Why You Should Choose an MSN

If you want to excel in nursing, the MSN can open those doors for you. The following reasons to pursue an MSN include focuses on career, salary, and future options for your career. Links lead to organizations or information that focuses on a career or salary objective.

Career Options

1. Nursing Administration: A nurse administrator, at the basic level, is called a head nurse. He or she will supervise staff nurses, recommend policy and structural changes and assist in the implementation of changes. While some facilities allow nurse administrators with bachelor’s degrees, Those with a master’s degree will have more possibilities to engage in the supervision of nurses and programs.
2. Nurse Practitioner: Nurse practitioners (NPs) are RNs who are prepared, through advanced education and clinical training, to provide preventive and acute health-care services to individuals of all ages. Today, most NPs complete graduate-level education that leads to a master’s degree. They work independently and collaboratively on the health-care team.
3. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist: Without an MSN, this nurse cannot provide anesthetics to patients in collaboration with surgeons, dentists, or childbirth procedures. In the U.S., a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who has acquired graduate-level education and board certification in anesthesia.
4. Certified Nurse Midwives: In the U.S., a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) is an APRN who provides primary health care to women, prenatal care, labor and delivery care, care after birth, gynecological exams, and many other care taking procedures necessary for women’s health.
5. Clinical Nurse Specialists: The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an APRN who has earned a master’s or doctoral degree. The CNS is responsible and accountable for diagnosis and treatment of health/illness states, disease management, health promotion, and prevention of illness and risk behaviors among individuals, families, groups, and communities.
6. Nurse Educator: A nurse educator is a nurse who teaches and prepares licensed practical nurses (LPN) and registered nurses (RN) for entry into practice positions. The type of degree they are required to hold is dependent upon the state’s Nurse Practice Act, the regulatory agencies that define the practice of nursing, including nursing education requirements.

Education, Advancement, and Salary

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses hold a master’s degree in a particular focus area and provide one-on-one patient care services similar to those a physician would perform. While APRNs don’t earn what doctors do, the ability to practice medicine as well as perform preventive care and diagnostics can be rewarding.

7. Average annual salaries for registered nurses were $62,450 in May 2008. Most RNs often move to other settings or are promoted to positions with more responsibility. However, the income listed below for other positions with a master’s degree have options to earn much more money.
8. The Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) averages about $90,000 per year.
9. The Certified Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) can earn an annual average salary of over $150,000. The only way to make more money is to become a Chief Nurse Anesthetist, which requires a master’s degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing, and professional certification, and at least 7 years of experience.
10. A Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) can make over $90,000 [PDF] average salary per year. A number of variables can affect salaries including: type of practice setting, geographic part of the country, urban or rural location, benefits packages offered with salary, hours worked per week, and type of care provided.
11. Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) can average a little over $85,000 per year. Clinical nurse specialists provide direct patient care and expert consultations in one of many nursing specialties, such as psychiatric-mental health.

Benefits and Incentives

The ongoing nursing shortage can provide extremely advantageous opportunities for nurses earning a higher degree and for nursing students preparing to enter the workforce. Many health facilities are now offering incentive programs to entice the best nurses to their workforces. Don’t hesitate to learn about what your school or future employer might offer to MSN graduates.

12. Recruitment bonuses ranging anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000 now are offered to nurses and to employees to help fill nursing positions. For example, Providence Alaska Medical Center employees have been offered $10,000 bonuses for helping to recruit new operating-room nurses as part of a statewide effort by its operators to fill specialized nursing positions.
13. Professional incentives, such as bonuses and recognition, may be offered to nurses who go the limit, such as this article about certification.
14. Physician shortages, more than nurse shortages, affect the MSN recipient. The ability for a health facility to offer NP practice in lieu of general practitioner care can up the ante for jobs in this arena.
15. Loan forgiveness still reigns for nursing programs. The programs go in cycles. The Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program is closed for 2012, but the NHSC Loan Repayment Program (LRP) application cycle is now open.

How to Accomplish Your Goals

One way to accomplish any advanced nursing goal is to pursue an RN to MSN degree. In order for an RN to achieve an MSN and become an APRN, most programs require a master’s program lasting approximately two years following the Bachelor of Science Nursing (BSN) degree. Some programs require at least one to two years of clinical experience as an RN for admission. Many programs combine the BSN and MSN degree for the nurse to graduate with two degrees together.

If you feel this career path is for you, you also can take on the studies in an online RN to MSN program. An RN to MSN specifically is a degree designed for registered nurses who may or may not have already completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing, so this path may be a great one for anyone who wants to combine those degrees in a shorter amount of time. RN-MSN programs aren’t all the same, so doing some research into the requirements and costs of different programs will benefit any RN who is looking into returning to school.

