportunities for online collaboration with peers, the
ing, to support them in becoming change leaders,” said
seminar will allow students to meet their professors and
Associate Dean for Graduate Affairs and Professor Susan
develop deeper relationships with faculty members and
Chase. “They’re not just responding to new policies, but
their colleagues. Nationally recognized leaders in health-
informing the policy and putting into practice the evi-
care will share their best practices during the seminars
dence that is there.”
and in presentations open to interested nurses in the Or-
The federal Institute of Medicine and other groups are
lando area.
calling for more advanced educational programs as the
The first group of students, who will stay together for the
nation’s healthcare environment grows ever more com-
required nine semesters, starts coursework in January.
plex and demands of nurses a higher scientific knowledge and practice expertise. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and its member schools also
34
Curriculum focuses on areas such as decision making,
As nurse leaders and administrators plan for policy changes, the Executive D.N.P. will provide them with analytic
Issue 10
skills they can use to actively impact the environments in which
“We want them to think about the whole system of care, such as
they work, be it acute care, clinics, community health programs,
how to guarantee quality for outcomes, while letting people on
Magnet preparation, strategic planning or overall interdisciplin-
their teams be creative,” Associate Dean Chase said.
ary leadership. Through study and testing of evidence-based practice strategies, students will learn how to evaluate and apply existing research to improve practice innovations and outcomes. “It’s a new opportunity to prepare nurse executives from different backgrounds to change practice in ways which reflect their professional and personal interests,” said Diane Andrews, assistant professor and program coordinator. Led by UCF’s outstanding practicing faculty who have been on the front lines of change, students will put what they learn to work. The degree culminates with a project that is completed during residency, which allows nurse executives to examine how to improve patient care and safety.
Nurse executives who hold a M.S.N. in Nursing Leadership and Management are encouraged to apply. However, interested, registered nurse leaders with a non-nursing master’s degree also may apply. An online application with all supporting application materials is due Oct. 1. Eligibility will be considered with a portfolio review to determine course equivalency and verification of completed practice/laboratory hours. For candidates without a M.S.N., individual plans of study will be developed to include missing elements of the M.S.N. curriculum. Interested applicants may review additional program information and apply online at www.nursing.ucf.edu/academics/Executive_MSN-DNP.asp.
Contacts: Rebecca Basu, News & Information, 407-823-1637, rebecca.basu@ucf.edu Carolyn Petagno, College of Nursing, 407-823-1665, carolyn@ucf.edu UCF Stands For Opportunity: The University of Central Florida is a metropolitan research university that ranks as the 2nd largest in the nation with more than 56,000 students. UCF’s first classes were offered in 1968. The university offers impressive academic and research environments that power the region’s economic development. UCF’s culture of opportunity is driven by our diversity, Orlando environment, history of entrepreneurship and our youth, relevance and energy. For more information visit http://news.ucf.edu. 35
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
FASHION Watch 36
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
The
Nurse’s Cap Symbol to Artifact By Margaret Smith
I
t wasn’t too many years ago that the word “nurse” conjured up an image of a focused, efficient female dressed all in
white, floating silently through hospital corridors in unattractive white shoes with thick rubber soles. As she went about her duties, many patients must have thought she looked like an angel on a mission. (Maybe that’s where the phrase “angel of mercy” came from.) She was definitely visible and easily discernable from the other hospital workers because on her head perched the universal symbol for nurses everywhere—the nurse’s cap.
38
Issue 10
It was Florence Nightingale who first conceived the notion of a uniform for nurses. According to The Victorian Web 9/9/11, in the 1800s, before Nightingale reformed the profession of nursing in England, it was viewed as an occupation that didn’t require any particular training, or even intelligence. In fact, nurses were considered almost on a
actual hospital work. The styles of the cap continued to change over time, and varied according to the nursing schools where they were awarded. It was
book to maintain its shape. Sometimes black bands of different widths were added to the cap to denote a student’s level or a nurse’s position on the floor.
common for nurses who had graduated from
Eventually nurses began to tire of the im-
the same nursing school to recognize each
practicality of the cap. In the era of “cap
other in a hospital and bond with each oth-
folding,” it continuously had to be cleaned,
er because of their caps. According to Life
re-stiffened with starch or sugar water, and
Bridge 9/9/11, many caps were traditionally
meticulously refolded to the proper shape.
hand-made by a friend or fellow student. In
The caps didn’t last very long, so they had to
the early 1900s, the University of Maryland
be continually replaced, at the expense of the
adopted a cap they named the “Flossie,” in
nurses. And the very item that was once ex-
honor of Florence Nightingale. This cap was
pected to preserve sanitary conditions came
very feminine, with subtle fluting and point
to be viewed as a possible contaminant. Fur-
d’esprit lace. Some other schools’ caps also
thermore, in the 1970s and 80s, more and
attempted to have a feminine appearance
more men were being drawn into the pro-
with frills and ruffles, while others were
fession, and the cap was no longer the main
The cap wasn’t just for adornment or style. In
stiff and box-like—all business. Many were
recognizable feature of nurses.
the days of long hairstyles, it kept the nurses’
considered “Dutch style,” some appeared to
hair in place so that it wouldn’t get in the
have wings, and others appeared to be knot-
way of their important work. The early caps
ted kerchiefs. Most of the styles needed to be
covered all the hair, and were considered
accessorized with bobby pins so they would
unbecoming by the women who wore them,
stay in place on the nurse’s head.
par with prostitutes! The only groups that seemed to practice disciplined, trained nursing were nuns from St. Vincent de Paul in Paris. It was the nun’s cap that Nightingale decided to incorporate into her idea for a professional-looking uniform that would be worn by educated, trained women who would tend the wounded soldiers in the Crimean War.
according to University of Iowa Health Mu-
So by the late 1980s the nurse’s cap had been almost completely phased out in favor of a unisex uniform (scrubs) and a pin. There are some situations in which caps are still worn—countries that are still developing
After a nurse was awarded her cap, it became
and some where women still fill the major-
an identity for her. The sight of a nurse’s cap
ity of nursing positions. And many people,
inspired recognition, confidence and trust,
especially older patients, miss the days when
and often there were rules that had to be
you could instantly recognize a nurse as she
The nurse’s cap lasted for many decades and
strictly followed. Nurses were not allowed
swished by in her white uniform and cap, all
became the universal symbol of nurses ev-
to alter the shape of the cap in any way, and
professionalism and efficiency. The nurse’s
erywhere. It became an object of ceremony
smoking a cigarette was forbidden when
cap may have become a relic of the past, but
as it developed into a tradition as nursing
wearing a cap. When a nurse removed the
everything it has ever stood for will endure
students went through a “capping ceremony”
cap for any reason, she could tuck it inside
throughout time as nurses continue to leave
to transition from their classroom training to
her apron bib, or fold it flat and carry it in a
their imprint on history and society.
seum 9/9/11. Eventually they were replaced by smaller caps that they wore to cover the knot of hair at the top of their heads.
39
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
By Zee Nickerson
A Clog’s
Point of View T
How much do you know about the clogs you wear to work?
he Dutch are famous for their
Another fashion of the 1980s and 90s were
At the Scrubs and Beyond website, many
wooden shoes. In the Netherlands,
platform clogs or sandals, some as high 6
clog makers offer fresh variations on the ba-
they have been popular for about
inches. Often the sole and insoles were made
sic clog. Each season designer, such as Dan-
700 years. Wearers of wooden shoes claim
of cork, although knock off versions were
sko and Sanita, offers new styles so you can
they are warm in winter, cool in summer and
made of plastic. The sole, most often, was
express your fashion tastes while delight-
give good posture support. The wood ab-
made of a light weight rubber.
ing in the healthful benefits of clogs. Styles
sorbs perspiration so feet can breathe. Clogs are so iconic to Dutch culture that men present their fiancées with wooden shoes. Since medieval times the Dutch have been wearing wooden clogs or “Klompen”. Originally, the shoes were carved of a wooden sole and a leather top or strap tacked to the sole. After awhile, the shoemakers carved the clogs entirely from wood and they used alder, willow and popular. The first guild of clog carvers dates back to 1570 in Holland. In Holland farmers, artisans, fishermen and factory workers wore them to protect their feet. Sharp implements, nails, and fishing hooks protected feet. On ships, docks and wet fields feet kept dry in the sturdy wooden clogs. When exactly nurses began wearing clogs is unknown. Swedish clogs became popular fashion accessories in the 1970s and 1980s for both sexes. Usually worn without socks and they were considered appropriate wear for the Avant-garde man. 40
In 2010, clogs revisited the fashion runways when Chanel and Louis Vuitton featured them in their Spring/Summer collections.
range from basic white and solid black to amazing faux snake leathers and realistic animal prints to finely finished patent leathers. In this collection, many of the clogs of-
Women everywhere have discovered the un-
fer traditional, durable stapled construction
contested support and comfort of clogs. For
and are hand stretched.
the majority of people who spend vast hours of the day on their feet, clogs offer lasting relief. These shoes are especially popular among teachers, restaurant workers, and nurses. No matter what your job there is a clog style that is suitable for your work environment.
There is a clog to fit every outfit and Scrubs and Beyond writes, “We know that once you experience the comfortable support of a well-made clog you will be back for a second or even third style.”
Issue 10
41
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Scrub Colors to Flatter
Your Skin Tone S kin tone is the color of your skin.
The amount and type of melanin in your skin and the size and number
of blood vessels that lie closest to the skin’s
surface determine your skin’s hue. Skin colors differ immensely from person to person, although those within the same ethnic group tend to fall within the same range of color tone. Even more, getting a sun tan deepens your skin’s pigmentation, but this does not change your skin tone. In order to make the appropriate choices for cosmetics, hair coloring and scrub or clothing colors, it is important
foil, then silver foil to your face. Note the
seem to be greenish in color, then you are a
get started.
effect of the foil’s reflection on the look of
warm tone. If they appear to have a bluish tint, then you are a cool skin tone.
Step One: Determine Your Skin Tone
your skin. Your skin will appear healthy and glow with the right foil. The wrong foil will
to understand one’s own natural hues. Let’s
There are different ways to determine skin tone. You may find your own by following these steps. Prepare Your skin. Wash your face thoroughly with warm water and a facial cleanser. Pat dry. Do not apply any lotions, toner or moisturizer. Wait 15 minutes. In a bright naturally lit room, stand in front of a mirror and examine your skin. Determine your skin tone. To successfully choose the right scrubs’ colors to flatter your skin, you will need to figure out if your skin is warm or cool. Choose one of the following methods to find out: Gold and Silver Test. Alternately, hold a gold 42
make you appear gray and sickly. Warm skin tones tend to have a yellow or gold tone. Silver denotes a cool tone. Ear Test. The area behind your ear has the purest skin tones. Have a friend look behind your ear. The skin tone will appear to be yellow for warm skin tones and pinkish for cool skin tones. Paper Test. Hold a piece of white paper to your face. Take note of your skin’s tone in contrast to the white. If it looks yellow or golden, then you have a warm skin color. If it looks pinkish, you have a cool tone. Wrist Test: Hold your wrists out and facing up under direct sunlight. If the blood vessels
Often times, blue undertones can be seen as red cheeks or slight ruddiness. NOTE: Skin conditions like acne, eczema and rosacea do alter your skin’s appearance and may make it difficult to determine your skin tone. If you suffer from one of these conditions, the Ear Test or Wrist Test will be the best method in identifying your tone.
Step Two: Choose a Scrubs Color: Flatter Your Skin Tone Once you understand skin tone and color, it’s relatively easy to create your professional nurse’s wardrobe. You can be professional and still flatter your skin tone, and well, ego, too!
Issue 10
Like every item of clothing you own, scrubs’ colors are based on seasons. Your coloring with its warm or cool tone can be described as a season. If your coloring is warm and clear, your ideal color choices will reflect the colors of Spring. Cool and clear skin tones should choose from a Winter palette. Warm and muted skin tones are most flattered by the colors of Autumn/Fall. Finally, cool and muted skin tones pop in the colors of Summer.
Colors palettes by season: Spring .............salmon or lime. Winter .............black, white, and navy blue. Autumn/Fall....olive green or terracotta. Summer...........Burgundy or pastels. Most people are naturally drawn to their best colors so this can also be an indication. You may prefer the quick reference guide below: •
Fair skin - try gray
•
Beige skin - try blue
•
Golden skin - try green
•
Bronze skin - try orange or pink
•
Deep skin - try red or pink
Colors that are not part of your seasonal palette can be tricky. Ideally, you should match the color with another item of clothing which belongs to your color group. For example, match a scrubs pant that is not part of your seasonal palette with a top that is. This works with most colors. For a healthy glow to your skin, it is preferable to wear shirts, blouses, and scrub tops of the same color as your seasonal palette group. Remember fashion is meant to be fun. You can look very attractive, yet demure and professional in the best colors. Have fun, mix and match if you wish. It is all about you. 43
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Beauty Secrets 44
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
46
Short Haircuts
By Zee Nickerson
Issue 10
for
Nurses
S
cenario. You wake up late. The dog
FACE SHAPE MAKES A DIFFERENCE
whines to be fed. The children must
Always, style your hair in a way that plays up
hustle out the door now or they’ll
miss the school bus again. You’re late to work and there is no time to fix/fiddle with your hair. Then you spend 12 hours helping patients while feeling awful and out of sorts because you know you don’t look your best. Maybe it’s time the fussy hairdo disappears. Besides, what would be more refreshing than a short, perky, low maintenance haircut? A cut for all seasons; a change of style. There is nothing like the ease of short hair. A fresh, cut feels glorious and less work makes life simple and saves time. But what
what you believe are your best features. Irregular shapes can be more interesting, more charming than the traditional oval. For example, a heart-shaped face (the kind that features
Oval Face (slightly narrower at jaw line than at temples). Do’s: To enhance your perfect oval face, focus attention on the temples and around the ear areas for balance, keeping hair fullest at the widest part of your face. Don’ts: None! You have the ideal face shape and can carry wear almost any style.
a “widow’s peak”) is unusual. It is different and attractive. Many nurses would want to play up that feature by wearing a center parts and hair pulled back to reveal it shape. But if a woman feels she does not want play up her heart shaped face, she could part her hair on the side, wear short bangs to cover the widow’s peak and have wavy side curls stopping just below the ears.
