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NURSESNURSESCelebratingCelebrating

National NursesWeek

May 6-12

May 6, 2012 • A special supplement to

Portsmouth

We AreA PROVEN LEADER

in health care

Heartland of Portsmouth

20 Easter Drive

Portsmouth, OH 45662

740.354.4505

740.354.5681 FAX

www.hrc-manorcare.comHeartland of Portsmouth is part of the HCR ManorCare family.

Heartland of Portsmouth ThanksIts Nursing Staff for Their Dedicated Service

Molly Carver 22 yearsDirector of Clinical Services

Deelena Stevens 22 yearsMDS Coordinator

Terri Young 22 yearsDirector of Clinical Services

Jayne Brumfi eld 15 yearsAdministrative Director of Nursing Services

Michelle Allard 11 yearsDirector of Clinical Services

Andria Chatman 8 yearsElizabeth Davis 8 yearsKay Lawrence 7 years Michael Lindamood 6 yearsDeanna Shoemaker 6 yearsJoan Meadows 5 yearsJeanne Chamberlin 4 yearsMichelle Trahan 4 yearsJoan Bateman 3 years

Nancy Cooper 3 yearsJean Redden 3 yearsCarolyn Brunner 1 yearDeborah Latimer 1 yearMary Ellen Aeh 1 yearKeith Adam Bailey 1 yearLendy Ann Caudill 1 yearKelly Hatfi eld 1 yearAshley May 1 yearPennie Moore 11 monthsJennifer Blevins 8 monthsTammy Sexton 7 monthsMelinda Deemer 6 monthsSherrie Bobst 4 monthsCheryl Brown 2 monthsTammy Rogers 1 monthDonna Young 1 month

Best CareNursing & Rehabilitation Center

Clifton Alexander, 2011 Lisa Carver, 2005Lindsey Charles, 2012Lovetta Christie, 2011 Crystal Clark, 2010 Stephanie Cline, 2011 Doreena Collins, 2012 Sandra Davis, 1989 Crystal French, 2001 Britnee Fuller, 2009 M. Jeanie Gordon, 2006 Jennifer Howell, 2004 Brittany Meenach, 2011 Sean Miller, 2012Linda Neal, 1999

Meghan Potters, 2009 Cathy Priode, 2008 Jason Priode, 2008 Janet Reffett, 1989 Tammy Rogers, 2011 G. Susie Roush, 2008 Barbara Rowe, 2012 Ashley Snyder, 2010 Nathan Stevens, 2010 Mark Suter, 2011 Sheri Thompson, 2011 Chad Tuttle, 2012 Stephanie Veloski, 2011 Cortney Webb, 2003 Sherry Williams, 2001

2159 Dogwood Ridge Wheelersburg, OH

740-574-2558In recognition of National Nurses Day, Best Care would like to say

to our nursing staff for their hard work and dedication.Thank You

www.bestcarenursingandrehab.com

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NATIONAL NURSES WEEK2 Friday, May 6, 2012 Portsmouth Daily Times

More men seeking nursing careers

Male nurses haven’t al-ways been such a minor-ity. Although men com-prise only about 6 percent of today’s total nursing population in the United States, nursing schools for men were actually quite common and about half of the nation’s paid nurses were male during the early 1900s. By 1930, however, the percentage of male nurses dropped to a meager 1 percent, as men fled the profession for more lucrative occupa-tions. That was the case for several decades, until the late 1980s, when infla-tion, nursing shortages, a rise in nursing salaries, and shifting attitudes about gender combined to attract new generations of men to the profession.

Research indicates that men and women enter the profession for the same reasons. Both men and women are interested in working with sick and injured people and they are seeking careers that offer challenges, reason-able job security and good salaries. And with many parts of the United States and other western nations facing nursing shortages that are expected to peak in the mid-2020s, when much of the current gen-eration of nurses will re-tire, men will have a vital role to play in filling those gaps. Some researchers have even predicted that the nation’s ability to han-dle the projected shortage of nurses hinges on strong increases in the number of males entering the profes-sion.

