tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15971306100925463812024-02-18T19:46:24.850-08:00Nurse MentorAllison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-82431304097518059582020-08-13T08:50:00.002-07:002020-08-13T08:58:36.321-07:00Is it time to get your PhD in Nursing or Midwifery?<p> Over the years, I've written a lot about pursuing a PhD in nursing and I'm including midwives because we need more PhD prepared midwives too. </p><p>Getting a PhD is a great way to address the problems you've seen on the frontlines of COVID-19, another way to address the social injustices of racism and discrimination on health outcomes, and to make your voice heard by the decision-makers. A third of the 1% of nurses with PhDs will retire in the next five years so we need people to take their place. We cannot lose our voices in all the places where nurses and midwives with PhDs work.</p><p>Here's a compilation of the posts I've written about getting a PhD and the things to think about as you figure out where you want to apply.</p><p><b><a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2014/09/phd-or-dnp.html">PhD or DNP?</a> </b>This is where many people start when trying to decide on their doctoral-level career advancement. This post has my two cents on the topic.</p><p><b><a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2015/02/should-you-have-work-experience-before.html">Should you work as a nurse before getting a PhD?</a> </b>There's a lot of opinions out there on this subject about whether or not practice should inspire research questions OR if future researchers without experience ask different questions. The blog post covers that dilemma.</p><p><b><a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-to-choose-right-nursing-phd-program.html">Choosing the right program</a></b> is really important for the PhD. Reviewing this post will help. your decision making. I also cover how to choose even when you cannot move for school.</p><p><a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-to-choose-right-phd-program-for-you.html"><b>Balancing family factors</b></a> is a life constant when you have partners and children of any age. I review key considerations for prospective students who have these factors to consider.</p><p><b><a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-to-choose-right-phd-program-for-you_18.html">The money question</a></b> always comes up with PhD study because it often requires a financial sacrifice for a few years. There are, however, ways to balance the career investment that will pay off long term.</p><p><b><a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2020/03/international-nurses-guide-for-applying.html">For internationally educated nurses</a></b> interested in pursuing a nursing or midwifery PhD in the United States, the link to this blog post will help you prepare in ways that go beyond the recommendations in the posts above.</p><p>Full disclosure: I am the new PhD program director for New York University's Meyer's College of Nursing as of July 1, 2020. I write this guide as much to find good matches for our program, but for the broader purpose of encouraging nurses and midwives everywhere to go back for PhD study. </p><p>We can't make change without evidence. A PhD turns you into an evidence maker!</p><p> </p>Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-72455181633444562202020-04-22T05:00:00.000-07:002020-04-23T09:16:10.318-07:00Notes from Academia: We Only Succeed When We Support Our Colleagues with KidsThe stories I hear from my colleagues in academia with kids living at home are something else, especially if they are young. For those on tenure track, the pressure to succeed in the face of such uncertainty is staggering. Some places, like my home university, have extended tenure clocks for those who may need it and have mobilized support groups.<br />
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There will be, of course, the inevitable faculty members who simply can't understand why non-tenured faculty on research tracks with children living at home are struggling so much. After all, in their day they did not have all the legal provisions and extra protections that young faculty have today. Or just put the kids on a schedule! Scheduling is the key to success in everything! Sound familiar? Wouldn't you like those folks to see how working and homeschooling goes if their grandkids or grand nieces and nephews came over and spent a week with them?<br />
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Faculty who think that way are thinking from a highly privileged place. No one in academia in recent memory has faced the kinds of challenges COVID-19 is presenting the world. Our industry is upended and like so many things, nothing will ever be the same.<br />
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The message for these times is: Don't do things the way we've always done them.<br />
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From here on out, here's how we support each other--especially our colleagues with kids at home--during these times.<br />
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<li>Figure out how to collaborate efficiently and effectively. </li>
<li>Keep everyone in publications. There's no better time than the present to work together and show a track record of collaboration that will help you get research funding in the future.</li>
<li>Find ways to collaborate on research ideas that address the problems of the now. Adaptability is key to getting through this period.</li>
<li>Ask our parent colleagues what they need to succeed and help them. If they don't know, help them figure it out.</li>
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Above all else, it's everyone needs to know it's OK to NOT be as productive as you normally are these days. At the same time, it's an opportunity to be productive in different ways.</div>
Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-42850622688594327122020-04-15T14:21:00.000-07:002020-04-15T14:21:14.990-07:00For Emerging Female Leaders in Nursing - Ask to be NominatedI've taught in nursing programs for 19 years now. I have had the privilege of supporting both male and female nurses alike at all levels, from the frontline provider through the faculty level. During that time, I've noticed one key difference between male and female* nurses<i>. </i><br />
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<i>Male nurses ask to be nominated for various opportunities. Women wait to be recognized.</i><br />
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There is no reason for this to happen. Those of us in positions to nominate people for opportunities or recognition should be more mindful of working toward a gender balance in our nomination practices. Our potential nominees also need to ask to be nominated.<br />
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Don't think you aren't ready.<br />
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Don't wait to be recognized. Ask. Sometimes people don't nominate you because they aren't aware of your work or accomplishments.<br />
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Find people who will nominate you even when others say "you aren't ready."<br />
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Asking to be nominated for awards is not being egotistical. It's saying the work you do is worthy of recognition--especially when the impact is really clear.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*I use the gender binary because I have not yet had an openly transgender or gender non-binary student. I am hoping the time will come soon.</span>Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-87753334042530987572020-04-08T12:17:00.000-07:002020-04-08T12:17:00.321-07:00The Cons of Doing a Post-DocMany faculty positions require a post-doc, but actually doing one isn't feasible for everyone. There are a lot of reasons not to do a post-doc. Here's a few core ones.<div>