Oblong Face
kind of modern style should you get? Hilda
This is the basic question to ask yourself: Do
Cruz, of the Medford JCPenney Salon, who
you want to emphasize the real shape of your
also provides in-patient salon services says,
face? If you do, then choose a hairdo that
“A number of things need to be considered
follows the outline of your face. If not, then
may have narrow or pointed chin).
when choosing your haircut: Type of hair; is
choose a hairdo that gives your face the shape you’d like it to have.
Do’s: If you have a high forehead, minimize
it straight, wavy, curly? Amount of hair; fine, thick or damaged? How much time do you
A TO DO ABOUT FACE SHAPES
want spend to maintaining it; wash and wear, blow and go, or curl and spritz? It takes an expert to cut hair well. On a limited budget it’s smarter to spend less for a dress and have your hair cut by an expert every time. A good hair dresser knows the length of your neck determines how long your hair should be cut, while the shape of your face influences the style of haircut.
“The right hairstyle will flatter your facial shape, minimizing any “beauty flaws,’” says styling pro Laurie Cook. “The wrong style,” she adds, “will emphasize certain problems, so it’s essential that you and your hairdresser take your face shape into account before she begins to cut.” Here is Real Beauty ...Real Women’s guide to cuts that flatter the six basic face shapes.
(slender, long with equal widths at forehead and just below cheek bone;
the width and length with soft bangs and a side part. To “widen” a narrow chin, choose a short or medium length style with fullness in the nape area. Don’ts: Steer clear of too much height in the crown area, this can “lengthen” your face. Avoid short, short boy cuts featuring a shaved or bare neck. They’ll make your chin look “pointy”. Don’t comb hair away from your forehead; again, you’ll add length to your face. 47
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
ADDITIONAL
FACE
FLATTERING
HINTS Long neck: Be happy! You can wear short, medium, or long styles, anything that plays up this beautiful feature. Short neck: Choose shorter hair with height at the crown to make your neck appear longer.
Triangular Face
Heart Shape Face
(strong jaw line, narrowing to a slightly
(wide at temples, narrowing
pointed chin; narrowing just a little upward in
gradually to a small chin).
cheek and temple areas).
Do’s: This shape needs a little “camouflag-
Receding chin line: Balance by wearing hair high on top, fuller at sides. Prominent chin line: Balance by wearing hair high on top, fuller at sides.
Do’s: Keep hair close to face, covering the
ing”, do this by creating soft side bangs at the
Double chin: Camouflage by wearing hair in a
widest part of the temple areas. Choose a tiny
temples to minimize the width. Longer hair
modified pageboy, with shorter sides and lon-
bit of height at the crown to break the triangle
with fluffiness or fullness in the chin area will
ger, fuller back, or flip ends upward.
effect.
“widen” a narrow chin. (Curly hair works well
High forehead: Try bangs or a side part to
Don’ts: Ignore off-the-neck styles, which will
to reproportion a heart shaped face.)
emphasize the line of your face shape. If your hair
Don’ts: Opt out of styles, which accentuate
is straight, avoid tucking it behind your ears. It
the heart shape, call attention to a “pointy”
will call attention to the widest part of your face.
chin.
minimize length. Low forehead: Create the illusion of length by combing hair away from the face. If you prefer the look of bangs, make sure they’re light, and
Avoid too much fullness at the jawline.
wispy. Large nose: A full hairstyle, with fluffy bangs, will detract from your prominent nose. Glasses wearers: Keep hair smooth, soft, a pretty frame for your face. “The purpose of hair is adornment,” says Hilda. “Some people say, ‘I don’t care what the back looks like’ but the back should look as good as the front. Your cut should look
Round Face
Square Face
(round, full with rounded chin ,
(square, strong jawline).
widest part is at cheeks and ears).
Do’s: A square face is a beauty plus, showing
Do’s: Bring your hair forward onto the fame
strength. You can be creative, experimenting
to create a more “oval” appearance. Choose
with various styles. You can brush or pull hair
style for height at the crown to “lengthen” the
back from your face to accent the shape.
face.
Don’ts: Avoid the temptation to soften the
Don’ts: Avoid wearing hair back and off the
geometric lines of your face. This will play
face, which highlights the roundness.
48
down; rather enhance your natural beauty.
stylish and communicate to patients that you take care of yourself and thus you can take care of them.”
Issue 10
49
Turn Back The Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Clock I
t seems like every day there’s a new prod-
With Natural Anti-Aging Skin Care be helped by drinking plenty of water and eating right.
uct on to market to help turn back time.
To supplement your healthy skin diet you can
Truthfully, no matter what any company
try a few natural products to maximize the ef-
tells you, there’s no such thing as a fountain
fects. Try these at-home ideas that keep you
of youth, but there are steps you can take to
looking young and vibrant.
make yourself look and feel younger without
To help reduce your wrinkles, mash up a ripe
surgery or expensive treatments or products. A well balanced, nutrient rich diet is the best
banana, apply to your face and allow to sit for about 15 minutes before rinsing.
way to keep yourself looking young. A lot of
Use lemon juice to remove age spots. Just ap-
skin aging is caused by free radicals. They are
ply daily to gradually lighten them away. If
damaging chemicals from the air we breathe,
lemon juice is too harsh for your skin, mix it
the food we eat, and our environment in gen-
into your daily moisturizer to see results while
eral. Just like free radicals can hurt us, antioxi-
keeping your skin soft and smooth.
dants can combat free radicals.
To reduce eye puffiness, grate a small potato
Antioxidants like vitamins A, E, and C are
and mix with a small amount of chilled apple
found in many fruits and vegetables. Try eat-
sauce. Place on eyes and cover with a moist
ing a variety of vegetables along with a diet
towel for 5 to 10 minutes.
rich in protein, whole grains, and low-fat dairy
Gently exfoliate your skin daily to help the
products.
cells renew themselves and keep the skin
Just like some foods can help you look young-
looking youthful. Simply use a little natural
er, other foods and bad habits can speed up
uncooked oatmeal mixed with a teaspoon of
the clock. To stay looking your best, don’t
honey and gently rub on your face. Rinse off
smoke and limit your consumption of alcohol
with cool water. Your skin will look vibrant
and caffeine. You should also try to eat fresh
and soft.
(preferably raw) foods daily and avoid a lot of
Use natural vitamin E oil on your face at night.
processed foods and preservatives.
Simply rub on a very thin layer in the areas
Another skin ager is sugar – soft, sticky and
most prone to wrinkles and let absorb into
deadly – it is not awful for your health in gen-
your skin overnight. In the morning try the
eral it’s extremely ageing to your skin. Avoid
exfoliating scrub mentioned above and you’re
or reduce sugar as much as possible from your
set to go.
diet and you will see a difference in your skin.
While nothing can stop the clock altogether,
Dry skin, acne, and other skin issues can all
healthy, youthful skin is achievable and these
make you look older as well, and they can all
easy steps will help you get started.
50
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51
24-7
Secrets to Soft Hands
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
1 2 3
52
Once a week soak hands in a bowl containing warm water and Soda Bicarbonate for 10 minutes.
Take a large scoop of petroleum jelly and two drops of olive oil, rub into hands (rub hands together as if washing them). Put hands into plastic freezer bags and cover with a warm towel. Relax for thirty minutes, then wash in usual way.
Use a moisturizing hand soap. Mix a few drops of lemon juice and glycerine in whole milk cream. Rub on your hands and fingers at night to make them soft.
Rub rich cuticle cream on your fingertips to prevent ragged hangnails. Splurge on a paraffin dip. If your hands are extremely chapped, a paraffin dip treatment coats your hands in a protective layer of paraffin wax. The end result is softer, smoother hands.
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53
Sweat Resistant Makeup For Active Nurses Fabulous Nurse Magazine
T
he secret to long lasting, sweat resistant makeup is concealer. Listed below are widely acclaimed sweat-resistant foundations and concealers. Relax, go to work and focus on providing optimum patient care. Let’s do the worrying
about make-up types on your behalf. We’ve got you covered.
Max Factor Pan Stick Foundation Match color to your skin tone. Apply with a damp sponge, or fingers. Cover your whole face, lips and eyelids and ears and neck and chest included. Apply loose translucent powder to set the foundation. Brush off the excess. Finish make-up application per usual. Coverage is 100% when set and powdered.
Bobbie Brown Foundation An absolutely fabulous waterproof foundation!! “My friend decided to get a make up artist for her wedding and this was the foundation that the makeup artist used. My friend’s makeup was done at 9:00 am and we ended the wedding festivities after midnight even in the Arizona weather her foundation absolutely remained flawless. If I ever start performing I will definitely invest in this foundation, I worked with makeup for years and I have to say I was extremely impressed.” 54
Issue 10
Estee Lauder’s Maximum Coverage
L’Oreal AirWear Contains silicone which is one of the trendiest ingredients in the world of makeup these days. It provides an easy glide that allows you to layer the makeup just perfectly without looking noticeably “done”. This concealer is easy to blend and will give you a matte effect. This is an ideal concealer for someone with a lot to hide as it is easy to layer. Cover these with your normal foundation shade.
Sue Devitt Automatic Camouflage Concealer
Set foundation with loose powder. It looks fresh for up to 18 hours. If hot and sweaty while at work, you can spray a fine mist of water over your face to cool down without messing your makeup up.
This best concealer is a favorite of Courtney Cox-Arquette. It conceals, corrects and hides imperfections. The stick formula makes it easy to apply. It’s water-resistant and crease-proof. This best concealer is a must-have for fashion shoots!
Mirenesse Velvet Maxilift foundation Australian brand with online store. Sets to a dewy finish by itself. Still okay to apply loose powder for a matte look. Mirenesse also have the BEST mascara EVER!! sweat proof, smudge proof, fine even for super sensitive eyes, I could go on and on....
M.A.C. Studio Finish Concealer
Revlon Color Stay Natural Concealer
It is “a lightweight, creamy, discreetly opaque concealer. Provides a smooth, long-wearing invisible coverage for all skin blemishes. Water-resistant, fragrance-free and non-acnegenic. This emollient-based, lightweight concealer is so concentrated that a tiny amount can provide opaque coverage of the skin’s imperfections and discolorations…Available in a wide range of colors. It can be applied with a medium to firm fiber brush, a latex sponge, or the fingertips.”
This Best Concealer is a liquid formula that can provide medium coverage of your flaws without settling into your wrinkles. Fair and Light concealers are the most natural shades for light skins and Deep is the most realistic shade for dark skins. This is a long wearing concealer so you can “set it and forget it” as they say in infomercial land.
Mary Kay MK Signature Concealer This Best Concealer is a silicone concealer that is squeezed out of its tube and blended easily over the skin. This concealer can provide a very full coverage and is recommended by celebrity makeup expert Paul Begoun for concealing dark under eye circles. It comes in six colors and the best ones are the three lightest, so pale faces and those with very light skin can find an almost-perfect or perfect match.
55
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
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Issue 10
Attitude
Re-defined
57
Cloudy With
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
a Chance C
olor has a powerful influence on mood and perception.
of Blue By Matthew Fowler
Lawyers tell their clients to wear blue in court because it connotes truth. Yellow and red elicit a violent reaction from
sharks. Warm yellows and amber in a movie lighting scheme help create a happy mood. Crisp blue light in a movie lighting scheme helps set a scientific or foreboding mood. The use of digital video or increasing the black levels in motion picture film when cut from a more standard lighting scheme helps signify a transition to real-time action. Doctors wear a purely white lab coat to create a perception of scientific accuracy and competence. As nurses you often contemplate what color your scrubs should be, based on how you think it would affect your patients.
But what about blue? Why is blue associated with sadness or melancholy? You know the expressions: blue Mondays, feeling blue, or blue skies. Blue skies? Wait. That’s not sad at all; blues skies connote good weather, happy times. So, when does blue connote sadness versus happiness.
Does Cloudy
With a Chance of Blue mean things are sad and getting sadder, or does it mean things are about to get better? This article is the first in a series of articles about how colors affect us. We choose to look at blue and its effects first. Think Quest, an on-line scientific journal illuminates the science of human optical perception. The human eye only has 3 color channels. In other words, our eyes are not able to distinguish the particular wavelengths of light and can only use three different sensors to determine what color an object should appear. We see the millions of colors around us because of the way that the color channels send signals to the brain. The color channels are called Red, Green, and Blue. Each channel is sensitive to a certain range of light. 58
Issue 10
Uh-huh, so that’s how the eye functions,
ger nails, black eye liner, and died, jet black
different parts of the eye perceive different
hair, and he may seem instantly less honest.
wave lengths of light, and different colors are basically a stew of perception. That broth, however, does more than tell us what shirt goes with what pair of pants. Color Affects, a web site about how color and its influence, claim that color is energy, and the fact that it has a physical effect on us has been proved time and again in experiments - most notably when blind people were asked to identify colors with their fingertips and were all able to do so easily. The shorter the wavelength, the stronger the underlying physical effect. That said, much of our reaction to color is learned; do pea-green corn flakes sound appetizing? What about pea-green soup with visible chunks of ham and tiny peas? How do you react to a purple and yellow patch of skin? What about the same colors of makeup with a matching outfit? These different reactions to the same colors tend to suggest color’s influence is entirely too subjective to predict. Or, in other words, Cloudy With a Chance of Blue means something different to every person who ponders its meaning. Color Affects disagrees with that idea and hypothesizes that color’s influence is not limited to the color of any one object, but in the context of a total picture. A gray sky during winter when snow is on the ground seems dreary; a gray sky during summer in a field of vibrantly colored flowers and deep green tall grasses seems refreshing. A blue suit on an average looking man could con-
Color Affects peered further into this question by conducting a series of studies about each of the colors of the spectrum. They found that color affects us in two primary ways, physiological and psychological. The color blue... Physiological Effect: In contrast to red, blue proves to lower blood pressure. Blue can be linked to the throat and thyroid gland. Blue also has a very cooling and soothing affect, often making us calmer. Deep blue stimulates the pituitary gland, which then regulates our sleep patterns. This deeper blue also has proved to help the skeletal structure in keeping bone marrow healthy. Psychological Effect: We usually associate the color blue with the night and thus we feel relaxed and calmed. Lighter blues make us feel quite and away from the rush of the day. These colors can be useful in eliminating insomnia. Like yellow, blue inspires mental control, clarity and creativity. However, too much dark blue can be depressing. When we think about blue and its influence, the connotations are both sad and happy, depressing and inspiring, or simply put, we have a range of thoughts and feelings about the color blue. The idea then, is that blue, or any clolor must be considered as part of a greater picture, and Cloudy With a Chance of Blue only has a definitive meaning when we look at more than just the sky.
