Challenges You May Face at Nursing School

Challenges You May Face at Nursing School

Joining a nursing school to pursue one of the top nursing study programs of your choice is the first step toward a bright and successful career. It is where you can build your base in nursing by gaining knowledge, training, and experience. However, every new step comes with its own challenges!Getting to know all about nursing school challenges will help you prepare accordingly and further your education.

To help you, we have listed five challenges that you may confront while you study nursing in Canada or any other country.

Challenge 1 – Draining Lectures

Most students do not expect long lectures at nursing school. You will have to attend lectures on a variety of topics varying from anatomy & physiology to chemistry.Be prepared for complicated concepts and theories.You will also be learning how to think like a nurse, something you can’t forget once schooling is over. You are expected to remember it and bring it to your nursing career so learning it thoroughly is advised. However, avoid information overload. It is understandable that you cannot know everything at once, so don’t try and overdo it.

Challenge 2 – Regular Tests

Regular exams will be carried out at the school to test your knowledge and skills. It can be overwhelming for some students at first, but you will get used to it. Regardless, you need to brush up on your knowledge and skills to become a nurse. What better preparation than repeated tests?Questions will be confusing and tricky to test your knowledge.

Challenge 3 – Unfixed Clinicals

In nursing school, it is common for clinicals to change unpredictably for students attending nursing programs for international nurses. It may seem absurd at the beginning, but it will prepare you for the changing and flexible timings nurses have to handle. Whether it is shifts or patient assignments, students should be prepared for these changes.

Challenge 4 – Tiring Homework and Assignments

In nursing school, expect lots of homework and assignments. It will be time-consuming, exhausting and may look never-ending at times. However, it is part of your training. After some time at the school, students get used to the workload. So, better gear up.

Challenge 5– Time Balance of Personal Life and School Time

It can be difficult to manage between nursing school and your personal life. Between theoretical classes, clinicals, assignments and homework, you may not find time for yourself, family or a social life. Fret not; you can make it work with some slight adjustments.

Challenges are not something to suppress or crush you; rather, they make you more confident and able to explore your limits. Once you are out of school, you will realize the importance of the crunch you faced there.

To start your journey in specialized nursing, you can choose one of the specialized nursing study programs offered by INSCOL. To learn about the details of the available programs, visit the website.

How to Choose the Right 'Nursing Career and Nursing Program'

Thinking of becoming a nurse is an exciting thought, but the process can feel grueling. There are a number of best nursing study programs available. What you need to do is find the program that fulfills your needs and meets your career goals. If you have decided that nursing is the career for you, read through these suggestions to help you begin this fascinating career.

 

Make a List of Questions -

• Are you thinking about a full-time nursing career?
• How much time can you devote to studying and attending nursing school?
• How much can you afford to spend on a nursing career?
• Will you be comfortable in a fast-paced environment?
• With whom you will be most comfortable working with – the elderly or children.
• Is it accurate to say that you enjoy direct patient care?

Answer these questions and then eliminate the nursing study programs that don't feed your career goals. Your first step is to remove programs that aren’t economical for you and then, select from those that remain. Never hesitate to ask for help from someone who is experienced. Other considerations include: 

• Recognizing the Degree Requirements: Search online to find out what degree is required for your chosen field. You will find different requirements according to nursing program, so make sure you write down the points. This will help you decide on your nursing goals.

• Online Nursing Program or a Regular One: Nowadays, online nursing programs are becoming very popular; the reason for this is flexible time schedules and repeated lectures. However, there is one limitation – you can't interact with your teacher directly or personally. Thus, attending a regular specialized nursing program that also allows you to study and work at the same time is the ideal choice.

• Exclude Nursing Programs that are not Approved: This is a very important consideration, especially if you are planning for a long-time nursing career. Make sure you choose only the school or course that is approved by your state and nursing board. This will ensure that your nursing degree is approved and considered worthy by every medical institution.

• Always Investigate: Make a list of all of the Nursing Study Programs for IEN and start checking their popularity, reviews, and benefits. You can also visit that particular nursing school and talk with the students. Generally, ask them about the school and if they are happy there and learning a lot. This will give you an overall idea of the program.

Choosing the best nursing program is the key to shaping your nursing career; make sure you invest ample time in researching about the right program for you. It will positively enhance your career. To learn more about available study options in countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US, visit INSCOL

Nursing Management Tactics to Relax Yourself

As a nurse, you will often feel overwhelmed with your responsibilities, shifts, patients, etc.Nursing is the gentle art of caring. However, no profession is free of stress and nursing is especially susceptible to it. During your nursing education days, you might not feel the same stress level, but as you progress in your career with nursing education programs and your nursing job, you will experience it more.

You will come across many people asking you to keep calm and manage the situation with a leveled head. How about applying proventactics, and not just wasting words?It's true that it's always “easier said than done.”However, you should always try to take a moment to reflect and pull yourself away from feeling overwhelmed.

