May 12th is International Nurses Day!

May 12, 2024    |   ,

National Nurses Week runs May 6th through May 12th. The celebratory week culminates on Florence Nightingale’s birthday. May 12th is recognized as International Nurses Day by the International Council of Nurses. This year marks the 30th year of celebrating National Nurses Week.

I have been a nurse for 24 years this June. I still remember the day I took my NCLEX exam. I also remember my first job as a nurse tech, as a new graduate registered nurse, as a travel nurse, and every other nursing role that has led me to where I am today.

I believe that the education, training, preparation and experience of becoming and being a nurse prepares you with the ability to not only assess someone but also something. Your nursing knowledge, skills, and abilities are necessary not just in your day to day work but in your life as well.

Additionally, being a nurse holds so many opportunities for you. Whether you opt to change direct care areas of focus, choose to travel, choose to pursue an advanced practice role, choose leadership, education, informatics, or any other role, there is that possibility for you to explore.

Nursing as a profession has a long history of evolving and advancing through the determination, intelligence, and forward thinking nature of other nurses.

Today in 2024, we continue to extend the boundaries of where nurses can and do have an impact on the delivery of quality care to others.

You may be inspired by Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole, Clara Barton, Anita Dorr, Mary Mahoney, or any other nurse in the world who has advocated for better.

Now consider that someone may be inspired by you and your nursing abilities, your role, your education, your accomplishments and/or any other characteristic or attribute that differentiates you from the nurse next to you.

Happy International Nurses Day to you! May you have a year that provides you with continued inspiration and meaningful moments as a nurse.

~ Dr. Kelley

Why aren’t nurses part of the conversation?

September 06, 2016    |   , , , , , , , , ,

A conversation a few months ago led me to wonder (and I should have asked), ‘why isn’t a nurse part of this meeting’?

 

conversation

At that time, I was speaking with a physician and a project director about bedside nursing solutions using mobile to address existing workflow challenges. I realized toward the end of the conversation that the problem we, at Nightingale Apps are working to solve with Know My Patient TM, was not well understood by the meeting participants. Yet, had a nurse been part of the conversation, we would have likely had a different outcome.

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Did you miss our #TweetChat today with Kareo?

May 12, 2016    |   , , , , , , , , , , ,

Today I was invited to host a #TweetChat with Kareo to discuss hot topics that affect us all, nurses, providers, patients and families. We had a wonderful discussion and I’m happy to share the transcript here: https://storify.com/GoKareo/patient-information-flow-technology#publicize 

What I learned today is that we could have discussed each one of the questions in great length. There is a recognition that there are challenges that we face today in accessing and using information from the side or the health care professional and the side of the patient. By getting past the challenges and looking toward how to solve, we can begin to chip away at these challenges and solve these problems that affect us all.

It was wonderful to have hosted this #TweetChat today on the last day of Nurses Week!

 

kareochat

Our profile on Florence Nightingale soon to follow!

Best,

Tiffany

Lillian Wald, Founder of Henry Street Settlement & Inventor of term ‘Public Health Nursing’

May 11, 2016    |   , ,

Lillian Wald (1867-1940) is our featured nurse innovator today! Lillian Wald is another nurse pioneer whose efforts have advanced the nursing profession. Lillian received her nursing education from the New York Hospital School for Nurses. From her training and experience, she saw the struggles of the people within the greater New York City community and decided to do something to change the conditions. Initially, her efforts began with founding the Visiting Nurse Service and the Henry Street Settlement in 1893.

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Clara Barton (1821-1912), Founder of the Red Cross

May 09, 2016    |   , , , ,

Innovator in Nursing Profile: Clara Barton (1821-1912), Founder of the Red Cross

Clarissa Harlow (Clara) Barton, was a pioneer and innovator in transforming health care. Clara Barton started initially working as a teacher and then became one of the first women employees in the federal government. Soon later, Barton began to see an opportunity to support American soldiers during the Civil War. Clara started her efforts by working to gather medical supplies for the soldiers (e.g., bandages, food, and clothing). However, Clara soon found herself working to aid the soldiers on the front lines. Barton spent time gathering supplies and bringing them to the front lines. In one instance, she was able to support the surgeons on the front line with replenishments when they had run out of supplies. Clara Barton’s efforts earned her the nickname, ‘Angel of the Battlefield’.

“I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them.” ~ Clara Barton

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Happy Nurses Week!

May 06, 2016    |   , , , , ,

Happy Nurses Week!

May 6th marks the start of Nurses Week that runs through May 12th each year! The American Nurses Association indicates that there are over 3 million registered nurses in the United States. This means we have that many people around us who have dedicated their lives to improving the lives of others! That is a remarkable mission that deserves recognition.

Nurses play a fundamental role in advancing the health of individuals each day. Nurses go into this profession to heal and help others. Each one of us, as individuals, will need some form of health care service at some point in our lives. Our nurses are the lifeline to our health. In health care organizations, nurses are the health care professionals who are at our bedside 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Yet, their nursing care does not stop at the bedside.

To paint the full picture, I’d like to share an excerpt of some words I spoke about the meaning of being a nurse….

“….what happens is that your profession as a nurse becomes part of who you are, your persona. You will be presented with situations that could benefit from your nursing knowledge and skills to help others. You will not always know when those situations will come but when they do, you will likely react instinctively and pitch in to help that individual, family, community or population in need.

Whether it is fielding a question from a friend about how much Tylenol to give her son that has a fever, advocating for a dying family member who is unable to advocate for his or herself, or simply listening to someone who is going through a difficult time. The possibilities are endless. Your nursing knowledge and skills can make an impact that will be memorable for you as well as that individual person or family.

Thus, as you move forward in your career as a nurse, what I would like for each of you to think about is the impact you will have not only in your professional life but also in those unexpected moments of your personal life when someone is in need of your care.

Regardless of where the need is located, your response to that need will not only benefit you as a nurse but also you as an individual. More importantly, the benefits will be far greater for those individuals, families, communities and populations who are on the receiving end of your efforts.” (See more at: https://nursing.duke.edu/news/tiffany-kelley-apply-your-nursing-knowledge-skills-day-day-pursuit-excellence#sthash.1rjHCKuX.dpuf )

Thus, This week we are celebrating nurses and the nursing profession! Each day during this week we will be showcasing a nurse on our blog who has been fundamental in advancing the nursing profession. We hope that you will be stimulated by the week and re-invigorated for what you do each day to help improve the lives of patients and families!

Best wishes,

Tiffany