General Anatomy

1. 3D Science: This site offers various views of human anatomy, with case studies and clip art. Click on “Human Factors” to find anatomy, biology and medical illustrations
2. Anatomy Corner: The main focus of Anatomycorner.com is to organize and compile anatomy resources, mainly in the form of image banks. A teacher outside St. Louis is compiling the galleries in this site and they all are licensed via Creative Commons.
3. Anatomy of the Human Body: Images included in this list at Bartleby are from Henry Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body (1918). Unfortunately, they are listed by number, so it takes some time to go through the list and click on thumbnails for larger images. But, the illustrations are as the originals.
4. Cadaver Dissections Videos: This video gallery, provided courtesy of the University of Wisconsin Medical College, offers the basics of human dissection. Not for the faint of heart, as these are actual depictions of human cadavers.
5. Dream Anatomy Gallery: Drawn mainly from the collections of the National Library of Medicine, Dream Anatomy shows off the anatomical imagination in some of its most astonishing incarnations from 1500 to the present.
6. GetBodySmart: This is an online textbook about human anatomy and physiology, including an overview of human body systems, the skeletal system, muscle tissue physiology, muscular and nervous systems and histology. The images are drawings, not photographs.
7. Human Anatomy Online: This interactive tutorial and reference offers views of the head and neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis and perineum, back and upper and lower extremities. Use the index for an easier reference guide to images included in this site.



8. Human Being: The Visual Dictionary Online provides a section on the human body, including anatomy. The section includes muscles, skeleton, teeth, blood circulation, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system, nervous system and male and female reproductive organs.
9. Inner Body: This guide to human anatomy online allows users to pick a system within the body to analyze it further. The choices include skeletal, digestive and muscular systems, lymphatic, endocrine, nervous and cardiovascular systems, male and female reproductive systems and urinary tract.
10. MANanatomy: This entire site deals with body systems, histology and basic anatomy. You can obtain a brief but effective explanation of all concepts of human anatomy. All the topics are explained in such a way that they are quick to learn and easy to remember.
11. MedlinePlus Anatomy: This medical site offers links to descriptions and pictures of the human body’s parts and organ systems from head to toe. Images and information include specific conditions and related issues. The majority of pictures and photographs are from the American Medical Association.
12. Stanford School of Medicine Lane Medical Library Images: This image library contains four sections: The Bassett Collection contains over 1,500 human anatomical images; Springerimages Database contains over 2.5 million high-quality presentation-ready medical images; Classic Anatomy is gathered from Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy, and is not available digitally. The final digital image sources lead to other anatomical resources.
13. Visible Body: Although not free, Visible Body publishes amazing anatomy and physiology images, sold through its Web site and at the iTunes App Store. Subscriptions are available to educational, individual or business users. Visible Body also maintains a YouTube Channel.

Specific Anatomy

14. Anatomy of the Central Nervous System: eMedicineHealth offers slideshows, illustrations and information about the central nervous system, including an overview and a Multiple Sclerosis (MS) quiz.
15. Anatomy of The Human Heart: Various illustrated views of the heart and arteries are included in this gallery. This gallery is part of the Dames’ Clinical Nursing Education Page.
16. Brain Anatomy Images: These illustration highlight various parts of the brain. These images are part of a larger site about the brain.
17. Explore the Human Body: National Geographic offers images from the book, Body: The Complete Human, to explore online. Systems include brain, heart, digestive, lungs and skin.
18. Fetal Respiratory System: The Endowment for Human Development provides a series of images that show the development of the respiratory system in a fetus.
19. Historical Anatomies on the Web: This site is a digital project designed to give Internet users access to high quality images from important anatomical atlases in the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) collection. Atlases and images are selected primarily for their historical and artistic significance, with priority placed upon the earliest and/or the best edition of a work in NLM’s possession.



20. MedMotion: This gallery offers popup views of several body systems, including cellular and molecular biology, cardiovascular and respiratory systems and fetal lung development.
21. Musculoskeletal Atlas: Musculoskeletal Atlas contains more than 80 anatomical images of upper and lower extremities. Dr. Teitz and Dr. Graney from the University of Washington in Seattle, offer these medical illustrations under licenses.
22. Orthoteers: Consider this site as one of the largest orthopedic e-texbooks on the Web. Orthoteers is constantly expanding with new pages and images being added and edited daily.
23. The Body Revealed: Renaissance and Baroque Anatomical Illustration: The images in this gallery are from an exhibition held in the Special Collections Department, University of Glasgow, February to May 1996.
24. Trauma Gallery: While many anatomy galleries deal with dissection or the perfect anatomical view, this gallery offers a chance to view anatomy under attack. View abrasions, burns, chest and eye injuries, lacerations and other traumas and how these injuries affect the body.
25. University of Arkansas Gross Anatomy Atlas Images: The Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences offers photographic images of the eye, nose and paranasal sinuses, pharynx and larynx, brain, spinal cord, thorax and hand for anatomy students. Most of the images are dissection views.

To help you, we have listed below 20 tips for picking the right MSN program. They include many tips for licensure and accreditation, as well as what to look for in a program.

