Supporting newly hired nurses: a program to increase knowledge and confidence while fostering relationships among the team.

Background: It is important for newly hired nurses to be supported throughout their first year of employment by nurse leaders on their team. Newly hired nurses struggle with application of new clinical skills and critical thinking skills as well as integrating into unit culture.

Program Design: The Post Orientation Education Program (POEP) provided 18 newly hired nurses with clinical knowledge and support through one-on-one meetings with the nurse leaders on their unit.

The ABCs of pediatric laboratory interpretation: understanding the CBC with differential and LFTs.

Interpretation of pediatric laboratory values is an essential component of comprehensive nursing care delivery to children and their families. Key laboratory interpretation strategies for common pediatric laboratory values including the complete blood count (CBC) with differential and liver function tests (LFTs) are discussed. Basic anatomy and physiology, normal laboratory parameters, and rationale for deviations from normal are reviewed.