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Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse Or Licensed Vocational Nurse
[Business:Career-Advice] Licensed Practical Nurses are very much in demand in lieu of America's nursing shortage. The program for becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse is approximately one year or less. Financial aid is available for this training program as well as many other sources of funding. Licensed Vocational Nurses/LPN's make only a few dollars less than Registered Nurses.

Nursing Education - Passing National Boards
[Reference-and-Education] The following information is from the Oklahoma Board of Nursing Task Force, that investigated the pass and fail rate of nursing students that have taken the NCLEX. The scores for the state of Oklahoma were lower than most of the states in the Union, prompting the formation of a task force and investigation of possible reasons for the low scores. What all perspective nursing students can gain from this report is how crucial it is to sit for the boards as soon as possible after graduation and to take advantage of all the help available in preparing for the NCLEX.

Nursing Education - Patient Assessment Skills
[Reference-and-Education] Nurses are trained to learn and apply patient assessment skills. These skills are the cornerstone of being a proficient nurse. The knowledge and procedures for developing these skills are learned in the first two years of nursing school and honed in clinical as the student nurse takes on a greater patient load. The "Standards of Care" that are the basis of nursing include the following.

Nursing Education - The Importance of Critical Thinking
[Reference-and-Education] In the nursing profession, more now than ever, the ability to think critically is essential. The responsibilities of a Registered Nurse have increased over the years. In correlation with this increase in responsibility comes the additional increase in educational prerequisites and core requisites required to achieve a degree in Nursing. The ANA (American Nursing Association) Standards has set forth the framework necessary for critical thinking in the application of the "nursing process". The nursing process is the tool by which all nurses can equally become proficient at critical thinking. The nursing process contains the following criteria.

The Standards of Professional Performance For Nursing
[Reference-and-Education] All professions have as their cornerstone and creed a code of ethics and or professional performance standards. The nursing profession is no different. As the field of nursing grows and changes in defining the role of a nurse, the central theme will always be that of caring. It can be said that, all other duties and responsibilities of nurses have centered around, "caring". Caring has been described by many nursing theorist as the innate nature of a human being to be able to give unconditional help in the form of doing for, therapeutic communication, therapeutic touch, compassion, a gentleness of spirit and humbleness of knowing ones self.

What is the Code For Nursing?
[Reference-and-Education:Online-Education] Nursing is a profession that places on its participants a great responsibility for maintaining the highest possible standards to ensure superior quality of care. Each state has its own Board of Nursing which is responsible for the regulation and licensing of nursing practice. As the profession of nursing continues to grow and change the practicing nurse will bear more responsibility as well as legal accountability for their actions.

Thinking About Your Goals As a Nurse
[Reference-and-Education:Vocational-Trade-Schools] As the student nurse approaches graduation, thoughts of beginning a career in nursing come to mind. A new nurse should think very seriously about their career goals. These include long term as well as short term goals. As with any path of life that an individual takes, it is not random. Each person that seeks an education does so with a set of plans and directionality for their immediate goals and long term.

Nursing Scholarships For Men
[Reference-and-Education] O.K. men, it's your turn. Take the nursing field and run with it. First of all, congratulations and salutations to all men entering the nursing field. It is about time, thank you. With that said, how about finding some scholarships to help you achieve your goals. Yes, there are scholarships out there just for you gentlemen. Take advantage of them.

The Pre-Nursing Experience
[Reference-and-Education] What are the requirements to gain admission into nursing school? Actually, they differ from one school to the next but all have certain main prerequisite classes that are required for students to take. These include courses in Anatomy & Physiology, Social Sciences, Biology, English I & II, Psychology, Life Span Psychology, a Pharmaceutical course and a Chemistry course. Most nursing schools require a grade of C or better for each of the above named courses.

Disaster Nursing
[Reference-and-Education] In these troubled times in which we live, there exists a constant threat of disaster. Whether the disaster is man made, such as war or terrorism, or from nature, nursing has always been at the forefront. In the past, nurses were on the battlefield dressing the soldiers' wounds and giving emotional support to those whose time was at hand.

Nursing Interventions in the Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder
[Health-and-Fitness:Mental-Health] Diagnosis Bipolar Disorder: "Bipolar disorder is a severe biologic illness characterized by recurrent fluctuations in mood. Typically, patients experience alternating episodes in which mood is abnormally elevated or abnormally depressed-separated by periods in which mood is relatively normal." (Lehne, 2004, p. 321).

Nursing Scholarships Introduction
[Reference-and-Education] Are you considering a career in nursing? Then before you begin, you need to check out all of the wonderful scholarships available. You may not consider yourself eligible, but you will be surprised to find that there are nursing scholarships out there that are just for you. When considering a career in nursing, most of seek out financial aid only to find the resulting funds are usually never sufficient. This is the reason that scholarships were created.