Tips for Picking the Right Accredited MSN Program

1. Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs
   Stop here for the first tool in any accredited school search. Simply type in the name of the school you are interested in to see if it is accredited and which agency it is accredited by. You can also look up schools by accrediting agency.
2. American Association of Colleges of Nursing
   The mission of the AACN is to advance higher education in nursing. Stop by to look up member schools all across the country. You can also learn more about CCNE accreditation.
3. National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
   One of the things the NLNAC is best known for is its accrediting of education programs. Simply click on the column to the left to see which programs have passed their standards. They also have resources and information for both students and educators.
4. National Council of State Boards of Nursing
   The NCSBN is charged as a sort of central unit to each of the 50 state boards of nursing, which have their own license requirements. In this special section, you can read more about the approval/accreditation process. There are also tons more resources for nurses, including info on the NCLEX, on the site.
5. National League for Nursing One of the goals of the National League for Nursing is to lead in setting standards that advance excellence and innovation in nursing education. Stop by to see which schools stand out in their eyes and to learn more about certified nurse educators. They also have other resources for nurses.
6. Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools
   Nurses and other health professionals can stop here to see if their school has been accredited by the ABHES. They have been nationally recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a private, non-profit, independent accrediting agency since 1968. Students can also visit to get information on why accreditation matters, credit transfers, and even how to file a grievance.
7. State Board of Nursing
   If you know which state you would like to get a nursing license in, look up their nurse licensing board site to learn more about which schools they have accredited. This one is for Kansas and lists all their approved schools.

Tips for Picking the Right Specialty MSN Program

8. American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
   One of the best paying nurse careers, learn more about becoming a nurse anesthetist here. They have a list of accredited programs by state, or you can see them all with a click. There are also guides on how to become a CRNA.
9. American College of Nurse Midwives
   If looking to become a nurse-midwife, stop here. The ACME has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a programmatic accrediting agency for nurse-midwifery education programs since 1982. In addition to reading more about approved programs, the site also offers more information on education and other professional resources.
10. American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
    Those interested in becoming nurse practitioners should have a look here before choosing an MSN program. They list schools that are both for nurse practitioners and for continuing education. They also have many resources for those preparing to become an NP.
11. Nurse Practitioner in Women’s Health
    Those looking for continuing education in the area of nurse practitioners who specialize in women’s health can stop here. They have a list of CE programs that are currently approved. Be sure to check out the main page to get information on publications, events, and even free webinars.
12. Council on Naturopathic Medical Education
    Their mission is to accredit naturopathic medical education programs that voluntarily seek recognition and meet or exceed CNME’s standards. Students who graduate from approved programs are eligible to apply for the naturopathic licensing examinations administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners. Read all about it with a visit.
13. CGFNS International
    If looking to learn more about international accreditation, click here. Their mission is credential evaluation and verification of education, registration and licensure of nurses, health care and other professionals worldwide. They have loads of certifications to apply for in several different countries.

Other Tips for Picking the Right MSN Program

14. Top Health Schools
    U.S. News is one of the most thought of sites when it comes to school rankings. They also have this section which outlines the best health schools, including graduate schools for nursing. They also have useful articles such as those with tips on how to apply for and pay for school.
15. American Nurses Association
    Although nursing certification isn’t required in many cases, nurses can still voluntarily get one or more. The ANA offers one of the most popular certification programs, and you can read more about it here. There are also tips for continuing education.
16. Princeton Review
    They are also a major college ranking body. The best in colleges are featured with other tools for students. This particular one is a quiz just for future nurses.
17. Community College Week
    If a community or junior college is being considered for an MSN program, stop here to get a site all about them. It includes rankings, as well as the latest news. Be sure not to miss the blog with more.
18. Students Review
    Sick of all these institutions of rankings? Then click here to get a site where actual students rate their schools. There are over 100,000 in 16,000 majors. Simply click to read, or add your own school review.
19. Pass Rates
    See how your MSN program stacks up by seeing the pass rate for their students on the NCLEX. This can help you determine how serious both the educators and students are. This particular one is for pass rates in California.
20. All Nurses
    Finally, if you still have questions on how to pick an MSN program or related, click here. It is all the forums from Allnurses.com and contains tons of answers to many nurse related questions. They also have sections for current nurses, specialty ones, and much more.

The above 20 tips for picking the right MSN program are for education purposes. Only the student can determine which factors are most important to him or her when choosing an MSN program.

