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7 proven tips to make a professional nursing resume

  • Hello • February 8, 2023

7 proven tips to make a professional nursing resume

In the words of Will Rogers, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” The nursing job market is no exception to this. Healthcare facilities sift through dozens or even hundreds of applications, and many of these are discarded at first glance. Whether you are a seasoned RN or a young CNA, how you write your resume can make or break your application. With so much to account for, actually making your nursing resume can be daunting at the start. To get you started, we have 7 resume writing tips that nurses should consider, when making their resumes.

Do Your Research

You want to tailor your registered nurse resume to a facility’s sensibilities. The only way to accomplish this is by thorough research. Read on their corporate culture, core values and workplace priorities. You can find this explicitly on their website’s mission statement or implicitly in social media posts. Finally, you want to list skill sets and educational requirements that facilities are looking for. For example, an ICU nurse resume must include relevant skills such as treating wounds, advanced life support and more.

Highlight Your Achievements and Credentials

Listing your accomplishments on your nursing resume can help employers recognize your potential, while demonstrating your dedication to your craft. Do not be afraid to list relevant honors, awards, professional affiliations and certifications. A CNA resume can list workplace achievements that will leave a strong impression. This can range from answering multiple calls in a day to ensuring patient safety while performing your nursing tasks. If you do volunteer work, listing this experience will show facilities your dedication to helping your community.

Prepare A Master Copy

Writing a generic, all-encompassing resume is a great way to save on time. This is not going to be the document that you send to companies. Bland, broad-strokes nurse resumes are all but guaranteed to fail. Rather, this gives you a starting point that lets you save on time. From this basic template, you can tweak and modify the contents around your facility’s preferences. You can add or remove strengths to line up with that hospital’s culture, or highlight specific qualifications required by the job opening.

Format Your Resume

The average recruiter spends six seconds looking at your registered nurse resume. If they see that your application is unstructured or hard-to-read, they will discard your submission instantly. To avoid this, registered nurse resumes must have good formatting and structure.

  • Font: Times New Roman and Arial are popular, but many clear fonts will suffice. For style, you can try complimentary font pairings. Serif or sans serif for the body, and the opposite for headings is a good example.
  • Font Sizes: Varying font size between sections is recommended. Anything below 10-11 is likely too small.
  • Name: 18-22
  • Contact information: 10-11
  • Section headers: 12-14
  • Descriptions 10-11.
  • Spacing: One space between each category is recommended. Borders can separate sections, while making the registered nurse resume less busy. As for margins, it is suggested for the top margin to be 1”, while the side margin sits at 0.63”.
  • Bullet points: For consistently and flow, bullet points should be used consistently in style. Whether you are listing your work history or additional employment, make sure the presentation is similar.

If you do not know where to start, you can refer to popular templates or nursing resume examples online.

Optimize for Keywords

In recent years, large hospitals and healthcare companies have begun using software to sift through the countless RN, LPN and CNA resumes they receive everyday. These programs look for keywords related to open positions. To maximize opportunities, you want to find these keywords and incorporate them into your nurse resume. You can determine these keywords by reviewing the job postings and isolating words and terms that appear more than once. There are also online resources that can help you find and incorporate keywords in a competitive manner. Resume Worded and JobScan are two such examples, and there are many more available to you.

Make It Short But Sweet

As mentioned above, employers spend little time reading through your registered nurse resume. More often than not they will choose to ignore applications that are too long or wordy. You want to make sure that you provide all the required information in a short, yet informative nursing resume. If possible, you want to keep it all in one page, while maintaining clean and readable formatting.

Proofread and Edit to Perfection

Formatting and grammatical errors are the last thing you want on your nurse resume. If a recruiter spots these, your chances of employment will drastically go down. Be sure to take the time to review and edit your resume, until you are sure that it is perfect. If possible, having a friend double-check your work can also be a lifesaver.

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Why There Is A Nursing Shortage In California

  • Vitawerks • February 8, 2023

Why There Is A Nursing Shortage In California

Nurse shortages in California are reaching a crisis point that will persist for the foreseeable future. The University of California San Francisco recently released a report on the impact of COVID-19 on the nursing workforce. Preliminary data from the 2020 Survey of California Registered Nurses and the final findings from the 2019-20 Annual RN Schools Survey indicate that many older RNs have left, while more are planning to leave in the next two years. All this has contributed to a 13.6% nursing shortage (around 40,567 nurses) that is expected to persist until 2026.

