Nursing facts that everyone should know

Most people say it is a career about caring. Others say it is a job about professional administration of medications and cure to patients. Some say it is the duty to work out predicaments by using critical thinking skills.

In whatever way you want to call it, nursing is, indeed, a conglomeration of all these beliefs and the faculty of many other skills. Nursing merges all the elements of professional treatment, compassion, and medical attention into one vigorous and feasible occupation. Nurses demonstrate all the remarkable characteristics of a person knowledgeable in patient care.

For this reason, many people all over the world continues to pursue a career in nursing. So for those who want to establish a successful career in this in-demand and exciting job, there are ten things you need to know first.

1. The nursing profession started out primarily during the early Christian era where members of the church provided nursing care to the sick. Though not professionally systematic at first, most of the activities of early nurses were focused on proper hygiene and comfort needs which are still being practiced up to the present.

2. It was in the year 1860 when Nightingale School at St. Thomas Hospital in London, the first training school for nurses, was built. Florence Nightingale was the one responsible in this momentous event. No wonder she was then acclaimed "The Founder of Modern Nursing."

3. Linda Richards was the first trained nurse in the United States. In 1873, she graduated from New England Hospital for Women and Children in Boston. Being one of the proponents of nursing, she opened the first training school for nurses in Japan and started a nurse training school at the Methodist Episcopal Hospital in Philadelphia.

4. Historically, more women have preferred nursing as a career. In fact, nursing was known to be a career for women until today where things changed. There have been statistical reports showing gradual increase of registered nurses composed of men. This just implies that men can also be passionate and caring contrary to what the society have labeled them as strong and formidable human beings.

5. In the United States, 88% of the employed registered nurses are white or Caucasians. The remaining 12% are from non-Caucasians backgrounds; most of them came from non-Hispanic or African-American/Black race.

6. In the age demographics of the United States alone, most of the registered nurses are under the age of 40. Statistical reports in the year 2000 showed a relative increase in the median age thereby indicating an older nursing population and fewer young nurses entering the registered nurse population. Consequently, most people believe that 15 years from now, almost half of the registered nurse population will be retiring sooner or later leaving a smaller staff of younger registered nurses.

7. While most students pursue a career in nursing, the statistics show that most hospitals, particularly in the United States, are having problems in nursing shortage. This alarming condition is manifested by a growing number of retired nurses while the health care arena is continuously multiplying due to an excessive population growth in most areas. Nursing shortage is, in fact, a worldwide phenomenon. Countries like Canada, Philippines, Australia, Western Europe, Africa, and South America have reported significant nursing shortages.

8. Nowadays, most hospitals are more and more becoming large intensive care units with cardiac monitoring, respiratory assistance and intensive treatments are notably part of the typical patient's therapy. And so, escalated demands in skilled and specialized nurses are in the offing.

9. Nursing shortages can be a frightening cause of higher morbidity rate. According to a 1998 research, hospitals with more registered nurses on staff and with higher ratios of nurses to patients had smaller number of deaths compared to those that do not have larger staff of registered nurses. With this, nursing shortages must be resolved as soon as possible to curb a boost in morbidity.

10. Despite the alarming condition of nursing shortages these days, it was found out, through a nationwide opinion focus group poll conducted by the American Hospital Association in 1997, that the nurses were the ultimate vital indicator that the people referred to as the assessment of excellent hospital care.

With these facts, there is no doubt nursing is not merely a profession with greater demands in terms of workforce and responsibilities but more of a humanitarian skill dealing with more compassion than technicalities. Thus, the ten facts about nursing mentioned are not plain issues about the said profession; it is more about life itself and how nurses are deeply valued.

Suzanne Verita is the owner of Start Nursing which is a premier source of information about nursing. For more information, go to: startnursing.com

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What Would Eminem Put In His House?
I've often wondered what Eminem might have in his house. I wonder what decor a rapper from Detroit would want. I read his bio in several places, watched his movie 8 Mile and I've thought about this a lot. I actually grew up a block from 7 Mile. I think my life was quite a bit different than what I read about him, but still, I visualize 8 Mile, I know I traveled daily down 8 Mile's east and west side on my way to school (which was across town for me).

I have some collectible items that I imagine would suit him. I might be way off the mark. I'd like to think someone like him would not indulge in mega bucks for sofas, paintings and extreme high ticket items because he's seen success, but rather would want to live amongst a more down-to-earth collection or decor. I've read descriptions of his early years as being part of the "white lower-class experience". Somehow, this doesn't line up with a home decked out from fancy Design Center furnishings, but oh well. This is my fantasy:

I think Eminem should have his walls covered with tin signs - memorabilia - like one for Ford Trucks (made in Detroit), or a tin sign of a Remington Shotgun and Duck. I have no clue if he drove a Ford or went hunting, but I do know these are big things in Michigan. And if he is a hunter, maybe he likes Deer things - a Deer Key Rack, or a shelf with a moose head.

I picture him in a kitchen with some corny things - I know he has the best appliances and cabinetry available, and maybe his counters are costly granite imported from who knows where. But I just hope he has a Kitchen Fairy on a Pie to bring it all down to reality. And a Half Eaten Apple Salt and Pepper Set. Those fans he raps to, they are more likely have that in their kitchen than an original Andy Warhol painting.