While the number of men in nursing programs is growing, the public per-ception of male nurses, which has unfairly carried a negative connotation through the years, persists

and continues to keep them away from the field. Many male nurses also re-count stories of patients assuming they are doctors or asking why they had decided against attending medical school — as if be-ing a nurse was a fallback position rather than a first choice. Others note that the scarcity of male role models, instructors and mentors has made it more difficult not only to enter the profession but also to advance their careers.

At the same time, nurs-ing schools and organiza-tions have launched initia-tives aimed at recruiting men, and these efforts are paying off, albeit slowly.

The population of male nurses is increasing by roughly 2 to 3 percent each year and it has been predicted that by 2020, males nurses will make up about 25 percent of the total nursing workforce. Another factor that may spur the increase in male nurses is age. On average, male nurses tend to enter nursing at a younger age than female nurses and therefore have the poten-tial for longer careers.

More information about men in nursing is available at the American Assembly for Men in Nursing Web site at aamn.org.

Source: Metro

Photo courtesy Metro Creative ConnectionMore and more men are entering the field of nursing.

For many RNs, entrepreneurship is a prescription for success

Nursing may well be the most flexible and opportunity-filled career there is. After all, how many other professions of-fer so many possible routes to licensure, areas of specialization and choices of work settings? Today, while most regis-tered nurses are employed by healthcare facilities, an increasing number of RNs are foregoing institutional employment altogether, supplementing their income with consulting work or launching sec-ond careers as independent nurse entre-preneurs.

RNs may choose self-employment for a variety of reasons. For some, it combines the satisfaction of nursing with the flex-ibility of setting one’s own work sched-ules and the opportunity to boost their incomes. For others, self-employment offers new challenges and the ability to specialize and customize their services. Still others choose the entrepreneurial path because they need or want to work from home.

For today’s RNs, entrepreneurship op-portunities abound, and new opportuni-ties are just around the corner. Changing demographics, novel technologies and new laws and regulations all provide entrepreneurial inspiration for business-minded nurses. Here are just a few of the possibilities for RN-run business ven-tures.

• Think old. The aging population will continue to open new doors for nursing entrepreneurs over the next several de-cades. One area that will offer a variety of opportunities for RNs is supporting care-givers of the very old — people aged 90 and over. This group tripled over the past three decades and is expected to quadru-ple over the next four decades. Nurses

who have experience in caring for elderly patients will continue to be needed as care managers who are responsible for as-sisting disabled, elderly people and those suffering from diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.

• Follow the law. RNs with an inter-est in law can become certified as legal nurse consultants. These medical-legal specialists who are trained to use their medical expertise to assist legal teams in deciphering medical records and orders, are among the best-paid members of the nursing community.

• Plan ahead. Another lucrative option for RNs is to become certified life care planners. Nurses who choose this route work with elderly or terminally ill pa-tients and their families to ensure that a program of quality healthcare is in place.

• Speak out. Many nurses with spe-cialized skills or knowledge offer semi-nars or workshops for other RNs or the interested public. If a RN has developed a specialty — particularly one that is cur-rently a “hot topic”— and enjoys public speaking, giving seminars is a good way to promote his or her services.

• Find solutions. Is there something that would make nurses’ jobs or lives eas-ier if only it existed? If an RN has an idea for a tool, device or application, he or she should figure out how to bring it to life.

• Combine your interests. Many a busi-ness has been born from nurses blending their medical training and their interests. RNs have been “reborn” as health/well-ness coaches, fitness consultants, foot care specialists, massage therapists, pre-natal/birth coaches, and much more. For nurses who can combine imagination and determination, the sky’s the limit.

Nursing trends show a profession in transition

The healthcare industry is changing rapidly, and nurses, the largest group of health-care professionals in the na-tion, are at the forefront of these changes. Despite the difficult economic conditions of recent years, nursing as a profession has thrived — particularly when compared to other professions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that job growth for nurses will continue to be more rapid than the national average, making the profes-sion among the best career choices available today. So what can nurses and those considering entering the field expect over the next decade?

The demand for nurses will continue. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be nearly 712,000 new nursing positions by 2020, making this profession the fastest growing occupa-tion. One of the factors fuel-ing the growth is the aging population, and there will be great demand for nurses who are trained in geriatrics and who are able to work in ambulatory (i.e., outpatient) settings.

