National Football League is the past; Nursing the future! #nursing

National Football League is the past; Nursing the future!

On the face of it there is no comparison between the two; however if you look closely, a football player has a short playing career which gets shorter if there is any serious injury (chances of which are always very high). A nurse on the other hand, works for decades, not only serving humanity but also earning very decent amounts of money. In addition, nursing career has a great job outlook as well.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a registered nurse with an Associate’s degree earns in excess of $64,000 each year. Nurses with higher educational qualifications and prior related work experience may earn in excess of the quoted yearly income. For example, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), on average, earn $130,000 per year.

As mentioned earlier the career in nursing, nursing profession has a great job outlook as well. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 26 percent faster growth of the industry as compared to other industries between the years 2010 and 2020.  This exponential growth is due to the large and ageing baby-boomer generation which now requires medical services. This is also because of technological advancements and an increased emphasis on preventive care.

Despite the attractive professional outlook if you are still unsure whether nursing is the profession for you, consider this; if you have the following skills, nursing is the profession for you:

• ·         Critical thinking skills
• ·         Speaking skills
• ·         Organizational skills
• ·         Patience
• ·         Emotional stability
• ·         An eye for detail
• ·         Compassion

In addition to acquiring the right educational qualification(s) it is worth remembering that all nurses must have a nursing license to practice. This means passing the National Council Licensure Examination or NCLEX-RN. Some states may have further requirements as well.

*infographic and article credit to: http://www.excite.com/education/careers/nursing-careers 

A Work of My Heart~ what makes me tick

This video made me cry as I sit here late at night unable to sleep once again, tired from another long weekend working my 12 hours shifts in the ED. Somedays I just don't know if I can keep going, I am exhausted and get so tired of the constant complaining of patients that come into the ED for stupid crap that they should have gone to their primary care doctors for. They whine and fuss about the wait, the doctor, the staff blah blah blah, but then I have the pleasure of taking care of some absolutely fabulous people that are so nice. They can be so sick but still say thank you for the care I gave them, they can still smile at me and make my day, they can still make me feel like I do make a difference in somebody's life. Emergency medicine is a hard and fast environment, changing all the time, being prepared with your adrenaline in standby mode continuously  takes it's toll on a body, I can feel my heart racing up and down pumping excitement and energy to keep my brain cells clicking and my feet moving. My blood pressure I am sure does the same.
Yes I am an adrenaline Type A junkie I guess, I thrive on that excitement or even just the thoughts of a potential excitement.
Why do I do what I do? simply because I like it, love it! I like going the extra mile to just be the nurse that cares. The nurse that makes sure you have that warm blanket, socks on your feet, ice chips, ginger ale or crackers if you want them, makes sure your kids have that coloring book, stickers ,stuffed animal or some distraction to make their visit to the ER a positive one too. I am that nurse that focus's on care as a whole, you and your family/visitors, they are an important link in the chain of your survival when you leave, whether it is going home or being transferred out.
Nursing is not glamorous and the smells are not happy ones, if you know what I mean. The pay is good, but not nearly enough for the battle you will fight and the war wounds you will display. So nurses that stay in nursing for a number of years are usually in it for their undying love for the profession, not the cute shoes, uniforms or certainly not the hot doctors (they are all married or assholes).
Enough of my disertation....... time to watch this video that actually made me cry....enjoy! #Nurse On and #NurseUp your fellow nurses, they are all here with you for the long run! Show them some love too!
Watch this video and you will see why I have totally loved being in the nursing field since I started out as a junior volunteer(candy striper)  at age 15.