The Best Nursing Fields for Higher Wages

The baby boomer generation is entering retirement years and the existing nursing force is retiring. With this, the demand of trained nurses is increasing rapidly, leading to a shortage in many countries.But, nursing was considered a career with few options and fewer wages previously, which put off many aspiring candidates. However, it has changed in the recent years with the rise of new nursing fields and good wages.

If you too are interested in nursing and want to earn good wages, then here are the best fields in this profession, based on wages.

Certified Nurse Anesthetist

These nursing professionals are trained to prepare and administer anesthesia. They work in collaboration with other healthcare professionals such as surgeons and dentists. It is their responsibility to care for patients, who are unable to communicate their needs, as well as ensure their safety.They can earn up to $160,000 a year, depending on their location and experience. However, one needs the ability to handle responsibility under pressure in emergencies.

If you want to opt for this field, you need to get a master’s degree from an accredited nurse anesthesia educational program.

ER Nurse Practitioner

As a nurse practitioner in ER, you will have to do triage duty, order initial tests,and provide input and more. Dealing with stressed and sometimes grieving families is a part of this practice. You should be prepared for the fast-paced work environment combined with the stress of patients hanging between life and death.You need a bachelor's degree in nursing and proper license to enter this profession. In this field, one can earn up to $100,000 annually.

General Nurse Practitioner

If you are confused about choosing a specialty or want to explore your potential, then you can work independently as a general nurse practitioner. It is not much different from RNs, but with your skills, you can earn good wages. You can work with family practice physicians and other healthcare professionals.In this nursing field, you can earn up to $95,000 yearly. An advanced degree (MSN) and certification as a nurse practitioner is what you need.

Clinical Nurse Specialist

These trained professionals work with a specialized unit or clinic.You will need Masters of Science in nursing degree with a specialization in clinical nursing. With a busy work profile and up to $95,000 a year wages, this nursing field is a favorite of many.

Certified Nurse Midwife

These specialists care for expectant mothers and infants (after delivery). As a certified nurse midwife, you can work in OB/GYN offices, clinics, and hospitals. For this field, you need the knowledge of pregnancies, obstetrics, labor, delivery and prenatal care.You can earn up to $93,000 per year as a CNM.

In the end, choose a specialized nursing program according to your interest, and you will grow in your career.

NCLEX and Laboratory Values – What You Need to Know

Stressing over the NCLEX test and its preparation is common among nursing students, as there is much to learn and cover. From a variety of topics (including fundamentals, diseases, maternity topics, and more) and learning materials, students prepare for the test after completing their nursing study program. However, there is one thing in this process that most students detest – the laboratory values.

Success in NCLEX and laboratory values often go hand in hand. These values usually need to be memorized, which is why many students dread it. Lab values are included in NCLEX to test the student’s knowledge and analysis/application skills. It shows that you can  

• Examine lab values
• Distinguish nonstandard values
• Identify abnormal results
• Act according to the results

Regardless of how much students dislike it, it is a part of the exam and needs to be learned to achieve success in NCLEX. Here are some of the important laboratory values that you need to know.

ABG Lab Values
•    pH 7.35 – 7.45
•    pCO2 35 – 45
•    HCO3 22 – 26

Renal Lab Values
•    BUN 5 – 20
•    Creatinine 0.6 – 1.2

Cholesterol Lab Value
•    Cholesterol <200

CBC Lab Values
•    HCT F:36 – 46 M:42 – 52
•    HgB F:12 – 15 M:14 – 17
•    Platelets 200,000 – 450,000 <20,000 be very concerned!
•    WBC 5,000 – 10,000

Electrolyte Lab Values
•    Potassium 3.5 – 5
•    Sodium 135 – 145

Glucose Lab Values
•    Glucose 70 – 100
•    HgBA1C 4 – 6% >7 is diabetic

Bleeding Time Lab Values
•    PT 11 – 13
•    PTT not on therapy 25 – 35 on therapy –> 2x normal
•    INR on coumadin 2-3 w/o coumadin 0.8 – 1.2

How can you make learning lab values easier?  

Sort out the important ones – It may not be possible for you to learn every lab value there is, so filter out the rest and find the important ones. Sort them out according to your skills, interests, and specialty. Focus on the most important values that you need to know to pass the test. Once you have mastered them, move on to the others.

Focus on numbers – It is important that you focus on the number or normal ranges for a lab value, instead of its measurement unit. Once you have memorized the range, the measurement unit will be easier to fit in.

Get to know what it means – Find out the real meaning and use behind lab values. Understand what an out of range value means and how it can affect the patient. Then, it will be easier for you to make a connection and commit it to memory.

Writing down lab values repeatedly or using flash cards are some other techniques that work for some students. If you find it difficult to learn and memorize the lab values, follow the above mentioned tips.