Dear nurses, and future nurses, its time to relax yourself with the following nursing management tactics:

1.  Sit Back and Catch Your Breath

Tired? Confused about all that is going around you? Relax. First of all, just collect yourself. Take two or three deep breaths. Sit back, catch your breath and plan before you jump onto the next task. You need a 'plan' to proceed. No matter how much time it takes, it won’t take more time than what you will consume stressing yourself to continue with no strategy. Choose the best way.

2.  Set Priorities among Patients’ Needs

Some patients may need less attention and some may need a constant eye. Opt to provide your care to the patient who is the least stable at that moment. Yet again, some patients may exaggerate their situation. However, you have to choose the most critical one. For instance, choose the patient who just had a transplant with a blood pressure of 191/91 instead of a patient who is upset for getting their 4 mg IV morphine 45 minutes late.

3.  Remember that Team Work Always Does the Trick

As a nurse, you can use the human resources around you. Not all tasks are necessarily to be completed by a nurse. For example, you can always delegate the task of getting a patient to the washroom to a CNA. Always think of nursing as a team sport.

4.  Learn the Art of Humility

As a nurse, in the entire period of your study and practice, you will be learning that nursing, as a profession, requires a lot of humility. For instance, you have to humbly apologize to the patients you failed to reach on time. Compassion may be the foremost trait a nurse possesses. Avoid excuses. Don't stress the patient with excuses like 'we are short on staff.' It's not going to help. Ask for any service you can provide instead, after apologizing.

Lastly, all can be managed. Just look at the tasks and form a plan. Regardless of how experienced you are, or if you are on the way to becoming a nurse (by studying international nursing programs), these tactics will always help. You need to remind yourself that frustration will likely lead you nowhere. However, calming yourself down will surely lead you to a more peaceful and enjoyable day!

Your Guide to Becoming a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner

With the increase in life expectancy and an aging population, there is a growing need for specialized healthcare professionals who are dedicated to the healthcare needs of older adults. This has resulted in a new specialization in the nursing field referred to as GNPs – or - Geriatric Nurse Practitioners. The primary role of GNP nurses is to care for older patients and to assist them in overcoming health challenges they face with an intent to improve their quality of life. For this, they utilize all-inclusive functional and psycho social management strategies when dealing with health and illness.  

The Typical Duties of a Geriatric Nurse:

A Geriatric Nurse Practitioner treats and cares for older patients. The majority of older patients suffer from multiple ailments. That’s why GNPs need to always be on alert regarding their patient’s possible existing conditions by keeping record of new symptoms, and all drug interactions. As compared to a general practitioner, they are more likely to be involved in long-term care, prescribing physical therapies from time to time, and adjusting medications. 

Typical Healthcare Settings for Geriatric Nurses:

• Hospitals 
• Community and Government agencies
• Clinical practices,
• Hospice services
• Long-term care facilities
• Research universities
• Home Health Services
• Counseling centers

Besides the above-mentioned medical facilities, a geriatric nurse can also be employed in an outpatient clinic, a palliative care clinic, and serve as a consultant to private companies who are dedicated to the care of older patients. Working with these private companies calls for some travelling, as they need to visit the patient at their home, and then counsel the family members or primary care giver. 

Academic Qualifications and Credentials:

A nursing student aspiring to be a Geriatric Nurse needs to have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing or any other healthcare field from a recognized institute. After successfully completing their degree, they need to get their license to practice as an RN and then gain relevant experience in the field. After gaining this experience, they can pursue a PG course or specialization course in geriatric care. 

INSCOL offers one-year graduate certificate in Gerontology in partnership with Niagara College, Welland Campus Canada. Gerontology Program For IEN is designed for internationally educated nurses and she dslight on many essential concepts such as care planning, effective geriatric care, common cognitive challenges faced by older patients, and critical thinking & decision-making. 

Visit at inscol.com to explore the top nursing courses in Canada for international students.

Get Rid of Lower Body Fatigue with Compression Stockings

• Are you uncomfortable or in pain due to prolonged standing?
• Are you experiencing lower body fatigue?

Varicose veins and decreased levels of mental awareness are common for nurses. As a health care professional, however, a nurse can never afford to be mentally or physically tired.

This problem can be solved by stretching, sitting whenever possible, and even choosing a comfortable pair of shoes. Another way to decrease lower body fatigue is by wearing compression stockings.

How do compression stockings prevent lower body fatigue? They encourage venous return. Venous return can be encouraged by applying pressure to the lower extremities. This prevents varicose veins and alleviates fatigue.

Via: Thenurseteacher.com

Keep these three points in mind when you purchase a pair of compression stockings -

1. A nurse should wear the best fitting compression stockings for them. Since compression stockings come in different levels of tightness, nurses are urged to measure their legs before purchasing them.


2. Remember, not all stockings are dedicated to relieving fatigue. Compression stockings that are less than 10mmHg are not considered to be efficient. Compression stockings that are above 20mmHg might also prove to be somewhat uncomfortable. So, consider the range between 15 to 20mmHg only.


