by Nursetopia on June 18, 2013
Sure, you might be reading this at any hour of the day, but at my present writing time, I just finished an invigorating discussion with the amazing #BCSM community via Twitter. We specifically discussed nurses’ role in oncology care, and it was lovely to see the diversity of thought and the perspectives on nurses and nursing.
My. Head. Is. Swimming. I’m dreaming up dreams and thinking about people and ideas and patient care and…The chat ended at 9 PM Central Time, which is 2100 in military time, which is what we use in healthcare, as well, for all the non-clinical Nursetopia readers.
Adrenaline is pumping through my veins. I feel it. I’m invigorated. That’s the power of connection with like-minded people, passionate people, world-changers, dreamers, and doers. It’s like a jolt of epinephrine at 2100.
I think I need a run or something. Thanks, #BCSM!
by Nursetopia on June 4, 2013
“Great job, Mom!” My 8-year-old son clutched a piece of paper in the backseat as we were thick in the midst of evening rush-hour traffic. I was perturbed with the stop-and-go-and-stop-again while thinking hard about work.
“What’s up, Bud,” I inquired quizzically as I stared into the rearview mirror.
With as much enthusiasm as if I had won a tremendous achievement, he exclaimed, “You earned three contact hours!”
My day melted away and the traffic became unnoticeable as I burst into laughter. I had just come from a brief nursing education program, and my son had found my continuing nursing education, or CNE, certificate of completion. One CNE certificate of literally a hundred or more I’ve received in my nursing career. Of course, I positively reinforced the heck out the situation: “Thanks, Sweetboy! That means a lot to me.”
Can you tell certificates are kind of a big deal in our home these days? They’re a must with a second grader and kindergartener. I’ve thought about this simple one-minute-or-less of my life many times since it happened. It makes me smile every time I think about it. I’m not sure when I lost my own zeal for certificates. Ten years of nursing, planning countless nursing education programs, and receiving and logging who-knows-how-many nursing education certificates of completion over the years for regulatory and certification compliance have likely jaded my view.
Not anymore. I’ll think of those zealous congratulatory words each and every time I hold a CNE certificate of completion until the day I die. I hope you pause to celebrate the routine achievements of completing continuing education course after continuing education course…even when there’s no one to exuberantly cheer great job!
by Nursetopia on April 17, 2013
The countdown to the 38th ONS Congress is rapidly coming to an end. As Chair of the Congress Planning Team, I’ve been looking forward to this conference for over a year now, and it’s really nice to see the collective work of numerous people come to fruition.
For the first time, ONS is live-streaming three of the signature Congress sessions – the New Drug Update on Thursday, April 25, from 4:00 – 5:30 PM (Eastern Time); the Mara Mogensen Flaherty Lecture - The Patient’s Voice: Are We Hard of Hearing? - on Saturday, April 27, from 8:30 – 10:00 AM; and the ONS Clinical Lecture - Effective Symptom Management to Optimize Care with Oral Cancer - on Saturday, April 27, from 4:00 – 5:30 PM.
To view the cornerstone lectures, simply visit the live streaming area at the time of the lecture, and enjoy – free of charge! Seriously, these lectures will be well-worth your time. I look forward to each of these annual sessions, which are different each year, but hands down – my all-time top Congress moment each year is the “Mara Lecture.” It has literally changed my nursing practice annually in some shape or form. That’s saying something year after year! And, the New Drug Update session will help all nurses and healthcare professionals – not only oncology specialized ones – to remain current on recently approved medications as well as glean helpful tips to differentiate all of the targeted therapies.
Be sure to join in on the back-channel ONS Congress conversations on Twitter via #ONSCongress.
Do. Not. Miss. These. Sessions!
by Nursetopia on April 10, 2013
by Nursetopia on April 9, 2013
The 7 Habits of Happy Kids, written by Sean Covey, is an excellent children’s book. It follows the same seven habits presented by Stephen Covey in his 1989 published The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. I read the original book in graduate school, but I had no idea the kids’ book existed until my children’s elementary school started working through the Leader in Me school-transformation model, in which every aspect of the school – from kindergarten to fifth grade, the library to the nurse’s office – follow and are guided by the seven habits.
I really love that my kiddos are learning these vital skills early. Seriously, this stuff is MBA reading illustrated into cuddly animals and practical stories any child (or adult) can relate to. In my kids’ school, each classroom has one copy of the book, and it’s an honor to get to take the book home over the weekend. My six-year-old daughter received the privilege this weekend, and we read through the entire book – all seven habits and corresponding stories and “practice point” questions and tips – in about 45 minutes.