Good Luck!

If you are an internationally educated nurse and want to make a career in the nursing specialty of your choice, INSCOL offers various specialized nursing courses in Canada from top colleges. To learn more about the available graduate nursing programs, visit the website at www.inscol.com

Quick Beauty Tips for Busy Nurses

In the hectic schedule of the nursing profession, nurses rarely get time for themselves. Often, they don't even have the energy to follow a beauty regime. However, like every other woman in the world, nurses want to feel beautiful and confident. If you are a nurse, it may not be easy with your busy schedule, but you can treat yourself with a quick beauty regime.

Here are a few easy tips to help busy, hardworking nurses maintain their beauty while at work -

• Skin – Skin care is a vital part of any beauty regime. You should take proper care of your skin. Opt for exfoliation,cleansing, toning, and proper moisturizing for the best results.Pamper your skin regularly with face masks and get rid of impurities. Also, don't forget about your hands.Nursing requires a lot of cleaning, washing and disinfecting. Manicures and regular moisturizing is essential for hands.
• Makeup – Make quick-to-apply makeup products your friends, because nurses don't usually have much time to get ready. Mascara, eyeliner, foundation etc., are very useful makeup products. Nurses have to work long hours so try to use natural beauty products, so chemicals don’t harm your skin.In addition, remember to remove makeup before going to sleep.
• Hair – Use a good shampoo and conditioner to keep your hair shiny and healthy. Following a healthy diet improves your hair and makes it shine. Proper sleep is also essential for shiny and flowing locks.
• Health – Maintaining good health is a part of every beauty regime. Get good and restful sleep to give your body and mind respite. Drink lots of water to keep your skin hydrated and to get rid of toxins. Exercise more to stay healthy and fit, which is necessary in the nursing field. Include healthy food items in your diet such as fruits and vegetables.
• Nails – Make sure that your nails aren't suffering because of your busy schedule. Save them from cracking and chipping by properly moisturizing nail beds and cuticles.
• Looks – Try out new hairstyles for a fresh look. Various hairstyles are essential to improve your looks, so be creative. Buns, ponytails, braids – there are many to try.You can try out new styles within the rules.Use minimal makeup to bring out your natural beauty.

Follow the above-mentioned tips to maintain your beauty and elegance, even in the hectic schedule of your nursing profession. If you would like to read more such tips for nurses, you can explore our blog.

If you are looking for ways to advance your nursing career in Canada, INSCOL offers nursing education in Canada for internationally educated nurses. You can join a graduate/postgraduate nursing program of your choice by joining programs offered by INSCOL.

How to Calm Your Patient’s Pre-Surgery Anxiety?

Feeling anxious before surgery is common for patients, as they start to feel nervous and restless, even if it is not their first time going under the knife. Anxious patients suffer from symptom like – 

• Irregular heartbeat
• Increased blood pressure
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Sleep problems

However, this anxiety is not good either for the patient as well as for the healthcare professionals. It can be worrying for patients, especially those with cardiovascular problems. It can have adverse effects on patients’ overall health and post surgery recovery.

It is usually the responsibility of a nurse to calm down the patient before surgery and ease their worries. As a nurse, you would have already studied about such situations at nursing school. However, here are a few tips for you that can help to calm down the patients.

• Be punctual - It is advised not to leave a patient waiting before the surgery. It only fuels their nerves and makes them more nervous. As a nurse, you should be on time, so that you can ease patients’ fears on time.
• Converse with patients - Make conversation with the patient before surgery. Small talk will ease their worries and help you create a therapeutic bond with them. Listen and acknowledge their concerns regarding the surgery to get to know what is really troubling them. Let them know that it is okay to be nervous and they will be well taken care. Your reassurance combined with empathy will reduce their anxiety considerably and they will calm down.
• Be informative - Many patients like to know what will happen before and during the surgery, as lack of knowledge makes them uneasy. You can provide them information and help ease their worries. Educate them about the surgery and instructions to distract them. Such information will help them de-stress and relive the anxiety.Moreover, if they are too nervous to ask questions, take initiative to inform them yourself. You can also show them relevant images or videos to educate them about the procedure.
• Use relaxation techniques - There are a variety of relaxation techniques that are used by healthcare professionals to calm patients before a surgical procedure. It includes focusing on breathing, meditation and muscle relaxation. These techniques can slow down the breathing and control the heart rate. You can use such techniques to calm your patient.
• Music therapy - To ease patients’ pre-surgery anxiety, nurses can use music. It is seen that people, who listen to relaxing music before surgery are relaxed and less nervous.

As per the nurses who are experienced in the profession, there could be more things that can calm patient’s anxiety before surgery. These things can only be learnt with practice and experience while working in a nursing facility. 

