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.

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.

How Google Glass Could Be a Boon for Nurses?

The moment you step in to a medical facility for treatment, a nurse wearing Google Glass will have all your information right in front of her eyes, from your personal medical history to current health issues, name of the doctor you are consulting, treatment & medication, real-time stats of blood pressure, heart beat, blood sugar and more such related information.

Easy access to patient information is considered as the biggest benefit a nurse could have from Google Glass. A nurse can quickly locate and see health history of a patient without having to take her hands off a patient or excuse herself from a procedure.

Think about if all the nurses are wearing Google Glass and is integrated with the hospital's database system, communication and interaction among them will be done in the blink of an eye. If the nurse's hands are gloved and dirty, it’s not a good idea to pick up and answer the phone. However,with the help of Google Glass, nurses could easily interact and complete the conversation without leaving the work they are doing. Google Glass can also show text messages and updates via the screen.

Since the introduction, Google Glass works best for information purposes. With continuous development, other medical procedures could be integrated so long as there was a perfected way to make sure that patient information goes to the right place on the hands of right person.

On the other hand, when new technology is introduced into patient care, there is always a concern of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) because Google Glass are devices for personal use primarily. However, such concern could be resolved if these are owned by the healthcare organization and are encrypted on the hospital network.

As technology leaps ahead in future, it will become increasingly available to the mass and technologies like Google Glass won’t be a peculiarity at the bedside, but rather the anticipation. If you are a nurse practicing in a healthcare facility, let us know what your thoughts on Google Glass are.

Vein Viewer - A Technology that Helps to Visualize Veins of a Patient

There’s no one in this world who enjoys poking their veins with needles and healthcare professionals too feels the discomfort in prodding or injecting needles in to the veins of the patients. To ease botheration and help nursing staff in finding the vein, there is a device that illuminates the vein beneath the layer of the skin – it’s the Vein Viewer.

Vein Viewer provides an x-ray like view to allow a nurse or clinician to inject needles in order to withdraw blood from person’s vein. The infrared light used in Vein Viewer makes it easier to see through the layer of skin up to 10mm to 15mm deep. The hemoglobin in the blood absorbs the infrared light and the surrounding tissue reflects it. Vein Viewer then use this information to create a digital HD image, sprucing up the vasculature of the patient.

This technological breakthrough empowers healthcare professionals with benefits pertaining to vein detection and visualization in the most convenient ways. Thereafter, it becomes quite easier to identify the actual point of injecting a needle and in selecting the suitable needle gauge according to the size of the patient’s vein. Eventually, it helps patient care providers to refrain from any potentially problematic structures.

The top most advantage of Vein Viewer is that it provides live visual feedback that helps to confirm the flow both in and out of the veins and monitored before any problems arise. Another advantage of this technology is in being able to navigate a catheter around difficult curves, the ability to see a rolling vein and the ability to confirm proper IV flow.

Additionally, Vein Viewer can easily identify a hematoma and can provide confirmation of peripheral IV situation that helps to avoid medically preventable central lines like PICC or CVC. Healthcare facilities like hospitals, physician’s clinics, aesthetics, emergency, trauma and outpatient centers are gearing up to utilize the benefits of Vein Viewer while providing medical services to the patients.

How You Decided Your Nursing Specialty?

A lot depends upon the situation, the needs, the interest and the motivation to choose the field of specialty in nursing profession. From inclination towards patient care and having a rewarding career in future to real-life lessons that inspires many, there is always something that led nurses to move ahead with their choice of nursing specialty.

On a popular website Scrubs Mag, nurses were asked to share the deciding factor that made them to choose their nursing specialty. Some stated to be destined for the profession before leaving the womb, while some others made a choice after going through strenuous life events and tried different careers before landing on their ultimate career. In this piece of blog, we would share those reasons given by nurses in their own words.

Ellen J. - “I don’t think I ever wanted to do anything else. Med/surg makes it easy to help a variety of people. I love it and have for many, many years.”