1. 1895 Nursing Abundance: An article entitled, “Ambulance Work and Nursing,” published in 1985, stated that there was a nursing abundance at that time: “It was the popular fad of the day, and women all over the country became ‘nursing mad.’ They abandoned their household duties and eagerly sought for admittance into the various training establishments. They donned more or less appropriate costumes, and astonished their stay-at-home sisters by the facility with which they employed abstruse medical terms, and by their gruesome stories of the horrors of the operating room and wards.”
2. Civil War Nurses: Approximately two thousand women, North and South, served as volunteer nurses in military hospitals during the American Civil War. Seeking convention and direct involvement in the national struggle rather than the domestic support roles to which social minimum career opportunity had traditionally confined the majority of their sex, they experienced at first hand the grim constants of war — amputated limbs, mutilated bodies, disease and death — and provided invaluable aid to the sick and wounded soldiers and medical authorities on either side.
3. Criminal Nurses: In 2003, House Bill (HB) 2208 mandated criminal background checks (CBCs) on all applicants for initial licensure. A study conducted in Texas between 2002 and 2006 showed that a total of 1,508 nurses were disciplined by the Texas Board of Nursing for criminal histories. Three hundred and thirty nurses were sanctioned due to a criminal history prior to the mandated CBCs; and 1,182 nurses were sanctioned due to a criminal history after the mandated CBCs.
4. Geneva Convention: The United States had not been a party to the Geneva Convention of 1864, which made the International Red Cross possible. Clara Barton saw the need for the Red Cross in America and plunged into the task of creating it. She carried out this enterprise practically single handed, educating the public through brochures and speeches and paying calls to cabinet heads and Congressmen.
5. Magnet Nursing: Hospitals with a record of providing the highest quality of nursing care and advancement are awarded with Magnet Recognition status. It is considered the highest honor in nursing and 15 of the top 21 hospitals in the United States are Magnet hospitals, according to the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC).
6. Male Nurses: Most folks know that Walt Whitman, poet and writer, served as a volunteer hospital nurse in Washington, DC during the Civil War. But, few people know about James Derham, an African American man who worked as a nurse in New Orleans in 1783. He was able to save enough money to but his freedom from slavery. He went on to become the first African American physician in the United States.



7. Musical Nurses: Old sheet music is a great collectible and many nurses collect sheet music with songs about nurses or that portray images of nurses on the covers. Both the lyrics and illustrations can be subjects of content analysis for historical research or they can simply be enjoyed as a unique artifact.
8. Navy Nurses: The Department of the Navy announced in October 1978 that it would begin assigning women to duty aboard ships. The action was in accord with Navy-sponsored changes to legislation governing the assignment of women contained in the Fiscal Year 1979 Defense Authorization Bill. The action also was in accordance with an applicable judicial decision.
9. Nurse Informatics: Nurses were proficient in utilizing and adapting complex technology into caring nursing practice for decades, at least since the time of Florence Nightingale in the United Kingdom and even earlier, when Jeanne Mance (1606-1673) founded the first hospital in Montreal, Canada, in 1642. Various forms of machinery such as ventilators and physiological monitors were first used in intensive and critical care settings, and are now currently used in adapted form in less acute areas, even in home care.
10. Nurse Uniforms: Until the Army and Navy Nurse’s Act in 1847 established the Nurse Corps as a permanent staff corps, nurses were recruited for the Military Medical Department by the American Red Cross. Upon graduation, all nurses were expected to join the American Red Cross Nursing Service and thus enter the reserves for the Army and Navy Corps.
11. Nurse’s Cap: The nurse’s cap was derived from the nun’s habit and developed over time into two types: A long cap, that covers much of the nurse’s hair, and A short cap, that sits atop the nurse’s hair (common in the United Kingdom). While nurse caps all but disappeared in the U.S., nurses’ caps can still be found in many developing nations, as well as some countries where women still make up the overwhelming majority of nurses.
12. Nurses in Vietnam: Nurses often shared the same psychological problems as soldiers following this war. “But for those of us who went to Vietnam there was no end, only departure. In middle age we now have other friends, loving relatives, meaningful work. But behind the facade we share the same demons and angels and when we are together we are code talkers who share an emotional shorthand.”



13. Nurses with Tuberculosis: In 1910, Catawba Sanatorium, located outside Roanoke, established a two year program to train tuberculosis nurses. In 1911, Catawba Cottage at Catawba Sanatorium was established for the care of nurses with tuberculosis. The Graduate Nurses Association of Virginia (GNAV) raised $5,000 to build the cottage.
14. Nursing Origins: Many people believe that Nursing started with Florence Nightingale, however nursing itself dates back to the beginnings of motherhood when nurses were traditionally female. In fact, nursing schools and medicine have been closely intertwined throughout the ages. The history of nursing has its origins in the care of infants and children, so all mothers were in fact nurses. Gradually an evolution started developing into dedicated caregivers who practiced the art. In fact, nursing has been called the oldest of arts and the youngest of professions.
15. Nursing Shortage Stats: According to the American Public Health Association’s educational campaign, which addresses shortage of nurses, history has shown that the growth of the nursing supply has not kept pace with the evolving needs of the healthcare industry. Demand for nurses will grow by 40 percent between 2002 and 2020, while the supply will increase by only 6 percent over that same period. Factors that drive the growth in demand for nurses include an 18 percent growth in the population, a larger number of the elderly, and medical advancements. Alternative job opportunities have contributed to the slow growth of people entering the nursing profession as well.

