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Free  Nursing  Apps  Every  Nurse  Must  Have

Free Nursing Apps Every Nurse Must Have

Students, practicing nurses and those advancing their degrees require additional tools that help them with their tasks. The information age has extensive benefits to nursing because it has come with useful tools that are simple to access on mobile devices in the form of apps. These are essential free apps that simplify the lives of nurses.

1.Merck Manual

Merck manual that is available on iOS and Android is one of the free apps that are becoming rare these days. It sets itself from others because the developers believe that people have a universal right to health information. Merck Manual which is the oldest published textbook for medical professionals who speak English is also free on iTunes. This app includes the following:

  • How to do videos on various physical examinations and outpatient procedures.
  • Quizzes that check knowledge of the medical disorders, symptoms and their treatments
  • Interactive case simulations for testing ability to treat a patient over a disease course
  • Editorials by top medical experts
Effective  Ways  to  Deal  with  Angry  Patients  (and  Families)

Effective Ways to Deal with Angry Patients (and Families)

Patients and their families usually are calm, but nurses should be aware that some of them can become angry. Pain or fear that threatens wellbeing, independence and mobility can cause frustration or stress which results in anger. The aftermath of a patient of an illness can trigger anger because the patient at the time cannot understand the emotions. Here are practical ways for nurses to deal with an angry patient or their families.

1.Check for signs of anger

A patient does not just become angry at once and usually exhibits signs indicating that their emotional needs are starting to deteriorate. A nurse or doctor should look for changes in the body language including:

  • Tightening of the jaw
  • Clenching of fists
  • Tense posture
  • Fidgeting
  • Rising voice
  • Increased demand for attention
  • Behavioral changes such as when a talkative person becomes quiet
How  to  Control  Your  Emotions  as  A  Nurse

How to Control Your Emotions as A Nurse

Many people think of nursing as challenging because of dealing with things such as vomit, sputum, and blood but what they do not realize is that dealing with body fluids is simpler than to handle emotions. Nurses are humans too, and emotions can get better of them. Feelings for nurses come from witnessing suffering by patients and dealing with complicated persons or work situations. Managing emotions is not a lesson in nursing school or part of orientation hence nurses must learn how to cope.

These are the way that nurses can control their emotions.

1.Develop emotional intelligence

The first step to emotional intelligence is to identify emotions and the buttons that trigger them. Emotional intelligence is an ability to identify and manage your feelings and those affecting others. For instance, it is essential to go through the reports about the next patient if you are a nurse who does not like dealing with patients who are dependent on drugs. Knowing about it in advance helps to recognize the trigger and prepare to stay calm before attending to the patient. You can, for instance, take deep breaths by doing something simple smiling at the patient because it helps to lighten the mood.

Emotional intelligence is more important than technical skills and cognitive abilities to determine leadership ability. Successful nurses were found to have above average emotional intelligence and due to the evidence showing that EI is essential to be a happy, successful nurse.

2.Avoid personalizing issues

Nurses should know that patients and their loved ones suffer much stress. It is essential to understand that they at that moment see nurses as an extension of a hospital or practice and do not mean to demean anyone as an individual when they unleash anger or fear. The best approach is to transfer their excesses to the healthcare institution and remove you from such situations. You can, for instance, explain an intense situation to a floor manager and leave the responsibility to manage it with her or him. Taking a few minutes away from workstation after the emotions session will help to clear the head calm nerves and recharge.

Travel  Nursing  vs.  Staff  Nursing  -  Major  Differences

Travel Nursing vs. Staff Nursing - Major Differences

All nurses work to ensure that patients get the best care that contributes to their healing and better management of their conditions. Nonetheless all nurses do not serve in the same capacity and in extremely different areas. An example is travel and staff nurses who work in very different environments.

Staff nurses manage the care and recovery of the patients with injuries or illness. These are often the first nurses that patients and visitors encounter reaching hospitals and other medical facilities. They receive patients, check their vital signs, assess medical conditions and report their findings to doctors. It is a challenging career that requires physical, emotional and mental strength.

A travel nurse is someone who healthcare provider usually through an agency hires to work at a specific location for a certain amount of time. Travel nurses usually work for periods of 13 weeks in an area and move around different countries around the country depending on the demand for their services. Since the demand for nurses is ever high, shortages are common in particular areas. Travelling nurses go to such areas to offer particular nursing service for a short period.

Other Differences between Travel and Staff Nursing

Travel nurses

Travel nursing assignments involve working at different specialties and places for 13 to 26 weeks. They can work up to six months in one place but most of the time; they work at one location for a few days or weeks and move to another. They have the freedom to take time off between assignments like staff nurses who must request for official vacation of off work days because their contract is long term. Their work contract is, and they do not receive PTO (paid time off) that full-time staff nurse receives when going on vacation. Travel nurses have the liberty to take vacations without approval from their bosses or take even a month off between assignments. They rarely receive PTO from their agency.

How  to  Move  to  Australia  as  a  Travel  Nurse

How to Move to Australia as a Travel Nurse

Many want to move to Australia to work as a nurse in search of greener pastures or their love to live in this country. Some requirements are in place for nurses to fulfill before they can practice in Australia as a travel nurse. These are the criteria to fulfill before moving to Australia as a travel nurse.

Registration requirements to Move to Australia as a Travel Nurse

Nurses who declare an interest to migrate to Australia must produce their qualifications and experience to nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia for it to determine if they meet the requirements.

Another body that requires nurses to submit their qualifications is the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency that is abbreviated as AHPRA. There are five basic criteria that these two bodies use require applicants to meet before consideration of their request to work in Australia as a travel nurse. Applicants must do the following:

1.Establish their identity by providing a range of proof of identity documents.

2.Meet English proficiency standards by completing the international English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination with a minimum score of seven in each of these four components: