Creating a positive future

This blog was created as a component of a Nursing Leadership course I was in. Over the course of the past 11 weeks there have been many discussions, activities, and experiences with leadership. If there is anything thing I have gained from this course, and the experience of developing this blog, it is this:

Leadership is not a job title or having a position of authority. Leadership is a quality, one that each of us can possess. It takes a conscious effort to develop leadership skills. Most importantly, though, we each have the potential to be a leader in our current role!

Qualities of an Effective Leader:

• Honesty
• Commitment
• Drive
• Compassion
• Synergy
• Emotional Intelligence
• Courage

As I move into my final quarter of my nursing program, and brace to enter a field I have worked to prepare for, I am ready to take on the role of leadership in every area I work in. I am ready to be a nurse that help leader her profession to bigger and better places. I am ready to be a woman who challenges the barriers placed solely because of my gender!

I challenge you to examine your current situation, professional and personal, and determine how you can be a leader to enact greatness.

Where are all the women?

Take a second to think of a leader…

Who did you think of? What qualities did they possess? What was their gender?

I am willing to guess most people think of a male. The qualities that we associate with leadership are many of the same qualities we associate with men. Leadership has long been viewed as “masculine.” Women are making strides in their fields and fighting for equality, but there is still a hug gender divide in leadership. “Femaleness” in leadership is “typically associated with ideas that are not aligned with leadership, ideas such as compliance, dependence, emotionality, weakness, needing to be accepted, passivity, nurturance, and being ‘people oriented’” (Grossman, 2009).

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's Chief Operating Officer, discusses this topic in this thought provoking TEDTalk.

• Out of 190 heads of state in the world, only 9 are women
• Of all of the world’s parliaments, 13% are women
• Women comprise 15% of top jobs in corporations. This number has not changed since 2002
• Success and likability are positively correlated for men, but negatively correlated for women

So what can women do?

Sit at the table!  Don’t underestimate your abilities! Negotiate for yourself. Be an advocate! “Women need to view themselves as leaders with something to offer…when women ‘sit at the table’ the manner of discussion changes and different priorities are frequently set which enable the discussion to be more inclusive” (Grossman, 2013).

Keep your hand up! Women tend to “bow out” early, anticipating an outcome. It is time for women to keep themselves involved until the very end.

I challenge you to recognize the gender divide! Women, sit at the table! Be involved! Advocate for yourself and for fellow women! Men, encourage females to participate. Be supportive of their efforts to be strong, influential leaders. 

Grossman, S. & Valiga, T. (2009). The new leadership challenge: creating the furture of nursing. P.A. Dacis Company. Philadelphia, PA

Technology and Nursing

It is estimated that nearly 77 million of Americans own a tablet or ipad. That number is expected to double in the next year or two. So what’s the big deal? I read an article from Reflections on Nursing Leadership discussing a study being done on the use of tablets as a tool to identify domestic violence during prenatal home visits [read full article here].

Why use a tablet instead of having a conversation?

• Abuser is typically around during the home visit and monitoring the conversation
• Women are not comfortable talking with varied skills of health care workers that visit
• Nurses feel uncomfortable asking about domestic violence

In utilizing this technology the nurse can hand the women a tablet and headphones. The patient can then direct themselves through a series of question regarding domestic violence. There is also a “safety button” the woman can press should the abuser enter the room. This button would activate a cloaking video to secure the questionnaire.

Does it work? “Though it remains to be proven, Sharps and Bullock hypothesize that using mobile tablets will increase the number of women who identify themselves as victims of domestic abuse by as much as a third. And once they’re identified, women who are victims can be given appropriate interventions” (RNL, 2012). This can be having extra car keys, packed bags, development of a safety plan or help gain a protective order.

Technology is changing the face of health care. We are seeing greater access with electronic medical record systems to tele-health visits to online health resources.

So tell me, what do you think of tablet use in identifying domestic violence?

I also encourage you to visit the Reflections on Nursing Leadership webpage for some more great articles!

Reflections on Nursing Leadership. (2012). Tablet computers: a tool for identifying domestic violence? Sigma Theta Tau International. Retrieved from: http://www.reflectionsonnursingleadership.org/Pages/Vol38_2_RNews_tablet_computers.aspx 

Vision

I am sure somewhere in your professional or educational experiences you have heard the term vision. In fact, nearly all businesses, schools, and organizations have a vision statement to guide them. “Having a vision, as well as being able to energize followers to join in the effort for making that vision a reality, involves credibility, communication skills, and the ability to maintain momentum and creativity” (Grossman, 2009, p75).

…but what is a vision?

• A vision is an image of where an organization would like to be in the future.
• A vision is different than a goal in the fact that it is broader and does not focus on a greater return on assets.
• Personal visions provide purpose in one’s life, whereas a professional vision helps accomplish work ideas and the mission of an organization.
• Vision is a catalyst for change
• Vision unleashes energy
• A vision is the embodiment of core beliefs

”Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision passes the time. Vision and action can change the world.” –Joel Barker

Recently I read an article on the relationship between vision and strategy. In the article, Michael Hyatt describes vision as the “what” and strategy as the “how”. If we don’t first have the “what” (vision), then our “how” (strategy) is non-effective. In other words, it is important to first determine your vision for moving forward so that you can then effectively develop a strategy for actualizing that vision. 