What are the reasons for the nursing shortages, you may ask? The most obvious culprit is COVID-19. Healthcare workers are working long, demanding hours to stop the spread of coronavirus and its more dangerous Delta variant. All the while, both they and their families are risking exposure to the virus. All this building stress has taken its toll. National Nurses United reports that over 53% of nurses felt increased stress during the pandemic, while 42% were more depressed. It is clearly a major reason, but blaming the turnover solely on COVID would not capture the truth of the nursing shortage.

It is possible that California’s vaccine mandates have added an extra layer to the issue. On August 5, the California Department of Public Health ordered that all health workers must be vaccinated. According to some accounts, traveling nurses have been quitting because of this vaccine mandate. Seeing as per-diem nursing has been one of the stop gap solutions to the current shortage, it is easy to see how this would cause a problem. On top of this, some hospitals still had hundreds of unvaccinated full-time HCPs in October. Anti vaccine-sentiments have complicated an already problematic nurse shortage.

ARPNs such as Nurse Practitioners were also asked to fill in. At the time of writing, legislatures are working to accommodate for this by rushing to expand the licensing and scope of practice for APRNs. Much like per-diem nurses, this is not a long-term solution. In this scenario, they would be expected to fill in as RNs on top of their pre-existing obligations. On top of the added workload, Nurse Practitioners filling in for the shortage may find it “demeaning” to fill as healthcare assistants. This is the wrong way to look at such work, but it is a genuine concern.

Then there is the issue of younger healthcare workers. Unemployment among younger, more inexperienced RNs has spiked, in parallel with the turnover of veterans. One would think that hiring these younger workers would solve the nursing shortage in California, along with the unemployment rate. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Hospitals are understandably hesitant to trust a high risk global pandemic to newcomers. At the same time, this hesitation prevents these younger nurses from gaining experience to mature as professionals. Sadly, this problem remains self-perpetuating, with no easy answers in sight.

But to get to the root of this nursing shortage in 2021, we need to take an even further step back. As early as the 60s, nursing was identified as an incredibly stressful job, thanks to the physical labor, interpersonal relationships and human suffering that is integral to the profession. A more recent 2018 survey of 500,000 US nurse shone modern light on the burnout problem, pre-pandemic. It was found that among the nurses who were about to leave their professions (9.5% of the sample), 31.5% reported burnout as the main reason for their retirement. While nursing shortage statistics in 2021 have spiked, compared to previous years, it is clear that turnover has always been a problem in healthcare jobs and that COVID amplified them. UCSF professor Joanna Spetz said as much, claiming that the pandemic was actually “accelerating a broad trend that has been building for some time.”

So what is the reason for the nursing shortages in California? It is not one single issue, but multiple factors combined to create a brutal and hostile working environment for our healthcare providers. An unprecedented pandemic stressed long standing issues in the industry, thousands of young workers cannot gain the experience needed to work and anti vaccine sentiments are just the tip of this iceberg. For the nursing world to have any future, nurses have to look towards retaining veterans as mentors, while giving young nurses ample opportunities to develop. Otherwise, this healthcare worker shortage will stretch far beyond 2021.

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Here’s how to renew CNA license in California

  • Hello • February 8, 2023

Here’s how to renew CNA license in California

For any Certified Nursing Assistant, it can be stressful to renew your CNA license. Scrambling to prepare all the important documentation, fees and requirements is a costly and time consuming process. With a bit of foresight and planning, however, you can stay on top of the process with a fraction of the time and stress.

To get you started, here is everything you need to know about CNA license renewal in California.

Basic Overview

Just like in every other state, CNA certification must be renewed every two years. You have to fulfil the required amount of Completed Education Units (CEU) and present the appropriate paperwork before your application can be processed.

If your CNA license expired within the last two years, you can apply for CNA renewal once you pay your late fees. If your license has expired for more than two years, then you have to complete a 75-hour retraining course. If your certificate was outright revoked, you can no longer renew your CNA license.

Training Programs and Other Resources

To meet your CEU requirement, you need to find an approved training program. Luckily, the California Department of Public Health’s Licensing and Certification Division provides an extensive list of approved training programs, including classroom and online education.

To find a complete listing of state-approved CEU providers and learn about CNA renewal online, you can visit this page, on the official CDPH website. If you want more information about CNA license requirements, you can contact the Aide and Technician Certification Section, CAN/HHA/CHT Certification unit at 916 327-2445 or cna@cdph.ca.gov.