note honesty; give that same man black fin-
59
Walk inMy
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Clogs
60
Issue 10
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Find the location near you online at: AnytimeFitness.com
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61
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Amber Butler By Karen Kalis
Nurse Firefighter With a Cause
Introduction
A
climbing 69 flights of steps to raise money
in the race to the top. Like many firefighters,
for research. Butler didn’t decide to jump
Butler’s efforts were personal. “I did it in
in immediately. She said, “I didn’t think I
memory of the death of my friend Ryan and
was fit enough. I went for five years as a
a doctor I work with has multiple myeloma.
support person and bottle changer.” When
I wanted to do something for a really won-
she did decide to try the stair climb herself,
derful cause,” said Butler. The 2011 climb
she started a bit smaller than the 69 flights
raised $930,000.
in Seattle. “Portland had a stair climb up 41 flights for cystic fibrosis. I did that one
Path to ICU
last September,” she said, “I realized I can
When Butler isn’t climbing stairs or chas-
do this! I’m not triathlete fit, but I know I
ing after her kids, she works as a part-time
can do this.” After doing the cystic fibrosis
ICU nurse, and just passed her CCRN exam.
climb in honor of a woman she works with,
She’s been a registered nurse for eight years,
Butler decided it was time to try the Seattle
though she started off as an EMT. “I thought
climb. “I was so excited in March to be able
I wanted to be a firefighter paramedic. I got
to stay healthy enough to do the stair climb
my EMT basic which allowed me to work
in Seattle. I ended up finishing the race a
in the ER and I could see what nurses do
Butler’s interest in volunteer firefighting
minute faster than my training runs. I ended
and I could see what paramedics do. That’s
started as a family affair. “I’ve been a volun-
up 73 of 109 women. I finished 21st in my
where I met my husband who is a paramed-
teer firefighter for the last several years, fol-
age bracket. But, the thing that made my
ic. I realized I needed to think twice about
lowing my dad’s footsteps.” As a volunteer
heart race the most was the money I was able
my career and having kids. If we were both
firefighter, one of Butler’s passions is giving
to raise-- over $2500. I was in the top 3% in
firefighters, having child care would be ex-
back to the community. “About six years
fundraisers,” she said.
ceptionally difficult. Who watches your kids
mber Butler is a woman with endless energy. The mom of two children – four-year-old Abigail and
two-year-old Ethan, Butler is not only an ICU nurse, but a volunteer firefighter in Oregon.
A Nurse With A Cause
ago, we saw what firefighters were doing in Seattle for leukemia and lymphoma.” What Butler saw was firefighters, all geared up, 62
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (www.llswa.org) reports that over 1500 firefighters from 271 departments joined Butler
for 24 hours while you are working?” she said. That realization led her to becoming a nurse and eventually to the ICU. Though
Issue 10
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
64
Issue 10
she loved the ER, with the help of mentors
“I’m going to give it my all. I need to be
to whether you have the talent to think on
she met along the way, she decided to pur-
able to say it’s worth is to be away from my
your toes, prioritize and work under pres-
sue work in the ICU. “In the ER, you just
family and it’s a great cause. If I didn’t have
sure all the time. Some of us, that’s not our
get them stable enough to move them to ICU.
a connection with it, I might not be as pas-
personality. It’s not that you are less of a
You don’t get to see the end result of what
sionate about it.”
nurse, it’s just not your thing. ICU is such
you do. [My mentors] wanted me to see more patho-physiology. I’ve enjoyed it so much
Advice For Future ICU Nurses
a different environment because it’s ever changing and fast paced. The CCU classes
that I haven’t left. Not all days are great days,
Butler is just as passionate about her work
help you, but when you get at the bedside
not all days end with a smile, but I wouldn’t
as an ICU nurse. She has some advice for
and start doing it it’s totally different. You
want to work anywhere else,” she said.
nurses who are considering working in the
have to have the mindset. More than any-
Family Matters
ICU. “You’ve got to make sure you love
thing else, you need to be flexible, humble,
what you are doing. If you don’t, the patient
determined, advocate for the patient and be
Knowing everything that Butler does makes
or the family of the patient will sense that.
soft and hard. There are some times when
you wonder how she gets it all done. “I’m
You need to be learning something every
you need to hold a hand or touch a shoulder
such a stubborn person that I think when I
single day, or at least seeking to learn some-
and there are other times when you have to
put my mind to something I get it done, even
thing every day. Also, you have to support
do the task at hand.”
if it means that I don’t get as much sleep as
each other in ICU. I know in our unit, it’s
I need. I want to show my children that it’s
not a single person sport. It’s a team sport.
just not about taking care of yourself, it’s
If it wasn’t for four other nurses yesterday,
about taking care of each other. It’s about
I would not have gotten through my day.”
making a difference. I want to do something
Whether or not you belong in ICU is a per-
big, something that means something other
sonal decision, Butler said, “Soul search as
than just living every day. I want to raise
Amber Butler, a mom, wife, volunteer firefighter, passionate fundraiser and committed ICU nurse, is an amazing woman with a unending compassion for people. With her focus on raising her family, everywhere she goes she is spreading hope and healing.
awareness, I want to raise money, I want to stay fit,” she said. But nothing comes ahead of her family. “While you need to make money, my kids come first. I have great family support and friend support in regards to helping with the kids for a few hours because I have an event today or because my husband Brian and I work today. If I didn’t have my big family and my big support system, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do.” Her family support has allowed her passion for raising money to bloom. “I enjoy the atmosphere of getting your brothers and sisters and raising money for a cause. When you tell people you are going to climb this building with all your gear on they look at you like you are a little crazy. Because I have my personal associations with it, that’s what makes it such a big deal for me.” When Butler does commit to something, her level of determination is extraordinary. She said, 65
Elias
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Vasquez ProvencioBy Margaret Smith
Changing the Landscape for Nursing
H
e was the first in his family to attend college. Then he became the first Hispanic male in the United States to earn a doctorate degree in nursing. Eventually, he achieved another first—the first Latino male in the U.S. to head a nursing
school.
Back in his teen-age years, when Elias Provencio-Vasquez was working in a hospital kitchen in Phoenix, he probably never imagined himself as the dean of a nursing school in the very town in which he was born. But in February, 2010, after a nationwide search, he took his place as dean of the University of Texas at El Paso School of Nursing. And it all started in that hospital kitchen in Phoenix where he washed dishes, delivered dinner trays to nursing stations, and became inspired.
Planting the seeds Getting to know the nurses, talking to them about the profession, and witnessing their interactions with their patients was a source of inspiration for Provencio-Vasquez. But he was a guy, and there just weren’t that many guys in nursing back in the 70s and 80s. When he first entered community college in Phoenix, it was to study psychology; but, as stated in Hispanic Tips 12/8/09, he ended up switching his focus—and following his destiny. He enrolled in nursing school at the age of 26 and began his journey toward making history.
the learning/working process took him about
tors, parents of premature infants were able
17 years, as he added more degrees and cer-
to make the transition from hospital to home
tifications to his résumé. In the 30-year span
more easily. According to the website for the
of his career, he has worked as a clinical
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 5/26/10,
nurse, a researcher, an educator, and admin-
Provencio-Vasquez used this project as the
istrator. He also received his certification as
subject for his dissertation thesis.
a nurse practitioner in neonatology and pediatrics. When he served as president of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, he was instrumental in raising awareness of the value of nurse practitioners and the justification for appropriate compensation.
Germinating consciousness As he pursued his Ph.D., Provencio Vasquez
In the beginning, Provencio-Vasquez, like
followed the progress of premature babies
many others, had to manage a schedule that
after their discharge from the hospital. He
combined an intense regimen of nursing
studied their development in their home set-
studies with regular shifts as a hospital and
tings, and used his findings to develop an in-
emergency-room flight nurse. All together,
tervention program. With nurses as facilita-
66
Using his doctoral work as a jumping off point, he continued to work with at-risk women and their families. According to Hispanic Tips, he achieved recognition both nationally and internationally for his groundbreaking work in issues involving women’s health, as well as neonatal and pediatric care. An expert in primary care and development assessments of HIV and drugexposed infants, children, and adolescents, he also worked as director of the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Texas at Houston and the University of Maryland.
Issue 10
Cultivating vitality In an article for The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 27, 2011, Provencio-Vasquez stated that all his
students are being recruited by other cities across the country who have an influx of immigrants that are Hispanic.”
mentors and role models in high school and college
Provencio-Vasquez credits the uniqueness of the de-
were white women. These women were both sup-
mographics for helping to attract top students, fac-
portive and inspiring, but as a Latino male, he was
ulty, and researchers to the School of Nursing. He
especially conscious of the role he could play as a
believes the potential exists for the UTEP School of
mentor for both men and members of minority ethnic
Nursing to become one of the top 25 U.S. nursing
groups. That’s one reason he was pulled toward the
schools in terms of education and research. The evi-
field of academics: he could serve as a role model to
dence is in the successful hiring rate of the graduates.
others. “Minority students are very fortunate in these
Provencio-Vasquez is proud to say that UTEP nurses
times that they have role models from their own eth-
can find jobs anywhere in the country.
nicity,” he says.
“Sixty percent of the nurses who practice in El Paso
According to Diversity Nursing 7/9/11, The National
are UTEP grads,” he said in the El Paso Times article.
Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice
“We have a UTEP nurse in every state in this country.
formally acknowledged that the increasing racial/eth-
When I first got here, I went out and met every chief
nic diversity of the RN labor forces had an important
nursing officer, every CEO of every hospital because
place in nursing. This is a component that should
I wanted to make sure we were educating our stu-
be recognized as a gauge for ensuring the presence
dents so that they wanted to hire them. I want them
of a culturally competent nursing workforce that will
to say, ‘UTEP grads are the nurses we want to hire.’ “
meet the needs of a diverse population.
In 2010, 228, or 70%, of the 324 nurses who gradu-
What a perfect time for a Latino male to be appoint-
ated from the School of Nursing were Hispanic. That
ed as dean of a nursing school. And when the school
figure was enough to raise UTEP School of Nursing’s
is situated in El Paso, right across the border from
rate of nursing degrees awarded to Hispanics from
Juarez, Mexico, it’s also the perfect place. “The fact
number three in the country to number one. When
that we educate bicultural and bilingual nurses makes
Provencio-Vasquez assumed his position as head
us very unique,” Provencio-Vasquez said in an article
of the school, it took only a year to move up to first
in the El Paso Times 6/11/11. “Other schools across
place. It seems like the perfect addition to his collec-
the country are looking at us as a model of educa-
tion of firsts.
tion for bilingual and bicultural nurses. Our nursing
67
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Travel 68
M
ONTREAL - With so few people in such a large space, it’s a wonder that Canada - population: 34 million - has the largest per capita level of immigration in the world. More than 250,000 immigrants and refugee claimants come to Canada each year. Skilled professionals, ranging from architects to chefs to nurses, have been encouraged to submit their immigration applications over the years. And many have done so with success as they are now either perma-
Issue 10
New Cap On Immigration Applications From Nurses Yet government policy has recently changed when it comes to immigration. No one is yet sure, however, if these changes will be beneficial. As of July 1, 2011, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) changed the application process for skilled immigrants interested in working in Canada. Until next summer, a maximum of 10,000 Federal Skilled Worker applications will be
Canadian
Nursing Shortage By Renaud Dery, Esq.
nent residents or Canadian citizens. Yet Canadians, as well as skilled workers abroad, still face an odd reality when it comes to the nursing profession. Nursing Shortages From Province To Province The fact is that nurses can be surprisingly hard to find in Canada. Nursing shortages, and their negative public health ramifications, make national headlines on a regular basis. A recent article titled “Critical nurse-shortage looming” from Vancouver’s News1130 suggested the problem could be solved by increasing immigration levels for nurses to more than 300 annually in the province of British Columbia alone. On Canada’s westernmost coast, British Columbia is only one of 10 provinces and 3 territories. The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) reports that Canada will be short almost 60,000 full-time equivalent RNs by 2022 if policy changes are not implemented in the wake of aging Baby Boomers and their growing impact on the healthcare system.
considered for processing. Of that 10,000, only 500 RNs and 500 Licensed Practical Nurses will be considered.
fessionals.
Received applications are monitored by the federal government on a regular basis and certain statistics shared with public. The September update indicated only 90 spaces were left for RNs.
The province of Quebec has a separate immigration system and, currently, it is much easier for nurses interested in immigrating to Canada to settle in this predominantly French-speaking province than anywhere else in the country.
The only exemption to this new rule set out by the federal government is for nurses who have a secured job offer prior to arriving in Canada.
Currently conducting immigration seminars geared for nurses in the Philippines, Dery is known for shedding light on the often intimidating immigration process.
One Overlooked Canadian Job Market
The perceived language barriers in Quebec need not be intimidating either as Quebec offers opportunities for English-speaking professionals who are willing to learn the fundamentals of French as they apply their much needed nursing skills to a healthcare system desperate for dedicated workers.
With an already dire nationwide shortage and this recent cap on nurse immigration, it’s hard to see where any hope can be found for healthcare professionals worldwide. Canadian immigration lawyer, Renaud Dery, is based in Montreal, Quebec and is an expert in navigating the several dozen options for immigration which ensures moving to Canada is stress-free for his clients. And nurses are no exception because there is another place in Canada ready to accept immigration applications from nursing pro-
BIO: Renaud Dery is a Canadian immigration lawyer with 13 years of experience with helping expats come to Canada stress-free. Are you ready to make the move? Find out today by filling in the free, confidential assessment form at http://canadim.com/assessment.html 69
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Travel
Beautiful A Visit to Our Friends up North
I
Canada By Matthew Fowler
f your nurse’s station is like almost every
and Canada. You’ve probably even heard of
official languages. Additionally, the indig-
other nurse’s station across our nation, by
American senior citizens traveling to Canada
enous people of Canada, primarily the Inuit
now you’ve heard of and probably even
for cheaper medication, or Canadians having
tribes, assimilated into mainstream Canadian
debated about the Patient Protection and
to wait six months for an MRI and exercis-
society relatively easily because they did so
Affordable Care Act of 2010. Part of that
ing their greener grass option to the US. So
mostly voluntarily. Moreover, Canada be-
discourse has probably included a compari-
despite your knowledge that at day’s end,
came independent from England without a
son to other health care systems in other
helping people recover is essentially the
violent revolution, and thus, Canada holds to
countries, especially the United Kingdom
same, regardless of location, your wander
her European heritage with greater reverence
lust may now include a jaunt to Canada to
than the U.S. The end result is a very inclu-
gain the real experience necessary to mold
sive, culturally rich, and pluralistic society.
an informed opinion about the whole mess. However, before you dig out the passport (something you now need just to get into Canada post 9/11), you have some questions. And since we are a magazine dedicated to your fabulousness, please consider the following before setting travel arrangements. Canadian Culture: Canada is a country with a multicultural history and ethos; the province of Quebec is primarily French speaking, and the other provinces are English dominant. 70
Both English and French are
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Canadian culture is the cuisine. It does vary across the provinces, but all food in Canada has French, European, American, and Intuit influences and origins. Among the most popular dishes are meat pie, a smoked meat sandwich, and poutine, a combination of French fries and cheese curds served with gravy. Fair warning - Canada is not the country in which to start a low calorie, low fat diet.