If you are a nurse and willing to pursue a rewarding career in nursing in Canada, the best way is to go for International Nursing Programs of your choice. There are Canadian nursing programs that allow nurses to study as well as work in Canada. To know your options, you can explore the nursing courses in Canada for International Nurses offered by INSCOL.

A Nurse is Not ‘Just’ a Nurse – We Tell You Why

Whether or not you have ever been unwell, everyone’s heard of a nurse. Moreover, regardless of anybody's notions about nurses, they are not just nurses anymore, and they have never been “just” nurses in the past, either.

Not sure if a nursing career is worth your time? Here are five eye-opening reasons why a nurse is not “just” a nurse.

1. You're an Educator - As a nurse-to-be, know that you're not ‘just’ a nurse. You educate your patients and their families on their diagnosis. Start looking at yourself as an educator, too. You are educated in a plethora of signs, symptoms, treatment options and medications of many ailments and diseases. You may have to teach something concrete, such as how to apply a dressing to a wound. Alternatively, it may be more abstract, such as the signs and symptoms of worsening diabetes.
2. You're a Bridge Builder - As a nurse, you become the bridge-builder between the patient and the healthcare organization. In this way, you manage to offer the best possible care to patients. At the same time, nurses hold a great responsibility to provide the best possible care to their patients while embodying their healthcare organization’s values and mission.
3. You're a Chemical Analyst - Whom-so-ever said that nurses are just an intermediary between the doctor and the patients, is very wrong. Nurses are trained to acquire vast medical knowledge. The specialty programs available turn nurses into a reservoir of extremely technical knowledge that is vital to the healthcare system.
4. You’re also a Counselor - As a nurse, you see life coming into this world, and you also see life leaving. You get the privilege of building relationships. Patients and their families ask you questions, and you tend to advocate for those patients. To many patients and their families, a nurse is their lifeline to the entire workings of the healthcare facility. By answering questions and listening to concerns, a nurse act as an ambassador for a patient.
5. You're a Friend - As a nurse, you don’t just support patients with physical care only; you also become emotionally attached to them. Many times, in your entire career, you'll come across situations when patients won't even need physical care, and instead they'll need your emotional support. 

Nurses, for sure, are not 'just nurses' and in fact, they are so much more than that. Nurses are the front line of care, compassion and duty. You're not just a nurse; you're a human being who puts something beautiful into the world.

Are you in search of the best Nursing Programs in Canada? Check out the handpicked courses offered by INSCOL. Keep shining on!

Greta Friedman: Nurse in the Iconic WWII Times Square Kissing Photo

Via Getty Images

Caught & Clicked!

This candid picture of a nurse kissing a sailor created buzz for a long time. Many women claimed to be the nurse however; Friedman was identified in 2012 as the nurse in the famous picture.

Greta Friedman is the woman in the iconic photo of a nurse and sailor kissing in New York City’s Times Square during the end of World War II. This popular nurse died on September 8, 2016 at 92 years of age. This news was confirmed by Friedman’s son, Joshua, to CBN News and the New York Daily News soon after.

Flashback:

On Aug 14, 1945, when Friedman was just 21 year old, she heard the news that Imperial Japan’s forces had surrendered and she immediately left her office, rushing to Lexington Avenue to learn more.

The moment she reached Times Square, she was grabbed and kissed by George Mendonsa, a former sailor. Alfred Eisenstaedt, a Life Magazine photographer, snapped the photo of a nurse and sailor kissing but wasn’t able to get their names.

The photo remains one of the most iconic images in American history and was a huge hit. This iconic pose has been recreated hundreds of times by couples in Times Square.

In the book The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo that Ended World War II, author Lawrence Verria confirmed that Friedman and Mendonsa were the true subjects — a belief widely shared today.

In 1956, Greta married a popular doctor named Mischa Friedman. She had two children with the doctor before his death in 1998. Friedman is survived by her two children, Joshua and Mara, and her grandchildren, Caroline and Michael Friedman, the New York Daily News reported.

Many other nurses have changed the world with their contributions and initiatives to improve patient care. To read more about other famous nurses in history, visit INSCOL blog to read Iconic nurses every student should study.

(Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/tamerragriffin/greta-friedman-vj-day-photo-dies?utm_term=.nkOMvWv22#.ihgvQeQgg)

3 Best Hairstyles for Busy Nurses!

As a nurse and always on your toes, you just don’t have time to worry about  your hairstyle. To help you look presentable and poised, here are three great hairstyles for busy nurses.

1. Flipped Ponytail

Via Pinterest

Nurses are always in a rush, and don’t have much time for fancy hairstyles. A flipped ponytail is simple and looks clean and elegant. 