It was lovely. My daughter clearly grasped the meaning of each of the seven habits; she has no problem applying them to everyday situations, which is awesome. And, I even put down the book once we finished it, thinking about the seven habits in my own life.
Are there any other parents working through this book and school model with their children? Or, are there any school nurses actually applying the seven habits into nursing practice? What do you think about the book and the concepts?
by Nursetopia on March 20, 2013
This year marks 10 years as a registered nurse for me. If someone told me ten years ago I’d be reading this for fun (for FUN!!), I would have tried to look up their diagnosis in the DSM-IV. (See…I’m dating myself already…the DSM-5 will be out in May 2013!)
It’s true; my “reading for pleasure” material has changed dramatically. Oh well. I’m unapologetic. It actually makes me happy. Imagine that, learning something new excites me. (If you didn’t catch it, that last statement is oozing with sarcasm.)
Keep an eye on the Oncology Nursing Society’s RE:Connect blog for my review of this book.
by Nursetopia on March 2, 2013
Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss! You might be asking yourself, “Does Dr. Seuss really have a place in healthcare?” Sure he does. His words remain as inspiration to those of us in service fields, and he absolutely has a unique connection to health care. He inspired this joint healthcare story a while back.
So, here’s a reminder from an author that celebrated the beauty and importance of individualism. It’s okay to diverge from the “norm;” be yourself! You can download this free, printable poster reminder, too.
by Nursetopia on February 18, 2013
Four years ago Diane Forster-Burke, MS, RN, professor at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, was looking for a way to recharge her teaching and utilize different education strategies to drive home the ethics of every day healthcare decisions nurses and other healthcare professionals make in routine practice. A colleague directed her to The Anatomy of Care, a serious role-playing game developed by WILL Interactive and MedStar Washington Hospital Center to improve customer service and increase patient satisfaction.
(Via WILL Interactive)
Professor Forster-Burke is now in her fourth year utilizing The Anatomy of Care game with undergraduate BSN students in their leadership capstone course. Forster-Burke states that even though there are no course points for how student groups progress through the game, the student nurses make decisions on a case-by-case basis and watch the expected and unexpected outcomes of their decisions; seeing senior nursing students “sit forward in their seats, engaged, interacting, and often laughing” during an 0800 class is worth it. She reiterates several times the safety of the simulation; “no one gets hurt.” Students can see the preferred choices as well as the worst-case scenarios of their decisions.
David Versaw, WILL Interactive CFO, explains The Anatomy of Care is used in several acute care hospitals and is sold through various distributors. The simulation methodology, which allows professionals and professionals in training to “step into someone else’s shoes, has shown dramatic improvements in HCAHPS scores, and WILL Interactive is even in the process of pursuing continuing nursing education credits for the course.
If you’re like me and sometimes roll your eyes at nursing school simulations, you should view the demo. I agree with Forster-Burke that the game focuses on real-world pressures intertwined with patient care – like the nurse taking a personal call at the nurse’s station in the midst of patient care needs. “It really gets students thinking,” explains Forster-Burke, “about the role of the nurse as an advocate.” The game has quite the decision algorithms to allow for a broad simulation experience.
Simulation in professional education is not new, and role-playing games are increasingly providing “edutainment,” or education in the form of entertainment. Still, nursing education seems to be a late adopter to such technological education innovation. Simulation mannequins have sprinkled nursing education programs going on 15 years now, yet the education strategy is omitted from numerous programs due to financial and other barriers. Web-based simulation programs like The Anatomy of Care could be one solution to help undergraduate nursing students bolster their critical-thinking skills and decision making.
Have you ever used The Anatomy of Care or any other simulation game in your nursing education?
by Nursetopia on February 11, 2013
Rob Fraser, MN, RN, over at NursingIdeas is fanning the nursing learning-sharing-learning cycle flames through his Nursing Research Challenge.
I’m absolutely recommitting my passion for The Challenge. I hope you do the same. I want to learn from you!
by Nursetopia on December 12, 2012
Each day brings learning experiences. In nursing school we’re taught to “seek out” all the learning experiences we can to diversify our education and understanding. It’s no different after nursing school. The best way to learn is to “jump right in,” and soak up every moment like a sponge. And, once full, you need to squeeze out the sponge. Share the education and experience with others so they can soak it up, too.
Download this reminder.