Luciana W. -“I had a miscarriage and was all alone in the hospital when I met this nurse who made such an impact on me. She took the time to talk to me. She also gave me a hug. At that moment I thought to myself, ‘I want to do the same for other people, give comfort and show compassion in the most vulnerable time of their lives.'”

Sharon H.- “I am a recovering alcoholic, and as a young, intoxicated female, I was treated pretty badly by a lot of people. When I got sober, I wanted to work with other alcoholics, and so I tried to get training as a CD counselor. Nothing worked. Every door I tried got slammed in my face, and someone kept saying, ‘Why don’t you try nursing?’ So I went to the local college and applied for their nursing program, and doors started opening right and left. In 25 years as a nurse, I have tried other fields, and I always come back to mental health. It is my home!”

Rita D. -“I donated a kidney to a friend and went into nephrology!”

Lee B. -“I always wanted to be like Mary Ellen Walton and wander around the countryside on Old Blue, seeing my patients…I have been a community nurse consultant for 21 years. I wander around the back roads of our county seeing my patients…in an old Saturn.”

Sally C. – “I was affected by a child fatality and ever since have worked in pediatric operating theaters! Making a difference, caring for children and their careers is 110 percent job satisfaction!”

Renata B. -“The hospice where my sister made her grand transition gave me the inspiration to make a transition of my own. My sweetest days come when I help a family assist a loved one cross on to that next stage.”

Selecting the field of specialty in nursing depends on individual’s choice. Just as the reasons mentioned here above of different nurses, you too might have one. You can share with us in the comments below, we will be happy to read what your story is. 

4 Innovative ways for Nurses that Helps in Patient Education

Patient education is an essential process of nursing care wherein nurses and other health professionals impart health related information with an intent to improve their health status. There are many which nurses can adopt for effective patient-education. 

Here are 4 best ways for nurses to educate patients -

Hands-on-learning 

This is the simplest and most effective learning method used by nurses for patient education. In this way, nurses first demonstrate the instructions or lesson and then ask patients to validate what they have understood. In this method, patients grasp quickly as they remember things more quickly by discovering it themselves. This method is especially effective when a patient is being taught how to inject insulin and other medicines.

Videos 

With the use of advance technology in medical, so many innovative methods are used by nurses for patient education. Videos are a fun and effective, as people can imbibe things more easily when they see it. Nurses can make use of video demonstrations featuring medical procedures, without putting much effort in teaching materials. Moreover, elaborated procedures such as CPR, instructions of dress change, choking first aid measure is well received, when done through video teaching.

Written Material 

Teaching through written materials is a traditional method but is considered best way to educate patients. However, when using this method, ensure that patient is in the condition to comprehend as well. Written material used can be in the form of a flyer, manual, checklist. Some patients learn best through reading.

Cause & Effect Technique 

This technique is effective in the cases wherein you need to persuade the patient to shun some habits and adopt a healthy lifestyle. For instance- Telling a chain smoker that cigarette smoking is injurious to health will not convince them to quit smoking rather here cause & effect technique plays a great role. Show them a visual presentation that displays the difference between the functioning of normal lungs and lungs of a smoker. When patient visualizes the actual difference between the two lungs, there are positive chances of a lifestyle change.

INSCOL in collaboration with leading Universities/Colleges in Canada/UK/USA/AUS/NZ offers a wide range of exclusive Nursing Programs in: Emergency Care, Critical Care, Palliative Care, Mental Health, Leadership & Management, Gerontology, Healthcare & Rehabilitation and BSc/MSc Nursing.

For more information: http://www.canada.inscolacademy.com/academic-courses/

A PG Program in Community Mental Health from Niagara College, Canada

What’s in it for Nursing Professionals?

There is an increasing demand for qualitative and mental health services, consequently resulting in a rising demand for community mental health nurses to ensure that people in the community have an easy access to quality mental health care.

Mental health nurses care for people suffering from several mental health conditions, their main role involves helping the patient to recover from the illness or achieve a stable condition that allows them to lead a positive life. Mental health nurses work in multidisciplinary teams wherein they need to liaison with occupational therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other health professionals.