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71
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Travel Requirements: Traveling to Canada
traveling nurse agencies describe a 32 week
is not an easy process. Regardless of your
training regimen for all foreign nurses wish-
country of origin, as Canada seems to not
ing to work in Canada, regardless of your
distinguish between American and other for-
country of origin. These agencies describe
eign nurse applicants, you must secure a Ca-
a dormitory -cafeteria setting for you dur-
nadian work visa first. To do that, you must
ing your training period, and then offer as-
in essence, get a job. While you could ven-
sistance with finding a place to stay once
ture on your own and simply contact Canadi-
you start work. Further, you must pass the
an hospitals and complete their applications,
provincial licensing examination, regardless
the more typical route is through a travel
of your previous training (Canadian or other-
nursing agency. Further, these agencies of-
wise) and/or direct experience.
fer considerable assistance beyond simply shepherding your applications to numerous
Are you daunted yet?
employers (which would also save you much
Though the process seems complex and
leg work). They offer help with getting a
lengthy, there are various resources for the
place to stay and other “start-up” concerns.
traveling nurse. Canada needs nurses, and
Plus, the reputable agencies charge the em-
according to the Canadian State Department
ployer for their services, not you. But wait,
website, http://www.canadavisa.com, does
there’s more.
everything it can to make the immigration
Well, don’t be.
process easier (however, Canada does not Any potential employer must establish there
seem deferential to American nurses).
are no qualified Canadian citizens to fill your position and subsequently sponsor your im-
Compensation: Is it worth it? Strictly speak-
migration packet through Canadian immi-
ing and according to All Nurses, a website
gration authorities. Once you have permis-
for nurses, compensation for Canadian nurs-
sion to work in Canada, then you must meet
es is roughly the same as in the U.S. with a
the Canadian licenser requirements. Each
lower top end salary structure. But that’s not
Canadian province has its own requirements,
the whole story. It would be hard to describe
and there is no immediate reciprocal process
specific details given the size of both the U.S.
for you to “transfer” your credentials. Most
and Canada, but generally speaking, the cost
of living in Canada is considerably less than the U.S., making a strict dollar comparison more favorable to Canada. However, CBC News Online does state salary is the first and foremost issue for Canadian nursing unions. Aside from salary, the differences between Canada and America as a whole affect other areas of compensation. Almost all nurses in Canada belong to the provincial union, which of course, is advantageous to the employee. The union has negotiated 45 vacation days per annum for every nurse as well as a government sponsored, non-contributory pension. Further, because Canada has a quasi Socialist economy, Canadians have many free services that Americans don’t, such as universal health coverage and other social programs. Finally, many of the agencies that would help you obtain employment also help you (for a brief period) with your start-up costs like housing, meals, etc. Clinical Environment: Canadian culture and government policies would affect the clinical environment as well. Much Canadian health care is provided through her universal health coverage system. So, most health care is provided through large clinics and hospitals as opposed to a small office with just a few physicians. Concurrently, most of the available work is at these clinics, and is very often, shift work. According to CBC News Online in 2007, one of the nursing unions’ most frequent issues is shift work and the lack of control nurses have over their schedule.
Also, Canada has a nurse shortage,
and the national average ratio of nurses to patients is 1:136. 72
Issue 10
traveling nurse agencies distinguish between American nurses and others in their application process, the agencies I encountered were themselves American.
Additionally,
while immigration between America and Canada used to be a very easy and streamlined process, that seems to no longer be the case. There is no easily discernible difference between how American nurses are treated versus other foreign nurses. Conclusion: If your motivation is acquiring wealth, Canada is probably not the place to be a nurse, unless of course, you don’t measure wealth in dollar amounts. In researchThe difference between the two countries
memorize and use provincial methodology
ing what it meant to be a nurse traveling to
insurance systems also affects your work
everywhere.
Canada, I found the real difference and thus,
processes. While you probably won’t need
richness of traveling to Canada, would be
to learn how insurers cover their patients in
American Nurses Versus Other Travel-
to demystify all the theoretical implications
a given setting or bounce your treatment op-
ing Nurses: While many countries place a
of a health system fundamentally different
tions off the insurance provider’s guidelines,
higher value on the training and experience
than our own. How often have you thought
you would have to learn how to deal with the
of American nurses, Canada does not seem
about or even heard about a health care sys-
Canadian government. Also, nursing prac-
to do so. All nurses must conform to Cana-
tem with universal coverage? As a nurse in
tices are standardized, you would have to
dian standards, period. Though many of the
Canada, you can judge that for yourself
73
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Breakroom Discussions
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Living
Well 76
Fiction: Beyond a certain age, people have little interest in sex. Fact: There is no age limit on sexuality, but for people age 50 and over, sexual satisfaction depends more on the overall quality of the relationship than it does for younger couples. A National Council on Aging survey reports that among people age 60 and over
Libido Get the Facts at 50
Issue 10
who have regular intercourse, 74 percent of the men and 70 percent of the women find their sex lives more satisfying than when they were in their forties. Fiction: As a man ages, he loses his ability to get an erection. Fact: Aging itself is not a cause of erectile dysfunction. However, diminishing hormone levels do precipitate some changes. A man may need more physical stimulation to become aroused, and his erection may not be quite as firm as when he was younger — but sex is no less pleasurable. While a 25-yearold man might be able to get a second erection as quickly as fifteen minutes after an ejaculation, a 50-year-old man might need several hours. Fiction: Emotional and psychological factors are responsible for a woman’s lack of interest in sex at midlife and beyond. Fact: Physical factors can play an even larger role. Hormonal changes at menopause can affect a woman’s sexual response. Low
J
udging from the images the popular media puts forth, you’d think sex was only for twenty some-things. Nothing is further from the truth. Sex at midlife and beyond is a subject mired in confusion and misinformation. Here are some com-
mon myths and the straight story about sex after 50.
Fact: Masturbation can increase sexual
es that take place aren’t all negative. Once
pleasure, both with and without a partner.
a woman is past menopause and no longer
For women, it helps keep vaginal tissues
concerned about pregnancy, many couples
moist and elastic and boosts hormone lev-
find it easier to relax and look forward to
els, which fuels sex drive. For men, it helps
lovemaking. And partners who are retired or
maintain erectile response.
working only part time often have more time
Fiction: A man’s inability to get an erec-
and energy for each other, for making love
tion is most likely the result of an emotional
as well as pursuing other shared activities.
problem.
By midlife, you know your own body and
women, lower testosterone levels can mean a
Fact: Actually, physical causes — such as
your partner’s intimately, and, hopefully,
lack of energy and a weaker sex drive. Other
circulation problems, prostate disorders,
women find their interest in sex increases
and side effects associated with prescription
after menopause, due, in part, to a shift in
medications — account for 85 percent of
the ratio of testosterone to estrogen and pro-
erectile difficulties
gesterone
Fiction: Couples at midlife and beyond who
Fiction: A woman loses her ability to have
don’t have regular sex have lost interest in
orgasms as she ages.
sex or in each other.
Fact: Many women find increased sexual
Fact: When older couples don’t have regular
yourself with someone who loves you.
pleasure after menopause, including more
sex, it’s usually because one partner has an
Sex after age 65 may take place less often,
frequent or more intense orgasms.
illness or disability.
but many find it becomes more gratifying
Fiction: Masturbation diminishes your abil-
Of course, it’s true that sex isn’t going to stay
than ever. Reprinted with permission from
ity to enjoy sex with a partner.
exactly the same as you age. But the chang-
estrogen levels can result in vaginal dryness, causing discomfort during sex. And in some
you’ve figured out how to communicate what you find pleasurable. It’s likely that you’ve shed any sexual inhibitions, and your sexual confidence and experience probably result in better sex for both of you. Just as important, sex may be more emotionally fulfilling because now it is driven less by hormones and more by the desire to share
RD © 2011 77
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Issue 10
Foods & Drinks That May Increase Anxiety
I
f you suffer from anxiety, you may blame certain triggers in your environment for bringing on the anxious feelings. But what you eat and drink can have a profound effect on your body’s chemistry. Some foods and drinks may actually worsen your
anxiety. Here are some of the culprits.
Foods
Coffee
Chocolate
As you might have expected, the caffeine
While chocolate is often considered the
in coffee can make anxiety worse. It causes
“feel-good” food, it contains significant
constriction of blood vessels and that feeling
caffeine and large amounts of sugar. As dis-
of the “jitters.” It can also cause or worsen
cussed above, caffeine has the opposite ef-
insomnia. In addition, coffee inhibits the ab-
fect that an anxious person wants and needs.
for optimal mind and body function.
Soft Drinks and Colas Even if you choose caffeine-free, sugar-free soft drinks, you are still drinking a beverage that can worsen your anxiety. The high-acid content of dark colas produces an acidic environment in the body. In order to alleviate this acidity, calcium and magnesium are leached from your bones. Both of these min-
cussed below.
Excessive Sugar By “excessive,” some nutritionists mean anything over 5 tablespoons of refined sugar daily. While you may think that would be easy, it’s not. Sugar is in everything, and 5 tablespoons is just 1 tablespoon more than 1/4 cup. If you drink several large glasses
Drinks
sorption of Vitamin C, an important nutrient
The sugar is another problem, and is dis-
of sweet iced tea, you have probably drunk close to 1/4 cup of sugar. And that does not take into account the sugar in your foods, either hidden (such as in frozen foods) or obvious (such as “frosted” cereals). So why is sugar a problem? For one thing, the body uses Vitamin B6, which is crucial to mood and proper hormone function, to metabolize sugar. In other words, sugar depletes your body of this and other important nutrients. It can also create highs and lows in mood, and bring on a post-sugar “crash,” or low blood sugar.
Refined Flour Refined flour acts much like sugar in the body. And it has none of the essential fatty acids, fiber, and
erals are crucial to proper brain and muscle
other nutrients that
function. In fact, muscles can not relax prop-
whole grains do.
erly without calcium and magnesium. The
Highly Processed Foods
tense muscles associated with anxiety are therefore exacerbated.
Many processed
So if you choose a clear, caffeine-free, sugarfree soft drink, it won’t worsen your anxiety, right? Wrong! The artificial sweetener in these drinks, aspartame, may have significant cognitive effects. It may indeed worsen the psychological aspect of anxiety.
foods are full of preservatives, dough “conditioners” (in the case of store-bought bread products), artificial flavors, and artificial colors. Some of these can pass through the blood-brain barrier, af-
Alcohol
fecting cognitive function. Tartara-
At first, this seems like the opposite of caf-
zine (FD&C yellow #5), commonly
feine, and therefore a good idea for anxiety
found in candy, gum, margarine,
sufferers. But actually, alcohol consumption
and many other processed foods
(beyond a small glass of wine a few times
can disrupt the hormone balance
a week) can worsen depression and inhibit
in the body.
absorption of key nutrients. 79
&
Marriage Dating
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?
Does Marriage Make You Issue 10
Gain Weight By Matthew Fowler
S
trictly scientifically speaking, people gain weight (specifically, one pound) as a result of consuming 3,500 more
calories than they use. Those extra calories are converted from their most usable form, sugar, into fat for storage. The rate at which someone uses calories is determined by a combination of genetics, habits, and lifestyle. Genetics also determine where your body stores fat.
Losing
weight, of course, is the antithesis; you would have to use 3,500 more calories than you consume to lose one pound of body fat. While you have no control over your genetics, you could change your habits and lifestyle to facilitate weight loss: drinking at least half a gallon of water per daily, reducing how many calories you consume, exercising precisely to improve a specific area of your body, increasing your metabolic rate through general exercise, etcetera. So, Mr. Spock and Dr. Temperance Brennan would tell us to have some tests done to determine our metabolic rate in order to engage in the appropriate behavior and consume the appropriate amount of food to maintain a healthy body weight. What Spock and Bones miss are Bones and Booth, or in other words, emotions and feelings; you know, real life. I married my wife when I was 28, but before I get to that, let me set the stage. At that time I was an active duty soldier; I exercised every single morning of my life, including running like a scalded dog for several miles; I stood at 6’3�; and I weighed about 190 pounds, more than 20 pounds under my maximum allowable weight for US Army 83
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
standards. Then, I got married.
To my mind,
genuine empathy and mentorship “Look, this
reasonably good job. Let’s accept these figures
however, nothing had really changed with spe-
is what married life does; adapt and overcome.
as facts. Given that as we age our metabolism
cific regard to my fitness level, and my marriage
You’ll be a stud again soon enough.” I was able
slows, what are the circumstances unique to
to my gorgeous wife seemed utterly irrelevant in
to get back to my former glorious self for about
married life that precipitate greater weight gain?
that respect as well. I was wrong. My clothes
2 years, but the truth is that I have not weighed
Wedding Central (a private. commercial website
began to feel tighter, and at the first Army weigh-
190 pounds for about ten years. Minus the spe-
about married life), citing numerous sources
ing and physical fitness test, post marital bliss, I
cifics, does this scenario ring a bell with you?
such as the Cornell Chronicle and other schol-
weighed 207 pounds. I also scored almost 20
Was SSG Contreras right? Does Marriage Make
arly publications, offers some common sense
points less on the fitness component. Huh?
You Gain Weight? For the answer, if there is
reasoning. The following is a short list of what
one, we not only have to understand the science
may tend to occur early in marriage.
