Empowering New Nurses

Advancing a nursing career can bring benefits, both personal and professional. The increased skills and knowledge will enhance your expertise e.g.: critical care, pediatrics, and midwifery.

Nursing is a dynamic and evolving field. Advancing your education ensures you stay current with the latest medical advancements and healthcare technologies. Learning about new challenges and learning new skills fosters personal development and stimulates your career. Patient care outcomes will be better since high-quality care will be improved. An advanced degree provides opportunities and career paths since more doors will be opened for roles such as leaders, nurse educators, and healthcare consultants. It is less likely for a specialized nurse to be affected by layoffs. A new nurse enhances his/her professional expertise, and increases job satisfaction, earning potential, and long-term career stability.

• It is very important to celebrate small wins as a new nurse. Celebrating small wins is crucial for new nurses, It builds confidence, maintains motivation, and reduces burnout. New nurses can celebrate their achievements by taking time out to recognize the smallest accomplishments, such as successfully starting an IV or meeting a patient's special needs. Log or journal your wins to appreciate your growth. Take time out to treat yourself to something special that you enjoy: a nice meal, sometimes enjoying your favorite hobby. In addition, share your win with your nursing colleagues and team. Plan a casual celebration, like bringing some juice, or pizza to share with your co-workers. A visual reminder can be placed in a conspicuous area to show your growth over time...
• IV or comforting a patient.
• Keep a journal or log of these wins. Writing them down helps you appreciate your  A visual reminder can be placed in a conspicuous area.

3 Tips for Nurses in Chapter 7 “Nurses: The Guide to Empowering New Nurses…”

Since Nursing can be physically and emotionally demanding. Ensure that you get adequate rest, stay hydrated, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Regular exercise and mindfulness practices can help manage stress. As a young nurse, I recommend finding a mentor, an experienced nurse who can guide you. The mentor does not have to be at your workplace, however it would be great to have one there. In addition, stay committed to learning, because healthcare is constantly evolving. Develop strong communication skills. Effective communication is a key component in nursing. Remember, you will be interacting with patients, families, the interdisciplinary team, and more.

Khadine excitedly explains her role as a midwife in her healthcare facility in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. She enjoys educating mothers in preparing them for delivery in labor and delivery, post-partum, and other maternal areas. She talked about the baby-friendly initiative and shared her personal breastfeeding experience.

Navigating the Storm: A Deep Reflection on Coping with Grief and Loss"

Understanding Grief is very important to everyone, especially those who are experiencing the loss. According to the Kubler-Ross model, stages of grief include denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance.

Recognize that grief is a unique and personal experience. There are different types of loss such as death and divorce. One must acknowledge that grief can stem from a variety of life changes.

Individuals react differently to the change emotionally, physically, and behaviorally e.g. Isolating, forgetful, and irritable.

Therefore, many coping strategies can be embraced:

Self-care: Maintaining physical health (nutrition, sleep, exercise).

Emotional expression: Journaling, art, music, or creative outlets.

Spiritual support may be needed especially when a faith belief system is in place. The grieving time may vary as each individual is unique. However, for prolonged complicated grief,

Self-reflection is very important for nurses, as it evaluates personal and professional growth. For a nurse, this reflection can focus on several areas such as experiences, challenges, successes, and future goals. Clinical practices, communication, challenges identified, coping mechanisms, seeking mentorship, and of course celebrating successes.

All nurses frequently experience fear and anxiety as they transition from education to practice. The demands of healthcare, and the responsibility of patient care, can be overwhelming at times. There are many suggestions to ensure coping which include mentorship, continuous learning, acknowledge growth, positive affirmation and developing stress management techniques which includes mindfulness and relaxation.

Breastfeeding is a vital aspect of infant and maternal health, providing numerous benefits for both the baby and the mother. It matters because it has lifelong benefits. Breastfeeding helps mothers recover postpartum, reducing the risk of postpartum hemorrhage and promoting faster uterine contraction. Later in life it also lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, in addition to heart disease.

Siri, a yoga educator shares her expertise with Dr. Smith. She explores various aspects of yoga such as breathing exercises, meditation, and physical postures contributing to physical and mental well-being. Many topics can cover how yoga supports the management of chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and arthritis, as well as its role in mental health, stress reduction, and improving overall quality of life. Recent scientific research has shown how yoga affects the nervous system, immune response, and hormone regulation, making it a powerful tool in modern healthcare.

It was a tragic day when terrorists hijacked four planes in the United States. Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, causing the towers to collapse. I was then working with VNS and participated in caring for some patients on ground zero at the time. This experience I will never forget.