The required 48 hours of in-service training has to be completed over a two-year period. While half that time has to be carried out in a classroom setting, 24 hours can be completed with an approved CNA certification online training program. When you have fulfilled the requirements, you will receive a certificate of course completion.

Final Submissions

As soon as you have fulfilled your CNA certification renewal requirements, you can complete the Certified Nurse Assistant In-Service Training/Continuing Education form. Proceed to send this CNA renewal form to the California Department of Public Health’s Training Program Review Unit at PO Box 997416, MS-3301, Sacramento, CA 95899-7416.

Once your application has been processed, you can receive your renewed CNA license from the CDPH. For CNA license lookup, you can check in the Licensing and Certification Verification Search Page on their official website to see if you are listed.

Can’t Complete The Requirements?

 

If you cannot meet the California CNA license renewal requirements, you can take the Competency Evaluation to reinstate your CNA license. To do this, you must submit a Renewal Application (CDPH 283C). When submitting online, make sure to check the “yes” box in the “Reactivation” section.

If approved, you will be sent the information needed to schedule the evaluation. This has to be completed within two years from your CNA license expiration date. Once you have successfully passed the evaluation while maintaining a clean criminal record, you will be issued a current CNA license.

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HCP of the Month December 2021 – Claire M

  • Hello • February 8, 2023

HCP of the Month December 2021 – Claire M

VitaWerks proudly hosts the finest HCPs in the entire United States. Their skills, character, and compassion are unmatched in the healthcare world. Words alone can barely express how grateful we are for the services they provide to the community at large. Every month, we take the opportunity to celebrate the outstanding individuals who make VitaWerks the best healthcare staffing platform in the entire market.

This month, we are beyond proud to name Claire (AKA Gabriel) M as our HCP of the Month. He started his journey with VitaWerks as recently as last May. Within that time, Gabriel M has become a regular at one of our partnered facilities, and he has not looked back since. Whether you are talking to patients or supervisors, everyone will tell you that he is easy to work with, extremely reliable, and unabashedly devoted to his craft.

“Gabriel has been an absolute joy to work with. He is always so reliable and very diligent” shared a supervisor at one of our partnered facilities. “Without fail, he always makes sure that all his patients are well taken care of. He is very helpful and his patients are very happy with him.”

Outside of work, Gabriel enjoys nothing more than spending quality time with his fancy pet pigeons. In his free time, you will find him raising them both as pets and as therapy animals. “Some people do not understand just how amazing pigeons are,” he shared with us. “Pigeons make amazing pets. They are just so low maintenance and incredibly easy to train, as well.” His bird expertise does not stop at just pigeons either. At the time of writing, Gabriel is the proud owner of seven pigeons, three Japanese quills, and one lovebird.

Even in his free time, Gabriel is always considering how he can help others. Compassionate and driven HCPs are the lifeblood of the healthcare community. Their very presence can energize everyone around them, from the patients they are treating to their fellow HCPs. VitaWerks is committed to providing these healthcare heroes with the highest quality staffing services and the best rates available in their area. Luckily, Gabriel is also thankful to VitaWerks, for the opportunity given to him to help others. Even in the middle of a challenging and brutal pandemic, he would rather be in the frontlines than sit on the sidelines. In his own words, assisting with and seeing COVID patients recover is “the best feeling in the world”

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Nurse Champion of the Month December 21 – Hazel M

  • Hello • February 8, 2023

Nurse Champion of the Month December 21 – Hazel M

My name is Hazel, and I am a Nurse Champion at VitaWerks. I currently reside in the Philippines with my family. Early on, I decided to look for a job that let me achieve work-life balance. As an easy-going gal who loves to go out with friends, I wanted a profession that fit my lifestyle. I think that my bright attitude makes me an asset to the team. Fittingly, I am a huge fan of music. Singing karaoke is one of my favorite things in the world.

In this field, building a rapport with HCPs through good communication is important. Over time, VitaWerks management and my team have helped me blossom in my role. They taught me so much about company growth and interacting with different kinds of people.

I hope to continue aiding VitaWerks’ growth, virtually. I intend to provide the best, most reliable service to all our clients and HCPs. With plenty of experience in different industries, I will also help expand our reach with creative solutions and ideas. It is the least I can do for a company that has treated me so well.

