Most of us can recall at least one encounter with a school nurse during our childhoods. Perhaps your school nurse was the comforting presence you needed when you suddenly came down with a raging fever, or put your mind at ease while patching up a playground injury. But while these experiences are certainly common, school nurses do much more than take temperatures and slap bandaids on scraped knees. And their job is ever-evolving.
As a clinician, you’re accustomed to fielding patients’ questions and managing skepticism over various treatments. In some cases, a patient’s hunger for information is a positive sign that they’re invested in their health and will be dedicated to their prescribed care plan. But, when patients have the wrong information, it can lead to noncompliance or full-on refusal of care.
Working as a nurse is one of the most rewarding yet demanding and often overwhelming career paths in the professional world. In many cases, nurses rely on peers and external support systems for encouragement and advice — but some questions and challenges require more experienced insight. And that’s where a nurse mentor can be most beneficial.
For nineteen years, Americans have ranked nursing as the No. 1 most honest and ethical profession, according to anannual Gallup poll. Nurses outrank physicians, teachers, pharmacists, judges and even members of the clergy.
The integrity of nursing is also one of the few things Americans across the political spectrum agree upon, with democrat and republican respondents choosing nurses as No. 1 in near-equal measure.
The bottom line is people from all walks of life trust nurses with their lives. But what is it about nurses that foster such a deep sense of faith and confidence? In honor of nurses’ week, we’re delving into a few reasons people consistently rank nursing as the most trusted profession in the country.
The Institute of Medicine’s The Future of Nursing:Leading Change, Advancing Health,published in 2010, offers the nursing workforce a map to follow to keep up with the changing needs of the diverse patient population. One of the four main goals included in this report is that nurses should strive to achieve higher levels of education. Two ways that can be achieved is through advanced practice status, such as Certified Nurse Practitioner, or through specialty nursing certifications, such as CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse). According to a2020 surveyof nursing professionals, about 56% of men and 49% of women are considering pursuing higher education, certification or training.