More nurses will work in outpatient settings, home healthcare, and nursing homes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also projects that hospital nursing jobs will grow much more slowly than jobs in outpatient facilities and home health care. This is due both to the growth of the aging population and the increase in the number of medical procedures done on an outpatient basis or in homes.

Hospitals will increasingly require RNs to have four-year degrees. Many hospitals have begun hiring only those nurs-es with BSN (Bachelor of Sci-ence in Nursing) degrees or providing incentives for their employees with two-year as-sociate degrees to return to

school to earn their BSNs. Similarly, many nurses with BSNs are heading back to the classroom to become master’s degree-level nurse practitioners.

Nurses are getting young-er and older. During the last decade, a variety of efforts were made to make nursing more attractive to younger people. As a result, the number of younger nurses (ages 23 to 26) has grown significantly. This is expect-ed to help offset the mass retirement of nurses that is expected to occur between now and 2020. At the same time, more people are enter-ing the profession later in their careers as a result of the proliferation of two-year and accelerated nursing pro-grams that were developed largely to attract people from other fields.

Nursing educators will

be in demand as well. Nurs-ing program faculty will be among the retirees who will leave the profession over the next decade and there is ex-pected to be a shortage of nurse educators to take their places.

Technology will continue to alter how nurses oper-ate and learn. Come 2014, all medical records will be electronic, so nurses will be saying a final good-bye to their black pens and a big hello to keyboards and tab-lets. In hospitals, nurses will continue to rely on texting to relay messages or pro-vide information to doctors. Technology, in the form of digital textbooks, mobile phone applications that ac-cess drug information and simulated online clinics, will continue to alter how nurs-ing students learn.

Source: Metro

Photo courtesy Metro Creative ConnectionThere is a rise in nurses needed in a home setting.

While a career in nurs-ing can be both rewarding and fulfilling, it also comes with its fair share of stress, particularly for nurses who work with patients suffering from acute chronic diseases, severe injuries or terminal illnesses. Among the most significant challenges for nurses and other caregiv-ers is to provide personal-ized care without becoming overinvolved with or overly invested in their patients. However, when nurses work with people who have expe-rienced extreme trauma or are facing their final days, the stress can become ex-hausting and overwhelming.

“Compassion fatigue” is the term used to describe a range of symptoms that can arise when caregivers are traumatized as a result of helping others who are in physical or emotional dis-tress. Nurses suffering from compassion fatigue display a range of psychological and physical symptoms, in-cluding irritability, anxiety, disrupted sleep, loss of self-esteem, changes in sexual desire, and an inability to stop thinking about work. In some cases, nurses lose empathy for patients, have trouble connecting with them or begin to avoid par-ticular patients. Compas-sion fatigue can cause nurs-es to feel guilty about their treatment of patients, be-come dissatisfied with their jobs and become addicted to alcohol, drugs or food.

Compassion fatigue not only affects nurses’ physical and emotional states, but it can also jeopardize patient safety, cause patients to re-ceive substandard care and have a negative financial im-pact on medical institutions. Studies have shown that compassion fatigue is linked to decreased productivity, higher rates of absenteeism and increased turnover among nurses, all of which are costly and difficult to remedy.

Developing and imple-menting positive self-care strategies are critical for a person to both preventing

and recovering from com-passion fatigue. These strat-egies fall into three main categories.

• Awareness and edu-cation: Since compassion fatigue was not formally identified as a special prob-lem for nurses until the early 1990s, some nurses may not have an adequate understanding of its roots, symptoms or management. Supervisors need to ensure that nurses are educated about the issue and can recognize the symptoms in themselves and others.

• Relaxation and stress management: Nurses need to be encouraged to moni-tor their self-care and take steps to manage stress both on and off the job. Self-care begins with a commitment to having an adequate diet, staying hydrated, sleeping, and exercising and can be supplemented with stress-reducing activities, such as yoga, meditation, massage

or tai chi. Some nursing units have even designated a comfortable space for re-laxation, where nurses can close their eyes, meditate, stretch or listen to music or relaxation CDs.

