How to transition from staff nurse to travel nurse ✈️

This week, we shared a three-part series about how to transition from staff nurse to travel nurse. Kailin Haugh, BSN, RN, CPN—an experienced and dedicated traveler—walked us through all of the steps required for a smooth transition, including travel nurse pay, licensure, agencies, resumes, and housing. Even if you're only a little bit interested in travel nursing, you should check out this series! Read more

Black History Month, February 2021 —

As we all know, 2020 caused a lot of things to hit a little differently. Black History Month 2021 certainly has a deeper meaning and a larger presence. In light of the social justice movements throughout the last year, many of us have taken time for personal reflection and to learn more about the friends, colleagues, and neighbors we see each day. With this year’s theme, “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity,” we have an incredible opportunity to continue to learn about the people and culture within the Black community. Keep reading for some ways you can celebrate Black History Month this year! Read more

Sigma Nursing announces new scholarships —

Sigma Nursing recently announced a new fund provided by Sigma President-elect Kenneth Dion, PhD, MBA, MSN, RN, FAAN in honor of his late mother, Nancy L. Dion, RN. The fund will provide scholarships for nurses who are pursuing an advanced nursing degree in informatics or gerontology. When asked to reflect on his career in healthcare, Dr. Dion stated, "The act of nursing embodies everything that is good and decent in this world. These values were instilled in me and have been reinforced throughout my life. When I am asked why I chose nursing as my profession, the answer is simple: I am a nurse because of my mother." Read more

Guide to nursing pay —

There are so many factors to consider when thinking about where to work as a nurse – ratios, unions, quality of life, etc. But one answer everyone wants to know the answer to is “How much money can I make?” Unfortunately, the answer is not quite as simple as the question. Nursing is such a nuanced profession that the compensation varies greatly between cities, specialties, care settings, and facilities. So, what is the clear differentiator? How much you keep! Read more

Coronavirus Updates

Federal government announces plan to increase production of at-home COVID-19 tests —

The federal government announced a $230M plan to increase the production of the United States' first at-home COVID-19 test. The testing kits are created by Australian company, Ellume, which plans to supply the US with at least 100,000 tests per month between February and July of this year. The FDA has already granted emergency-use authorization of these kits, which cost about $30 each and can detect COVID-19 at a 95% accuracy rate within a mere 15 minutes. While this is a great step forward in the nation's efforts to test its population, we're still, unfortunately, trailing behind in our overall vaccination goal. Read more

Potential connection between COVID-19 and diabetes —

Researchers don't quite understand the connection yet, but Dr. Mihail Zilbermint of Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland is noticing a trend: nearly 14% of patients with severe COVID-19 develop a form of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. While the reasoning behind this and the permanence of the apparent disorders haven't been fully understood or confirmed yet, the cases are real. Dr. Zilberman stated that his daily diabetes cases grew from 18 to 30 patients per day almost overnight in conjunction with increasing COVID-19 cases. Since many of these patients had no history of diabetes, the next question to answer is whether COVID-19 speeds up already developing disorders, or actually causes them... or, perhaps, both. Read more

COVID-19 unit nurses create "dinner date" for hospitalized couple —

Masako and Frank Martinez, a couple of 63 years, were both hospitalized around the same time in late January due to COVID-19. After such a long time together, it was incredibly difficult to keep the two separated. After five days apart in different COVID-19 units, the couple's nurses were able to bring the Martinezes to each other's bedside to spend a "dinner date" together. They were again able to hold hands, just as they've done for over 60 years. Nurse Kim Presson said, "I know it's hard for all our patients being here, so anything we can do to bring them a little bit of joy is always important to us." Both are still in the hospital and are in stable condition. Read more

Upcoming Events

2/8, 2pm PST: Instagram Live - Travel Nurse Taxes —

There are taxes… and then there are travel nurse taxes. While travel nursing comes with a host of incredible benefits and opportunities, the confusing taxes are the often-described bane of a travel nurse’s existence. But fret not, we’ve got your back. We are partnering with Joseph Conte from Travel Nurse Tax to answer all of your tax questions through an interactive IG Live event. Join us to go over the building blocks of travel taxes and how to file your 2020 taxes with confidence. All are welcome️

2/10, 3pm PST: Navigating Nurse Residency Programs —

Calling all nursing students and new grads: Your first nursing position sets the tone for your career — But how do you navigate this overwhelming process? Join Ashley Haugstatter (aka The Nurse Mentor) as she breaks down what a nurse residency is and why it might be the right fit for you. She’ll also discuss where to find these opportunities and how to market yourself as a standout candidate! You’ll come away with motivation and actionable steps to go after your dream new grad nurse position with confidence. RSVP️