March 8th, 2010
Nursing has become a popular degree in recent years because of the ever-increasing demand around the nation. What is even more popular is the demand for general nurses who are not specialized in any subject, but can simply work with any person in clinics or hospitals. As a result, the online education industry has managed to capitalize on this demand by offering hundreds of different RN programs through online schools. However, many of these future nurses need to be aware of the issues that plague the health industry, most importantly that of poor record-keeping, which has been a constant problem in hospitals around the nation.
Online RN programs now should attempt to rectify this problem by teaching their students the correct way to organize patient records. This has become both easy and complex at the same time, as records are now solely kept online in various computer files, rather than the old folder-file system. While this is easy for younger nursing students, this is difficult for older nurses who are not as adept at the computer and its many uses. However, this is an important issue that needs to be rectified soon because of the many problems poor recording can cause in the health industry. This is not like other professions in which record keeping is more of an annoyance than a problem; the health care industry deals with peoples’ lives, and pulling up the wrong record can have dire results for the patient. What if the wrong prescription gets pulled for a patient who has a violent allergic reaction?
Problems like these have caused the health care industry to double back and take a closer look at its RN programs and health care administrator programs, skills which many employees learned decades ago. As a result, many employees have been forced to take modern classes in order to update their knowledge of health care administration and adequate record-keeping. While this is not a change that can happen overnight, online RN programs can help expedite this process due to the many online classes that are offered. You do not have to earn a degree through online education, but can simply take classes that help you perform your career better in the long run. Many companies now require their employees to take supplemental online courses every few years to retain an ongoing knowledge of the company. While this applies to industries outside that of health care, this is the most important one which is should apply to because of the drastic consequences a lack of due care can have for patients.
January 27th, 2010
Long distance relationships can be difficult for any couple, but they are a special challenge for college students. Maintaining your relationship during this time of change and stress can put a strain on what you share, but going away doesn’t have to mean the end. Check out these tips to find out how you can survive and thrive in your long distance college relationship.
Make each other a priority. It’s easy to let the quality time in your relationship slide when you have schoolwork and activities to tend to, but to keep the flame alive, you’ve got to put time in together. Don’t forget to make regular phone calls, video chats, and IMs. Even when you can’t be together, making plans for when you can see each other can make you feel like this distance isn’t so far.
Communicate effectively. Communication doesn’t just mean talking on the phone or sending emails. Communication is about setting expectations, explaining needs, and discussing issues that come up in your relationship. Carefully consider compromises, problems, and worries that you may have in the relationship. Answer hard questions, like whether you’ll date other people, and how often you will have a chance to visit each other. Setting up real expectations before you have distance between you will make your relationship stronger and can stop many conflicts down the road.
Be honest and trustful. One of the biggest downfalls of a long distance relationship, aside from not being able to see each other, is the challenge of trust. Going away to college apart can set each of you up for situations where the fidelity of your relationship can be put to the test. Have an honest discussion about expectations for each other, and stick to what you’ve promised, no matter what the agreement is. Trust your partner to not hurt you, and receive trust in return. Be a reliable partner, keeping phone dates and remembering to be thoughtful-these actions go a long way to reminding your sweetie that you only have eyes for each other.
A long distance relationship in college can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. With the right communication, time commitment, and a good level of trust, you can enjoy your love, even from afar.
January 18th, 2010
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January 12th, 2010
Online education has revolutionized the education process in recent years, as fields we would never have expected have now opened themselves up to the internet and online colleges. Nursing school is no different, and now students are able to attend classes online before their residency requirements. While nursing school is typically a degree program that is taken from a traditional classroom setting, the advent in internet technologies has made nursing classes available online through web cams and other software and in turn has allowed students to gain certification without leaving their homes.
Attending nursing school online has opened up many doors for students who are burdened with full-time jobs and family life, allowing them to further their career goals without committing to a commuter school or a schedule that would wear them out. With the new technologies on the market, online nursing school has become a viable option for many students who have found themselves in a similar situation. Attending nursing school online is now no different than attending a traditional classroom program, although many students have found that the requirements of nursing school residency is reason enough to take the traditional route.
While the residency requirement in clinics or hospitals is a part of the nursing school process which cannot be taken online, the first year of study can still be taken online and it is no different than traditional schooling. Indeed, taking one year of studies online and the next year fulfilling course hours through shadowing other nurses helps ease into the nursing industry, rather than manufacturing some way to fulfill residency through the internet. The hands-on approach is a method of schooling which is required by the health care industry in order to get a feel for the skill involved in nursing.
