Five Ways to Make More Money

Five Ways to Make More Money

According to the 2017 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report, the median nursing salary for RNs is $70,000. But sometimes, regardless of the size of your paycheck, you need more money.

How you decide to drum up extra income depends on your skillset, time, and monetary goals. Here are five ways to boost your income:

1. Write nursing content.

Do you enjoy writing? Why not get paid for combining your nursing experience with excellent writing skills to create content for an array of online and print outlets? Freelance writers control their calendars and select their clients. One resource for aspiring nurse writers is https://healthcaremarketingnetwork.com, which a nurse co-founded. You could also consider blogging for MinorityNurse.com.

2. Work per diem shifts.

Per diem nursing offers a higher hourly pay and a flexible work schedule. Did you know some nurses even fly to California, the top state for nursing pay, to work a short time before returning home? Earlier this year a photo of a nurse’s pay stub went viral for showing over $19K earned in two-weeks on a per-diem basis. (San Francisco is the highest paying city for registered nurses, according to the BLS.)

3. Tutor nursing students online.

Work with a variety of students in your best subjects. Set your own hours and rate (most tutors charge between $30-60 an hour). Provide customized and personalized tutoring to help nursing students with classes or prepare them to take the NCLEX.

4. Give flu injections.

Doctor’s offices and special clinics need nurses to administer flu vaccines to children and adults during the 2018-19 flu shot season. Nurses also provide education to patients and caregivers about immunizations vaccine and side effects. The peak season for flu shot clinics is between August and January.

5. Earn your BSN degree.

Nearly eight out of 10 employers prefer to hire nurses with a bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) degree as entry level employees, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. A BSN opens the door to more opportunities for advancement in an evolving health care environment. BSN programs also help students strengthen their skills to pursue advanced nursing degrees. And, aside from career mobility, research shows patient care improves with BSN nurses.

Is making more money as a nurse one of your top priorities? Do you have other suggestions? Share your ideas below!

9 Health Tips to Curb Calories At Work

9 Health Tips to Curb Calories At Work

Losing weight can be challenging for busy nurses. Long days, tons of stress, and sugary temptations—from goodies kept in bowls on desks to carb-loaded snacks coworkers bring for celebrations—can make it difficult to lose unwanted inches and pounds. A healthy weight can help you prevent or manage diseases and other conditions, boost your body image, and give you more energy. Here are 9 habits to make part of your daily routine to curb calories:

1. Eat a healthy breakfast. 

Protein and healthy fats such as avocado and eggs are more filling than sugary food. Breakfast will help you think and perform better at work.

2. Bring lunch. 

Grab-and go-meals may taste good, but do you know what’s in them? Make your own meals (organic if possible) to allow you to control ingredients, cut calories, and save money. Add protein and nuts to your salads to make them tastier.

3. Get a work partner.

An accountability partner on the job can provide that extra motivation to stay on track. Set a weekly weigh-in goal and check in with each other.

4. Add healthy snacks. 

Raw almonds, seeds, a boiled egg, and fruit can easily be stashed in your bag, drawer, or the office fridge. Stay prepared to avoid vending machine snacks.

5. Take the stairs. 

Increase your heart rate by climbing up the steps. Research shows taking the stairs can help keep your brain young. Make the elevator a rare option.

6. Practice portion control.

Eat a sensible amount of food to stave off hunger. Even if you slip, instead of a slice of a coworker’s birthday cake, stop at a couple of bites or split it. Chances are someone in the office is trying to cut calories, too.

7. Keep a food journal. 

Writing down daily meals and drinks provides an honest look at food habits. It’s a tool to keep track of calories and make changes to achieve your goals.

8. Do a daily walk.

Get outside for fresh air. Aim for at least 30 minutes or 5,000 steps. Even if it’s just 10 minutes at a time, walking will provide a break and boost your energy while reducing stress. Use part of your lunch to get some steps in.

9. Drink water.

Often, overeating stems from thirst and not hunger. Set your cell phone alarm to remind yourself to drink throughout the day. The extra trips to the restroom mean more steps. Dehydration can also make you feel drowsy and sluggish.

Losing weight won’t happen overnight. But practicing these healthy habits will move you closer to your goal, which will improve your overall health.

Quiz Assesses Domestic Violence Death Risk

Quiz Assesses Domestic Violence Death Risk

Did you know that domestic violence affects one in three women during their lifetime? Each year up to 1,600 women are murdered, often by their husbands, boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, or partners. For women in abusive relationships, knowing their risk level for homicide can save their lives. Did you know that information is available?