I was still within Army standards, but boy-ohboy, I was livid at my apparent failure. The older sergeants in my unit laughed at me and teased me mercilessly because I used to be a “P-T stud,” (someone exceptionally physically fit). One less surly sergeant, SSG Martin Contreras, approached me and said in a moment of
Temperance Bones would offer us, but factor into the equation what Bones McCoy would
•
tell us are the other, perhaps more important
try to please or even impress their partner with
variables. The October 23, 2007, issue of USA
well cooked meals. That partner reciprocates by
Today tells us that married women gain approxi-
showing appreciation for the effort which can
mately 60% more weight (over a 10 year period
lead to overeating. The effect over a protracted
starting at age 30) than single women. Married
period of time is that married couples cook and
men tend to gain about 25%
We cook for gratification. Spouses often
eat for gratification rather than sustenance.
more weight than single men. USA Today used various
•
We eat as much as our partner. Very often
university studies to em-
meals can become a subconscious eating con-
phatically state these facts,
test. We want to contribute equally to the mar-
but my article is not about
riage, and so we unknowingly eat equal portions
methodology. Let’s just ac-
of food to establish that equality. The end result
cept that USA Today did a
is both partners eat too much. •
We are no longer looking for a partner. As
the quest for a life partner ends, so do many of the things we used to do to attract a partner such as exercise and limiting your daily diet. Summarily, we become complacent with our bodies. The head and the heart, Mr. Spock and Temperance Bones, Bones McCoy and Agent Booth, science and emotion... there is no scientific fact that clearly demonstrates marriage necessitates greater weight gain, yet we know it happens. It happened to me, and it probably happened to you. To stay healthy we know what has to happen in the strictest analytical sense. We need to use the same amount of calories as we consume, and we probably need to use a lot more calories than we consume until we get to that point. Emotionally, we need to break the bad habits (which probably arose from the love we feel for our partner) that created the problem.
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Home, Parenting & Hobbies
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5
Theft Deterrents
for Home & Property O
ne way not to be robbed or burgled
is the use of theft deterrents. Theft deterrents are not necessarily things
that you buy but techniques that you employ that make you and what you own undesirable targets for criminals. Here are five theft deterrents that may work for you. There are a few things to know about criminals. Most are not like you see on movies like “The Italian Job” or “Ocean’s 11.” They will not pur-
sue your belongings relentlessly that is, unless you have several million dollars in a fortress of a house or a casino you own. For the most part, they ferret out people who are unaware of them and have something about them that says, “easy target.”
1. 2.
Post alarm system signs in plain sight. Thieves are reluctant to hit houses with alarm system signs outside or alarm stickers on windows. It is too big a risk to try and break into that
home even if the signs are decoys. There are easier targets without alarm systems. Remove all visible items from your car. Just because your car is in the driveway doesn’t mean a criminal won’t go for it. When you get out at night, take all of your valuables inside.
Don’t leave laptops, GPS systems, keys, iPods or money in your car where it can be seen. If a thief can see it, they will go after it. By the time you hear the window break, they’ll be long gone.
3.
Lock your doors and windows. The first thing a burglar will do is check for the easy way in. open windows or closed but unlocked windows are perfect entrances for thieves. Also,
lock your garage door if it leads to the inside of your home. This advice extends to automobiles. Many people don’t lock their cars in their driveways or carports. Always lock your car doors. A thief won’t strike when you are awake and watching but asleep and oblivious.
4.
Install outside motion lights. Even in the absence of an alarm system, anyone getting near the house will trigger the floodlights to shine and blind. A thief will run because they don’t
wish to be seen doing their dirty deeds. This is also an effective deterrent when you are away from home.
5.
Panic buttons. Most car key fobs contain a red button that says PANIC. If you notice someone following you as you go to your car, push the button. Your car will light up like a
Christmas tree and squeal loudly. People will look and the thief will look for someone else to target. It’s like putting that stuff on your kid’s nails so they won’t bite them anymore. If you are too high maintenance, a thief will move on to easier prey.
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Obesity in Pets
O
besity has not only become a pan-
watching TV, we tend to have a snack or two.
Let’s face it; you put food in front of any pet,
demic among humans, but pets as
Try to refrain from offering this type of tempta-
especially a dog, and they can swallow the con-
well. Weight gain can be attributed
tion to your pet.
tents of an entire bowl in seconds. Even then,
to over-eating, lack of exercise, genetics, and health conditions. Obesity in pets is more than a problem, it is becoming a lifestyle. To combat the effects of obesity in pets, here are some
As with humans, pets can also become sedentary. The more weight they gain, the harder it is for them to adjust to a healthier lifestyle.
suggestions.
In addition, there are certain breeds that are
Pets that are obese can develop a myriad of
more vulnerable to weight gain than others.
problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, and skin conditions. To determine the appropriate weight for your pet, visit your vet. He can ascertain the ideal weight for your pet based on breed, bone structure, and type of body. Once you have these facts, you can then begin a regimen of diet and exercise. A diet consisting of a low fat and high fiber is the first step. Refraining from giving your pet treats is another way to reduce weight. Experts also advise that at dinner time, do not allow your pet in the dining area as he will inevitably want some of the scraps.
For example, a beagle is first and foremost a hunting dog. Most owners keep their beagles outdoors. They exercise the beagles daily and are usually taken to open fields on the weekend so they can run and do that which is natural for them. Conversely, there are beagle owners who keep these dogs indoors. While they may take them for daily walks, the beagle grows accustomed to the sedentary lifestyle. While beagles can range in size from 13 inches to 16 inches, the more they gain weight, the more they become sluggish and lethargic and lose the energetic flair they are most noted for. The lifestyle they
Do not leave any food around the kitchen or
lead under these conditions is contrary to their
living room area. Oftentimes when we are
nature.
88
they are not fully sated. Pets that are especially pampered and not given a daily routine can become obese. One day they are running around and the next day they can hardly walk. Prevention is the first step in ensuring your pet maintains a healthy lifestyle. They need to burn calories, and exercise can achieve that. If you can’t feel your pet’s ribs, but are met with folds of skin; it’s time to take put your pet on a diet. In addition to daily walks, take your pet to the park on weekends or arrange a play date with other pets in the neighborhood. The more active they are, the less likely they will develop health problems. Feed your pet the same time every day and refrain from leaving out a bowl of food for them, however, do leave out the dish of water. This is necessary for hydration and can alleviate their pangs of hunger. Pets rely on us for everything. Too much food, and the instant gratification it offers, would be the ultimate disservice to them.
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
How to Make
a Shaving Brush Hobby
Required materials:
Step 1
1. 3-4 inch piece of pipe. PVC or Brass, re-
Undo the paint brush from the base to separate the bristles.
ducers are best. So you can hang dry and no
Step 2
rust.
Clean the inside of your pipe. A good idea would be to scoff it up with sand paper.
2. Get a fine feather paint brush with the soft-
Step 3
ness or toughness you want.
Now that you have your bristles and a clean pipe, insert the washers with some glue. They
3. Scissors 4. Water proof glue. I used Shoe Goo but epoxy would be best. 5. Washer rings. So you can seal off the end and adjust the height of the bristles
will stop the glue from getting out of the bottom. if need be place a rag in the non-bristle side of your pipe. Also, use as many washers (with glue) as you need to adjust the size or your bristles coming out of the top.
Step 4 Place more glue on top of the washers. You want enough to cover the surface area of the washer. Take a 1cm chunk of bristles and place them on the glue. You should start from the outside and work in. Continue until all bristles are used or you can’t fit any more.
Step 5 Once the inside diameter of the pipe is filled with bristles let your shaving brush sit for 20 minutes.
Step 6 Take your scissors and begin to shape your shaving brush. Just a tip: apply concave to your brush if you use shaving cream, and slightly rounded or soap.
Step 7 Once the glue has set for 24 hrs please wash your new shaving brush to ensure all loose bristles are out. NOTE: Please remember shaving is a luxury not a chore. This is not an all-inclusive instructable. Find a brush that you like and try to replicate it. You can place the bristles in at different angles, use different bristles types, make travel brushes, the world is yours! For additional info, visit Ryan at http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-shaving-brush/. Happy shaving! 90
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oodie F
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Fabulous Recipes
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Chocolate Banana
Bread Pudding
Yields:
Preparation:
12 servings
Place bread in an oven-safe 9″ x 13″ baking pan.
Prep time:
Heat half and half and cocoa until cocoa is dis-
20 mins
solved. Whisk together eggs, yolks, and sugar.
Ingredients:
Whisk half and half into egg mixture and strain.
• 1/2 pound of bread, preferably day-old, cubed
is submerged. Cover and leave in refrigerator over-
• 3 1/2 cups half and half
night.
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
The next day, preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
• 2 eggs • 4 egg yolks • 2/3 cups sugar • 1/2 cup chocolate chips • 3 bananas, sliced thin 94
Pour strained mix over bread and make sure bread
Sprinkle chocolate chips and bananas evenly over bread pudding Cover lightly with foil and bake until custard has set, about 1 - 1.5 hours. To test custard, poke a knife in the bread pudding and push it to the side; if liquid moves around the knife, continue baking. Let bread pudding cool completely before cutting and serving.
NOTE: Remember to start the day before! Serve with a dollop of Creme Fraiche or Vanilla Ice Cream. Makes 12 servings.
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Cinnamon Mocha Coffee
Pine Nut-Crusted
Tilapia Yields: 4 generous servings
Prep time:
Preparation:
25 mins
In a bowl, combine the pine nuts, flour, dill
Ingredients:
and lemon-pepper. In another bowl, combine
•
1/2 cup pine nuts, ground
the egg, lemon juice and honey. Dip fillets in
•
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
egg mixture, then coat with nut mixture.
•
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
•
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
•
1 egg
15 mins
•
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Ingredients:
•
1 teaspoon honey
•
•
4 tilapia fillets (6 ounces each)
•
2 tablespoons butter
sired.
•
Additional honey, optional
Makes 4 servings.
Yields: 4 serving
Prep time:
1/3 cup ground coffee (not instant coffee granules)
•
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•
1 cup 2% milk
•
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
•
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
•
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•
4 cinnamon sticks, optional
•
Whipped cream, optional
butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. NOTE: Drizzle with additional honey if de-
Citrus Avocado
Salad
Preparation:
Dressing:
In a coffeemaker basket, combine the coffee and ground cinnamon. Prepare 4
In a large nonstick skillet, cook fillets in
•
1/2 cup canola oil 1/4 cup sugar
cups brewed coffee according to manu-
Yields:
•
facturer’s directions.
12 serving
•
3 tablespoons lemon juice 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Meanwhile, combine the milk, sugar, co-
Prep time:
• •
1/2 teaspoon salt
•
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
•
1/4 teaspoon grated onion
coa and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes or until
10 mins
small bubbles appear on the sides of the
Ingredients:
pan, stirring occasionally (do not boil).
• 12 cups torn salad greens
Pour hot milk mixture into four coffee
• 2 medium grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
cups. Add cinnamon-flavored coffee.
• 2 medium navel oranges, peeled and
NOTE: Garnish with cinnamon sticks
sectioned
and whipped cream, if desired. Makes 4 servings. 96
• 2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and sliced • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
Preparation: In a large salad bowl, gently toss the greens, grapefruit, oranges, avocados and red onion. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients; shake well. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Makes 12 servings.
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Issue 10
Burger
King Diet T
the best on a low carb diet.
he Fabulous Nurse fast food diet series identifies healthy choices on the menu of popular fast food restaurants so you can eat healthy on the go. In this issue, we’ll discuss the Burger King food menu options.
BK’s Tendergrill Chicken Salad looks pretty healthy as well with only 260 calories, 7 fat grams, 8 carbs, 3 fiber, 4 sugars and 29 grams of protein. They also have a garden salad without chicken that is low in fat, calories, and carbs as well.
Healthy choices on the Burger King menu are about the same comparatively speaking to McDonald’s, except they have a side salad with only 40 calories, 2 grams of fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 trans fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 45 mg sodium, 2 carbs, 1 fiber, 0 sugar, and 3 grams of protein.
The healthiest salad dressing choices on the BK menu are:
Burger King also offers their BK Fresh Apple Fries which are a much healthier choice than French fries at 25 calories, 0 fat, 6 carbs, 1 fiber and 5 grams of sugar.
Ken’s Fat Free Ranch Dressing with only 60 calories and 0 fat grams. However the carbs are in the high range at 15 and there are 5 grams of sugar, so this choice wouldn’t be
So yes, it is possible to eat at Burger and still keep those pesky pounds from accumulating. Bon apetit!
For a low carb choice dressing on the BK menu, your best bet is Ken’s Ranch Dressing with 2 carbs and 1 gram of sugar.
99
& Fit
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Adidas
Running Shoes foot. This is the most common type of run-
Before you hit the shoe store to try on run-
ning shoe because the majority of people
ning shoes, consider visiting the Adidas
either have low arches or normal arches
website. It gives you the ability to choose
both of which cause overpronation. Control
from men’s or women’s shoes, why you run,
shoes offer support on the inside of the shoe.
where you run, and then your motion me-
Cushioned shoes offer the least support along the inside of the shoe however they, as the name implies, offer the most cushioning. If you run on the outside of your feet, underpronate, or have high arches then this type of shoe is what you’ll be looking for.
F
ounded in 1920, Adidas made their first training shoes that same year and the rest is, as
they say, history. Adidas has a long standing reputation as a top running shoe maker. Let’s take a look at the
Popular Adidas Running Shoes for Control and Stability
3. AdiZERO Boston 4. AdiZERO Ace
Popular Adidas Running Shoes for Cushioning
Like many running shoe manufacturers,
6. AdiSTAR Revolt
Adidas, breaks their running shoes into two
7. Supernova Riot
bit more motion control and has a tendency to overpronate or run on the inside of their 102
short list of shoes to try on. Make sure to wear the socks you plan on wearing when you run so you can accurately assess the shoe’s fit. When choosing Adidas running shoes, take the time to try them on attention to any slips or rubbing you might
and running style.
and cushioning for the person who needs a
Then, when you get to the store you’ll have a
2. Megabounce
how to determine the best shoe for your foot
bility shoes. They offer a blend of support
those suggestions and write them down.
and take a little jog around the store. Pay
5. Supernova Glide
Control shoes are also commonly called sta-
will make shoe suggestions for you. Take
1. AdiSTAR Ride
different types of Adidas running shoes and
main categories: control and cushion.
chanics or how you run. From there they
8. Supernova Riot 365 9. AdiZERO Adios
feel. Make sure the shoe fits not only the length of your foot but also the width. Find a good fit for your foot and running style and enjoy your new Adidas running shoes.
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Best Exercises To Burn Fat Fast
I
f you’re looking to burn fat quickly then there are a few fitness programs to consider. The key to a high fat burning workout is intensity. Take a look at these high impact fitness programs.
and music. And of course any jazzercise or dance aerobic class is going to be good for your body and mind.