Online schools have become a new staple of our economy, and as the industry booms, it will become increasingly accepted by most educators. The nursing community has already witnessed a boom in the amount of online schools that are offered, as well as a higher number of nursing students, very welcome in an economy that has needed health care professionals throughout the recession. Nurses play one of the vital roles in society as a caregiver to the sick and the intermediary between patients and doctors. From the time of Florence Nightengale to the modern era, the nursing industry has remained pretty much unchanged, albeit has technologically evolved throughout the years thanks to the internet and modern technology.
January 11th, 2010
Online nursing programs have boomed in recent years, with the advent of new technologies that have made such degree programs possible. As a result, existing programs have expanded their degree programs to attract students around the country and become the top ranked schools for nursing at the same time. Five of the top online schools include:
• Indiana State University
• University of Phoenix
• Kaplan University
• South University
• Virginia College
These schools have developed a stellar record within the online community in many different degree programs, but also within their nursing school offerings.
Indiana State University has begun offering online nursing degrees in addition to their already stellar degree programs on their college campus. Their nursing degree program alone is over one hundred years old, and the shift to online education has meant an influx of eager, new students to their programs. The school offers a new LPN to BSN degree and exists as the only such program in the country. The materials the school offers students via online courses allow students to pass their exams and earn course hours online without setting foot in a classroom.
University of Phoenix is probably the epitome of online education and is certainly the most common name in the field, although many do not know of its online nursing program. The school offers 27 different nursing degrees ranging from associate’s degrees all the way up to the doctoral level. Depending on which degree you want to earn, the University of Phoenix undoubtedly has the answer to your questions regarding the degree program.
Kaplan University’s School of Nursing program is another popular online degree program, and includes an increased emphasis on preventive care and nursing care for the elderly. This emphasis has resulted in higher career opportunities for students since projected employment growth in the coming years includes home health aides and nursing home aides.
South University also has a nursing program that focuses on the future of its students. However, this school focuses on a variety of nursing positions, ranging from nursing home care to home health and to school health clinics. The school also focuses on management within the nursing community and teaches students how to better enhance their patient skills and motivate their nursing staff.
Finally, Virginia College is another school that offers a top nursing program while focusing on the management aspect of the nursing industry at the same time. Management in nursing is important because this is one way to work up through the ranks of the administration. Rather than just stay in your same position for years, you can work your way up to the head nurse or at least manager of the clinic. This school specializes in health management services and serves to attract students interested in similar endeavors.
January 6th, 2010
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December 30th, 2009
While it is becoming common to get the additional RN degree after earning an LPN earlier, there is currently only one online source that offers this transitory degree program: The College Network. This institution opened its doors in 1992, and has thrived with the advent of internet usage and the increasing amount of online schools. While the College Network is not a school, it has developed a method to help its students gain college credit by passing credit-examination exams. Offering degrees ranging from associate’s to professional certificates, the school uses a format that blends college equivalency testing plus online coursework in order to allow their students to gain a thorough education.
Their nursing program offers many different levels of study, but their associate’s degree in nursing program is the degree program which features an LPN to RN degree. A Licensed Practical Nurse lacks the responsibility that comes with becoming a registered nurse, which is why so many students decide to make this transition after a few years. As the only online source that offers this degree, the College Network has honed in on their degree program and currently offers associate’s degrees as an RN.
As an LPN, you probably have limited time to go back to school and earn your additional RN degree, which is where the College Network comes into play. This online institution allows you to make the transition from LPN to RN without setting foot in a classroom and without disrupting your already busy schedule. LPNs have similar job duties as RNs which means their jobs keep them extraordinarily busy. Finding time to drive to school and attend classes seems almost unattainable. However, their easy method of attending classes through online coursework has made it easy for nearly any nurse practitioner to gain an additional degree.
Earning an RN makes a huge difference in not only your work atmosphere, but your salary as well. A registered nurse typically makes more every year than a licensed nurse, solely because of the additionally courses a registered nurse is assumed to have taken (as well as a qualifying exam). If you are serious about a lifelong career as a nurse, you will want to take these further exams and enroll in an LPN to RN program. The College Network exists for the busy nurses who want to expand their knowledge but do not have the time to do so, and therefore you have NO excuse for not furthering your education in nursing!
