Welcome to the January, 2001 issue of The Student Nurse Advisor, your first source for nursing articles, topical news and study resources!
In This Issue: Featured Articles (Planning Your Path To Nursing; People Don't Just Die: The Role of Hospice; What Is Developmental Psychology?)
Best Practice News (Midwife vs Physician: Study Looks at Difference in Rate of Intervention; Nurse-Midwife Approach Offers Significant Advantages for Women; Research to Help Nurses Adapt to Changing Health System Funded)
Guest Articles (The Interview; Midwifery FAQ)
Resource Reviews (NursingNet Mentoring Project, Conversions Made Easy Chart)
Quick Bits - Study Tips
Site News (Interact with Other Students & Nurses on the Message Boards!)
Nursing Humor (Top 10 Reasons to Go to Nursing School)
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FEATURED ARTICLES
To read the full article, click on the title.
Planning Your Path To Nursing
The nursing profession is diverse and rewarding, offering an unlimited variety of practice options to fit your personal goals, career objectives, and lifestyle. But how do you become a nurse? What's the best educational path?
People Don't Just Die: The Role of Hospice
People don't just die. It is with this profound truth that hospice workers offer support, counsel and guidance during life's most meaningful experience - the end of life.
What is Developmental Psychology?
Discusses the field of developmental psychology.
News/Notes
BEST PRACTICE NEWS
To read the full article, click on the title.
Provided by iSyndicate
Midwife vs Physician: Study Looks at Difference in Rate of Intervention
Doctor's Guide: Nursing
Thu, November 30, 2000 01:01 AM
Nurse-Midwife Approach Offers Significant Advantages for Women
Doctor's Guide: Nursing
Thu, November 30, 2000 01:01 AM
Research to Help Nurses Adapt to Changing Health System Funded
Doctor's Guide: Nursing
Thu, November 30, 2000 01:01 AM
GUEST ARTICLES
The Interview
by Pat Mahan, Nurse-Recruiter.com
Hello everyone. My name is Pat Mahan and I’m the nurse entrepreneur at Nurse-Recruiter.com. I hope this will become a regular feature in The Student Nurse Advisor. If you have any questions, please feel free to write me anytime. Over the next two months, I want to share with you some thoughts and ideas about the interview process. So grab a cup of java, coke or whatever your caffeine source is and let’s explore.
As a recruiter, I've always been amazed at the mistakes people will make during the interviewing process. So to help you avoid similar problems, I wanted to share my top ten with you:
1) Don't Bad Mouth Your Last Employer/School
It also says negative things about you. As much as possible, keep the entire interview process a positive experience for both you and the recruiter.
2) Leave the Children At Home
Now this may sound like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised how many people bring their children with them to an interview. Employers are not allowed to ask you if you have children and you certainly should not volunteer this information by bringing them with you to an interview. Many employers have great concerns about employees that may miss work time due to child care issues.
3) Dress Professionally
Again, this may sound like an issue that shouldn't need to be covered. I would guess that about 20% of RNs, 40% of LPNs and 70% of CNAs don't come dressed appropriately for an interview. You should be in a business suit or, at the very minimum, in professional casual attire. This is your first impression, and you don’t get a second chance.
4) Be Prepared
When applying for a nursing job there are a few things that you need to bring with you: your license; identification; Social Security card; Work Authorization documents (if you are not an U.S. citizen); CPR card; certification documents (if you have them); and finally names, addresses and phone numbers of past employers and references. Ideally you should have a resume ready and know what it says.
5) Fill Out the Application Completely & Neatly
If you can't do this right when you're looking for a job, any recruiter is going to be concerned about the accuracy of your nursing documentation. Nothing is quite as boring as filling out an application; however, the law requires the employer to have them and you should do your best to fill out completely, neatly and accurately.
6) Be On Time.
This means be 10 minutes early.
7) Be Confident
That doesn’t mean know it all. No one knows it all; what’s more important is knowing what you don’t know, then having the confidence to ask.
8) Think Before You Answer a Question
A moment of silence during an interview is okay. Make sure you answer the question accurately, completely and thoughtfully.
9) Know Yourself
You must know your own strengths and weaknesses. Yes, it's okay to have weaknesses- we all have them; it is more important to know what they are than to try and pretend they don't exist.
