Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Practicing Nurse Kim Gives Advice on nursing

RNs who hold an Associates degree are staffed at hospitals, homehealth, hospice, clinics, doctors office dialysis centers, and many other places. For the most part, RNs are usually working in hospitals. When patients enter into the hospital, they have a care plan that has to be implemented once that it is done the care plan is reviewed for an outcome.

Every hospital is different but for the most part RNs are responsible for implementing doctors' orders administering medications. communicating with doctors and other disciplines for example phyiscal therapy, nutritionist, and others. Also we work with a nursing assisant most of the time that will take vital signs and report abnormal results. we are responsible for the continued stability of the patient if there is anything out of the normal the doctor is called and he makes the decision if he wants to make any changes.

So far as medications we can only administer what the doctor has ordered for that patient. if pain medication is not effective or if additional medication is needed the doctor always make the changes. if the patient starts to crash or code nursed have been trained to sustain the patient if at all possiple until the response team arrive. In nursing, we are certified in different areas in order to work specific areas such as telemetry , you will be trained on how to read strips. surgical we will be trained on how to take care of patients after surgery.

For patients recieving chemo therapy nurses will be certified to administer the medication for chemo and radiation therapy. For each type of nursing you choose, you are always trained. you should never be thrown out to the wolves without proper training. what you learn in school with theory and clinicals it is applied to your job. If you need clarification or more information, please realize that nursing is broad. There is is so much you can do.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Why You Should Go Into Nursing and Becoming a Registered Nurse, RN: Explore Nursing Opportunities and Specialties

Here are a few reasons why you should go into nursing. Take a look at all the specialties you can get into:

Read more to find out why nursing is the career, profession of the 21st century. You have a lot to gain from being a nurse.


According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered Nursing is among the Top Ten Occupations with the Largest Job Growth.

Registered Nursing (RN) requires a large base of knowledge used to assess, plan, and intervene to promote health, prevent disease, and help patients cope with illness. They are health educators and advocates for patients, families, and communities. When providing direct patient care, nurses observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, and progress, which provides the basis for care planning and intervention. They have a unique scope of practice and can practice independently, although they also collaborate with all members of the healthcare team to provide the care needed by each patient as an individual.

Nurses' roles range from direct patient care and case management to establishing nursing practice standards, developing quality assurance procedures, directing complex nursing care systems, conducting clinical research, teaching in nursing programs, as well as practicing in many other invigorating settings.

RNs also develop and manage nursing care plans; instruct patients and their families in proper care; and help individuals and groups take steps to improve or maintain their health. While state laws govern the scope of nursing practice, it is usually the patient needs that determine their daily job activities.

Professional nursing responsibilities have changed considerably. Nurses today are highly respected and valued members of the healthcare team who bring their own body of knowledge to the process of health care. Nurses work in collaboration with physicians and members of other healthcare disciplines.

Once you are a professional nurse, you might choose to focus on a particular specialty. There are numerous specialty options -- each of which has its own training/certification requirements and related professional network or organization. These include:

In addition, nursing has four Advanced Practice clinical professions, each of which requires a master's degree and separate certification:

For more information about the many career options in nursing, see:

Friday, August 7, 2009

Nursing Instructors Wanted at Fresno City College: Great Health, Dental and Vision Benefits Plus Great Salary

Essential Functions of Position
Include instructional responsibilities for registered nursing program as assigned, including preparation for and instruction of theory classes and hospital clinical laboratory experiences and taking lead or team member responsibility in designated clinical settings. As faculty the person is responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating or modifying curriculum within the Department of Nursing. Able to work well in a diversity of settings (pediatric, psychiatric, perinatal and medical-surgical) with an ability to work well with diverse, racial, ethnic, gender, disabled and cultural populations. As faculty the person must be able to objectively evaluate student performance in theory as well as clinical classes. Instructor must be able to communicate effectively with students, patients, families, health caregivers and peers. This position requires flexibility in work assignments including summers, evenings and weekends.

Minimum Qualifications
Include approval by the Board of Registered Nursing of the following: State of California license as a registered nurse; a master’s degree or higher in nursing, education, public health administration or health administration from an accredited college or university; at least one year continuous full-time experience in direct patient care practice as a registered nurse within the past five years and demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students. A valid California Community College Credential is acceptable. Applicants who possess this credential must also meet the above requirements.

Desirable Qualifications
Include extent of experience in the following: General nursing experience; preparation through education and/or experience in providing quality instruction in theory and clinical settings; strong background in acute medical-surgical nursing; experience in providing instruction in medical-surgical nursing; experience in or potential for matriculation in pediatric, perinatal, and psychiatric specialties is desirable; ability to develop collegial relationships with peers; ability to maintain a close liaison and harmonious relationship and acceptance into area hospitals; and ability to effectively communicate in written and oral form.

Conditions of Employment
177 duty days per year.