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Nurse Floating Is On The Rise

  • Hello • February 8, 2023

Nurse Floating Is On The Rise

Most nurses focus their training and education in one specific area, so that they can work in a single department for the rest of their career. This is not the case for float nurses, who have risen in prominence following the recent nursing shortages. For the uninitiated, a “floating nurse” means an HCPs with the capacity to move between departments. In doing so, hospitals can theoretically maintain sufficient nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for each of their units, without any long term commitments or staff changes. Float nursing is as uniquely challenging and demanding as it is rewarding, for the travel nurses who are up to the task. What exactly are these challenges? How can you find out if you are fit for per diem nursing? Read on to find out all this and more.

Floating nurse job description

Float nursing can be employed in a number of different ways. For example, it is not uncommon for permanently-staffed nurses to be asked to “float” between different units. This is done to cover for sudden shortages, turnover or structural shifts. Other times, they bring in “travel float nurses” with flexible skill sets as needed, for a few days or weeks. This is done by contacting staffing agencies or using cutting-edge applications such as VitaWerks, which instantly matches hospitals with the best per diem nurses in their proximity. Finally, there is sometimes a “pool” of float nurses who are hired for their ability to move between departments. These nurses know what they are signing up for, which can maintain staff satisfaction and lower turnover rates in the long term.

Why become a float nurse?

Although float nursing is not easy, it comes with its share of perks and benefits. The most obvious is flexible scheduling. Whether you are employed or a travel nurse, hospitals will typically allow you to choose your own hours. You can give yourself more freetime, or put in your 12 hour shifts for some extra income–the choice is yours. Understandably, full-time and part time nurses will usually have less flexibility, since they are guaranteed a number of hours. Depending on the facility, you either have to work on set days or your situation changes week-by-week. Per diem nurses, conversely, have complete control over where and when they work.

Nurse floating is also perfect for HCPs who are looking to diversify their portfolios. You get the opportunity to work in different departments, which lets you build diverse workplace experiences and skill sets that will look great on your resume. By trying a little bit of everything, you also get to discover what you prioritize in a work environment. For example: you may have never considered ICU or NICU work as you plan your career.. It is possible that a couple of shifts is all that it takes to convince you that this is what you want to do. If not, you did not commit to anything and you can move on to the next department.

Finally there is the income. Contrary to what you might have heard, float nurses have more earning potential than the average RN. On average, the floating nurse salary is 15% higher than a regularized nurse’s. When you think about it, the reasoning is obvious. Hospitals are rushing to fill critical vacancies with flexible and skilled temporary nurses. With such high and immediate demand for intense skilled labor, it only makes sense that these float nurses are compensated accordingly.

Are there downsides?

No job is perfect, and float nursing is no exception. Compared to full-time HCPs, float nurses have limited stability with their working environment. They have to adapt to different departments, floating nurse policies and protocol wherever they go. Just when you think you have a grasp on how things work, you are now in a different unit and must relearn everything from step one. For nurses with clear and narrow career plans, float nursing may also not be the best fit. You will have a hard time building experience in a single field, when you are spread out between so many different specializations. If you are a nurse who prizes set routines, this may not be the lifestyle for you.

Go out there!

Nurse floating is as exciting as it is daunting, in some ways. Within the field of per diem nursing, it allows you to take in a diverse array of looks, experiences, and skill sets. For nurses who are constantly pushing themselves to grow, both as professionals and as people, you will not find such opportunities anywhere else. It is true that the lifestyle can be a bit too volatile for professionals who prefer a steady pace. For those who can adapt and learn on the fly, then float nursing is a uniquely rewarding career path that is worth a try.

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How to Become a Medication Aide

  • Hello • February 8, 2023

How to Become a Medication Aide

Though certified nursing assistants take on important care roles, their duties do not extend far beyond basic care. For instance, they do not have the training to administer medication, even under the supervision of a nurse. If they want that authority, they must gain the certification needed to become Certified Medication Aides (CMA). In comparison, CMAs enjoy a greater scope of roles and responsibilities in a healthcare setting. What is a medication aide, exactly? How does med tech compare vs CNA and how can you become one? For nursing assistants looking to take that next step, this article will answer all these questions and more.