Developing a vision does not only apply to leadership and management roles!  Creating a personal vision sets a framework for personal and professional development in all future roles, activities, and locations.

How to develop a vision:  

• Think first about your past
• Determine what you want
• Write an article about how you’ve made a difference
• Write a short vision statement
• Act on your intuition
• Test your assumptions
• Become a futurist
• Rehearse with visualizations and affirmations

I encourage you to take some time and develop a vision for yourself, your practice, and your field!

Grossman, S. & Valiga, T. (2009). The new leadership challenge: creating the future of nursing. F.A. Davis Company. Philadelphia, PA.

The Law of Replication

Today I stumbled upon a website called Michael Hyatt: Intentional Leadership. Michael Hyatt is an author and former chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. There is an interesting article on his website call “Leadership and the Law of Replication” [read full article here]. In this article he discusses the law of replication and how it applies to human nature.

Essentially, people will begin to act in much the same way you do. If you are consistently late, you will begin to see that in others. If you are disrespectful, angry or defensive then people will begin to react that way toward you. On the other hand if are humble, engaging, respectful, and even-tempered you will see those behaviors reflected back toward you.

“This law…applies to leadership. Like it or not, you will replicate yourself. Your followers will adopt your behaviors, habits, and—if you have a strong personality— even your mannerisms” (Hyatt, 2013).

This has HUGE implications for leadership! As leaders it is important to act in a manner than we would want reflected practice. Even if we do not hold a leadership or management role, we can begin to act as leader and evoke positive change in the working with us!

Do your actions reflect those of what you would expect from a leader? Would you be proud if your action were imitated by those around you?

Hyatt, M. (2013). Leadership and the law of replication. Michael Hyatt: Intentional Leadership. Retrieved from: http://michaelhyatt.com/leadership-and-replication.html

The Future of Mental Health Care

Imagine this…you are a nurse caring for a patient in their home....

 ...No big deal right? What if I told you though that your patient was diagnosed as having paranoid schizophrenia? Now what do you think?

It is estimated that approximately 57.7 million Americans experience a mental health disorder in any given year. 1-in-17 adults live with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (NAMI, 2013). Lack of access to mental health services and a shortage of inpatient beds is a huge problem in our country. The National Alliance on Mental Illness gave the United States and overall grade of a “D” for its mental health care in a 2009 report (USA Today, 2009). [click here to see how your state ranks]

I don’t know about you, but in my mind that is NOT a passing grade! So what can we do? It seems logical to me that a great way to go about treating mental illness is in the community. One type of community program is Assertive Community Treatment teams or ACT. ACT is a service-delivery model that provides comprehensive around the clock cares to patients with serious and persistent mental illness much like an inpatient hospital unit would. The difference, however, is that ACT provides care within the home of the patient. 

WHATS SO GREAT ABOUT COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS?

• Decreases hospital days by 85%
• Reduces jail days by 83%
• Creates patient and family centered care
• Patients are able to find and maintain employment longer
•  Decreases co-occurring substance abuse problems
• Creates greater compliance with medication and treatment plans (NAMI, 2013)

Health care is changing, and it is changing rapidly. Community based health care, especially in mental health hold the potential to change lives! Why not be a part of effective patient centered care? Are you ready to be part of the change?

The Basics of Financial Planning

 

I read an article recently discussing financial planning for nurses. Trust me, I understand that planning for retirement can seem daunting, especially with a MOUNTAIN of student debt staring at you! “A 2011 Fidelity Investments Nurses Study revealed that although 79% of nurses interviewed feel secure in their jobs and their financial futures, 71% do not think they are saving enough to fund their retirements”(Quinn-Szcesuil, 2013, p11). Anyone else see a problem with that?

Where do you start?

1.       Make a plan for loan repayment. This is the first priority, and possibly the most difficult, for new graduates. Pay more than the principle balance to help reduce interest and shorten the repayment period.

2.       Determine what you want from your future. It is important to determine if you want to return to school, travel, have children, or be mortgage free.

3.      Once you have indentified what your personal goals are, meet with a financial planner (or take a class). “A 2008 WISER survey revealed that only about 6% of nurses thought they had a strong grasp of financial planning issues, but nearly all thought it was important” (Quinn-Szcesuil, 2013, p12). It is important to choose somebody you trust. Examine all of your accounts, insurance plans and benefit packages to ensure that all data is up to date.

4.       Start slowly! While repaying loans it can be difficult to focus on saving money. By starting slow you begin to familiarize yourself with the retirement saving process. Even $10 per week into savings will add up to big results!

5.       Plan an emergency fund! Experts agree that an emergency fund is a necessity. Plann to save 3-6 months worth of income into an accessible fund to be prepared for financially difficult times.

6.       Save first! Saving for retirement should be a top priority! By saving now you can ensure stability and a quality of life for your future, and the future of your loved ones!

 

Quinn-Szcesuil, J. (2013). Financial planning 101: know your worth. Minority Nurse. Springer Publishing Company. Winter 2013.