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<i>It's Not Financially Feasible</i></div>
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Post-doc salaries aren't always great. The minimum salary is $45,000. For many people who have already sacrificed for many years to finish their PhD, it's not possible to continue the sacrifice. Full time employment that capitalizes on the PhD credential may be the only alternative.</div>
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<i>It May Not Be Good for Career Progression, Depending on Your Age</i></div>
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Nurses and midwives complete doctoral degrees at many ages. Candidates need to ask themselves if spending two more years in a post-doc is the right career move. Academic nursing, in particular, can have many career forms and depending on your life stage and goals, going right into a faculty position is a perfectly viable option. Programs of research can still be developed with this pathway through both internal and external institutional support.</div>
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Candidates also need to consider their long term career goals. If you seek a leadership position in Academia long term, going right into a position where you will understand how the institutions work (and don't) is a better decision. Develop your credentials as an educator and/or administrator first and make sure your scholarship sustains itself.</div>
Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-67516200247181390592020-04-01T14:00:00.000-07:002020-04-01T14:00:09.203-07:00How About a Little Sanity Around Data Informed Practice?Your patient satisfaction scores went up by two points this month. YAY!<br />
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Your patient satisfaction scores went down three points the following month. Boo!<br />
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Those monthly scores feel like an emotional roller coaster, right? Then you add on all the other relevant quality outcome measures your employer has decided are important and it can get even more crazy and complex. Depending on your manager, they either take them very seriously or they understand the complexities of measuring patient outcomes.<br />
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How do we handle all the new data coming at us more sanely? Here's a solution.<br />
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<b>Statistical Process Control.</b> What is it? Here's a generally agreed upon definition:<br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Statistical process control</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> (SPC) is a method of quality </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">control</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> which employs </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">statistical</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> methods to monitor and </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">control</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> a </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">process</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">. This helps to ensure that the </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">process</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> operates efficiently, producing more specification-conforming products with less waste (rework or scrap).</span><br />
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What SPC does is it tells you when your team's performance is normal and when it's not. It is specific to the patients YOU work with, so you're not compared inappropriately to others.<br />
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Here's what an SPC chart looks like:<br />
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<img alt="Control Chart Example" height="232" src="https://asq.org/-/media/Images/Learn-About-Quality/control-chart.png?la=en" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="377" /></div>
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See the two dotted lines? Any number within those two lines means the performance of the process is NORMAL. Ups and downs within the dotted lines are nothing to worry about.</div>
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That spike at point 11, however, that's something to be concerned about. That's when you go back to what happened that month. Were that patients sicker? Were you short-staffed? Was there a supply shortage that affected operations? Whatever the reason for the spike, you can take steps to proactively address the source of the problem. In this chart, the patient care delivery site dropped back to the normal range the following month. That means the team took the necessary steps to address the performance problem, whatever it's source.</div>
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This is what it means to use data wisely and effectively when delivering patient care. It's not hard to do and there are lots of tools and resources out there. Just be sure you get them from a reliable source.</div>
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Here's a link to a good resource for SPC from ASQ: <a href="https://asq.org/quality-resources/statistical-process-control">https://asq.org/quality-resources/statistical-process-control</a></div>
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Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-11126030267193945082020-03-25T09:14:00.000-07:002020-03-25T09:14:04.854-07:00The Pros of Doing a Post-Doc<div>
In 2019, we started a conversation about <a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2019/01/to-post-doc-or-not-to-post-doc-that-is.html" target="_blank">doing a Post-Doc (or not)</a>. Life happens and so now I'm circling back to continue the conversation in 2020.</div>
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A post-doctoral fellowship, for nursing, is an additional two to three years of training after you finish your PhD. A post-doc can be a great opportunity to build additional skills and expand your network of mentors. For example, if you did a qualitative dissertation then building your quantitative skills as they relate to your dissertation work is a logical next step in developing your program of research.<br />
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A post-doc is also the perfect time to publish. Highly competitive candidates for faculty positions at top schools typically have between 5 and 10 publications resulting from their post-doc, sometimes more. To meet that goal, it is an ideal opportunity to go back to your papers that you wrote during your doctoral coursework and see which ones can be developed into papers. Papers that demonstrate collaboration with your post-doc mentor are also important and you may be asked to take the lead on those. And above all else, submit or publish at least one paper from your dissertation.</div>
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Networking is also a skill to develop during your post-doc. Rarely in your career will you have the time to develop your networks as you will during your post-doc. You want people to know your work and you want to know who are the good collaborators in your field. It will help your program of research grow and flourish, even in times of tight funding.</div>
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Finally, your post-doc is the perfect time to do the pilot work that you need to put together larger grants. Small grant funding will help you have data for several years that will keep you in publications before your big grant comes. If you choose a faculty role, then as you take on teaching, having data to work with as you develop your classroom management skills--which can take time and often affect publication productivity for new faculty.</div>
