The Best States to Live in for Nurses

April 25th, 2016

While the medical industry is generally immune to economic downturns — with good jobs typically available all across the country — some states offer certain advantages as well as more robust employment opportunities. This situation applies to all professions within the field of healthcare, including nurses. Finding the right state to start or grow your nursing career simply takes some research and a desire to succeed.

What follows is a look at some of the most promising states for your nursing career. Good luck in your job search efforts!

Cost of Living and Quality of Life Are Important

Don’t forget to consider a location’s cost of living before deciding on relocating for a nursing position. While nursing salaries are higher in California, so are rent, groceries, and other expenses. Quality of life is also relevant, so if you enjoy going to the beach on a regular basis, a job in Vermont is probably not the best choice for you.

The Highest Nursing Salaries Are in These States

The five states with the highest salaries for nurses include: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Alaska. Unfortunately, all those states also have high costs of living, especially the previously mentioned California in addition to Hawaii. However, the beachcombers among you probably wouldn’t have too much of a problem paying extra in monthly expenses given the local scenery.

When you factor cost of living along with the highest average nursing salary, Texas, Michigan, Nevada, Idaho, and New Mexico are the states where your pay goes the farthest. All these states have their own unique advantages, from the bright lights of Las Vegas to the beautiful mountain lifestyle of Boise, Idaho.

The Most Robust Nursing Employment Markets

Looking at states with the fewest number of nurses per population, the top five include: Utah, Hawaii, California, Alaska, and Nevada. While the cost of living is high in many of those locales, you won’t have much competition when looking for a job.

Factoring in cost of living, quality of life, availability of jobs, and salaries, the five best states for nurses are: Washington, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Texas. Needless to say, you have many things to consider and a host of options all over the country when it comes to looking for a nursing job.

Working with a knowledgeable recruiter gives you the best shot if you are looking for a nursing position. As one of the nation’s top healthcare staffing agencies, Pinnacle Workforce employs the best recruiters in the business. Make it a point to contact us at your earliest convenience.

Mistakes Happen — But How Do You Respond When a Nurse Makes a Poor Decision?

April 18th, 2016

Being a manager in the healthcare industry can be stressful at times. One of the most difficult questions facing many medical team leaders is how to react when a nurse makes a poor decision. Being too lenient might lead to more mistakes by the nurse in question, while the opposite approach could hamper their professional development.

Ultimately, you need to analyze every situation separately before deciding on the best plan of action. Engendering an open culture where mistakes are discussed also helps prevent future incidents.

Every Situation is Different

If one of your staff makes a mistake, go over the details surrounding the incident as well as the professional history of the nurse. The severity of the mistake, the professional experience of the nurse, and whether or not they’ve had issues in the past all contribute to your final decision. The most important thing is to take the time to formulate a proper response, instead of reacting too quickly.

Every situation is different, and the best managers know how to properly tailor any discipline — if warranted — to the employee at fault. Newer nurses need to be treated with kid gloves, as opposed to a veteran medical professional who should know better. In both cases, using the mistake as a learning experience offers the best hope for the overall development of your nursing staff.

Mistakes Need to Be Discussed Openly

One of the risks of punishing nurses too severely for medical mistakes is it leads them to not being open about disclosing other similar issues in the future. This ultimately hampers their professional development and potentially leads to a degradation in patient care. Only by discussing mistakes are they able to be prevented over time.

Hospitals and medical offices need to put in place a system where open discussion improves the skills of their entire nursing staff. More engaged medical professionals and better patient care are the ultimate results.

In short, treat each mistake on its own, while developing a culture of openness to prevent further issues from hampering the overall quality of your medical office.

If you need additional insight on developing a top-notch healthcare team, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. One of the nation’s leading medical staffing agencies, we provide great candidates able to make a difference for you. Meet with us at your earliest convenience.

How to Oversee a Staff of Differing Personalities

April 11th, 2016

Serving in a managerial role can cause stress no matter the industry, but the problem exacerbates itself in the world of healthcare. Trying to handle your staff becomes more challenging when you consider the different personalities of your employees. Frankly, there is usually no time for office tension in a workplace where patient care needs to be the overriding concern.

With a harmonious medical office in mind, here is a closer look at some ideas for managing a staff made up of differing personalities.

Take the Time to Get to Know Every Employee

Take them to lunch and learn what makes them tick, as well as any other personality traits that may impact their work performance and relationships with their co-workers. When you get back to your office, be sure to write down your impressions so you are able to refer to them when necessary.

Tailor Your Managerial Approach for Each Individual

Once you get a feel for your team members’ personalities, make it a point to tailor your managerial style to each individual. For example, don’t read the riot act to an employee who is more sensitive than others. Your workers with more of a no-nonsense personality are probably better equipped to handle pointed criticism.

Having said that, it is obvious some issues involving the entire office require using a more common approach. When dealing with individuals, however, going the cookie-cutter route simply isn’t effective most of the time.

Spend Extra Time With Shy Members of Your Staff

Your more introverted staff members may need a little coaxing to come out of their shell, especially if your office is dominated by Type-A personalities. Remember these shy workers are a potential source of good ideas beyond merely being a contributor to the team. Don’t forego an opportunity to pick their brains for additional ideas and insights to help improve your office operations — sometimes the shy workers are the most observant!

Hopefully these tips offered a measure of insight to improve your own managerial abilities.

When you need additional insight on building a winning team at your medical office, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the top healthcare staffing agencies in the country, we offer vetted candidates able to make a positive impact on your team. Schedule some time with us at your earliest convenience.

The Best Healthy Snacks to Get You Through Your Next 12 Hour Shift

April 5th, 2016

Working in the healthcare industry takes a lot of physical and mental effort, especially when you are pulling 12-hour shifts. It is important to always stay alert and energetic, and sometimes an extra snack or two helps keep you going. On the other hand, minimizing the amount of junk food in your diet also plays a role in your overall well-being.

In short, if you need to snack to get through your workday, choose wisely. With that in mind, here are some healthy snacks to check out the next time you are working overtime.

Nuts Give You the Energy for Long Shifts

When losing energy during a 12-hour shift, consider eating a serving of peanuts, cashews, almonds, or anything else from the nut family. They contain a decent amount of protein, fiber, as well as other healthy minerals, such as potassium and magnesium. Lightly salted or even unsalted options are great when you are watching your sodium.

Don’t overdo it though, as nuts contain some fat and are relatively high in calories. Try to keep your serving to a handful at the most whenever you need a quick energy burst.

A Protein Bar Makes a Great Snack

Always keep a box of protein bars at your desk just in case you need more energy than a handful of peanuts provides. Do your research before heading to the store, as some bars are actually high in fat and contain a host of artificial ingredients.

As with any processed food, try to stick to protein bars that are organic and/or natural. Don’t worry, you can still find some that taste good as well as being healthy.

Don’t Forget the Fruit

A supply of fresh fruit is arguably the smartest call when it comes to healthy snacking during a long workday. Consider combining some apple slices with peanut butter for a balanced snack sure to help your mood. A banana is a great source of  potassium. Even snacking on some dried fruit is a better option than a bag of potato chips or pretzels.

When you need to snack at work, make sure to keep things healthy!

If you need any other advice for making the most of your career in healthcare, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the country’s top medical staffing agencies, we can help you help yourself. Schedule some time with us today!

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