5 Ways to Improve Your Performance as an ER Nurse

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As is the case with many medical occupations, emergency nursing is not as glamorous as it appears on television. With the emergency department’s fast-paced environment, it’s easy to get caught up in the mayhem. These suggestions can assist you in becoming an efficient emergency room nurse while also protecting your nursing license.

1. Forget Being a Task-Oriented Individual

A nurse’s shift will consist of a series of tasks. Numerous examinations must be completed, drugs must be administered, and paperwork must be written. Despite the fact that emergency nursing has a plethora of functions to do, it is far from a task-oriented field. Emergency room patients face a variety of complications, ranging from broken fingers to lethal trauma. With limited information about a patient’s state, which may be rapidly deteriorating, nurses must constantly assess and adapt the treatment plan to meet the patient’s regularly changing demands. Planning your shift is about more than crossing off tasks on a to-do list; it’s about making sure that your patients receive safe and appropriate care regardless of the conditions.

2.  Prioritize

Prioritization is one of the abilities that emergency nurses develop to a high level of proficiency. Even when patients are critically ill and the waiting room is crowded, it is crucial to manage priorities. Knowing how and when to prioritize, especially particular for a new nurse, may appear to be an onerous undertaking. However, with time, it becomes easier. Acquiring a better understanding of clinical indicators of deterioration and improving clinical judgment abilities (sometimes referred to as ‘nursing intuition’) might assist in determining which tasks to accomplish first. Hospitals frequently have protocols in place for urgent situations such as a possible heart attack or stroke.

3. Make the Most of Your Expertise

Nurses are experts in nursing science, which enables them to detect when something is wrong with a patient and motivates them to intervene. It is critical for nurses to pay close attention to this clinical judgment and act on their instincts. Advocating for patients, even when it is difficult, is a critical component of nursing. This is also why the public continues to place such a high premium on nurses year after year. Addressing patients’ concerns and making clinical judgments can mean the difference between life and death.

4. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions

Develop an ability to ask questions. No two days at the emergency room are alike, and nurses will frequently come into contact with patients suffering from a variety of acute and chronic diseases. Especially at the beginning, nurses will encounter a plethora of new symptoms, laboratory results, illnesses, and worries. As a result, it is critical to ask questions.

Utilize the opportunity to interact closely with physicians, experienced nurses, pharmacists, and other interdisciplinary personnel, and continue to learn from people in your immediate vicinity. Being a competent emergency department nurse requires you to constantly act in your patient’s best interest. When in doubt, it is prudent to consult additional resources before making a decision. Emergency room nurses are frequently confronted with novel techniques and drugs. It is vital for nurses to understand the purpose, potential adverse effects, and desired outcome of any drug or treatment before providing it.

5. Remember Where You Are

With frequent alarms, notifications, and machines blaring, it’s easy to become swept up in the emergency department’s commotion. Patients are being admitted and discharged at a breakneck speed, and orders are stacking up. Throughout this, emergency nurses are on hand to give treatments and provide care and comfort to patients.

Meanwhile, patients and their families are experiencing the worst symptoms and emotions of their lives in the emergency room. Their emergency room visit may be their first encounter with a catastrophic illness, or it may mark the conclusion of a protracted battle with a chronic condition for a loved one. Regardless of the circumstance, nurses are available to provide assistance to patients and families in times of need. Even when things are hectic, nurses must remain cognizant of their patients’ concerns. A small act of kindness toward a patient or a loved one can mean the world. A few minutes spent explaining the next treatment or holding a patient’s hand during a painful test can make a world of difference to their experience. Patients may be unwilling to cooperate as a result of a negative prior experience or fear. Nurses can allay these fears by remaining vigilant, real, and caring.

Art, Science, and Caring

Effective nursing practice in any specialty requires a blend of art and science. Each shift, emergency nurses make a difference with their superior experience, sound clinical judgment, and ability to care. By keeping in mind that nursing is concerned with the physical and emotional well-being of the patient, nurses can develop effective care plans without sacrificing personal connection and empathy.

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7 Reasons To Become A Registered Nurse

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Nursing has a long and successful history that dates all the way back to the early Roman Empire and the Middle Ages. Over time, enthusiasts such as Florence Nightingale, the pioneer of sanitary reform and originator of the modern nursing movement, have contributed to nursing evolving into the hard, gratifying, and well esteemed profession it is today. While no one can deny the contributions of modern technology to the growth of this profession, nursing has always been a job that has been predicated on an individual’s capacity to earn the total confidence and trust of another.

The Benefits of Becoming a Registered Nurse.

By becoming a registered nurse, you may inspire your patients to rethink their life choices, take better care of themselves, and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Additionally, the following points highlight several additional reasons why becoming an RN might be incredibly beneficial:

Currently, there is a nursing shortage: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 800,000 nursing job opportunities will exist by 2020.

Nursing offers career flexibility: Whether you wish to work full-time or part-time, or even on a seasonal or temporary basis, skilled individuals will always find job vacancies in this industry.

Nurses may work in practically any city, state, or nation: Few jobs provide job seekers the opportunity to work in virtually any city, state, or country except nursing.

Nursing is versatile: there are currently over 200 distinct specializations available to nurses.

Nursing is exceptionally well compensated: the median annual salary for a nurse is currently $67,500.