Nursing Scholarship Types
[Reference-and-Education] Are you considering a nursing school scholarship? Great! Then, this is your first step to achieving your goal. Find out what types of scholarships are out there. The internet is a good place to start. The information highway is certainly a cornucopia of information. But be careful to review where certain websites get their information.

Nursing Scholarship Sources
[Reference-and-Education] There are many scholarships available to any and all people that are going into the nursing profession. Some people don't want to take the time to find out about scholarships for nursing school. Many believe that the monies that they receive from financial aid will be sufficient. Indeed, sometimes it is, that is if you also take the student loans that eventually have to be paid back. The payback period usually begins approximately six months following graduation from nursing school.

Continuing Nursing Competency
[Reference-and-Education] For those student nurses who are about to graduate, their main priority is to pass the NCLEX-RN examination. The practice of nursing is regulated according to licensing authorities in each state jurisdiction. Each jurisdiction must ensure that each nurse has the minimum competency to practice nursing in their state. In order to ensure such requirements, the National Council of State Boards of Nurses, Inc.

Choosing the Right Nursing School For You
[Reference-and-Education:College-University] In considering going into the nursing profession, there are a few priorities that are crucial to determining future success. When individuals look at all of the criteria it becomes clear which schools would be a better choice. The first criteria that many people face when going back to school is financial. Some of the factors that need to be considered about the school are for instance, how much will it cost per credit hour? Cost per credit hour depends on the school, whether or not it is accredited, a community college, a private college or a four year university.

Nurses and Unions - Changing Times
[Business:Careers-Employment] Since the days of Florence Nightingale, the profession of nursing has been viewed as a career consisting of self sacrificing individuals who, with caring and compassion have devoted their lives to easing the pain and suffering of those in need. Such noble and honorable individuals would surely never strike for what ever reason, right? Wrong! So, what has happened over the centuries to the profession of nursing? To begin to understand what has taken place in the arena of nursing, one needs to understand what the nurses of today are faced with in the hospital settings.

Nursing Jobs on the Rise
[Business:Careers-Employment] It has been predicted that the baby boomer generation will be the most effected by the changes health care system with regard to nursing care. The current health care system is in a state of flux. With insurance companies constantly raising rates and premiums, and the hospital stays becoming less frequent, the end result is that health care must extend to the home. The impact of this new era of home care will have various effects on the population that is served.

What Determines Nursing Salaries?
[Business:Careers-Employment] In today's economy with declining employment in many fields that require degrees, the profession of nursing is as solid as it ever was. People with prior degrees are looking to enter the nursing profession. The salary of a nurse varies greatly. There is really no base salary but a fluctuation across the board. The reasoning for this is as varied as the salaries in nursing.

Nursing Education - Traveling Nurses
[Reference-and-Education] Today is an exciting time for nurses. The job market is plentiful with positions including the demand for traveling nurses. To be a travel nurse takes a special person. The individual who is a travel nurse is one who likes to see new places and meet new people, face challenges with confidence and work as a team member. Being a travel nurse is not for everyone. Nurses who have family responsibilities may choose to work near their home.

Therapeutic Communication in the Nursing Profession
[Reference-and-Education:Vocational-Trade-Schools] Nursing is a caring profession. It is also a profession that is more and more evidenced based in practice. In as much as the scientific aspects of nursing is increasing due to the complex technological advancement of medicine and the machinery that is used at the patients bedside, the fact remains that the nurse is the first person that the client usually comes in contact with in any emergency or hospital setting.

Reality Shock For Graduate Nurses
[Reference-and-Education] So now you are close to graduating from nursing school or you have graduated recently. Whichever the case, you will be in for a reality shock when you begin your career as a Registered Nurse. What do we mean by the term, "reality shock"? Well, like the term says, it is the reality that shocks us. The question you may ask is, "so there is a difference in the reality of being a student or graduate nurse"? The answer is an emphatic, YES!

Preparing For the NCLEX
[Reference-and-Education] Preparing for the national boards begins as soon as a nursing student begins nursing school. Licensure as a Registered Nurse is granted upon a student passing the national boards or NCLEX. Passing scores are based on the amount of questions that the nurse gets correct in relation to the national average. Therefore there is no discrete passing grade.

Passing the National Council Licensing Exam For Registered Nurse
[Reference-and-Education] The final step after graduation from nursing school is to sit for the national nursing board exams, termed the NCLEX. This is a very grueling test. It behooves all who are going to sit for the exam to get as much information as possible. The more information the better and the less stress there is going into the exam. The first step is to be prepared with the necessary information needed to pass.