November 17th, 2009
Online schools for nursing have grown rapidly over the past few years due to recent advances in technology as well as the growing need for nurse practitioners and other health care workers. The rise in specialized health care degrees has changed the face of the health care community, as general nurse practitioners are getting more difficult to find. Therefore, this growing need has effected all forms of education, including online education, as the nursing community strives to fill its clinics with registered nurses. Attaining an online degree has become easier than ever because of these advances, and online nursing degrees have now joined the ranks of other online degrees within the online education community.
Thus far, there have been relatively few online nursing programs compared to the wide array of online colleges that have swept the nation. However, the nursing community has started to change this phenomenon as online nursing schools have begun to offer classes up to the residency requirement for registered nurses. While nursing may seem to be a difficult degree to attain via online courses, many schools have found a way for students to hold onto their current jobs and still attend online classes, learning all the vital aspects of nursing at the same time.
While the online education community is an ongoing endeavor, the next few years will undoubtedly demonstrate a growth within all forms of online schooling. Nursing is one such field that makes it difficult to learn without field work, which is why online nursing schools typically only allow students one year of study before their field work begins. There is no way for nursing students to learn their field work requirements through the internet which has impaired the growth of many nursing schools, but many nursing schools cater to students who are only attaining an associate’s degree or a further degree from an RN.
These further degree programs can extend up to doctorate degrees in nursing and therefore do not require as much field work as research work, making it a feasible concept for many current nurses. While nursing schools were created to appeal to potential nurses, there is still a major incentive for current nurses to earn a further degree from online schools for nursing. Earning these additional degrees can mean a step up in health care management or even a promotion within the nursing industry to a different level of nursing. The possibilities are nearly endless with the advent of online education and they look open to many possibilities in the future.
November 10th, 2009
There is a long lasting cliché that nurses are the doctor’s helpers who wear the white cap in hospitals and follow doctor’s orders daily. This is far from true, as any RN will tell you, and MDs and RNs are typically disconnected in a hospital setting, working independently through their own ranks of authority. While they team together for initial patient care, after this primary point, nurses and doctors rarely communicate face-to-face, a fact which is little known outside the hospital. Online nursing schools have continued this tradition and have successfully found a way to educate future nurses through the internet, finding yet another way to work independently before the hospital and clinic setting.
Independence is a large part of the health care industry. While students of online education are well aware of the way to work independently, many traditional classroom students are used to the crutch of professors or other students in their classes. Without this crutch, online students experience a way to complete their own projects without outside help and to force themselves to create a disciplined schedule for schoolwork. This is one of the best aspects of online nursing schools since students will have to learn independence at some point in their nursing training. The health care industry encourages working together, but you must know how to work independently and make decisions on your own: decisions that could be life-threatening or life-saving.
The difference between MDs and RNs is well established in any health care unit, as nurses work independently and have their own system of authority ranging from the head nurse to the newly entered nursing assistants. Doctors have a completely different type of authoritative structure and therefore the two circles rarely meet. Consulting with a doctor only rarely happens and typically revolves around the initial moment of patient instruction. After this point, most nurses are on their own to decide their own course of action with the patient and inform the doctor when need be. This independence is well established in the nursing community and the sooner you can learn to work independently, the better.
The benefit of online nursing school is therefore that it teaches students a wider realm of independence and allows them to think on their own before entering residency. By the time they reach their residency requirements, they will be well suited to be on their own in the clinic or hospital, without the need of contacting the head nurse or another RN for questions. This early separation not only from MDs, but also from other potential RNs is a valuable tool for early nurses and helps teach them the structure of a health care setting, early on. Keeping MDs and RNs separate is a way of life in the health care industry and not only teaches both sections to work independently, but also reminds them that they can rely on each other when they need to, without intruding on their “territory”.
August 3rd, 2009
By Hannah Watson
As a neonatal nurse, you’re a part of an incredibly important time in the lives of families. Consequently, you’re in need of lots of support and knowledge to keep doing a great job. Here, we’ll take a look at 50 blogs that can help neonatal nurses with emotional, motivational, and informational support.
Medical Professionals
See what other medical professionals in neonatal and related fields are doing in these blogs.
- At Your Cervix: Read this blog to find out about the adventures of a labor and delivery nurse.
- The Skeptical OB: Amy Tuteur takes a critical look at obstetrics.
- Stork Stories: Read stories of birth and breastfeeding on this blog.
- Neonatal Doc: This neonatologist practices in an urban area of the US.