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There are a lot of pros to doing a post-doc. The right opportunity will set you up to make your vision for research a reality.</div>
Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-24856580201987728442020-03-18T13:30:00.000-07:002020-03-18T13:30:05.711-07:00Let's Advocate for "Great Catches" Instead of "Near Misses"One of the biggest reasons why new nurses leave their first jobs is the culture around how mistakes are handled. No one wants to work feeling like they can never make a mistake. In fact, most nurses are hyper-aware of the potential of making a mistake and the consequences to patients. We also know that nurses often catch mistakes before they become problematic, yet those rarely get rewarded.<br />
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A punitive culture around errors is a by-product of both paternalism and maternalism. It is the parental like approach of punishment for the mistake, yet it is often the system that sets the nurse up for mistakes. Good systems look at the root causes of the mistakes and acknowledge that the person who committed the error has probably punished themselves enough.<br />
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There's a healthy literature about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=nurs*+AND+%22near+miss%22" target="_blank">nurses catching mistakes before they happen</a> and a growing body of literature on <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=%22nurse+surveillance%22" target="_blank">nurse surveillance</a> for catching problems before they happen. Essentially, the evidence is growing about how nurses--when they have the right support and resources--can make great catches that prevent mistakes.<br />
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So, maybe you're looking for a clinical ladder or DNP project, perhaps a research study? Here's one for you that's based on evidence.<br />
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What if you introduced an intervention to change the language around mistakes from "near misses" to "great catches"? Think of the positive sentiment that would create where you work. Nurses might feel supported to report a great catch that avoids a near miss or an actual error. The system then has the opportunity to recognize and value what nurses are doing in their every day jobs.<br />
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By changing to "great catches" from near misses, nurses become revenue preservers for a health system instead of revenue losers. We can show that nursing services pay for themselves.<br />
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<br />Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-67465921594215199132020-03-13T09:54:00.001-07:002020-03-13T09:54:43.725-07:00For Nurses - How to Help Combat COVID-19 if Your Practice Is Not Clinic or Hospital-basedIn the last week, I've done more nursing for non-family members than I have in several years. I left hospital practice twelve years ago to focus on research and teaching the next generation of nurses. I suspect there are many nurses out there like me who can contribute in non-traditional ways.<br />
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Here's some guiding principles for helping reduce public fear and panic and help people be proactive in their self and family care.<br />
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1. <b>Evidence-based practice</b>: The CDC is the best source for COVID-19 information as well as the World Health Organization. Neither has a political agenda to advance so you can trust what's reported there. This is critically important for dispelling disinformation about the disease and death rates.<br />
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2. <b>Be consistent </b><b>your information on social media</b>: The more consistently you calmly respond to people's anxiety and fears on social media, they will calm down and make better decisions. We all know that people in crisis make poor decisions and lash out. Our job is to prevent and reduce that from happening. Draw from those basic psych nursing skills.<br />
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3. <b>Help people develop a plan to get through quarantine:</b> Cover the basics like food and physical activity first. Then help people think about activities they can do at home. It's a good time to point out that people can do a deep housecleaning and reorganizing during this time. Get rid of old stuff, do an old fashioned spring cleaning. Assess, plan, implement, evaluate. Bet you never thought you'd see that again, right?<br />
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4. <b>Offer your expertise</b>: Religious institutions, local authorities, business leaders, anyone who asks or may not think or know to ask you as the nurse. Physicians will likely have very busy practices and lack the time to respond. Keep recommendations practical and evidence-based.<br />
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5. <b>Be honest and find the silver linings:</b> We know people like a straight answer in these times. Give it to them and help them plan according to their concerns. And people need to hear hope and hold on to that. There are silver linings to this pandemic. Help them find it.<br />
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Finally, be there for our colleagues on the front lines. We've got no time to bring each other down right now. It's time to come together and support each other.Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-13803486059214621482020-03-11T11:15:00.004-07:002020-03-11T11:15:57.957-07:00Coronavirus Graphics to Educate Yourselves, Your Students, and the PublicInformation Is Beautiful is a data visualization company. They've developed some really helpful infographics about the COVID-19 epidemic and how it affects people. There's good news in there too - most people recover.<br />
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Check out the graphics <a href="https://informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/covid-19-coronavirus-infographic-datapack/" target="_blank">here</a>.Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-1800964131680307392020-03-11T08:44:00.000-07:002020-03-11T08:44:10.084-07:00Connect with Nurses Around the World in the Year of the Nurse & Midwife 2020In case you haven't heard, 2020 is the Year of the Nurse and Midwife as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO)! This is the first time WHO has taken this action. They chose to do this to help increase support and recognition for nurses and midwives around the world. Later this year they will also release the state of the world's nursing and midwifery report which will tell us a lot about our colleagues in every country around the world.<br />
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What's also really cool is we have a way to connect with our colleagues around the world through Nursing Now!, a non-profit organization based in the United Kingdom that is spearheading the global movement to build youth leadership in our profession, make nurses and midwives more visible, and help us all connect together. You can learn more about and join the movement <a href="https://www.nursingnow.org/join-the-campaign/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<img alt="ANAE-YON2020-logo-color" height="320" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=68db4e3647&attid=0.2&permmsgid=msg-f:1652657904424362866&th=16ef6b9ba074a372&view=fimg&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ8tb5G4yXXhJzxKL1k-29fag2EY7FPrbypuuYiFlAbgMc0-lQJ5gBgnnQ6vL31LfO3yKarMILyYRpOSSFac8nEs4r0pM5KWrMTFKFqPizSvzNyF3mELLbMOvg4&disp=emb&realattid=93384b0d7bab28a1_0.2" width="288" /></div>
Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-46252433839540310792020-03-05T10:50:00.002-08:002020-03-05T11:06:56.789-08:00Coronavirus - What Nurses and Midwives Need to Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PInIjd_2pLA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PInIjd_2pLA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
Emergency preparedness nurse expert Tener Veneema, PhD, RN, FAAN provides a great overview for nurses and midwives about the coronavirus COVID-19.Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-72953238312092879932020-03-04T12:12:00.002-08:002020-03-05T09:28:29.312-08:00We're Back for the Year of the Nurse 2020!Over the last ten years, this blog continues to generate traffic so we are back in 2020 to highlight key issues around developing your nursing career and other hot topics related to the profession in the US and abroad.<br />
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Here's some popular topics from past posts based on the 52,000+ visitors who have found it.<br />
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<li><a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-to-choose-right-nursing-phd-program.html" target="_blank">Getting your PhD in Nursing</a> - There are four posts in this series so be sure to check them all out.</li>
<li><a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2019/01/to-post-doc-or-not-to-post-doc-that-is.html" target="_blank">The Post-Doc Question</a></li>
<li><a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2017/10/notes-from-nursing-faculty-search.html" target="_blank">The Faculty Search Process</a></li>
<li><a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2015/08/a-better-way-to-get-rid-of-your-nursing.html" target="_blank">Loan Repayment</a></li>
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Mentoring is about supporting people in their career development and facing the day to day issues of their career. I hope you find this blog useful!</div>
Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-68135388357772494212020-03-04T11:53:00.002-08:002020-03-05T10:12:08.051-08:00International Nurses - A Guide for Applying for a PhD in the United StatesDeveloping a country's ability to produce nurses as well as grow research led by nurses is an important component of building health system capacity overall. For many nurses who see an academic or policy career path in their future, studying for a PhD is an important career step.<br />
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If your a nurse who wants to do a PhD in the United States (US), here's some helpful advice to make your application as strong as possible and answer some common questions applicants have when developing their applications. To begin, prospective students may wish to review previous blog posts I've written about applying for a PhD more broadly. These include <a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-to-choose-right-nursing-phd-program.html" target="_blank">choosing a program</a>, <a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-to-choose-right-phd-program-for-you.html" target="_blank">family considerations</a>, and <a href="https://nursementor.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-to-choose-right-phd-program-for-you_18.html" target="_blank">finances</a>.<br />
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One thing that is really important for an international student to understand is the difference between a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and a PhD in Nursing. Faculty with a DNP and no PhD are not allowed to serve as primary mentors when obtaining a PhD. This is because most DNPs are not educated to conduct and design research. They may have other expertise that is a good fit to participate on your committee, but they cannot be a primary mentor. If you complete your application and identify a faculty member with a DNP as your primary mentor, you likely will not be accepted to the program because the admissions committee will perceive it as a poor fit.<br />
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<b>Frequently Asked Questions by Prospective International Applicants for Nursing PhDs</b><br />
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<i>Q: Do I need to take NCLEX-RN to get into the program?</i><br />
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A: Sometimes. The program should post that information on their website. NCLEX-RN is only important if you plan to stay in the US to work as a faculty member.<br />
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<i>Q: IELTS or TOEFL-IBT -what kind of scores do I need?</i><br />
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A: In English speaking countries, your language skills will make the program more easy or more difficult for you. Your spoken language and writing scores are the two most important scores on your overall test. Your spoken language score, for example, gives the admissions committee an idea of how well you will be able to participate in class discussions - a common teaching technique in US programs. Your writing score provides an indication of how difficult written assignments will be for you in the program. In both cases, anything less than the equivalent of a 6.0 on the IELTS will mean that you are more likely to struggle with completing program coursework.<br />
<br />
If you do not get that kind of score on your first try, you can take the test again. Programs will consider your highest score on each section of the test.<br />
<br />
______________________________________________<br />
<br />
<i>Q: Do I have to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
A: Yes and no. It depends on the program requirements. We know that these kinds of standardized entry exams have biases against students who come from countries that do not use standardized tests as a way to differentiate applicants. Many schools, as a result, are testing out waiving the requirement.<br />
<br />
The most important part of the GRE, to be frank, is the writing section. Less than a 3.0 on the writing section weakens your application, especially if you have no other publications that go with your application (in English or your first language).<br />
<br />
______________________________________________<br />
<br />
<i>Q: How much do my research interests matching with faculty matter?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
A: A LOT! For example, if you want to study nursing education and optimal techniques for teaching, you want to go to a place that is known for that. If no one on the faculty does that research, then you are more likely to get rejected from the program. It's probably the single biggest reason why international students get rejected from programs.<br />
<br />
______________________________________________<br />
<br />
<i>Q: What about funding to support my studies?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
A: First, you need to know the cost of supporting a PhD student. Tuition costs can range from $12,000 to $35,000, depending on the program. Many students will receive a living stipend that ranges between $1,500 to $2,800/month for 9 months. Travel support to return home is uncommon and the student needs to provide funding for visits home.<br />
<br />
There are a number of funding strategies for nurses seeking PhDs who are international students. Students who are self-supporting through scholarships from their home countries are, to be honest, more attractive applicants to many programs. Many high-income countries have scholarships available to support PhD study. Sometimes they are specific for nurses but what many nurses do not do is apply for ones that are more generic scholarships. Look for those because you may be the first nurse to apply for them!<br />
<br />
Here are other options:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The PhD program provides tuition (only) and/or living support for you in the form of a scholarship.</li>
<li>You borrow money to support your studies from US or home country sources. Only do this if you think you can pay the funds back if you have to work in your home country upon return.</li>
