Name That Best Practice! – Nursing and the Science of Fun
Friday Evening Fatigue Last evening I arrived home from work after a 3-hour commute that normally should have taken me about 90-minutes. I was exhausted and feeling every day of my 59-years of age. My husband greeted me at the...
Storytelling and Health Literacy in Rural Areas
Thinking Outside of the Box In my previous article (read: Gamifying Health Literacy in Rural Areas) I challenged you, my dear colleagues, to think outside of your comfort zone and integrate games into your daily patient care...
Gamifying Health Literacy in Rural Areas
This week, I celebrated my thirty-ninth year as a practicing United States, registered nurse. My nursing practice has primarily been in urban settings and academic institutions. I have been fortunate to work and teach in the...
Living with the Grief and Loss of a Nursing Colleague
Today is the first sunny day that we have experienced in New England, in more than two weeks. The birds are chirping outside of my window and the weather is finally beginning to feel like springtime. However, I cannot help but to...
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Following an Emergent Situation
In the United States, February 14 2018 will not be remembered as just another Valentine’s Day. It will be recognised as the date of one of the deadliest school shootings in US history. On that day, in an area of southern Florida,...
Creating a Vision Board – Visualise Your Practice Goals in 2018
Make Your Own Vision Board Write down your goals or achievements for the year. Collect images that inspire you. Include personal photos. Add words of affirmation. Set aside a few moments every day to reflect upon your progress....
Balancing Grief and Joy During the Holiday Season
Christmas, New Years and even Thanksgiving, are some of the most prominent events on many of our calendars at this time of the year. The Christmas Holiday season is a time of tremendous joy for young and old. However, many are...
Why Telling Your Story Matters
Who, if not you, will tell your stories? All that I have learned about nurses is largely the accumulation of stories from books, lectures and people. Nurses are the living vehicles of stories of care, compassion, and the face of...
Breast Cancer – Nurse Awareness and Reflections
I am confident that if you are reading this, you know or have cared for someone with a diagnosis of breast cancer. My family began a very personal battle with breast cancer when my mother was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer...
The Relationship Between Learning and Teaching
Throughout my graduate education, I read extensively on Adult Learning Theory that was developed by Malcolm Knowles (1980). I was particularly drawn to Knowles and his theory of andragogy because my nursing education began when I...
Meditative Walking and the Importance of Self-Care
During my 38-year career in nursing practice I have been privileged to work at the bedside, in the classroom, and as a nurse researcher. I am one of those nurses who believes that nursing is in my genes! My work hours have always...
Research into Rural Healthcare and Isolation
In 2014, I had accumulated thirty-three years of bedside and clinical education nursing practice. My resume included a wealth of home-care, nursing education, and several years of clinical practice in a major teaching hospital in...