• Talking and sharing: Nurses — particularly those who work with critically or terminally ill individuals — need opportunities to talk about their experiences with colleagues and super-visors. Sharing stories and receiving support from co-workers is among the most effective ways for caregivers to relieve the stress associ-ated with their jobs. And the more they can talk, the bet-ter. Research has found that people involved in traumatic events need to be able to tell their stories a minimum of eight times to counteract the physical and psychologi-cal impact of their experi-ence.

Source: Metro

would like toSalute their Nurseson a job well done!

354-5550

NewBoston, OH

4130

Gallia St.Standing (left to right): Christy Kennedy, LPN; Shirley Dickess, LPN; AmyArnett, RN; Stacey VanBibber, RN; Susan Lawrence, RN; Dolly McGinnis,

RN; Tammy Ruiz, RNSeated (left to right): Terra Bowen, LPN; Melissa Maple-Williams,

Administrator RN; Sam Windsor, RN; Nick Payne, RN

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NATIONAL NURSES WEEK Portsmouth Daily Times Friday, May 6, 2012 3

School nurses have new roles and responsibilitiesWhile school nurses are noth-

ing new — they have been playing important roles in school settings since the early 1900s — their roles and responsibilities have evolved significantly in recent decades. When Lina Rogers Struthers was hired on a trial basis by New York City schools in 1902, her goal was to keep the city’s schoolchildren healthy and to boost attendance. The experiment was a success and, 110 years later, school nurses are still making a difference in school-children’s lives, and the scope of their jobs has expanded consider-ably.

Today, despite the budget chal-lenges of placing nurses in every school, school nursing is consid-

ered a specialty and school nurses play key roles in promoting and maintaining the health of a school community. No longer merely a dis-penser of bandages and ice packs, school nurses are also responsible for assessing individual students; tracking health trends; dispensing prescribed medication; treating children with asthma; allergies and other medical complications; and providing counseling and mental health interventions to students and staff.

Beyond working directly with students, today’s school nurses function as a school’s chief health officer. They provide health educa-tion in key areas such as nutrition, physical activity and general well-

ness. School nurses are responsible for maintaining and promoting a healthy school environment and for promoting parent and community involvement in the health and well-being of the students. School nurs-es also perform a broad range of assessments; provide education to prevent drug abuse, teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases; and serve as a liaison between the school and the community.

In the United States, laws passed over the last half century have also helped to transform the roles and responsibilities of school nurses. Since the mid-1960s, nearly every state and U.S. territory has enacted mandated reporting laws that re-quire school personnel — including

school nurses — and other profes-sionals involved with children to report suspected child abuse and neglect. Nurses are not only respon-sible for identifying students whose physical ailments may be indicators of maltreatment, but for educating and supporting school faculty and staff in the identification and re-porting processes as well.

The second ruling — the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Educa-tion Act — increased the number of students considered physically and mentally challenged in public schools and regular education class-rooms. As a result, school nurses have increasingly been called on to not only assist in assessing special-needs students, but also to provide

nursing services, such as tube feed-ings and assisting children with devices like catheters and breathing tubes.

Despite the fact that the United States currently has no federal or state mandate requiring a regis-tered nurse in every school district, there is growing recognition of the important role school nurses play in keeping students and schools healthy. In recent years, organiza-tions such as the National Associa-tion of School Nurses have begun to call for a comprehensive and stan-dardized approach to ensuring that every school district in the nation has access to a school nurse.

Sidestepping foot, hip and back pain critical for nurses

Nurses work hard. And virtually all of that hard work, from administering medication to hanging IVs to moving patients and equipment, is done stand-ing up on hard surfaces. So it’s no surprise that many nurses experience foot and back pain after a long day — or night — on the job.

Millions of people in physically demanding occupations experience chronic back, hip and foot pain. Repeated strain on the feet, hips and back not only causes pain but also gradually reduces the abili-ty of muscles to recuperate quickly. As a result, health-care professionals such as doctors, chiropractors and massage therapists spend countless hours treating patients whose pain and discomfort stem from job-related injuries.

For nurses, these ail-ments and injuries are difficult to avoid. In fact, research shows that nurses suffer from lower back pain more than people in any other profession. The constant physical demands of the profession also prevent nurses from get-ting enough rest between shifts, which can exacer-bate both the problem and the pain.

While treatments for foot, hip and back pain can be effective, nurses can also take steps to prevent strain in the first place. The following are a few proven strategies for stay-ing healthy and injury-free on the job.