Everyone needs a refresher sometimes, and there are a number of resources readily available. The Internet has been a great help to the medical community, providing a way to connect over long distances, as well as offering references to those in a variety of nursing careers. You can find answers to your questions online, with a few clicks of the mouse. If you are looking for helpful hints, here are 20 Q & A sites for nurses:

General Reference

If you have general health and medical questions that need answering, there are some great places to turn. You can use these sites to learn more about anatomy, different diseases, and general health information.

1. Just Answer: A great resource for those who want help from medical colleagues. Those who answer the questions are vetted doctors and nurses. So, if you have a question as a nurse, you can ask and get answers from trusted colleagues and from doctors.
2. Medical Health Questions Answered for Free: This site features a number of medical and health questions, along with their answers. Plenty of interesting facts about health and medicine. You can learn a lot from what is contained on this site, and browse by topic.
3. Questions on Health: You can ask questions, and also browse different topics. Find answers to general questions about different conditions and diseases, as well as general health questions. Great resource.
4. Family Doctor: If you have questions about different aspects of health and medicine, this is a great resource. The Web site is designed so that you can quickly find different topics. Practical information you can use.
5. Medscape: Get answers to a number of health questions and more with the help from the respected Medscape web site. A great place to go for general knowledge and help.
6. Women’s Health Questions: If you treat a lot of female patients, this site can be a great resource. Get answers about different issues related to women’s health.
7. Practice Questions for Anatomy and Physiology: Brush up on your anat and phys knowledge with help from this site. A quiz that offers the right answers to different questions.

Medications

Many nurses have questions about dosing, and about interactions. It can also help to know the side effects of some medications. You can look at the following web sites for information on medications.

8. Q&A: Antiviral Medications: This great information from the Cleveland Clinic can help you learn what you need to know about antivirals. Answers important questions about these types of medications, and when it is appropriate to use them.
9. RxList: Answers questions you might have about prescription and over the counter medications. Offers information on drug interactions, different ways to treat diseases and more.
10. Nursing Calculators: Do you have questions about dosing? If you want to know about dosing, you can visit this web site for more information. Learn about the calculators, have questions about dosage answered, and more.
11. Drug Interactions Checker: Many drugs interact with each other in a way that can dangerous. Before you give medication, you want to make sure there won’t be a problem. You can use the Drugs.com Drug Interactions Checker to help answer your questions. Great answers related to interactions and dosing.
12. DrugDigest: Learn about different over the counter and prescription drugs. Offers answers to questions, useful tips and health news. If you have questions, they will likely be answered on this site, with its tools to compare drugs and check interactions.
13. Drug Side Effects: Answers to questions about drug side effects can be found at Drugwatch. If you are curious about the drugs that cause certain problems, you can find answers quickly by side effect, and by body area.

Treatment

You might have treatment questions about specific symptoms, or about what you should do to help your patients be more comfortable. If you have treatment questions, a visit to one of the following Q & A web sites can help.

14. Diseases & Conditions: Have your questions about different diseases and conditions answered by the experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC offers information that can answer a variety of questions about symptoms, and about treatment.
15. Diseases & Conditions A-Z List: MedicineNet.com offers a great way to find answers to questions about medical conditions and diseases. Includes helpful information for treatment.
16. Discovery Health: This site offers insights into different diseases, and allows you to find answers to questions about symptoms, treatments and more. Look for information that can help you help your patients on a variety of subjects.
17. Symptom Checker: If you have questions about different symptoms, you can get answers from the Mayo Clinic. This venerable medical facility answers questions about symptoms in a way that can help you develop a treatment. A great resource that includes child symptoms as well as adult symptoms.
18. Symptom Wiki: Enter the symptom or disease you have a question about, and answers will pop up. If you want help with symptoms, diseases and treatment, this wiki can be a great help. An interesting way to get the knowledge you need.
19. Chronic diseases and health promotion: The World Health Organization has some great information, publications and more related to chronic diseases. If you are interested in learning more about chronic diseases, how to help others understand them, and what you can do to help your patients, this is a great place to begin finding answers.
20. Nursing Care Plan: NursingCrib offers a great resource answering questions about nursing care plans. As you treat patients, you will need to know how to make an effective care plan, and this site will answer your questions and help you improve the way you treat patients.

Doctors

Find out more about what it is like to be a doctor, thanks to these great Twitter accounts.

1. @kevinmd: Follow this well-known doctor, and learn more about what’s going on in the world of medicine.
2. @docrkp: A great doctor on Twitter with interesting tweets and good information.
3. @DrKimMD: Follow this pediatrician with plenty of insight into child health and medicine.
4. @drdrew: This Twitter account is verified for this famous Love Line doctor. He offers great information and advice.
5. @DrOz: Follow the famous Dr. Mehmet Oz on Twitter and get interesting information on health and medicine, as well as the latest medical news.
6. @DrMommy: This mom and MD has interesting insights and more on healthy parenting and pediatrics.
7. @sanjayguptaCNN: Official Twitter account of well-known (and interesting) CNN contributor and doctor Sanjay Gupta.
8. @DRoftheVaJayJay: This sassy ob/gyn offers great answers and straight talk about a number of issues, including reproductive health.
9. @gruntdoc: This is a great account from an ER doctor who used to be a military physician.

