Find Out What Happens When They Come to Your Hospital What will nursing education look like in the future? Beginning this fall, The National Simulation Study (NSS) aims to find out. Researchers and volunteer participants spanning 10 different U.S. schools are familiarizing nursing students with SimMan, METIman, and Noelle with Newborn Hal; not actors but high-fidelity mannequins, with chests that rise and fall. Studies find that many nursing students prefer this to the traditional clinical experience of live patients. Just click on the Meet the Sims link to read more about why they appeal to faculty and students alike. In Sim settings, nursing students make decisions and see the results without posing risk to a living person, as well as better predict how the patient will respond to care. The NSS study also revealed that Sim patients allow students to fully take on the role of a nurse, and that faculty like the option of role playing a doctor—or even a member of the patient’s family. If you’re in med/surg nursing jobs you may know why simulation training is catching on like this. Using a med/surg environment as a clinical training site is a challenge, as the number of nursing students the [+]

Although there is technically a nursing shortage, that doesn’t mean there isn’t lots of competition out there for travel nursing jobs. The best way in increase your competitive edge is to add to your skill set and experience level. Basic qualifications such as BLS, ACLS, PALS and TNCC are not enough anymore to land the best RN jobs. “Hospitals are looking for candidates with the most up-to-date and advanced certifications,” notes Deborah Bacurin, RN, clinical resource manager at American Traveler. By pursuing advanced nursing training by earning additional credentials and certifications, you are proving yourself as a motivated individual who cares about keeping on top of the latest trends and education -- and therefore, a top candidate for American Traveler’s travel nursing jobs. This goes double for new grads and nursing students, who are finding that it is somewhat difficult to find the ideal job right out of school with basic nursing skills. Get as many certifications and credentials as you can, as soon as possible, advises Bacurin. Also, do not expect the employer to reimburse you for this nursing job training (although it never hurts to ask!); view these credentials as prerequisites for top RN jobs.  The more [+]