Financial checkup for nurses 🩺

People have a general desire for financial independence at all stages of life, and we all recognize that an increased financial independence gives us the luxury of more options and the ability to build a brighter future for ourselves. Where does this leave people who know they should do more for themselves but haven’t quite gotten started? Or those who have money in various financial instruments but aren’t sure if they’re choosing wisely? Many of us would like to bring a sense of order and purpose to our financial lives. In this article, financial professional Morrayna Gaskins discusses some key financial concerns for nurses. Read more

The urgent need for more proactive behavioral healthcare —

The need for additional behavioral health services has slowly been increasing over the last few decades, but the pandemic has hastened this need dramatically. And despite the demand, overall access to care has not kept up with the growing need. Recently, emergency departments have been seeing increases in patients with behavioral health issues, especially in children and young adults. Between April–October 2020, hospitals experienced a 24% increase in mental health visits to the emergency department for children ages 5–11 as well as a 31% increase for children ages 12–17. This is largely due to the pandemic's various effects on daily life, which are manifesting themselves in the increasing number of people who are deferring care for behavioral problems. This will only lead to more health issues later down the road, unless we see a change in the way patients and providers adjust and utilize available resources. Read more

"Dear Nurses," a project featuring the portraits of nurses —

Robert Fogarty—founder of the nonprofit Dear World, where the goal is "[telling] the stories of our time"—recently published a new project in honor and reflection of all that nurses have experienced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This new project, entitled "Dear Nurses," is meant to capture this through poignant portraits of nurses and first responders throughout the pandemic: "[Some of the photos] evoke hope and resilient spirits. Some are in memory of a lost patient. All are about the trials of having dealt with the sudden onslaught of COVID-19 in New Orleans last spring." The project was sponsored by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and also entails a short documentary of these nurses at work and home, dealing with the challenges of today. Read more

Moving to a new city as a travel nurse —

When you’re first transitioning from a staff nursing position, travel nursing can feel like all glamour and intrigue. Maybe you’ve met that traveler who has come through your unit with their endless stories of adventures and experiences in faraway places. However, as any seasoned travel nurse will tell you, actually getting up and relocating to your intended destination can be quite a complicated, and even frustrating, affair. Here are some tips to help you ace the transition! Read more

Teens saves best friend's life only 24 hours after CPR course —

Torri'ell Norwood, 16, was a passenger in her best friend's car when they were suddenly t-boned by a speeding driver. After the crash, Norwood found her friend and driver, A'zarria Simmons, unconscious. Lucky for Simmons, Norwood had just taken a CPR course the day prior and immediately checked her friend for a pulse. She began chest compressions right away, and after two rescue breaths, Simmons regained consciousness right before paramedics arrived. This is an incredible story and a good reason why everyone should be comfortable performing these simple life-saving moves. Read more

Coronavirus Updates

The mental health impact of the pandemic —

Since the beginning of the pandemic a little over a year ago, billions of lives have been upended in almost every way you can imagine. Now, the WHO and other health experts are warning of a mental health crisis to ensue, following global increases in anxiety, depression, and distress. Prior to COVID-19, nearly one billion people globally reported suffering from some kind of mental health issue, while 264 million were afflicted specifically by depression (with suicide being the second-leading cause of death for young people). At the start of COVID-19, the majority of mental health services were halted in 93% of countries globally. Since then, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated these effects would last for years to come, and that "each and every individual on the surface of the world [...] has been affected." Columbia University recently released a study revealing that pre-pandemic levels of depression and anxiety were reported to be upwards of 10% of each country's population, but today, these same results have grown to up to 24%. We can hope that the worst of the virus, itself, is behind us, but we've still got a ways to go before we can confidently say that peoples' mental health concerns have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Read more

CDC urges Americans to hold off on airline travel —

Last Sunday, the TSA saw over 1.5 million travelers pass through airports nationally. This is the highest amount seen in over a year as well as the 11th consecutive day of over 1 million screenings per day. Following these numbers, the CDC urges travelers to hold off on taking trips, as spring break and an already growing numbers of cases in more than half of US states takes off. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky says, "We're so close to vaccinating so many more people [...] I would just encourage people and remind people: Now is not the time to travel." The CDC is continuing to update its guidelines for vaccinated individuals, in particular, so stay tuned. Read more

More Black and Latinx communities are opening up to the vaccine —

National surveys from late 2020 revealed that many Black and Hispanic respondents were less likely than their white counterparts to accept a COVID-19 vaccine. However, recent surveys carried out over the past few weeks have found that this gap has increasingly diminished, if not altogether disappeared. While a lack of contact with physicians, or simply a general hesitancy to receive such new and quickly formulated vaccines, may have been a large driver in this disparity, these new results are a strong sign of the increasing overall acceptance of the vaccine. Read more

Upcoming Events

3/31, 3pm PDT: Nursing in the Wild: Hiking Injuries —

Nurses have the ability to practice in a variety of settings throughout their career. But what if you could combine your career with your passion for the outdoors? What would you do as a nurse in the outdoors if an emergency happens? Join us and the Wilderness Medical Society for the first of four webinars about nursing in the wild! First up — hiking! What are the most common injuries and medical problems in the backcountry? Join Michele Devlin, DrPH, LPN, EMT, and Cory Kreutzer, BSN, DiMM, to learn about common foot injuries, dehydration and hypothermia, real-world case studies, and so much more. All nurses are invited to this event, just make sure you RSVP!️