Running. Running is great for fat burn-
Swimming. If you love the water then
ing. It’s one of the most effective and effi-
you can’t go wrong with swimming. Swim-
cient exercises you can do. It embraces both
ming is a whole body workout. It strengthens
be aware that muscle burns more calories
weight bearing activities and cardiovascu-
your upper and lower body. It builds your
than fat. This means if you add a strength
lar. Each time your foot strikes the ground
core muscles – the muscles on your stomach
training workout to your fitness routine
you’re bearing your own weight. This is
and back. It also provides a complete cardio-
you’re able to increase your fat burning re-
good for muscle strength and bone strength.
vascular workout. Swimming is a significant
sults. One easy way to add strength training
The cardiovascular is good for your heart
fat burner. It’s also great to help quiet the
to your routine is to purchase and use a fit-
and lungs. Combined, running is superior for
world.
ness ball. You can also lift weights. If those
burning fat fast.
Dancing.
Strength training. Finally, you may
Dancing is so much fun. It’s
ideas don’t appeal to you consider rock
You might
great for the spirit. It’s also good for your
climbing, yoga, Pilates, or boxing and mar-
think that cross country skiing is only good
body. And perhaps even better, it burns fat.
tial arts.
for the winter months. Actually, with the use
There are many different dance fitness pro-
If you want to burn fat fast, consider add-
of indoor fitness equipment or outdoor roller
grams you can choose from.
ing one of these fantastic fitness programs to
Zumba is a particularly popular fitness pro-
your routine. The more energy you put into
gram right now. It blends Latin rhythms and
your fitness program, the more you’ll get out
dance steps with a fun filled and exciting fat
of it. Take a look at your perceived effort.
burning workout. There’s also Soul Sweat
If it’s less than a five, kick your effort up a
if you prefer a more soulful style of dance
notch. Enjoy the results.
Cross country skiing.
skis you can actually participate in this activity year round. It’s easy on your joints, unlike running. And it’s fantastic for your cardiovascular fitness. It builds muscle, burns fat and improves your health. It’s also fun. 104
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Finance
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Virtual Assistant
Ideas To Boost Your Income
D
id you know you can make money as an assistant from your kitchen table? With the internet and basic technology you can provide a valuable service to clients around the world.
Best of all, you can be online and working in just a few short days. You can become a virtual assistant.
What is a Virtual Assistant? A virtual assistant is someone who provides administrative help. Instead of working in an office environment, they provide the work online. As a virtual assistant you might communicate with your clients via email or a project management system. 108
You can specialize in a specific task, for example, managing a forum or an affiliate team. Or you can offer a variety of administrative services. You can also specialize in an industry.
Getting Started. What you will need: 1.
Computer with internet connection
2.
Software to support your administrative services
3. Telephone and related equipment like a headset so you
can talk hands free
4.
Website to market your services
5.
Business Plan – Your plan will your business goals, marketing
strategy, audience, services, policies and procedures and so on.
6.
Contact information - Email account/telephone number
Issue 10
Most of this you probably already have and
Like many other businesses, it can be ben-
example, you might partner with a website
the rest of it can be acquired or created. The
eficial to specialize. For example you might
designer who specializes in the same indus-
one thing you probably don’t have is a web-
market yourself as the 24-hour transcription-
try you do.
site. A one page website is all you need to get
ist – turning around any transcription order
started. Once you have customers you can
in less than twenty four hours. You might
expand your website. You can add content
specialize in managing affiliates, scheduling
and grow your business.
or managing customer service. You might
Making Money as a Virtual Assistant
also specialize in an industry. For example,
Most virtual assistants charge by the hour. You might also consider charging by the
you might focus on offering research for information marketers.
project. Another option is to charge by the
Your website will be your primary market-
minute, word, or post depending on what
ing tool. It’ll be where people can research
service you’re providing. For example, if
your services, rates and view your work if
you’re offering transcription you might
you have any samples or testimonials.
charge by the audio minute.
Marketing Your Administrative Business
Social networking, advertising, and content marketing all help to build awareness too. Finally, some virtual assistants find great success by offering memberships. For example, you might offer five, ten and fifteen hour memberships. Members get a discount for committing to regular work. And you get regular work. If you have an interest in offering administrative services and you want to work from home, from your kitchen table, you can do it.
Partnering with another service provider can
Create a plan. Build a website and start mak-
be a great way to promote your business. For
ing extra money today.
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
110
Saving Money A with the Kids ccording
Issue 10
to
BabyCenter.com,
the average parent will pay over $250,000 to raise a child born
this year. Ouch! I don’t know any nurses who have money to burn. Why not keep as
1.
much of that quarter-million in your pock-
Beg, Borrow, and Beg Some More.
precious items to huge, impersonal thrift
Any parent knows that kids – par-
shops either. Moms want to know where
ticularly babies – need a lot of equipment.
their much-loved items have gone. Keeping
But the amount of time they stay at any one
the items closer to home, school, church, or
particular stage is almost laughable! Kids
workplace just feels better. If any of these
school, try buying four instead. Buy one pair
seem to move on to the next stroller, crib,
places has an email list, send out a request
of sneakers instead of two and two sweat-
highchair, and set of clothes with the blink
for what you’re looking for so the Moms you
shirts instead of four. You can always go
of an eye. That’s why before you invest hun-
know can help you find the items you need.
back if you need more!
dreds of dollars in carriages and high chairs,
Some of these lists may include items for a
you should check in with your friends and
price and not a freebie, but they’ll likely be
relatives first. Send the word out that you’re
far below the price you’d pay retail.
looking for a highchair, stroller, or even a be deluged with offers.
2.
et as you possibly can? Here are five ways to keep more of your hard earned money while raising your kids:
When we’re talking about babies, don’t waste even a penny on little “outfits!” You’ll be amazed to find out just how many people
Under-buy Clothing and Toys. Rare
want to give you cute little dresses and bib
is the parent who hasn’t packed away
overalls as gifts for your baby. Let Grandma
unused clothing, toys, and equipment that
or Auntie spend her money on that sweet
Moms really do hate tossing their baby’s
they thought their child just “had” to have.
little hand-smocked pinafore that your little
good used clothes and equipment, so they
Instead of contributing to excessive con-
typically round up the stuff and donate it.
sumption, try to curb yourself a bit. If you
However, it doesn’t sit well donating these
think your son needs five pair of jeans for
snow suit in size 2T, and you’ll likely soon
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
one will wear once for pictures. After all, it’s a one time purchase for
If you don’t think you have a talent that someone else wants, think
them, whereas you have to consider the cost of clothing your child
again. Better yet, ask a friend or family member you trust this ques-
for many years to come.
tion; “What do I do that has value?” You’ll be surprised the things
3.
other people can see that you can’t! Something as simple as making
Shop Ahead. Every summer, the same thing happens – we get the list of equipment and supplies for the coming school year
right around the second or third week in August – right when the stores are running out of all the school supplies they’ve had on sale for the past two weeks! We end up paying full price for a lunch box or binder that is the last one on the shelf, and we all come home cranky, with our wallets a little lighter. By planning ahead – not just for back-to-school, but for all your needs – you’ll be able to space out your purchasing and hunt for bargains. When you see a pair of rain boots on sale in a size that your son will fit into NEXT spring, you’ll snap them up because you know that he’ll need them. Keep an eye on your kids’ closets, and a running list in your day planner of what you’re going to need. Then grab it when you see it at a good price.
4.
Barter for Extras. Raising kids is expensive enough without counting the gymnastic lessons, tutoring, horseback riding
classes, and the like. Cut down on your out-of-pocket expenses by bartering. I’ve swapped newsletter writing for tae kwon do lessons
chili or sewing on buttons can be valuable when you can’t do them and need them done. I witnessed one of my friends saying she didn’t have anything worth bartering while she was kneading the dough for her wonderful homemade yeast bread! So, yes, ask someone else what talent you have that could be bartered.
5.
Split Costs. Another solution for expensive lessons and equipment is to split costs with another family. Instead of signing
up for an hour-long private swim lesson or tennis lesson, do a semiprivate at half the cost. And, yes, instructors are perfectly fine with this arrangement because they want to fill their time, shared or not, it doesn’t matter to them. They’re not going to force you into a private lesson one-on-one if you can’t afford it. They’d rather share the lesson than lose you entirely. Share sporting gear with another child who’s the same size as your player. Especially at the younger years when kids are just figuring out what they like to do, it’s not worth paying full-price when the interest might be short-lived.
for years! And I just discovered a neighbor wants to learn to knit,
It’s true, kids are expensive. And we all know they’re a joy rather
which I’ll gladly teach her in exchange for math tutoring for my
than an investment – well, maybe a “joyful investment.” But you can
daughter.
find ways to tame the costs of raising kids while still providing most of the things you want them to have in life.
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
The
Nurse’s tation II SFacility Ratings
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
The 5 Star Hospital Rating System
Fabulous Nurse Rating Summary Here is the summary of the Fabulous Nurse tenpoint rating system for GSH in Los Angeles, California:
Rating Parameter
Points
Quality of Nursing Care
9
Nurse-Patient Ratio
10
Accessibility
10
Staff Quality & Welfare
8
Mortality Rate
8
Financial Base
10
Patient Volume
10
‘Green’ Factor
7
Academic Activity
8
Management Style
9
Total 89
Good Samaritan Hospital, LA Profile Good Samaritan Hospital is a general medical and surgical hospital in Los Angeles, CA. It performed nearly at the level of nationally ranked U.S. News Best Hospitals in 7 adult specialties – including Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Heart and Heart Surgery, Kidney Disorders, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology. Quality of Nursing Care: In 2011 Critical Care, HealthGrades ranks GSH among the top 10% of U.S. hospitals for critical care. Good Sam received the HealthGrades Critical Care Excellence Award™ and five-star ratings for treatment of sepsis and for respiratory failure. Nurse-Patient Ratio: GSH has one of California’s best ratios, ranging from 1:1 to 1:4. Accessibility: Of all the 72 hospitals available within 25 miles of Los Angeles, GSH is among the most easily accessible – at 1.6 miles from the heart of Los Angeles. Staff Welfare: GSH staff welfare package is in three categories of benefits– some benefits are fully paid for by GSH; some are completely paid by the employee, and for some benefits, the cost is shared between GSH and the employee. Benefits offered include med116
ical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and day care and health care spending accounts. Organized compensation and educational/professional development benefits (like tuition assistance program) also exist. Mortality Rate: GSH is highly rated in patient safety, demonstrating commitment to reducing accidents and medical mistakes. Winner of Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence (Top 5% in the nation); GSH outperformed all other hospitals across all of the 17 mortality cohorts and six of nine complication cohorts studied from 2007 through 2009. As at April 2011, according to data from AHA, GSH’s mortality rate is at par with national average. Patient Volume: Good Sam has 374 beds. The hospital had 17,938 admissions in the latest year for which data are available – i.e., data provided by American Hospital Association, last updated July 2010. It performed 3,798 annual inpatient and 4,808 outpatient surgeries. Its emergency room had 33,805 visits. It is accredited by the Joint Commission (JC) and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Financial Base: In FY 2008 (the latest
year for which data are assessable) financial report, GSH’s income and assets were $384,792,454 and $351,055,355 as against industry averages of $124,708,659 and $105,635,895 respectively. ‘Green’ Policies: GSH’s green programs include linens utilization initiative which has saved the hospital millions to date; and durable medical equipment decision (saves GSH approximately $10,000 monthly). There is presently no assessable information on GSH’s carbon footprint reduction efforts. Academic Programs: GHS caters to the educational needs of its nursing as well as other employees via its Center for Nursing Excellence, the Continuing Education Department, Department Management, and Hospital Administration. Management: Good Sam always strives to tackle the most difficult clinical and managerial issues facing the nursing profession and hospitals in general. Therefore, nurses are involved in virtually all levels including the managerial level. With a total of 89 points, Good Samaritan Hospital, LA is rated 4 Stars.
Issue 10
Fabulous Nurse Rating Summary Here is the summary of the Fabulous Nurse ten-point rating system for Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix:
Profile
Staff Welfare: ’Partnership’ exists between Mayo and its employees when it comes to planning for the future and hedging against risks. Fantastic salary program, pension plan, 403(b)/401(k), relocation assistance, flexible spending accounts, insurances, and federal credit union are available.
Quality of Nursing Care: According to U.S. News Patient Satisfaction Survey, quality of nursing care at Mayo Clinic Hospital ranks far above national average.
Mortality Rate: Reports in the latest year for which data are accessible show that in-patient mortality is at par with national average.
Nurse-Patient Ratio: Nursing staff to patient ratio of 1:2 exists depending on the unit. Here is the comment on N-P from an employee nurse at Mayo:
Financial Base & Related Information: An isolated report for Mayo Phoenix is unavailable. However, total revenue of $7.94 billion was reported for Mayo Clinic (i.e., Mayo’s parent body) in the fiscal year 2010.
Ratios are generally pretty good. Depends on which PCU, but mine for example is usually 2 or 3 patients on days (never more except under crazy circumstances) and 3 or 4 on nights. Can be more on other PCUs- depending if they are medical cardiac, surgical card, or interventional.” Accessibility: Of all the 26 hospitals available within 25 miles from Phoenix, Mayo is among the farthermost five – about 20 miles away from the heart of Phoenix.
Points
Quality of Nursing Care
8
Nurse-Patient Ratio
10
Accessibility
7
Staff Quality & Welfare
10
Mortality Rate
7
Financial Base
10
Patient Volume
10
‘Green’ Factor
10
Academic Activity
10
Management Style
9
Total
91
Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix
Winner of the 2011 Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence (for meeting or exceeding national performance standards for clinical care and improving the patient experience) from VHA Inc., a national health care network. Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life.
“I work at mayo, in a cardiac PCU- PM me if you want to know more about the specific PCU she is interviewing for (there are 5 cardiac PCUs plus a vascular PCU).