Medication Aide Job Description

CMAs are healthcare professionals with the training and authority to administer drugs (both prescription and nonprescription) to patients daily. They can find work in a number of different healthcare settings, from hospitals, to assisted living facilities, correctional homes and more. Like nurse assistants, they can only carry out their duties with the supervision of a registered nurse (RN). Other CMA duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Administering prescription and nonprescription drugs to patients
  • Monitoring and reporting potential adverse reactions to medications
  • Collecting biological samples for further analysis
  • Educating and instructing patients on how to safely use their medications
  • Monitoring patient dosage daily

How to become a medication aide

Step 1: Fulfill educational requirements for Medical Aide

Before you can become a CMA, you need to become a CNA. Most nursing assistant training programs have similar educational requirements. At the bare minimum, you will need either your highschool diploma or your General Education Degree (GED).

Step 2: Become a CNA

Once you obtain your educational requirements and you are above the age of 18, you can enroll into a 6 to 12 week CNA program. You can find nursing assistant programs in community colleges, vocational schools, Red Cross branches and even certain healthcare facilities. No matter where you enroll, it is important to verify that the program is state-approved or else you cannot take your state’s CNA certification exam. Different states use different exams, though it is worth noting that at least 20 states utilize the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP). Once you pass the exam and fulfill any miscellaneous requirements, you can finally obtain your CNA certification.

Step 3: Obtain medication aide certification

As soon as you become a CNA, you can start enrolling in medication aide classes. These programs take around 4 months and around 140 clinical hours to complete. Even medication aide online classes will require you to complete these in-person clinical rotations. Just like your CNA training, you want to find medication aide training that will set you up for future success. Be sure to do thorough research on the curriculum, passing rate and reputation of every program you enroll in. Once you complete your education, most states will require you to take an exam before you can obtain your CMA certification. Any additional requirements and the specific number of required clinical hours will depend on your state.

Step 5. Gain experience before finding your first CMA role

Congratulations on becoming a CMA! Just because you obtained your certification, however, does not mean that you will be automatically accepted for medication aide jobs. To ensure a certain level of quality and competency, employers are looking for CMAs with at least one year of professional experience under their belts. During your training and clinical rotations, you want to take every opportunity to gain valuable experience and knowledge on medical and pharmacological technology. Once you have built your resume, you can begin sending applications to various healthcare facilities.

Medication Aide Salary

According to ZipRecruiter, CMAs earn around $32,722 annually. Your effective pay will greatly depend on your experience, additional certifications and your location. For example: New York CMAs see a $37,292 annual income, while North Carolina nurses only make $23,317 in the same time span. If you want to further maximize your earning potential, finding shifts at VitaWerks will do the trick. We will find you the highest paying rates at the best facilities, while providing you the freedom and flexibility to set your own hours. With enough hours at the right facilities, you will outearn a number of fully-salaried CMAs. Sign up with VitaWerks today and join a healthcare staffing revolution.

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How to become a Med Tech

  • Hello • February 8, 2023

How to become a Med Tech

As hospitals push to modernize their operations, medical technicians (Med Tech) will only rise in demand. For nurses and aspiring HCPs looking to enter this exciting profession, this article is here to help. Below, we will go over med tech requirements, salaries, and the steps needed to gain certification, among other things.

Job description of Med Tech

Med Tech primarily involves laboratory work. Physicians and medical technologists will order you to run tests on biological samples, analyze lab findings and report these results to your superiors. Said samples include fluids like blood and saliva, as well as certain tissue samples. If you are a specific kind of Med Tech, like a phlebotomist, you will also have to collect said specimens from patients. Running these tests involves handling a lot of expensive medical equipments, which you will also be in charge of maintaining. Like any other nurse, you will also be required to train any rookies that need orientation.

Med Techs play a very important role in the healthcare field. Certain conditions cannot be diagnosed without these detailed and thorough laboratory tests. They allow for the early prevention of diseases, more accurate findings and better healthcare overall. Without their contributions, certain conditions may slip through the cracks and jeopardize patient health in the long term.

Med Tech Salary and outlook

The future of the profession is exceedingly bright. From 2021 to 2031, The Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects that Med Techs are expected to grow by about 7% percent. For reference, this translates to 25,600 new job openings within that time and is about in-line with the average. A number of factors will contribute to the steady demand for these kinds of healthcare workers. Older patients are expected to need more detailed medical tests for conditions like type 2 diabetes. Prenatal tests for genetic conditions have also risen in prominence, thus raising the demand for such nurses even further. Finally, most facilities have lab implements and equipment that will need constant upkeep.