Typical Activities of a Professional Mental Health Nurse Includes:

• Documenting & Maintaining Patient Records
• Providing individual therapies to patients (For instance-cognitive behavior therapy for depression & anxiety cases)
• Caring for patients suffering from acute mental disorders
• Making care plans for individual patients
• Assessing patient’s behavioral and psychological needs
• Applying de-escalation techniques to help patients manage stress and emotions
• Ensuring the right dosage of medications

If you are already working in healthcare industry and looking for an enhancement course to gain more in your career, then joining a PG Program from a recognized university or College is your best bet. One such institution is INSCOL offering a PG Certificate Programs in Community Mental Health in partnership with Niagara College, Canada. This is an enhancement course for nurses who wants to further specialize in Community Mental Health Nursing.

 

The Program includes:

• Crisis Response & Intervention
• Exposure to current trends & issues in mental health care
• Developing a thorough understanding of mental illness
• Fundamentals of community mental health
• Exploring current care providers, treatments and treatment facilities

Employment Opportunities:

Community Mental Health Nurses practice in a range of behavioral healthcare settings including:

• Community mental health centers
• Detoxification centers
• Psychiatric facilities
• Group homes
• Hospices
• Client’s Homes
• Drop-in centers

Nurses, after successfully completing this program, can combine their advanced learning with their previously acquired education and experience resulting in providing an exemplary service to people experiencing mental health ailments.

For more information about the course, visit http://www.canada.inscolacademy.com/courses/pg-certificate-community-mental-health-multidiscipline/

What Would You Achieve By Joining a Post Graduate Coronary Care Program in Canada ?

Let’s Start by Knowing the Basics – Coronary Care

Coronary Care or commonly referred as Cardiac Nursing is one of the nursing specialty which sustains highest demand and greater scope of career growth. This field of practice involves dealing with patients suffering from different kinds of cardiovascular diseases as well as in their treatment and care. 

A coronary care nursing professional assist a cardiologist in the treatments of patients with ailments like cardiac dysrhythmia, coronary artery disease, unstable angina, stroke, high blood pressure and all other imbalances in the cardiovascular system. 

Education – To Become a Cardiac Nurse

To practice as a cardiac nurse, a four years bachelor’s degree or a three year associate degree is required. After completing the degree program, you need to clear the licensing exam in order to become a Registered Nurse. Once you become an RN, you become eligible to pursue a Post Graduate Program in Coronary Care. 

INSCOL offers EXCLUSIVE Nursing Programs in Canada for Diploma/BSc Nurses. You can enroll in a 1-year Post Graduate Program in Coronary Care through INSCOL to study in Seneca College in Toronto, Canada. 

The course aims to equip students with complete understanding of coronary care nursing and further emphasizes on gaining knowledge pertaining to various concepts such as ACS (Acute Coronary Syndrome) and Cardiac Dysrhythmias as well as the exposure to practice in acute coronary care setting. 

Job Potential & Job Options

As per the reports by Center for Disease Control, heart diseases is among the primary cause of death in USA wherein 1.5 million people are suffering from heart attacks each year.

Number of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases is increasing at a staggering rate across the world, resulting in huge demand for nurses who specialize in coronary care nursing. To deal with this, trained nurses are needed. 

Nurses who specialize in Coronary care have a lot of job choices, they have the option to work in many different environments such as CCU (Coronary Care Units), ICU (Intensive Care Units), CVICU (Cardiovascular Intensive Care Units), operating theaters, rehab facilities and cardiac medical wards.

So, if you are thinking of a career in this field, there are lots of opportunities for career growth. All you need is to take on a specialization program like Post Graduate Program in Coronary Care, offered by INSCOL in partnership with Seneca College in Toronto, Canada.

Please Note: These courses are not available through agents and are specifically designed to widen the professional horizons for nurses and transform them into Global Nurse. 

For more information: http://www.canada.inscolacademy.com/courses/post-graduate-certificate-coronary-care-nursing/

Patient-Education – It's the Nurse's Job in a Healthcare Facility

With the transformation in healthcare services across the world, there is an emphasis on finer discharge planning and patient engagement. This resulted in making patient education a critical part in medical care industry. 