Rating Parameter
Patient Volume: Mayo Clinic is a 244-bed general medical and surgical facility with 13,699 admissions in the most recent year reported. It performed 7,826 annual inpatient and 4,326 outpatient surgeries. Its emergency room had 23,958 visits. It is accredited by the Joint Commission (JC). ‘Green Factor’: As a group, Mayo Clinic has made wonderful green efforts. Approximately 30% of its non-regulated wastes were recycled in Phoenix in 2010. Mayo Clinic employees in Arizona also helped divert more than 200,000 Styrofoam cups from
landfills in 2010 in a concerted effort to use reusable drinking containers. Further information about Mayo’s green efforts is available at http://www.mayoclinic.org/annualreport/2010/community_impact/social_resp/ environmental.html. Academic Activity: Mayo Continuing Nursing Education is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the ANCC. In Arizona, Mayo Clinic offers nurses with ADN, BSN, MS and doctoral degrees the professional setting to practice in more than 50 specialties, as well as the opportunity to develop advanced practice and leadership skills. Management Style: Mayo has an organized system for all categories of nursing – RN, LPN, Clinical Nurse Educator, Case Manager (RN, BSW or MSW), ARNP, CRNA, Clinical Research Coordinator, Ambulatory Procedural RN, Clinical Informatics, Support Positions, PCT, Unit Admin Assistant, Monitor Technician II, Unit Secretary, and many more, including additional expanded nursing leadership opportunities include nurse manager, wound ostomy continence nurse, nursing quality manager, nurse administrator, and more. With a total of 91 points, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix is rated 5 Stars. 117
5
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
The Star
Fabulous Nurse Rating Summary Here is the summary of the Fabulous Nurse ten-point rating system for American Traveler, Florida:
Staffing Agency Rating
American Traveler, Florida
Rating Parameter
Points
Insurance Coverage Retirement Package Education Opportunity Incentive Programs Earnings Logistics Support
27 20 9 10 15 10
Total
91
Profile Located in South Carolina, Four times winner of Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval –a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards, American Traveler met national standards addressing how a travel nursing agency determines the qualifications and competency of their staff, how they place their staff and then monitor staff’s performance. Insurance Coverage: Wide-ranging insurance benefits are available for all travel nurses. Benefits include Comprehensive Health, Dental & Life Insurance, Professional Liability Insurance, and Worker’s Compensation Insurance. Retirement Package: American Traveler has 401-k retirement plan for employees. Education Opportunity /International Placements: American Traveler provides unrestricted annual continuing education credits (CEU credits) to travel nurses on assignment. The high-quality curriculum meets technology at American Traveler with more than 400 continuing education (CE) courses for travel nurses all with real-time testing and printable CE certificate capabilities. All courses meet State Board of Nursing Requirements and include the Joint Commission related and APN quality subjects. 118
Incentive Programs: Protection Plus incentive (which ensures that travel nurses will be paid full time pay in the unlikely event of shift cancellations by the hospital) is available for most assignments in addition to licensure reimbursement. Earnings: In addition to lucrative nurse salary, there are many additional bonuses paid to travel nurses and therapists during their assignments. Tax Advantage Plan is targeted at increasing take home pay. Take home pay increases by as much as 15% for meals and incidentals. At many locations, bonuses are also offered. These vary from $500 - $12,000 and are paid at the end of the nursing assignment. Referral bonuses are also available.
Logistics Support: American Traveler has a reputation for offering some of the top travel nurse job featured properties in the industry and includes private, deluxe fullyfurnished apartments free of charge in every nursing job contract. Housing is centrally located with on-site management services and luxury amenities where available. Most are equipped with full kitchens (dishwasher, stove, microwave and refrigerator) and large walk-in closets. Many apartment complexes have fitness centers, spas, swimming pools, clubhouse and more. 24/7 support is available. With a total 91 points, which gives 4.5 when divided by 20, American Traveler is a 5-Star travel nursing agency.
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Fabulous Nurse Magazine
CNE/NE: Winter Deadline Approaching As an RN interested in continuous improvement of patient care and teaching, an MSN as a Clinical Nurse Specialist/Nurse Educator will help you gain knowledge and skills through a unique dual degree. The goal of this program is to help you achieve these credentials through a flexible online and community-based curriculum.
Why should you pursue an MSN as a Clinical Nurse Specialist/Nurse Educator from UC? • • • • •
CCNE* and regionally accredited 100% online - no campus visits Work with a preceptor in your community to complete your clinicals Specialize in Adult Health (medical-surgical)/Gerontology or Critical Care and Nursing Education Top 10% of nursing programs in the U.S. according to U.S. News and World Report
The application deadline for the winter 2012 term is October 14th. Space is limited, so contact your Enrollment Advisor today! GET STARTED TODAY! CONTACT: University of Cincinnati College of Nursing - Distance Learning PHONE: 1-866-225-6764 EMAIL: info@nursingonline.uc.edu
Share on: *Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530, Washington, D.C. 20036; p (202) 887-‐6791; f (202) 785-‐8320 www.aacn.nche.edu/accreditation
120
University of Pennsylvania
Nursing School Philadelphia Profile
Also known as Penn Nursing Science, University of Pennsylvania Nursing School in Philadelphia, PA is number 1 in 2011 U.S. News rankings.
Ivy League educational standard. Quality of Teaching Staff: Penn Nursing has country’s best hands on its academics
Academic Standards: Penn Nursing gives students remarkable Ivy League education and students are taught by the country’s top rated nurse researchers. Penn Nursing offers 18 master’s programs together with many flexible degree options. Students can pursue exclusive joint degrees with other Penn schools, such as combining a BSN degree with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Penn’s Wharton School. A list of programs offered at Penn Nursing is available at http:// www.nursing.upenn.edu/academic_programs/
Issue 10
Fabulous Nurse Rating Summary Here is the summary of the Fabulous Nurse ten-point rating system for Penn Nursing Science:
Rating Parameter
Points
Academic Standards Student Quality & Turnover Financial Aid Accreditation Peer Review Quality of Teaching Staff Academic Facilities Students’ Reviews Affordability Job Prospects for Students
10 10 10 10 9 10 10 9 9 9
Total
96
Student Quality and Turnover: Penn Nursing is rated first place (in a tie with the University of Washington and Johns Hopkins) as the best nursing graduate school by U.S. News & World Report. Four nursing specialties were also considered best in the nation. All those ranked areas landed Penn Nursing in the top three nationally — reflecting the dedication and scholarship of Penn Nursing faculty. Financial Aid: Nursing students at Penn Nursing can access various financial assistance programs through the Office of Student Registration and Financial Services (SRFS). Most of the loans are direct loans, grouped into different categories suited to specific needs. Further information is available at https://www.sfs.upenn.edu/loans/index.htm. Accreditation: Virtually all courses available at Penn Nursing are accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC) and other related accreditation agencies. Peer Review: According to information sourced from nursing peer review organizations such as American Nurse Today, peer ratings for Penn Nursing reflect its acclaimed
staff list. That’s why the school is home to several award winners, more than any other school of nursing in the country. Recently, Penn Nursing added Baxter International Foundation’s Episteme Award (an award that acknowledges a “major break-through in nursing knowledge development that has resulted in a significant and recognizable benefit to the public”) to its list of awards.
Students’ Review and Affordability: Nursing education fees are reasonably competitive and affordable at Penn Nursing. Kindly visit the following link to learn more: http:// www.nursing.upenn.edu/admissions/financial_aid/Pages/Traditional.aspx.
Academic Facilities: The school is well equipped with state-of-the-art research equipment.
Therefore, with total of 96 points,University of Pennsylvania Nursing School is rated a 5 Diamonds.
Job Prospects: Penn alumni have a history of being highly valued at the employment market, and being easily employed as well.
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Nursing Home
Issue 10
Fabulous Nurse Rating Summary Here is the summary of the Fabulous Nurse Diamond rating for Matulaitis Nursing Home, CT:
Rating Parameter
Points
Quality of Nursing Care
38
Inspection Reports
17
Residents’ Reports
18
Affordability
8
Environment
10
Total
100
Matulaitis Nursing Home, CT Profile
times) as well as fire safety issues (four
rehabilitation. All rooms are equipped with
Founded and funded by the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Matulaitis Nursing Home is a Medicare and Medicaid certified, non-profit, 119bed skilled nursing facility providing longterm care, short-term rehabilitation, respite
times).
private bathrooms, showers, WiFi and other
Residents’ Reports
home–like amenities for recovery. Hospice
Residents’ overall report about Matulaitis is satisfactory according to the satisfactory surveys conducted by Local-Nursing-Homes.
rooms at Matulaitis are specially planned and outfitted to meet the needs of those in hospice care to make that journey comfortable for family members and loved ones. A
services and hospice care.
com, and US News and others alike.
Quality of Nursing Care
Affordability
room are available for therapeutic programs,
The quality of nursing care at Matulaitis is
As a policy, all patients are given the best
celebrations and family gatherings. A large
rated very high. That is why many top rat-
of treatments at Matulaitis without regarding
ing agencies such as Local-Nursing-Homes.
their financial status, nationality, or race.
com, HealthGrades, and US News and so
Affordability
on have consistently rated Matulaitis 5 stars over the years.
Inspection Reports According to IQ Nursing Homes.com, deficiencies reported in the last 2 years include moderate health safety related issues (five
beautiful chapel and lounges and activity
auditorium is available for hosting numerous educational, residents’ entertainment and community programs. Several lounges and outdoor patios are used for special events,
The facility is spacious and well–furnished,
family gatherings and celebrations. Addi-
with private, semi–private, and couples
tionally, residents can enjoy the beauty of
rooms to provide privacy and comfort for
nature on the park like grounds with large
residents. Matulaitis’s newly renovated Re-
inviting patios, orchard, and wooded areas.
habilitation Unit offers modern, individually controlled, energy-efficient rooms for
With a total of 91 points, Matulaitis Nursing Home, CT is rated 5 Diamonds. 123
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Beauty Tips By Sam Levenson
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed: never throw out anyone. Remember if you ever need a helping hand you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.� This is a poem often quoted by Audrey Hepburn. It was read at her funeral.
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Laugh Out
Loud 127
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
General Humor I asked my old man if I could go ice-skating on the lake. He told me, “Wait ‘til it
The Golfing Accident
gets warmer.”
After a particularly poor game of golf, a
“Well,” said the policeman very seriously,
popular club member skipped the clubhouse
“Your ball flew out onto the highway and
Rodney Dangerfield
and started to go home. As he was walking
crashed through a driver’s windshield. The
to the parking lot to get his car, a policeman
car went out of control, crashing into five
stopped him and asked, “Did you tee off
other cars and a fire truck. The fire truck
on the sixteenth hole about twenty minutes
couldn’t make it to the fire, and the building
ago?”
burned down. So, what are you going to do
“Yes,” the golfer responded. “Did you happen to hook your ball so that it went over the trees and off the course?” “Yes, I did. How did you know?” he asked.
about it?” The golfer thought it over carefully and responded... “I think I’ll close my stance a little bit, tighten my grip and lower my right thumb.”
Nursing Humor A Surgeon and a Puppy What’s the difference between a surgeon and a puppy? If you put a puppy in a room by itself for an hour, it’ll probably stop whining.
128
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Resources
129
Inspired Nurse
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Book reviewed by Matthew Fowler
tional keynote speaker for nursing seminars
can help the caregiver recapture the essence
around the country.
of nursing as well as coping with life’s chal-
Nurse is an inspiration in and of itself. Rich shares his personal experiences in a way that flows naturally within the text and highlights moments which would easily be visceral to
A
anyone (like me), not just nurses; he tells
s part of our continuing series of
an utterly human tale. Beyond the spiritual
book reviews, we now take a look
journey, however, Rich brings the reader
at Inspired Nurse by Rich Bluni.
back down to earth by offering practical ex-
Summarily, Nurse is a passionate book, and
ercises and other techniques to address the
the passion Rich brings to his discussion of
doldrums nurses may experience resulting
how to remain “inspired” comes from his
from performing repetitive daily duties.
direct experience. After seeing how nurses changed his father’s life while he was fighting cancer, Rich became a nurse in 1993. “I saw the great and small things nurses accomplished in their day and realized that there was no higher calling, for me, than to become a nurse.” Since then he has worked in Pediatric Oncology, Pediatric Intensive Care, Flight Nursing, and Trauma Intensive Care. He has also served as an emergency department manager for a large community hospital. Finally, to spread his message of
The nursing industry agrees. Nurse Connect, a website about nursing offers “While many educational materials exist to foster nurses’ growth as clinicians, Rich Bluni, RN, found little to help him reaffirm the reasons he became a nurse. So he sought to discover some techniques and compiled them in Inspired Nurse, a book filled with thought-provoking exercises—called “spiritual stretches”—that are designed to sustain
lenges and changes. The author offers an abundance of spiritual/emotional exercises that enable the reader to incorporate the rewards and disappointments of nursing into everyday experiences. Though he tends to focus on the most heart-wrenching and negative events that he encountered, he does draw the reader in with these compelling accounts while allowing them to recall their own enlightening moments as a nurse.” Nurse is genuine and comes across as such through the simplicity of the story telling. Rich’s personal stories directly and powerfully remind nurses their chosen profession is fraught not only with challenging work, complicated by dire circumstances and the bludgeoning emotions that accompany those circumstances, but with the pitfalls of complacency and desensitization that can sap motivation.
Additionally, because Nurse
is not for the faint of heart, non-health care professionals who have read some of the sto-
nurses’ energy and passion.”
ries could easily be daunted by what it means
health care consulting firm and publishing
Gina Mangini-Snyder, BSN, RN, CSN, of
bonds of the cheesy self-help genre by being
house) in 2007, published numerous works
Advance Editorial Review opines “Inspired
powerful and true, and in that regard, truly
about nursing, and has become a motiva-
Nurse, a soul-probing, self-help workbook
inspiring.
inspiration, Rich joined the Studer Goup (a
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to be a healer. Ultimately, Nurse escapes the
October Nursing Conferences
Issue 10
Around The World 22-24 September 2011 Hong Kong Fifth Pan-Pacific Nursing Conference and Seventh Nursing Symposium on Cancer Care,
6 October 2011 Akron, Ohio 18th Annual Pediatric Nursing Conference, “Kids’
“Issues, challenges, and future directions of
2011: Healthy Mind, Body, and Spirit.”
evidence-based healthcare.”