10) Be Prepared for Normal Recruiter Questions
By this I mean as recruiters, there are a few standard questions that we ask to find out about things such as: honesty; team work; personality; and commitment. Any good recruiter is going to know these traits before you leave.
In next month's issue, I'll go over some of the questions that you can routinely expect to be asked. We'll include what kind of question it is, and what type of information the recruiter is really trying to find out.
About The Author Pat Mahan is the nurse proprietor and designer of Nurse-Recruiter.com. In his over 20 years of nursing, Pat has practiced in most clinical areas and has over 15 years management experience. Prior to launching Nurse-Recruiter.com, he was employed as a recruiter for the fifth largest long-term care company in the United States.
Pat’s eclectic range of titles include certified adult educator, speaker, parent, spouse and community volunteer. Other works of his can be found in many areas on the Internet as well, including some done as contributing editor for nursing at Suite101.com, and publisher of Nurses~4~Nurses, a bi-monthly nurs-e-zine. The sponsor of Top 100 Nursing Sites, Nursing Excellence Awards, and Free.Nursing-Sites.com, he regularly returns to the nursing community that has been so good to him.
In March, Pat is sponsoring two half-day motivational workshops that will be offered free to nurses. The programs will be held in Melbourne, FL. These “Fanning The Flames” workshops will be presented by Linda Marie Sands of DreamQuest International. For more information you can write seminars@nurse-recruiter.com.
Midwifery FAQ
by Lynn, Lynn's Pregnancy Page
What is a midwife?
The term midwife literally means “with women.” Prior to this century, it was the midwife who attended most births. At different times in history, midwives have been described as “witches” or “healers” or “wise women.” Unfortunately, there is speculation that many women, who were midwives in the Middle Ages, were actually burnt at the stake as witches.
What kinds of training and/or certification do midwives have?
Currently, in the United States, there are several different kinds of midwives. There are two main organizations that recognize and accredit midwives: The Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) and The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). The main difference between the two is all the midwives of the ACNM have some kind of formal, institutionalized education – i.e. a nursing degree or another health related degree or certification (like physical therapy). MANA, on the other hand, recognizes midwives from multi-educational routes, which can include institutionally based programs, university based programs, at-a-distance learning and apprenticeship. MANA believes the primary educators of midwives should be experienced midwives.
Different categories of midwifery recognized and/or accredited through ACNM (American College of Nurse Midwives):
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), "a CNM is an individual educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery, who possesses evidence of certification according to the requirements of the ACNM". Certified nurse-midwives are recognized to practice in all 50 states and U.S. territories. They most often practice in hospitals or birth centers.
Certified Midwife (CM)
CMs are relatively new professionals to the health care field but their education closely mirrors the education for certified nurse-midwives. The mechanisms to educate and credential CMs were approved in 1994. CMs are not registered nurses (RNs), but may hold other professional designations as health care providers such as a physician assistant (PA) or a physical therapist (PT). They most often practice in hospitals or birth centers.
Different categories of midwifery recognized and/or accredited with MANA (Midwives Alliance of North America):
Direct-Entry Midwives
"Direct-entry"midwives, who are licensed in some states, are not required to become nurses before training to be midwives. The Midwifery Education and Accreditation Council (MEAC) is currently accrediting direct-entry midwifery educational programs and apprenticeships in the United States. Direct-entry midwives’ legal status varies according to state, and they practice most often in birth centers and in homes.
Certified Professional Midwives
Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) might gain their midwifery education through a variety of routes. They must have their midwifery skills and experiences evaluated through the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) certification process and pass the NARM Written Examination and Skills Assessment. The legal status of these nationally credentialled direct-entry midwives vary from state-to-state. In some of the states where they are also individually licensed, midwives' services are reimbursable through Medicaid and private insurance carriers.
Can A Midwife Be Used In A High-Risk Pregnancy?
That would depend on the state you are in, and the type of midwife. Certified nurse midwives often work in partnership with obstetricians and would most likely transfer care to the specialist depending on the degree of risk. Direct Entry and CPM’s work with physician back up (often as a requirement of the State license or certification) and would refer for a consult – again, depending of the degree of risk. However, a CNM would more than likely transfer care for twins, for example, whereas a Direct Entry midwife, depending on where she is practicing, might retain her client. In any case, a midwife may offer to stay on as “labor support” in a high-risk pregnancy, which can offer some peace of mind to the client.