Here are basic steps to get started:

• Comb your hair and tie it up in a regular ponytail. Secure with an elastic band. Make sure it’s not too tight. 
• Divide your hair into two parts, right above the elastic band.
• Hold the end of your ponytail and insert it in between the two parts. 
• Carefully pull the end back until it looks like a flipped ponytail.
• Your flipped ponytail is done and you are all set for work!

2. Top Knot Bun 

Via nursebuff.com

Having a bad hair day? This top knot bun is your savior for bad hair days. Follow these simple steps to create this chic hair-do.

• Comb your hair backward and make a high ponytail.
• Don’t tie your hair with an elastic band, rather  twist it clockwise. Keep repeating it until it wraps around the top of your head like a coil.
• Secure your bun with either bobby pins or an elastic band.

3. Bow Bun

Via nursebuff.com

If you want to look simple yet stylish this bow bun is for you. It takes just a few minutes to make and gives you a sassy look.

• Tie your hair in a ponytail and secure with an elastic band.
• Make a bun and leave some hair on the top of your head.
• Divide the bun in the middle so it resembles a big bow on the top of your head.
• At the back of the bun, pull the ends tight.
• Secure the bun with bobby pins.

To read more tips for nurses, visit our blog. You will find blogs on career, jobs, nursing specialty, nurse humor, nurse education, and more. And, if you are looking for specialty nursing programs in Canada, browse the courses available at INSCOL.com.

4 Myths about Nursing Schools, Busted!

If you are thinking about going to nursing school, you may have heard some ugly and weird rumors about nursing. If you have, then this post is for you. Here we bust some of the most common nursing myths.

1. Instructors are mean - Nursing schools are well-known for their stringent rules and instructors who have a stern and strict attitude. However, once you become familiar with the rules, and the environment, you will realize that it’s simply that your teachers have extremely high expectations, from you. They treat candidates more like peers and less like students. Instructors are serious about the course, while also being firm and polite. There may be some instructors who are terrifying, but it would be unfair to label them as mean. 
2. Trying to weed out the weak too early - Many students have the notion that schools try to weed out the weaker students. It’s just that Nursing schools have different criteria for passing. Here, students who score 90% get a B and students who score a 74%, fail! Competition is higher in nursing school, and weaker students tend to fall out on their own. Once you are adjusted to this competitive environment, scoring 90% will be perceived as normal. 
3. Exams are impossible to pass - Nursing school exams are certainly tough, but to say impossible to pass is a myth. You just need to be focused and need to acquaint yourself with attempting NCLEX-style questions. NCLEX-style questions have four correct answers, out of which one answer is ‘More Correct’. Students often go through a dilemma wherein they feel either all of the answers are correct, or none of them are. Yet, there is always one answer that is a tad more right, than the others. Therefore, in order to ace an NCLEX exam you need to get used to this style of testing.
4. You will hardly ever see your friends and family again – You will hear this myth quite often. You can turn a deaf ear to it, because it is entirely untrue! You just need to be more organized and able to prioritize your time intelligently. This will enable you to take time out for friends and family. A nurse’s life is hectic but they need to make an honest effort toward some “me” time and family time. Initially it may seem tough but with planning, it can be done.

If you are aspiring for a nursing career in abroad and looking for the right nursing course for you, then explore the International Nursing Programs offered by INSCOL. 

All-New Nursing Technologies that Recently Made Headlines

Without a shadow of doubt, new nursing technologies have entirely changed the way nurses work today. The technologies too are constantly evolving and have made the health care arena much advanced than ever before. Not only have these technologies increased patient satisfaction, they have also helped in reducing clinical errors and decreased the amount of paperwork that nurses were required to do before these technologies evolved. 

These advancements in the field of nursing have been embraced with open arms by most healthcare organizations. Read on to know which new nursing technologies have made it to the headlines recently…

The Point-of-Care Technology

Thanks to this nursing technology, access to patient records, X-rays, medication information and the ability to seek a second opinion from another health care professional have become easier than ever before and can be done directly from the bedside. The bonus point is the fact that software and computer companies are trying to advance this technology and customize them as per hospital requirements. Just by using a wireless network and a computer - nurses in a number of hospitals are able to access a broad variety of information right from the bedside.

The Hot Topic – Electronic Health Records

Electronic Health Records have been the hot topic since long. The ongoing talk is that there should be a standardized EHR system. However, very few nurses are actually using the technology – less than one in five nurses. According to an industry report, usage of computerized documentation is directly proportional to nursing excellence and good patient outcomes. The higher the number of nurses using the EHR technology, the higher will be the accuracy and the fewer will be the medical errors. Not only will patients be satisfied, there will be an overall hike in the quality of treatment outcomes.