3. Before buying a pair of compression stockings, you need to know how to measure your legs. During the day, venous pooling is always a possibility. Therefore, the best time to measure legs is in the morning. What are the measurements you should take? Just measure the circumference of the bilateral ankle, the calves, and the thighs. Also, measure the length from the foot to the knee. If, however, you want to keep the length of the compression stockings to your thighs, just measure the length from your foot to your knee.

If you're planning to purchase compression stockings, keep these points in mind. To make sure a nurse is not distracted from doing his or her best at work, eliminating your lower body fatigue is crucial. Your health matters!

For more health tips for nurses, there are a number of blogs you can explore at INSCOL. If you are a Filipino nurse looking for an opportunity to make a career in countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK or the US, INSCOL offers the best nursing courses for international nurses.

How to Improve Communication in the Hospital

In the high-tech healthcare system, communication between doctors, nurses, and other staff members plays an important role. A hospital patient interacts with several healthcare providers - from doctors to nurses to technicians - and so on. Therefore, an effective flow of communication followed by team collaboration is important in ensuring patient safety.

Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are expected to communicate and work together well. Here are some simple steps that can encourage doctors to communicate well with nurses and other co-workers -

Address the situation - To establish a communication culture it is important to address the situation at hand. Nurses need to assertively speak their mind and doctors need to cooperate with them. This not only helps nurses with their professional success, it is also essential for every patient’s well being. 

Friendly Environment - In any professional field, familiarity is valued more than formality. There is a need for creating a friendly workplace environment. Here, doctors and nurses cooperate and work together. In addition to this, the workplace environment needs to be open. This means that nurses and doctors can question each other’s decision-making without hesitation and without intimidation or fearing a negative outcome.

Focused Team Training Program - The most efficient method of establishing team collaboration is organizing team training programs. With team training programs, a culture of respect, accountability, trust and shared decision-making is encouraged. Here, constructive feedback is supported to minimize the risk of error, while improving every aspect of patient care. Through these programs, doctors meet other physicians and nurses they are working with and everyone learns each other’s names. From here, a healthy, professional relationship develops that lays the foundation for optimum patient care.

Practice Collaboration - A difference of opinion and conflict are inevitable parts of any workplace setting. Therefore, to work in collaboration, it is important to analyze the other person’s point of view, instead of immediately rejecting it. This kind of approach often works wonders and provides fresh insight or a solution to a problem. Plus, for the sake of patient safety, healthcare professionals need to work constantly to foster an environment that facilitates cohesion and collaboration.

Effective communication is vital in every field of business, profession, as well as in everyday living. If you have more tips that can help in improving communication while at work, please share them with us in the comments below. 

For nurses who are looking for opportunities to study and work abroad, INSCOL offers specialized nursing courses in top countries across the world. To learn about available graduate and post-graduate nursing programs, visit the website www.inscol.com.

5 Things That Only Nurses Understand Best

Nurses play a very important role in the healthcare system. They are often referred to as the heart of healthcare. Nursing is a vibrant profession and nurses play so many roles juggled into one. They act as a caregiver, communicator, patient advocate, and teacher. With so many roles and responsibilities, there are a few things that only nurses can truly understand. 

1. Life is Fragile - The average person experiences the tragedy of death only a few times in life. Whereas a nurse deals with death and illness on a regular basis. It isn’t wrong to say that a nurse fully understands how fragile life really is. Nurses hear and see the stories of people who were doing fine and then suddenly found themselves lying sick or on their death bed in the hospital. A nurse’s emotional ups and downs are very different from the ones experienced by other people.
2. Health is Wealth - Nurses treat many patients everyday that are sick from a food-related illness. Therefore, nurses understand very well the importance of a healthy diet and good health. Preaching to patients the importance of proper nutrition and exercise is a common practice among doctors and nurses.
3. Value of Listening - A nurse is an effective listener and knows well the power of listening and showing empathy. Nurses spend more time with patients than doctors do. They always listen to patient stories, problems, and other concerns. Sometimes, even more than medicine, a patient needs someone who listens and shows empathy. This is another way that nurses play a critical role.
4. Seeing the Human Body From a Clinical Perspective - As a nurse, seeing people naked is part of their everyday job. Nurses care for many patients, giving them sponge baths, catheters, and at times, also helping clean waste from their body. Nurses learn to see the human body from a clinical perspective.
5. Joy of Seeing Your Patient Recover - Each job has its own set of rewards. In the field of nursing, seeing patients recover, or leaving the hospital healed, is the most rewarding part of their job. Nurses feel satisfied when they see a patient going home with a big smile. Being part of that healing process makes it even more special.

The life of a nurse is challenging. Nurses are always supposed to be ready for the unexpected. Because of their profession, nurses understand life from a different perspective that regular people aren’t able to fully comprehend. 