- Tales from Labor & Delivery: This blogger insists that labor and delivery isn’t brain surgery.
- Babycatcher: This blog is written by a babycatcher in Africa.
- Baby Catcher: Jody works nights as a labor and delivery nurse in a large learning hospital.
- Reflections of an Aspiring Nurse-Midwife: This blogger works as a labor and delivery nurse, and is attending school to become a Certified Nurse Midwife.
- Birthday Nurse: On this blog, you’ll read about birthday stories from a new grad nurse in labor and delivery.
- NeoNurseChic: NeoNurseChic is studying to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.
- OB Nurse: Check out this blog to read the thoughts of an obstetrics nurse.
- Life and Times of an L&D Nurse: This labor and delivery nurse has a heart for families and babies, as well as a perinatal comfort care program.
- Octopus Mom: Octopus Mom is written by a NICU nurse and mom.
- RN to BSN Online Degrees: This blog is written by a nurse who discusses nursing education.
- A Midwife’s Tale: Get a warm fuzzy feeling from the tales on this blog.
- 10 Centimeters and Beyond: Nurse Lochia is a night shift labor and delivery nurse in the Midwest.
- Nursing Birth: This labor and delivery nurse offers a view from the inside.
- MomWifeNurse: Read the blog of a mom and wife who is studying to be a nurse.
NICU
These bloggers write specifically about the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
- Blog of a Wife and Nurse: Krystal is a Christian newlywed and RN in a NICU.
- Adventures in Juggling: This NICU RN juggles work, family, and more.
- NICU Parent Support Blog: Find information, resources, and support for NICU parents and families.
- NICU Nurse: Read this blog, and you’ll learn about the life of a NICU nurse.
- Tiggers don’t Jump: This blog is written by a night shift nurse in a level 3+ NICU.
- Uncompromised Airways: This registered nurse works in neonatal intensive care, and has a bit of an unbalanced work life.
Midwives
Find out how midwives and midwife-nurses work from these blogs.
- The Midlife Midwife: The Midlife Midwife is a baby boomer who loves to catch babies.
- Birthing Beautiful Ideas: This blog offers thoughts from a philosophical doula-mom.
- The Midwives of Bethany Women’s Healthcare: Here, the nurse-midwives of Bethany Women’s Healthcare share thoughts, education, and more.
- Hands for Catching: This blog is a discussion from a nurse-midwife in training.
- Midwife Connection: Learn about woman-centered care provided by midwives on this blog.
- Bloody Show: Bloody Show offers a view from a soon to be midwifery student.
Families
With these blogs, you can take a look at neonatal care from the family’s perspective.
- Mothers of Multiples Undressed: This blog is a community for mothers of multiples to share stories, advice, and more.
- Micro Preemie Twins: Read this blog for the story of Holland and Eden, preemie twins growing up.
- The Tomecko Echo: This big family shares their adventures with premature twins.
- Parenting in the NICU and Beyond: This blog is about the parenting of premature babies.
- The Lactivist: On this blog, you’ll learn about breastfeeding and parenting.
- Growing Twins: This family is raising twins without the owner’s manual.
- Adventures in Preemie-sitting: On this blog, you can read the story of a stay at home mom to a deaf-blind 24-week preemie.
- Stand and Deliver: Read about unassisted births on this blog.
- The Human Pacifier: This mom is an advocate of nursing and healthy childbirth.
- The Spohrs Are Multiplying: On this blog, you’ll read the story of a family that lost their premature baby.
- March of Dimes Share Your Story: Here you’ll find blogs for NICU families.
Advice & Learning
Check out these blogs to find resources for information.
- UNSW Embryology Weblog: This blog is an educational resource for current concepts in embryological development.
- Unnecesarean: Check out this blog to learn about unnecessary cesareans and how you can prevent them.
- Our Bodies, Our Blog: On this blog, you’ll find a daily dose of women’s health news and analysis.
- Pushed Birth: Pushed Birth researches why so many labors are induced and end in cesarean sections.
- Woman to Woman Childbirth Education: This blog offers childbirth education from women who have been there.
- Enjoy Birth Blog: On this blog, you’ll learn about enjoying pregnancy and birth.
- Science & Sensibility: Science and Sensibility offers a research blog about healthy pregnancy, birth, and beyond.
- Healthy Living At Home: Find information about healthy families on this blog.
- The Preemie Experiment: Read the Preemie Experiment to get information on the long term effects of prematurity.