The Increasingly Important – Patient and Staff Identification Systems

Of course, there should be no mix-ups in the people who enter a facility or access the records that are not meant to be accessed by an unauthorized person. Patient and staff identification systems such as radio frequency (RFID) devices, bar codes and wristbands –help in tracking and identifying patients, thereby reducing errors and most importantly in keeping the hospital population safe.

Not to forget the life support systems, smart beds and computerized staff schedules that have evolved through the advancement of technology.

A nursing career is the best option for those who want to enter the healthcare sector. Having said this, are you searching for the best Nursing Programs for International Nurses? INSCOL not only offers international nursing programs, but also provides all the assistance required to pursue a bright and a successful nursing career in countries like Canada, New Zealand, Australia, UK and US.

Advantages of Continuing Education in Nursing

Many nurses find it difficult to invest time or money to pursue higher degree in nursing, especially when they are into full-time jobs. However, regardless of the extra effort required, there are many benefits of earning higher degrees such as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN).

Let us talk about the Advantages of Continuing Nursing Education -

• Updated Nursing Knowledge: It is vital for nurses to update their knowledge frequently. The healthcare field is constantly changing and new inventions are changing the face of healthcare services. Moreover, we are witnessing new illnesses and advancement in techniques for the treatment and new medications. Therefore, it is important for a nurse to stay updated with current research to provide better patient care services. This can only be achieved by continuing nursing education. 

• Diverse Nursing Career Opportunities: Higher degree will help you to move into a clinical specialty, such as cardiology, emergency, critical care, medical-surgical, transport, neurology, pediatrics, pharmacology, and physical assessment. Various Continuing Education courses are available for nurses such as regulatory, leadership, occupational health and safety, infection control, learning, communication, patient safety and legal.  

• Keeping Your Nursing License: To stay certified, some states require Registered Nurses (RNs) to renew their nursing licenses and for renewal, you may need to complete continuing education classes. If you fail to do so, you are at risk of losing your nursing license. 

• Earning Higher Wages: Many employers consider education as a key factor in their employee evaluations. Nurses with higher degrees can get higher pay package and better growth opportunities.

• Qualifying for Supervisory Roles: Continuing education in Nursing can help to improve your leadership skills, decision-making, critical care skills and to learn better strategies to manage your staff. This makes you eligible for positions such as head or staff nurse, department chief, or an administrative manager. 

• Easy Transition from an RN License to a BSN or MSN Degree: Many nursing schools offer courses structured for those who are into a full time job and looking to complete a degree that fits into their busy lifestyle. With the availability of many different schools and nursing programs, nurses should take their time in choosing, which program is the right one for them. 

Not to mention that you have to choose a college where they teach the specialty you want to excel in. Secondly, do not forget to check the advanced courses offered by INSCOL - Centre of Continuing Education. Here, you'll be trained as per the standards and you'll get exposure to the industry's best simulation equipment. 

Atmosphere Matters - An INSCOL Student Shares Her Experience

Do your colleagues, family, friend come to you for your opinion and guidance? Do you feel that you have the skills to lead others? Do you strive for excellence not only in yourself but in others too? Well!! Then the Nursing Leadership and Management Program is the best option for you. 

There are certainly some people who are born leaders and managers, yet there are some others who learn to develop the qualities of a leader. No matter how proficient and practiced you are , a structured course, along with the practical knowledge and a great study atmosphere impacts the way you understand and learn about the profession. 

Apurva Sharma (INSCOL Student, May'16 Intake – Nursing Leadership and Management, Seneca College, Canada) shares her learning experience at INSCOL and says that she adores the warm and learning oriented atmosphere she experienced here. 

Have a look at the message she has for all nursing aspirants – 

 

INSCOL takes pride in providing the learning atmosphere that will help Apurva excel as a bright student and have a successful career in Canada as a leadership and management nurse.

The truth is – eyes are the mirror to our souls, and they tell a story more truthfully than words can ever do. One look at Apurva’s eyes... tells her story. We want to thank the student for having faith in us.

INSCOL will always strive to provide with the best knowledge, skills and expertise to nursing professionals.

In the meantime, if you are looking for the best nursing leadership and management programs in Canada? Take a look at the courses available at INSCOL. A bright career awaits you.

Until next time.

Changed Canadian Immigration Rules Are a Boon to International Students

Incase you didn't know that the country of your dreams- Canada is to relax citizenship rules for International Students including international nurses in 2016, well its high time that you know it all about it.

If you still have questions like “I am an international student in Canada, how can I become a permanent resident?”, here you go with the latest information about the changed immigration regulations.

International students, clearly, have become a progressively inherent part of Canada's immigration strategy as a result of the ongoing changes to government regulations that aim at recruiting more highly skilled newbies in the country.