Well, maybe not. We don't mind our celebrities living it up to the hilt. We just want to relate to them and in Eminem's particular case, he's carved himself a space in the limelight that draws attention from ALL walks of life, not just those in his newly acquired (hopefully) wealthy class. I just hope he keeps some reminders of those early years by surrounding himself with some of the simple delights around.

Loretta Logan is a freelance writer. Visit her favorite things at www.shop-tilludrop.com

Celebrity Gossip: What's The Attraction?
Have you ever found yourself enthralled by what goes on in the personal lives of celebrities? Well, you aren’t alone. A huge percentage of people all over the world look forward to opening up their magazine of choice and reading about what the famous are up to. In what new ways has Tom Cruise embarrassed himself? Has Britney Spears given birth yet? Are Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie sleeping in separate beds? For some reason, many humans find these things to be interesting.

But you have to ask yourself, why is it that people are entertained hearing about celebrity gossip? If Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are having marital troubles, what makes it more interesting than your neighbors regular fights? Is it because the celebrities have more money, and therefore anything that happens to them is more important? After all, if I want to hear about marital troubles, I don’t have to look very far.

Celebrity gossip is a huge business. The photographers can earn literally thousands of dollars just for taking a picture of a celebrity. The magazines scrape together every little bit of info the can to come up with the newest rumors. The magazines are released to grocery store checkouts across the nation, and are quickly snapped up by shoppers eager to hear the latest.

The Celebrity is really an interesting phenomenon. Society has idolized people who are hardly more good-looking or charismatic than the average person. And individuals have followed this trend, and begun to be interested by the celebrity gossip that is everywhere. But when put into perspective, few people can come up with the true reason they are interested by it. So, ask yourself why you really enjoy reading the gossip magazines. If you can’t come up with any valid reason, perhaps it’s time to rethink your priorities.

We know that it doesn't make any sense, but Celebrity Gossip is still fun, right? So visit our Celebrity Gossip Forum ;-)

5 Funny Love Poems
Funny Love Poems

When most people think of love poems, they think of serious and soulful expressions of passion. Long sonnets by Shakespeare or romantic poems by Browning and Lord Byron are the norm for love poetry. However, funny love poems can be good for a laugh. They may not be romantic, but they do give your friends something to enjoy.

Some of the best funny love poems are limericks. Limericks started in Ireland and follow a standard form of five lines and a rhyme scheme of aabba. Here are a few limericks written by anonymous authors:

There once was an old man of Lyme
Who married three wives at a time
When asked "Why a third?"
He replied, "One's absurd!
And bigamy, Sir, is a crime."

There was a young fellow named Hammer
Whose had an unfortunate stammer
"The b-bane of my life"
Said he, "Is m-m-my wife
D-d-d-d-d-d-damn ‘er!"

She made friends with a young undertaker;
Her last boyfriend had forsaken her.
But she started to curse
When he turned up in a hearse.
She said next time I’ll date a baker!

There was a young lady named Constance,
From boys she wouldn’t stand any nonsense.
If her partners grew deft
She would lead with her left;
The results would not weigh on her conscience.

My sweetheart and I are just wed.
Already I wish I were dead.
Two weeks she’s been spending.
It was time never ending.
We are thousands of pounds in the red!

Limericks are fairly easy to write if you can rhyme well, so you might try writing a limerick yourself that includes the name of your friend or loved one. This is a good way to make a funny love poem that is personalized.

You can find more information about funny poems at:
www.love-poems-quotes.info/funny-love-poems.html

Art Hill is an internet poet who operates an independant poetry publishing company.

Turn Your Talent of Photography and Love for Pets into Profit!
Most households in North America own at least one pet, and most people care for their animals as much as they would for their own child. People spend thousands of dollars a year on their pets to pamper and spoil and them. If you enjoy photography and love animals just as much as their owners do, you could be making money by combining these two things into a rewarding business.

All you will need is a room set up as a studio, good quality cameras, lighting equipment, tripods and of course film. You could also have different back grounds and props to make the picture more interesting, or fit certain occasions. To get the best picture you will want to get down to pet level and use toys and treats to get the pets attention. When you get the animals attention, you should have a squeaky toy, or flash that will make the animal look strait at you and perk up it’s ears.

Since cats are particularly hard to get to cooperate, you will want to schedule longer appointments for them in order to become comfortable around them. You should be knowledgeable in animal psychology and also a people person, since most pet owners will be present and a lot will want to be in the photographs with their pets.

If your photography skills aren’t the greatest you can take classes at your local community college to ensure you will be providing your customers with what they want. To attract customers you could make enlarged copies of some good pet photographs you have done and post them up at your local library, veterinary office or coffee shops. Make sure to include a phone number and your name so they can get a hold of you! You can also establish yourself by creating a small portfolio with pictures of your own pets, as well as the pets of family, friends and neighbors. You can then turn this into a flyer and distribute in people mail boxes. Of course you can always publish an add in the Yellow Pages as well. Offering weekend and evening hours will also attract more customers.

Most pet photographers charge a basic rate of $5 to $10 per person or animal and then charge between $40.00 and $175.00 per package of photographs, depending on the number of photos, number of poses, etc. You can also sell pet photos at art fairs for about $20 to $200 per picture (as long as you have written permission from the owner), or sell your pictures as cards, or note book covers.

Author Barney Garcia is a proud contributing author and enjoys writing about many different topics. Please visit my web sites @ Camera Shop and Photography Stop