Nursing Education - Passing the NCLEX
[Reference-and-Education] The time is going to come for every graduate nurse to sit for their state boards. To become a Registered Nurse, the graduate nurse must pass the NCLEX. This is a comprehensive examination of the skills necessary to practice nursing safely. It is important for the graduate nurse to use all of the tools available to ensure success at passing. Many schools prepare the student nurses early in their curriculum with test questions that mimic the format of the NCLEX.

Nurse Salaries For Different Nursing Fields
[Business:Careers-Employment] Many new graduate nurses are readily offered jobs prior to graduation. The positions that they are offered are usually those with the title graduate nurse or GN. For the most part, new graduates are looking for employment near their home. Since the general nursing student is now in their early to late thirties, they have already established a secure family base. While jobs for graduate nurses are plentiful it helps to have some idea of how many jobs are actually offered throughout the United States.

Testing Day For the NCLEX
[Reference-and-Education] This is the day that you will sit for your nursing boards, and take the NCLEX. Be sure that you have you ATT, (Authorization To Test) form with you. You will not be able to test without this form. You will also need to present picture identification. Of course now is not the time to ask yourself if you have studied enough, but hopefully you have. Many people who sit for the NCLEX have fears that they have not studied enough.

American Nursing Today - Culturally Competent Care
[Business:Careers-Employment] Immigration to the United States has never ceased. It is a continual process that brings a variety of rich cultures and knowledge this great country. Health care workers experience the vastness of cultural diversity more so than any other profession. Therefore, more than any other profession, health care workers, nurses and physicians in particular must be culturally sensitive to the patients needs.

Dietary Teaching For the Diabetic Client
[Health-and-Fitness:Diabetes] Once a patient is diagnosed as having diabetes, their world suddenly changes. Now they must monitor their glucose before meals and at bedtime, they must watch the sugars that they consume and be aware of the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia and know what actions to take. This is a lot of information to process for a diabetic of any age.

Dietary Needs of the Diabetic Part IV
[Health-and-Fitness:Diabetes] The diabetic patient can help control their blood glucose levels in conjunction with a healthy diet. Not only can they help to control their blood glucose levels with a healthy diet, but their lipids and blood pressure as well. Nutrition recommendations are developed from the following table.

Largest Free Blues Festival in the World Celebrates 25 Years
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Music] Chicago is home to many great festivals and events. One of its greatest is the Chicago Blues Festival, held in Grant Park each June. This year's festival is a landmark celebration for the 25th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, June 5-8, 2008. The largest free admission Blues festival in the world, the four-day festival offers the best in national, international and local Blues entertainment on six stages with more than 70 performances, preceded by a month of Blues activities, known as Blues Season, throughout Chicago.

So You Are a Diabetic
[Health-and-Fitness:Diabetes] If you have just been recently diagnosed, then there is much to learn. Be careful where you get your information. The doctor should be your first source. Your doctor should prepare you with literature and other teaching material, as well as give you referrals to help groups. Being a diabetic doesn't mean your life is going to change. It does mean that you will have to make important decisions about your health maintenance.

Helping the Diabetic Manage Their Diabetes With Family Support
[Health-and-Fitness:Diabetes] The quality of life and health are greatly increased when those who are diabetic control their blood glucose levels consistently throughout the day. Tight glycemic control can prevent many of the illnesses associated with diabetes such as peripheral neuropathy, glaucoma, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. A good predictor of careful blood glucose monitoring is the Hemoglobin A1C test.

Assessing the Diabetic Client
[Health-and-Fitness:Diabetes] In assessing the diabetic client, the nurse should identify specific body systems that the disease effects. Always look first. Is the client obese, frail, emaciated or well nourished? Notice the client's face and skin color, are they pale, flushed or diaphoretic. Ask them how they feel.

Addressing the Dietary Needs of the Diabetic
[Health-and-Fitness:Diabetes] The client who is diagnosed as a diabetic must face the challenges of restructuring their diet. A health diet and proper management can enhance their health by promoting stable glucose. The diabetic uses oral hypoglycemic agents, insulin or both must still monitor their eating habits and know what food groups to choose from to help them control their blood glucose levels.

Somogyi Effect and the Dawn Phenomenon
[Health-and-Fitness:Diabetes] Diabetes is an illness that the patient must live with the rest of their lives. The key to living with diabetes successfully is tight glycemic control, or controlling blood sugar levels.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis
[Health-and-Fitness:Diabetes] Diabetic ketoacidosis or (DKA) is a complication of diabetes. When the individual's blood sugar gets very high and they are profoundly deficient in insulin, the body becomes unable to utilize blood sugar efficiently. The body then begins to burn fat stores for food. As these fat stores are burned, a by product is released called Ketones. It is ketones that are responsible for lowering the body's pH level below 7.35.