Learning is a part of every nurse’s career and nurses do it each day through practical experiences. Continuing education, even after working as a nurse, can take you to even greater heights in your career. With good job prospects, better earnings and growth, continuing education for nurses is always a great decision. To specialize in a field of your choice, INSCOL offers specialized nursing programs for internationally educated nurses. To learn more about the available courses, visit at www.inscol.com.

Meal Planning Tips for Busy Nurses

Nurses are well aware of the importance of eating a well-balanced diet. However, nurses live in a fast-paced and hectic working environment. This environment often encourages unhealthy eating habits. If you want to follow a healthy diet, here are some meal planning tips and tricks that can put you back on the right track.

1. Plan ahead - Nurses work long shifts and often don’t have enough time to prepare healthy meals. It is recommended that nurses take time from their busy schedule to plan meals in advance during their day off. Create a meal plan that incorporates easy cooking and is also healthy. Go for easy, healthy recipes.
   For example - Saute green veggies, prepare a salad; include some whole grain breads, brown rice etc. When you already have a meal plan in place, it will take less time to cook. Aside from recipes, you can also use some creative meal planning templates available online. 
2. Making a Grocery list - Before you head out to grocery shop, make a grocery list. When you go with a grocery list in your hand, it stops you from buying impulsively. Include more whole foods, fresh vegetables, fruits, and dairy products on your list. 
3. Carry healthy snacks to the workplace - When working for long hours or critical shifts, there is the possibility of missing meals. In these situations, there is a risk of hypoglycemia, making nurses tired and grouchy. Instead of randomly munching on chips, pastries, and junk food, try to carry healthy snacks. Carry items like nuts, fruits, and salads. They are convenient to carry and are healthy for a quick munch at work.
4. Get creative - Eating the same food every week can get boring. It also results in an increased temptation for junk food. To avoid this, try including a new dish every week. You can find many recipes on the internet and in books that are easy to prepare. This is a great way to keep both your taste buds and your body happy and healthy!
5. Stocks up on good food - A nurse’s schedule is often changing. Many situations arise when you need to fill a gap at the last moment.
   For example - Someone calls in sick, or urgent work comes up. Under these circumstances, you need to cover someone’s shift. Even though these are unforeseen situations, you can still stop yourself from turning to junk and unhealthy foods. Why not stock up on frozen foods? Frozen foods are quick to make and can also have many health benefits like cancer prevention. 

Being creative is a valuable trait for nurses. It can help them to manage things like meals while working. If you are in the nursing profession and are finding it difficult to handle your personal or professional life, share your experience with us in the comments below. Let us try to find you some relief!

If you are a nurse and want to pursue a nursing program for international nurses in countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the USA and the UK, INSCOL is the perfect location for you. 

5 Tips to Select the Right Nursing College Abroad

Are you looking for a reputed college abroad to progress in your nursing career? If yes, then we have done the ground work for you. 

Here are five tips that will guide you to take a wise decision in choosing the right college

1. Accreditation - Check that the college you have selected offers well-recognized Graduate & Postgraduate Courses. Select the college that has been accredited by NLAC (National League Accreditation Commission) or CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education). Accreditation ensures that the school program has been thoroughly reviewed and approved by experts. It also ensures that the curriculum offered by the nursing college meets the standards set by the expert panel. Stay away from colleges that claim to offer recognized certifications, but are not accredited.
2. Collaboration With Leading Hospitals - Majority of the colleges collaborate with leading hospitals to provide clinical exposure to nursing students. This gives the students an opportunity to practice clinical skills and gain hands-on clinical experience.
3. Access to Lab Facilities – Another important thing to consider is the ‘lab facilities’ in the college. Check if the selected college has enough classrooms and labs to provide the required clinical experience for the nursing students.
4. Student-to-faculty Ratio- Make sure the nursing college you choose has the minimum student-to-faculty ratio for classroom instruction so that attention to individual students is guaranteed.
5. Clinical Rotations - Clinical rotations are one of the most valuable aspects of nursing experience. They vary according to the kind of facility chosen for the students. Generally, these are acute care hospitals or public health agencies and outpatient facilities. Thus, ask for information regarding where the school conducts such rotations.

If you are aspiring for an advanced degree in nursing or thinking of having a nursing career overseas, then you can choose from a wide range of Nursing Programs for International Nurses offered by INSCOL. INSCOL is a leading provider of PG courses in partnership with leading universities in Canada | USA | AUS | NZ and UK. 

The courses offered include Palliative Care, Clinical & Critical Care, Acute Complex Care, Leadership & Management Programs and many more. If you want to know more about the available courses abroad to progress in your career and to settle, visit http://www.inscol.com.

His Story – A Message Straight to You from a Critical Care Nurse-to-be

More precisely, here's a video sent to us by a full-of-life critical care nurse-to-be (at that time) to an individual who's dreaming to pursue a career in Critical Care Nursing, in short, for you.

