As the population continues to age, demand for quality healthcare providers grows. Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are crucial to 24/7 care in nursing homes, yet there is a shortage of workers. To combat this, programs are available that offer free training to eligible candidates. If you’re interested in getting started in healthcare, keep reading to … Read more
Administering IV fluids is a task acute care nurses perform every shift. It may seem like a simple action without much risk, but IV fluids have the potential to affect patients in positive and negative ways. Understanding the different types of solutions, what they are used for, and the intended or adverse outcomes is crucial … Read more
Medication administration is arguably the most frequent and highest-risk task performed by nurses in most clinical settings. With hundreds of thousands of patients hospitalized annually due to medical errors, medication administration demands unwavering focus. As a nursing student, you will learn about the Six Rights of Medication Administration before you ever touch a patient. Implementing … Read more
Pain is treated as the “fifth vital sign” and is a subjective assessment detail that offers additional insight into the patient’s comfort and health status. Nurses often ask patients to rate their pain using a numerical scale to gauge the severity, but inquiring further into the patient’s pain can guide appropriate interventions or alert the … Read more
As a nurse, you may be tasked with performing lab draws. But more importantly, you will be required to review and interpret lab results to recognize when a value requires immediate attention and to anticipate the appropriate actions. One common laboratory test you will encounter is BUN, or blood urea nitrogen. What is Blood Urea … Read more
The first semester of nursing school can often feel like being dropped into a foreign country with a completely new language and zero experience. However, for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), much of the terrain is already familiar. Your experience working in direct patient care gives you a powerful advantage as you enter nursing school, allowing … Read more
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) provide direct patient care across many healthcare settings. They deliver daily support that directly affects patient well-being, including basic nursing care and assistance with activities of daily living. Unfortunately, the pay often does not align with the workload. After you pass the CNA exam, initial certification grants you entry into the … Read more
Becoming a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN) is a long, rigorous, and often expensive process. While nursing school curricula cover clinical theory and advanced skill training, they lack one element: the raw reality of working directly with patients. This is where the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) role becomes vital. CNA work … Read more
As future nurses, the words you use to describe a patient’s position, movement, injury, or mobility matter. Anatomical terminology isn’t just theory; it’s the universal language of healthcare. Getting the basics right (like the difference between flexion and extension) is critical for accurate documentation, interprofessional communication, and patient safety. This article will clarify the fundamental … Read more
For Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), transferring your license to a new state is a manageable process, but it requires careful attention to detail. This process is commonly referred to as reciprocity or endorsement. Nearly all states offer a pathway for out-of-state CNAs, but the specific documents, fees, and requirements vary. Our goal is to guide … Read more