How do I find out more about midwifery?
You can contact the following governing agencies directly: American College of Nurse-Midwives
818 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 900 Washington, DC 20006
(Main) 202-728-9860 | (Fax) 202-728-9897
Midwives Alliance of North America
Call Toll free – 1-888-923-MANA
Citizens for Midwifery
(a consumer advocacy group supporting universal access to midwifery care)
P.O. Box 82227, Athens, GA 30608
Phone: (316) 267-7236
About The Author Lynn is an aspiring certified nurse midwife, and creator of Lynn's Pregnancy Page, a website offering informative articles on birthing options for expectant parents. From 1996 to 1999, she worked for the Parenting Forum (in its many incarnations) on MSN (Microsoft Network). Her main focus was to moderate the Pregnancy & Birth newsgroups and chats, and to serve as chief advisor to the Fertility and Pregnancy areas. Additionally, she has written articles and content for the Parenting website and newsgroups. Educating couples, especially women, in their birthing choices is her passion. You can contact her at letstat_96@hotmail.com.
RESOURCE REVIEWS
NursingNet Mentoring Project
Review by Stephanie Thibeault, The Student Nurse Forum
Whether you are currently in school or are just entering the workplace as a new nurse, mentoring programs are a great way to get advice and support from practicing nurses who have the experience and knowledge to give you guidance. To help you develop a rewarding mentoring relationship as you pursue your educational and career goals, NursingNet has developed a program to match up students/new nurses with current nursing professionals. Its intent is to provide opportunities for learning, support, professional growth and guidance. NursingNet has also recently added a Nurse Practitioner Mentoring Project for those interested in taking their education and practice to the next level. To join either of these fantastic programs, visit NursingNet or e-mail niter@nursingnet.org.
Conversions Made Easy
Review by Stephanie Thibeault, The Student Nurse Forum
I just received my Conversions Made Easy Chart, and already I can tell its going to be invaluable in nursing school. It's got everything you need condensed on a durable, laminate reference card (about the same size as pocket guide books). It features calculation and dosage conversion factors, pediatric dose conversion guidelines, unit dosages, infusion time calculations, decimal to fraction and temperature equivalents, a pupil gauge system, and most unique of all, a patented weight to liquid to household measurement equivalent chart (equally effective for standard conversions and increasing equivalents). The chart is designed with an image flow pattern that, according to research, has increased student grades by one or two letters. In the workplace, this product has proven to be a safeguard against medication errors. The patented image mapping, concise and easy-to-use format, and an extremely reasonable price rate this product an A+. Conversion Chart - $6.95 To learn more about the conversion chart, visit Conversions Made Easy or e-mail contact@conversionsmadeeasy.com.
QUICK BITS - STUDY TIPS- Read nursing journals and magazines. Often current articles will compliment your text and make the information more easily understood.
- Use NCLEX review materials as your study guide. Sort questions by topic as you go through school and study those questions pertaining to your current lessons. It will help you learn and give you a head start when it's time to schedule your NCLEX .
- Network with students ahead of you for information on courses and instructors. A little foreknowledge can go a long way.
SITE NEWS
Interact with Other Students & Nurses on the Message Boards!
by Stephanie Thibeault, The Student Nurse Forum
The Student Nurse Forum is striving to build an online support community for nursing students, current professionals and those interested in the field. One of the methods in place for site visitors to interact with one another is our message boards. Some of the great forums you will find on the message boards include:- The Student Nurse Exchange
- Great Debates In Nursing
- General Nursing Discussion
- Nursing & Med Student Resources
- E-Med & Trauma
Join our growing online community - stop in and share your thoughts, questions and information on The Student Nurse Forum's Message Boards today!
STUDENT NURSE HUMOR
Top Ten Reasons To Go To Nursing School
by Martin Schiavenato, RN
Bandido Books
Nursing at Clinical Speed!
10. The Kreb’s Citric Acid Cycle
9. Learn a little Greek and Latin
8. Body fluids
7. Practice self-diagnosis in psych class
6. Drug math
5. Get to know exotic microorganisms (that can kill you)
4. Meet your friend, the NCLEX
3. Find out how surprisingly well you do with very little sleep
2. Get to wear your favorite color: white
and the number one reason to go to nursing school...
1. Two words: Care Plans!
Visit Bandido Books - publisher of the Quick-E clinical pocket reference books!
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