Thursday | April 13, 2023

Healthcare starts with you. This is your beat.

Hey-O Nursing Beat Friends,

I’m back with another questionable medical practice from history for your Thursday. 

Trepanation; the word automatically conjures up ghastly images of ice picks chiseling away at the skull to gain access to the brain. But what is it really? Trepanation is one of the oldest forms of history where a surgeon (and I use that term lightly) would drill a hole into a patient’s skull in an attempt to cure them of an illness. No one knows how or why this practice started. The most common theories assume that it could be related to forms of tribal rituals, while others think it was to help cure problems like epilepsy, headaches, blood clots, and even abscesses. The most interesting part of trepanation isn’t the practice itself; evidence has shown that most patients who underwent this surgery survived! 

As a migraine sufferer, I think I have a good idea of what archaic trepanation felt like. So unless it’s absolutely necessary, don’t put me down for a good ol’ skull boring anytime soon. 

Big love and even better health,

Kel M.

Managing Editor of TNB

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TODAY ON TNB'S BLOG 💬

MORNING BRIEF 🍳 ☕️

Considering an MSN? Here’s the Pay Bump to Expect

Are you an RN who’s been considering returning to school? Earning a Master of Science in Nursing can substantially expand your career options, especially when only 15% of US RNs have one, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. But graduate degrees can cost a chunk of change, depending on where you go and whether you have any financial support from grants, fellowships, or employer programs. So it helps to know what your salary prospects might be after graduation. 

Becker’s has pulled together 2023 data from Forbes and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to rank average salaries for seven careers available to those with an MSN. However, these are only a handful of the career options available. Here are the top three biggest salaries:

1. Nurse anesthetists: $195,610

2. Nurse practitioners: $120,680

3. Nurse midwives: $112,830

“Black Boxes” in the OR Mean Offer Safety, Efficiency Improvements

Whenever there’s a plane crash, we all know the first question to ask to begin figuring out what went wrong: Have they found the black box yet? Black box recording devices on airplanes were a breakthrough in helping determine why crashes occurred and how to improve the safety and efficiency of air travel—and that’s exactly what hospitals hope will happen with “black boxes” in the OR. 

The devices that Toronto-based Surgical Safety Technologies developed collect video, audio, patient vital signs, and other data during surgical procedures. With the data de-identified and anonymized to protect the confidentiality of the patients and healthcare providers, staff teams can then review patterns and look for opportunities to improve the safety and efficiency of different procedures. Two dozen hospitals in the US, Canada, and Western Europe have already begun using the devices, and a new article in Becker’s explores their potential in depth. 

Critical Care Nurses’ Problem-Solving Saved Hospitals Millions

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses offers a Clinical Scene Investigator Academy that allows nurses to work together with hospital administrators on solving problems with innovative projects—and the result has been a return of more than 600% on hospitals’ investment. “When it comes to problems in hospitals, nurses have seen it all from the top down,” says Marian Altman, Ph.D., RN, the supervisor of AACN’S CSI Academy. “But no one is asking them, ‘How would you solve this problem?’” Until now, that is. 

Altman says that the 97 hospitals participating in the project have already saved $84.2 million. In addition, although only 486 nurses have directly completed the CSI Academy, Altman estimates that 6,820 nurses have benefited from the 142 projects implemented in 160 patient care units. Check out this AACN page on the academy to learn how to become involved in the 12-month program.

COMMUNITY PICKS 🌼 

If your preceptee struggles with EKG interpretation, how about giving them this book on EKG Interpretation Made Easy? It’s a great gift for them and a great refresher for you!

✏️ YOUR NEW THING STRATEGY powered by

Nurse Interviews: The Winning Introduction

The first thing you will be asked in every interview is some version of “Tell us about yourself.” 

To successfully introduce yourself, you need to craft an elevator pitch about yourself. This is an attention-grabbing 30 to 60-second pitch about you as a nurse that gives an idea of who you are and why employers should hire you.  

Here is my recipe for a winning nurse introduction: 

• Gratitude: Start with, “Thank you for having me.”

• Your Full Name: Make sure you use the name on your resume. 

• Nursing School: Mention when you graduated and your degree.

• Clinical Experience: Give a brief overview of your healthcare experience, emphasizing the types of units where you worked, any special training you received, and the patient populations served.

• Outstanding Qualities: What makes you different from other applicants?

• A Closer: “These qualities and experiences are why I would be a great member of your care team.”

Ready for a new job? Use the Winning Nurse Resume & Cover Letter Templates to make 2023 your year! Join the conversation on IG or Facebook @newthingnurse and join nurses and nursing students focused on success!

DAILY DIVERSION 💊

Did you know the gene segments that promote antibiotic resistance in animals can be passed to humans through the meat supply? To find out how antibiotic-resistance genes differ in the guts of vegetarians versus meat-eaters, check out this video from NutritionFacts.org.

🤯 ONE BIG NUMBER

Thanks for reading! 🤓