Culture shock! A lot has been said about it. The question is: is it real or is it just a myth? Let’s imagine for a minute that you are a nurse, ready and willing to embark on a journey halfway around the world. Isn’t that an exciting prospect? All of your dreams, hopes, and desires are finally coming to fruition. You boarded your plane and then arrived at the land of milk and honey. It’s early Spring, so there is…
It is global knowledge that healthcare systems all over the world has an increased demand for nurses. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that there is a need for about 194,500 nurses per year until 2030. As states struggle to fill those needs due to nursing shortages, they look to hire foreign nurses for those positions. If you meet the requirements to practice in one of the states, here are some things to consider prior to migrating…
If you have read my previous post, you would be correct in assuming that I just recently came back to work. Yes, back to my nursing work. But, no, not the kind of nursing work you may be thinking about. You see, I am a nurse informaticist. What is that you say? Please allow me to explain. Nursing Informatics: What is That? I asked the same question when I started this job a year ago. Most, if not all, of…
Nurses are widely known to be the most difficult patients to take care of. As a bedside nurse, I’ve had my fair share of taking care of nurses as patients, as patients’ parents, etc. To be fair, some of them were easy-going, while others, not so much! So, why am I writing about it now? Because I was recently a patient and this is my experience! Benefits of Knowing Your Provider Personally Yes, you read it right. I know my…
Nursing was the profession you chose for me. But to be a lawyer was all I wanted to be. An obedient daughter, I followed your plea. Although nursing was not my cup of tea. Challenged, I had to prove my worth. Looked down upon, I hid my hurt. “I’m doing this for you,” was all I thought. Hopefully, this was not for naught! As I progressed in nursing school, I thought this was rather cool. Taking care of patients, what…
Completing an MSN while working a full-time job, is that even possible? The short answer is “Yes, you sure can!” How to do that, you ask? Let me share with you my experience. Nurses as Lifelong Learners One of the cornerstones of nursing is evidence-based practice. Nurses, therefore, cannot afford to remain stagnant. As much as nursing is dynamic, nurses, too, have to continue evolving and improving. Learning takes so many different forms. Nurses, for example, keep up with the…
Although the desire to learn is there, some nurses hit the pause button when it comes to going back to school and earning advanced degrees. To some who are not in the field, this may be baffling. However, most of us have convenient excuses. Let’s explore the five common reasons why nurses don’t prioritize going back to school. 1. Time Constraints “I don’t have the time.” How often do we hear nurses use this as a crutch? Believe me, I…
Why Am I a Paulinian? I enrolled at St Paul College of Iloilo just to appease my mother, as it was her lifelong dream for me to become a nurse. Little did she know that I was hatching a selfish plan. I was going to flunk all of my subjects during the first term, tell her that I tried my best, and say that maybe nursing is not for me. Until one day in Chemistry, that is… Did I tell…
So you are a foreign-educated nurse and you want to come to America? Congratulations! Associated Press reports that demand for international nurses reaches up to 400% since the pandemic started. If you are ready to take that big step, this practical guide is written for you. Here is the podcast of this blog post: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3FbPs2jM9tUdmm5bMogC0s?si=100e6018d7464c6a The Immigration Process Understandably, the process of immigration is long and tedious. It requires the passing of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), verification of nursing…
Pediatric patients have unique needs compared to adult patients. With a wide age range, from newborn to 18 years old, Pediatric nurses have to be creative in dealing with kids. Read on below for some tricks of the trade that I have learned during my 15 years of Neonatal and Pediatric nursing practice. Why Pediatrics? Working in a Pediatric and Pediatric Intensive Care unit was no small feat, especially coming from a geriatrics and Medical-Surgical/Oncology background. I had shifts wherein…