We understand that you might be short on time. So, here, first and foremost, have a look at the highlights of the eased down citizenship process for international students:

• The introduced legislation is all about reducing the period of physical residency that was earlier required to apply for Canadian citizenship.
• It is also about restoring a provision that allows the international students to count the time spent working or studying in Canada, against the residency requirement mentioned above.
• The process, further, includes the government committed to review the Canadian Experience Class program – certainly the key path to permanent residency for the international students in Canada.

The change is for sure, from the now governing Liberal Party that took up the issue in its electoral platform in the 2015 federal elections. The story, for a fact, took another turn when the Immigration Minister John McCallum brought forward his new bill – An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act – to repeal many of the changes made in the year 2015.

The new bill goes like-

• As earlier mentioned, there is cut back in the number of days for which a person has to be physically present in Canada, before applying for citizenship – from four out of the previous six years to three out of the previous five.

• For that matter, the legislation has also restored the 50 percent credit for the time period spent in Canada by the international students.

Clearly, 2016 is a lucky year for nurses. A bright and successful career awaits you. And if you looking for the best programs in Nursing Study in Canada for international students? You must check out the top nursing programs in Canada, at INSCOL.com

Welcome to Canada!

To Keep Nurses Safe, There are Standard Precautionary Measures to Follow

It is a known fact that nurses come more closely into contact with patients than doctors. As per the report submitted by ‘Health Care Workers Unprotected’ healthcare workers have been given the ‘most injured’ title. Thus, healthcare workers including nurses suffer more workplace injuries than workers in any other profession do. Therefore, it is highly important for nurses to take precautionary measures to ensure their own well- being and also for the prevention of the spread of possible infections.

Here are some standard Precautionary Measures that Nurses must follow:

• Clean Scrubs - Nurses make sure your scrubs are properly clean. Also, keep a separate pair of shoes for your workplace, as nurses are generally on their toes whole day caring for patients so it is advisable to wear something easy to slip on. Avoid wearing something lacy or pointy.
• Disposable Medical Gloves - When attending patients or handling medical equipment and devices, never miss to slip on a pair of disposable medical gloves at all times. This is important for safety of nurses and also helps in preventing the transmission of infectious diseases through the hands.
• Face Mask - There are a number of communicable diseases that are airborne and are transmitted via nose or mouth. For the personal safety, it is imperative to use a surgical mask when treating patients. Wearing a medical mask reduces the risk of any such infections.
• Personal Grooming - Besides, these standard precautions, nurses also need to pay attention to their personal grooming like having trimmed nails without any nail paints. Long nails are a source of fungus, patient residue and more, longer nails can even pierce through surgical gloves. So keeping long mails is a big no for nurses. Secondly, manage your hairstyles well, don’t keep them lose rather well tied in a bun or ponytail to save them from not only lice but ringworms too. Lastly, wash your hands that come in contact with any of potential secretion hazards.

If you need help in deciding the right career path to excel in nursing profession, just talk to the experts at INSCOL. Thus, to realize your dream and make big in your career, 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.

Consider These Advantages While Choosing a Career in Travel Nursing

Not just to visit new places, thousands of nurses are choosing this career to gain diverse training experience in different practice environments while enjoying excellent pay and great benefits. As a nurse if you aren’t sure what it can do for your career and personal growth, here are some advantages of travel nursing you can consider.

It’s Obvious, You Get a Chance to Explore New Places
Nurses in this profession can pick their assignments to travel in any region and can select it as per their priority, whether it’s professional growth, remuneration, climate, or personal interests. Additionally, weather is also a big factor in many nurses decision to choose travel nursing, where some might prefer working in sunny locations and some might want to experience living in a winter wonderland for a couple of months. There are some nurses who choose travel jobs depending on their hobbies and interests. Like, they can enjoy scuba diving or surfing if they get a job in places with coastal region. They will also be able to explore different locations, which means that a well-traveled nursing professional will be able to gain training and develop skills normally not found in any one facility.

Huge Potential of Career Advancement
Travel nursing is a kind of profession that allows all types of nurses to create a clear career path for themselves. They have the option to select the type of practice environment that best suit their professional growth. Travel nurses can choose to work in a large full-service medical facility or a small rural hospital. The challenges of a small 30-bed hospital are different from that of a 300-bed hospital. They will also be able to interact and work with diverse patient populations and to have access to all kinds of procedures and technology. For them, travel assignments are meant only for a couple of months, thus, they don’t feel stuck in a place they dislike for whatever reason.

Biggest Advantage is the Personal Growth
As a travel nurse, you can enjoy a level of flexibility and freedom that regular staff members don’t have. Travel nurses can think of taking an off between the jobs to spend some quality time with their family, go on vacation, or finish a personal project.

