What Is a Substance Abuse Nurse?

What Is a Substance Abuse Nurse?

Advanced Nursing 2021

A substance abuse nurse, sometimes referred to as an addiction nurse, specializes in the treatment of patients addicted to drugs, alcohol or other substances. Substance abuse nurses are trained in mental health in addition to general medicine. They provide pain management, education for patients and caregivers about the dangers of substance abuse and emotional support to patients in crisis.

Becoming a Substance Abuse Nurse

As with other nursing careers, the first step in becoming a substance abuse nurse is to complete an Associate's Degree in Nursing or Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree to gain a general nursing education. For aspiring addiction nurses, elective courses in mental health will be particularly important. Once a nurse has completed schooling, they must pass the NCLEX-RN exam. From there, an RN may begin work as a substance abuse nurse. Once a nurse has completed 2,000 hours of professional nursing experience in the substance abuse sector and 30 hours of continuing education related to addictions nursing within the last three years, he or she may sit for the Certified Addictions Registered Nurse (CARN) certification exam offered by the International Nurses Society on Addictions. While not required for all substance abuse nursing positions, the CARN certification communicates a nurse's commitment to substance abuse nursing to prospective employers.

A typical job posting for a substance abuse nurse position would likely include the following qualifications, among others specific to the type of employer and location:

• ADN or BSN degree and valid RN license
• Ability to make safe judgment calls in patient care
• Strong communication skills for educating patients and their families about the dangers of substance abuse and their treatment options
• Proficiency in computer programs and data entry for maintaining patient records
• Experience in mental health and/or addiction preferred
• Caring and professional demeanor with compassion for patients struggling with addiction

What Are the Education Requirements for Substance Abuse Nurses?

Substance abuse nurses are generally required to have completed an ADN or BSN degree and to hold a valid RN license in the state in which they plan to practice. A higher nursing degree is usually not required, but elective courses in mental health and addiction are critical for nurses interested in pursuing a career in substance abuse nursing.

Are Any Certifications or Credentials Needed?

While not required for most substance abuse nursing positions, RNs who wish to specialize in addiction nursing may consider becoming a Certified Addiction Registered Nurse. The International Nurses Society on Addictions sponsors this exam, which is open to RNs who have completed 2,000 hours of professional experience in substance abuse nursing and 30 hours of continuing education related to addictions nursing within the last three years. This certification offers RNs a competitive edge when seeking employment or advancement as a substance abuse nurse.

Where Do Substance Abuse Nurses Work?

Substance abuse nurses work with patients and their families in a variety of settings, including:

1. Mental health clinics
2. Psychiatric wards in hospitals
3. Inpatient or outpatient substance abuse treatment facilities

What Does a Substance Abuse Nurse Do?

A substance abuse nurse provides direct patient care to individuals struggling with substance abuse and addiction. They assist physicians in developing treatment plans, perform patient assessments, monitor a patient's progress and administer medications and pain management services. An important aspect of substance abuse nursing is mental health and emotional support services. Substance abuse nurses often conduct mental health screenings and provide emotional support for patients and their families during treatment. They also educate patients and their loved ones about the dangers of substance abuse and provide resources and information about the various treatment options for addiction. 

For More details about Advanced Nursing 2021,visit: https://nursing.nursingmeetings.com/

Things Nursing Students Can Do Right Now to Prepare for NP School

Things Nursing Students Can Do Right Now to Prepare for NP School

Advanced Nursing 2021

So. You think you want to be a nurse practitioner? You’ve just started your nursing career journey, and you just discovered the role of the NP, and it’s piqued your interest. Maybe it’s a career for you? You want to learn more about this new role, but where do you start?

Instead of waiting until you start practicing as a nurse, what about taking steps now to figure out if the NP role is for you?

Here are 15 things nursing students can do right now to prepare for NP school:

Online

• Membership to organizations including the AANP
• Reach out to online NPs – FreshNP!
• Reach out to NP students

While in school

• Introduce yourself to NPs
• Ask the RN and the NP questions
• Engage in learning
• Observe and volunteer every day
• Job shadow multiple NPs

Once you graduate

• Continue relationship with mentors and NPs
• Create new relationships with mentors and NPs
• Research NP programs and contact them directly
• Gain experience that will help you
• Attend a nursing conference – NTI
• Visit NP program campus (if possible)
• Make an informed decision before applying

Online

Membership to organizations including the AANP

This is the best place to start. You can learn about the role, including the history of the nurse practitioner role in healthcare. You can start creating professional connections with other like-minded students. I would encourage you to gain membership in as many organizations you can afford (we all know finances are tight for students).

