HUDDLE
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Good Morning, Readers! |
One of my favorite parts of this year is learning the philanthropic traditions of others. I recently met some new friends who have a unique holiday tradition. This year, they are raising money and matching donations to support Covenant House and U.S. Vets.
What unique holiday or winter traditions do you have to give back to your community? Tell me here.
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Today's Top Beats |
🍬 A Candy Excuse
🐠 Fishing for Chemicals
🧠 Follow Your Intuition
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HANDOFF
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Battle Anxiety With Warheads? |
Candy is likely the last thing you’d think of when having an anxiety attack, but that’s exactly what some TikTokers swear
by: sour candy like Warheads. Experts agree the intense sourness distracts the brain, promoting a grounding technique that provides quick relief. Of course, distractions like sour candy only provide temporary relief (and you may become habituated to them), and seeking professional help for the underlying causes of anxiety is crucial.
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Fishing for Forever (Chemicals) |
Health officials are concerned over per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or "forever chemicals," contaminating freshwater fish, with at least 17 states issuing fish consumption advisories due to dangerous PFAS levels. A recent study from the Environmental Working Group revealed that a single serving of freshwater fish can be equivalent to drinking a month's worth of water contaminated with high PFAS levels. This poses risks, especially for rural, Indigenous, and low-income communities relying on subsistence fishing, as fish are a significant source of cultural dishes and protein. With no federal guidance, states vary in regulations, emphasizing the need for pollution prevention at the source.
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“Typical” Pediatric Pneumonia |
You may have heard reports that pediatric pneumonia is on the rise in the US, but the CDC dismissed a direct link between reported spikes in cases in Ohio and Massachusetts and the China outbreak, stating U.S. transmission rates are "typical" for the season. Ohio reports 145 cases caused by Mycoplasma pneumonia, while Massachusetts notes a "modest increase" in line with seasonal patterns. Despite the uptick, CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen assures there's enough hospital capacity, and the outbreaks are not due to a new or novel virus.
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TODAY'S TOP VITAL
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300,000 |
The number of adults in North Carolina who will be enrolled immediately into Medicaid now that the state opted into the expanded coverage the federal government began offering a decade ago.
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TOGETHER WITH CONNECTRN
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The New Nurse |
Nurses are increasingly exploring non-traditional career paths due to burnout, rising living costs, and a desire for professional fulfillment. The modern nurse values their multifaceted skills, prioritizes career excellence without compromising mental well-being, and is open to new experiences.
But how do you find those new experiences that balance your work and personal life?
Insert connectRN, the platform reinventing the way healthcare professionals find work. By leveraging technology, connectRN’s platform provides access to work opportunities and vital resources nurses need to build a thriving career.
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PRN
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MAP OF THE MODERN NURSE WITH DEBRIEFING THE FRONT LINES
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Follow Your Heart and Your Intuition |
Intuition is challenging to define even though we somehow innately know what it means because we have felt it. For trauma survivors, this sense of knowing is often suppressed within layers of shame. Through debriefing, nurses begin to face the tender parts of their traumatic experiences, making intuition more clear. With clarity comes the awareness that these old beliefs held by the ego to keep you safe are no longer doing so. Beliefs like, “I can’t leave (insert specialty here),” or “I won’t be a real nurse if I leave.”
Other beliefs include:
Intuition: Cumulative Care Taking Trauma
Love: Fear
For your highest good: What you “should do”
Lights you up: Keeps you hidden
Your mind expands: Your heart feels broken
Decisions flow: Decision fatigue
Take inspired action: It feels like pressure
Feels empowering: Feels limiting
Change your narrative on repeat. Begin navigating cumulative care-taking trauma
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Debriefing the Front Lines is a mental health organization, debriefing single incident and cumulative care taking trauma. Learn more here.
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Wise Word of the Month: Thick |
As nurses, how can we emerge from the “thick of everyday care” to make an impact beyond our moments at the bedside? Read how here.
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ASSESSMENT
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Nurses4All Study |
The Nurses4All study is the largest study of nurses’ working conditions. This study is funded by the National Institutes of Health and is a collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Take the survey to provide the evidence to drive the practice and policy reform needed to improve working conditions for nurses and patients everywhere.
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SUPPLY ROOM
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Up Your Lunch Game |
We all know there’s never enough room in the break room fridge for everyone’s lunch bags, which is why you should ask Santa for this roomy, insulated lunch bag from Hydroflask that you can keep in your locker all shift long!
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BREAK ROOM
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Need A Little Oxytocin? |
Do you ever come home from a long shift and just want to curl up with your four-legged bestie? Watch this adorable video to see what this kitten does when her human comes back from a 12-hour shift.
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DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS
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Come back tomorrow to set your 2024 career intentions with New Thing Nurse! |
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