In present environment, patient education has become an important part in the routine jobs of nurses. However, like any other nursing competencies, educating a patient needs skills that takes time to develop.

For healthcare professionals and nurses, here are some practices that can help in improving and enhancing the skills needed to educate patients -                  

Follow Individualized Approach

The first rule that implies is educating a patient based on his/her individual learning ability, rather than going with patient's medical condition. A nurse needs to assess a patient's psychological and physical readiness to engage in learning.

As a nurse, you may also ask the patient about the personal goal they have set for treatment, giving you a better insight and understanding about their ability to comprehend. 

Nurses can emphasize on learning through hands-on practice and live demonstrations if the patient finds it too complex to deal with medical jargons.

Teach-back Method Works the Best

During patient education, teach-back method works best as it allows you to gauge patient's self-management skills. In teach-back method, there is a two way communication that results in easy understanding of health information. 

Once you are done with teaching or have demonstrated some procedure, you need to ask the patient to explain it again to you in their own words. This will clearly state you if there is any gap in patient's knowledge, so that you can work it out.

Boost your career

If you have a liking and urge for patient education, then you can look for job profiles that allows you to apply your skills to great use. You can seek out a career in home health nursing as their you will get better chance to put your skills in practice as compared to traditional nurses. 

Now, gradually more and more hospitals are also adding up positions wherein nurses can engage in patient education or become post-discharge care and instructor. Nurses can find good option even in pharmaceutical companies to act as patient educators.

INSCOL in collaboration with leading Universities/Colleges in Canada/UK/USA/AUS/NZ offers a wide range of exclusive Nursing Programs in:

Emergency Care, Critical Care, Palliative Care, Coronary Care, Acute Complex Care, Mental Health, Leadership & Management, Gerontology & Chronic Illness, Healthcare & Rehabilitation and BSc/MSc Nursing.

For more information: http://www.canada.inscolacademy.com/academic-courses/

Continuing Education in a Nursing Career. A Promise to a Better Future

Nursing is a challenging career that necessitates lifelong learning. Thus, for a successful nursing career, it is essential that nurses continue to educate themselves from time-to-time as it helps in enhancing the expertise and greatly benefits patients too.

This blog highlights the importance of continuing education and the intakes to prosper in an ever-demanding nursing profession.

Empower with the Knowledge

In nursing profession, it is extremely important to keep abreast with latest developments, technological breakthrough, medical researches and the subject matter knowledge in the lifetime of a career in patient-care. The thirst to stay updated and empowering yourself through continuing access to knowledge will help to remain at top of your practice career and at the same time, improvise lives of patients in the best possible manner.

Once you become a RN, pursue an International Nursing Program from a premier institution like INSCOL to elevate your nursing career. INSCOL has a history of more than a decade in boosting the career of nurses across the globe in partnership with reputed colleges and universities in countries like USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and UK. With such courses, you can keep yourself updated with new medical advancements in the field, know about latest techniques for treatment and medications and use this knowledge and skills to give most up-to-date-treatment to the patients.

Broader Scope, Better Job Opportunities

By enrolling in a postgraduate nursing program, a nurse can expect broader and better job prospects. This also plays a significant role in overall professional growth, promotes rational thinking and provides a great avenue to associate with key professionals from the same field.

Moreover, it also brings a great opportunity for nurses seeking an alternative or optional career path. Obtaining a specialization or pursuing a postgraduate nursing course lays down the foundation for excellence in the career and makes you a preferred choice of potential employers.


In conclusion, importance of continuing education is paramount in the nursing career, particular to your nursing specialty and nursing occupation, this as a whole, benefits to grow as professionals with enhanced skills and the knowledge to prosper in nursing jobs.

INSCOL in collaboration with leading Universities/Colleges in Canada/UK/USA/AUS/NZ offers a wide range of exclusive Nursing Programs in:
Emergency Care, Critical Care, Palliative Care, Coronary Care, Acute Complex Care, Mental Health, Leadership & Management, Gerontology & Chronic Illness, Healthcare & Rehabilitation and BSc/MSc Nursing.

For more information: http://www.canada.inscolacademy.com/academic-courses/