Reach out to online NPs – FreshNP!

I mean c’mon, you know I had to mention this. You ARE reading a blog post online, so follow through and seek out as many nurse practitioners you can find online (there are many). The least of which is following me, The Fresh NP, and all of our online resources- including our Podcast!

Reach out to NP students.

Both in person and online. Who better to explain what you’d be in for than the nurses who are walking in those shoes? If you have the chance, follow them during a clinical day. See all the things you’d be experiencing, including talking to them about how difficulty nurse practitioner school really is.

While in school

Introduce yourself to NPs

Break the ice and approach every nurse practitioner (NP) you find. Establish a rapport with all of the NPs who work in your facility. Make sure they know your name and know your interests. This will lay the groundwork for networking connections later in your NP school journey (we’ll explain that one later).

Ask the RN and the NP questions

Go right to the source. Approach any and every nurse practitioner (NP) you find. It doesn’t matter where they work, what setting or how long they’ve been in the role. Talk to them. Get some insight. Ask them how they decided to become an NP. And of course, ask for any tips or advice they have for a pre-NP student. Then when you’ve exhausted those efforts, burn the ear off of the nurses who interact with the NP. Learn things.

Engage in learning

Everywhere. I mean everywhere. There are free learning opportunities available online, at your clinical site, and in school. While I know you are overwhelmed with nursing school, pay attention to other learning opportunities that may shed some light on the NP role. I mean, maybe there’s a CEU activity offered, and a nurse practitioner is teaching it?

Observe and volunteer every day

I preach this to all my students both in person and online. Volunteer for everything. Get your hands dirty and become a master as anything and everything that crosses your path. Become resourceful and skilled so that when the opportunity arises, you can assist and work side by side with a nurse practitioner in a prepared and confident manner.

Job shadow multiple NPs

Walk in their shoes for a shift. Walk in all of their shoes. Soak up the different approaches, the different jobs, the different levels of experience, the different clinical responsibilities and of course the different views each nurse practitioner has about the profession itself. Take in the good and the bad to make an informed decision about your career aspirations.

Once you graduate

Continue relationship with mentors and NPs

Almost all nurses learn and start creating their professional portfolio during entry-level nursing school. It is a collection of all your experiences as a healthcare professional. Part of this collection is developing your reference list. If you have intentions of pursuing an advanced degree as a nurse practitioner (NP), having nurse mentors and practicing NPs on this list will help you get noticed and potentially increase your chances of placement when the time comes to apply for school or that next job.

Create new relationships with mentors and NPs

This parlays off the previous suggestion. Now you need to expand your professional networking by creating new relationships. This helps solidify your reputation because an outdated or old reference list screams laziness and stagnation.

Research NP programs and contact them directly

Be intentional with your choices. Don’t just enroll in a school because that’s where everyone else is going, or you heard “that’s a good school.” Do your research, talk with their curriculum director and any other faculty that is available. If possible, talk with current or former students to get a firm understanding of what the program offers and what to expect.

Gain experience that will help you

Don’t just coast through your career while waiting to enroll and graduate from nurse practitioner school. Seek out learning opportunities both formal and informal that will augment your career growth. Acquire certifications, enroll in leadership roles, volunteer to precept students and teach others every chance you get.

Attend a nursing conference

Networking is the cornerstone of professional growth. Attend a nursing conference no matter how small or large. Gain continuing education, while establishing new relationships with other nurses AND nurse practitioners. You never know when you may need to reach out, no one can predict their career future.

Visit an NP program campus (if possible)

If you have the ability or opportunity, make a physical visit to a nurse practitioner school. Talk with other students. Talk with faculty. Tour the campus and take in all aspects of the student life. You may discover something about the campus or program that convinces you of a decision you were unsure to make.

Make an informed decision before applying

After you’ve followed through with all the previously mentioned suggestions, you can confidently make an informed decision based on effort, research, and self-discovery. Weigh the pros and cons of each and formulate an honest plan.

Choosing and enrolling in nurse practitioner school is a monumental life event. You owe it to yourself to not take it lightly. 

For more about Advanced Nursing 2021, visit: https://nursing.nursingmeetings.com/

7 Effective Study Strategies for Nurses

                                         7 Effective Study Strategies for Nurses

                                                    

You study to get into nursing school, you study while you’re there, and you’ll study for the NCLEX to get out and get a job. Nursing school is all about studying! While it’s no one’s favorite activity, effective study techniques are vital to your success as a nursing student and a working nurse. Instead of getting frustrated by the books, be kind to yourself and focus on healthy study habits.