Med Tech salaries are also expected to be favorable. Currently, the BLS pins the median medical technician salary at around $57,800. Per diem med techs will have the opportunity to earn even higher than this. With the help of VitaWerks, they can secure the best-paying shifts from the finest facilities in their area. This is all while working at their own pace and dictating their own hours.

Steps to become a Med Tech

Step 1: Fulfill educational requirements

Before anything else, aspiring med tech nurses need to obtain their high school diplomas. Certain Med Tech programs will require a number of prerequisite courses, such as Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and English. Even if they do not, completing such courses will look extremely favorable in your resume. Once that is out of the way, you can start applying for an Associate of Science or an Associate of Applied Science degree in medical laboratory technology. There are also Bachelor’s programs for this, but an associate’s degree is the minimum requirement. These classes will prepare you for work in the field with extensive studies mixed with practical testing. On top of academic courses such as Clinical Chemistry, Hematology, or Microbiology, you will also carry out laboratory tests that will teach you how to collect and examine biological specimens, analyze their results and maintain the equipment used. Depending on your program, you may even get practical clinical experience in real facilities.

Step 2: Searching for Med Tech jobs

Technically, you are eligible for employment as soon as you graduate. This means you can start sending your applications early. To maximize your Med Tech salary and employment, however, you may want to look into additional certifications. These are not requirements, but they are proof of additional competencies that will look very good on your resume. Be sure to gain certification from trusted organizations, such as the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology. If there is a specific path that interests you, you could even look for specialty certifications, such as the American Board of Internal Medicine’s course on Hematology.

(Optional) Continues education

Later down the line, obtaining your Bachelor’s degree in medical technology or clinical laboratory science is well worth considering. It is not a Med Tech requirement, but it will increase your earning potential and employment opportunities, in the long run. More HCPs with bachelor-level education or above has a correlation with quality of care, which is why facilities will prioritize Bachelor-level applicants. You may even find work in higher positions, such as medical laboratory technologist or clinical laboratory scientist. Depending on your school-of-choice, your associate’s degree credits could carry over. Most BSN tracks take 4 years to complete, and their classes cover topics like molecular diagnostics and advanced microtechnology.

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How to Appeal Your Nursing School Grade

  • Hello • February 8, 2023

How to Appeal Your Nursing School Grade

You only get so many chances, in nursing school. A low enough grade may get you expelled, and students are typically only allowed to retake one class. But what if you feel like the grade you were given was unfair? What if you have provable, concrete evidence that your professor gave you biased treatment? In that case, you can appeal your grade to the higher-ups. This can be a grueling and time consuming process, but the option is available for those who truly feel wronged by the system. This article goes over how you can appeal your grade and what to consider.

Resolve things one-on-one

Before anything else, it would help to discuss things with your professor first. If you have issues with how you were graded, the course content or their teaching methods, you can bring this up one-on-one to see whether or not the situation can be addressed moving forward. It is far preferable to settle things personally when you can, rather than bringing it up as a time-consuming appeal case.

Collect and present demonstrable evidence

If neither side is willing to budge, then you may have to file an appeal. To even be considered, any claims must be backed up with clear evidence of unfair treatment. There are a number of reasons that are legitimate grounds for appealing your grade:

  • The teacher simply marked your items incorrectly.
  • Grading did not comply with school policy or procedures.
  • The student was graded with clear bias based on race, ethnicity, marital status, nationality, religion, sex, gender, disability status or age.
  • The professor was behaving unethically or violated a student’s rights somehow.

It is impossible to proceed further without incontrovertible proof. For example, say that you suspect that your professor is marking you down just for being gay. You need to show evidence that points to this. You could collate a list of different grades, organize them by “gay’ and “straight’ to compare and contrast. Even then, you may have to dive into the nuts and bolts with individual test results.

Follow the appeal process

If you cannot sort things with your professor, you have to file an appeal to present your case up the chain of command, until it is resolved. Different schools have different appeal processes, which are usually outlined in the student handbook. You want to be sure that you follow this step-by-step process accordingly or your request may fall on deaf ears. Every step of the way, you want to record who you spoke to regarding this case, and when. This lets you maintain a consistent timeline of events, for when you have to present a case. If faculty asks you to submit documentation, keep a copy of each document to maintain that consistency.

Is it worth it?