• Wear the right shoes. Nurses need shoes that fit well and provide proper support. Since it is impor-

tant to give shoes a day to air out before being worn again, it’s best to have more than one pair of work shoes. Full-time nurses should replace their shoes every six months.

• Tend to your feet. Foot problems, such as corns, bunions and ingrown toe-nails, are painful and can sap one’s energy, so treat them early and often.

• Stand up straight. Good posture is one of the keys to preventing both foot and back pain. When the body is in the correct position, the vertebrae that form the spine are aligned and muscles and ligaments can hold them in place without strain. If necessary, various types of posture supports can help ensure that the body is properly aligned and sup-ported properly.

• Bend right. Always be aware of how you move your body. When lifting

equipment or moving pa-tients, give your back a break. Instead, bend at your knees and let your legs do the work.

• Think teamwork. If your facility has a lift team, don’t hesitate to use it. If not, work in pairs when lifting, shifting or transfer-ring patients.

• Turn, don’t twist. Lift-ing and twisting can strain the lower back. When pick-ing up heavy equipment or even a patient, plant your feet firmly on the floor for support. As you turn, be sure to move both your feet and your body.

• Make a move. Holding equipment or patients in one place for a prolonged period can put enormous strain on the neck, shoul-ders and back. Whenever possible, ask for help or relief. At the very least, stretch out once you’re done.

Source: Metro

Photo courtesy Metro Creative ConnectionThe physically demanding nature of a nurse’s job leaves many nurses susceptible to foot, hip and back pain.

Great gifts for the nurse in your lifeIf there’s one surefire se-

cret to success for choosing a gift for the nurse in your life, it’s this: Think pamper-ing. Nurses spend nearly all of their working life on their feet, bending, lifting, twist-ing and turning — and all in service of others. So when it’s time to show some ap-preciation for all that he or she does every day, a gift of self-nurturing will go a long way. Here are some easy gift solutions that are sure to be appreciated.

• Spa services: Give the gift of relaxation and reju-venation. A certificate for a massage, facial or even a mani-pedi will no doubt be received with a smile. Feel-ing especially generous? Consider gifting a day of ser-vices at a local spa.

• Pampering products: Take a gift basket, head to your local drug store, gro-cery chain or specialty re-tailer and fill it with an array of soothing and beautifying products. Great ideas in-clude shower gel, bath salts, body lotion, facial moisturiz-ers and a bath sponge.

• The gift of time: Nurses are caregivers whose work lives revolve around the needs of others, so the gift of time can be the most special present of all. If the special nurse in your life needs some time to rest, refresh and re-vive, think about showering her or him with a day or even a weekend of nothingness. Clear the calendar. Turn off the phone. Take over the cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping and errands. Ban-ish all the usual hustle and bustle. Sometimes nothing is the best gift of all.

• Hobby basket: Often nurses need to be reminded to take care of themselves and to do the things they enjoy. If your favorite nurse has a forgotten hobby or dor-mant interest, renew his or

her focus with a basket filled with items. For crafters, a set of new supplies might re-kindle a lost interest, while for the nurse who loves to get lost in a good book a se-lection of new magazines or books by a favorite author can spark a renewed interest in reading.

• Homemade coupon book: Treat the nurse in your life to a homemade coupon book filled with offers for a romantic evening out, week-end laundry service, a night off from doing the dishes, a car wash/car cleaning and so on. The possibilities are endless!

• Happy feet: Practical gifts can also be pamper-ing, and for nurses, the most practical gift could be a new pair of super-comfortable, ultra-supportive work shoes or some snazzy new scrubs. If you don’t want to make the purchase yourself, consider a gift certificate to a local re-tailer or an online specialty clothing or footwear site.

• Nice necessities: If you’re shopping for a recent nursing school graduate, you can’t go wrong with a gift certificate to a medical sup-

ply retailer or items such as an easy-to-read watch with a second hand. A roomy, insulated lunch bag and wa-ter bottle or a current drug reference guide also makes a great and practical gift.

Source: Metro

Self-care is the key to fighting off compassion fatigue

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NATIONAL NURSES WEEK4 Friday, May 6, 2012 Portsmouth Daily Times