May 6-12 is National Nurses Week, and the theme for 2008 is Nurses: Making a Difference Every Day.  The American Nurses Association put together a media kit with tips and ideas to help temporary nurses celebrate the week, such as:Hold a special celebration or reception to recognize a nurse or several nurses in your community. These nurses could be honored for heroic acts, years of service to the community, exemplary courage, or their commitment to the nursing profession over the years.

Promote a positive, realistic image of registered nurses by sponsoring health fairs, conducting preventive screenings in underserved areas, organizing a walk-a-thon, etc.

Place an article in your state or local newspaper(s) about National Nurses Week and the value of nurses.

Invite a politician — local, state or federal — to accompany a nurse or several nurses at their place of employment for a day or part of a day. Health care remains an issue of tremendous importance to voters. Politicians should be visible and accountable for their positions on health care. This is a win-win situation and it offers good media coverage potential.

Ask every nurse in America to wear an “RN Pin” and/or nurse’s uniform during National Nurses Week. The official “RN Pin” is available by calling 1-800-445-0445 (credit card orders only).

Click here for more ideas on how to celebrate

National Nurses Week 2008.Q: How are you celebrating this important week in week with your employees?

Is anyone familiar with The Nurse Company?

It’s the first company in the history of the nursing profession dedicated solely  global nurse shortage.  In a recent press release, The Nurse Company described themselves as “the word’s leading nurse shortage management, market research, and advisory company with strategic relationships in 14 countries and territories.”

The Nurse Company offers nurses the use of social media tools to develop collaborative communities and tools to nurses.  Some of their featured resources include:

MyNurseBook, connects nurses around the world interested in networking and sharing their opinions

MyNurseBoard, matching nurses with employers and employer with nurses

MyTrustRex, connecting health professionals and patients

MyNurseStore, online shopping for nurses

MyNurseSchool, online education for nurses (Coming Soon!)

Check it out and let us know what you think about the organization.  We welcome your comments.

The nurse shortage is affecting everyone, and industry experts say that it will only get worse–Unless you are a nurse.

An article from MiamiHerald.com titled: “Where are the nurses?” describes how hospitals in southern Florida are offering BIG incentives in order to recruit and retain nurses during this shortage:

Baptist Health South Florida has been aggressively recruiting nurses from the Philippines, sponsors 10 students by partnering with the International University of Nursing in St. Kitts, and has paid out $11 million in nursing scholarships since 2002.  They also offer housing at below market prices to lure out-of-state nurses to come work at their facilities.

Tenet’sWest Boca Medical Center offers sign-on bonuses which start at $2,000 and retention bonuses from $3,000 to $10,000 as well as bonus incentive programs.

Click here to read more about what southern Florida hospitals are offering their nurses.

Q: Does your nurse staffing agency offer any incentives for the nurse to stay with you rather than to work at the facility directly?

VISTA Staffing Solutions came out with a survey in January 2008 which gathered physicians’ opinions about the option of locum tenens.  Here are some of the surveys results:

70% of the respondents “agreed” or “strongly agreed” with the following statement, “Locum tenens can extend careers in medicine.”

53% “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that locum tenens can help doctors avoid burnout by giving them a feasible way to work part-time, make a transition or secure locum tenens coverage for their own practices.

82% of the respondents said that locum tenens is an attractive option for doctors who are considering semi-retirement.

58% of the surveyed doctors indicated that locum tenens would be a good option for physicians seeking to make a professional transition.

47% said working as a locum tenens after completing his/her residency training was also an attractive option.

Physicians aged 30-39 shared a strong preference to work partial or single days schedules, while doctors aged 40-49 preferred one-to-four week assignments, and physicians aged 50-59 agreed with the 40-49 age range in addition to an increasing interest in one-to-three month assignments.

Click here to read the press release: Locum Tenens Practice Option May Extend Careers in Medicine, Help Physicians Avoid Burnout.

Here’s an interesting post we found on indonesiannursing.com about The Nurse Practice Act, commonly referred to as “The Act.”

In it the author, Kevin Erickon, defines The Act as “a set of laws that govern specific aspects of the nursing profession..[it] claims to protect the public from an unsafe nurse by ensuring minimum levels of performance.”  It’s important for all nurses to stay up-to-date with the The Nurse Practice Act in their respective states so that they can be knowledgeable of the legal obligations associated with The Act.  Mr. Erickson goes on to say that most public libraries carry a copy of the stat statute book, but it’s important to make sure that you have the most updated version and/or any new amendments.

Where The Nurse Practice Act gets a little tricky is when it comes to travel nurses.  Because a nurse is bound by the Act of the state in which she is licensed as well as the state in which he/she is employed.  So it is very possible for a travel nurse to be disciplined in multiple states if an incident were to occur.

Click here to read the entire post: The Nurse Practice Act – A Closer Look