Nurse Approved

09/24/2026

Sitting in your car in the parking garage wondering if you picked the wrong profession?

You’re likely not burnt out on patient care, you’re burnt out on unfair work conditions.

According to recent data from the American Nurse Journal, job satisfaction is hitting record lows, yet 81% of nurses say they’d still choose this career if given a do-over. That gap says everything: most nurses don't want to hand over their license. They’re just done being pushed past the limit by chronic understaffing, impossible loads, and zero operational support.

Before writing off the career you built, check these 7 signs. Perhaps the fix isn't leaving healthcare but rather changing where and how you practice.

Read more at Nurse Approved®

09/23/2026

Enlarged breast tissue is often associated with back, neck and shoulder discomfort. But new research suggests the health picture may be broader.

A study of 687 women found that those with macromastia were significantly more likely to have chronic migraine, neck pain, obstructive sleep apnea and cervical radiculopathy than women without the condition, even after researchers adjusted for factors including age, BMI, depression and anxiety.

09/23/2026

Thinking about leaving nursing? Maybe nursing isn’t actually what you want to leave.

There’s a big difference between being done with the profession and being done with chronic understaffing, a bad schedule, an unhealthy workplace, overwhelming workloads or a role you’ve simply outgrown.

In fact, while more nurses say they’re considering a job change, 81% still say they would choose nursing again.

So before making a major career decision, it may be worth asking: What exactly am I trying to leave?

Nurse Approved breaks down 7 signs you may need a new nursing job, not a new career, and how to tell the difference.

Thinking about leaving nursing? These 7 signs may mean you need a new nursing job, not a new career, from burnout to workplace culture

09/23/2026

Hundreds of nursing graduates in California are stuck in limbo, waiting for state approval to sit for the NCLEX, and now their college is taking legal action against the state.

Find out what's next:

Hundreds of Nightingale College graduates are waiting for California approval to take the NCLEX as the college sues the state nursing board

09/23/2026

What happens when a nurse is called to the witness stand?

The Lindsay Clancy murder trial put that question in the national spotlight when an ICU nurse who cared for Clancy was called to testify about what she observed, documented and remembered.

And her testimony offers some important lessons for nurses.

What happens if you’re subpoenaed about a former patient? How much should you say? What if you don’t remember the patient? Can you look at the medical record? What happens when an attorney asks you for an opinion that goes beyond your role?

And perhaps most importantly: Would you know what to do if this happened to you?

The Clancy trial ended in a mistrial, but for nurses, what happened on the witness stand is worth paying attention to. We spoke with a nursing risk management expert about what nurses should know about documentation, scope of practice, subpoenas, depositions and testifying in court.

Because the care you provide on an ordinary shift could one day become evidence in a courtroom.

🔗 Read:

The Lindsay Clancy trial offers lessons for nurses in court, from documentation and scope of practice to preparing to testify

09/23/2026

Have you heard the term “Filipino Mafia” in nursing?

It’s been used as a joke, a term of affection and a criticism. But when does an inside joke become a stereotype?

In this Nurse Approved Op-Ed, Alice Benjamin examines the phrase, the history behind the strong Filipino nursing community in the U.S., and an important distinction: There’s a difference between identifying misconduct and making ethnicity the explanation for it.

Maybe what we’re sometimes calling the “Filipino Mafia” already has better words: bayanihan, malasakit, mentorship, advocacy and community.

What does “Filipino Mafia” mean in nursing? We examine the phrase, Filipino nursing culture, its history and when its use crosses a line.

09/21/2026

Are 8-year-olds too young for GLP-1s? Have we gone too far?

Those are the questions healthcare professionals should be asking.

GLP-1 medications have transformed obesity treatment for adults, but their use is now reaching children as young as 8. That brings a very different set of considerations to the table: off-label prescribing, growth and development, nutrition, potential long-term effects, and the very real health consequences of childhood obesity itself.

There’s research behind this growing trend. But once you look beyond the headline, the story becomes much more complicated.

What does the evidence actually show? Why are some children this young receiving GLP-1s? And where should healthcare professionals draw the line?

Read the full story at ➡️ https://iamnurseapproved.com/category/op-ed/

07/31/2026

When SZA shared that she had been diagnosed with autism, it sparked an important conversation. 💙

Why is autism so often missed in women?

For years, autism research focused primarily on boys, leaving many girls and women particularly Black women undiagnosed or misdiagnosed until adulthood.

Our latest story explores why awareness is growing, how masking can delay diagnosis, and what healthcare professionals should know as more adults begin seeking answers later in life.

We spoke with Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson of UCLA who explains, evidence-based strategies can help autistic adults build stronger relationships and meaningful social connections.

Stories like SZA’s don’t define autism, but they can encourage conversations, reduce stigma, and help people better understand themselves.

🔗 Read the full story at iamnurseapproved.com (link in bio)

WomensHealth Healthcare Nursing NurseApproved

07/31/2026

When someone says they’re a “Doctor,” what does that actually tell you?

Recent headlines have reignited a debate that’s bigger than one profession or one person.

The real question isn’t just who can use the title. It’s whether patients have enough information to understand the education, expertise, and role of the healthcare professionals caring for them.

As more clinicians earn doctoral degrees, should healthcare do a better job of explaining what those credentials mean?

Or is the title alone enough?

It’s a conversation that’s shaping healthcare, education, and public trust—and one worth having.

Where do you stand?

👇 Join the discussion, then read the full story at iamnurseapproved.com

NurseLeadership

07/30/2026

When you hear the title "Doctor," what assumptions do you make?

READ MORE ➡️ https://iamnurseapproved.com/doctor-title-healthcare/

Recent headlines around a Psychology expert using the title "Doctor" have reignited an important conversation about credentials, transparency, and public trust but the real issue may not be what you think.

In our latest feature, we explore what the title "Doctor" really means in today's healthcare landscape and ask an important question: Is the conversation really about who can use the title, or is it about helping patients better understand the education, expertise, and role of the professionals caring for them?

Featuring insights from Imelda Reyes, DNP, MPH, APRN, FAANP, dean and professor at the University of West Georgia -Tanner Health School of Nursing and Marlo Robinson D. Robinson, DNP, JD, RN, dean and vice president of the Purdue Global School of Nursing, this article examines why greater transparency may strengthen patient trust and why context matters more than ever.

What's your perspective? Should healthcare professionals routinely explain not only their role, but also the discipline in which they earned their doctorate?