Salary and Benefits
Starting salary is $51,992 - $78,276 based on education and experience. A doctoral stipend of $1,945 is available. In addition, the District offers an attractive fringe benefit package including health, dental, and vision coverage for the employee and dependents, and life insurance as well as disability coverage for employees. Employees are also members of the California State Teacher’s Retirement System (CalSTRS).

Selection Procedure
Applications will be screened to determine which applicants meet the minimum qualifications as stated in the job announcement.

From the applicants who meet the basic qualifications and who have submitted all the required documents, a selection committee will determine the candidates that meet the highest degree of desirable qualifications. They will be invited to interview. Interviewees may be asked to conduct a short teaching demonstration.

The selection committee will rate responses to the interview questions and the teaching demonstration (if applicable). Based on this rating, a small number of applicants will be selected as the “recommended candidates”. A hiring recommendation will be made by the College President or Vice Chancellor and forwarded to the Board of Trustees of State Center Community College District for final approval.

State Center Community College District is an equal opportunity employer. It is our pledge to treat all applicants fairly and equitably in the recruitment and selection process. We endeavor to be a service minded organization and respond, as best we can, to the needs of our applicants and the faculty and administrators we work with in the District. All applicants who return at least a District application form will be notified in writing of the final status of their application.

For more information, contact the Human Resources Office, 1525 E. Weldon Avenue, Fresno, California, 93704, (559) 226-0720, fax (559) 229-7039. For information on Fresno City College or State Center Community College District, visit our website at https://sdoexowa1.scccd.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.scccd.edu/. Please refer to Position No. 2560.

Submission of application and related materials is the applicant’s responsibility. The District reserves the right to re-advertise or to delay indefinitely the filling of a position if it is deemed that the applicants for the position do not constitute an adequate applicant pool or if funding is not available. All application materials are subject to verification. False statements may be cause for disqualification or discharge from employment.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Application packets are available online at https://sdoexowa1.scccd.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.scccd.edu/ or at 1525 E. Weldon Avenue, Fresno, CA 93704 or contact our Academic Human Resources Office at (559) 226-0720 or by facsimile at (559) 229-7039 or request an application to be mailed from our website. Send all application materials to the above address.

All of the following materials must be received by the filing deadline indicated on this job announcement. It is helpful to include a cover letter with your paperwork listing the materials you are enclosing. Fax copies are acceptable, however, we cannot be held responsible for equipment and/or fax line failure. Please do not submit your materials in a binder or any other jacket. It is recommended that you keep a copy of all submitted materials for your records.

1. A complete Academic Employment Application must be submitted for each position for which you are applying.

2. A Letter of Application explaining your experience as it relates to each item listed under the desirable qualifications on this job announcement. You may address your letter to: Selection Committee, SCCCD, 1525 E. Weldon Avenue, Fresno, CA 93704.

3. A Resume and/or placement file. Placement files are sent directly, at your request, from a university or college you attended.

4. Copies of all graduate and undergraduate transcripts. Degrees acquired outside the U.S. must be accompanied by an evaluation service assessment. A list of some available assessment agencies can be found at https://sdoexowa1.scccd.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.ed.gov/ under the National Council on the Evaluation of Foreign Academic Credentials section.

5. Three letters of recommendation (unless three such up-to-date letters are included in a placement file) are required. The letters should be written by persons having firsthand knowledge of your professional qualifications, experience, abilities, and character and should be dated no more than three years prior to the filing deadline.

Note to current SCCCD employees:
Please be aware that materials from your personnel file are not included as part of the application file. You must contact Human Resources in writing to request copies of materials in your employment or previous applicant file. Your paperwork can be copied one time only.

The Community
Less than an hour from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the city of Fresno offers easy access to the Kings Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks. Seven nearby lakes offer sailing, fishing, boating, water skiing, or just plain relaxing. Art enthusiasts can enjoy ten theater groups, an opera association, a philharmonic orchestra, eight museums, and numerous galleries.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Immigrant Nurses and Doctors in Most American Hospitals

Now that California's two higher education systems have been allowed to offer a doctorate in Nursing, the shortage facing California's hospitals and the rest of the nation may come to an end. To be fair, only a few CSU universities were offering doctorate in nursing. If there are more teachers with a doctorate, more nursing classes can be offered. And registered nurses can further their studies.

For example, Fresno State is planning on adding a doctorate to prepare future nursing educators to meet the needs for nursing classes.

Valley students can not wait for this new development. According to sources close to the university, the program may be launched in 2011.

In the meantime, our nursing needs are being met by traveling nurses and immigrant nurses. Go to any of our national hospitals, you are sure to find nurses from many foreign countries. Canadian nurses have been crossing over for a long time. You are sure to find many Caribbean, South and Central American nurses, African and Asian (philipino) nurses. Many of these foreign nurses come from many English-speaking countries. They have been doing a great job. Without them, we do not know where we would be. Even with the current focus on training local talent, the needs for foreign nurses will continue strongly for a long time.

It is time to train our local youth to get some of these jobs.