Surgeons

Follow these surgeons on Twitter to learn more about the every day lives of these specialized doctors.

10. @HenryFordNews: This health facility system in Michigan began tweeting live surgeries. Also a great place to go for medical information.
11. @oracknows: Surgeon who blogs at Respectful Insolence and offers interesting insights on medicine and surgery. Medicine with a scientific twist.
12. @JaxPlasticSurg: An interesting account that looks at plastic surgery and other medical issues related to surgery.
13. @SurgeryLive: Tweets from the Surgery Live team, sharing information about operations, and news about surgeries you can watch as they happen.
14. @ColumbiaAortic: Read about surgery and more from the folks at Presbyterian University and Columbia University.
15. @spinesurgeon: Orthopedic surgeon from India with great insight and health information.

Nurses

Nurses do some of the toughest jobs around. You can follow these nurses to learn more about the profession, and get insights into what it’s like in the trenches.

16. @aydzb: Nurse educator and wellness coach, offering advice and information about healthier living.
17. @crzegrl15: This flight nurse shares great stories and insights. Plenty of funny stories and experiences.
18. @Emergiblog: The Twitter account of an experienced emergency room nurse.
19. @BrianBowman: Interesting stories and more from this RN and transport pilot.
20. @BonnieRN: This medical care manager and nurse legal consultant. The tweets from this nurse are a must read.
21. @Geek2Nurse: Learn more about what it’s like to be a nurse — especially if you were an engineer first. Interesting insights from someone who changed her career path.
22. @GrimalkinRN: An interesting and feisty nurse who shares her life, and sometimes does it in all caps (and with some swearing).
23. @learae: Learn about being a nurse entrepreneur, and more about how you can improve your practice.
24. @NurseDan: An interesting look at ER nursing from this business innovator.

Tooth Care

From dentists to orthodontists and everyone in between, you can get more information on caring for teeth when you follow these Twitter accounts.

25. @WacoDentist: Learn more about dentistry and other interesting subjects related to teeth.
26. @PCDental: Hans Skariah offers dental insight and information. He is also the blogger behind The Tooth Booth.
27. @jflucke: This dentist offers information on technology and dentistry, and where the field is going.
28. @jablow: This dentist offers solid information, with a technological twist.
29. @markhambraces: Orthodontist offers interesting look at the future of braces.
30. @mikenoorani: This MD is also an orthodontist.

Eye Care

Find out more about what it’s like to care for others’ eyesight when you follow these interesting Twitter accounts.

31. @retinadoc: Randall Wong is an eye doctor who provides interesting information.
32. @Retinologo: If you are interested in learning more about the eye, this is an interesting account — but the tweets are private so you have to request permission.
33. @BrightEyesTampa: Shares information on proper eye care and more.
34. @iarons: This retired ophthalmic consultant is also knowledgeable about using lasers for eye treatment.

Lab Techs

Radiologists and others make it possible to run and analyze many medical tests. Here are some interesting Twitter accounts to follow.

35. @Radiologyman: This radiologist tweets about x-rays and more.
36. @sumersethi: This radiologist is known for his blog, as well as his expertise.
37. @Radiologist_MD: Great news and information on radiology.
38. @scanman: Interesting look at lab technicians and other news.
39. @radRounds: Great account for learning more about what’s happening in the radiology blogosphere.
40. @goomedic: Follows medical informatics, and offers great information for medical technicians.

Medical Assisting

Learn more about helping others — even if you are not a doctor or nurse. A great look at medical assistants.

41. @med_assistant: Learn more about medical assisting.
42. @krisithern: Great insight into being a physician assistant.
43. @jeflnyc: Learn about what it’s like to be a physician assistant in New York City.
44. @PAChristine: Great tweets, but you will need permission to follow, since this PA keeps things private.
45. @KimHarrisPAS: Learn about life as a PA student. Interesting insights and stories.
46. @PhysicianAssist: Great information and more about working with doctors.

Alternative Medicine

If you are interested in learning more about alternative and complementary medicine, these Twitter accounts can provide you with interesting information.

47. @HomeopathicDana: Learn more about alternative medicine, especially homeopathy from this knowledgeable homeopathic doctor.
48. @homeopathyworks: Information on homeopathy from Joette Calabrese, a homeopathic doctor.
49. @treatnatural: Joe McArthur offers information on natural remedies, and other helpful natural health hints..
50. @tiensherbal: Traditional Chinese Medicine information, tips on how to use herbs and more.
51. @debdrake: This naturopathic doctor offers information on alternative medicine, as well as nutrition information.
52. @RawHealer: Naturopathic doctor Reilly offers information and guidance on natural healing and medicine.