<li>You save money for several years to support yourself during your studies.</li>
<li>After acceptance, you seek out other kinds of scholarships. The school may be able to help you with looking for them.</li>
</ul>
______________________________________________<br />
<br />
<i>Q: Can I get a job in the US after I finish?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
A: Many international graduates can get faculty and research jobs in the US after completing their PhD. The biggest limiting factor for most international students is that they are not eligible for post-doctoral fellowships--a hiring preference for top research university faculty. Many schools also require faculty to have passed the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Finally, some states require faculty to have at least two years of work experience in the US to teach as faculty--especially if working for a public university. Since a PhD can take between 4 and 6 years to complete, your initial plans when you arrive to study may change. Always keep that in mind as you think about moving your career forward in the US or back in your home country.Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-40553688461826956612019-01-17T06:43:00.000-08:002019-01-17T06:43:19.335-08:00To Post-Doc or Not to Post-Doc, That is a Very Good Question - Part 1Happy 2019!<br />
<br />
Much to my surprise, I realized I went all of 2018 without posting anything. I got tenure in 2018 so technically, I should have had more time with that monkey off my back. Yet as a wise colleague told me, tenure usually means more work. Sure enough.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, let's start 2019 off fresh with a burning question I get from many of my PhD students: To post-doc or not to post-doc. For those of you not in academia, I post-doctoral fellowship (post-doc) involves additional training. You see, science has evolved so much these days that despite doing a PhD for 4 to 7 years, you might need more training.<br />
<br />
I went into my post-doc reluctantly. After 5 years of PhD study, I was really hoping to have a just one job and a regular salary that might actually allow me to travel and start paying down my student loans. A post-doc just seemed like more years being poor.<br />
<br />
It was, however, the best decision I ever made. I was lucky to have a great mentor who passed along many wonderful opportunities to develop my career. Since a federally funded post-doc pays you only for 4 days a week, I had a day a week to build my consulting business which continues today. I published a ton of peer-reviewed articles, which made my eventual academic job hunt a lot easier--even though in 2009 after the economic crash, jobs were few and far between.<br />
<br />
Most Research I universities want their hires to have a post-doc these days and there are pros and cons to that. At the same time, alternate career paths have their perks too. Over the next few weeks, we'll talk about the pros and cons of post-docs and how to work around them if your circumstances do not allow you to take a post-doc after you graduate. I'll highlight case examples from friends and colleagues too.<br />
<br />
Looking forward to engaging with you more in 2019!Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-13891048193346327252017-11-08T08:17:00.002-08:002017-11-08T08:17:19.801-08:00Here's a Great Study Highlighting the Impact of Racism on Nurses<h1 style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
“I Can Never Be Too Comfortable”: Race, Gender, and Emotion at the Hospital Bedside</h1>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That's the title of a new study that just came out in <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1049732317737980#articleShareContainer" target="_blank">Qualitative Health Research</a>. The study of bedside nurses' diaries of their experiences reveals how nurses experience racism on the job. It comes not just from patients, but also from peers and management.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We have to talk about this more folks. It's time we deal with it better, in every setting.</div>
Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-62856195562035403812017-10-03T05:00:00.000-07:002017-10-03T05:00:11.108-07:00Notes from the Nursing Faculty Search Process - Reflections from a Search ChairI recently served as the Chair of the Search committee for my College. It was a great experience and very enlightening to be on the "other" side of the search process. We had a very successful year of recruitment and I learned a lot.<br />
<br />
Here's some tips if you're considering entering the academic job market in nursing. Most of these will apply largely to Research I universities, but may apply elsewhere.<br />
<b><br /></b>
1. <b>Do your homework: </b>Come to the interview showing that you have done some research about the place where you're applying. Know the faculty members who might be good collaborators or mentors. The interview process is as much about you feeling a place out as it is about them figuring out if you're going to be a good match. Well prepared candidates always get more positive feedback than those who are not.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>2. Identify where you can teach in their programs - and not just in the PhD program: </b>Reality of most US nursing programs is they need people who can teach core courses at all levels. When you identify only PhD level courses you can teach, it limits you as a candidate. This presents a probl if you do not have a lot of clinical nursing work experience. Students want teachers that have patient care stories they can share as part of their instructional techniques. It gives you credibility that goes beyond what your research produces. And with faculty shortages, you never know where you might need to fill in for a class.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Present your research as what you've done, where you want to go, and how collaborations at the place you're interviewing will help you get there:</b> The days of the lone wolf researcher are over. It is less and less possible to become an independent researcher without first gaining experience on research teams. You also need to publish, lots, to help you get funding these days. If there are natural collaborations that would happen at your new place, the odds of more funding coming in for all increases and that adds to your faculty application. As a new assistant professor, you also need a mentor--everyone does. The best place for you will have one available that is a good topic area or methods match for you.<br />
<br />
<i>Exception</i>: Sometimes places are rebuilding. Depending on your experience, you may need to be more of a self-started with the idea of growing teams as part of the development of your program of research.<br />
<br />
<b>4. Never, ever, ever speak negatively about people you've interviewed with during your interview day or the place itself:</b> Faculty interview days last for 6-8 hours and sometimes you might even get dinner out with your potential new colleagues. It's a long day and sometimes, you get tired and maybe feel a bit cranky. If you are critical of someone you interviewed with to another faculty member, critical of the facilities in a way that is off putting, or just generally being negative, that will get back to the committee. Those behaviors will put off the search committee from your candidacy and will affect the hiring recommendation that goes to the Dean.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Nursing is a very small world, your reputation may precede your visit:</b> After awhile you learn very quickly that academic nursing is a very small world. Your reputation begins to build as a graduate student and can carry forward from there. There will be people who have amazing credentials, but if they are known to be difficult to work with, places are becoming increasingly reluctant to hire them, no matter how good they are at what they do. People get to know you through all those professional activities we have to do as part of the job. Your reputation is built there too.<br />
