The loss of several nurses made Lumina Hospice & Palliative Care in Corvallis, Ore., turn away patients or make them wait until they could be safely enrolled. Across the US, hospice staff shortages are getting worse, and many hospices are offering nurses sign-on bonuses and temporarily increasing caseloads.
ICU nurse Ashlee Schwartz of Arkansas became concerned for a pregnant patient struggling with COVID-19 in the ICU, and after speaking with the husband, she felt called to help. Schwartz made registries for baby gifts for the couple, and the response was overwhelming. The woman died, and the gifts are helping her grieving husband care for their daughter.
A study in the American Journal of Nursing found that nurses think about suicide more often than other workers and are less likely to seek help, and burnout is closely associated with suicidal thoughts. "The need for system-level interventions to improve the work lives of nurses and other members of the health care team is greater than ever before," said Liselotte Dyrbye, senior study author, of the Mayo Clinic.
Applications to nursing schools are rising, and nursing educators say applicants see the global COVID-19 pandemic as "an opportunity and a challenge." Overall enrollment in nursing programs has increased, but many schools lack enough instructors to expand admissions.
Practicing mindfulness can help nurses build resilience, said oncology nurse Lisa Blackburn during a presentation at the 2021 ONS Bridge. Blackburn advises a "mindful transitioning" at the end of a work shift by creating a thoughtful barrier before starting the next stage of the day.
Many ICU nurses say they did not sign up for the unparalleled stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, and some are leaving for better pay, retirement or less stressful work. Hospitals are trying to stem the turnover with large sign-on bonuses, loan forgiveness and tuition assistance.
The Oct. 31 deadline is looming! Don't delay! Apply for the ANA Innovation Awards, sponsored by Stryker, and YOU could win $25,000 entering as an individual or $50,000 as a team. Awards will be presented to a nurse and a nurse-led team whose innovations can include: educational interventions, products, devices, technology, research, businesses or programs, services, or new care models that are improving health and patient safety. Open to all nurses. You don't want to miss this opportunity! Learn more and apply today.