1. Make a study plan.

Before diving into your books, make a plan. Review your class syllabi and mark each of your exam dates on your calendar. Keeping an updated planner is essential to staying on track with assignments. Be sure to spread out the work, and plan time each week to complete your readings and workload. Having a solid plan to follow can also help you avoid burnout.

Your future self will thank you!

2. Calendar your time.

Stick to your study plan and know how to manage your time. Set aside specific hours each day and week to focus solely on studying. When you’re studying, actually study. No more multitasking. When you have an end time set for your study session, it’s easier to focus and use that time wisely.

Your planner or calendar will keep you on track, but try to do a little studying every day, even if it’s just 15 minutes. This helps you form good habits and retain information. But most importantly, plan—yes, plan—your downtime. When your mind knows that a time for relaxation is ahead, it helps you stay focused when it’s needed most.

3. Form a study group.

Everyone studies differently, but everyone can also benefit from a study group. We all have different strengths, so instead of forming a group with just your best friends, mix it up. Make sure you have students with a variety of skills and expertise. Aside from the academic help, studying with others builds in encouragement and support. You’re all in this together. (Plus, the connections you make in nursing school will only benefit you in your future career.)

4. Know your learning style.

When sitting down on your own for some textbook learning, it’s important to know your personal learning style. How do you best retain information? Are you an auditory learner? A visual learner? Should you take notes as you read? Or highlight and revisit later? What about both? Hardly anyone learns just by reading the textbook once.

5. Forget memorizing, focus on comprehending.

Even if you’re a stellar student, recalling vast amounts of data can be difficult. Whether you’re keeping track of anatomy terms, a long list of symptoms, or medication side effects, brute force memorization often doesn’t cut it. Instead, focus on truly understanding the info. Ask yourself questions about it and try explaining it out loud. The key to learning is comprehension and association. This will serve you better in the long run, and help you more come exam time.

6. Reward yourself and take breaks.

As contrary as it sounds, study breaks can be just as important as studying. Your brain can’t take in too much information at once, especially when you’re stressed about a test tomorrow. Cut yourself some slack and add some balance back to your life. Did you finish that study guide? It’s time to take a break from the books and go have a snack.

7. Don’t forget about the patients.

No one goes into nursing because they want to study 24/7. But while you’re in school, it may feel like all you do is study and work. Fight nursing student burnout by focusing on why you’re becoming a nurse: to help the patients! Maintaining a positive mentality will keep you on track with your schoolwork while making it more enjoyable. None of your professors are trying to torture you, they’re just trying to prepare you for the real nursing world ahead.

For More Details About Advanced Nursing 2021, visit: https://nursing.nursingmeetings.com/

Clinical Differences between your BSN and MSN – Guest Post

Clinical Differences between your BSN and MSN – Guest Post

Advanced Nursing 2021, Tokyo, Japan

Let’s start out on a positive note, which is rare for me because my sense of humor is dark and drier than the saltines locked up by Dietary because the nurses were eating too many.  I love nurse practitioners.  They are adaptable, dependable, and their education opens up a world of possibilities and knowledge that doesn’t exist at the BSN level.  Like CRNAs, the skill and finesse they learn in school elevates caring to an art form.  Sometimes it’s a lot of fun! But, on the healthcare hierarchy totem pole, graduate students are still a bug trapped underneath the pole.  Clinical sites evaluate them much more closely and lord more power over them than in nursing school.  When it came to the hands-on, manage-the-patient-as-if-you-were-a-nurse part of nursing clinicals, I was about as skilled as this guy.

It took a long time for anyone to notice because I had a 4.0 and could answer any question thrown at me.  With an MSN, the bar is much higher.  You need to start performing on Day One rather than blunder through a three month orientation trying not to kill anyone at your first job.  The closer scrutiny on clinical results is necessary and rewarding, but there are two major ironies for CRNA and NP students to accept.  There are a lot of fabulous things too, but those aren’t as interesting to write about.  The first irony is that you are paying money to make other people money–sometimes while being treated poorly.  An example is the anesthesiologist resident being supervised remotely while sedating for colonoscopies, except that he makes enough to buy Ramen while the nurse anesthesia student does not.  The second is that although you occasionally generate the same level of notice and respect that Housekeeping does, whether your clinicals are at a small office or a large hospital, some of your preceptors will be intensively interested in your personal life.