<br />
Now, to be fair, people can have bad periods in their life (PhD study seems to bring those out) and that may just be temporary. Don't be afraid of those times. If someone brings it up, acknowledge the period and talk about what you did to overcome those times. People have lots of respect for self awareness and it adds to your credibility as a candidate overall.<br />
<br />
<b>6. Have a plan that addresses the weaknesses in your CV:</b> No candidate is perfect. Some candidates have lots of publications but little funding; others, the reverse. Increasingly, there are more PhD graduates in nursing with minimal clinical experience and that can be very job limiting for some (per above). Whatever yours are, the fact that you've been asked to interview is a good sign that the place is interested in you and your work. Candidates that demonstrate a modicum of humility throughout the search process and awareness of their strengths and limitations do well overall during the interview process.<br />
<br />
<b>7. Trust your gut reaction to a place and the people you meet:</b> As stated above, the interview process is a two way street. If you don't have a good experience with the interview process, if you're just not gelling with the people you meet, if the vibe just doesn't feel right, it's not the right place for you. And that's OK. Odds are you'll be at your first academic job for between 7 and 10 years. You really want to make sure it's a place you can succeed.<br />
<br />
So, those are a few thoughts for those of you going out on the academic search process. There's plenty of other interviewing advice out there that all apply as well, but these were the most salient points I took away from the last year. Hope they're helpful!<br />
<br />
<br />Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-66447597730293813232017-09-19T05:00:00.000-07:002017-09-19T05:00:02.000-07:00Language Barriers and Your Patients - Let the Evidence Guide Your Decisions so You Can Comply with the Law<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In almost every health care setting in the United States (US) these days, nurses and other health care providers are dealing with language barriers as part of care delivery more than ever before. In fact, most countries in the world run into some kind of language barrier issue in the health care setting. Global migration means more tourists and immigrants for every country in the world. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the US, language access--meaning the availability of interpreters and their services-- is a civil right. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) also added new provisions for health care services providers around language access that are important for you to know. From <a href="https://www.cmelearning.com/new-2016-aca-rules-significantly-affect-the-law-of-language-access/" target="_blank">CME Learning</a>:</span><br />
<blockquote style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">New rules on language access were implemented on <b><u>July 18, 2016</u></b>. These changes are sweeping in scope as they apply to “every [federal] health program or activity, any part of which receives Federal financial assistance.” </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Section 1557 is a <b><u>“non-discrimination” provision</u></b> that broadly prohibits discrimination in health care or health coverage <b>on the basis of race, “color”, national origin (including immigration status and English language proficiency).</b> Section 1557 is unique among Federal civil rights laws in that it specifically addresses discrimination in health programs and activities. <i>The final rule combines, expands (by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity) and harmonizes existing, well-established federal civil rights laws and clarifies the standards that HHS will apply in implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. </i></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Section 1557 explicitly prohibits discrimination by:</span><ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.35em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Any health program or activity that receives federal financial assistance, including credits, subsidies, or contracts of insurance (e.g. Medicaid and CHIP)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.35em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Any program or activity that is administered by a federal agency (e.g. Medicare and the federally facilitated marketplace); and</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.35em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Any entity created under Title I of the ACA (e.g. state-based, state partnership and the federally facilitated marketplaces).</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As these proposed changes apply to national origin discrimination (and hence to immigrants and Limited English Proficient patients), the major changes are as follows</span>:</span><ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.35em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hospitals, health plans, clinics, nursing homes, physicians and other providers must offer “qualified interpreters” to Limited English Proficient patients.</strong> The major problem in the language access field is that too often, providers attempt to “get by” without the use of trained interpreters when treating LEP patients. Despite a strong consensus in the academic and research communities about the quality and safety risks of using untrained bilingual staff, adult family members and friends and minor children as interpreters, even today a majority of providers throughout the U.S. continue to use untrained interpreters even when qualified interpreters are readily available in person or remotely via telephone or video remote devices.</span></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">These are critical changes you need to be aware of for your clinical practice. You can learn more about language barriers and working more effectively with interpreters <a href="http://journals.lww.com/nursing/Fulltext/2017/09000/Evidence_based_approaches_to_breaking_down.10.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>. CE credits available!</span>Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-16048847842813889012017-09-05T05:00:00.000-07:002017-09-05T05:00:24.459-07:00Why You Will Get a "Bad" Grade in Nursing School & Why It Will be the Best Thing to Happen to YouPerhaps you have been a straight A student all your life.<br />
<br />
Perhaps you had one subject you struggled with, got Bs in it, but mostly As in the rest of your classes.<br />
<br />
Then you started nursing school.<br />
<br />
Most students quickly discover that nursing is one of the hardest majors at any university. Not only do you have a lot of time in class, your "lab" equivalent involves learning how to care for really sick people. Most nursing students spend between 24 to 30 hours per week in class --and THEN have lots of reading and other assignments they need to do to prepare for their "labs." After all, in a chemistry lab you probably won't harm or kill anyone due to the highly controlled conditions. When any health profession student is learning, there is always the risk for mistakes and it's why they are so closely supervised.<br />
<br />
Inevitably, every nursing student gets their definition of a "bad" grade. For some, this is an actual failure of a class and that can happen for lots of reasons that have nothing to do with your overall competence. For others, it means a B or a C.<br />
<br />
Getting a bad grade is good for you. No, really.<br />
