NURSING SUCCESS: 5 TIPS TO NETWORK LIKE A PRO!

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, networking is the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business. Although primarily used in business, networking is becoming a critical skill nurses need to master too!

6 + 1 BEST STRATEGIES TO PASS THE DREADED NCLEX

Passing the NCLEX exam requires part knowledge and part strategy. If you’ve just finished nursing school, you have the knowledge. But knowledge alone isn't enough. You also need to master specific key test taking strategies to help increase your chances of passing.

Follow these 6 tips to increase YOUR ability to do well on the NCLEX:

NEW NURSE SUCCESS: WHAT "NOT" TO WEAR!

I wrote this blog a while ago on my RTConnections blog. It has been one of my most popular blog posts, so I've adapted it for my New Nurse Success Shop blog. Why? Because, if you want to have a happy and successful nursing career, you need to understand the importance of appearance and what NOT to wear!

One way we inspire confidence (or lack of confidence) in our patients and colleagues is by what we wear. Although as humans, we like to express our individuality, we need to be mindful of how we express ourselves in the work environment. By knowing what not to wear, as a new nurse, you can use this to your advantage and be viewed as a competent professional right from the beginning of your career.

CLINICAL NURSING TIP: UNDERSTANDING DIC - ACT 1, ACT 2

I teach many clinical courses to nurses all over the country and frequently get the deer in headlights look when I mention DIC. Just thinking about the clotting cascade can send any nurse, especially a new nurse, into SVT!! DIC really isn't as difficult to learn as you may think. To understand DIC, you just need view it as a play with a plot, characters, and with different acts. 

Once you understand the basics, you can learn the rest.

TOP 3 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR NURSING LICENSE: TIPS FOR NEW NURSES

Congratulations! You are now a Registered Nurse. All of your sacrificing, studying and suffering have paid off. Take some time to celebrate your success – you deserve it. However, now that you’ve received your nursing license, you have to start thinking about how to protect it. 

Many State Boards of Nursing used send out publications with a list of nurses who lost their licenses and WHY they lost them. I can remember being a new nurse, reading those reasons and thinking that I wanted to make sure I didn’t make the same mistakes. I don’t think they publish these lists anymore (do they??).