We found this video from the archives and we really felt like sharing the career prospects of the Critical Care Nursing Program. It is  for messages and greetings like these,which keep us going and make us feel proud.

It's funny how most of the students find the 'thick' books to be 'toxic', as Dino Martin Gako – a lively INSCOL student pursuing Critical Care Nursing Course at Niagara finds the book of his curriculum a 'thick' book and thus to be 'toxic'!

Certainly, it's a warning for you to be ready to go through the hardships that will help you get a successful career abroad. Nothing worth having will be as easy as a walk in the park, after all!

Here is 'His' Story –

 

Of course, you can hear the happiness in his voice. Dino certainly knew that once he'll complete the Critical Care Nursing program, he’d go places.

From the career prospective, factually, the projected job growth as per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will be 19% for the registered nurses, in the year 2012-2022. Also the median salary as per the statistics, is around $67,490 per year (for the year 2015).

As far as Canada is concerned, Critical Care Nurses are one of the most sought after professionals. You'll be qualified to be a leader and a team player in critical care settings, which includes intensive care units, surgical intensive care units and cardiac care units too.

Are you looking around for the specialized nursing programs for Filipino nurses? Visit at Inscol.com
Keep shining on!

Until next time.

INSCOL – An Educational Paradise for Filipino Nurses

When time comes for internationally educated nurses who want to pursue higher education and at the same time find the opportunities to work in Canada either on permanent or temporary basis, INSCOL is the name that comes in mind.

This is because, Canada is known as one of the most favored country for nurses and aspiring medical students, as it offers numerous benefits to them like the best in class education, favorable laws for the immigrants and number of opportunities to make the career.

Canadian healthcare industry is frequently employing internationally educated nurses from around the globe. Due to such employment opportunities, Canada has become the first choice among nursing enthusiasts and this has resulted in the success of Canada’s healthcare industry too.

If you are a Registered Nurse and looking for an opportunity to study and work in Canada, INSCOL in collaboration with renowned colleges of Canada offers wide range of nursing courses that aim to transform internationally educated nurses into Global nurses. These courses have been developed according to the worldwide best practices in the healthcare industry, to enhance skills equivalent to the levels of their best-trained international counterparts.

Here are the nursing courses offered by INSCOL for Filipino nurses in Canada -

• One-year Graduate Certificate in RN - Critical Care Nursing from Niagara College, Welland Campus, Niagara.
• One-year Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care from Niagara College, Welland Campus, Niagara
• One-year Graduate Certificate for Internationally Educated Nurses in Acute Complex Care from Georgian College, Barrie Campus, Barrie.
• One-year Graduate Certificate in Nursing Leadership & Management from Seneca College, Markham Campus, Toronto.
• One-year Graduate Certificate in Coronary Care Nursing from Seneca College, Yorkgate Campus, Toronto
• One-year Graduate Certificate in Gerontology from Niagara College, Welland Campus, Niagara
• To know more about these nursing programs for Filipino nurses, the fee structure, academic requirements and intake period in Canada, please visit the INSCOL website.

How a Nurse Can Avoid Medication Errors and Mistakes While on Job

To help nurses avoid errors and mistakes, Nursing Care Plan is saving the whole of the nursing fraternity especially in stressed conditions and places like the ER, where a mistake on a patient’s record could be a matter of life or death. However, the plan exclude such possibilities by recording precisely what the patient has done for the day (in terms of food, medication, and workout), and updates the next nurse on-call about what they should observe or administer to the patient during their shift. 

The absence of such type of important information will significantly affect patients in getting the right treatment and the whole hospital system would be a complete chaos. Think of a medical facility without a nursing care plan – the patients would be either isolated or too much examined. Some might be overdosing on medication left and right, some would be over-exerting their strength in rehabilitative work, or some would be eating too little or too much food per day. Thus, nursing care plans ensure that everything is in check without disturbing the facility’s schedule and patient’s lives. 

Nurse practitioners are the crucial part of a health care setting, a certainty very much perceived by most specialists, albeit not by the media. They have portrayed doctors and physicians as the patient care providers, when truth is; it is a nurse who takes care of everything, right from maintaining patient’s history and consoling the patients when they are scared to administering the medication as needed. Nursing professionals in every medical facility stays updated with the patient's condition, more than a physician or the specialists, so that they can transfer patient’s information to the next nurse taking up the charge. 

Nursing care plans have made progress from paper charts information that nurses used to convey messages to new ways of maintain the information utilizing the benefits of technology that helps them manage the records from anywhere at any time. 

In any case, in spite of any setbacks, the nursing care plan keeps on walking forward and guarantee that nurses do not commit errors or become a part of human mistakes while providing patient care. 

If you are a nurse and want to make a career abroad, INSCOL is your best bet. INSCOL in collaboration with leading Universities/Colleges in Canada/UK/USA/AUS/NZ offers a wide range of Global Nursing Programs in Emergency Care, Critical Care, Palliative Care, Coronary Care, Acute Complex Care, Mental Health, Leadership & Management, Gerontology & Chronic Illness, Healthcare & Rehabilitation and B.Sc./M.Sc. Nursing.