<br />
First of all, if you've never failed at or struggled with anything before you went to college, you're not very well prepared for life in general. Failure and struggle are a part of life and believe it or not, it's normal.<br />
<br />
Second, if you've never gotten a "bad" grade it's likely due to grade inflation. Schools face lots of pressure to reward high school students with good grades so they can get into good colleges. The grades do not always reflect the quality of work actually delivered.<br />
<br />
Then there's my favorite of "But I worked so hard! I deserve a better grade cause I've worked so hard on the [insert assignment here]."<br />
<br />
Guess what? You're going to work really hard taking care of patients in the community, hospitals, and other locations. And the patients aren't always going to think you're great and wonderful, not matter what you do.<br />
<br />
Getting a bad grade may actually prepare you to deal with that scenario. More importantly, it will teach you that you need to change the way you've worked in the past because taking care of sick people and helping people stay well takes a lot of work.<br />
<br />
And you won't always succeed.<br />
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Sometimes, you will just have to do your best. And your professors and clinical instructors are there to make sure your best is good enough to deliver safe and quality care to people facing physical and mental health challenges.<br />
<br />
Don't sweat the "bad" grade. Take it as a signal that you need to do better.<br />
<br />
<br />Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-64433627857526269692017-07-18T05:38:00.003-07:002017-07-18T05:38:53.625-07:00So, You Want a Nursing Career in Global Health - How to get StartedI've worked in or been on research studies that cover 30 countries to date. With that global experience, I frequently do lectures about global health issues at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Millenials want to get out there and see the world and Gen X and Boomers are looking for meaningful career changes. The theme is common: They want to help the less fortunate in other countries. It's not to say they don't want to help the less fortunate in their own country; I think it's become something of seeing the consistency of what poverty does to people and the health consequences.<br />
<br />
With all that in mind, want to know: How do I build a career in global health as a nurse?<br />
<br />
First question I ask people is: Do you like camping?<br />
<br />
Surprising question? Not really if you've spent time in the field. Most places where there is a critical need for health services and capacity building efforts don't have things like regular running water, consistent electricity, or comfortable places to sleep. If you don't like discomfort, don't do global health.<br />
<br />
Once we're past that question, then come the career practicalities. International non-governmental organizations (NGO), the biggest employer of nurses working in global health, like nurses to have a solid set of critical thinking and clinical skills before they hire them. Generally, two years of med-surg or emergency experience will do fine. ICU isn't actually great preparation for global health work because there's too much technology and resources. You have to be able to work without resources and, sometimes, in highly uncontrolled environments. ICU is the opposite of that, so not great preparation.<br />
<br />
It is important to note that most NGOs will look more favorably upon you if you've actually been out of your home country before. The last thing any organization wants is someone who committed to 6 months of field work and suddenly finds they don't like it or it's not what they expected. That costs them and their projects lots of time and effort that often cannot be recuperated. So, if you haven't got a passport yet, you'll need to use it.<br />
<br />
Another recommendation I make, and one way to get out of the country, is that students try to do a volunteer trip for 2-3 weeks somewhere. Organizations like <a href="http://www.uniteforsight.org/" target="_blank">Unite for Sight</a> have great short term, supervised volunteer experiences where you can try on global health work and see if it is a good fit for you.<br />
<br />
One thing you should NEVER do is pay lots of money for a global health experience. What I mean by that is that you shouldn't pay huge additional administrative fees to go observe or gain experience. There are cheaper ways to get exactly the same experience. So pay close attention to the reviews people leave about those programs.<br />
<br />
So, you've got a place to get started and can start making a plan. In future posts, I'll cover things like financial planning for when you're heading abroad and long term career development.<br />
<br />
Good luck!Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-70109335800486932272017-05-23T05:00:00.000-07:002017-05-23T05:00:09.746-07:00Discrimination in NursingNobody talks about it. Ever.<br />
<br />
Sure, we talk about how patients face discrimination and the impact on their health. Some schools might even teach about the institutional and structural aspects of society that reinforce racism, sexism, ethnocentrism, and many other -isms. We do talk about how patients say things to us that we may consider to be offensive, and how to handle that.<br />
<br />
But we don't talk about how we, as nurses, perpetuate discrimination and exclusion within our own profession and toward our patients. Here's a few examples of stories I've heard over the years.<br />
<br />
<i>A South Asian nurse manager told one of her African-American nursing assistants that she needed to fix her hair because she looked like she came from the jungle.</i><br />
<br />
<i>A Jewish nurse was working in a hospital in an area where there weren't a lot of Jewish people. During Hannukah, she wanted to put up a Menorah on her unit amidst all the Christmas decorations so she could clelebrate her faith like everyone else. The other staff members made her life hell, criticizing her religion. She left a few months later.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>A new graduate nurse witnessed an experience nurse call a patient a sinner and drop to her knees to pray for the patient in front of them. The patient was an Athiest.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>A team of ICU nurses found out that all the male nurses on their unit made 50 to 75 cents more per hour than the female nurses. When confronting the manager, she justified it saying that the men negotiated better, even when she had told many new female hires that starting salaries were non-negotiable.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
We can't change things if we can't talk about them. Share your stories by posting in the comments below.Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-68661936417126058102016-11-29T08:51:00.000-08:002016-11-29T08:51:05.603-08:00Where the Jobs are in the US for New Graduate BSNsSomething I tell my New York-based students all the time: If you want your first choice job, leave New York City and don't go to California, Philadelphia, or Boston. Seems like my advice has some merit based on the latest national survey of where new graduate BSNs are getting jobs.<br />
<br />
From the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's latest survey:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"For
new BSN graduates, the job offer rate for
schools in the South is 77% followed by
71% in the Midwest, 57% in the North
Atlantic, and 56% in the West. This rate
is higher across the board for entry-level
MSN graduates: 80% in the Midwest,
76% in the South, 72% in the North
Atlantic, and 66% in the West. These
findings indicate that employment of
new graduates from entry-level nursing
programs is more challenging in different
regions of the country.