Web: www.akronchildrens.org/nursing
The conference aims to pool the efforts of nurses from across cultures and disciplines to examine sible client outcomes. Keynote speakers invited
6-7 October 2011 Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
to the conference are healthcare experts with an
Nursing Professional Inquiry Council’s First Na-
international reputation in evidence-based research
tional Conference: Applying Health Care Inquiry
and practice. Their experiences and insights will
(Research, EBP and QI).
stimulate dynamic discussions on innovative ap-
This conference will focus on how inquiry is applied
proaches and strategies for the delivery and promo-
at the point of care
evidence-based healthcare for achieving best pos-
tion of evidence-based healthcare in the Pan-Pacific region and beyond. Contact: Suzanne Lo; E-mail: panconf5@cuhk.edu.hk; Web: http://www.nur.cuhk.edu.hk/conference2011
Web: http://www.phs-nurse.org/
19-21 October 2011 Sydney, Australia
4-6 October 2011 Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Australian College of Children & Young People’s
ANCC National Magnet Conference
In 2011 the ACCYPN will be celebrating the inaugu-
At this conference, more than 6,000 nurses and nurs-
ral biennial conference. This conference will continue
ing executives from top hospitals celebrate Magnet
the tradition of the biennial conferences established
Recognition and gather to share evidence-based
and conducted by the Australian Confederation of
practices. This is the official annual conference of the
Pediatric and Child health Nurse (ACPCHN) for
prestigious Magnet Recognition Program®, serving
the past two decades. This exciting conference will
as both a celebration of accomplishment for newly
be held from 19 to 21 October 2011 at the Novotel
designated Magnet® organizations and a showcase
Sydney Brighton Beach, New South Wales, Aus-
of best nursing practices for the Magnet community.
tralia. The theme for the conference is Navigating
Anyone interested in improving their institution’s
New Directions in Children and Young People’s
nursing program and learning about Magnet is
Health Care as we celebrate and move forward as
invited to register. Attendees return to their hospitals
a new organization to promote excellence in health
energized to improve their nursing programs and
care for children and young people in the context of
equipped with proven methods to do so
their family and the community. The conference will
Web:http://www.anccmagnetconference.org/
feature both international and national experts and
Nurses, “Navigating New Directions in Children and Young People’s Health Care.”
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delegates will gain knowledge and insight into how to manage the challenges faced by nurses in today’s complex healthcare environments. The ACCYPN 2011 conference will be an event not to be missed and we look forward to welcoming you to Sydney in 2011! Contact: ACCYPN 2011 Conference Managers; Email: accypn11@eventplanners.com.au ; Phone: 61738585529; Web: www.accypn2011.eventplanners.com.au
20-21 October 2011 Kansas City, Kansas, USA TeamSTEPPS Fundamentals and TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer with Susan Hohenhaus, MA, RN, FAEN, President and owner of Hosenhaus & Associates and Jay Ho-
19-22 October 2011 Czech Republic
henhaus, MS, CRNA, TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer.
7th European Congress on Violence in
nication and other teamwork skills among healthcare
Clinical Psychiatry
professionals. It was developed by the Department
would like to invite psychiatric clinicians, psychia-
of Defense Patient Safety Program in collaboration
trists, practitioners, psychiatric mental health nurses,
with the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research
psychologists, health scientists, educators, trainers,
(ARHQ) and is based on more than 20 years of
researchers, managers, and policymakers engaged
research and lessons learned from the application of
in the management, study or treatment of aggres-
teamwork principles in high reliability organizations
sive behaviour of psychiatric patients and/or persons
(HROs). Join us for a one day fundamentals course or
with intellectual disabilities and serious behavioural
become a trainer for your organization by enrolling
problems to the 7th European Congress on Violence
in both days.
in Clinical Psychiatry.
E-mail: mgambino@kumc.edu; Web: http://www.kuce.org/kumc
Web: http://www.oudconsultancy.nl/prague_cfa/index.html
19-22 October 2011 Anaheim, CA American Psychiatric Nurses Association 25th Annual Conference
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TeamSTEPPS is an evidence-based system aimed at optimizing patient outcomes by improving commu-
22-25 October 2011 Washington, D.C., USA AACN Fall Semiannual Meeting
Web: http://www.apna.org/AnnualConference
E-mail: twagner@aacn.nche.edu; Web: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Conferences/index.htm
19-22 October 2011 Las Vegas,Nevada
29 October-2 November 2011 Grapevine, Texas, USA
37th Annual Conference of the Transcultural
41st Biennial Convention, “People and Knowl-
Nursing Society,”Exploring the World of Trans-
edge: Connecting for Global Health.”
cultural Nursing: Coming Together to
Join this international audience for the opportunity
Transform Health Care.”
to learn and share nursing knowledge and leadership
Phone:(888) 432-5470; Email: staff@tcns.org
skills that sustain the health of the world’s people. Web: http://www.nursingsociety.org/STTIEvents/BiennialConvention/Pages/41_2011_BiennialConvention.aspx
Job Opportunities
Issue 10
Perm & Travel
ICU Director, San Antonio, TX
Fastaff Travel U.S. Opportunities!!
• Accredited Chest Pain Center •,Newly Remodeled Facility • Large, Open ICU Unit • Established Magnet System with Great CEO Director will be in charge of 20 bed ICU and 15 bed PCU with approx 80 FTEs. Position reports to the VP of Nursing.
Requirements: Critical Care Mgr or Director Level Experience, BSN, TX RN Lic Forrest S. Willcox
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Travel Team Favorite Healthcare Staffing, Inc. 800-755-1411 x824 FAX 888-262-4335 Email: gotravel@favoritestaffing.com
Join my network on: 133
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Nightingale, a nationally recognized leader in travel healthcare professionals, has Immediate and Exclusive needs for ICU with excellent pay needed in • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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If you are available for consideration, please reply to this email and a recruiting specialist will contact you as soon as possible. Call us immediately: 800-591-7860 or click here
Permanent Openings
CONTACT: Trevor Renner
RN’s for Tele-Step Down Unit...44 per hr...
PHONE: 1-888-250-9550
We are seeking RN’s to join our award winning staff our Telemetry / Step Down unit. We are located just north of Seattle, WA right on the shores of Puget Sound.
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Why would someone want to work here? Located right on the water, can live on one of the many islands in the area, established and quaint downtown, nice area with lower cost of living than Seattle but Seattle is still within ½ hr. Nursing leadership is very focused on staff development, continuing Education and a commitment to being a cutting edge medical center. Supportive, positive, warm and caring staff. Opportunities for advancement as growth is expected to continue. Quick Points **NO STATE INCOME TAX (an extra $2 to $4 per hour)
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**Relocation pkg provided **Staff RN for Telemetry / Step Down unit **Seattle area **Permanent position
Why live in Washington? From the Columbia River Gorge to the top or Mt. Rainer, Washington has something to offer everyone. Just about any outdoor activity imaginable is easily accessible: fishing, hiking, camping, windsurfing, kayaking, cycling, snow-boarding-you name it, you can do it in the state of Washington. Not to mention the local festivals, wineries, fine dining, art, theatre and shopping. From river valleys and mountain tops to rain forests and glaciers, Washington is open for adventure. As home to some of the country’s leading businesses, Washington is rich not only in natural resources but also in innovation and opportunity REQUIREMENTS **Will consider candidates that have at least 1 year of experience in at least ONE of the following areas, ICU, Telemetry, or Step down / Progressive care as a Registered Nurse.
Issue 10
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Lindy Mueller Carhartt (313) 749-6588 lmueller@carhartt.com
Contact:
Tim Gilman Leader Enterprises PR for Carhartt (562) 719-2140 tgilman@leaderenterprises.com
CARHARTT TO LAUNCH NEW LINE OF MEDICAL APPAREL WITH CID RESOURCES, INC. INC . New Carhartt Medical Scrubs Available Fall 2011 DEARBORN, M Mich. ich. – (August 9, 2011) Carhartt, America’s premium work wear brand since 1889, today announced the selection of CID Resources, Inc, a leading manufacturer of medical scrubs for America’s healthcare professionals, as the new licensee for Carhartt-branded medical scrubs. “For more than 122 years, Carhartt has created enduring work wear that always values the hard-earned dollar of the worker,” said Rick Fecowicz, director of licensing at Carhartt. “CID Resources delivers the same quality and value in their medical apparel. This partnership is a natural fit for Carhartt to begin servicing the fast growing healthcare industry,” Fecowicz further adds. The initial offering will include two new medical scrub lines including Carhartt Premium and Carhartt Ripstop. The Carhartt Premium line will include two new top and bottom styles for women and one new top and bottom style for unisex made from 55 percent cotton/45 percent polyester brushed micro canvas and available in eight color options including industry standard colors. The Carhartt Ripstop line will include two new top styles and one new bottom style for men made from 55 percent cotton/45 percent polyester Ripstop fabric and available in four color options. Carhartt’s medical scrub offering will be available to the public through select Carhartt and uniform specialty retailers and on Carhartt.com for Fall 2011. All styles to feature Carhartt’s signature premium fabrics, triple-needle stitching to reinforce seaming, multiple pockets for storage and a comfortable fit designed for movement. --more --more-more-135
Fabulous Nurse Magazine
“Carhartt is a well-respected work wear brand and we are thrilled to bring our expertise to build a Carhartt medical apparel line that incorporates the brand’s DNA throughout,” said Austin Park, director of branding at CID Resources. “This new premium scrub line will offer medical professionals the ultimate experience in Carhartt quality and style.” About CID Resources Inc. CID Resources Inc. is a leading manufacturer of medical uniforms based in Dallas, TX. The company focuses on passion, creativity and innovation and is committed to delivering functional and stylish uniforms for America’s healthcare workers. CID designs, manufactures and distributes uniforms under the WonderWink brand, which is available nationwide. CID’s licensed brand portfolio includes best-in-class American workwear brand Carhartt® and the “Queen of Cute” Mary Engelbreit. About Carhartt, Inc Established in 1889, Carhartt is a global premium work wear brand with a rich heritage of developing rugged apparel for workers on and off the job. Headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., with approximately 3,600 employees worldwide, Carhartt is privately owned and managed by the descendants of the company‘s founder, Hamilton Carhartt. For more information, visit www.carhartt.com. ###
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Medical Inflatable Exhibits invites you to give MEGA Thanks!
Issue 10
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The Medical Inflatable Exhibits contest (“Contest”) starts on June 23, 2011 at 10:00 am CST via its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MedicalInflatableExhibits and ends on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 2:00 pm CST (“Contest Period”). ELIGIBILITY: The Contest is open to legal residents in the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are at least eighteen (18) years old, and who have a Facebook user account and “like” Medical Inflatable Exhibits on Facebook. Employees of Medical Inflatable Exhibits (“Sponsor”) and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, promotion and advertising agencies and members of their immediate family (spouse, parent, sibling or child and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and persons living in the same household of such employees, whether or not related, are not eligible to participate. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and is void where prohibited by law. HOW TO PARTICIPATE: During the Contest Period, participant must select the “like” button on Sponsor’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com. MedicalInflatableExhibits and write and post a statement that recognizes a medical professional that has gone above and beyond to help a patient. The statement must express how the nurse helped or influenced the participant positively as a mentor or a role model. The nurse may be one who influenced the participant’s life, a fellow patients life or a nurse who has influenced the life of one of the participant’s children. Multiple separate entries per participating Facebook account are permitted. However, each entry must be completed in Facebook’s 420 character limit per entry. Entries that run over the 420 character limit into multiple posts will be disqualified. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, misdirected or incomplete entries. On September 9, 2011, five finalists will be selected from the Medical Inflatable Exhibits team of judges. Participants, colleagues, friends and family are invited to vote for their favorite nurse by liking their post. Voting closes September 23, 2011 and one winner is announced. PRIZE: On September 30, 2011, the one (1) winner (“Winner) whose entry received the most “likes” on Facebook will be awarded one (1) round-trip flight to Tuscon, AZ, one night at the Miraval Spa, and winner’s choice of a hour-long massage or private golf lesson for the medical professional nominated (“Prize”). Should winner be unable to provide nurse’ contact information -- including the hospital or doctor’s office where professional is employed -- the prize will be forfeited. In addition, should the contest receive less than 100 entries, the prize will be forfeited. Winner will be notified via a Facebook message or email no later than the Monday of each following week (September 26, 2011). (“Prize Notification”). The Prize will be shipped to the Winner upon receipt of the Winner’s confirmation of the Prize Notification. If the Prize Notification is returned as undeliverable, or if the potential Winner does not respond to Sponsor’s Prize Notification within three (3) days of the notification date, the Prize may be forfeited and, at Sponsor’s sole discretion, awarded to an alternate winner. No substitution, assignment or transfer of any portion of the Prize is permitted, except that Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to provide cash or substitute prizes of approximately equal or lesser value. 137
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Judging will be conducted by Medical Inflatable Exhibit’s marketing team. Entries will be judged under the following writing criteria: organization, unity, coherence, clarity, grammar, punctuation and spelling. GENERAL: Neither Sponsor, its clients, nor their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, advertising or promotion agencies shall be responsible for any problems or technical, hardware, or software malfunctions of any failed, incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete, garbled or delayed electronic communications whether caused by the sender or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Contest, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any entry to be received by Sponsor due to technical problems, human error or traffic congestion, unavailable network connections on the Internet or at any website, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant’s or any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from participating in this Contest or downloading any materials in this Contest. Use of automated devices are not valid for entry. Sponsor has the right to cancel, terminate or modify this Contest if it cannot be completed as planned due to tampering, unauthorized intervention, technical failures, or other conditions beyond Sponsor’s control. By participating in this Contest, participants agree (i) to be bound by these rules; (ii) that any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with participating in this Contest but, in no event, attorneys’ fees; and participant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased, some jurisdictions do not allow the limitations or exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages, so the above may not apply to you; (iii) that Sponsor has the right to use participant’s first name, last name, and city and state, photograph, image, and likeness on Sponsor’s website and in any and all publicity and advertising for Sponsor without any further attribution, notification or compensation to participant except where prohibited by law; (iv) to be contacted by Sponsor by public announcement, telephone, mail or email regarding this Contest; and (v) to release and hold harmless Sponsor and its agents for any liability, damages, loss or injury resulting from participation in this Contest or the acceptance, possession, shipping and handling, loss, use or misuse of any prize provided in this Contest. Participants and prize recipients assume sole liability for injuries, including personal injuries and/ or damage to person or property, caused or claimed to be caused by participating in this Contest or the acceptance, possession, shipping and handling, loss, use or misuse of any prize provided. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY A PARTICIPANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR FACEBOOK PAGES OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE A VIOLATION OF APPLICABLE CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAW. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW AND TO DISQUALIFY THE PARTICIPANT FROM THE CONTEST. WINNER’S LIST: The names of the Nominees will be posted on Facebook September 9, 2011 and on Sponsor’s website. The final Winner will be announced September 23, 2001. ODDS OF WINNING: The number of valid entries received will determine odds of winning. Sponsor: Medical Inflatable Exhibits, XXXX, Houston, TX 770XX. For questions, please email info@integratePR.com. 138
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Share their story at
Facebook.com/MedicalInflatableExhibits and nominate them for
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