Medical Community News and Career Advice

Nurse practitioners and nursing students would be among the winners if healthcare reform legislation is passed by the U.S. Congress.  President Obama last week renewed efforts to get agreement on reform bills passed last year in the House of Representatives and Senate. Several nursing organizations have endorsed one or both of the bills, or called for ready access to affordable, high-quality healthcare services.

A lot has been written about the nurse shortage. But right now it's more of a nurse job shortage in many places across the United States.Once thought to be recession-proof, nursing has become the latest victim of the economic downturn. Many hospitals are reporting RN vacancy and turnover rates of less than 2%.

The ancient Greek aphorism "know thyself" is often quoted, but what did Socrates really mean?  While philosophers and psychiatrists have been struggling with that for centuries, it could mean knowing what you want, what you can do and what your particular challenges are. And that's the first step toward being sensitive to other personalities in the workplace, experts say.