Q: What kind of topics do you speak on?
What kind of topics do you speak on?
A: I have developed live programs from one hour to three eight hour days. Some programs I have done are:
The ABC's and D's of the CBC:Indices, Differentials and Diagnoses (NTI 2005, 2007)
AVRT vs. AVNRT: Can One Letter Really Make a Difference (Mentor and co-speaker NTI 2006)
Advanced Topics in Paceamakers (Cardiovascular Nurses Conference - Reno, NV)
CCRN Review ( two day seminar in Michigan and South Carolina)
Critical Care nuts & Bolts (Two day seminar in South Carolina)
Code Blue Review (1.5 hours local hospital)
Cardiac drug review (4 hours local hospital)
and many more.
Q: What is your background?
What is your background?
A: I was an LPN for a year before becoming an RN (challenged the LPN boards while in RN school). I have worked in Med/Surg, Telemetry, CVICU, Neuro ICU, MICU, CCU, OR, trauma team, ER, Endoscopy, education, and administration. My love is critical care, most any area, but especially cariothoracic - heart, lungs, vascular, vents, swans, IABPs, etc. I have been published in many journals, written an ECG book and spoke on a variety of topics around the country including presenting at NTI the last three years in a row.
Q: How long has Nurse411.com been around?
How long has Nurse411.com been around?
A: I started developing the site in 2002, as hbgrn.com (my initials and my license type) while trying to become a CE provider and pick a permanent domain name. I went through many name choices before I settled on Nurse411.com in late 2003. And we have been live ever since.
Q: What made you write a book?
What made you write a book?
A: I am a reviewer for textbooks from a wide variety of nursing publishers. As a writer and a teacher and a student, I have a good feel about what works for students and teachers alike. I have reviewed over 75 publications and journal articles in the last 6 years. When I offered to review texts, I also submitted my ideas for an ECG textbook that taught the subject the way I did. F.A. Davis liked my idea, specifically, Lisa, my acquisition editor, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Q: Where did the Cheat Sheet Cards come from?
Where did the Cheat Sheet Cards come from?
A: I have taught classes and seminars around the country and for my local nursing college here in the Clearwater/St. Petersburg Florida area. When I have taught these courses, I have given a number of tables and charts and tracings to help students when they are out inthe real world using the information I have taught them. Frequently I would get emails asking for additional copies of the papers that I gave out in class. The reasons were varied, but included, "I washed them in my uniform", "They were too torn to read anymore", and many others.
So, I started to think about ways to make the information available to them in a more permanent form. I took all the charts and graphs and tables and tracings and picked the most relevant and combined and condensed them into a 4 inch by 6 inch size so that they could be carried in a scrub pocket and put them on PVC plastic to resist washing and tearing, and voila!
Q: Are your articles approved for continuing education in states OTHER than Florida?
Are your articles approved for continuing education in states OTHER than Florida?
A: The short answer is "No". However, many states do approve continuing education hours that are already approved in another state such as Florida. If there is anything we can do to help you use our continuing education hours in your state, please do not hesitate to let us know. We are happy to make whatever provisions are necessary to assist you in this matter.
Q: How do you make money then?
How do you make money then?
A: Believe it or not, I do not run the site to make money. My grandmother told me many years ago that it is a sin to not use your talents to the fullest. Since I write well and many people think I do well explaining complex concepts well, I must use those talents. I have had more than 30 articles published in nursing journals and I have written an ECG book, but there are SOOOO many more opportunities for micro education, and that why I run this site.
I do not really wish to LOSE money however, and therefore, I sell the Cheat Sheet Cards and my E-Z ECG book on my site to offset the costs of running the site.
Q: How can you keep the courses free?
How can you keep the courses free?
A: The articles themselves do not really cost me anything to write. The cost comes in to keep the domain name, have someone host the website files, purchase software to write the HTML, ASP and javascript for the website, as well as develop the images and edit the pictures and scans that accompany the articles. It also costs money to keep myself a provider of continuing education hours for the state of Florida and will cost even more to be a CE provider for AACN which is a near term goal of ours here at Nurse411.com.
Q: How do you pick the topics you write on?
How do you pick the topics you write on?
A: As a preceptor and long time nurse, I am frequently asked questions about labs, or assessments, or procedures, or medications, or nursing interventions. When I asked by one person, I answer them directly. When several people ask me the same or similar question, I write an article and share it with as many people as I can. Sometimes I submit them to a nursing journal. But, sometimes the articles are too long, or not right for a particular journal, or the journal simply may have run a similar article recently. So, I take those articles and put them online, to share will nurses everywhere.
Q: Why did you develop this site?
Why did you develop this site?
A: Nursing is an amazing profession and I am fortunate to have been a nurse for 16 plus years. Everything I have and everything I have accomplished in life is directly related to my being a nurse. Therefore, to give back to the profession I decided to develop this site.