Nursing@Georgetown Blog

As the use of e-cigarettes continues to grow, there is an urgency for scientists to unanimously identify the harm of e-cigarettes, despite possibly being less harmful than traditional cigarettes. “Nurses are on the front lines, educating and promoting smoking cessation efforts to the public, and they must be well-informed of the harms and benefits associated with any suggested alternative to traditional tobacco use,” said Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies professor Sally Huey.

The pitfalls of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, moral distress, and burnout are widespread in the clinical world. “Day in and day out, [nurses] are faced with trying to establish a relationship with individuals who are facing some of the worst things that you can possibly imagine,” said Georgetown University faculty Meg Carman. “This is the worst day, at the worst point in their life, and nurses are the ones who need to be there and be strong.” With ongoing research and better-informed workplaces, nurses can continue to make these relationships safer — for themselves and their patients.

Almost 95 percent of Americans support organ donation, yet only half of adults in the U.S. are officially registered as donors. Why is that? Nurse Practitioners have the unique opportunity to address barriers through patient education and support.

In the following Q&A, Nursing@Georgetown Family Nurse Practitioner program director Melody Wilkinson, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, discusses her professional mission in working in HIV specialty and primary care, the importance of establishing relationships with patients, competency-based Nurse Practitioner education, and what makes Nursing@Georgetown unique.

According to a 2014 Center for Reproductive Rights report, a woman living in sub-Saharan Africa has an equal or better chance of surviving childbirth than a black woman living in certain parts of Mississippi. Experts believe persistent poverty, chronic stress and lack of access to health care providers are some of the factors that explain the problem.

Many people choose a career in direct patient care to make a positive change in the lives of underserved, impaired, vulnerable, and still-recovering populations. However, being responsible for the healing of others shouldn’t mean overlooking the care of the caregivers.