For more details on this survey, <a href="http://www.aacn.nche.edu/leading_initiatives_news/news/2016/employment16" target="_blank">visit AACN’s website</a>." </blockquote>
Why is it so hard to get a job right out of school in the North Atlantic and the West? Simple. Lots of nursing schools and highly desirable urban areas where people want to live and work in their 20s. The midwest and south have fewer schools of nursing so they do not graduate as many nurses.<br />
<br />
Hospitals in the North Atlantic and West regions also have some of the highest salaries --but also the highest cost of living in the country. These regions have the luxury of being able to hire nurses with experience because people are always moving there. Hospitals and other agencies, therefore, can be super selective about which new graduates they take.<br />
<br />
You can actually pay back your student loans faster, have higher quality of living space, and often really great work environments if you move to the middle our southern part of the US for your first nursing job. Think about it! Gain your experience in another part of the country. Move with a friend for a few years. And heck, you never know! You might just find you like it.Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-38496558458525512722016-09-09T13:39:00.002-07:002016-09-09T13:40:15.336-07:00What makes for a perfect shift when caring for patients?It's the start of another school year and after a long hiatus, I come back to the blog with a question generated by reports from former students in the field.<br />
<br />
<i>What makes for a perfect shift when caring for patients?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Even as immersed as I am in all the research about nurses' work environments, I realized that no one has asked this question of working nurses in awhile. What makes for a perfect shift as a nurse, wherever you work, in the 21st century? Some things I'm sure will stay the same, but others may be new because of all the changes happening everywhere in health care systems around the world.<br />
<br />
I hope you'll participate in a discussion through the comments section. All nurses, any where in the world, are welcome to participate. Do share what would make for an ideal working shift for you. Maybe if we collect enough ideas, we can make more changes happen at our workplaces.<br />
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<br />Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-67837744537567656012015-10-01T08:45:00.002-07:002015-10-01T08:45:43.706-07:00Job SecurityThis is a great c<a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/where-are-we-going-to-find-1-million-new-nurses-in-the-next-five-years-092815" target="_blank">omprehensive report about current US nursing workforce issues</a>. It gets a lot right and few things wrong. Yes, 1/3 of US RNs will retire by 2020 but many of them are concentrated in selected states. The million nurse shortage coming our way by 2030 will be concentrated in 16 states and most of those are in the South, South West, and Midwest. Most coastal locations will actually have surpluses of nurses.<br />
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Job hunting advice: If you want your first choice job right out of school, be prepared to move. You can do anything for two years and get solid experience. Have a friend go with you and start a new adventure somewhere you wouldn't have thought to live before. You never know what might happen! With solid work experience, you can always move to your preferred location down the road.Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-91684106703175417572015-09-16T06:57:00.001-07:002015-09-16T06:57:34.110-07:00Dear View: The Stethoscope is a Tool for ALL Healthcare ProvidersIn light of the member's of <a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/696230/the-view-co-hosts-facing-backlash-after-mocking-miss-america-nurse-monologue-why-does-she-have-a-doctor-s-stethoscope" target="_blank">The View's ignorant statements</a> about nurses, how we dress, and the tools we use to do our jobs, let's review a few things. We can discuss how their behavior denigrates women in general by engaging in catty, superficial commentary focused on nothing substantive at another time.<br />
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Stethoscopes are used by the following healthcare providers in addition to physicians:<br />
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<li>Nurses</li>
<li>Respiratory therapists</li>
<li>Nurse Practitioners</li>
<li>Physician Assistants</li>
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They all use the stethoscope as a tool to double check the findings of other professionals. It helps prevent mistakes and catches problems that could be life threatening. Clearly The View thinks only doctors save lives when it is a team effort. <br />
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Nurses using stethoscopes in the United States and other countries was a hard fought battle. Physicians did not feel nurses and other healthcare professionals were qualified to use stethoscopes for many years. Nurses fought long and hard to use them. Now it is a tool that helps us do our job better and helps us catch problems, often life threatening ones, much earlier.<br />
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This battle over who gets to use a stethoscope continues in many low and middle income countries too. Physicians do not want nurses using stethoscopes simply because they think that tool for healthcare delivery is only for them. Someone else using a stethoscope means incompetence is caught more easily. Symbolically, it is a way to maintain professional dominance over the "market of patients."<br />
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The only thing that dynamic does is hurt patients and their quality of care.<br />
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And producers of The View, guess how lots of nurses found out about these comments? While working in the hospital, their patients were probably watching. How many of them do you think are going to tell their patients about what the cast said and change the channel?Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597130610092546381.post-77927059480325949272015-08-21T05:00:00.000-07:002015-08-21T05:00:16.559-07:00Please, Let Sleeping Patients LieA recent <a href="http://khn.org/news/for-hospitals-sleep-and-patient-satisfaction-may-go-hand-in-hand/" target="_blank">Kaiser Health News</a> article highlights one of my personal pet peeves about hospital care: Unnecessarily interrupted sleep during hospitalization. It is bad for the patient and certainly impacts their satisfaction with your care.<br />
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You know how you feel when you haven't slept well, right? Add illness to that and for some, aging changes and you end up with a cranky patient and often family to boot. Sleep is important for all when ill, no matter what age the patient.<br />
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<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/resources/sleep/healthy-sleep" target="_blank">Sleep helps you heal.</a> It allows your body to work on fixing the problem while the mind switches to different activity levels that allow for physiologic healing to occur.<br />
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Sick kids need it so they have the energy to cope with their illness during the day and all those grown ups doing stuff to them.<br />
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The elderly need sleep because it will take them longer to recover. Lack of sleep also puts them at higher risk for delirium, confusion, and wandering. (Oh, does that explain a few things?!)<br />
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So if you are working night shift, ask yourself a few important questions:<br />
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<i>Can I give my patient all the meds they need before they go to sleep or get them scheduled that way?</i><br />
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<i>Do I REALLY need to get that set of vital signs on the medically stable patient in the middle of the night?</i><br />
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<i>Can I reposition the BP cuff on the sleeping child who keeps rolling over on to it and showing a BP drop that sets off alarms so both parent and child can sleep better?</i><br />
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Start critically thinking about how you can promote sleep with your patients. You just might find it might make for a better night shift for you.Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05439722454179858903noreply@blogger.com0