11 Must Have Items for all New Nurses in Their Bags – Part II

In the previous section of this blog, we have mentioned some of the essential items a nursing student or a new nurse should have in their bags. Stethoscope, thermometer, gauze, sterilized mask, cold medicines, scissors and microscope medical tape are some of them. We, however, are not yet done with the important stuff you, as a nurse, should keep in your bag.

6. Have You Kept a Tongue Depressor?

Many a times in the nursing training or profession, a nurse will need to use this tool. Tongue depressor, basically, is a tool used to depress the tongue and examine the mouth and throat.

7. Needless to Say – Lotion and Hand Sanitizer

Apart from the basic need of keeping a lotion in your bag, a nurse should keep a lotion because of a very much valid reason. Of course, nurses wash their hands many a times in a day, therefore ending up with dry skin. That's when they need a lotion. Further, the hand sanitizer is a plus when it comes to cleaning the germs and the infectious agents.

8. In Case You're an Expert in IV Therapy – Six Saline Flushes

In case you're an expert in IV therapy, you must know how a saline flush is a method of clearing out intravenous lines (IVs). An IV therapy nurse would certainly need them before the drip is connected in order to assure that IV is still patent.

9. How About Books Related to Nursing?

As a nurse, you'll need a reference to common medicines and symptoms. Why not keep a medical dictionary or a medical manual. You can access information about various prescriptions, clinical guidelines and patient advices, all of them handy.

10. A Small Notebook

Sure, you can keep it in order to take notes from the doctors. You can also add the observations you've made of your patients.

11. Tourniquet

What shall a nurse do at the time of continuous traumatic bleeding of the patients? A tourniquet, basically, is a constricting device, which is used mostly when the patient is in a critical state because of continuous bleeding. Indeed, a lifesaver!

Were you aware of all of them? Being a nurse, you will face many emergency situations when you'll need all these. Do you want to mention more of the essentials nurses should keep in their bags? Sure, write to us in the comment section below.

In addition, are you willing to Study Nursing in Canada for International Students to become a global nurse? You should certainly check the specialized nursing programs offered by INSCOL. 

11 Must Have Items for all New Nurses in Their Bags – Part I

Are you a nursing student or maybe a new nurse? While communication skills, compassion, empathy, flexibility, emotional stability, and interpersonal skills are some of the must have qualities of a nurse, what all do you keep in your bag? Yes, your bag. Almost all of us keep stuff that tends to signify us to the greatest extent. Are you wondering what all is required in your bag in order to indicate you as a nursing student or a nurse?

Have a look at the 14 essentials that if you keep in your bag, you sure are a nurse!

1. Do You Have a Stethoscope With You?

Probably, one of the most prized possessions of a nurse. A stethoscope does not only help in listening to the heart, but also the veins and the intestines. These days we can get a plethora of variety in stethoscopes, from the older technology to the latest and the advanced. Classic or the up-to-the-minute, a stethoscope is necessary item for a nurse.

2. Another Must Have Item – Thermometer

We all know thermometers are used to measure temperature or a temperature gradient. Nurses use a thermometer to measure the temperature of the patients' body and register it. One of the second most useful items a nurse should have in order to examine the health of the patient.

3. Do Not Forget About the Sanitary Items!

Sure, you keep them-

• Gauze
• Sterilized Mask
• Gloves 
• Cotton Balls

4. Also, the OTC (Over the Counter) Pharmacy Items

• Cold Medicines
• Paracetamol
• Pain Killers 
• Ibuprofen 
• Other emergency medicine

5. The Need for Scissors and Microscope Medical Tape

Whenever there is a question of wound care, scissors and microscope medical tape are the saviors. The scissor is used in the quest for cutting the medical gauze, bandages and dressings. As a nurse, you may come across many such emergencies when there is a need for scissors. Microscope medical tapes always help while accidents like pulling IV micro-drip adapter of patients happen.

Do you have all this stuff in your bag? Keep checking this space to know what else is required in your bag being a nursing student or a nurse new to the profession. Until then, you can check the Nursing Courses offered by INSCOL in various countries such as Canada, UK, USA, NZ, Philippines and Australia. Shine on!

When it comes to Using Technology, Nurses are the Frontrunner

That’s absolutely true! Nurses are getting their hands on the most advanced technology available in healthcare these days. From electronic medical records and patient self-tracking to informatics and minimally invasive procedures, treatments and patient care has become more high-tech. 

Technology in healthcare has made patient care services more efficient, and the more tools and gadgets that are developed, the more skilled nursing professionals are needed to operate them. For nurse graduates, if you consider yourself tech-savvy, there are fields in nursing you may want to consider specializing, such as -

Nurse Anesthetist

Make use of apps and mobile technology to monitor patients during surgery and help with epidurals and other vein procedures. 

