October 6th, 2008 by 
Donna
These are very interesting times in the world and in the nursing profession. We continue to read about the severe nursing shortage and how it will get even worse. And yet last week I spoke at an open house event for a NJ hospital and the majority of nurses in the audience, both new graduates and experienced nurses were unhappily unemployed.
The new graduates in this part of NJ are having difficulty finding a hospital job as outlined in my post from May 8 “Ailing Economy Easing Nursing Shortage.” But in addition to the reasons listed there, other hospitals are telling me that they need nurses but because they have staffing shortages, they cannot take on new graduates because they have no one to precept them - a catch 22 situation if I ever heard one.
Because of insurance cutbacks and other economic factors, some hospitals are closing their doors. In NJ, several hospitals just closed and many nurses were let go from their jobs. With a sudden outpouring of nurses into the marketplace, it has been very competitive.
All of the above was an unforeseen and unpredicted outcome of the current economy. And yet in other parts of the country, hospitals are still desperate for new grads and experienced nurses alike. Quite a dichotomy. What’s happening in your neck of the woods?
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September 16th, 2008 by Donna
I recently attended religious services in a town I was visiting. Upon entering the facility I was handed a pamphlet that had the program in it and upcoming events. On the back was a lovely welcoming message that went, “To all who are lonely and need friendship; to all who are discouraged and need good news;” etc. Typical “church” fare. But as I read on I was initially taken aback by the phrase ”…to all who are complacent and need disturbing…” But after a second I smiled broadly at the concept. So many of us are in a rut in our lives and careers. We become so complacent that we stop learning, stop growing, stop moving forward, stop living. We don’t bother to challenge ourselves; we let fear and boredom rule our lives; and we lose our zest for living and working. The message was so powerful.
We all need a little disturbing from time to time - whether it involves trying something new, stepping out of our comfort zone, doing things differently than we’ve always done them, learning something new, making changes for the better, shifting our priorities or our focus, or just doing something we’ve always wanted to do.
This applies to the nursing profession as well. So many of us believe that we are powerless in this profession to make changes, to be heard, to have a positive impact. We don’t get involved in committees at work; we don’t join or get active in our professional associations; we don’t stand up for ourselves or our profession; we witness, are the recipient of, or dole out verbal abuse and just accept it as the norm. We stop trying to make things better or never even bother in the first place. There is a Chinese proverb that says, “When sleeping women wake, mountains move.” I challenge you today to awaken from the slumber of complacency, apathy, negativity, and inactivity. You do have the power to effect positive change - Nurse Power! Make it work for you and for all of us.
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September 3rd, 2008 by Donna
As the president of the NJ Chapter of the National Speakers Association (www.nsaspeaker.org), I was recently asked to speak at a local Kiwanis International club meeting. I suggested speaking on the popular topic of public speaking but the event host said the members didn’t do any public speaking and asked if I would speak about nursing. I was happy to oblige.
During my 15-minute presentation, I told the audience a little about my nursing career and then addressed the current nursing shortage, which has been widely publicized. I informed the group about current trends such as more men coming into nursing and all the “second careerists” coming into the profession from other occupations. I mentioned the fact that most schools of nursing had long waiting lists and underscored that nursing was a great profession with many diverse opportunities. I ended by discussing nurse to patient ratios, what more RNs in the hospital mean to patient care and outcomes, and encouraged audience members to ask their primary care providers as well as hospital administrators when they or their loved ones are hospitalized (beforehand if possible), what the ratios are in that facility. I advised them of recommended ratios so they would know what is ideal. This was, of course, a way to help them advocate for themselves and their loved ones, to underscore the vital role that nurses play in the healthcare setting, and to promote the profession. The more informed consumers of healthcare are about the shortage and ideal staffing ratios, the better it is for them and nurses!
While my original intention when accepting the speaking engagement was not to directly promote nursing (I am always at least “indirectly” promoting nursing) the experience reminded me of one of my ethical obligations as a nurse as outlined in the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses, to serve the broader community, including being a public health advocate and promoting the profession in public venues. If you’ve never read the ANA Code of Ethics or haven’t read the current edition, it’s worth checking out at http://nursingworld.org/mods/mod580/cecdefull.htm. It is a wonderful reminder of the role and responsibilities that come with being a nurse.
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August 11th, 2008 by Donna
I was recently speaking with a meeting planner (someone who orchestrates conferences and conventions for a client) and she said she wanted me to speak to a group of hospital managers, all ‘former’ nurses. “Former nurses?” I echoed. “Yes,” she said. “They no longer do bedside nursing.” I swallowed hard and gave her my spiel about how nurses play many different roles in healthcare and that the title ‘nurse’ belongs to both the managers and the front line staff. “Oh, OK” she said. Later in the conversation she stated, “You’re perfect for this group because you’re a former nurse.” I felt like I was getting nowhere. I quickly interjected that I, too, am still very much a nurse in my current role - still a healer, a teacher, and nurturer. I underscored that nurses do many different things in many different ways. Again, she said, “Oh, OK.”