On the other hand, getting on new assignments gives them the opportunity to be paid competitively as compared to their earlier job. This helps them to grow in terms of their earning and make a good living out of it. In later point in life, a travel nurse can also decide a location or facility to settle with a permanent nurse job. However, like other career paths in nursing, travel nursing not for everyone. There are people who prefer to live and continue to work in one place.

For more such tips and information on nursing profession, you can visit INSCOL blogs. Moreover, if you want to study and work abroad, you can find detailed information about specialized nursing programs for international nurses at inscol.com.

Be a Global Nurse with INSCOL

INSCOL is a renowned institution across Canada, India and Philippines and offers wide range of nursing programs and courses including Emergency Care, Critical Care, Palliative Care, Mental Health, Leadership & Management, Gerontology & Chronic Illness, Healthcare & Rehabilitation and B.Sc. /M.Sc. Nursing in partnership with leading universities in Canada/ US/AUS/NZ.

The core objective of INSCOL is to help internationally educated nurses in their efforts to continue higher education and make a rewarding career in nursing profession abroad through programs like continuing education, simulation-based nursing workshops and more. Furthermore, experienced nurses are trained to become a global nurse by imparting knowledge on the best practices and at par with the levels of their international counterparts. Summing up the offerings and achievements of INSCOL -

• There are more than 20 nursing programs through 15 Universities/Colleges across the globe
• It has an alumni base of 6500+ across the world
• Have centers across India, Canada and Philippines
• Provide assistance in scholarships and visa

For a professional nurse, the nursing courses offered by INSCOL for internationally educated nurses allows them to study and work abroad in different healthcare settings such as-

• Hospitals
• Nursing homes
• Aged care settings
• Hospices
• Physician’s Clinic
• Schools
• Community care centers

INSCOL have been in Healthcare Services & Education since more than 20 years. Thus, if you are aspiring for a career in nursing or thinking of furthering your nursing career overseas, you can select from wide range of courses offered by INSCOL that aligns best with your career goal.

Innovative Ways to Ensure Patient Satisfaction in Nursing Profession

If you are in a nursing profession, you already know how every hospital and healthcare facilities are concerned about delivering high level of patient satisfaction, which is tied to better outcomes and even the profits. However, it is always a challenging task for a patient care provider to ensure such deliverable. Let’s relate this to an innovative concept and see how it would prove useful in nursing.

We all go to restaurant to enjoy with family and friends and have a good time eating the favorites. In the middle of your meal, the manager walks to your table to know how’s the food, how do you like the service or if anything that you feel to speak about. Unless if something was really bad, you would end up saying that everything is fine and you liked it very much. This strategy is something that is used by almost all the restaurateurs to ensure quality and customer satisfaction with their service and food that eventually makes you coming back. Due to this, the staff knows the manager is doing this; thus, they perform at their best.

Similarly, as a nurse, you need to ensure that the patient satisfaction is genuine and the services are focused on caring. The best way to do this is by visiting the patients’ rooms and asking them questions like -

• How good are you feeling today?
• Was the medication given to you on time?
• Does the team here helped to meet your needs.
• Is there anything specific that I can do for you?

Once you do this regularly as a part of your nursing job, you will be surprised to see how much difference this will make for your patients and their families. With this approach, you can quickly identify the problems and rectify them. Moreover, you will get the idea of how the team is performing and you will be able to work on staff development in a better way.

As a nurse, you will be able to help fellow nurses by role modeling and demonstrate that you care and want to make a difference in providing patient care. Whatever you do, all your actions build trust and earn respect with the patients you care.

While there are plethora of advantages of a higher nursing degree, the prime one depends upon what you aspire to be and where do you want to work. Thus, to realize your dream and make big in your career, INSCOL in collaboration with leading Universities/Colleges in Canada/UK/USA/AUS/NZ offers a wide range of specialized 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. Find more details at http://www.inscol.com/canada/

Here are Some Tips for Nursing Students Straight from the Veterans in their Own Words

Nurses all across the world are finding ways to prosper in their career. Some go for specializing in a field of their choice, while some take up another job with better prospects. There are many who are finding a great alternative to grow in their career through nursing courses that allows them to study as well as work at the same time. Moreover, there are nurses experienced enough that gives some real life tips to them in their own words as published in an article on scrubsmag.com. 

"Always ask questions. None of us knows it all. Nursing is a profession where you are always learning." —Bette G.

"You will not know everything when you get out of nursing school; you will learn more your first year as a nurse than all of your nursing school combined!" —Micha L.

"Remember how excited you were when you began this nursing journey. When you have a bad nursing day,’ go back to yourself on the day you found out you got accepted into nursing school and how excited you were to become a nurse. Helps me get through." —Liz L.

"One of our instructors gave us a good tip: write your first initial and your last name with ‘RN’ following it—nice and big. Place it somewhere you will see it all the time (your mirror, binder or on your desk), and remind yourself of why you chose this path." —Aida M.
 