If a student successfully appeals their grade, the dividends are enormous. They get to raise their GPA, avoid failing out of class and continue pursuing their dreams of furthering their nursing education. None of this is a given, however. Appealing your grade is a lengthy and stressful process that will take time away from studying or your hobbies. If your appeal fails or it turns out that your professor graded you correctly, all that extra effort would have been for naught. Your grades may even get lower, depending on what they find. This may fracture your relationship with your teacher as well, who would also be deeply affected by the ordeal.

Appeals need concrete evidence that shows that your teacher was treating you unfairly, and how that treatment extended your academics. Even when your case seems bulletproof, there is no guarantee that your request will be accepted or even heard. When you pursue an appeal, you need to be absolutely sure that you are in the right. If you can help it, however, it is best to resolve things behind closed doors.

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The Problem With CNA Burnout

  • Hello • February 8, 2023

The Problem With CNA Burnout

Nursing assistants are a vital part of any successful healthcare facility. They are expected to handle physically demanding aspects of HCP work, while treating patients with the compassion and patience that is expected of any nurse. Unfortunately, none of us are indestructible. The physical, mental and emotional stress of nursing assistant work can add up, if you are not careful. As a result, many CNAs often find themselves burdened with fatigue, depression and (eventually) nurse burnout. Even the most dedicated healthcare workers with the best of intentions have their limits–passion alone can only carry you so far. What exactly makes CNA burnout such a hot button topic in particular? What can nursing assistants and facilities do to address this trend? All this and more will be explored in short order.

What is nurse burnout?

Burnout is a condition of mental, emotional and physical exhaustion, as a result of overwork and prolonged stress. Human minds are closely interconnected to the body, and the well-being of one greatly affects the other. Burnout can directly lead to a number of health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure and substance misuse. Signs of nurse burnout include fatigue, depression, anxiety disorders, insomnia, and irritability. If left unchecked, burnout can render CNAs incapable of fulfilling their nursing duties. Worst case scenario, it can eventually lead you to an early grave.

What are nurse burnout causes?

Mental exhaustion can be an issue across multiple levels of healthcare. Clinical work by its nature is a very stressful and demanding profession that demands a lot out of its workers. Nursing assistants in particular have been affected harshly by burnout, in recent years. As we mentioned earlier, CNAs are expected to carry out a number of demanding tasks in the workplace. Within a single shift, they can find themselves moving patients from room to room, grooming them, feeding them, moving around medical supplies, answering hospital calls and more. Not only are they asked to do a lot, but they are paid far less than their contemporaries. For reference, the BLS reported that registered nurses earn around $77,600 annually, while nursing assistants only make $30,290. Put bluntly, nursing assistants feel overworked and underpaid for the value of their labor. As far back as 2018, it was reported that CNA burnout had a 26 to 50% prevalence.

The pandemic problem

That number has undoubtedly spiked following the pandemic. The chaos and tumult of the COVID-19 outbreak has only fed to this overwhelming sentiment. Hospitals across the nation were filled to capacity and understaffed for the situation, at the height of COVID-19. Every HCP was affected negatively by this and CNAs were no exception. Nursing assistants suddenly found themselves dealing with even more tasks and commonly working overtime hours, while dealing with the fears of getting infected by the Coronavirus. Burnout was already a problem before then, but the pandemic undoubtedly accelerated the process dramatically. According to nurse burnout statistics, anxiety and depression spiked by as much as 40%, during the pandemic.

What can be done?

There are a number of effective nurse burnout prevention measures. For example, CNAs can take short periodic breaks in between shifts. Setting aside 10 minutes to catch your breath can make a surprising difference. Proper self care can also help. When you are well-rested and eating healthy, your body is better equipped to handle the stress and challenges of a regular shift. If your workload is especially high on a given day, do not be afraid to ask for help or assistance from your fellow workers. It can take the load off. These are just a couple relevant examples.

As time marches on, keeping nursing talent may get harder than it has ever been. The fallout of the pandemic has tested the systems in place, and pushed hospitals past their capacities. While caring for yourself is important, it is not a sufficient measure by itself. The best possible changes to prevent nursing burnout are on a systematic level. Ultimately, facilities should be the most responsible for addressing this ongoing issue. Before CNA burnout symptoms even appear, the proper measures, initiatives and interventions would go a long way in making nursing assistants feel valued and retaining key talent. While this is true, there are still a number of variables that are within the CNA’s control.

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