Maryland Association of Nursing Students

Patient safety. Your immediate thought was probably not safe nurse-to-patient ratios, and yet it probably should be. Let me guess your next thought. “I’m a student, how does this affect me right now?” While it may not affect the nursing student directly, there are certainly indirect effects; furthermore, the nursing student will only be a student for so long. Eventually, the nursing student will be the nurse. The nurse that, because there are currently no laws (except in Cal...

February is the month we honor African American history. As fellow nursing students, I think it is only befitting to honor the first African American nurse to graduate from a formal nursing program and obtain a professional license. Her name was Mary Eliza Mahoney; she was one of the original 42 stude...

The American Nurses Association (ANA) issued a challenge called “Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation” which calls on the 3.6 million nurses in America to improve their health because improving the health of every nurse will improve the health of the nation.

“ANA defines a healthy nurse as one who actively focuses on creating and maintaining a balance and synergy of physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, personal and professional well-being. A healthy nurse li...

October is the designated month of Emotional Wellness. Mental and emotional health is paramount for nursing students as they go through the stress of classes as well as the experiences they encounter in the clinical settings. There are things that nursing students will be exposed to during clinicals that they may have never been subjected to before. Although the team at the hospital may complete a debriefing following an event, the nursing student may not be a part of that debriefing. Th...

It’s 0700 and you are writing down your assignment for the shift; everyone is bustling around from room to room, call lights are lit up like Christmas trees, and the occasional bed or chair alarm sounds for the patients who forget to call for assistance before they get up to go to the bathroom. Somehow, during the short ‘lull’ in activity on the floor, the night nurse has time to give you report on the full assignment she is passing off to you. After you go from room to room...

As nursing students, nurses, or a combination of the two, we are known to frequently put our own needs last when it comes to time management and prioritization of tasks. Between class, clinical, studying, preparing for class/clinical, work, extracurriculars, etc. it may seem as though we barely have time to breathe let alone do something for ourselves like watch a movie, exercise or even sit down to eat a nice meal.

Starting with our first semester as nursing students, we le...

American Healthcare Act: Republicans have released the much anticipated repeal for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Key points of the bill:

1. Cancels penalties on people who don’t purchase private insurance and companies that don’t offer insurance for their employees

2. Cancels direct subsidies to lower and middle income Americans to buy insurance, replacing it w...

It's been a busy New Year already on Capital Hill and with the new year comes new issues, policies and health news. The Legislative Spotlight aims to bring you up-to-date information on latest government issues, especially in the realm of health care. We hope that it moves you enough to speak up, speak out and get involved as the voice of nursing students is vital in creating change. Share your thoughts, solutions and most importantly let your voice be he...

Myth: Nursing is an easy job; anyone can do it.

Truth: Nursing is a very challenging profession and can take its toll: emotionally and/or physically on the nurse. Working 12-hr shifts on your feet for long periods of time can be physically exhausting. Connecting with patients and families emotionally during a difficult time can be draining. Nursing isn’t an easy job but it is an incredib...