Watch out for bullying

Identifying psychotic preceptors is an invaluable tool as a graduate student.  My site on bullying and corporate wellness can help with some of this.  Who can you trust?  Programs with multiple clinical sites have a liaison between the school and the program, although that doesn’t automatically mean anything.  Find out from students who have been to that clinical site before, although they may be more loyal to advance practice nurses at an institution than they will be to you.  Seniors may be after a job or desperately want to please someone at the site with juicy information about a new student.  At this point, you may suspect I’m a suspicious sourpuss.  I’m actually embarrassingly gullible and tend to see the best in people rather than their glaring faults, which is why advice like this was so helpful for me.  And really, you should be treating everyone as well as you can.  Not two-faced or disingenuous, but the way you want to be treated.  The simpler you can keep your clinical relationships, the more you can concentrate on doing well clinically instead of the petty drama that some people live for.  I know it doesn’t sound like it, but I found clinicals tremendously more fun and interesting the second time around.

Trying to understand expectations between preceptors

Once you do find trustworthy preceptors that have your best, long-term interests in mind and really want to help, try new things and work on your clinical weaknesses with them.  As a new student, skills like arterial and central line placement or intubating with a new type of blade or equipment are good examples.  Even discovering your deficits may seem bewildering.  One preceptor will compliment you on your critical thinking and the next may berate you for the exact same thought process.  Understand that many of the brilliant preceptors who ask you highly specialized and difficult questions only have a handful of them that are meant to stump you, unless they’ve been reading textbooks between patients.  Often there’s a strong correlation between a fixation with antibiotics or airway or amiodarone dosing and a terrible mistake they once made.  Even if an outcome is one in a million, if it happens to your patient, you’ll pay special attention to it in every subsequent case until you retire (or receive adequate therapy).

Prioritize your emotional wellbeing

As a last side note, would extensive counseling help you survive and perhaps even thrive in graduate school?  The answer is yes.  Of course, if you had the time and money for counseling during school, you probably wouldn’t really need it.  Similar to training your brain how to study, resilience is one of the most important skills you should master.  This is quite different than stubbornness, which can be evidenced clinically as trying that spinal for a sixth time instead of just changing your inflexible plan.  In the future, we will talk much more about emotional help on FreshNP.com and how to build a healthy, balanced support system that doesn’t suck or suck your loved ones dry.  Although it helps to stay close to home instead of leaving everyone you know for that perfect school hundreds of miles away, I’ve been asked if it’s better to be a nurse at a facility before becoming a nurse practitioner or anesthesia student.  Can you step out of the shadow of your old job?  An incompetent student will still have major problems six months into a program, even if everyone loves her. 

What do you think? How do your NP clinicals compare to nursing school, or how do you expect them to differ? 

For More About Advanced Nursing 2021, visit: https://nursing.nursingmeetings.com/

What Is Nursing?

What Is Nursing?

Advanced Nursing 2021, Tokyo, Japan

21st Century nursing is the glue that holds a patient’s health care journey together. Across the entire patient experience, and wherever there is someone in need of care, nurses work tirelessly to identify and protect the needs of the individual. 

Beyond the time-honored reputation for compassion and dedication lies a highly specialized profession, which is constantly evolving to address the needs of society. From ensuring the most accurate diagnoses to the ongoing education of the public about critical health issues; nurses are indispensable in safeguarding public health.

Nursing can be described as both an art and a science; a heart and a mind. At its heart, lies a fundamental respect for human dignity and an intuition for a patient’s needs. This is supported by the mind, in the form of rigorous core learning. Due to the vast range of specialisms and complex skills in the nursing profession, each nurse will have specific strengths, passions, and expertise.

However, nursing has a unifying ethos:  In assessing a patient, nurses do not just consider test results. Through the critical thinking exemplified in the nursing process (see below), nurses use their judgment to integrate objective data with subjective experience of a patient’s biological, physical and behavioral needs. This ensures that every patient, from city hospital to community health center; state prison to summer camp, receives the best possible care regardless of who they are, or where they may be.

What exactly do nurses do?

In a field as varied as nursing, there is no typical answer. Responsibilities can range from making acute treatment decisions to providing inoculations in schools. The key unifying characteristic in every role is the skill and drive that it takes to be a nurse. Through long-term monitoring of patients’ behavior and knowledge-based expertise, nurses are best placed to take an all-encompassing view of a patient’s wellbeing.

What types of nurses are there?

All nurses complete a rigorous program of extensive education and study, and work directly with patients, families, and communities using the core values of the nursing process. In the United States today, nursing roles can be divided into three categories by the specific responsibilities they undertake.

Registered Nurses

Registered nurses (RN) form the backbone of health care provision in the United States. RNs provide critical health care to the public wherever it is needed.

Key Responsibilities

·         Perform physical exams and health histories before making critical decisions

·         Provide health promotion, counseling and education

·         Administer medications and other personalized interventions

·         Coordinate care, in collaboration with a wide array of health care professionals

·         Advanced Practice Registered Nurses

Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) hold at least a Master’s degree, in addition to the initial nursing education and licensing required for all RNs. The responsibilities of an APRN include, but are not limited to, providing invaluable primary and preventative health care to the public. APRNs treat and diagnose illnesses, advise the public on health issues, manage chronic disease and engage in continuous education to remain at the very forefront of any technological, methodological, or other developments in the field.

APRNs Practice Specialist Roles

·         Nurse Practitioners prescribe medication, diagnose and treat minor illnesses and injuries

·         Certified Nurse-Midwives provide gynecological and low-risk obstetrical care

·         Clinical Nurse Specialists handle a wide range of physical and mental health problems

·         Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists administer more than 65 percent of all anesthetics

Licensed Practical Nurses

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), also known as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), support the core health care team and work under the supervision of an RN, APRN or MD. By providing basic and routine care, they ensure the wellbeing of patients throughout the whole of the health care journey

Key Responsibilities

·         Check vital signs and look for signs that health is deteriorating or improving

·         Perform basic nursing functions such as changing bandages and wound dressings

·         Ensure patients are comfortable, well-fed and hydrated

·         May administer medications in some settings

What is the nursing process?

No matter what their field or specialty, all nurses utilize the same nursing process; a scientific method designed to deliver the very best in patient care, through five simple steps.

Assessment – Nurses assess patients on an in-depth physiological, economic, social and lifestyle basis.

Diagnosis – Through careful consideration of both physical symptoms and patient behavior, the nurse forms a diagnosis.

Outcomes / Planning – The nurse uses their expertise to set realistic goals for the patient’s recovery. These objectives are then closely monitored.

Implementation – By accurately implementing the care plan, nurses guarantee consistency of care for the patient whilst meticulously documenting their progress.

Evaluation – By closely analyzing the effectiveness of the care plan and studying patient response, the nurse hones the plan to achieve the very best patient outcomes.

Nurses are Key to the Health of the Nation

There are over 4 million registered nurses in the United States today. That means that one in every 100 people is a registered nurse. Nurses are in every community – large and small – providing expert care from birth to the end of life.

According to the January 2012 “United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast” in the American Journal of Medical Quality, a shortage of registered nurses is projected to spread across the country between 2009 and 2030. In this state-by-state analysis, the authors forecast the RN shortage to be most intense in the South and the West

Nurses' roles range from direct patient care and case management to establishing nursing practice standards, developing quality assurance procedures, and directing complex nursing care systems.

For more about Advanced Nursing 2021, Visit: https://nursing.nursingmeetings.com/

 

Four Interesting Facts about Registered Nurses Every Nursing Student Should Know

 

Four Interesting Facts about Registered Nurses Every Nursing Student Should Know

Advanced Nursing 2021 at Tokyo, Japan on August 16-17,2021

There's no chance you haven't interacted with a nurse in your entire lifetime. Have you ever visited a hospital? Have you ever got home care because of an accident or illness? If not, once in a while, you must have surely visited at least one medical clinic or you must have called a health care hotline.

Meanwhile, the following three designations are the most common designations you must have heard of- Registered Nurse (RN), A Nurse Practitioner (NP) or a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).

Down here, we are going to reveal some interesting facts about registered nurses that every nursing student should know.

Fact #1: Registered nurses may have a degree of 2-8 years.

Two years of study and a registered nurse is not only graduate, but also able to support her/his family. Further, once you get into the profession, you can study more, and sometimes, the hospital might be financing your studies too.

Fact #2: Many make more money than you'll ever know.

For a fact, most of the registered nurses earn an average of $20-$38 dollars an hour. Can you imagine? The fact does not end here. There are very rare chances a registered nurse earns less than that. On the other hand, the chances of a nurse to earn more money than that are common.

Fact #3: Registered Nurses can also be doctors.

Have you heard of nursing instructors? Well, any registered nurse can get a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or a Doctorate in Nursing practice (DNP). A nurse can be a doctor.

Fact #4: Nurses are in demand everywhere

In Canada, there are 360,000 of nurses regulated to work. Undoubtedly, there's no chance you haven't met one. Do you know the reason? The more the settings, the more is the need of a nurse.

These days, a nurse can choose over not seeing a blood ever or enjoying the little adrenaline rush by opting to become a flight nurse. Do you want to take care of elderly people? You can become a Geriatric Nurse. There's a wide range of nursing courses a nurse can choose from.

For participating Advanced Nursing 2021 at Tokyo, Japan, visit: https://nursing.nursingmeetings.com/