Women can learn how much their safety and well-being is in jeopardy by taking the Danger Assessment, an online tool developed by  Jacquelyn Campbell, PhD, RN, FAAN, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.

Campbell was named an American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner last month (July) for creating the free program, Danger Assessment: An Instrument to Help Abused Women Assess Their Risk of Homicide. The honor recognizes nurse-designed models of care and interventions that improve health care quality, cost, and consumer satisfaction.

“This is an extraordinary honor and another opportunity to shed light on domestic violence,” Campbell said in a statement. “I am grateful for the Academy’s recognition and for the commitment of so many colleagues and organizations that have prioritized research and funding for this distressing public health problem.”

The Danger Assessment (DA) predicts a woman’s risk of being killed or almost killed by an intimate partner. For more than 30 years, law enforcement, health care professionals and domestic violence advocates identified and assisted women with a high risk of being harmed by using the tool created by Campbell in 1986. There is also a version to download that predicts reassault in abusive female same-sex relationships.

Available in English, Spanish and Portuguese, the DA is divided in two parts: a calendar to record when abuse and injuries occur, and a 20–item questionnaire about risk factors such as past death threats, partner’s employment status, and partner’s access to a gun.The DA also provides information about shelters and counselors.

If you, or someone you know, are in an abusive relationship, take action to avoid becoming a deadly statistic. For more information about resources, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline (https://www.thehotline.org)  at (800) 799-7233.

6 Ways to Practice Mindfulness

6 Ways to Practice Mindfulness

Does your mind easily wander? Do you find yourself performing tasks at work without much thought? Research shows that people spend almost half of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they’re doing, which weakens their performance, creativity, and well-being, according to Harvard researchers.

If this behavior describes your mindset, you belong to a club where membership only requires habitual ways of thinking, doing, and feeling. The bad news? It’s not a great place to be. Mindfulness – with all its benefits – is where you want to head.

Mindfulness, which means being focused in the present moment, can strengthen your job performance as well as your mind, body, and spirit. Mindfulness engages your senses to allow you to participate fully in daily tasks.

So how do you achieve it? Here are six steps to practice moment-to-moment awareness at work.

1. Reflect and plan.

Start the workday by focusing on your organization’s purpose and how you contribute to it by being present and engaged. End each day by preparing for the next to help avoid anxiety or procrastination.

2. Relax.

Slow down. Set aside five minutes daily to breathe. For a minute or two, breathe deeply. Focus only on inhaling and exhaling. Consider adding a few minutes of stretching, which allows more oxygen into your body and encourages blood flow.

3. Walk more.

Concentrate on the sights, smells, and sounds that accompany your movement. If you can, spend a few minutes walking outside to observe nature.

4. Feel thankful.

Once a day, take a few minutes to think about an accomplishment or something else that fills you with gratitude. Practice finding joy as doing so you can change the direction of your day.

5. Enjoy your meal.

This sounds simple, but how often do you think about what you consume? Try to taste each ingredient or observe how thoroughly you chew.  Pay attention to your food and how it makes you feel.

6. Breathe when there’s a ring or ping.

Instead of instantly reaching for a ringing phone or pinging computer, take several breaths before responding. Emails and calls raise stress levels, research shows. It’s important to pause and calm down before reacting.

Mindfulness is the antidote to multitasking and possible burnout. With practice, you can build your mental muscles to keep your mind from wandering and engage in what’s happening right now. That’s a win for you in and out of the workplace.

Three Calorie-Free Activities for National Nurses Week

Three Calorie-Free Activities for National Nurses Week

Instead of ingesting sugary treats to celebrate National Nurses Week (May 6-12), consider pursuing activities to feed your spirit or mind instead.

1. If you are feeling artistic and need to relax, why not color? 

There are several nurse coloring book pages you can download, draw and post to social media, thanks to the Madison School of Healthcare, where stories from nurses were turned into art. The pages cover familiar scenarios, from amusing night shift shenanigans to a heartfelt scene of chipping in for a patient. You can download all here.  Want to share your work? Showcase your drawing on Facebook and Instagram with the hashtags #NursesWeek and #ColoringWithNurses.

2. If drawing is not your thing, consider a massage.

Here’s the rub: don’t wait for the weekend. Get a massage in the middle of the week. Sometimes you have to yield to whim! So instead of a second helping of cake to celebrate the fabulousness of being a nurse, imagine the sensation of your aches and stresses being kneaded away. Yes, put down the dessert and go ink in a well-deserved massage appointment.

3. Another way to treat yourself is to curl up with a book written by one of your hardworking peers.

Consider these offerings:

Good nurses deserve a break. Make the time to show yourself some appreciation!

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