Nurse Informatics 

The job involves helping in the development of medical technology and train other nurses on the latest systems.

Radiology Nurse

The job involves working with ultrasounds, MRIs, and the latest in radiation therapy.

Telemetry Nurse 

For using the newest machines to monitor their patients’ vital signs.

Cardiac Care Nurse 

To perform electrocardiogram monitoring, and treat patients with pacemakers and other heart health technology.

Perioperative Nurse

To use the latest surgical systems to monitor patients and coordinate care in the operating room.

Plastic Surgery Nurse

Needs to work with the most minimally invasive techniques and assist in procedures ranging from derm abrasion to facial reconstruction.

Dermatology Nurse

Helps in the treatment of skin cancer, treat burn victims, and perform post-surgery treatments using the latest in laser technology.

Transplant Nurse

To use new organ preservation systems and help monitor patients for complications like organ rejection.

Cardiac Lab Nurse 

Requires nurses to work in state-of-the-art cardiac labs, helping implant pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibillators (ICDs).

Genetics Nurse

 They make use of the latest software to analyze patients’ genes, helping assess their risk for diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's.

Just like these technological specialization, nurse graduates can opt for a career in these rewarding areas of profession. Do you want to pursue a successful and bright nursing career abroad? Have a look at the exclusive nursing programs for Filipino Nurses offered by INSCOL and let the transformation from an Filipino Nurse to a Global Nurse begin!

For Filipino Nurses, Here are Some Tips to Avoid Back Injury

It’s inevitable that the nursing profession requires much heavy lifting and bending throughout the day. As a result, they become prone to musculature disorders (MSDs), such as back injuries. For a Filipino nurse, it becomes important for them as well to take good care of themselves while providing care to others. To minimize the chances of back injury while you work, here are some of the tips for you. 

Start with Strengthening Your Back

When you’re in good shape, you’re less likely to suffer an injury. Thus, start doing some exercise regularly to strengthen your back and the muscles. It’s better to consult your doctor before doing any such as they might aggravate any existing health conditions.

Evaluate the Circumstances

Well, think about what it will take to get a patient from one place to another. Is the patient small and light, or big and heavy? If the patient wants to use the bedpan, or if there is a need to transfer to another room? Are there any obstructions on the floor that must be removed to avoid accidents? These things will help you avoid any untoward situation of suffering from an injury.

It’s Always Better to Seek Help from Co-Workers

It’s not that you have to do all the lifting and bending on your own. Call your co-workers or assist staff to help you in such a situation. If you can estimate the weight that you are capable of carrying, it will help you to avoid any additional strain.

Try Using Lifting Equipment As Much As Possible

Even for a nurse with good strength, there’s still a good chance of being injured when you regularly lift 200 to 300-pound patients. If there is any equipment available for lifting, use it whenever you can. Luckily, thanks to greater mindfulness harms in the nursing profession, patient lifts are becoming increasingly common in healthcare facilities.

Frequent Breaks Can Help To Relax

If you have been lifting patients frequently all through the day, it will easily take a toll on your body. Therefore, take a break between lifts to give yourself time to recover your strength. By doing this and pacing yourself, you ensure that your energy levels last throughout the day.

In a profession like nursing, injuries happen to most and that too due to neglecting the right measures and safety. To enjoy continuous years of nursing career in a good shape, it’s imperative to avoid such situations. In the end, you’ll be thankful for making the best choice.

If you are a nurse and want to make a career abroad, INSCOL is your best bet. INSCOL in collaboration with leading Universities/Colleges in Canada/UK/USA/AUS/NZ offers a wide range of exclusive Nursing Programs for International Nurses in Emergency Care, Critical Care, Palliative Care, Coronary Care, Acute Complex Care, Mental Health, Leadership & Management, Gerontology & Chronic Illness, Healthcare & Rehabilitation and B.Sc./M.Sc. Nursing. Find more details at http://www.inscol.com/philippines/.

Let’s See What Habits Do Highly Successful Nurses Have

In the present world of competitiveness, finding time for being updated with some additional tips for success is quite imperative for nurses. Even though you are aware of nursing shortage across the world, moving up in the nursing career is still challenging. It’s not that a high pay or a top-level job defines a successful career, rather, a successful nurse is one who makes an impact on his or her patient’s care. To be on the same ladder, you must learn and know about the habits that some of the most successful nurses have, such as -  

The Habit of Paying Attention to Detail

To notice everything with the smallest detail, like the overflowing trashcan in a patient’s room to the outdated IV tubing, a nurse should possess such a skill to address them. They leave nothing to chance.

The Habit of Avoiding Shortcuts

Shortcuts are something that reduces the time spent by bouncing the steps required. Generally, majority would say that shortcuts are harmless but the most successful nurses will not only never take a shortcut, but also they will be the first to correct another nurses. In a professional environment, the safety of the patient cannot be ensured when any step is skipped.