Nursing can inspire creativity: It is not uncommon for nurses to design, develop, and patent medical gadgets aimed at improving the quality of care provided to their patients.

Applicants can transition from student to RN in a short amount of time: Some universities allow nursing students to get an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree in as little as four semesters.

Registered Nurses Have Options: Nursing is a career that provides an almost unlimited number of job opportunities in the following areas:

  • Hospitals Assisted living facilities
  • Home-health
  • Industrial nurse
  • Public Health
  • Nursing assistant in surgery
  • Specialist in nursing informatics
  • Private nurse consultant
  • Author
  • Teacher
  • Researcher

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Common Terms to Know When Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits

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If you have a disability and are considering applying for disability benefits, there are a few phrases you should be familiar with to ensure that you understand the requirements for disability benefits eligibility.

There are several terms that pertain to disability benefits eligibility, including the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability, the role of work credits in determining disability benefits eligibility, what constitutes substantial gainful activity, the role of the compassionate allowance, and the SSA’s Blue Book.

The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Definition of Disability

To begin, you must meet the SSA’s definition of disability, which states that you cannot engage in significant gainful activity (SGA) due to a medically confirmed physical or mental impairment(s) that is likely to continue at least 12 months or end in death.

Frequently Used Terminologies When Filling Out the Disability Benefits Application

Credits for work

These are accumulated for each year of employment, and your eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is contingent upon the number of work credits you have accumulated up to the date you filed your SSDI application.

For instance, a person over the age of 60 who files for disability payments will require 40 work credits. In 2021, for every $1,470 in covered earnings, you will earn one Social Security or Medicare credit. To obtain the maximum four credits for the year, you must earn $5,880. If you have not reached the age of 24, you may qualify if you have earned six credits during the three years preceding the start of your handicap.

Profitable Activity on a Large Scale (SGA)

To qualify for disability benefits, an individual must be unable to perform any substantial gainful activity (SGA). The amount of monthly earnings considered SGA varies according to the severity of the individual’s handicap.

The Social Security Act provides for a greater SGA amount for those who are statutorily blind. For 2022, the monthly SGA payment for statutorily blind individuals is $2260. The monthly SGA payment for non-blind individuals in 2022 is $1350.

Allowance for Compassion

Compassionate Allowances are a method of rapidly identifying diseases and other medical problems that meet Social Security’s criteria of disability.

These illnesses include specific types of cancer, adult brain disorders, and a variety of rare pediatric disorders. The SSA can easily discover potential Compassionate Allowances, allowing them to make timely determinations regarding an applicant’s disability benefits eligibility.

Blue Book entry

This section outlines the disabilities that the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers serious enough to preclude an individual from working and the medical criteria used to determine whether an individual is eligible for disability benefits.

If you are filing for disability benefits, the phrases may be perplexing, but it is critical that you understand them in order to evaluate your eligibility for payments. A disability lawyer can clarify the application procedure and guide you through it, ensuring that you obtain your disability payments as promptly as possible. You can either apply online, or if you are in the Los Angeles, California area you can visit your local Social Security Disability Offices.

What are the Causes of Eye Pain

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Eye pain may be minor or it may be an indicator of a serious condition. It can be either sudden in onset or can be a long term problem. Most eye pain usually resolves itself in a short time, but there are times when medical action is necessary.

Eye pain can occur on the surface of the eye, or it may occur within the eye itself. Surface eye pain is referred to as ocular. Knowing where the eye pain is directed you to both causes and necessary treatments. Most eye pain subsides on its own, but sometimes it can be an emergency.

Eye pain on the surface of the eye is often caused by an infection or an injury or trauma to the eye. Usual treatment might be eye drops or rest. Sometimes rest can involve avoiding bright lights, using dark-colored glasses, wearing an eye patch over the injured eye, or sleeping extra.

The causes of the ocular eye pain are things like foreign objects such as windblown particles, or infections like conjunctivitis, or trauma like sports injuries. These respond well to rest and eye drops. Heat packs or cold packs are also helpful. You may treat them yourself but should first check with your doctor. You may have a sty or a cyst on your eyelid, and you need to have a doctor attend to these things.

Doctors refer to pain within the eye as orbital eye pain. The causes of these eye pains are more serious. A puncture wound to the eye needs immediate attention. Other causes also need medical help but are not emergencies.

Glaucoma causes eye pain. It has to do with increasing pressure within the eye. It needs to be treated by a professional who will prescribe treatments like an assortment of eye drops or other therapies. Other common causes of orbital eye pain are sinusitis, which causes the sinuses to put pressure on the eyes, and migraine headaches. These are treated with medication.

There are a variety of causes of eye pain. Some of them are emergency situations. See a doctor if you have a sudden loss of vision for any reason. It can be a serious condition like a detached retina. Get medical treatment for chemical burns or heat burns to the eye area or for puncture injuries.

There are many causes of eye pain and your eye health can indicate your overall well being. Use good precautions to prevent eye pain and vision loss.

Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses. Use goggles when working around chemicals and in situations where particles can fly into your eyes. Replace old contact lenses as your optometrist suggests. Always make sure your hands are clean when they are near your eyes. Be aware of vision changes and get regular checkups.

Eye pain can be serious, or not. If you have any doubts about your eyes, call the doctor. For more information on pain-related topics visit pain.help today. Your vision is a precious asset that you want to maintain for life.