The greatest discrepancy yet

The United States holds only 4% of the world's population, yet it's experiencing 25% of the world's COVID-19 deaths. With more than 2.5 million infected Americans, and at least 125,000 deaths, the death toll in the US and twice as high as that of Brazil, the country with the second highest death count. So, why is this? There is some debate about the topic, but most thought leaders point to the fact that federal and local governments—and the CDC—failed to provide adequate testing and additional precautions early on during the start of the pandemic. Now, it's time to focus on what we can do to address this growing discrepancy. Read more

COVID-19 & the gender wage gap —

Before the pandemic hit, working mothers already averaged more child care and housework than their male partners. Recent surveys reveal that this gap has only widened since the beginning of the pandemic. One of these surveys found that working mothers are spending, on average, 15 more hours per week than their male counterparts on childcare and chores. Women have already lost more jobs than men during the pandemic, and this unemployment period will cause direct losses in income, earning potential, and potentially even opportunities down the road. Read more

The bandana "mask" is basically worthless —

Doffing PPE... and donning a mask for the day-to-day may have you asking which mask is best? It turns out that single-layered bandanas do very little to stop the spread of a cough, but a homemade mask made of two layers of cotton (the higher the thread count the better) can stop emissions by almost 100%. On the other hand, a commercially available non-sterile, cone-style mask wasn't quite as effective, but it was still better than a bandana. Takeaway? Your best best is to use a double layered cotton mask that you can purchase online and in some stores, if not make yourself. The best part? They can be washed, sterilizing them for future use (unlike a paper or surgical mask). Read more

The future of COVID-19: What to expect as an active nurse, nursing student, or prospective student —

COVID-19 has caused changes for nurses everywhere—licensing changes, travel restrictions, social distancing measures—but what does this mean for the future of the industry? Active nurses are experiencing an increase in telehealth and remote work opportunities. At the same time, PPE shortages and concerns of contracting COVID-19 have led to an increased rate of (potentially early) retirement. Nursing students are dealing with canceled clinical rotations and labs, following a significant pivot to online courses. And many senior nursing students are unable to graduate due to the suspension of in-person clinicals. Lastly, prospective students are looking at a wider array of online or distance learning options, while nursing programs themselves are becoming more competitive due to limitations on class size and clinical placement restrictions. Most of these changes are less than ideal, and only time will tell how we adapt to the changing world around us. Read more

The health benefits of pet ownership —

How many times have you been telling yourself you want to get a pet and just haven't gotten around to it yet? Well, let us encourage you to consider it once again! Having a pet has some serious health benefits, and especially in these stressful times. For startess, having a furry friend to love on can decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and even lower blood pressure, all almost instantaneously. So what are you waiting for!? Read more

Skin care for nurses —

Recently, we spoke with Dr. Francisca Kartono, DO, FAAD, FAOCD about the effects of long nursing shifts (especially those wearing masks and other PPE) on your skin, and what you can do to alleviate the negative effects. She began her discussion by focusing on the effects of PPE on the skin before moving on to sun protection and overall skin care. Hours of wearing masks and face equipment can lead to friction, bruising, and even exacerbate existing acne, rosacea, or other skin conditions. So what can you do to prevent this? It begins with sun protection, anti-aging serums, antioxidants, and moisturizers. Read more

Required quarantine when traveling —

On Wednesday, June 24th, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut issued travel requirements that people arriving from states with currently heightened levels of COVID-19 cases must self-quarantine for 14 days before resuming normal activity with the states. These requirements apply to anyone traveling from a state that currently has a positive test rate higher than .01%, or greater than 10 per 100,000 residents over a seven-day period. As of June 30th, the states included in the advisory are now Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. Note: Hawaii, Kansas (traveling from Alabama, Arizona, and Arkansas), Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island (traveling from states with a positive test rate of >5%) have similar restrictions still in place. Read more

Indiana becomes a compact state —

As of July 1, 2020, Indiana has joined the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact and is officially a compact state, meaning that nurses holding a compact, or multistate license, in another state can now work in Indiana under the same license. Read more

Upcoming Events —

7/9, 4pm PDT: From Dawn till Dusk - Virtual Makeup Tutorial
Whether you're prepping for a low-key day off (or on) or a glam night "out" (hey, video calls with friends do count), pro makeup artists Diana Shelton and Kelly Johnson have your face covered. These two beauties will live demo a day-to-night makeup look that will brighten, refresh, and invigorate. Novices and long-time makeup enthusiasts alike will enjoy this relaxing and artistic hour-long class. RSVP