The Habit of Never to Stop Learning

No matter how much they are experienced or how much exposure they have in the professional front, successful nurses never shut the doors to learn something every day. It doesn’t matter if it is a smallest thing; they are willing and wanting to always learn something new, even if it’s simply a new way of doing something they already know how to perform.

The Habit of Dressing for Success

Even if they are on their nursing attire or wearing the scrubs, you will always see them crisp and clean. For nurses, it is a matter of pride the way they look at any point of the day, whether it is a mid-night shift or a full day schedule.

The Habit of Volunteering

Any situation, any circumstances and under any conditions, successful nurses make themselves always available. Some volunteer to work extra shift or stay past their shift. If needed, they come in early. In every possible way, they’ll do their best to help out by volunteering. They do it because they enjoy it, not because they feel obligated.

If you are a nurse and want to study and work abroad, INSCOL is the place you should walk. Talk to the experts to know about Global Nursing Programs, visit at http://www.inscol.com.

Take it Easy Nurse! Here is How You Can Solve the Patient Care Problems – Part II

While in the previous section of this blog, we have discussed about the identity crisis and the confusion caused to the patients, there is certainly a lot more to be added yet. You may know how most of the problems need solutions. However, did you know that sometimes only maturity helps in outgrowing them?

Problem Caused Because of Language Barrier

The most common of all, is the language related barrier. On one hand, you try to communicate effectively and make the patient a part of the conversation. However, are you still using medical jargon? How a patient with non-medical background and zero experience in the medical field will understand those heavy terms that you include?

For instance, many of us do not know what 'vitals' mean. When a nurse utters the need to examine the vitals, a patient, in most of the cases, is left perplexed. How would you feel if someone grabs your arm to examine your blood pressure with no warning? With no doubt, you'll be frightened.

The solution: Certain phrases are understood only by health care professionals. Make sure you use simpler terms and phrases in front of the patients.

Problems Caused Because of the Constant Interruptions 

Hospitals are known for their 24*7 activities. No one can think of comfortably resting in the premises of a hospital. You must have noticed how the hospital staff keeps on moving here and there, taking care of a million things. This, however, tends to interrupt the patient's sleep.

Sure, the hospital's staff tries to balance the equation by minimizing the interruptions in the night hours. However, think of a patient who hasn’t slept at night because of pain. The patient will certainly be irritated because of the constant interruptions during daytime when he'll try to compensate the sleeping hours.

The solution: Communicate with your peers. Take out 15 minutes in the beginning of the day in order to divide tasks. Make sure you do not have to enter a patient ward more than twice, until an emergency. While on a round, just ask the patients for their future needs. For instance, does anyone need food? Does anyone need medicine? Does anyone need to go to the bathroom? This way you become pro-active and take care of the things ahead of time. This saves you from the double or triple rounds a day.

Do you want to work your magic and become a global nurse? Sure, you can! The mission of INSCOL is to transform Indian nurses to global nurses. A successful and bright career awaits! Don't miss a chance to grab more details. For more information about Specialized Nursing Programs, you can visit -http://www.inscol.com.

Take it Easy Nurse! Here is How You Can Solve the Patient Care Problems – Part I

We know, as a nurse you must be having some of the greatest advices for your patients. There are, however, some problems that patients face and yet are left unnoticed. This results in lack of patient care and thereby irritable patients.

Not only nurses find satisfaction in taking care of their patients, above all, it's also a nurse's responsibility to make patients feel comfortable in the hospital premises or wherever the nurses intend to provide health care. Is it difficult? - Not at all. Is it worth it? - Sure it is.

'Who is Who' Problem of the Patients

Unidentifiable scrubs or color of the uniforms of the health care professionals and the other staff confuses the patients. Patients get to meet many of the members of the hospital staff. The nursing staff, the doctor, the cleaning staff and the list may go on and on.

The solution: Do patients know them? - No. In fact, patients suffer from an identity crisis. Unfamiliarity brings chaos. Name tags along with the designation and colored scrubs for different staffs, however, lead to familiarity. In addition, you can try to introduce yourself, and even the other staff who enters, so that the patient knows whom he/she is meeting. This may also remind the other staff about the need of introduction.

Understandably Lost and Confused Patients

Patients may often feel left out of the hospital's staff conversations. Mostly, they are out of the loop of the various procedures, processes, and information about their health in general and thus left confused. Isn't it apparent that not knowing what's going around you will leave you perplexed? Somehow, even patients feel frightened when they are unaware of the plans concerning them.

How to solve this problem? Who does not know how nurses are notoriously multitasking human beings! You can certainly use this trait while treating your patients. Enter the room with full information about the patient's health condition and make them know. Also, if the patient is to be taken for a test, make sure you're able to explain him/her how the process goes.

For more tips related to the patient's care, stay tuned. Until then, remember - Sometimes, the solution lies in the problem itself, all we need is a little maturity.