"If you can squeeze it in—find a job as a PCA or NA somewhere—even if it’s just part-time or PRN. You will learn SO much that will be helpful to your future nursing career, including how to work with your future PCA, etc." —Christie S.

"You will literally have no life outside of nursing school until the day you pass NCLEX. When they tell you that, believe them. My BSN was the hardest thing I ever loved/hated." —Julie B.

"Don’t leave assignments to the last minute. Start the moment you get them." —Lucy C. 

"When in doubt, ask a senior nurse for help! You can’t be a hero alone." —Jimmie B. 

"Trust your gut! First instincts and bad feelings are usually accurate." —Angela M.
 
"Organization is everything! It helps you stay on top of assignments and what to study when. Get yourself a big calendar to put on your wall…write down due dates for assignments, test dates, clinical days, etc. This also helped my family know where I was (class or clinical). I highly recommend making flash cards so you can take them everywhere with you to study." —Brittani T. 

If you are a veteran in the field of patient care, we know you might too have some useful tips for new nurse grads. We will be glad if you can share those with us in the comments here. For more such tips and information on nursing profession, you can visit INSCOL. Moreover, if you want to study and work abroad, you can find detailed information at http://www.inscol.com

The Story of Neonatal Nursing

When it comes to provide care to children, it’s not an easy job for caregivers. Doctors, nurses, healthcare staff, and mental health staff all have stressful jobs to begin with, but when that profession focuses exclusively on children, it seems the stress factor increases exponentially. The best moment in the job of a neonatal nurse comes when she send the baby as well as the parents’ home as a healthy happy bundle of joy. 

This is a profession that requires more care and attention than any other kind of patient care. While providing care for an ill child, a neonatal nurse also has to offer emotional support to the parents of the child. Because of the delicateness of the patients, they are responsible of all the care and feeding of a patient in addition to routine medical tasks. When the infant becomes a bit stronger and adapt to the environment, it’s the job of a neonatal nurse to educate the parents how to handle or avoid equipment while changing, feeding, or cuddling the baby. 

On usual days, a neonatal nurse would have to attend exhausted and worried parents who come for information and answers. This is because they are the ones always available in a nursing care facility, while the doctors are still not around. However, there is little information nurses are allowed to give to the seekers. Another most heartbreaking part of the job is the demise of a patient and if it is a child, the grief raises exponentially for many. Being a nurse, the most she could do for the parents is to hold them and let them cry.

However, the same story keeps on repeating every other day. Thus, for nurses taking care of child ailments, their job is more rewarding than stressful. When they see happy faces leaving the healthcare center, that’s the biggest reward one can have in this profession.

If you are a nurse and think that you can make a difference in lives of others in helping them and caring them, neonatal nursing is the option you must take. If you are a nurse and want to pursue higher education in nursing from top colleges and universities abroad, INSCOL can give you the chance to study as well as work in countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK and USA. To know about the top nursing programs In Canada/UK/USA/AUS/NZ visit http://www.inscol.com.

For Nurses Continuing Education is the Answer

Nursing is not an easy profession, with unexpected challenges and job responsibilities; it can become the cause of fatigue, stress and burnout among the nurses. A day in the life of a nurse can have number of things that causes stress to a nurse, like managing other nurses, scheduling shifts, staff shortage, hospital’s code of behavior, rules and regulations, competition from peers and low confidence. There could be more reasons that takes away the energy and motivation from the nurses; however, there are options to deal with the burnout. 

Let’s know them here -

• You can continue your job and keep earning the same while you grin and bear it. (No way!)
• You can leave the profession and forget about the time and money that was spent in your education. (What?)
• You can keep moaning and groaning to your superiors to get things resolved for you. (Not Possible)
• You can think of continuing your education to be in a better position to make your work environment a healthy and happy one while increasing your own skills and self-confidence. (Sounds Good)

It’s not that you need to leave the job and start going back to school for further education. Now, there are many colleges and universities that offer specialty nursing programs for international nurses that also allows them to study and work at the same time. By continuing your education, you will develop interest and feel enthusiastic about the profession once again. It will also help to boost your confidence level and you will begin to enjoy the benefits.

The key here is to find the right nursing program to specialize and the college to pursue your education. Moreover, you also need to see the work opportunities while studying. Thus, taking help from industry professionals is always the wisest decision. Moreover, with their help, you can even get some scholarships that would help to pay the fee for the course. If you want to study and work in a foreign country, you can expect full assistance in your visa processing too.

If you're a nurse feeling burnt out, continuing education is the best answer. Specialize and revive your love for nursing profession with the help of INSCOL. To know more about the courses, intakes, fees and colleges, visit the website at http://www.inscol.com.