The Wii uses motion, so that players can interact with the game. As a result, some of the video games played with the Wii can actually be quite physical. Some games even get up the heart rate and can help players improve their health. Here are 25 Wii games that can help you stay healthy and fit:

Workout Games

There are actual video games designed at helping you work out better, and helping you improve your health through physical activity. Here are some of the best games that you can play, aimed at helping you increase your health:

1. The Biggest Loser: Based on the popular NBC show about weight loss, The Biggest Loser game offers you the chance to create a plan to help you get into better shape. More than 88 exercises help you focus on different areas of the body, and choose a program that works for you. Also includes recipes for better eating.
2. EA Sports Active: Popular video game maker EA has a sports game division that makes popular games about sports. One of these games is EA Sports Active, which provides access to different 20 minute workouts designed to help you target different areas of your body. Includes a 20-day challenge meant to help you get in shape fast.
3. Daisy Fuentes Pilates: If you are looking for a good workout to help improve your core, Daisy Fuentes Pilates can help you. There are different exercises for different levels of ability. Your efforts are tracked, so that you can compare yourself against…yourself. Encourages you to work hard so that you get props for proper timing.
4. Wii Fit Plus: Find a number of different exercises for a number of different exercise styles with Wii Fit Plus. You can keep track of your weight, create a personalized routine, and benefit from an upgraded and improved version of Wii Fit. Offers customization and help with improving your positioning as you perform the exercises.
5. Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Ultimatum 2010: If you are looking for a fun way to get a serious workout, Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Ultimatum 2010 is the game for you. You are dropped onto a rugged island, and need to follow Michaels off the island by performing various workouts. A tough workout that will help you get into shape and stay healthy.
6. Yoga for Wii: This great Wii game is meant to help you get better at yoga, and use it for personal fitness. Yoga for Wii helps you improve your fitness as you plot a course toward a specific goal.
7. Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout: If you are interested in a good cardio workout, Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout can be a good choice. It provides scheduled workouts and the ability to track your fitness improvement.
8. My Fitness Coach: Get helpful information on exercise and fitness, set goals and track your progress with help from My Fitness Coach. Adapts to your level and helps you improve.
9. Boot Camp Academy: This Wii game is designed to help you get into shape fast. You train like a soldier to get into great shape when you play Boot Camp Academy.

Sports Games

If you enjoy sports, there are some fun Wii games that you can play. These aren’t workout games, but they are active games that require you to move around a lot and do what you can in terms of working up a sweat.

10. Winter Sports 2: If you are interested in winter sports like figure skating, biathalon, snowboarding and more, you can play Winter Sports 2 to get a good workout.
11. Shaun White Snowboarding Trip: Follow snowboarder great Shaun White on a cool trip around the world to resorts in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. Use a balance board to improve the game play of Shaun White Snowboarding Trip.
12. Punch-Out!: This classic sports game comes to life with the Wii. You can play Punch-Out! and get a first rate workout. As long as you are putting yourself into the game, bobbing and weaving and using your arms, you should work up quite the sweat.
13. We Ski: If you like skiing — and even if you don’t, We Ski is a great game. It requires you to use balance, and it allows you to move back and forth, and reach your goals.
14. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games: A fun way to get involved with the sports of the winter games. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games brings beloved characters from two of the most famous video game franchises to life — and lets you be part of the action.
15. Skate It: This game is somewhat difficult, requiring more balance, and the ability to improve your core. While you won’t be working your arms as much, you will still be moving when you play Skate It.
16. Wii Sports Resort: A cool way to enjoy sports — and working out. Wii Sports Resort allows you take place in a number of cool sports that get you moving, including boxing, fencing, water skiing, table tennis and more. Get active playing against others or yourself.
17. Don King Presents: Prize Fighter: If you are into boxing, you can play Prize Fighter, and get a good workout. Boxing is a very active sport, and with this game, you will have to act like a boxer in order to excel, giving you a good work out.
18. Summer Sports: Paradise Island: Head to this fun island to play summertime sports with the Wii. Get your body moving with Summer Sports: Paradise Island‘s golf, volleyball, basketball, and more.

Game Play

You can use different physical activities to unlock game play with the following games. They provide a great outlet, while offering physical activity.

19. Walk It Out!: Start a good workout program that is fun. Compatible with different Wii accessories, you can use the Walk It Out! game to allow you to see an in-game world when you walk in time with the music.
20. Wii Music: It may not seem like fitness, but you can get a low-impact workout with Wii Music by imitating the motions needed to play instruments like the drums, piano, guitar, banjo, congas and more.
21. Go Play Circus Star: Pretend you are in the circus, and engage in a number of motion-inducing activities such as knife throw, trampoline bounce, tightrope, pony dancing and more with Go Play Circus Star.
22. Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party 2: Master the dance moves, and master your fitness. While not necessarily a workout or sports game, Dance Dance Revolution nonetheless offers a serious workout.
23. Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party: Take part in a number of goody mini-games that promise to get you moving at least a little bit — and maybe even help you work up a sweat, depending on how into Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party you get.
24. Active Life: Outdoor Challenge: Test your mettle with this challenging game. Run, jump, tilt and more as you participate in Active Life. Not as good as actually being outdoors, but it will get you moving.
25. All Star Cheer Squad: Work your way up to becoming captain of “Fox squat” when you play All Star Cheer Squad. A fun game that you can play with others that will get you moving and dancing.

