Article: After X number of hours in your department, there's probably some certification you'll be able to get. Achieving a certificate makes you look like an expert in your field and may open doors for more opportunities. Your hospital should offer you a course, seminar, or training class to certify you in this area. Some available certifications include: Ambulatory Care, Cardiac-Vascular Nursing, Faith Community Nursing, Forensic Nursing, Genetics Nursing, Gerontological Nursing, Hemostasis Nursing, Informatics Nursing, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Nurse Executive, Nurse Executive - Advanced, Nursing Case Management, Nursing Professional Development, Pain Management Nursing, Pediatric Nursing, PsychiatricMental Health Nursing, Public Health Nursing - Advanced, Rheumatology Nursing, etc. With that should come a slight increase in pay, and certifications look great on a resume. If the opportunity comes, take it! You need so many hours on the floor of that department before you're even eligible for these certifications. Think of it more as a badge of honor instead of as a specialization or certification. Nurses have to face many difficult situations. Whether it's a particularly nasty infection, vomit and excrement all over you, or a very sick baby, the job is hard. It is not for the mentally (nor physically) unfit. At one point or another, you may feel guilt for something that happened to someone, whether it was out of your control or not. This profession is not something that is always light on the spirit. If you have yet to pursue this as your career, think about this before you make the leap. Many institutions have groups for when incidents happen on units. These groups help debrief situations and are supportive emotionally to the staff. The schedule of a nurse can be pretty intense. You could work three twelve-hour shifts in a row before getting four days off. If you're working overtime, it could be more. It could also mean night shifts. You may even be on-call on your days off as well. Sleep may not be your constant companion. Stay aware of your schedule and avoid any states of fatigue. Eligibility requirements for having a license vary by state or area, so maintaining yours depends on where you live. However, your employer will probably routinely have you in workshops, seminars, and certification classes to keep you up to date. It is still your professional responsibility to be up to date on your current certifications. Every department will have requirements for your job. Common requirements are basic life support, advanced cardiac life support, and others specific to your department of choice. For labor and delivery, for example, BLS, ACLS, neonatal resuscitation, and fetal monitoring are often required. It used to be that if you were licensed in one state, you weren't licensed in another. While that's still technically true, it's slowly changing. Some states have entered into the Nurse Licensure Compact Agreement, allowing each other's nurses to work within their boundaries. Currently it's at twenty-four states and counting. You'll need to retake your exams every so often, depending on where you live and whether or not you've been practicing. Look up the laws in your area to make sure your license stays active. By searching the internet for your state's requirement, you will find specific website for your state's board of nursing. Unless you lapse in renewal, you will never have to retake the NCLEX. Whether you got your LPN, your ADN, or your BSN, there's always room for more education. You can get your Master of Science in Nursing in only one or two years, allowing you to become a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, or nurse-midwife. Then you can do pretty much anything and go pretty much anywhere. If you only have an ADN, you can pursue a joint BSN/MSN in two-to-three years. You will have to meet additional certification and licensure requirements. However, it's certainly worth looking into with the 27% higher average salary when compared to regular RNs. In 2011, ADNs earned about $64k while BSNs earned $76k.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Get specialized. Be mentally ready. Maintain your licensure and credibility. Pursue further education.
Article: If you have low blood sugar, you might experience a loss of appetite or nausea. Nausea is a feeling of queasiness or an upset stomach. In serious but rare cases, you might actually vomit due to your nausea. Hunger is always partially a result of having low blood sugar. The lower your blood sugar, the hungrier you will feel. Mild hypoglycemia may, in fact, cause feelings of extreme hunger. If this is your only warning sign of low blood sugar, you can probably remedy the situation by grabbing a snack like a banana. If you feel nervous or jittery, you could have low blood sugar. Look for involuntary motions like a bouncing leg when seated, a need to pace back and forth, or a racing heart to detect feelings of nervousness. More extreme jitters or bodily trembling might also occur. Sweaty or clammy skin might indicate hypoglycemia. To spot cold, wet, or clammy skin, lay your hands on your skin. Alternately, look for a pallor or sheen of sweat. If you have nocturnal hypoglycemia that is, low blood sugar while sleeping you might wake up sweaty in the morning or in the middle of the night. A racing heart (tachycardia) could indicate low blood sugar. Heart palpitations (any irregular heartbeat, such as pauses, skipping a beat, or rapid heartbeat) may occur briefly. Tachycardia describes a racing heart and is common in cases of mild hypoglycemia. The best way to diagnose heart palpitations or other irregularities is by getting evaluated by a doctor. If palpitations occur regularly there may be an underlying issue other than hypoglycemia, so it's important to get this checked. You could also discern heart palpitations by staying conscious of your body's feedback mechanisms. A racing heart might manifest, for instance, as a beating in your chest. Tachycardia often has no symptoms.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Look for stomach troubles. Notice feelings of hunger. Monitor for feelings of nervousness. Check for cold, wet, or clammy skin. Monitor for a rapid heart rate.
Article: Regular cleaning can remove existing algae from your birdbath and prevent the build up of new algae. To clean your bird bath, start by removing all the water and discarding it. You will need to replace it with new water when you're done. You will need a small scrub brush to clean out your bird bath. In most cases, it is unnecessary to use cleaner. However, if your birdbath is very soiled or dirty, use a mild detergent. Clean the bottom of the bird bath and the sides, scrubbing off any dirt, debris, or visible algae. It's best to use a hose to rinse off your birdbath, especially if you used detergent. Hose down the inside of your bird bath until all soap residue is gone. It is very important to be thorough about rinsing a bird bath. Birds are very vulnerable to detergents and it can be harmful for birds if there's detergent left in the bird bath. Once you're done, you can refill your birdbath. Use fresh, clean water to refill the bath.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Remove the existing water. Clean the birdbath with a small scrub brush. Rinse your bird bath. Refill the bird bath with fresh water.