Portia Wofford

Facebook is now more focused on building communities. Facebook groups are the obvious tools to help fuel that evolution. Over one billion users are members of groups. You probably belong to several groups. But have you thought of using Facebook groups to grow your business?
I love Facebook groups. In fact, I built my network and writing business off the connections I’ve made through these groups. I even found my mentor in a group. Using FB groups as funnels for your business is a very economi...

Diversity (or lack thereof) in nursing and healthcare. I remember it being a one-hour lecture in nursing school. We didn’t go into much detail. We talked about how to navigate cultural differences. We were told to ignore racial epithets from patients and “focus on the person, not their words.”
I remember one of my nonblack classmates stating, “It’s 2010. No one is racist anymore. Why are we even going over this? Some people are so dramatic.” At that moment, I should have stood up and shouted,...

When nurse Linda Scruggs BSN, RN, and her partner, Mike Rustici, booked a bucket list trip to Peru, they’d planned a four-day hike on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. They never imagined they’d be stranded at Peru’s border because of COVID-19. But on March 15th, Peru President Martín Vizcarra announced that Peruvian borders would close at 11:59 p.m. on March 16th due to the spread of coronavirus. Nearly a week later, on March 21st, Scruggs and Rustici were able to return to the US. We caught u...

September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Sickle Cell hits close to home for me. My nephew has the trait. My goddaughter has the disease and is frequently in crisis. Several other family members and friends are also fighting this illness.
One of the most common issues they all deal with is treatment by healthcare professionals — particularly nurses — when they seek treatment for this disease. It’s shameful, but often their symptoms often cause them to be mistaken for:
Opioid seekers
...

A little over a month into 2019, the Centers for Disease Control has confirmed 101 individual cases of measles- in 10 states- in the U.S. These states are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Measles is an upper respiratory infection usually characterized by a fever and the 3 C’s - cough, coryza (runny nose), and conjunctivitis (red, watery eyes). Two or three days after symptoms begin, Koplik spots (tiny, white spots) may ...

By: Portia Wofford
Nurse Practitioners (NP) are more likely to work in rural and underserved areas than physicians. According to a study by the University of Michigan, the demand for physicians in rural areas is being filled by nurse practitioners.
However, in states like Texas, restrictions on their practice limit nurses' ability to serve patients. Nurses aren't allowed to use the full extent of their education, experience, and credentialing.
To give people the level of healthcare they deser...

According to Forbes, being a global citizen is a major plank in the average millennial’s worldview. Millennials want to be socially aware, informed, and productive. This is called emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify emotions in oneself as well as others. It aids in defining what it means for an individual to be an employee, leader, citizen, and yes, even a nurse.

With millenials making up ⅓ of the nursing workforce it is important for this generation of n...

By: Portia Wofford
In January, the American Journal of Nursing posted a question that garnered hundreds of responses: "Nurses, do you have a side job, whether for fun or to make ends meet?" Many nurses work two jobs, have a side hustle, or have ventured into entrepreneurship.
Although nursing is a great career that yields a decent salary, extra money is always a plus. Here are seven ways to use your nursing degree to secure the bag — and your financial future.
1. Blogging and Healthcare Writi...

K9 units work diligently in airports, assisting those with disabilities and protecting the public as police officers. Now, they're appearing in hospitals, assisting with security measures and sniffing out harmful pathogens which may infect humans.
U.S. healthcare facilities use trained dogs to
Sniff out contraband
Deter violence
Apprehend threatening suspects
K9s Patrolling Facilities
Combating violence is one use for these highly skilled and trained pups. According to PubMed, research shows ...

Most nurses have excellent clinical skills that they learned both through their education and on-the-job. He or she is knowledgeable about various disease processes and can quote the side effects of medications verbatim. However, soft skills are usually traits that cannot be taught. Soft skills are innate components of an individual’s personality and core values - while some individuals may simply be born with these qualities, others can develop and master them over time.

The Value Of Soft Sk...

So, you’re a new grad or you’re looking for a new job? You’ve submitted applications, perfected your interview skills, and followed up with all of your potential employers. However, you still aren’t landing the jobs that you desire. You’ve revamped your resume to include all of your volunteer work and internships, but no one is knocking at your door or calling you back.
Do you have a Linkedin account? Linkedin is the modern day resume. In fact, more employers are using Linkedin and its keywor...

The Nola the Nurse series written by a Nurse Practitioner

These three nurses are changing healthcare through creativity, technology, and innovation.

Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) hold a very valuable place in the healthcare industry. Not only does the CNA assist nurses, in patient care, but the role the CNA plays is integral in advocacy and continuity of care. Often, it is the CNA who initially notices a patient’s change in condition and alerts the nurse.

Projected Growth

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected increase for job opportunities for CNAs is to be as much as 20% by 2020–well above the national ave...

The nationwide shortage of nurses has not excluded school nurses. Only three out of five schools employ a full-time nurse. Many schools resort to using school staff and faculty — who have no medical training — to provide care to students. According to the National Association of School Nurses, about 40% of schools only budget for a part-time nurse and 25% have no nurse at all.
School Nurse Responsibilities
The role of school nurses has evolved. School nurses are responsible for the care of st...