After 30 years in nursing, I’m used to defending the profession, clarifying our role, explaining what nurses really do, etc. At times it is frustrating and tiresome but hopefully some of it will sink in somewhere along the way. Perhaps if nurses continue to work to get more visible and vocal in the community, in the media, in government, and in business, we can work collectively to underscore the broad scope of nursing, the true nature of what we do, and how we are changing the world in small and large ways everyday - each in our own way.
On a related topic, read Celebrate the Diversity of Nursing
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April 5th, 2008 by Donna
The March 24 issue of U.S. News & World Report magazine lists Registered Nurse as one of 31 of the best careers for the future. This list was compiled based on job satisfaction, training difficulty, prestige, job market outlook, and pay. Others on the list include dentist, pharmacist, occupational therapist, editor, ghost writer, and investment banker. Each of the 31 professionals was given a ‘grade’ for job market outlook ranging from ‘A’ to ‘C.’ RN was given an ‘A.’ You can read the article at http://www.usnews.com/features/business/best-careers/best-careers-2008.html
The online article also refers to an article from last December which spotlighted the 12 “Ahead-of-the-Curve Careers.” In the healthcare category they specifically mention health coach, healthcare informatics specialist, and patient advocate - all great non-traditional opportunities for nurses.
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April 2nd, 2008 by Donna
With continuous cut-backs in education budgets, many school nurse positions are being eliminated, putting our nation’s children at serious risk. Part of the problem is the considerable misunderstanding of what school nurses do and the value they bring to the community, the educational system, and the healthcare system. There is considerable evidence to support the fact that fewer school nurses has resulted in deaths, serious complications, and a decreased quality of life amongst the children they serve. See a comprehensive article from a 2005 edition of US News and World Report http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-12-13-school-nurses_x.htm. Be sure to also click on the links on the right side of the article page.
Advocate for safe nursing staffing in your local schools whether you have school-age children or not. You’re advocating for your profession at the same time and creating awareness of the vital role nurses play in the school system including emergency management and preparedness, care and case management of children with chronic illness, health education for the students, faculty, parents, and community at large, and more. Learn more about what school nurses do at www.nasn.org and http://www.aft.org/healthcare/schoolnurses/. If you think school nursing is a cakewalk or a “dead-end job” as one nurse recently referred to it as, you are sorely misinformed.
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February 24th, 2008 by Donna
I was recently named one of “50 Best Women in Business” by NJBIZ magazine. As such I was invited to attend a networking reception for all honorees. Everyone was very friendly and most of us were making an effort to meet and speak with as many of the awardees as possible.
When people heard I was an RN they were very interested to hear more about what I do and about the nursing profession in general or to tell me about someone in their family who is a nurse. Some asked about the “shortage” assuming it existed because no one wanted to be a nurse anymore (see my previous post “Who wants to be a nurse?”). I, of course, set them straight.
Others asked me if I still work in nursing. I always love when someone asks me that so I can give them my spiel. Here’s what I say, “I am very much working in nursing as a speaker and writer. While many people think of nurses working only at the bedside in hospitals, we actually work in many different places doing many different things. I am still a healer, a teacher, and a nurturer in everything I do.” They take a minute to digest that and I add, “Health, wellness, and healing take place on many different levels. I have a very expanded view of who a nurse is and what a nurse does.” It gives them food for thought. It even gives some nurses food for thought.
Be ready to speak passionately and authoritatively about your profession when out in public even when just socializing with friends or neighbors. You have an opportunity to set the record straight and educate and inform people about the full scope of what nurses do. Arm yourself with facts about the profession such as those found on AACNs Nursing Fact Sheet. Here’s an article you may find helpful Talk About What You Do
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January 6th, 2008 by Donna
My blog has been quiet for the last few months as I put the finishing touches on my 2nd book The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses. The guide will be in print in a few months and is being published by the Gannett Healthcare Group, the company that publishes Nursing Spectrum and NurseWeek magazines. Now I’m getting ready to write my 3rd book - a motivational book for the masses - not just for nurses. This is a long time dream of mine. And to think that I once believed I had no ability to write.
It’s amazing how self-limiting our own thoughts can be. It’s also amazing the things we discover about ourselves when we’re willing to step outside of our comfort zones like getting up in front of a group and speaking or submitting an article for publication or enrolling in classes. The world is such an exciting place when you get yourself out there and try new things, meet new people. Yes, it can be scary at first but it’s also exhilarating.
What have you dreamed of doing but are afraid to try? Would you be willing to let go of the outcome and just try for the experience of doing it? I guarantee you will grow from the experience and might just discover something that you’re good at or that you enjoy doing in the process.
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