Dear
Donna FAQs
by Donna Cardillo, RN, MA
Here’s
a sampling of some recent questions and answers from my
online Dear Donna advice column. I’m waiting to hear
from you!
Dear
Donna,
When
both an e-mail and regular mailing address are given in
an advertisement, which is the preferable way for submitting
a resume?
Wondering
Dear
Wondering,
A
hard copy via the US Post Office is usually preferable if
time is not critical. It makes a more professional appearance.
I recommend sending it unfolded in a white 9 x 12 envelope.
Type a peel-off label for the address and add the extra
postage. E-mail copies sometimes lose important formatting
attributes and may not read as well. However, if you are
applying for a job with a technology company, e-mail is
the norm. And if an employer specifically asks for an e-mail
resume, then it makes sense to comply. But when you have
the choice, my advice is snail mail.
Good
Luck!
Donna
Dear
Donna,
I
am 56 years old. I graduated in 1998 with an associate’s
degree in nursing to support myself now and save enough
money for my retirement at age 66. My employer is offering
an RN-to-MSN cost free to me. All I have to do is show up
and do the work. Will the time I invest in studying and
getting my MSN be rewarded favorably, or would I do better
picking up overtime and putting more money into savings?
On
the Fence
Dear
On the Fence,
Higher
education is never a waste of time. If you’re wondering
if you’ll receive a higher salary for having an MSN,
that will depend on whom you work for. But don’t do
it for any potential money you may or may not make. Do it
for yourself. Formal education is food for the brain. It
keeps you young, it makes you feel alive, and it will enrich
your life in ways you can’t even imagine. I go into
more detail in “ Go Back to School and Change Your
Life”.
If
the program is available to you at no cost, you can go back
to school without all the headaches and financial worries
of the average student and without the residual student
loans to pay off. Look at it as a gift valued at $15,000
to $20,000 or more. But the real gift is the one you give
yourself by expanding your mind and learning more about
yourself and the world around you. And who knows: You may
want to move in another direction in the next 10 years or
beyond, in which case your MSN may serve you in ways not
obvious to you at this time. I say go for it!
Best
Wishes,
Donna
Dear
Donna,
I
am interested in writing for nursing journals, but I do
not know where to get any information about the proper writing
styles and techniques. Can you help?
Future
Writer
Dear
Future Writer,
Start
by contacting various journals and get their guidelines
for authors. You can e-mail them or call. Nursing Spectrum’s
guidelines are available online at http://nsweb.nursing
spectrum.com/cfforms/writeforus.cfm.
There
are many books in the public library that teach you how
to write for publication and how to get articles published.
That’s where I started. You can also try The Writers
Workbook: Health Professionals’ Guide to Getting Published,
by Shirley Fondiller, National League for Nursing Press.
Another good book is the American Psychological Association
Style Guide. They even have a website: www.apastyle.org.
Happy
Writing,
Donna
Dear
Donna,
I
would like to apply for a leave of absence. How many weeks
notice do I have to give and what format of letter should
I write? To whom do I address this letter?
Taking
a Break
Dear
Taking a Break,
For
the most part, a letter requesting a leave of absence (LOA)
would follow the same rules and format as a letter of resignation.
Check your employee handbook and see if there are specific
guidelines for requesting a LOA. If not, find out how much
notice is required for a resignation. I would use that guideline
for your LOA letter. Speak with your immediate supervisor
first, preferably in person, and let her or him know of
your intention. Then follow that up with a letter to your
supervisor and a copy to human resources. You might double
check with your supervisor or someone in human resources
to see if there’s any special format or procedure
that you should follow.
The
letter should mention when the leave would start, how long
it would be for, and the general reason. You could say you’re
going back to school, or have personal matters to attend
to, or family obligations. There is no need to get specific
unless you wish to. It never hurts to also mention how much
you value your position and your employment there and that
you look forward to returning at a later date.
Good
Luck!
Donna
Copyright
Nursing Spectrum Nurse Wire (www.nursingspectrum.com).
All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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