The development of an efficient and professional nursing documentation system is possible within the existing standards of practice. A streamlined documentation system that integrates the nursing or caregiving process from beginning to end (or admission to discharge) can provide the nurse or caregiver with an optimum defense in the event of litigation proceedings and legal challenges as well.

Although nursing care plans often seem similar, plans are made by following the diagnosis set by each patient’s case through assessment or through clinical diagnosis. Therefore, each plan is similar, but must adapt to each individual’s needs, disease or disorder. Classification activities of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association International (NANDA-I) have been instrumental in defining this nursing knowledge.

• Provides consistent language or oral, written and electronic communication
• Stimulates nurses to examine new knowledge
• Establishes a system for automation and reimbursement
• Provides an educational framework
• Allows efficient information retrieval for research and quality assurance
• Provides a consistent structure for literature presentation of nursing knowledge
• Clarifies nursing as an art and a science for its members and society
• Establishes standards to which nurses are held accountable

The clinical purposes of documentation are to guide the caregiver and to record the client’s status or response. Care plans also serve the following purposes:

• They represent the priority set of diagnoses for a client
• They provide a blueprint to direct charting
• They communicate to the nursing staff what to teach, observe and implement

Documentation of care delivered and the client’s status or response after care are recorded on specific forms including

• Graphic records
• Flow charts
• Progress notes
• Teaching records
• Discharge planning or summary

Generic care, as a standard, addresses all or most individuals or families as a unit and what that unit needs in caregiving or recuperation. Examples of generic unit standards include medical, surgical, oncologic, pediatric, postpartum, operating room, emergency room, mental health unit, rehabilitation unit and newborn nursery.

Although standards of care do not have to be part of the client’s record, the record should indicate which standards have been selected for the client for further recuperation. Discharge plans, for instance, can teach the client or family how to manage the situation at home. Care plans also can refer the patient or family to support services outside the generic care facility.

The plans and tools listed below are not the only tools you can find on the Web. Google Books and other open source resources also carry materials that can help you learn more about care plans for specific diseases and disorders. Also, look to facilities in your area, such as nursing homes and hospices to help with forms and guidance in dealing with clients in home environments.

Sample Care Plans

Most of the links listed below can help a nurse or caregiver develop a care plan, but they are generic in that each plan needs to be modified to suit the specific client. These are samples only.

1. Care Plans And More: This list offers a few care plans categorized by psychological and physical disorders.
2. CarePlans: Careplans.com offers tools, web applications, articles, links, and libraries to assist caregivers in the careplanning process.
3. Comprehensive Nursing Care Plans: This subscription-based site provides interactive samples of nursing care plans unique to nursing home residents.
4. Free Nursing Care Plan — NCP: This site carries numerous plans for various situations.
5. Immediate Preoperative Nursing Care Plan [PDF]: This form is offered by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN).
6. Innercept [PDF]: This residential program offers a free sample care plan for residents.
7. Nursing Care Plan listings: This list provides links to nursing care plans for a variety of diseases and disorders.
8. Nursing Care Plans For CHF and other Common Diagnosis: You can find care plans for CHF, hypertension and more on this list.
9. Nursing Crib Care Plans: This site holds a short list of care plans sorted by disease.
10. Omaha System Care Plans and Practice Tools: Various agencies send in care plans for review and distribution.
11. Problem Oriented Nursing Care Plans: A standard care plan for Multiple Sclerosis Center inpatient services.
12. Sample Treatment Plans: These plans pertain to acupuncture treatment for assisted reproductive therapy.
13. Transitional Care Planning: This site provides comprehensive, peer-reviewed cancer treatment plan information.
14. Treatment Plans That Worked: This site offers over 576 treatment plans in its database.
15. Wellsphere: This site carries a list of articles about treatment plans.

Create Your Own

The following tools can help nurses and caregivers create plans, as the links lead to forms, articles and practice descriptions that can guide the development of a nursing care plan.

1. Care Plan Constructor: This free tool allows users to create customized care plans.
2. Clinical Management Plans: A toolkit: This toolkit provides a summary of what Clinical Management Plans (CMPs) are and how to develop them.
3. Create Treatment Plan From Assessment: This plan also offers a link to create a treatment plan without an assessment.
4. Creating a Treatment Plan: HealthCentral offers a way to create an ADHD treatment plan.
5. Discharge from hospital pathway, process and practice: This UK Department of Health good practice guidance updates and builds on the Hospital Discharge Workbook published in 1994.
6. How to Make Perioperative Nursing Care Plans: Learn how to make a perioperative nursing care plan.
7. Integrating pharmacotherapy with treatment planning for alcohol dependence: This plan construction is offered by Entrepreneur.
8. Nursing Assessment: Use this tool from docstoc.com as a blank assessment form to help create treatment plans.
9. Nursing Care Plans: Learn how to create a nursing plan and view two samples provided by a nurse.