Becoming a perioperative nurse generally does not require certification. However, expectations can change quickly for those hoping to climb the career ladder. For some, expectations are also changing for how knowledge and skills should be assessed. Rather than taking an exam, this subset of specialty nurses earn certification by submitting…

Read More

Editor's Note A recent article in HealthLeaders profiles an innovative approach to alleviating nurse burnout—one that the outlet calls “a four-legged answer to nurse wellbeing.” Launched in 2020 at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, the Buckeye Paws program brings certified therapy dogs directly to nursing units, offering nonjudgmental,…

Read More

Editor's Note Hospitals made strides in reducing nurse turnover in 2024, yet staffing gaps and financial pressures remain significant, according to the 2025 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report. Key findings include: The national registered nurse (RN) turnover rate declined by 2.0 percentage points to 16.4%, marking…

Read More

Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 54,000 from March to April, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), released on April 4. That is compared to an overall monthly gain of 228,000 in March. The healthcare numbers are in line with the…

Read More

Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 52,000 from February to March, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), released on March 7. The figure is in line with the average monthly gain of 54,000 over the past 12 months. As reported by…

Read More

Starting a new job can be stressful for anyone, but nursing comes with a particular set of pressures. A 2024 survey of 6,000 nurses from the American Nurses Association (ANA), in partnership with McKinsey and Company, found that an astonishing 45% of early-tenure nurses reported they were somewhat likely to…

Read More

Editor's Note Recent legislative efforts in Florida and Mississippi aim to expand the authority of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) with measures that would remove supervisory requirements and allow independent practice for certain nurse practitioners. The efforts underscore an ongoing, nationwide debate over the role of APRNs in addressing provider…

Read More

Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 44,000 from January to February, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, released on April 5. That is compared to an overall monthly gain of 143,000 in January, less than the 170,000 initially forecast. The healthcare figures…

Read More

Editor's Note Bipartisan legislation seeks to combat nursing shortages by financially incentivizing experienced nurses to train the next generation of healthcare professionals, Becker’s Clinical Leadership reported January 31. The Precept Nurses Act, introduced by Rep. Jen Kiggans, would offer a $2,000 tax credit to nurses who become preceptors in health…

Read More

CEO Karen Franco, MBA, spent years struggling to fill surgical technologist (ST) positions at Pacific Surgery Center in Poulsbo, Washington, due to a lack of viable training options. Nearly 1,400 miles away, Deb Braly, RN, a nurse educator in the surgery department of San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center in…

Read More