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Liz Moore By Liz Moore • May 11, 2018

10 Interesting Insights Into Being a Nurse

Do you think being a nurse is a boring job? Think again! Being a nurse is one of the most interesting and important jobs in the United States, and at Muve Health we’re proud to work alongside many nurses every day. Being a nurse with Muve Health can mean anything from working in the O.R., to working with patients on their recovery in a home health setting, to helping guide patients throughout their entire joint replacement experience, but one thing all these roles have in common is this: they are an integral part of how we deliver Better Care By Design to our patients.

You're invited!JOINT REPLACEMENT RECOVERY_ DEMYSTIFYING THE MYSTERY (2)


10 Interesting Facts about Nursing You Probably Didn’t Know About Being a Nurse

1. Nursing is an ancient profession, dominated first by men and then by women.

The first nursing school started in India, in about 250 BCE, according to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This school accepted only males into its program. Women were finally allowed to receive clinical training in nursing when New England Hospital For Women and Children opened in Boston in 1862. Nursing evolved into an occupation dominated by women for several decades afterwards. Now, men are returning to the profession. The ratio of male registered nurses (RNs) has more than tripled since 1970, from 2.7 percent to 9.6 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

2. Nurses have a stellar reputation for honesty and integrity

Americans view nurses as the most honorable and trusted professionals, according to the most recent Gallup Poll. In fact, nursing has been viewed as the most honest and ethical profession for the past 16 years, outpacing teachers, doctors, clergy, judges and politicians. More than eight in ten Americans rate the ethics of nurses as “high” or “very high.”

3. Nurses walk almost twice as much as the average American

Nurses walk 4 to 5 miles in a 12-hour shift, according to a 2006 study of 146 nurses. For perspective, most Americans walk only 2.5 to 3 miles during the course of an 18-hour day. They also get quite a workout bending over patients, lifting patients, stretching across the bedside, and turning to gather more supplies. All this walking, bending, lifting, and stretching can burn calories, strengthen bones and muscles, improve balance and coordination, boost your mood, and support heart health. It can also make your feet hurt.

4. General nursing practices are universal

This means a nurse who practices in Idaho will use the same general guidelines as a nurse practicing in Maine or even in Cancun! As part of the Muve program, we educate our nursing staff on protocols, pathways and patient empathy practices that are unique to Muve’s innovative approach, but many nursing procedures are the same regardless of where a nurse works.

5. Nursing is the largest healthcare profession

Healthcare is the largest employer in the United States, according to Becker’s Hospital Review, and nursing is the biggest health care occupation in the nation. There were 4,153,657 professionally active nurses in the U.S. in October 2017, according to the Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation.

California has the most nurses of all the states, at 415,436 nurses. At 2,677 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, Hawaii has the fewest nurses of all the states. Throughout our Muve Health Home Office, Muve Lakeway ASC, and Muve Lakeway Stay Suites, nearly half of our team possess some level of nursing qualification! 

6. Nurses are in demand

The demand for nurses is increasing by leaps and bounds. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects the number of nursing jobs will increase 15 percent between 2016 and 2026, which is much faster than the average for other occupations. The aging population is probably the driving force of the health care job boom.

7. Only 3 in 5 nurses work in hospitals

While hospitals employ about 60 percent of all nurses, other institutions hire nurses as well. Ambulatory care centers (like Muve Lakeway ASC!) and doctor offices, schools, nursing and residential care facilities, the military, and prisons employ registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. Nurses also work as writers, educators, midwifes, legal consultants and in other roles outside the nursing profession. Muve’s innovative total joint replacement program actually integrates nursing teammates in both ASC and Home Health settings, as well as our Muve Navigator nurses who partner with patients from before to well after surgery to ensure they have the support, education, and guidance they need for an optimized surgery and recovery experience.

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8. Most nurses love their careers

In the 2017 annual AMN Healthcare survey, 83 percent of nurses said they were satisfied with their careers in nursing. In fact, two-thirds of the respondents said they would encourage others to take up the nursing profession.

9. There are more than 100 different professions included in the umbrella term of “nursing”

There are 104 nursing specialties, according to Discover Nursing. These specialties include cardiac care nurses, critical care nurses, clinical nurse specialists, geriatric nurses, independent nurse contractors, hospice nurses, long-term care nurses, school nurses and nurse educators, just to name a few.

10. Nurses don't just assist doctors, they are leaders in healthcare delivery. 

Today's nurses do much more than simply assist doctors - they are one of the greatest advocates a patient can have in their care experience. Beyond providing leadership, guidance, education and emotional support to patients, nurses' knowledge and expertise position them to monitor your progress, assess your individual needs, and keep open lines of communication with doctors regarding your treatment plan. Nurse with advanced degrees can also examine and diagnose patients, write orders, and prescribe medicine. 

At Muve, teammates with nursing experience drive our program at every level - from executive leadership to patient navigation to surgical and recovery support. To learn more about how our commitment to innovative nursing practices and empathetic care inform our unique approach to Total Joint Replacement care delivery, visit our website or get in touch today!

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